《A Destained Young Master Villain》 Chapter 1 Reincarnation [Part 1] ?Trent hails from a prosperous family background and enjoys widespread recognition and acim in the business world. Due to his exceptional abilities and rtive youth, he rapidly established a prominent reputation. His familial circumstances were widely known, eliciting sympathy from those around him. His parents passed away while he was young. Due to an ident where there was an unknown error with the aviation system on the ne that his parents were flying in. Because of that error, the ne crashed in the ocean, ending their lives. The corpses were retrieved, however, the visual spectacle was exceedingly horrifying. Trent was deprived of the opportunity toy eyes upon the remains of his parents due to that unfortunate circumstance. Furthermore, he was unable to allocate any time for mourning the loss of his parents. As he stands as the sole remaining individual within his familial lineage. At the tender age of sixteen, he waspelled to assume a more mature role and ept the responsibility of inheriting his family''s business. While overseeing the operations of the business, he swiftly cultivated the disposition of an individual who has a cold personality, apanied by the acquisition of a shrewd persona. He achieved sess in sustaining the business. Abruptly, during the course of his work, he experienced a sensation of difort emanating from his cardiac region. Possibly due to pent-up emotions that he had been repressing. However, subsequent to the incident, he proceeded to seek medical attention at the hospital. Where he was then diagnosed with ischaemic heart disease. It is an illness that urs when low blood flow decreases the amount of oxygen your heart muscle receives. On top of that he was also diagnosed with a heart cancer. He was struck with unwillingness as the doctor told Trent that he only had five to six months, or at best, a year, left to live. On a bed, there sat a young man named Trent, aged in his early twenties, characterized by a ck colored hair and a countenance pale enough to evoke the impression of delicacy, vulnerable to the slightest gust of wind. He just finished reading a book called The Steel Daemon. Trent intently stared at the ceiling as if the words he was looking for were written there and thought, ''This novel seems to be another one of those cliche hero protagonists saving and courting beauties. After that, the hero will set out on a journey, trying to find ways to get stronger anding back at thest moment to save the day.'' He scoffed and praised the novel''s originality in a mocking tone. The only way to relieve his boredom at the hospital was to read novels. Right then, the door to the room slides open, and people talking in low voices can be heard outside. The voices gradually disappeared as the door closed. A figure entered the room. Trent nced to see who had entered the room. It was his personal doctor who was appointed to check on his health. The doctor addressed him with a sincere gaze, speaking in a solemn manner, "Mr. Trent, regrettably, I must inform you of unfortunate findings from the X-ray examination we conducted on you...." Throughout the conversation, the doctor proceeded to borate on his present medical condition. Trent was abruptly struck with bewilderment as, unexpectedly, the doctor''s voice was gradually receding into the abyss. He pondered what was happening. ''Why is it like this? All of a sudden, I am unable to hear his voice. His voice is diminishing gradually, as if he is receding into the distance, while my own consciousness appears to be fading?'' Right then, he copsed and fell to the ground. When Trent regained consciousness, he was struck again with bewilderment as he opened his eyes and examined the surroundings carefully. ''Where am I?'' he asks in his mind. The room was bleak, cold, andpletely dark. It was quiet and somber, but as he stood up, the light in the room automatically opened. He surveyed his surroundings and became mesmerized by the enchanting intricacies and patterns adorning the room. The room had a futuristic aspect, and it was just immacte. It gave the feeling that this room belonged to someone of wealthy and prominent status. There is also a blue light shining from behind the walls that adds subtle illumination to the entire area. This had a sci-fi vibe to it. Which was the same as those movies he watched before. Upon conducting a second inspection of the room. Subsequently, he was weed by a mechanized voice articting, "Greetings, Young Master Zenryx, and a pleasant morning to you." Trent slightly frowned and whispered to himself, "Who me? Zenryx? Isn''t that the viin of the novel Ist read? Don''t tell me I died and then reincarnated as that person. Hahaha...." as he chuckled slightly at his ridiculous thoughts. He pondered and thought that he was dreaming. He then fell into deep thought, sorting out his assumptions about what was happening. Trent did not feel like it was a dream. It felt too realistic to be just a dream. He also knew about lucid dreams, as he had experienced them multiple times before. Lucid dreams are when you know that you''re dreaming while you''re asleep. But it still did not exin the situation. He recollected engaging in conversation with his doctor, when an abrupt loss of consciousness befell him and ended up copsing to the ground. He twisted his finger slightly intentionally harming himself, feeling the pain caused by his action he groaned. ''Ughh'' Now, after twisting his finger, he knows that this was no simple dream but reality! Right then, he identally nced at a nearby mirror, which showed him a figure. He was in awe and astonished at the appearance of the figure standing in the mirror. He approached closer and examined his appearance, revealing silver gray hair that corresponded harmoniously with his eyes. Possessing an etherealplexion reminiscent of white jade and disying distinct facial contours, upon closer examination one might perceive a mesmerizing allure emanating from the depths of those silver eyes, it seems to be like a ck hole drawing you in. One would find it impossible to avert one''s gaze from those captivating eyes, bing entranced in their beauty. It seemed like if looks could kill, that was it. Despite having the appearance of a 10-year-old, his handsomeness could not be hidden, and judging from this, he will grow out to be a charming adult. Trent then spoke softly, and the corner of his mouth curled into a devilish smile. "Now this confirms it... I indeed reincarnated as that foolish, ipetent viin, young master. Interesting!" Just as he was celebrating that he had reincarnated, he was then greeted a second time by a mechanical system sound. The system spoke, introducing itself: "Greetings host, I am Destiny, and I am here to apany you in this world." When the system suddenly appeared and introduced itself, the smile on his handsome face widened. "Damn, even heaven is on my side; it''s probably the way the gods are showing their sympathy by giving me this system, as my life was full of misery in my previous life." Chapter 2 Reincarnation [Part 2] ?With the appearance of the system, it automatically integrated with Trent''s mind. When this change urred, he was unable to cope with the amount of information his brain was receiving. This caused him to copse to the ground. e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? Initializing..... An hour after he lost consciousness, he awoke and gained new knowledge about the system and how it is used, as well as a broader understanding of the world he reincarnated into. Although he read the novel in his previous life, it was not enough. He rose steadily, articting the newfound knowledge he had acquired after his integration with the system. Pontiac was the name of the he was currently on. Pontiac is a that is 40 times the size of Earth, which was the he lived on before being reincarnated. He resided within a continent known as Astre in the world he reincarnated to. Pontiac''s exhibited remarkable advancements in technology, knowledge, and expertise, among other aspects...The magnitude of his former world called Earth could not evenpare. The Astre continent is ruled by the Doomthorne Royal and Pontiac Academy; these two powers are equal in terms of Prestige and Prowess. These two powers are located at the center of the continent. In each direction of the continent, four of the most powerful families are located. The Raverdieu is situated in the southern region, while the Duragny is located in the northern vicinity. Moving towards the east, one can find the M??vouires, and in the western part, lies the Crellon family. Although the Pontiac Academy and Doomthorne Family seem to be the peak of power on this, Raverdieu should not be underestimated. Rumors about the Raverdieu Family have often spread around, iming that they have many Progenitors slumbering in their coffins buried underground in their family fiefdom. The Raverdieu family ought to be regarded as the most enigmatic family that exists on the Pontiac. Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu is the individual he reincarnated as. He is the only son of Elle Raverdieu and Randell Raverdieu, but he does have an adopted elder sister called Fiona. Both of Zenryx''s parents treat Fiona as their daughter and dot on her the same way they dote on Zenryx. However, burdened by his overtly conventional and clich??d persona as a viin, he harbored a deep resentment towards her and resorted to various strategies in an attempt to foster animosity between his parents and her. But his efforts proved futile as he ultimately became the one who incurred his parent''s hatred. That led him astray, and he ended up bing more and more of a viin as the days went by. Although he had an ipetent mindset, he was fairly talented in terms of using Swords and Magic. The current Zenryx then stated in a mocking tone with an evil grin showing on his face, "If he was not talented in any of those aspects and for his good looks, I would''ve simply believed it if someone told me he was switched during birth with how retarded he is." Since Elle and Randell were considered two of the most intelligent human beings in Astre, Their son should have also inherited their intelligence, right? But the old Zenryx was a special case. After clearing up all the information about the memories he was merged with, Zendryx evilly grinned and thoughtfully whispered to himself, "I mean, he did be a viin due to the umted hatred of his parents. I have no single intention of doing that. How can you be so stupid that you can even make your parents hate you?" He let out a sigh of exasperation and experienced a sense of pity towards him, recognizing the imusibility of such an oue in reality. The author hasmitted an injustice against Zenryx in the novel. One cannot enjoy being reincarnated if one does not live his life to the fullest here. ''I guess I''ll show this ipetent fool how being a viin should be done in gratitude for taking over his body.'' He thought in his mind. ''Pfff...'' He could not contain his excitement about being reincarnated any longer, and his menacingughter could be heard echoing throughout the room. The guards patrolling that arrived in front of his door had asked each other, "Has the young master gone crazy or something?" as they scaredly and hurriedly walked away to get as far away as possible from his room. Other than being overly jealous of his sister for no reason or, to say the least, wanting to get undivided attention from his parents, he does not want to share his parent''s love with his step-sister. He also had a wicked hobby that every servant and guard in the household knew about. This young man, with an unparalleled appearance, appeared akin to a celestial entity descending unto the mortal realm. He derived perverse pleasure from inflicting fatal torment upon innocent, defenseless creatures. As for the guards being scared after hearing his menacingugh, what could they do if he suddenly decided to torture them instead? In front of a behemoth like the Raverdieu family, they would not even have a single ounce of resistance. Although Randell and Elle might not agree with Zenryx''s actions, both his parents were also famous for killing people without batting an eye. So who knows? Zenryx calmed himself down as he was getting out of hand, and he thought in his mind, ''status''. Then a transparent holographic screen appeared in front of him, disying, a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe???a¨C? a¨C?Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) Race : a??Humana?? Age : a??10a?? Points : a??0a?? a¨C?Talent = Mage [Elementary], Swordsmanship [Elementary] a¨C?Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery : 1%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery : 2%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 2%] - Ball Lightning [Mastery : 2%] a¨C?Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Eidetic Memory a¨C?[System Shop]a¨C? (Skill Devourer is an ability where one can absorb andbine skills that share the same characteristics and it also has the ability to steal someone else skill) Skill Informations : - (Defiant Swords : Instantaneous dash sh that could also affect opponent''s speed) - (Tempest of des : de Domain) - (Ball Lightning : Launches a lightning bolt that can stun an enemy) - (Fork Lightning : A widespread lightning discharge) Chapter 3 Family Reunion ?After internally saying the term ''status'' and scrutinizing the translucent, azure disy that materialized directly in front of him. Zen''s eyes involuntarily widened in a momentary shock, and he sighed, remarking, "With status like this at such a young age, I have no idea how this dude even lost to the protagonist in the first ce. I guess that''s just how it is." "Every novel viin is just designed and created for the sake of the protagonist''s character development. Also, the author of that novel is ruthless. He designed Zenryx''s character as an ipetent viin, making him lose his sanity miserably." He had to admit that he did not expect such a status, but he guess that it was reasonable, as Zen went through rigorous training at a young age, around seven years old, if he remembers correctly. What made his jaw drop was his innate abilities, which were Skill Devourer and Eidetic Memory. He mulled through his memories. ''I remember that in the novel Zenryx did not possess such broken innate abilities. This might havee with the system, or maybe he had the possibility of unlocking these innate abilities.'' ''It was just that it was never unlocked due to his ipetence, which makes sense. It was set as an innate ability on the screen, meaning I was naturally born with it.'' ''knock knock knock'' While contemting the specifics of his situation, he was suddenly and unceremoniously disrupted when a knock resounded upon his door. Apanying the sound, a gentle feminine voice, spoke. "Young master, may I inform you that your parents and your sister have arrived at your residence and are presently awaiting your presence in the lower level living area." As Zen made his way towards the door, reflections on the event flooded his mind, recalling from the novel that Zenryx''s parents were consistently preupied with their work, leaving them unable to visit him. However, it dawned upon him in an instant! It was a customary gathering of their family that took ce monthly. He proceeded to unlock the door, casting a nce towards the maid who knocked on the door, duly referred to as Marie within the novel he read. She carried out the role of a personal attendant assigned to look after Zenryx''s needs. Zen revealed a gentle smile and conveyed, "Thank you for informing me. I will be right down in just a second." Following what Zen conveyed a look of shock appeared on her face. When Zenryx showed a tender smile directed at Marie. She was taken aback by bewilderment. ''What is going on with young master Zen? When was he able to make such a facial expression and he said Thank you?! and his smile? What the hell?'' ''He is usually rude, and I have never even heard him utter a single word of thank you at least once. Since I was assigned here! He would always choose to coldly say, Ok, you can fuck off now, instead of saying, Thank you! Huh? Is the world ending or something?'' While Marie was upied with her thoughts, Zen walked right past her and started walking down the stairs, looking down at the living room he saw three figures. A gorgeous-looking woman and a tall, handsome man, which should be his father and mother. They both looked to be in theirte twenties, but he knew in his mind that they were already in theirte forties. The reason for that is that the lifespan of the humans here can reach up to thousands of years if one can acquire the serum, which was developed by Sterling Keswick, who is from the Pontiac Academy. It has the ability to restore damaged or missing cells, tissues, and organs to their prime condition. Most of the nobles and high-ranking individuals have been injected with this serum. So the appearance of adults here is that of those who look to be in their early twenties and thirties. Except for those who have lived for thousands of years and the average human who is unable to acquire the serum. The serum which is called the Elixir of Life was invented four hundred years ago, so if those people who had an age ranging from thousands were injected with this serum, they would only slightly gain their youthful appearance. The age of every individual can be ascertained by evaluating both their aura, mana, and the age of their bones. Despite the revolutionary nature of the serum, the incorporation of aura and mana would also contribute significantly to the maintenance of a stable youthful appearance and healthy body. Individuals who solely depend on serum for prolonging their life expectancy can only experience an extension of their lifespan of up to five centuries or even millennia, at best. However, people who are Swordsman and Mage possess the capability to extend their lifespan to a remarkable period of ten millennia. Zen''s father, Randell Raverdieu, is the grand duke who also possessed terrifying prowess as a Heavenly Swordsman and is the current ruler of the Raverdieu family. His mother, Elle Duragny Raverdieu, was revered as one of the strongest and first Magic Swordsman ever born. His mother is a Great Magister and a Royal Swordsmaster. She is also thedy of the Duragny family. The level of swordsmanship rankings is categorized as Novice Swordsman, Elementary Swordsman, Intermediate Swordsman, Advanced Swordsman, Great Swordsman, Royal Swordsman, and Heavenly Swordsman. As for the mages, the rankings are Novice Mage, Elementary Mage, Intermediate Mage, Advanced Mage, Great Mage, Magister, and Great Magister. My mother is one of the five Great Magisters of the Astre continent. This was just the Astre continent alone. There was no way to count how many Great magisters existed on the entire of Pontiac, there were also those that hid in the dark. Zen observed each of them with keen interest, initially fixating upon his mother, with whom he shares strikingly simr facial characteristics. Possessing silvery-white hair and shimmering silver eyes, while adorned in a sophisticated, ck off-shoulder dress. Then directed his attention towards his father, whose hair was a shade of dark gray and eyes were a matching shade of gray, stylishly attired in a suit. Following this, his gaze shifted toward his beautiful sister. ''Wow, this adopted sister of mine is really a beauty amongst beauties.'' She possessed resplendent golden hair, coupled with a pair of eyes that gleamed with the iridescent shade of pristine gold. As he was walking toward them, He noticed that while he was scrutinizing them, they were also looking back at him. But there was some difference, He looked at them with curiosity, and they looked at Zen with little confusion and a worried expression shown on their faces. Chapter 4 Family Talk [Part 1] ?Zen had an epiphany and quietly uttered, "Ah, I see, at this time they found out about the things I have been doing and my little hobbies." His step-sister cast a disdainful gaze in his direction, but he responded with a tender, endearing smile. The identical smile that rendered Marie, the maid, devoid of conscious thought. Followed after that was an expression of confusion manifested in his sister''s expression. When considering Zen''s sister, despite being a potential love interest for the protagonist in the novel, she consistently maintained a neutral position amidst the conflict between Zenryx and Edward. In the novel, she had mixed emotions toward Zen, as he was her brother. Even if they were not biologically rted and even if she felt disgusted with Zen, they both still grew up together, being raised by the same parents since childhood, and she was grateful to Zen''s parents for taking care of her like she was their daughter. Zen''s mother was the first toe forward and hug him tightly, seemingly worried about what was happening to him psychologically. Zen''s mother loved him, and she often spoiled him rotten. While Elle was hugging him, a deep voice sounded, which belonged to Randell. He said, "Before we go to dinner, me and your mother have to ask you something, my son." Zen''s mother then pulled him away from her embrace, looking straight into his eyes. Elle asked in a mad tone, chastising him, "Zen, tell me why are you doing all those things? Torturing animals and despicably framing your sister?! You are going a bit overboard, don''t you think so?" This marked a pivotal moment in the life of Zen, as he had never experienced reprimand previously and was an indulged ten-year-old who had yet to grasp the intricacies of the world. In the novel, it is stated that he resorted to uttering profanities toward his parents upon being reprimanded, which instigated his father to administer physical discipline. You can easily guess how the plot of the novel progressed after that incident. It was like a cycle of him umting hatred from his parents. Until it led to him being disowned and starting his path to being a viin, joining evil organizations and such. Consequently, his fate ultimately met its tragic end at the hands of the protagonist. Although Zen can understand his actions in the novel, he was quite pitiful. It is so easy at times for a lonely individual to begin fantasizing about what the people outside are saying about him and, as a result, irrationally, fearfully, and sometimes angrily, fancy himself a viin. Of course, Zen won''t let that happen now that he has taken over. He will fully utilize and use his family''s power, wealth, and influence/prestige to crush that cringe-worthy hypocritical protagonist. The room went silent. Fiona, Randell, and Elle gazed at me attentively, demonstrating their patience as they awaited my answer. Zen then told them firmly, while mixing lies with truth, "Mother and Father, I apologize for my actions if they were not appropriate. As for torturing the animals? Who said that? It was merely a beast from the Demonic Twilight Forest I had someone ordered to capture." "I wanted to practice my skills by fighting with beasts. I was also researching the weak points and how to deal with them more easily if I ever were to fight one. So I was dissecting it." "Those maids need to be reprimanded for spreading such fake rumors." Randell pondered silently, questioning the notion that his son possessed a cowardly nature, as he seemed more inclined to derive pleasure from inflicting harm upon defenseless creatures rather than engaging adversarial counterparts of greater strength. But then he widened his eyes in surprise after hearing his response, and then a deep, loudugh echoed through the estate. Guards, maids, etc... who were working stopped what they were doing when they suddenly heard augh that was simr to Zen''sughter that echoed earlier, which made them nervous. They immediately guessed that something was about to happen. Randell expressed his satisfaction with a smile and confidently remarked, "Great! Great! So that''s it. We misunderstood. I shall promptly execute all the maids responsible for ndering you, resulting in our unfortunate misperception of our son." Zen''s father''s action did note as a surprise to him. He possessed aplete understanding of his father''s ruthlessness and authoritarian nature, exhibiting only a gentle demeanor toward his family members. While Randell was busy with his thoughts, Fiona and Elle were also surprised. Fiona''s gaze toward Zen became gentler. Fiona muttered to herself, "To be honest, I did not really like this brother of mine due to his hobbies being spread around, but it seems like it was just a mix-up." She sighed, feeling better about her brother. Due to Fiona''s parents and her family being destroyed and her tragic past, she was forced to mature and think like an adult at such a young age. Indeed, she expressed her gratitude towards Zenryx''s parents. They not only provided her refuge but also sought retribution for the demise of her family. They eradicated the entire Marquess lineage, which bore the responsibility for the demise of her family, and the organization that was also involved had its power and influence reduced by half. She did not care about Zen''s rebellious child tantrums he throws all the time when the family gathers together. They also had a good rtionship for about a year while ying around when they were about 6 years old. The only reason she started hating this brother of hers was because of his questionable hobbies. Then she also found out that Zen had framed her. Zen informed their parents that during her previous visit, she surreptitiously administered a substance to him, resulting in his debilitating sickness for a week, an assertion utterly devoid of veracity. She was then reprimanded as a result of that. That instilled a heightened sense of revulsion within her towards her brother''s behavior. Now, one of the misconceptions has been rified, specifically regarding the torture of animals and stuff. In reality, it was merely a beast undergoing dissection for educational motives. She eagerly anticipated Zen''s exnation for falsely using her of poisoning him, hoping that it could be also a misunderstanding, but she doubts it, as it was pretty clear what his motives were. But she still hope that they could go back to how things were when they were six. Her only wish right now was for her, Zen, their parents, and the family to be more harmonious. Elle, on the other hand, also felt refreshed hearing his answer; she then continued to ask, "What about your sister? Why did say that?" Chapter 5 Family Talk [Part 2] ?Zen stared at his mother while revealing a self-deprecating smile to arouse her leniency towards me and not me him for his actions. He then proceeded to exin, "Mother, I have no excuses for this incident; it was just in the heat of the moment. I did not know what came to me at that time. Which resulted in me doing such an unforgivable deed." As Zen said that he moved his gaze toward his sister Fiona and told her looking straight into her eyes saying "I apologize for my behavior Fiona I hope you were not angry with what I did to you," while revealing an apologetic expression shown on his face. Mother Elle felt like her heart was being stabbed a thousand times when she saw Zen''s attitude. She loved and cared for this kid so much, and she couldn''t take seeing such an unsightly expression on this son of hers. A tear appeared out of the corner of her eye, and she then again pulled me into her embrace. Don''t forget that this mother of his is a Magical swordsman, one of the strongest humans, and has the title ''Tyrannous Empress''. She kills people who go against her without batting an eye. If people were to see her like this, they would simply die from shock. Fiona responded with a subtle nod, indicating her eptance of his apology. Zen contemted, ''Hmm, it appears that she has forgiven me for my actions.'' Fiona was satisfied with his response, although she thought that using her of poisoning him was too much and that simple words of apology were not enough to make up for what he had done. She still chose to bury it in her heart and forgive him. Zenryx pondered quietly to himself and felt a sense of amusement deep within, witnessing the desirable oue of his actions. ''Such an easy way out of this situation, goddamn, I should be awarded an Oscar for my acting.'' Just then, a systematic robotic voice sounded in my mind, saying, e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? [You have received a reward for reversing one of the turning points that changed the entire plot of the novel.] [You have also been given a starter pack, which includes points that can be used in the system shop and can also be used to upgrade your skill mastery level.] Zen was surprised, although he couldn''t wait to open up all the rewards. Now was not the right time. He was still talking to his family about various matters. Fiona and Zen''s bond also deepened following their discussions. While conversing with each other, Randell suddenly spoke up "It''s time for the dinner reservation at the Pandorica." Pandora is a high-ss restaurant and has earned a maximum of three Michelin stars. Restaurants that receive a Michelin Star rating are filled with pride and gain prestige. It is a badge of honor, a recognition that it is the best restaurant on the continent. It was located at the center of the continent. Father told them to go outside and start heading inside the ship. Zen looked outside and was bbergasted that the sky was full of ships, like thousands of ships and air bikes. He could sense the aura of each person and the lowest rank among them was an Intermediate swordsman and mage. The highest among them was a Greater Mage and Swordsman. This was just a regr group of guards assigned to protect the young master of the family. On each asion wherein they partake in the monthly dining tradition, they frequently take elite guards with them. Elle and Randell were two of the strongest of the Pontiacs. They did not need protection, but their children did. It was unduly extravagant, yet one cannot predict the urrence of unexpected mishaps. Just as Zen was about to enter the ship. He suddenly remembered that a week from now, The protagonist was supposed to get his legendary sword in the Twilight Forest. Which helped him greatly throughout his journey to bing a Heavenly Swordsman. He pondered about it momentarily, but in the end, he came to a conclusion and thought of an excuse not to go to dinner. Zen went to his father and told him, "Father, It seems like I gain new understanding while examining the guards stationed outside. I should be breaking through the intermediate level in swordsmanship; therefore, I''m afraid to say I''ll have to skip today''s dinner." Elle wanted to refuse at first when she heard him say that he wouldn''t be attending dinner. She did not care about his son''s breakthrough; she didn''t care whether he was talented or not. She was willing to die for her son and protect him for the rest of her life. As long as she could spend quality time with him and Fiona together. But she was indeed proud of his talent. [Reasons as for why his family did not help him with the protaganist will be exinedter in the chapters] Randell spoke up proudly while smiling, and said, "I guess it can''t be helped, my son is too talented. We''ll be going then, we will see youter." Zen then approached his parents and warmly embraced them before proceeding to his stepsister. He bestowed upon her a gentle peck on the cheek, followed by a fervent embrace. Despite Fiona''s aloof demeanor, she had never before engaged in such intimate interaction with someone from the opposite sex. She found herself feeling bashful when embraced by her attractive and adorable brother, resulting in a faint rosy color on her cheeks, particrly after resolving any misunderstandings between them. She has a fresh new perspective on Zen. Who would not like being hugged by such a perfect-looking human being who had such a divine appearance? After the farewell, He went back up to his room and started sorting out his new gains, and then he nned to go to the Twilight Forest to steal the protagonist''s opportunity. Zen is also nning on creating an organization himself in the future, as he knows who is going to be prominent and strong in the future. He could create a strong force, and he would have another force he can use other than his family. Chapter 6 Gains And Planning ?Zen thought about his gains and how he should use them, ''So I got about 150 points from the starter pack, which I could use to upgrade my skills, but it seems like a waste as I could just train and achieve it, it would just take time. That is not a problem though as I possess the best talent.'' ''There should be better ways to use the points other than my skills.'' Zen muttered to himself, "Hmm, maybe just one time, as I will be heading to the Twilight Forest soon. I''ll need my skills upgraded as much as I can." "Also, by changing the plot earlier, the system directly upgraded my innate ability." umting ten points will result in a one percent improvement in the mastery of a skill. He used a total of forty points to achieve a Domain mastery level of five percent. Additionally, he assigned a total of eighty points towards the mastery of his Defiant Sword skill, thereby achieving a mastery level of ten percent. Zen uttered the word ''system'' in his mind, and then a bluish, transparent screen appeared disying his status. a¨C? e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? a¨C? a¨C? Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) a¨C?Race : a??Humana?? a¨C?Age : a??10a?? a¨C?Points : a??30a?? a¨C? Talent - Mage [Elementary], Swordsmanship [Intermediate] a¨C? Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery : 5%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery : 10%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 2%] - Ball Lightning [Mastery : 2%] a¨C? Innate Ability - Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory a¨C? e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? a¨C? [Eidetic Memory has evolved and turned into Photographic Memory] [Swordsmanship has broken through Intermediate rank ording to the allocated points the host has applied] Zen prioritized upgrading his swordsmanship primarily due to the exnation he provided to his father. The second rationale revolves around his personal preference for swordsmanship, as he deems it more captivating and appealing. After ncing at the screen, he wanted to try out all his skills. He emerged from the rear end of his vi, where a substantial woond adorned the surroundings, with a designated open space for honing skills at the center. The vicinity was encircled by numerous residences resembling capsules, boasting sufficient space for each individual to fulfill their bathing, dining, and sleeping needs. The residence units, resembling capsules in shape, were interlinked, giving rise to an immense edifice boasting twenty-five stories, where every floor amodated approximately one hundred rooms. The practice field area was filled with guards sparring with each other, and at the side of the practice field was Bundoc. A Greater Swordsman, this person was the one who taught Zen the basics of swords. A palpable silence overtook the entire vicinity as Zen made his way through the surroundings, finally reaching Bundoc''s position. One guard discreetly murmured, though his words were slightly audible, "Hey, the young master is here. I wonder what he''s up to again." "He is not here to cause trouble, is he?" Another guard spoke and urged the person who was speaking to shut up and told him about what happened earlier, "You should shut your mouth if you don''t want your head flying off." "Have you heard that something happened earlier that caused Lord Randell to execute some maids?" "I heard that young master said something that caused the Lord to execute those maids." The person who was whispering earlier gulped, swallowing his saliva in his throat. Just as they were discussing what Zen''s motive was foring to the practice field. Zen spoke out and told Bundoc, "Bundoc, I''ve reached the Intermediate rank of swordsmanship. I wanted to try out my skills, so I came to find you to spar." Bundoc widened his eyes in disbelief. "Young master, you are joking, right? It took me at least 8a€¡°10 years to get into the intermediate rank, finally getting it at 20 years old. You are very talented, I admit, but intermediate rank at 10 years old?!" Zen then told him firmly, "I am quite serious, Bundoc, and that is why I am asking you to spar with me." The crowd also heard what Zen said, and they were baffled and full of disbelief. Which did not surprise Zen at all, to be honest. Because a ten-year-old Intermediate was an anomaly at this point. The only person that Zen can think of who can pull off this type of thing is Edward, the protagonist, but even so, he would still be slower than Zen. A guard expressed, "No way, right? Even Lord Randell, Emperor of the Swords, was not this fast when he was practicing the swords," he sighed, thinking, ''Sure enough, the younger generation surpasses the old.'' Although a little skeptical, they still dare to believe it. The reason for that is that Zen was the offspring of two of the most powerful people on the Pontiac. Bundoc sighed and said, "Alright then, young master, let''s test out your skills. I will suppress my sword aura at an Intermediate." Thinking about it, He wanted to fight someone who had a higher rank than him, so he conveyed Bundoc, "No need, just suppress it to Advanced." Bundoc frowned slightly, as he was still a Greater swordsman and should have more understanding of the swords than Zen. He believed that even if he were to suppress his sword aura, to Intermediate. He could still win against Zen with his better understanding of swords. But what can he do? It was an order from the young master of Raverdieu, his orders were absolute, so he listened to Zen and lowered his aura to Advanced. The training area was teeming with guards, and both ends of the arena were brimming with individuals engaged in the discourse regarding the anticipated victor. "Despite the young master''s undeniable talent, he has recently attained the Intermediate level. So, it seems improbable for him to win against Bundoc." "Right, Bundoc also only lowered his aura to Advanced which is still one level higher than the young master..." Just as they were discussing, the fight started. They were both using wooden swords and although they were made out of wood, they were still strong enough to withstand their aura. Zen summoned forth his celestial dominion, known as the Tempest of des, which caused four turbulent pirs of lightning-charged swords to encircle the immediate vicinity. This pir enables Zen to wield his Defiant Sword with exceptional speed, allowing him to strike four times consecutively in an instant. His wooden sword had also been infused with an electrical charge. The next moment, four lightning des sh out, and Zen also used one of his magic skills, Ball lightning, to shoot at Bundoc and cause him to be stunned. What followed directly sent him flying. His eyes widened in a state of disbelief, unable toprehend what just happened, preceding his loss of consciousness. A hush descended upon the entirety of the arena. Zen swiftly engaged Bundoc inbat, leaving him no opportunity to respond before overpowering him. Normally, you will be able to activate a domain once you reach the Great Mage or Great Swordsman rank, but if you were to practice both swords and magic, you would be able to activate a domain. One guard stated, "Does that mean the young master also knows magic? What the hell is this monster?!" They then in unison thought that the entire Raverdieu family will again prosper with the appearance of this monster. Looking at his attractive face, which seems like he can''t even lift a small rock or kill a chicken, the crowd could not even connect this kid with the one earlier who ferociously defeated a Greater Swordsman in an instant. After the battle, all the guards emitted a collective exmation of enthusiasm and jubtion. Screams echoed throughout the entirety of the vi. The screams and cheers were audible to people situated at a distance of four miles from the vicinity. Zen muttered to himself, saying, "I guess I still underestimated my prowess, I should be able to retreat unscathed if I ever face a Greater Swordsmaster. So when I go to the Twilight Zone, I should be able to defeat at least a Tier 3 beast." ''I''ll be good to go at midnight. I''ll have to skillfully sneak out to avoid trouble with my parents. If they knew where I was going, they would definitely not agree.'' Chapter 7 Fiona And Trip To The Twilight Forest ?Zen bided his time until nightfall, anticipating the slumber of the guards and maids, thereby ensuring the presence of only a select few guards on patrol. Even though the guards rotate shifts, the level of security during the night tends to be considerably less. The Raverdieu family is at the top of the social hierarchy and the most mysterious family on the entire of Pontiac. Therefore, it would be highly unthinkable for anyone to trespass upon his vi. There have been no previous urrences of any incidents, so the guards maintained a rxed demeanor, while diligently carrying out their responsibilities. Zen brought a sword and put it behind his back. He also brought emergency items he needed, such as potions that he could use to heal injuries quickly and recover my mana once it was drained. It was all stored in my dimensional storage ring. What Zen didn''t know was that his sister Fiona came back to his vi after having dinner with his Father and Mother. While Zen was about to open the door to go on his way, the door swung open of its own ord, unveiling an exquisite, dainty, and incredibly charming silhouette. The person in question was indeed his step-sister, Fiona. Fiona gazed at him with a smile on her face. "Hey Zen, I came back because I wanted to¡ª" Just as she was about to finish her words, she saw me with all the stuff Zen was carrying. A bag, a sword, and a dimensional storage ring, and she could faintly smell the odor of medicine lingering around the room. "Wha whatt¡­Where are you going!?" Fiona asked with a serious expression. Zen couldn''te up with a suitable reason to exin. With all the stuff he was carrying, it was pretty clear that it seemed like he was about to go into battle or something. He innocently remarked, apanied by an ambiguous smile and a guilty expression like a burr caught in the act, "Uhmm, taking a walk?" "A walk? And is that a Tier B sword you''re carrying, the very one bestowed upon you by our father!?" Fiona expressed her concern. The sword Zen was carrying is called Ashbringer. A lightning sword that fits his affinity. It was given to him by his father on his ninth birthday. It was a sword ssified under the Tier B rank. Sword Rankings : Tier SSS - A weapon that could cut a in half and destroy it. Tier SS - Capable of destroying a continent. Tier S - Capable of destroying a country. Tier A - Capable of destroying a city Tier B - Capable of destroying a town Tier C - It can destroy a house which is at least a thousand square feet. Tier D - Capable of at least killing a demonic beast. Tier E - This weapons is use by those that just entered the Elemntary level of swordsmanship. Tier F - It is the lowest tier of swords it is usually use only for practices and such. Tier SSS swords are the properties of the progenitors of each family. They would not easily reveal it, as it would bring destruction. For various reasons, the progenitors do not easily reveal themselves, as they are preupied with traversing the gxy, inhabiting alternates, or slumbering within the confines of their domains. Regarding swords that are stronger than Tier SSS, they are conspicuously absent and can be deemed enigmatic artifacts. However, it is widely rumored across the entire Pontiac that the Raverdieu family possesses one. Back to Fiona and Zen. Zen responded to her by saying, "Fiona, please don''t mind all this. Continue with what you were about to say." "Zen, what do you mean, don''t mind?! Are you running home because of me or something?" "I know you always hated me for entering your family, that''s why you framed me and did a lot of stuff to make your parents hate me, but.. I''m willing to leave.. if-if that''s what you want," Fiona said, tears dripping at the corner of her eyes. To be honest, Fiona always felt guilty about it. Despite the fact that Randell and her father were brothers in arms. She always felt guilty, which is why she always ignored Zen''s childish tantrums, no matter how excessive they may be. Zen was shocked by his sister''s misunderstanding that she thought he was running from home. ''Why would I do that when I can use my family''s power, wealth, and influence to smooth my path to bing the strongest Magic Swordsman.'' However, this presented a favorable asion for him to further their rtionship and progress it further. He moved closer to her, about a foot away, and raised his hands, gently wiping the tears out of the corner of her eyes. Zen then showed a reassuring smile before enveloping her in a firm embrace, then told her, "Fiona, you are thinking too much, I have never disliked nor harbored any ill intent towards you. "If I''m going to be honest, that was just my rebellious phase. I hope you didn''t mind those childish actions of mine." Fiona then burst into tears, causing Zen''s shirt to be drenched. She was relieved after hearing what Zen said. Although she always acted mature and cold for her age, there''s no changing the fact that she was still a ten-year-old child. With the fact that she is enduring so many hardships despite the fact that she''s still ten. She is bottling up a lot of emotions in her heart. Zen could use this to his advantage and use this chance tofort her with words. Fiona then asked while sobbing, "Th-Then why are yo-you running away from ho-home?!" Zen chuckled and responded, "I''m not running away, Fiona." "Why are you carrying all this stuff with you then? Don''t tell me you are going somewhere to fight with someone?" Fiona asked seriously. With a teasing expression, he told her, "Hmm, I could tell you, but make sure not to tell our parents." Fiona smiled happily upon hearing the words ''our parents''ing out of Zen''s mouth. But she turned serious after, then said, "Why?" while staring straight at Zen''s handsome face. "Promise me that you won''t tell our parents," Zen requested. Fiona responded firmly, saying, "Ok, pinky promise!" Zen also raised his pinky and crossed his with hers. "Actually, I''ll be going to the Twilight Forest to hone my skills, and maybe I''ll also gain some things there." Fiona was taken aback upon hearing him mention the Twilight Forest and his intention to go there. She, of course, has heard about the ce. Chapter 8 Fiona And Trip To The Twilight Forest [Part 2] ?Twilight Forest was an enormous forest filled with a lot of monsters. The Guild Hunter Association was stationed here. Hunters that were registered in this association usually go hunt beasts in this area so they cannot enter the city, keeping citizens safe and also making a living out of it at the same time. It was also a ce where Pontiac Academy students often went to experience battles and train. [Guild Association will be exinedter in theter chapters of the novel, probably during the Academy arc] Fiona was speechless and worriedly asked him, "Why are you going to such a dangerous ce so early, and why can''t you just wait until we enter the academy? We would be with instructors and such that could help when in dangerous situations, and now you are going there alone?" I can''t just tell her that I was going there to rob Edward of his fruitful encounters while devilishlyughing in his heart. So I told her, "I actually have my reasons that I can''t tell you¡ª" Before I could finish my words, she hurriedly said, "I''ll go with you then, or at least bring a few people with you to help you! What the hell are you thinking about going alone to such a dangerous area!? Huh?! Are you stupid or something?!" I sighed and thought, [F*ck, why is this girl so difficult to handle. Like, let me just go on my way, goddamn. I''m wasting my time here now, I''m just going to karate chop her neck, I guess.] While she was still in my embrace, I karate chopped the back of her neck to make her fall unconscious as I did not want to deal with her loud mouth any longer. Fiona realized her vision had be blurry and that she was about to fall unconscious. She looked at me and weakly said, "W-h-y?" I told her, "Just go to sleep. I''ll be back soon Stop worrying so much, Fiona." She heard my words and then copsed into my arms. I then ced her on my bed and went on my way, not caring about my sister Fiona anymore. I was not worried about her exposing me because I did not really care. The worst that can happen is that i''ll just be scolded by my parents when I get back, but that can wait untilter. But what I''m worried about is that my father and mother will find out early about mying to the Twilight Zone. With their attitude and overbearing personality, they would probably send out a million soldiers and tten the whole entire twilight forest looking for me. If that were to happen, I would not be able to test out my skills and get familiar with them, and the sword that Edward was going to get wouldn''t be able to be obtained by me. With Edward''s protagonist''s halo, I''m sure even if it was lost. It would still end up in Edwards hands in the future. That was just how broken this halo is. Zen was protected and supervised 24/7 by a secret elite guard''s who was either Advanced Swordsman, Greater Swordsman, Advanced Mage, and Greater Mage. They were also all equipped with high tech guns called Phasers, which were given to only those who had high status. As they were expensive and extremely hard to obtain. Although guns still paled inparison with magic and swords. Guns can also be amplified using a person''s mana or the mana stones obtained from a beast. These guns were modified and improved by the Pontiac Academy to perfection. All the revolutionary things that shocked the entire Astre continent all came from the Academy. The drugs that are able to prolong lifesspan for a millennium, the guns, which are called Phasers, capable of killing a peak Advanced rank fighters, etc¡­ With the elite guards alone being equipped with Phasers. We can see how high the status and how powerful the Raverdieu family is seeing guards armed with Phasers like they were normal stuff. Zen was a noble at the top of the heirarchy, so it waspletely understandable that he would be surrounded by a lot of security. This made it hard for him to sneak out without being noticed. Although the Advanced rank guards were not an issue for him as his prowess was stronger than that of an Advanced rank, even Bundoc was no match for him. The issue here was the Greater ranks. Suddenly, he remembered that there was a shop in the system. He said in his mind, ''System Shop'' and a transparent screen appeared showing all the items. Sure enough, there were potions that could hide his aura. There was a function where he could use a certain number of points. For example, 5 points can hide his aura for about 10 seconds, 10 points for 20 seconds, and so on. He directly used all 20 of his points, which was 40 seconds, and it was enough to sneak out without being noticed. I directly consumed the potion I''ve gotten from the system concealing my aura and mana. I''ve also left a trace of my mana and aura in my room so that they wouldn''t notice that I had disappeared. Even though the guards don''t casually use their mana and aura to detect their surroundings unless it''s an emergency, It was just a precaution until he had sessfully left the vi. He looked out the window and scrutinized the surroundings. Seeing that there was no one, he jumped out of the third floor window to avoid the eyes of the guards. Zen had thoroughly nned everything out. He was able to sessfully get near the gate and grabbed a guard that was on standby at the gate and threatened him to be executed if he didn''t provide him with transport to get him to his destination, and if he ever revealed his location, he would also have him killed. But he also assured that he would be greatly rewarded after. The guard wanted to refuse at first, but after hearing his menacing threats and the rewards. He reluctantly agreed, so the guard led him into arge, futuristic looking structure. Where all the flying ships were stationed. They then got into a dark colored ship, which looks like those ships from some sci-fi movies in his previous life, and started heading towards the ce that he instructed the guard to go to. The elite guards noticed a ship flying away, but they did not think much about it as there are always ships flying away and arriving at the estate. Chapter 9 The Twilight Forest ?''II 10th, 2400'' Twilight Forest is a majestically humongous area with dense,rge ancient trees that are lush and full, creating an atmosphere of mystery and wonderment as one takes in this beautifulndscape. In the rearward distance, a greater number of treese into view, extending upwards as though sentinels, silently observing everything beneath their lofty presence. Enigmatic yet alluring, enticing one to venture deeper into its recesses and uncover the hidden mysteries that may be concealed within. Additionally, it instills a sense of hostility within a person, as the reverberating cries of the beasts resound throughout the entirety of the forest. Due to its natural beauty, the forest had a mesmerizing allure, but it also contained dangers. Monsters could be seen roaming around the ground and beasts scurrying on the mossy,rge branches of the ancient trees, looking for prey to hunt. In an open area of the forest, there was a beautiful girl who has dark-colored hair and captivating obsidian eyes and looks around eleven or twelve years old. She was panting, looking tired. She was gasping for breath, disying signs of exhaustion. She found herself in the midst of a pair of Cerberum, powerful creatures ssified as Tier five. This creature looked like a wolf but had horns and breathed fire. A rank five beast is between the rank of an Elementary level and an Intermediate levelpared to the human ranking system. But beasts cannot be judged bymon sense, as they always defy logic. This girl was able to cut off one of the beast''s head and its corpsey dead on the ground. There was only one left that still needs to get rid of. Just as she was about to sh with thest one, suddenly a whole pack of them appeared. She was already fatigued and uncertain of her next course of action. Given the overwhelming circumstances, she found herself in, retreat was simply not an option, and engaging inbat with them was equally unachievable. The whole pack circled around her, sizing her up. This was the first time she felt helpless, as she had her brother, who was always beside her even after their family was destroyed. Her brother was always with her, protecting her, but now they are separated because of the dense fog in the forest. She whispered under her breath while tears cascaded from her eyes. "Brother¡­ I hope you survive and avenge our family." She was filled with unwillingness. She has not avenged her parents, who were ruthlessly killed yet. She looked at the sky with a deprecating smile, criticizing how weak she was. Just as she was about to close her eyes and give up, waiting for her death. She heard a muffled sound, and then she looked around, only to find out that all the Cerberum had been beheaded cleanly. She thought it was her brother at first when she saw all the beasts was killed. However, her attention was soon drawn to an individual whose back was turned to her. She was able to glimpse a fraction of his features, revealing an iparable, ethereal visage. He possessed silver-colored hairplemented by piercing silver-white eyes. If one were to gaze into his eyes, it would be impossible not to be captivated by their maic allure like a ck hole sucking you in. She was mesmerized as if this person appeared otherworldly. She then woke up from her daydreaming and shyly asked him, but with caution because this person looked to be ten years old, "Umm.. Who are you? Why did you save me?" Anyone would be suspicious to see a ten-year-old in such a dangerous forest. It''s none other than Zenryx! He had just arrived and was eager to test out his skills. Seeing a bunch of beasts, he decided to try out his skills on them, he did not even notice the girl. It was simply a coincidence that he saved her. Zenryx simply nced at the girl, smiled, and did not bother to exin. After that, he disappeared at lightning speed, heading towards the deeper part of the forest. Leaving behind the dumbfounded girl. What Zen didn''t know was that he had just captured that girl''s heart with his smile. Being mysterious aroused the girl''s interest. Combined with his peerless facial features, he saves a beauty in distress, which is the cliche plot of most novels. He was able to easily capture this girl''s heart without effort. It was really love at first sight in this situation. Seeing him disappear without even exining anything. She felt dumbfounded and angry. She wanted to follow the direction he went in and beat the sh*t out of him to exin, then ask him for his name, address, and phone number. She wanted to know everything about him. If Zen could hear her thoughts, he would say, ''Damn, a real life yandere''. But she was self aware, she would not be able to handle going deeper let alone beating him. But just as she was about to go back and just wait for her brother outside the forest. A loud voice called out to her, saying her name, "Crystal! Where are you?!" She followed the voice, and sure enough, it was her brother. They met up, and Crystal spoke up with seriousness in her voice, "Brother, I don''t think we can use this ce as a hiding ce. It is way too dangerous. I was surrounded by a pack of Cerberum. If it wasn''t for someone saving me, you would not be seeing me standing in front of you anymore." Her brother, who was called Edward, was shocked after finding out what happened. He then asked curiously, "Someone saved you? Who? Where?" Crystal replied, gesturing towards the direction in which Zen ventured, indicating that he proceeded further into the depths of the forest. He looked in the direction, and he felt in his heart that he had just lost something important, but he couldn''t figure out what. Crystal spoke up again and said, "Let''s go and get out of the forest, yes?" He was still rational and followed Crystal, he couldn''t risk her sister''s safety even if he felt that he should be able to have a fruitful encounter if he went deeper inside the dense ancient forest. She was the only family he had left. If she were killed, he would probably go crazy. They had already exited the forest. They both cast a brief nce at the humongous forest, each harboring distinct thoughts in their minds. Edward thought ''I should go back and explore the Twilight Zone if I ever get a chance in the future. Maybe when I enter the Pontiac Academy, I''ll get a second chance to enter again.'' On the other hand, Crystal had a different thought, ''I hope I get to meet you again in the future, maybe in the Pontiac Academy.'' She was now looking forward to entering the Pontiac Academy. They then entered their fixed-wing flying ship. As for the ship. They were from an Earl family, and this was thest thing they could get from their family''s territory after it was destroyed. They headed towards the main city of the Mevouires territory. Hoping to find a ce to settle down for the time being and find a hiding ce. They were being chased by an unknown enemy. That was how they ended up in the Twilight Forest, trying to find a ce to hide. Chapter 10 Robbing The Sword That Should’ve Belong To Edward ?Three days have passed since Zen entered Twilight. He has also earned a system reward from saving Crystal, as she was supposed to die in the original storyline. The reward he obtained was his mana pool being upgraded to the point that it rivals a Great Mage. Zenryx was currently exploring the humongous forest, and while he was at it, he also fought all types of low tiered beasts that came his way. He already knew where the sword was located, so he was not in a rush to find it. So he was simply having fun killing the demonic beast and sightseeing. As far as the eye can see, many headless corpses of beasts could be seen around. Also, he was in another world, and he simply couldn''t pass up exploring the beauty of this other world. He''s been long be indifferent about killing and this type of situations, due to his past life as a cutthroat businessman where morality took a backseat to profit. He rolled up his sleeves and embraced a crimson colored pathway to sess. As for Edward obtaining the sword while he was exploring and fighting? He was not worried, as he had already guessed that the girl he saved earlier should be Edward''s sister. She was supposed to die at this point in the story. After finding his sister''s dead body, Edward went crazy, going deeper into the forest and aimlessly killing demonic beasts to avenge her. This was also when he identally stumbled upon the ancient looking structure where he was able to acquire the sword. He thought that Edward should''ve met up with his sister by now. If he still had at least one brain cell left inside his brain, then he should''ve left the Twilight Zone by now, not risking his sister''s life to go any deeper into the forest. But of course, if he did not care about his sister''s life, he would simply go on not caring anymore about her safety. Which did not align with Edwards personality. In the novel, Edward did not want to kill his enemies. He had moral integrity, selflessness, and self-sacrifice, and he didn''t even want to kill his enemies unless forced to. Your typical hero. But he also had to double check just to be sure. He went around and scanned the area, looking for Edward. Trying to sense human activity around the area, he found that there was no one around except for him. One of the things he brought with him was a radar device that could sense heat signatures within an area of fifteen miles. A green dot shows up on the radar if it was human and red dots are for those that are of different species. Due to his background and wealth, he could easily bring out things that normal people could not even afford. Back to Zenryx. He was currently facing a huge fire-breathing monster with a lion''s head, a goat''s body, and a serpent''s tail. This beast is ranked fourth in the system. He swiftly lunged forward with his sword, executing rapid swings, in an attempt to assess the creature''s defensive capabilities. Surprisingly, it only scratched it up a little bit. The next moment, the chimera breathed out fire, blocking Zen''s vision. Then its serpent like tail was raised, trying to get a hold of him and inject venom into his body. But Zen reacted quickly, directly using his defiant sword skill and activating the Tier B lightning attribute, coating his sword with lightning. It was able to cut off its tail, and the direction his sword skill was sent to destroyed everything in its path. Disintegrating the trees and the ground into ashes within half a mile. Even Zen was shocked and in disbelief [Th-This sword is too overpowered, isn''t it?! I should use a normal sword next time so I know my limits while fighting at my current strength.] "ROOOAAAAARRRR!!!!!" The ferocious creature emitted a roar of fury. The resounding rumble of its roar reverberated through the very ground, slicing through the atmosphere in the valley akin to an echoing thunder. If it was someone else, the roar of the beast would have struck their ears like a wall of pain. They would instinctively clutch their ears, wanting the roar to stop. It dashed out, and it savagely attacked Zen. Its ws were as strong, or even stronger than metal. It kept attacking Zen, wanting to rip him apart. He blocked each of its attacks with his sword. Just as the beast''s ws were about tond on him. Zen dashed backward, retreating to avoid the fatal attack. Zen wanted to end the fight quickly, as he had not yet trained his physical body to its peak and couldn''t contend with the beast''s physical strength. He directly activated his domain and sent a ball of lightning towards the beast, stunning it for one second. That was enough to use his Tempest of de domain. Four instantaneous de shes appeared and rushed out to the beast. The creature made an attempt to evade, yet proved unsessful due to the relentless onught from all directions. "ROOOAAAAARRRR!!!!!" The beast roared helplessly, feeling the sword''s strength and knowing it was about to die. The sword''s shes directly collided with the beast, cutting its body in four pieces. Its body fell to the ground, and blood sttered everywhere. If he was using a regr sword, it would not have been able to cut it to pieces, but he was using a Tiered B sword, which made it possible. Zen walked towards the beast and kicked it softly, trying to see if it was still alive. Of course he knew it was already dead; he was just messing around with its dead body. He then used his innate talent, skill devourer on the beast. The skill he had never used before and see how it worked. By using this innate talent, he was able to acquire the beast''s me skill, physical enhancement, and poison skill. Zen eximed in slight shock, "Yo! Ain''t this innate skill too broken?! I gained three skills just by doing that? Although they may not be lethal and powerful enough right now, I should be able tobine these skills with other suitable skills in the future and make a brand new skill!" He then patted the beast''s head and said, "What a ferocious beast giving me a hard time, tsk. But you did give me some useful skills." He smiled and directly grabbed its head, then kicked it up like a ser ball. "We''ll, I''ve had enough fun. It''s time to get my sword," Zen said with a devilish grin. He proceeded in the path leading to the location of the sword. Chapter 11 The Sword And Returning Home. ?II 15th, 2400 It has been five days since he entered the Twilight Forest zone. Zen arrived in front of a small structure or building that looked very ancient and old. The building had ancient engravings on the pirs supporting the structure. The structure had gabled roofs, raised floors, nk walls, and was thatched with reed or covered with hinoki cypress bark. It looked like an ancient Japanese Shinto shrine dwelling. This was actually a resting ce of an ancient swords master that died in ancient times. Zen exerted force on the door, causing it to swing open, and proceeded to enter the space, meticulously examining the surroundings. He observed a casket positioned at the focal point of the room, adorned with archaic ornamental carvings. The identical engravings that were etched into the columns situated outdoors. "This should be it, and the sword should be inside the casket," Zen murmured. Zen walked towards the casket, and after he arrived in front, he reached out his hands and pushed the top-most part of the casket shell. I opened it slowly, and I could see skeletal body remains that had old looking clothing covered with moss. Next to it was a sword, and the sheath was also covered with dust and moss. He took the sword and proceeded to scrutinize it prior to unsheathing it. The sword exhibited a curvature and possessed a de with a solitary cutting edge. It exuded a chilly ambience reminiscent of frozen ice. "I should be able to create a new technique with this, I still have my knowledge from my previous world, and if I remember correctly, As lightning passes through a minus two hundred seventy degrees Celsius cold temperature. They be prized and align, which can generate energy that is discharged when lightning shes, at times creating so much energy that a bolt can heat the air it passes through to 50,000¡ãF." "Damn, I''m pretty smart, aren''t I? Hahaha," Zen said while narcissistically praising himself. "Since I''ve finished my business, it should be time to start heading back, I''ll have to deal with my parents if my sister has ratted out on me. That sister of mine would be a handful to handle." Zen clicked his tongue when he was at the end of his sentence. He leaped through the branches of the ancient trees and started heading towards the docking area where his ship was located. The guard he brought along with him, whose name is Jack, was patiently waiting for him and worried. It has already been six days, and he has not returned yet. Of course, Zen informed him that he would be gone for at least a week. But Jack was still worried because if something happened to him, he and his family would not be able to escape death. While he was fidgeting around, he caught a glimpse of Zen at the corner of his eyes and immediately revealed a joyful expression. He ran as fast as he could and arrived at Zen''s front, did a ny degree bow, and said frantically, "I''m so d you are back, young master if something happened to you I don''t know what I would do." Zen smiled and replied, "Rx ain''t I back safe and sound. I''ll reward you for your efforts after we return." Jack then revealed a wide smile. They had small talks while walking towards the ship and made their rtionship closer to each other, like friends, or, to be more urate, acquaintances. They boarded the ship and flew in the direction of Zen''s vi. The ship was able to fly at Mach 6.72, and they should be able to arrive in one or two hours. Because of the magical barrier surrounding the ship, they were not really affected by the G-Force. Even if they were, since both were in Intermediate rank, they would be able to handle it. But the barrier still made the flight smooth and steady, seemingly making you feel like you were standing still. A mechanical voice could be heard inside Zen''s mind. e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? [You have obtained the Night Edge Katana. You are rewarded with the skill Triple Thrust] [You have also obtained 100 points] Zen opened up his status screen while hey downfortably on the sofa that was ced at the corner of the ship. a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe???a¨C? a¨C?Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) a¨C?Race : a??Humana?? a¨C?Age : a??10a?? a¨C?Points : a??100a?? a¨C?Talent = Mage [Elementary], Swordsmanship [Intermediate] a¨C?Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery : 5%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery : 10%] - Forked Lightning[Mastery : 4%] - Ball Lightning[Mastery : 5%] - Triple Thrust [Mastery : 1%] a¨C?Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory a¨C?Abstracted Skills - me, Poison, Physical Enchancement Skill Description: a€¡é Triple Thrust - This skill allows you to strike an enemy three times. The first two strikes are normal shes, and thest strike will deal critical damage. Zen was in deep thought for a moment and muttered, "This skill ispatible with my domain, I''m starting to be One punch man, huh, but with swords, able to defeat enemies quickly. Hahahha." Zen closed the transparent window, and he also turned back on his Tritonic location system back on. Which was a watch like gadget on his wrist. If he hadn''t turned it off back then, his family would have located him the moment he stepped out of his estate. It was also capable of holographic disys and such. This was also what he used to track the rankings of all the beasts in the Twilight Zone. All sorts of information were stored on the inte, such as beast informations, rankings, item informations, etc... It was like Google, back in his home world. But this system was much more credible, as inurate informations are automatically filtered out by the system and ced into a section where unverified informations is stored and sorted out. The uncorroborated data would subsequently undergo scrutiny by the administrators of the site. They would endeavor to ascertain evidence to authenticate the veracity of the information provided to the system. Zen then closed his eyes, feeling satisfied, and decided to doze off for now until they arrived at his home. Chapter 12 Trouble At Home ?When Fiona woke up and gained awareness, she immediately nced around, and Zen was nowhere to be found. She rubbed her eyebrows, then said, "Why? Zen¡­" She knew Zen had already set off for the Twilight Zone. As for thinking about how he was able to sneak out from the elite guards. She did not even think about it. As she was more worried about his safety going to the Twilight Zone. Initially, she was beset with anxiety and restlessly moving about the room, unsure of the appropriate course of action. Fiona made the decision to refrain from returning to her personal vi. She had made the resolution to remain present at this vi, eagerly awaiting his arrival. She would not depart until sheid eyes upon his secure and unharmed return. Zen and Fiona individually possessed their own vi, a customary circumstance befitting their social standing. They possessed a primary residence in which their parents resided, however, it is amon urrence in this world for youngsters to exhibit early independence and maturity, aspiring to establish their own separate dwellings in society. It proved to be rather effortless to coordinate the amodation of the vis for their residence. "What if he gets injured, or worse, dies in the Twilight Forest?" Fiona muttered with a pale face. Although she knew that Zen had brought a lot of things with him that could protect and save his life, Fiona could not help but be worried. She was worried sick for three straight days. She did not eat much and would be unable to sleep at night, uneasy about him going to such a dangerous area without even having someone apany him. Elite guards and Zen''s personal maid also came to Fiona, asking where he was. As they have not seen him for three days straight. It was normal for him not to be seen lingering around the vi for three days because Zen would always be in his room and his personal underground training area. The only one''s who could see him was his personal maid, who brought him his food and daily necessities. Fiona informed them in a concise manner that he was currently engaging in rigorous training, diligently solidifying his skills, and acquainting himself proficiently with his newly attained power, as he had recently achieved a breakthrough in the realm of Intermediate swordsmanship. The elite guards thought it was reasonable, and they just went back to their station to guard. As for Marie, when she goes to Zen''s room to deliver his breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Fiona will simply take the food Marie brings and close the door on her. Marie initially epted Fiona''s excuse, however, now she has notid eyes upon the young master for a period of five days. She began harboring suspicions due to the abnormality of the situation. She then asked Fiona again with a skeptical face, "Youngdy Fiona, where really is young mast¡ª?" Just as Marie was about to finish her words, Fiona again mmed the door on her face. What Fiona didn''t know was that Marie was actually a Magister! A Magister rank mage! A ranked mage that can destroy a city if she wants to. She was a secret protector of Zen, ced in his vi. She was assigned by Elle as Zen''s protector. To be honest, she could see and sense everything that happened in the entire vi if she wanted to, but she did not want to barge into Zen''s privacy. But now that she felt something suspicious was going on. She immediately released her Magister aura, covering the entire ten-mile radius. To her surprise, she could not feel Zen''s presence at all. Conversely, Fiona was positioned behind the door. She was bing slightly perturbed. She was aware that she could no longer deceive Marie. Given the fact that Marie served as Zen''s personal maid and was in constant attendance with him on a daily basis, it is reasonable to assume that she possesses a deep understanding of Zen''s personality. She knew that Marie was starting to doubt her. The only thing Fiona can do now is just pray that Zen will arrive safe and sound soon. Fiona had thoughts on her mind, [Zen, where are you?! Pleasee home soon and be safe.] She made a promise to Zen that she wouldn''t tell their parents about him sneaking out. But it had been five days, and she was contemting whether to just tell their parents about it. Fiona set her mind on telling their parents that if Zen was still not back by tomorrow. She would immediately contact Elle and Randell. Telling them about the current situation of Zen. Just as she was busy with her thoughts. Marie suddenly barged into the room and arrived in front of Fiona. She asked her with a serious expression, "Youngdy, please tell me the truth. Where is young master Zen? I am unable to sense his presence at all." Fiona was astonished to observe the manifestation of the Magister''s aura enveloping Marie. She was cognizant of the fact that concealing Zen''s actions any further was no longer feasible. She clenched her jaw and proceeded to honestly disclose the whereabouts of Zen. Marie was shocked. "What!! He is in the Twilight Forest!? Why didn''t you inform Lady Elle and Lord Randell?!" Fiona responded with a pleading tone, "Please¡­ Please, Marie, don''t inform them for now and wait until tomorrow. If he is still not back by tomorrow, I was nning to contact them." Marie asked with a cold tone, "Why?! For all we know, he could be in danger right now as he has not returned for five days." "Actually, the reason why he told me where he was going to go was because I promised him that I would not tell our parents about it. I do not want to trouble him anymore. "I''ve already caused him enough issues by barging into his family. We just made up, and If I broke my promise, I would also lose his trust again. You also know Zen is strong, so there shouldn''t be any trouble he would not be able to handle at that ce." Fiona exined that she responded to Marie with moist eyes. Despite Zen expressing his eptance of her inclusion into their family, she still experienced a slight sense of remorse regarding the matter. Marie refused at first, but under Fiona''s persuasion, she reluctantly agreed. She also pitied this girl, who was going through so much at such a young age. Of course Marie knew how strong Zen was, as even Bundoc lost to Zen during the sparring battle. She also knew that if Zen went to the Twilight Zone, he should''ve brought many life saving methods. Marie then told Fiona with a tight lipped smile, "Make sure to contact Lady Elle and Duke Randell by tomorrow if the young master has note back yet." Marie departed, leaving behind Fiona, who disyed reddened eyes and prominent, dark circles beneath them. After the ordeal, Fiona found herself unable to resist the urge toy down on Zen''s bed, herplexion drained and fatigued from five consecutive sleepless nights. Who knew that she would be facing such a situation when she simply wanted toe and talk to Zen. Chapter 13 Arrived ?Meanwhile, Zen, who was still sleeping soundly on the ship, suddenly woke up. Just like when your parents drive home and take that onest turn to arrive at your house. You subconsciously wake up and knew that you were home because that acted as your rm clock. But anyway, in this situation, Zen woke up because he noticed the ambient sounds change and the motions of the ship change. Letting him know that they have arrived at his estate. He did not need anyone to wake him up. Even though he was asleep, his brain and consciousness were actively processing information. Upon the ship''s arrival, he proceeded towards the ship''s exit door. The door opened automatically, and Zen''s figure emerged in a manner that was truly unmatched in its appearance. A substantial number of people that were present at the docking area diligently engaged in the routine maintenance of the ships. When the shipnded and the door opened, Zen''s presence shock the entirety of the onlookers, prompting all gazes to be fixed upon him. They expressed astonishment and bewilderment. "Isn''t that young master? Why did he just appear from the ship that just arrived. "What is he doing here? And where did he go?" "Can anyone tell me what is going on?" They were all filled with questions. Zen walked out, ignoring all themotion. He exited the docking ship area and started heading towards his vi. On his way there, he identally met Marie. She was about to head to his room and ask Fiona, who was currently staying there, if she had already informed Lady Elle and Lord Randell, about the current situation of Zen. Marie abruptly halted in her tracks upon catching a glimpse of Zen within the corner of her eye. She advanced towards Zen and upon reaching him, she expressed, "I am pleased by your return, young master Zen." Zen frowned slightly, thinking that Fiona had exposed him to their parents. He asks Marie, "What do you mean?" He thought Fiona ratted him out, but he denied this thought. As his parents have note looking for him. Because if they were looking for him, there would be thousands of ships and soldiers spread out by now looking for him. So he asked Marie to make sure. Afterwards, Marie proceeded to express, "Young master, there is no need for you to feign ignorance. I am, in fact, an aplished mage of the Magister rank, entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding you by your esteemed mother." "I did not sense your presence, therefore I inquired with your sister regarding your whereabouts. She told me everything. Rest assured, youngdy Fiona and I have refrained from notifying your parents thus far." "I was on the verge of approaching your sister regarding this matter, as per our agreement that if you did not return by today, it would be necessary to notify your parents, informing them of the circumstances." "Ah, I see, Thank you for not informing them.! Zen said with a smile on his face, feeling satisfied with her response. As for Marie being a magister, Zen was not shocked or confused at all, even though there was no screen time for Marie in the novel and she did not appear much in the plot and only appeared at the beginning of the story. He always felt like this maid of his was a mystery, and after his guess was verified by Marie herself. He was not shocked at all because he already had a faint guess in his mind and heart. Marie offered a concurring nod and politely expressed, "Rest assured, young master Zen, should you engage in any simr actions henceforth, I kindly request that you notify me in advance." "I would consider it a great honor to offer my help in this matter. It is really bad for my heart if you just keep disappearing like that. I wouldn''t know what to tell your mother if something were to happen to you." After saying that, she went on her way and made her way towards the residence allocated for staff. Zen looked at the sky as if the words he was looking for were there and thought, ''Wow, this cheap sister of mine is quite loyal. She could be an indispensable and important chess piece in my future ns to deal with the protagonist.'' Despite the fact that Zen was unable to finish the novel in his previous life. He knew that his sister was at least able to reach the Great Magister. He also knew that there should be beings that were stronger than the Great Magister. Zen also knew that there should be many beings like them in the Raverdieu family, which were the progenitors. Great Magister was just the strongest on the Pontiac. But of course, that excludes the progenitors. They were the most mysterious hidden beings. Their strengths were unknown to the people and the world. Zen then arrived at his front door and opened it slowly. When he got inside, he saw a girl with messy golden hair wearing an all white dress sleeping soundly on his bed. Despite the fact that she had messy hair and a pale face, her sharp, beautiful facial features could not be hidden. Ignoring the girl who was sleeping soundly, he went straight to the shower room. As he smelled his scent, he had an odor of blood in his body, which he got from fighting all the beasts from the Twilight Zone, and he was covered in dust. Zen hates dirty things, as he was also a little clean freak back in his previous world. Even if there was only a little dust on him, he would feel disgusted. While showering, he was lost in thought. [Hmm, I should be able to rx andze around for now. I should enter the Pontiac Academy next year, though.] [That is when the plot officially starts. It''s a good thing I was able to get the physical enhancement too, so I don''t have to work too hard with my physics.] [But I still need to get my magic to an Intermediate level. Marie should be able to help me consolidate my strength and get it to Intermediate level; as she is a Magister, she should have a lot of knowledge about it.] Zen also nned to start creating his own secret organization, recruiting those he knew would rise to power in the future. Of course, that would have to wait until he enters Pontiac Academy. Edward was twelve years old, and his strength at the moment was still at the early stage of Intermediate magical swordmanship. It would probably take him a year to reach Peak Intermediate. He won''t be able to contend with Advanced levels yet, like Zen. But he could fight those at the peak of intermediate easily. So right now, we can see how far ahead Zen is. Combined with the fact that he just stole the Katana from Edward. Which greatly reduces his chance of getting stronger. Zen was extremely happy with all his gains so far. He was also satisfied with his innate talent, Skill Devourer, which will allow him to be stronger quickly without needing to work too hard. The reason for that was that he had worked tirelessly in his previous life, so now that he had a second chance to live life, he wanted to work less and work smarter. Chapter 14 Talk With Fiona ?Zen finished showering and walked out of the shower room with only a towel. Just as he walked out of the shower, Fiona suddenly woke up. She saw Zen in the distance. The room was quite spacious, it was about forty meters wide. She thought that she was seeing things. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, and Zen was really there. She swiftly rose to her feet and darted towards Zen, embracing him tightly with concern that he might vanish once more, apanied by subdued weeping. The room remained in stillness, with only the sound of her weeping permeating the air. "Zen! Zen! Zen!" Uttering his name repeatedly with tears streaming down, longing for Zen''s presence. Currently, her aloof and sophisticated demeanor utterly vanished. She wiped her tears and asked, "You''re back! Are you injured anywhere!?" Zen responded, "Nope. In fact, I''ve gained some new stuff from the Twilight Zone, and I was able to get slightly stronger." Zen always underestimated his abilities and strength. If he says slightly, it means he got stronger by a lot. If he were to show his newly gained abilities in front of Bundoc. He would probably faint from shock! If he hears Zen say, ''got stronger slightly''. "Ohhh, and also, why are you such a cry baby, If I remember correctly, you always had that cold looking personality." Fiona puffed her cheeks, pouting and feeling embarrassed at her appearance. The fact that Zen was teasing her when she was clearly worried about him. She pulled away from him, scanning his body for any injuries. But then she just noticed Zen was naked, with only a tower covering him. She slightly blushed and said, "Umm, I''ll go outside and wait for you to change, and we can talk." Zen didn''t show much emotion and just said "Okay." With a flushed face, Fiona exited the room and made her way to the living room. Zen then changed into donning fashionable attire. An elegant long-sleeved cotton jacket in a loose-fitting style, featuring exquisite and intricate patterns,plemented by a pair of white denim jeans. Additionally, he adorned a pair of white shoes toplement his attire. His face was already perfect as it is. But now wearing a full on white fit, which then enhances his appearance to the max. It was almost like a divine beinging down from heaven, but he was a viin, which is ironic. His hair was messy, but this messy hairstyle made him look effortlessly cool. He can pretty much pull any girl at this point. He didn''t need to speak with words. His appearance was his rizz. Which is not an exaggeration, having a charm to max out one hundred is not a joke. Zen had to thank his parents genes for his perfect appearance. After putting on clothes, he headed towards the living room and walked through the hallway. The long hallway had blue lights, illuminated by several metal fixtures on the ceiling. The walls are white, and there is a ss floor that reflects the light from above. The hallway wall was also decorated with expensive paintings that were made by famous artists. There were also artifacts, swords, staffs, and ancient items disyed, showcasing the prowess of the Raverdieu families. The symmetry of this scene creates an interesting visual effect that makes it look like something out of an art gallery or museum. The stairs were wide, and on the side of the stairs were the elite guards standing. They were assigned to protect Zen at all times. They slightly bowed down and greeted Zen. He arrived in the living room and saw Fiona sitting down on the sofa, drinking tea, looking like a youngdy. Zen scrutinized the room, he had never really had the chance to explore the vi yet. The living room was also extremely spacious. It also had an expensivewn, with actual soil and grass growing in the middle of the room. The ceiling was clear ss, and the sky could be seen. The living room gives off a feeling of nature that is extremelyforting. If you were toy down on the sofa and close your eyes a bit, you would instantly fall asleep. That''s just howforting and rxing the atmosphere in the living room is. The living room also had an expansive window that looked out onto a beautifulndscape. The walls are painted a neutral color, and the floor is covered by a light-colored rug. In the center of the room is an inviting couch upholstered in white fabric. Fiona is currently sitting on that white couch. She is gracefully sipping her tea, with her aloof temperament. The cry baby, Fiona, has already disappeared at this point. Fiona was not a normal child, she has experienced a more tragic experience so she was able to quickly calm her mindset. Zen sat down next to her and said, "So Fiona, what did you want to talk about hmm?" Fiona responded, Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Pontiac Academy. I wanted to ask, When are you going to enter the Academy?" "I''ll be going next year, actually." Zen said Fiona was disappointed to hear his response, she actually wanted to go with him together. It was February, and the month that the next academy year starts is August. You are able to qualify to enter the academy once you have reached the Elementary level, and of course there was also written test and such. But reaching the Elementary level was a requirement. There was also an age restriction for entering. A first-year student should be at least ten to fifteen and at the Elementary level. If you tried to enter at sixteen and were still at Elementary level, you would be disqualified. Fiona was already eleven years old and at Intermediate level. She was a genius among geniuses. Of course, excluding Zen. She nned to enter this year, and she wanted to see if Zen was also entering this year, but to her disappointment, he was going next year. She asked Zen with a saddened expression, "Why? Aren''t you already in the intermediate rank of swordsmanship." "Actually, I still have a few important things to do." Zen said. What Zen meant by important things was that he actually wanted to justze around before going. He also knew when it was time to work and when to rx. He knew all the plots so far, and right now, If his guess was correct, Edward and his sister were still being chased by a bunch of unknown enemies who destroyed their family and went into hiding. Edward started his path to power when he entered the Academy. He maintained a steadfast conviction that managing the protagonist, Edward, was an effortless endeavor. The previous Zenryx was just stupid, even though he became extremely powerful and was able to defeat Edward, he just talked too much shit, and karma came back around him. Fiona was trying to guess what important things Zen was referring to that were more important than entering the Academy. But she could not guess, so she just epted the fact that she wouldn''t be going with her. Zen took a sip of the tea that was ced on the table andmented, "Mmm this tea has a unique taste and aroma. It gives a refreshing and grassy taste with a slight bitterness that is bnced by its sweetness." Fiona, who woke up from her thoughts, saw this and blushed a little at Zen''s action, thinking they just had an indirect kiss. They then continued to converse with each other. Zen also talked about his experience in the Twilight Zone. Fiona listened attentively to his experience, but Zen suddenly spoke out, "By the way, it seems like you have not yet returned to your vi yet, hmm? You should return now that I''m back and we have finished our little talk." Fiona was greatly incensed upon hearing his statement, prompting her to retort with deep indignation, "What!? You''re actually just chasing me out after all of what happened, your not even gonna spend some quality time with your sister?" To be honest, Zen was tired of talking and just wanted toy down and sleep. But he also thought that this girl was really cute when she had that angry face. Zen told her, "Actually, I''m just tired right now. I just came back and hadn''t rested yet, so¡­ And looking at the ck bags under your eyes, it seems like you have not slept either." Fiona thought about it, and it seemed like they really had not properly slept yet. She forgot all about her fatigue after she saw Zen return home. But after Zen reminded her, she immediately felt her body weaken. Seeing this, Zen just smiled and told her toe with him. They went upstairs and arrived at Zen''s room. Fiona was confused at first, but then she realized and said, "We''re sleeping together?!" Zen just nodded and said, "This bed is big enough, though, ain''t it? This bed could fit like around ten people together and there would still be space." Fiona was a bit hesitant at first, but she agreed. They then both got into bed and slept. But before Fiona closed her eyes, She nced at Zen and softly said, "Zen, can I stay at your vi for now until the day I go to the academy?" Zen said softly, "Sure," and went straight to sleep. Fiona smiled and also closed her eyes to sleep. Chapter 15 Zen’s Upcoming Birthday Banquet ?''IV 1st, 2400'' It has been a period of one month since Zen''seback from the Twilight Forest. He was presently residing luxuriously at his vi, asionally engaging in the pursuits of swordsmanship and magic. He engages in sword training with Bundoc, whereas his mage studies are conducted under the guidance of Marie. With the assistance of Bundoc, he managed to elevate his proficiency in wielding the Defiant Sword skill to a rate of fifteen percent. Elevating his rank to the level of Peak Intermediate. With Marie''s assistance, he achieved proficiency in magic at an intermediate level. Both Bundoc and Marie were shocked by Zen''s progress, as they knew Zen was justzing around and barely putting in any effort to increase his skill mastery rate. But even so, he has be an Intermediate both in Magic and Sword. Of course, he also used half of the points he earned from the twilight zone. Allocating some of the points to all his skills evenly. But mostly, his mastery rate increased through his training with both of them. Fiona was also trained by Marie, and coincidentally, they both specialize in ice magic. Marie was able to guide her properly on how she could increase the mastery rate of her skills. Sure enough, with Fiona''sprehension, she was able to increase her mastery rate of her skill, mystic field, to about thirteen percent. Fiona was at the threshold of peak Intermediate rank. Only three percent of mastery of her skill is left, and she would be able to break through. Mystic Field could also eventually evolve into a domain when she breaks through Peak Great Mage rank. Zen would also often just y full dive virtual reality games to relieve his boredom. He would also invite Fiona to y games with him when she finishes her training. Of course, she happily agreed with him every time he asked her to y with him. She did not want to miss out on their quality time as brothers and sisters. They would also often bicker about the game. Zen was a full time gamer in his previous life when he was young, so it was easy for him to defeat Fiona. She questioned Zen and thought he was cheating, as she could not even touch him. Overall, their rtionship has taken another step. The cycle of their current life was eating, rxing, having fun, training, eating, then eventually going to sleep. Currently, Fiona and Zen were dining together at the table. The table was abundant with a diverse array of gourmet dishes. During their meal, Fiona interjected, "Oh right, Zen, your birthday ising up soon, about a week from now. Father and Mother told me that they would being back soon, and they said they would arrange a big banquet inviting the whole Astre continent." Zen''s parents hadn''t really arranged any big banquets before, as they were really busy with their duties. Both were rulers, so it made sense that they would be upied with their work. They simply returns once every month to meet up with him and Fiona. they would proceed to partake in a culinary experience at an upscale establishment, where they would dine together. That is the reason why Zen is not yet known to society. People simply knew that the Raverdieu family had an extremely handsome and talented young master, ording to rumors spread around. There were also pictures of him secretly taken by guards and attendants of the estate and posted on the inte. But it would instantly be deleted by tech specialists that work with the Riverdieu family as it was a risk to his safety. The old Zenryx was pretty much isted in his vi. Of course, he also had childhood friends like Celestia, who was the princess of the Doomthorne royal family, and Daphne, who was from Elle''s lineage, the Duragny family. Both often came and yed with Fiona and Zen when they were five years old. Fiona was still in contact with both girls. All three would often message and voice call each other sometimes. As for Zen, he has not talked to any of those girls that he yed with when he was a child. Old Zenryx was pretty much an introvert, and only training was on his mind to impress his parents. But now Zen was turning eleven and was entering his young adult phase. So his parents nned to celebrate it by throwing a huge banquet and revealing him to the world. Zen frowned slightly, as he did not like this type of asion. He responded to Fiona and said, "Oh right, my birthday is IV 8th, about seven days away, huh." Fiona nodded her head in excitement and said, "Yes! Yes! Do you have any ns for your uing birthday?" Zen instantly thought of something, and a devilish smile appeared on his face. When you see him with his devilish smile, you know he''s up to something again. Zen smiled and looked at her straight, finally saying, "Of course I have a n, and a great one at that!" "Reallly?! Tell me, Tell me," Fiona asked excitedly. "It''s a secret for now, you will know once the banquet starts!" He said. Fiona puffed up her cheeks, pouting. She then got up from her chair and headed towards Zen. She grabbed Zen''s arm with both arms and looked at him straight with a pleading expression and said, "Tell me pleasse..." "You know acting cute won''t help you," Zen said whileughing uncontrobly. Fiona clicked her tongue ''tsk'' and returned to her seat. After finishing their meal, they went to their rooms and got ready to sleep. Zen checked his status before going to sleep. He said [status] and a transparent screen appeared. a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe???a¨C? a¨C?Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) Race : a??Humana?? Age : a??10a?? Points : a??50a?? a¨C?Talent = Mage [Intermediate], Swordsmanship [Peak Intermediate] a¨C?Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery : 7%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery:15%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 10%] - Ball Lightning [Mastery : 7%] - Triple Thrust [Mastery : 2%] a¨C?Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory a¨C?Abstracted Skills = me, Poison, Physical Enchancement After checking his status, heid down on his bed, closed his eyes, dozed, and fell into a deep sleep. The lights in the room automatically closed when it sensed that Zen was about to go to sleep. Then a systematic voice sounded, "Have a good night''s rest, young master Zenryx." Chapter 16 Zen Is Up To Something Again? ?IV 6th, 2400 Ellie and Randell have recently arrived at Zen''s prestigious vi aboard a spacious, elegantly designed flying ship of the highest tier, denoting its exceptional quality and sophistication. Escorted by an extensive fleet consisting of tens of thousands of ships, ssified as Tier S, A, and a substantial number of ships ssified as B, arranged behind them. Such a grand entrance, but this was just the tip of the iceberg of the Raverdieu family''s prowess. The entire assembly of guards, including the elite guards and maids, had congregated in a disciplined arrangement beneath. Once all the shipsnded, both Randell and Elle stepped out of the ship. Each and every one of them extended salutations, followed by a reverential gesture of bowing at an angle of ny degrees. They collectively uttered, "Greetings, esteemed Lord Randell and Lady Elle." Both of them nodded, and Elle spoke, calling Marie, who was standing with the maids. Marie then stepped out and arrived in front of Elle. "Magister Marie is at your service, Lady Elle." All of the people were shocked because they thought Marie was just a regr personal maid of Zen. But they still thought it was appropriate, as they thought of Zen''s identity. There should at least be one or two high ranking mage or swordsman that are secretly protecting him. Just that they never thought that she was hiding in in sight and that she was a maid. "Marie, bring me to where Zen is currently." Elle then spoke with a dignified presence and a cold attitude belonging to that of an Empress. There is no trace of the gentle personality she shows in front of Zen and her family. She was known as the ''Tyrannous Empress'' in the outside world. During the war of the Ounder continent, she killed a million enemies, and that is how she got that title. That war was the biggest war to date and happened twelve years ago. Ounder was a continent located near the south ocean of the Astre Continent. The Astre continent wanted to eradicate and upy thisnd for themselves, and they sessfully did so. The Raverdieu family got the biggest piece ofnd, as they were the ones that contributed the most during the battle. This was all because of Elle, the ''Tyrannous Empress''. That was also when she decided to marry Randell. Since she had married Randell, herst name had be Riverdieu. So naturally, thend went to Raverdieu, and of course, the Duragny family also got a big piece of the pie. The Raverdieu family did not really participate, just sending some soldiers just for face. They did not really care much about thosends. With the power of Raverdieu no one dared disagree with them getting a piece of thend. Just Raverdieu alone is enough to intimidate the whole Astre continent. Now Duragny was also allied with them, so who dared to disagree! They upied around seven million square miles ofnd. The continent''s size was around fifteen million square miles, which was like half the size of the Astre Continent. This war willter be exined in the future. Back to Elle and Marie. Marie then led Randell and Elle to the living room, where Zen was. When they arrive, both Elle and Randell smiled happily as they see how close Fiona and Zen have gotten. Both were ying chess, and the score was not surprising at all. Fiona has never won a single game against Zen. Whether the full dive VR, chess, card games, etc¡­ Which always made her feel ipetent in front of Zen. She was shocked when she couldn''t even win once. Fiona saw Marie, Elle, and Randell enter the room, and then she got up from her seat and greeted them. Zen simply stayed in his seat and smiled at them. Elle hugged Fiona, then went to Zen and hugged him tightly. "How have you been, Zenryx-Duragny-Raverdieu?" Elle said, emphasizing her words and saying his full name with a slight anger in her tone, seeing his attitude of not even getting up and greeting them. Elle, in reality, was not angry, rather, she was merely feigning her emotions. Zen just smiled and said "I''ve been a good Mother". Elle smiled back and then led Fiona to sit down with her and talk about her time with Zen. As for Randell, he went to where Zen was sitting down and asked him about his progress with his magic and swordsmanship. Zen then told him, "Father, both my level are in intermediate and my swordsmanship has reach peak." "Really!? Even your mother was not that fast, hahahaha," Randell said proudly. Practicing both magic and swords is the hardest thing one can do. They either don''t have the aptitude to be able to practice both or have lowprehension on either one, and it would also be hard to focus on two things. So some just focus on one thing, but there are also exceptions that are able to train with both slowly but steadily. At this point, the atmosphere was pretty harmonious, just like Fiona wished. The mother talked with the daughter, and the father talked with the son. They finished their one-on-one talk and got together to talk about Zen''s birthday banquet. There was a day left before the banquets started. Elle also instructed Marie to gather hundreds of attendants to start decorating and preparing for it. Just as they were discussing Zen, she suddenly spoke up. "You guys can talk about it and prepare for it. I still have something important to do to get ready for my birthday. So I will be returning to my room first." Randell and Elle let Zen go, leaving only Fiona behind, who was very excited for the banquet. Although you could not see an expression of excitement on her face. You could still tell she was excited because it was Zen''s birthday, and she had also prepared a gift for him. When Zen returned to his room, he pulled out a Tritonic, and a transparent holographic screen appeared. He opened its camera function and recorded a video of him. As for what the video was about, it''s a secret. Zen intended to deliver the Tritonic device, containing the recorded video of himself, to Marie upon the arrival of the following morning. After he finished the things he needed to do, he got ready for bed and slept. Chapter 17 Birthday Banquet Soon ?''IV 7th, 2400'' The Raverdieu had already sent out all the invitations to all of the Major families, which were the Doomthornes, Duragny, Crellons, and Mevoires. Small families like the earls, viscounts, and barons were also sent invitations. Big organizations like the Guild Hunter Association, Pontiac Academy, and so on were also given invitations. People with low status were not qualified to attend this banquet, and only those with high status were invited. There existed a vi in an unspecified location, whereupon a balcony resided. Upon this balcony, an exquisite youngdy could be discerned, seated gracefully with her lower limbs artfully crossed, partaking in the consumption of tea. This young woman possessed lustrous snowy hair and striking gray eyes. She was reading the invitation that had been extended to her household. She muttered in an indifferent tone, "So your birthday is tomorrow, huh? The boy I yed with when I was a little child. Well, I''ll be there, we will meet again soon." Upon concluding her statement, she delicately sipped from her tea and gracefully sealed the invitation. This girl was none other than Celestia Chauverisey Doomthorne. Zen and her were childhood friends, but that was just it, just friends. She did not have any good or bad impressions of him. In fact, she doesn''t even remember much of her childhood. She just remembered that there was a boy her age, she often yed with her when she was a little child. In a different location, a youngdy with flowing pink hair and shimmering purple eyes was on her bed, also reading the invitation. It was Daphne Duragny, her feelings were also the same as Celestia''s. "Hmmm, Zenryx Raverdieu''s birthday. Ok, I''ll go!" She closed the invitation and went back to her game. She also liked ying games; she was the same as Zen. The invitation has been extended to every esteemed family in the Astre continent, and each of them is making the necessary preparations for departure. Back to Tranquil City, where Zen''s vi was located. Zen has just finished doing all his daily routines and spending quality time with his family. Now he was heading towards the area where all the attendants live to meet Marie. As he made his way towards the attendants and servants of Marie, they extended respectful greetings and expressed well wishes for his birthday. Zen responded with a gracious smile and expressed his gratitude by saying, "Thank you." Ever since Zen''s attitude changed, all of the attendants and guards changed their view of him. Now they were not respectful out of fear, but they truly admired and respected him with their hearts. Zen arrived at Marie''s room. He knocked and said coldly "Come in!". She was exhausted from doing all the work assigned to her, so she was really not in the mood right now. Of course, she was not exhausted physically, as she is a Magister, but she was mentally exhausted. Zen entered the room, prompting Marie to promptly rise to her feet and extend a courteous wee, adjusting her attitude ordingly. "Oh, young master! What are you doing here? I thought you were preparing for your banquet." Zen responded, "Actually, yes, I was, but I have finished all the things I need. It''s just that I need you to do something for me." Marie then curiously asked, "What is it, young master? I am more than d to be of assistance to you!" He then pulled out the Tritonic from his dimensional ring and handed it to her. "Th-This is?" Marie stuttered a bit. "I just need you to ce that at the center of the banquet area when I''m about to make my appearance, which would be around nine p.m.," Zen said. Despite her curiosity, she refrained from inquiring about its purpose and agreed to his request. After instructing Marie on what he needed her to do, he returned to his room. Fiona and their parents were conspicuously absent within the vi, as they werepletely upied with their preparations. Leaving only Zen inside. Countless flying ships, luxurious cars, and people that looked like they had high-ranking status could be seen making their way into the serene confines of Tranquil City. The individuals belonging to a lower ss who resided in this city were perplexed as they observed the presence of vessels bearing the emblems of esteemed families of significant social standing. However, a considerable number of individuals were also cognizant of the unfolding events, as the banquet garnered significant online exposure. Following the disturbance, a collective realization permeated among the crowd that it marked the eleventh birthday of Raverdieu''s esteemed young master. The birthday banquet will be live-streamed on all televisionworks. Additionally, this event will be televised on the jumbotrons. Jumbotrons are expansive four-dimensional holographic video disys strategically positioned adjacent to towering buildings. A lot of people also went to watch the banquet close. Although they would be at a considerable distance and barely be able to see. They just wanted to get a look at Zenryx, who was mysterious and had never appeared in the world before. The rumors made them very curious about him. In a modest residence, an endearing young girl with raven locks, deep ruby eyes, and an aesthetically pleasing countenance, approximately eleven years of age, was seated alongside her parents. They were intently focused on the square, ss-paneled television screen, through which the banquet was being broadcasted in real-time. The girl spoke and said with a low-spirited tone, "Such a huge banquet, I wish I could attend it, and I bet they prepared a lot of delicious food." Her fatherughed and said,forting her, "Hahaha, daughter, maybe in the future, and once you enter the Pontiac Academy and be sessful, you should be able to eat all the food you want." This father of hers was an Intermediate mage, and this girl was a Novice mage about to enter Elementary Rank. His father has been guiding her and teaching her the basics of magic. The girl''s name was Eliza. Now she is learning how to coat her body with mana to enter the Elementary level, which she should be able to do by next year. So she should be good enough to qualify and enter Pontiac Academy. The mother responded with a gentle smile to the conversation unfolding between them. Despite her health condition, their family was quite happy and content with their current life. They then ceased their conversation and proceeded to watch the live broadcast. Chapter 18 The Banquet Officially Starts ?Many high ranking nobles and important figures came to the party. Such as the Dukes, Marquess, and even the King! came to give Raverdieu face. There was also the head of the Guild Hunter Association. Individually, they extended their greetings to Elle and Randell, presenting them with the meticulously prepared gift intended for Zenryx. The gifts each of them presented were very extravagant. Items such as a dimensional ring made entirely of blue diamonds, which had a space of 12,500 square meters. It can pretty much fit a whole town. This ring has an estimated cost of ten million million CDR. Another gift that was given was a fixed wing ship, luxurious cars, etc¡­ The currency used on the Astre continent is called CDR, short for Centimes De Reine. If wepare the currencies between the Earth and Pontiac, then one CDR should be equivalent to five hundred dors. There was one Duke missing though, it was Albemont Crellon. The head of the Crellon Family, Ruler of the west side of the continent. Randell and Elle noticed this and frowned slightly. They pondered silently, questioning whether Albemont''s absence from the banquet was a deliberate act of disrespect. In that very moment, a stunning youngdy, approximately fifteen years of age, adorned with purple hair and eyes, gracefully entered the premises, approaching Elle and Randell. The girl slightly bowed at a twenty five degree angle. "Good evening, Duke and Lady Raverdieu! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ste Crellon, the daughter of Duke Albemont. I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my father''s absence from today''s banquet, as he is currently engaged in matters of utmost importance," she conveyed with an apologetic tone. Seeing this girle in front of them and hearing her apologetic words. Their expressions eased after knowing the reason why Duke Albemont was not here. Ste then grabbed a sword from her dimensional storage and presented it as a gift to Elle and Randell. "This weapon is a Tiered B Lightning Sword, due to the circting hearsay about Zenryx possessing a unique lightning attribute skill."Furthermore, she mentioned that she possesses a card bestowed upon her by her father, intended to be presented as a gift, which holds a value of five million CDR. Seeing the Crellons sincerity in giving such gifts. They smiled, no longer minding that Albemont was not able to attend the banquet. After exchanging a few words with them, she breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that they no longer bothered her. She then left and joined the crowd to wait for the appearance of Zenryx. All of the people in the city and around the continent who were watching the live broadcast were also patiently waiting for Zenryx Raverdieu. All the gifts that were given cost no less than a million CDR. But the most expensive one was still the blue diamond ring given by the Royal King Vimoux Doomthorn. Randell spoke and said with a grateful tone, "I am grateful for this gift, Vimoux, and I''ll take it on behalf of my son Zenryx, as he is still in his room preparing." Randell addressed him by his name, not as King or Your Majesty. But the king did not mind it, as he knew that the Raverdieu could destroy and overthrow the Royal family if they wanted to. One hundred years ago, a progenitor of the Raverdieu''s came knocking at the Doomthornes door for an unknown reason. The progenitor of the Doomthorns family woke up and because of the person who came, he was wary of the other party. He felt like he could be a crush with just the flick of the other party''s finger. Following that event, Vimoux received instructions from the progenitor of his royal lineage to establish a harmonious rapport with the Raverdieus. That is how Celestia and Zenryx became childhood friends. Vimoux wanted to build a rtionship with the Raverdieu family through her daughter. So he often sent Celestia to y with Zenryx. Right now, Celestia was also standing right beside her father, and she also greeted Elle and Randell. Elle saw Celestia, smiled slightly, and said, "Oh little Celestia, you are here too! That''s great, I have not seen you for a long time. You have be more beautiful, just like your mother!" Lady Helene Doomthorne was also with Vimoux and Celestia. "Oh, stop it! Elle," Helene said, but she was clearly happy with Elle''s praise. Helene and Elle were close friends, and both studied together at Pontiac Academy. "Thank you for the praise, Lady Elle. But I have a question if it''s appropriate." Celestia said. Elle responded with a smile "Go ahead, ask your question, and also stop being formal and just call me Aunt, it''s not like we are strangers, right?" "Ok, Aunt Elle, So my question was¡­ When will Zenryx be here? It has been quite some time now, so I was just wondering." She said. Elle was thinking and then said, "Hmm, he should be appearing soon. I don''t know why he is taking so long to get ready." Right now, all the guests have already arrived. They were all conversing, eating, drinking, and dancing, just waiting for Zenryx to appear. In fact, this banquet was also an opportunity for a lot of people to form connections with other people. Celestia then left the area where all the heads of each family were talking. All of the major families had no enmity with each other, so they could peacefully talk with each other. Celestia went to look for Fiona and Daphne, as they were also childhood friends and often texted each other daily. She was called earlier by Fiona and Daphne that they were sitting together outside near the pool. Suddenly, when she got outside, she heard two voices calling her name. "Celesty over here!" She looked over in the direction where the voice came from. Sure enough, it was Fiona and Daphne. Celestia walked over to them, sat down with them, and said with a smile, "Hey." Daphne spoke up. "Hey Fiona, your brother, it has been so long and he still has not shown up! Do you know anything about it?" Celestia also wanted to know, so she looked at Fiona, waiting for her answer. Fiona was thinking and said, "I don''t know, to be honest, all I know is that he told me he had prepared something. He did not want to tell me and said that I would know when the banquet started. "What a guy! Acting all mysterious," Daphne said while giggling softly. Celestia, on the other hand, was suspicious. She felt like something shocking was about to happen. Suddenly, a young man with purple hair who looked to be twelve years old walked towards the three of them with two people behind him who looked to be the same age as him. The boys were fairly handsome, but if they were to bepared to Zenryx. It would be likeparing a cute cat with a blobfish or a diamond with copper. The three girls saw this and frowned. When the three arrived in front of the three girls, the boy who was at the front spoke and introduced himself with a smile, "Hello, youngdies my name is Waidon Crellon son of Duke Albemont Crellon." The other two boys were about to introduce themselves also, but Daphne suddenly spoke with a sarcastic expression showing on her face, "Hohhh Waidon, you say? Then Waidon you scram out of here!" [ Author : For anyone who didn''t get the joke Waidon = Why Don''t ] Fiona and Celestiaughed when they heard Daphne''s words. The other two boys behind Waidon were also trying to resist theirughter. Waidon''s face became red from embarrassment and anger, but he still calmly said, "Well, sorry for disturbing you girls." He immediately turned around with the two boys and left the area. Just another small episode that happened. They possessed remarkable beauty and would frequently capture the gaze of onlookers; however, with the gathering of three enticing young women, it was inevitable that they would garner an abundance of attention. However, upon being aware of their true identities, otherscked the fortitude to engage in conversation with them. Fiona had a tear in the corner of her eye because she hadughed so hard. She wiped it with her hands and told Daphne, "You''re so mean, Daphne." Daphne giggled and just said, "That''s just how you get rid of annoying pests." Celestia alsoughed slightly, then said, "Right right." Authors : Send some power stone :) thank you. Chapter 19 Zenryx Shocking The Whole Continent [Part 1] ?It was nine p.m., and the banquet was supposed to end at around ten p.m. The event has also reached its peak and is about to end. But there was still no sign of Zenryx anywhere. Amotion has also started, and the crowd has started discussing what is happening and asking where Zenryx is and when he will appear. They all asked Elle and Randell in unison, but they shook their heads, not knowing where he was or what the hell he was doing. Both of them were confused since Zen was supposed to appear around eight p.m., but it is already nine o''clock and he''s nowhere to be seen. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia also came back inside after hearing themotion that was happening. Since the vi was so big, it could amodate about a thousand of people. Themotion was so loud that it alerted them. Three of them were also curious and wanted to know where he was. The guest was not angry at all, in truth, they were all just bewildered. Since Zenryx was supposed to be the star today but is now nowhere to be seen, appearing sote is also inappropriate for a birthday boy. Amidst the uproar, Marie made her entrance into the room and proceeded towards the center point of the banquet area. Elle saw her and promptly walked towards her and asked with a serious expression, "Marie, do you know where that kid Zenryx has gone to?! I have released my mana and covered the whole Raverdieu territory with my mana, but I can not sense a single presence of his at all!" "My Lady, I don''t know at all, to be honest." Marie then took out the tritonic, showing it to Elle. "Actually, he dide to me yesterday and instructed me to ce this Tritonic device at the center of the banquet. Around nine thirty, and then he said that is when he was supposed to appear." She exined. Elle took the device and inspected it, seeing that there was nothing wrong with it. She instructed Marie to go ahead and ce it in the center. Then, at exactly nine thirty, at precisely nine thirty, the device illuminated and levitated, unveiling a holographic disy of a rectangr form. This garnered the attention of all individuals present. Fiona, Celestia, Daphne, Ste, Randell, and Elle, along with all of the guests. The cameras, which were simultaneously employed for live broadcasting purposes, also directed their focus towards the Tritonic. All the people watching from their TV screens were also glued to the screen, not blinking, worried that they would miss something. The whole continent fell into silence, waiting for what was about to transpire. Then the hologram shone, the hologram emitted a luminous glow, projecting a visual recording. A young man was visible within the frame of the video. Everyone was so shocked at the appearance of this young man. He was still wearing the immacte white garments from head to toe, which enhanced his already perfected appearance. The sight of this individual''s wless appearance and divine temperament left an indelible impression on the gazes of every young woman in attendance at the banquet, as well as those who were observing the event through the medium of live broadcast, with a scarce few exceptions, naturally. One girl said, "Is that my husband?" Then the other girls who heard said, "What do you mean, husband!? He''s clearly my future husband." Some of the girls argued with each other without even caring about the people present. If Zen heard this he would probably cringe to death. Furthermore, the boys were contemting a change in their gender as they observed the appearance of Zenryx. Daphne, Celestia, and Ste were also astounded to see him. The only one who was not shocked was Fiona, as she has been with Zenryx every day and has gotten used to him. Zenryx, who was on the screen, started speaking with a smile that could capture almost any girl''s heart, and the crowd became silent again. "Ummm, Mic test, Mic test! Is this working? Damn! This isplicated. Ohh, It is working now. I guess I''ll start then." "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening I am Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu. Ummm, this should be the first time everyone sees me. " "It''s very nice to meet you all. Anyway, I''m delighted to have you all be able to attend this birthday banquet of mine. Im sure you all have given gifts for me and have probably given them all to my parents already, so I thank you for your generosity." "I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my parents for taking their busy time to organize this event." "But sorry, I would not be attending such a boring event! It''s such a hassle, if I am being honest. I would also rather do something much more productive." "Another thing is that I was able to reach Advanced Swordsmanship, and I do have some ns in mind that I''ll be setting in motion." "As for when I will be appearing again? It should be when the new year of the Pontiac Academy starts or maybe in three months or so? Since I still have some important things to do." "Ok, I''m done. I''ll be ending the recording now." "Oh right! before I end it since the banquet should be broadcast live right now." "I''ll be taking advantage of it. Anyway, follow my social media at @Zenryxxx which is my Twittogram." "Ok, I will be ending it now for real this time byeee. You guys have fun for the rest of the banquet, though." "Ah sh*t, how do you end this thing again. Is this the stop recording button? Wait, that''s not it. Is it th--" Then the recording ended, and the Hologram screen disappeared. Everyone was momentarily dazed. Each word Zenryx spoke left them dumbfounded, it was like a roller coaster. It left them so shocked that they were unable to react for a while. Chapter 20 Zenryx Shocking The Whole Continent [Part 2] And End Of Banquet ?''Bundoc and Marie, who were watching the hologram, were stupefied at his shamelessness, as Zenryx never put much effort into his training. They thought, ''What do you mean hard work?! Where? When? How?'' ''At best, he would practice for about thirty to one hour, and after that, he would just fool around in the vi. His talent is just an anomaly, something no one probably has!'' Randell, on the other hand, wasughing so loudly that it echoed throughout the room. "Hahahaha, this rebellious son of mine." He disyed ack of genuine concern towards Zen''s action; however, upon hearing that Zen''s swordsmanship rank had advanced to the Advanced level, he felt a great sense of pride. Elle was also not surprised that this was not the first time he had done something like this. Both of them found outter on that Zen went to the Twilight Zone unnoticed through Marie, but they did not scold Zen about it and just let him be. At this point, Elle and Randell just went with whatever Zen nned to do after seeing his intelligence, talent, power, etc¡­ They now fully trusted that he was fully capable of handling himself in the world. Elle murmured that she would beat Zenryx''s ass the next time she sees him. Randellughed hearing Elle''s words, as his hearing was very good. He persuaded her and told her to calm down. "Don''t me me. It''s this rebellious son of yours fault." "Hmph!" "He inherited your reckless personality." She said it like a little girl. The head of other families alsoughed, ''hahahaha'' then Vimoux stepped out and said, "Duke Randell, this son of yours is very interesting, and the rumors about your son still overly underestimated his talent." On the other side of the room, close to the door that led to the outside pool, three girls stood and witnessed the whole thing. Fiona was not surprised at all, she had the same reaction as Elle and Randell as this was not Zenryx first rodeo. Although she already had a hunch that Zen would be doing something like this, when she mentioned the word birthday banquet back then when they were at the dining table, she saw Zen frown. Then Zen''s not appearing for a long time during the banquet already confirmed her hunch. The gift that she had meticulously arranged for Zenryx had to be postponed until their next encounter at the Pontiac Academy. Fiona was just disappointed and saddened that he would be unable to meet Zenryx until the next year, and she didn''t even have the chance to say goodbye to him because he just left like that. Unbeknownst to her, Fiona''s family''s love for Zen has started to bloom into a love between a man and a woman. Daphne spoke up and asked Fiona, "Ummm, Fiona, can I marry this brother of yours?" Fiona hurriedly refused. "Why? You talked about him earlier, saying he liked ying games, was talented, and had like a good-looking face and stuff. Now that I see em, you understated it. We fit each other perfectly, ye?" Then Fiona responded, "Fit each other, you say? What a clown!" Fiona and Daphne argued back and forth with each other until Celestia came in and intervened to stop them. All the other nobles, other guests, and people who were watching the broadcast also had the same reaction ''stupefied''. The banquet continued, and they were all now discussing things about Zenryx. There were also countless girls who asked their parents if they could propose marriage. The banquet was nearing its conclusion, and a considerable number of guests had already departed and begun their journeys back to their respective domains and residences. They bid farewell to Elle and Randell, expressing gratitude for the invitation and acknowledging the splendid event masterfully orchestrated by Zenryx. Ste also left after saying her goodbyes and apologizing onest time. Although she was a bit surprised about what happened, her mind was fairly calm as she was going to inherit the Crellon Family in a few years. Maids have also started cleaning the whole area. The live broadcast has ended too. Many ships could be seen leaving Tranquil City. The only ones left were Lorcan Duragny''s family and King Vimoux''s family. Lorcan and Vimoux asked Randell and Elle if it was possible to propose a marriage between Daphne, Celestia, and Zen. Polygamy is epted in this world. Indeed, it was quite customary for nobility to enter into matrimonial unions with multiple spouses. Daphne was very happy to hear his father''s words, but Celestia frowned and did not want any arranged marriages. She wanted to marry the one she wanted, and it was also too early to be thinking about marriage. Elle then said, "Actually, we have no control over this. It''s all up to Zen. The oue solely rests on Zen''s discretion." "I will make an attempt to reach out to him, however, considering his proactive nature, it is likely that he has made extensive arrangements, thus making it challenging for us to locate him using conventional methods." Celestia and Fiona both breathed a collective sigh of relief upon hearing Elle''s statement. However, Daphne''s sentiments leaned towards disappointment. Randell didn''t say anything and just proudly stood next to Elle. After exchanging a couple of words and saying their farewells, both families left. Leaving only Fiona, Elle, and Randell. Elle asked Fiona if she had any Idea where Zen went, but she shook her head, not having the faintest idea. Randell spoke up "It''s fine, it''s fine! Just let him be." Elle red at Randell and left, returning to the Tiered SS ship. Randell then looked at Fiona and said, "Hahaha, I think your mother is on her period!" Fiona also left thinking that her father was so rude. Leaving only Randell behind, he murmured, "Thesedies are so difficult, goddamn." Randell also returned to the Tiered SS ship. All thousands of ships rose to the air and flew at Mach five speed. Some ships flew faster, flying at Mach one hundred, and the SS ship flew about at Mach three hundred. The news of what happened at the banquet would spread and shock the whole continent the next day. Chapter 21 The Uproar And How It All Went Down ?The entire continent was in an uproar because of the news of what happened during the Raverdieu Family''s banquet. In a building situated within the jurisdiction of Mevouires, there was a modest small restaurant. Individuals were engaging in conversations regarding the incident that had urred. One person said, "Hey, you have heard about the news of what happened, right? That young master Zenryx from the Raverdieu family!" "Yes, I did, hahahah. He is one hell of a kid, ditching his own birthday banquet. But that kid had also be an Advanced Swordsman. That kid is going to go far in the future." Another person responded whileughing, feeling amused about what happened. "Rightttt! He should be the youngest Advanced Swordsman in today''s generation." "Not even in today''s generation, he should be the youngest Advanced Swordsman in history. Many historians are probably recording information about him right now." There were also two people sitting down and eating behind those two guys who were discussing the event. It was a boy and a girl, and hearing the discussion between the two piqued their interest. The two were none other than Crystal and Edward. Crystal took out her phone and opened an app called NewsFeed that contained all the news that had happened recently on the Astre continent to see if there was any information. Sure enough, she saw news that had the headline ''Shocking event and the appearance of the young master of Raverdiue''. Crystal clicked on the news, and there was an article exining what happened. She proceeded to scroll down the page at a leisurely pace, carefully reading the contents of the article. Upon her descent, a link was found affixed at the bottom of the article. She clicked on the link, and it redirected her to a website called Twittogram, which was a video sharing website. She started watching the video, then the scene that was broadcast during the banquet yed, which was when the Tritonic device floated in the air, revealing a hologram recorded video, and the video started ying. She saw the figure of a young man who had an unparalleled appearance. Crystal rose to her feet and emphatically eximed, "It''s actually him!!!" grabbing the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Feeling the gaze of everyone staring at her, Crystal apologized and sat back down on her chair. Edward asked her, "What''s wrong?" Crystal then showed him the video and said, "That''s the boy who saved me in the Twilight Zone." "Zenryx Raverdieu him?! What was he doing in the Twilight Zone? but I''m thankful he was there, if he wasn''t, you would have already¡­" Edward said. He was confused and grateful at the same time. Crystal revealed a smile on her face and murmured, "Next year, huh? I''ll meet you again next year at the Pontiac Academy Zenryx!" She then hurriedly ate her food and went upstairs back to her room, leaving Edward. They were currently staying at an apartmentplex, and at the bottom of theplex, there was a small restaurant where they ate. Crystalid down on her bed and turned back to her phone, opening the app Twittogram and looking up Zenryx''s username. The ount did not possess any posts or profile picture, yet it had garnered approximately one hundred million followers. She clicked the "follow" button and enabled the notification function. Seeking to receive notifications regarding Zenryx''s. ============ The day before Zenryx''s banquet. After handing the Tritonic to Marie, he returned to his room. He was getting ready to set off and leave the estate. After that, he sneaked out again, it was fairly easy to sneak out this time as everyone was currently at the banquet busy preparing. The banquet was located in another area that was close to Zen''s vi. It was a ce where parties were usually held. All the guards we''re currently on standby in that area, leaving only Zenryx at his vi. He then messaged Jack toe to his vi and asked him for his identification ID, which was used to open and fly a ship. Jack agreed and gave it to Zen, he didn''t question any of Zen''s actions anymore, as it always gave him a headache. After taking the ID from Jack, he then headed towards where all the ships were docked and found the ship that Jack had used before. It was a Tier B ship, which can fly at a speed of Mach 6.72. During this past month, Zen had also learned how to fly a ship, as he thought it would be useful someday. Now was the day he could use his skill of flying a ship. Zen then used the ID he got from Jack and opened the door of the ship. He boarded the ship and started the ship. Zenryx had read in the novel that there was a small volcanic obsidiannd located to the north of the Astre continent. Which was the ce he was trying to go to. There was a cloud made of ammonia ice with ayer of ammonium hydrosulfide crystals at its core. The area around the cloud was full of electromaic fields. Even the satellites orbiting the would be unable to detect such a small ind. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. The entire two miles of this area were like this. The volcanic ind was so small and its size was around four thousand square feet as it had just formed. As for how the atmosphere of this area was formed, it was due to the fight of two Great Magisters which caused this phenomenon. This area was no secret at all to society. It is just that no one dared to explore, and there was nothing here. It was just a battlefield used before by the Great Magisters. But Zenryx knew from the novel that there was a volcanic eruption there. Which formedyers of obsidian creating a smallnd. With this world''s technology, it would be fairly easy to terraform thisnd. Zenryx intended to reside here for now, seeking sce and seclusion from the outside world. Of course, he would also go out from time to time to carry out some of the ns he had. Chapter 22 Mevouires Territory ?Zenryx ship was currently flying at a speed of 6.72 times the speed of sound. The distance between the ind and Zen''s estate was about thirty seven thousand miles. With the speed of the ship, which was flying 5156 miles per hour, it would take around seven hours to arrive at his destination. Since every ship had an autopilot system, he did not have to manually fly the ship. All ships in this world had outstanding aviation systems, and some even came with artificial intelligence. But Zenryx nned to stop by the Mevouires territory first. Which was located east, his purpose there was to purchase several materials that he needed in order to be able to terraform the obsidiannd. The Mevouires family controlled thirty percent of the economy. Every single product that you can think of could be found in their territory. essory equipment, capital goods, operating supplies, specialty products, nanotechnologies, civilian or military grade fixed winged ships, all types of vehicles, artificially created nts, etc¡­ pretty much every product is here. Since Zen''s bank could be tracked, he had already instructed Jack long ago to go to the Institution Financi¨¨re Mevouiress. A bank that was also controlled by Mevouires family and had him withdraw half of his money in cash, which he was now storing in his dimensional storage ring. The amount of money stored was astronomical. It reached a total of five hundred million. That amount of money was enough to run and maintain a Marquess territory for about ten years. In fact, Zen was given a billion CDR by his parents when he was ten years old. It was all his money to use for all his expenses. He was to manage his own money, and once it was all used up, his parents would no longer provide him with money. If it was all used up, he had to find his own way to earn his own funds. The distance between his estate and Mevouires territory was about 15000 miles and would take about three hours at the speed he was going. Zenryx was currentlyying down on the sofa and was fiddling around with his phone. He had already ordered all the things he needed online. All he needed to do was pick it up. He also nned to enter the auction house to see if anything caught his eye. There were only about twenty minutes left until he arrived. Zenryx also checked his Twittogram and found that he had gained an astonishing amount of followers. "Wow, I have gained over two hundred million followers that''s a lot," he said. Which was not surprising since he was now famous throughout the whole continent. A continent that had around ten billion people. He then closed his phone, seeing that he was about to arrive. The ships AI had already scanned the map, so it was able to find a ship docking area in seconds. It then automaticallynded, and the AI told Zenryx that they had arrived. Before going out, he put on a in white Vian mask and changed his clothing to ck. His signature clothes were white, and now that he was famous for them, he did not want to run the risk of being recognized. He got out, and a woman who was wearing a security uniform appeared in front of him. This guard''s duty was to charge those who parked their ship in the docking area and to also safeguard the ce. The guard was suspicious at first due to him wearing a mask. But seeing Zen''s temperance gave her a noble feeling. She just thought that the person in front of her was someone of high status and did not want to expose his identity, as this was prettymon among nobles. She also didn''t think that Zen was a child. Although he was eleven, he was as tall as an average sixteen years old. Which was considered to be almost an adult. The woman spoke and asked, "Hello, young master, the docking fee is about one hundred fifty CDR every hour. How long do you n to stay?" Zen chuckled a bit and murmured, "Damn, even in this world there are parking fees, hahaha." Zenryx thought for a second and then gave her one thousand CDR. "Here is one thousand CDR, which should be enough for six hours, and the one hundred CDR can be given to you as a tip." Zen smiled and thought, [Im such a generous person, giving so much tip.] Since he knew that guards usually make around fifty CDR per hour, he was giving her at least two hours worth of work. The woman frowned in her heart and thought in her mind, ''Wow, such a stingy noble.'' The nobles usually gave her around a thousand CDR or more for a tip. It is not that she was ungrateful, she just thought that he was stingy. Of course he was stingy! Although he could give a lot of tips with the amount of money he has. He was still a business person in his previous life. The woman still said with a smile on her face, "Thank you, young master." Zen gave her a slight nod and then left the area. He then checked his phone to see where the ce he had ordered from was located. He was going to go pick up all the items he had bought. After he picked it up, he nned to just roam around and explore the area. He also wanted to try the street foods and such. It was about five p.m., and the auction was supposed to start at nine p.m. There were about four hours until it started, so he had plenty of time, and the auction usuallysts about an hour and a half or two hours. Zen had actually calcted everything down to thest minute! Just the right time when his parking space would expire. Here we can see that he was really a business person in heart and mind in his previous life. Chapter 23 The Butterfly Effect [Part 1] ?Zen arrived at the store he had bought from online. He picked up all the items that he had ordered, and after that, he went on his way. He was currently roaming around the public square. Buildings such as courthouses, city halls, churches, performing arts centers, markets, and even street food stalls could be seen here. He was admiring the architecture that was used here, as it was very unique and different. Back on earth, the architecture used was Contemporary architecture, which used unconventional forms, innovative materials, and sustainable building practices. But in this world, architecture has a greater focus on renewable energy, transportation solutions, smart home energy management systems, and public service analysis. These are built to respond to the needs of institutions,panies, and their inhabitants more efficiently and effectively. Each building also had a very distinct style, mixing different styles together to form one beautiful structure or building. It would normally look messy, but these buildings were perfectly made to match the styles used and mixed together to form one beautiful piece of art. In fact, the whole area was like a piece of art. The buildings also looked very advanced and had a sci-fi feel to them, but they also had a feel of fantasy. After admiring the buildings, Zen continued to walk and smelt something quite appetizing. He nce at the direction where it wasing from and walked towards it. He stopped in front of a stall that was selling street food. Zen looked at the vendor and asked, "Hello, sir, what is this food called, and may I please buy one box?" The vendor responded, "Ayo, young man, this is called bonbons, and it''s only 2 CDR for one piece. The box has about ten pieces, so that''s going to be twenty CDR." Zen then took out 20 CDR from his dimensional ring, handed 20 CDR to the vendor, and waited until the food was cooked. While Zen was waiting for his food, a boy and a girl who both looked to be twelve years old walked right past him. They were both walking towards where the auction was going to be held. Zen was still watching the man cook the bonbons in a molded pan and was curious because the food had a weird smell but felt very appetizing. So he asked, "Sir, what is this bonbon made of?" The vendor spoke up and said with a proud smile on his face, "Er, you go, young man, it''s finished, and as for what''s it made of¡­ The inside is filled with minced Rabittu meat, minced chicken meat, green onions, and pickled ginger." "The outside is a wheat flour-based batter. It is covered in my special ingredient sauce. I am proud to say that it is the best food I have made so far." He was eating the food while listening to the man''s long exnation. The vendor then again questioned, "So howzit, young man?" Zen responded, "It is very delicious, the inside is smooth, but the outside is crispy and gooey. I''m delighted with the taste." He proceeded to give the man a thumbs up. "Hahaha, well,e back again next time, young man." The vendor said this whileughing, feeling satisfied with what Zen told him. After that, he went to a sitting area and sat down to finish up the food he had bought. After finishing his food, Zen also headed towards the auction house, which the boy and girl earlier went to. After arriving at the doorway of the auction house, a security guard stopped him, feeling suspicious, as Zen was wearing a mask. Even though it was not umon when attending an auction, as wearing one could avoid trouble. The guard still asked Zen for identification, just in case. Zen then pulled out his phone, and a hologram appeared showing the crest of the Duragny family. Other than the identity as the young master of Raverdieu. Zen can also be considered one of the young masters of the Duragny family because his mother was the Lady of Duragny. Although he could also use the Raverdieu crest, he was not willing to take the risk of exposing his identity. Because who else in this world would have the Raverdieu family crest other than Zenryx, who was also the same age as Zenryx, No one!" After seeing the crest that appeared, the guard bowed and said, "Thank you, young master of Duragny, but do you need me to arrange one of the VIP rooms for you or what?" Zen then said, "No need, it''s too much of a hassle. I''ll just find a normal seat to sit down in." After hearing his response, the guard hurriedly stepped out to the side, clearing a way for Zen to walk through. After entering the auction room, he examined the room and saw that it was very spacious. Zen then found a seat that was empty with no people. He sat at the top back center of the auction room. There were also VIP rooms located above each corner of the room. Zenryx would be able to get one of the VIP rooms easily with his status if he wanted to. There was simply no need to be so high profile right now, and the process to get it was such a hassle to begin with, so he just found a normal seat. While waiting for the auction to start, he scrutinized the room for the second time. His gazended on a boy and a girl sitting next to each other in the front row. It was none other than Edward and his sister, Crystal! He was not really surprised that they were both In Mevouires territory. The twilight zone forest was located near the Mevouires territory. So it was easy to guess where these two brothers and sisters would''ve gone next when they left the twilight zone. But what shocked him was why they were currently at this auction. As far as he could remember, there was no auction scene in the novel that Edward attended. Chapter 24 The Butterfly Effect [Part2] ?Zen thought, ''Maybe it was just a small event or something.'' However, he immediately recollected his prior deed of going into the Twilight Zone and acquiring the Katana. Given that auctions are typically the context in which protagonists acquire items that initially appeared devoid of value and went unnoticed by others, yet eventually revealed themselves to be authentic treasures. Zen then remembered the concept of the butterfly effect. A phenomenon, denoting the notion or act of altering something, regardless of its magnitude, possesses the potential to yield unanticipated repercussions as time progresses. "That''s definitely it, the butterfly effect. Hahaha, I can''t believe I am actually experiencing it in real time," he eximed, apanied by a lighthearted chuckle. Then he withdrew his gaze from them as the auction was about to start. The person who made his appearance on the stage as the auctioneer was a gentleman characterized by his raven-colored hair, attired in an opulent ensemble of navy blue, crafted from fine materials. The man introduced himself as today''s auctioneer, then proceeded to start the auction by presenting the first item. The first few items were just paintings, antiques, luxurious essories, and some artifacts, which did not catch Zen''s attention at all. The next item was a mana stone, which came from a Tier 2 beast, Hydra. "It''s a tiered two mana stone!" someone from the VIP rooms shouted. "This hydra mana stone has been recently procured by our establishment from the Twilight Zone, and we are initiating the auction at a minimum starting bid of two hundred thousand CDR!" "It is essential to note that each bid must adhere to an increment of no less than fifty thousand CDR," the auctioneer exined. A voice belonging to a female spoke from VIP room number one, "Four hundred thousand." "We got a four hundred thousand bid! Can I get any four hundred fifty?!" Edward, who was sitting at the front, raised his hand and said, "Four hundred and fifty." He desired this stone as it had the potential to enhance his power during perilous circumstances. They were being chased, if ites to it, it could be used to save their lives. Mana stones also acted the same way as the Great Magister''s catalyst, which allowed them to borrow mana from it, increasing their prowess. Although Edward''s family had already been destroyed, they were still from an earl family, so he still had a substantial amount of funds he could use. "Can I get any five hundred thousand bid?!" Another voice spoke from room number four, "five hundred thousand." Then the girl from VIP room one said, "Six hundred thousand." "Six hundred thousand CDR! Is there any higher bidder!?" Edward was on the verge of raising his hand to ce a higher bid, however, Zen swiftly raised his hand and announced, "two million CDR." Zen did not think that this was the item that Edward was supposed to get in this auction. Although he already had the mana stones that he had purchased. He did not mind getting more. As for why he bid almost four times the amount of the current bid, even though he''s known for his stingy personality and not wasting money. He was just toozy to keep bidding, so he directly said two million. The aftermath of Zen''s bid ensued with absolute silence permeating the auction room. Edward''s face revealed a shocking expression. He did have a substantial amount of money, but he could not carelessly spend it. As this was only Crystal''s and Edward''s money now, it became imperative for them to exercise prudent management. One person from the room spoke and eximed "Damn, two million just like that?!" The VIP rooms were simrly devoid of noise. The auctioneer was initially taken aback, as he had never encountered such a peculiar situation before. However, he swiftly regained hisposure and announced, "Tw-Two million! bid from the young man at the back of the room! Any higher bids?!" As for people suspecting that he was fooling around. They did not even think about it, as this was the territory of the Mevouires family. Any individual who dares engage in frivolous behavior would face swift and severe consequences, such as immediate execution. The atmosphere in the room fell intoplete silence upon witnessing Zen''s single, audacious bid of two million. They thought that if he could bid that amount in one go. He could also afford to bid another surprising amount if someone said another word. "Going once, going twice, sold!" the auctioneer said, effectively dispelling the silence that had enveloped the room. The girl who was in the VIP room looked towards the person who bid. She was Anastasia Mevouires, the youngdy of the Mevouires! Her physical allure radiated resplendently,parable to the unmatched appearance of Celestia and Fiona. Her hair is ck and her eyes are silver. Engaging in conversation with the girl next to her, she queried, "Hmm, Juliet, don''t you think that young man wearing a mask is familiar?" Juliet replied contemtively, "Hmmm, I don''t think we''ve ever met anyone like that, though?" "Think back to Raverdieu''s birthday banquet. Don''t you remember that young master of the Raverdieu causing a scene." "Although that young man has a mask on and a different color of clothing, don''t you think they have a resemnce?" Anastasia told her trying to exin her thoughts. Contemting the matter whilst examining the young man, Juliet eventually concurred, asserting, "You are right! He has the same silver white hair, his height seems to be the same, and his temperance is the same! "No one knows where he disappeared to. Co-Cou-Could that be him?!" She was shocked beyond words. Anastasia deservesmendation for her remarkable skill of observation. Despite their absence from Zenryx''s birthday banquet. They have witnessed the live broadcast and observed virtually every aspect of the unfolding proceedings, including the remarkable Tritonic holographic video. "They have the same resemnce, but we can''t be too sure." Anastasia said. Juliet hurriedly spoke like a girl who couldn''t wait to meet her crush and said, "Sho-should we meet and go talk to him!" Zenryx instantly captivated Juliet''s heart, and his charisma has continued to ensnare the affections of numerous youngdies ever since his first appearance. I postte that it is difficult to fathom someone who would not hold admiration for an individual endowed with a wlessly aesthetic and unrivaled countenance. With the exception of a few girls, namely Anastasia and Celestia, for instance. Anastasia answered, "Look at you! Are you in heat or something? But sure, after the auction finishes, we could try to go and meet him to see if it''s really him, but there''s also a chance it''s not him, or deny it, you know." "I know! Hehe," Juliet responded while chuckling slightly. While the two girls were conversing with each other, the auction continued. Chapter 25 The Butterfly Effect [Part 3] ?The auctioneer then continued to show thest item. The man had an unusual expression because the next item he was about to show was very ''unique''. In fact, the man had talked to the auction representative at first when he was told that they were selling this item, and he was against it. Frankly speaking, the piececked uniqueness not on ount of its quality, but rather due to its simplistic design as a pair of circr amethyst earrings that served no practical purpose whatsoever. But the representative just told the man to get as much CDR as he could for the item. The man had no alternative but to acquiesce and heed the statements made by the representative. The auctioneer exhibited the earring essory, elegantly presented within a petite box to entuate its luxuriousness. "This is a mysterious amethyst earring that was obtained from the now destroyed Vrt family. The starting bidding price is fifty thousand CDR!" The whole crowd started discussing in low voices. Zen was in the backughing, "So it''s this item. I''ll see how Edward will be able to get it from me. With me here, it would be impossible for you to get it now, Edward. It really is a butterfly effect! Edward was supposed toe across this artifact next year, but now it has appeared, which is a year earlier." "Although it came from Vrt territory, stop making it so mysterious. It is clearly just a normal amethyst essory, and fifty thousand? Such an excessive price." One person said she was sitting in the middle of the crowd. The whole crowd agreed with what the man said. The auctioneer concurred, acknowledging that indeed there were no takers at this price. Crystal whispered to her brother, "Hey brother, it''s that item we are looking for! look! look!" "I know, let me bid for it." Edward said. At the precise moment when the auctioneer was on the verge of stowing it. Edward raised his hand and said, "Let me get it, I bid fifty thousand." The entire audience was once again taken aback and directed their attention towards Edward. None of the people present were aware that Edward and Crystal belonged to the Vrt family. Given that both of them had not previously made any public appearances prior to this momentous asion. So no one knew the appearance of the young master and youngdy of the Vrt family. People expressed their disapproval of the young man, deeming his actions foolish. The people from the VIP rooms also made mocking remarks at him. Julietughed and said, "Who is that? I did not know there were people who were this stupid!" The auctioneer was also shocked, but he was delighted that someone was willing to bid for it He proceeded to say, "Fifty thousand, any other bid? Going once, twice!" Zen then raised his hand and said, "Fifty thousand and one CDR." The room once more fell into a state of stillness. Indeed, it appeared as though the mere act of Zen speaking would inevitably result in an immediate hush falling upon the room. The man on stage did not know what to say. Seeing the silence of the crowd and the auctioneer, Zen spoke up again and said, "What? Are you not going to continue? You never said anything about the amount that should be raised for the bid, did you not?" The crowd nodded in agreement, as what he said seemed reasonable. Zen had a talent for making things that seemed unreasonable look reasonable. He could always find an excuse or a loophole in things. ''Pfff.'' Hearing this, Anastasia, who was in room one,ughed slightly and said, "this guy is interesting." In fact, she also saw Edward, and she knew who he was. Which was supposed to be her fianc¨¦. She hated such arranged marriages, so she was d after hearing that the Vrt family was destroyed by an unknown force, so she no longer needed to worry about being married to such an idiot. She didn''t care about him any longer. The man on stage came back to his senses and realized he had not said anything about it because he thought no one would really buy it. He then proceeded to say, "Fifty thousand and one, any other bidder?" Edward signaled the amount of "one hundred thousand" by raising his hand." Zen then said, after "one hundred thousand and one CDR," "Two hundred thousand!" "Two hundred thousand and one" The bid until it reached the one million mark. Edward gazed at Zen, a figure adorned with a white vian mask that still concealed his identity, and questioned, "You! Why are you going against me did I offend you or anything? And why are you bidding for a useless item!" One person from the crowd then said, "same could be said about you, right? your bidding for it too." The crowd and the people from the VIP room pondered if this was really a secret treasure, seeing that the bid had reached one million. The auctioneer was also silent, just watching the two sh. His smile widened as he knew that the amethyst earring was really just a normal item with no function. Unbeknownst to him, that earring was really a treasure of the Vrt family. Edward, Crystal, and Zen knew this. Hearing Edward''s words, Zen simply smiled. smile, Crystal experienced a sense of familiarity. That radiant smile evoked a strong sense of recognition within her. However, her current priority was to retrieve the valuable possessions of their families, thus she chose to temporarily disregard the matter. She expressed her words, addressing Zen with utmost respect, "Young master, we kindly beseech you to grant us this item. While this may have utility for us, in your possession it would prove highly impractical." Zen then responded, "Well, if you want it, then just bid, no need to talk so much nonsense." He still had that smile on his face, which now looked more like a devil''s smile. The auctioneer spoke to ease the atmosphere, "May I kindly request everyone to remainposed? As per the customary rules, the item will be awarded to the highest bidder." Crystal and Edward withdrew their gaze while cursing Zen in their hearts. Edward then continued to bid "one million and one hundred thousand CDR." At this point, Zen was getting bored, so he stopped ying around and said, "Ten million" All the people in the room, including those in the VIP rooms, were dumbfounded. "Did we hear that right? He said, ten million right?!" Anastasia and Juliet were also shocked because, with that amount, he could''ve bought a tier one mana beast stone or about five mana for a tier two mana beast stone. Edward and Crystal were at a loss regarding their next course of action since their avable funds amounted to only five million, thus rendering them unable to proceed with the bidding process. Crystal told Edward, "Does he know something about that earring? Could he be one of those people that''s chasing after us?" "Just in case, we need to leave quickly after the auction finishes," Edward responded. The auctioneer was momentarily shocked before saying, "Ten million! Any other bids? going once, twice, thrice! Sold!" Chapter 26 Heading To The Archipelago Region ?The auction has finished. Both Crystal and Edward had left the auction house in a hurried manner like they were running for their lives. They were unable to get anything out of the auction because the masked man had taken everything they wanted. Although they believed that nothing will happen to them inside the Mevouires territory, but who knows if their enemies would take the risk? Zen, upon witnessing this, could not refrain from shaking his head in disbelief, murmuring to himself, "Do they think I''m going to cause trouble for them or something. They are thinking too much." he sighed. "Well, at least not yet," he proimed with a mischievous smirk creeping onto his face. Many people have also started leaving. Zen got the items he bid for at the backstage, and he was about to leave when suddenly two girls emerged in front of him. It was none other than Anastasia and Juliet, who earlier had their eyes focused on him. "You two girls are?" Zen said, questioning them. The two girls introduced themselves "Greetings, my name is Anastasia from the Mevouires family." "My name is Juliet, but most people just call me J-lo. I am from a subsidiary family of the Mevouires family." Juliet introduced herself with her head bowed, feeling shy. Zen raised his eyebrows and asked, "Oh? if it isn''t the youngdy of the Mevouires, greetings, Miss J-lo. So what can I do for you youngdies tonight?" "Actually, we both were curious and just wanted to ask you for your name." Anastasia inquired. Zen was amused and spected that these two girls might have guessed his identity. "Hmmm, why don''t you guess what my name is?" replying while looking straight into her eyes with a lopsided grin. Anastasia looked away a little as Zen''s eyes seemed to be drawing her in. She then said with minimal eye contact, "Is it Zenryx?" Zen replied, shrugging his shoulders, "I don''t know, is it?" Juliet, on the other hand, just stood motionless next to Anastasia, as she didn''t know what to say. When the two blinked their eyes, Zen''s figure had already disappeared. The two girls revealed a look of confusion on their faces. They did not know how he suddenly disappeared when he was just standing right in front of them. Juliet finally spoke and breathed a sigh of relief seeing him disappear. "Where did he go? Anastasia, what do you think? Is it really him?" "I do not know, but I am sure of it that is definitely Zenryx Raverdieu!" she responded, answering her questions with a confident expression. ''Maybe, I can use him in the future,'' Anastasia thought and a grin appeared on her face. She was nning to include him in her schemes in the future. Juliet jumped excitedly, knowing that she was able to meet the man himself, who was Zenryx, the young master of the Raverdieu family. Zen was already an Advanced Swordsmaster, so he could instantaneously move in a short distance. He appeared outside the auction house and started heading back to his ship, leaving the two girls in shock. The female guard and Zen met each other''s eyes. Zen nodded, to which the female guard also gave a nod back. He had arrived where Jack''s ship was docked and got inside. He scanned Jack''s ID, and the ship''s AI turned on. Zen entered the coordinates of his destination, which was just outside the range of the area that had a weird atmosphere. Once he reaches that coordinate, he will have to manually fly the ship, as the navigation system of the ship would not be able to work there. The ship started and flew in the sky, and it instantly elerated to a speed of Mach 6.72. Heading to the coordinates that Zen had entered. It was already eleven at night, and he decided to go to sleep first since it would take approximately five hours to reach there. Before he went to sleep, he remembered that he still did not have a profile picture in his Twittogram, so he decided to take a quick picture and set it as his profile picture. After doing all that, he thenid downfortably on the couch, closed his eyes and instantly fell asleep. ======== Back at Zen''s vi, a girl can be seen lying down in Zen''s bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Suddenly, a notification sound from her phone woke her up from her trance-like state. She checked her phone, and it was a message from Daphne in a group chat tagging her name. ? Group Chat ? ¨‹ Daphne : @Fiona has your brother contacted you yet? ¨‹ Fiona : No! knowing him he probably will never contact anyone ¨‹ Daphne : Why don''t you try messaging him hmm? ¨‹ Fiona : Do you think I haven''t thought it yet are you stupid or something!? That guy probably even destroyed his phone and bought another one. ¨‹ Daphne : Wow what a guy lol (Celestia enter the chat) ¨‹ Celestia : Hey! what are you guys talking about? ¨‹ Daphne : We were talking about Zenryx. ¨‹ Celestia : Ah that guy. Do you know anything regarding your brother Fiona? ¨‹ Fiona : Nothing much but my mother did told me that he had withdrawn an astonishing amount of five hundred million CDR from his bank ount. ¨‹ Daphne : 500 what?! ¨‹ Fiona : Ah that? He was given a billion CDR when he reached ten years old. Although it is a lot this will be the only money he will be given. Once it runs out he will have to find his own funds in the future. ¨‹ Daphne : A billion CDR?! That couldst him hundreds of years. I can pretty much buy every items I want in my game with that amount. ¨‹ Fiona : All you think about is your game is there anything else in your mind other than games?! ¨‹ Daphne : Of course there is! ¨‹ Fiona : Like what exactly? ¨‹ Daphne : Like marrying Zenryx? ¨‹ Fiona : Your mind is full of garbage honestly! ¨‹ Daphne : Heyyy! ¨‹ Celestia : Anyway back to his withdrawal, your brother probably withdrew it in cash so as not to get tracked down by your parents. ¨‹ Fiona : That''s the thing! What is he even thinking doing all of that and what are his ns for withdrawing such arge amount of money? ¨‹ Daphne : Hey guys! You should probably go check Zenryx Twittogram he finally updated his profile picture. [Both went to look at his Twittogram] ¨‹ Celestia : Fiona your brother really has a perfect face. I don''t think anyone in this world even has the qualifications to bepared to his appearance. ¨‹ Fiona : I know but what the hell I can''t even message him through his social media this idiot has his messages turned off. ¨‹ Daphne : Well sisters in the future Fiona so you should start calling me sister now ye? ¨‹ Fiona : In your dreams! ¨‹ Celestia : You guys I will be heading to sleep now it''ste. ¨‹ Fiona : Ok same good night. ¨‹ Daphne : K, You all go sleep I''ll go back to my game now. (Three people left the chat) After talking to them Fiona''s mind cleared up quite a bit and she decided to go to sleep. Chapter 27 Terraforming The Volcanic Land ?When he set the picture he had taken as his profile picture for his Twittogram. His followers have, naturally, also long noticed it. Girls admired his perfect appearance during the day and night. Pretty much throughout the whole day. Since age did not matter much in this world as everyone had a longer lifespan, both older and younger girls took a liking to him. Although Zen was eleven, he had the appearance of a sixteen year old. Sixteen is pretty much an adult in this world. Some older girls even had the audacity to use his picture as material for their own fun. Zen had also woken up from his sleep, arriving just outside of the weird atmosphere that was surrounding the entire area. The ship stayed stationary in the air for a moment. He sat down and took the rudder, allowing him to manually fly the ship. Then heading towards the area where the volcand was located. There was a bit of turbulence, shaking the ship. After arriving, he saw a t obsidiannd and there were also andisols covering the topyer of it. In fact, while the two Great Magisters were shing, it caused the volcano sleeping in the ocean to erupt. Which then formed this smallnd. Hended his ship on thatnd, then proceeded to use the mana stones he bought to form a barrier surrounding the ind. This barrier will allow the ind to be protected from the atmosphere. Which will then allow him to terraform it into a suitable living space. Zen used all types of revolutionary items, and it took him about three days to finally make it look like a normal ind. The ind now has grassynd, and sand has formed around it. The only thing missing now was nature, such as trees, flowers, nts, etc... After seven days of doing all the work, it had finally transformed into and filled with beautiful scenery. It is made up of coastal dunes, coastal bluffs, coastal sage scrub, grasnds, chaparral, and all types of nts. It also had trees such as windmill palm trees, weeping bottle brush, queen palm, jacaranda, banana trees, and stone pine. There was also a small hot spring he had artificially created. Since thisnd was formed by a volcano, there are still very hot rocks heated by magma underground. The water he had ced would then be heated up, causing it to form a hot spring. This was where he took baths and such. During this time, he had been living in his ship, just waiting for all the modified seeds he nted to grow. Although the seed''s growth can be seen with the naked eye. He also used advanced items to speed up the growth even more. In just seven days! The whole lifeless obsidianyerednd had transformed. With all the nature around, it was a very captivating scenery. The scenery had truly be breathtaking with its natural beauty and serenity. He then took out a small, special capsule from his storage ring. This capsule is very special because it has the ability to shrink and hold objects of various sizes for easy storage. (Dragon Ball reference) A small house appeared in the middle of an open area. The small house contained all the things he needed for daily use. Like a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room, and even a porch. ''mmm'' mm'' ''mmmm'' ''mmm'' Zen walked out, heading towards the water, while humming a song called Lazy Song. After arriving at the edge, he turned around and scrutinized the surrounding area. He admired his work like a piece of art, and a widened smile appeared in his face, feeling satisfied with his work. "I mean, I should be considered a god at this point," he stated like it was a fact. He then got inside the house that appeared and got straight into the kitchen. Zen had not eaten much yet, only eating snacks to satiate his hunger. Zen got into the kitchen and took out a bunch of ingredients. Ingredients he had bought while he was in the Mevouires territory. He nned to cook the food called bonbons. The food he ate from the food stall he had stopped byst time. Since he figured out the ingredients from the cook himself back then. He had long wanted to try and cook it for himself. Once he had finished cooking it, he sat down on a sofa ced near the kitchen. He took a small bite out of the bonbon and felt satisfied with the taste. Zen then took out his phone while eating, checking for any news of what was happening outside. There was news about the Pontiac Academy saying that they had started recruiting students. Zen thought and said, "Right, right! Pontiac Academy. The new academic year should start again next month. In two months, students would go to the Twilight Forest zone for their first training." "I should also go take a look, to have some fun, of course! Since just staying in this ce would be boring. I might also see some old acquaintances there. It should be fun if I''m going to be honest." There was no other news that caught his attention, so he went to his Twittogram to watch some videos and stuff. While he was scrolling through the app, he came across a post that was trending. It had millions of views andments. The post says, "Does anyone else feel like this person seems familiar?!" showing a video of a figure eating on a bench. The figure wore ck and had a Vian mask on his face. Thements read. ¨‹ Huh isn''t it just a normal noble with a mask on? ¨‹ Normal noble? Have you been living under a rock or something? ¨‹ That silver white grey hair I seem to have seen it! ¨‹ Yes I know that silver white grey hair color! ¨‹ Holy sh*t! Even with the mask on you can tell by his temperance, the way his gracefully eating, his hair color too and look at the corner of his face which resembles that person. ¨‹ That figure seems to look like Zenryx Raverdieu right? ¨‹ Where was this video taken? Thement section was filled with questions discussing the identity of the person. In fact, while Zenryx was eating, he attracted a lot of attention. He stood out from the crowd, so there was no helping it. He simply ignored themotion. Zen did not have much of a reaction to the post, as he was no longer in Mevouires. So they would not be able to find him there. After he finished eating, he closed his phone and decided to go shower and go to bed. Although the sofa on the ship wasfortable, there was no beating sleeping in a bed. He decided to take a rest and just wake up tomorrow to set up all the stuff he needed. ======= Send power stones and gifts thank you! Chapter 28 â–¼ System Update â–¼ ?The reason why Zen was able to ess the inte without being in society was because of the mana stones. The mana stones generate a lot of power, especially that Tiered 2 mana beast stone he acquired from the auction. Zen had a device that could extract the energy of the mana stone as a power source. Which was then used to connect to a satellite dish, which allowed him to connect to the ARPANET. ARPANET was awork also developed by the Pontiac Academy. It was a globalworking system connecting billions ofputers and other devices together. It was used by every living being on the Pontiac. This is also the reason why the Academy was so famous. Other continents also send their children to Pontiac Academy for their studies. As this was the only ce where they could learn so much, such as technology, architecture, alchemy, weapon creation, etc... But the main studies were still Magic and Swords. ====== Zen had woken up from his slumber, and was currently doing his morning routine. He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and ate. After quickly finishing his food, he was about to go y some games when suddenly a robotic voice sounded in his mind. a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe???a¨C? "Destiny System has been updated to 2.0" "Congrattions for obtaining the family treasure of the Vrt Family" "You have been rewarded a Tiered S ship and 100 coins" Zen had been wondering where this system had went to as he had not heard it when he obtained the treasure that Edward was supposed to get. It turned out that it was updating. He went outside and summoned the ship, which had a red center and an articted wing with a gradient color of ck and grey. The ship was also equipped with S grade weaponry and had a level 7 defense. This ship was pretty much capable of destroying a single country. The Tier B ship he was using could not evenpare to this ship. (I put a picture of what the ship looks like in thement) Zen said with a smile. "As expected of the system always giving such broken rewards. But I remember that all I have been given so far are just skills and such. What''s with the sudden change? It should be because of the update huh." He thought ''status'' and a bluish transparent screen appeared showing the changes of the update and his status. a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe???a¨C? a??Updatea?? [The host will now be able to receive other rewards such as ships, weapons, armors, and potions] a¨C?e??3e??¡äe?¡­?e?¡­?e???e???e?¡­? e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e?¡­?e??¡äe??? 2.0a¨C? a¨C?Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) Race : a??Humana?? Age : a??11a?? Points : a??110a?? a¨C?Talent = Mage [Intermidiate], Swordsmanship [Advanced] a¨C?Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery:10%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery:26%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 11%] - Ball Lightning [Mastery : 15%] - Triple Thrust [Mastery : 2%] a¨C?Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory a¨C?Abstracted Skills = me, Poison, Physical Enchancement a¨C?[System Shop]a¨C? "Hmmm so it really is because of the update interesting. I''m looking forward to being rewarded the armors to be honest." He said. After checking all those things. He closed the windows and decided that instead of just ying games. He will stream to the inte while ying. He turned on hisputer, opened Twittogram to start the stream, and decided to y a game called PUBG. It was a game in which up to one hundred yers fought in a battle royale, a type ofrge-scalest man standing deathmatch where yers fought to remain thest alive. yers can choose to enter the match solo, duo, or with a small team of up to four people. Once he started his stream, countless people instantly entered it. [Twittogram is Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, and YouTubebined.] In an Inte cafe located in Tranquil City, a ce where people usually go to essputers with the inte. A hangout area for gamers. A random individual was randomly scrolling through Twittogram, but suddenly he was notified that the user @Zenryxxx had started streaming. He stood up and screamed in shock. People saw this and frowned, but suddenly he showed them his phone screen and said in a loud voice, "Look! Zenryx Raverdieu is ying PUBG and streaming!" The crowd heard this, and they instantly turned their phones on to check. One person said, "He''s right, look, look! I did not know this guy also yed games! I thought all he knew was to train, and that was how he was able to get to Advanced rank so quickly. "But it seems like I was wrong. Hahaha, this guy also has his own hobbies to do for fun, and his taste for games is good too." The PUBG game was really popr in this world. In fact, if you look at the Twittogram streamer page. All the streamers would be streaming PUBG. This streamers was also notified by their viewers about the Zenryx stream. They all closed their games and switched screens, entering Zen''s stream. A girl with pink hair and a mask and hat was also in the Inte cafe, sitting down in the corner and ying games. She was wearing a mask, not wanting to be recognized because she was also a bit popr with a lot of followers on Twittogram. She heard themotion and hurriedly got up from her seat to look for Fiona and Celestia. She wanted to go find them and tell them the news about Zen. This girl was none other than Daphne. She was invited (forced) by Fiona and Celestia to go shopping in the capital. She did not want to go at all, but then Fiona told her that "If she did not go, she would tell her brother bad things about her." So she reluctantly agreed and went with them, having one of her guards escort her to the capital. As for how she ended up in this cafe. She did not like shopping at all because it was mentally tiring. So she told Fiona and Celestia that they could just message her once they were done shopping and just meet up where she was currently at. Chapter 29 Never Will I Again Do This Stream Bullsh*T ?''Z''s Dwelling'' That was the name that Zen gave this ce of his, as he was the first to discover it and he was also the one who had created it. It should be considered his already. While streaming and ying the game, an increasing number of individuals flocked to his streaming channel. His live audience achieved an impressive milestone of one million viewers! Zen saw the number of viewers and was not surprised. He was very calm, even after finding out that a million people were watching him through their screens. He exuded an unwaveringposure. Even prominent content creators have frequented his livestream, with the aspiration of gaining an opportunity for an on-stream coboration. He briefly cast a cursory look at it before resuming his game. During the course of his gamey, he realize that each yer he encountered had ceased their movement and started typing in the chat interface. ¨‹ Yooo that Z guy that''s Zenryx! ¨‹ Look at his stream that''s him Zen saw the chat and typed. ¨‹ Can you all continue ying the game and stop typing? The yers was momentarily silent then typed ¨‹ Yoo he talked! He typed back in chat! ¨‹ Damn I''m going to tell my parents I''m ying with Zenryx Raverdieu! Zen was astonished by the responses and quietly remarked, "What the hell?! This is so stupid!" He proceeded to exit the game and redirected his attention towards his live stream. He saw that the chat was moving too rapidly, so he set it to slow mode. Now everyone can only chat once every interval of 20 minutes. He then asked his viewers if they had any questions, but a million people at once typed their questions. The chat hade to a sudden stop. Since now everyone can only chat every 20 minutes. He chuckled and said with a smile on his face, "Come on now, how am I going to respond to all your questions at once." Seeing his smile, every girl who was watching behind their screen felt their heartbeat pounding and their knees weaken. Zen saw that the chat had stopped, so he was able to answer the newest question that was at the top. ¨‹ Do you have someone in mind you like? Nope? ¨‹ Where are you right now? Sorry but I can not say my location. ¨‹ What other games do you y? I usually y PUBG most but I do y some full dive VR games and street fighter. Zen continued to answer some questions one by one. On the other hand Fiona and Celestia who had met up with Daphne found out about Zen''s stream and was now watching him. Seeing the chat stopped Fiona discerned an opportune moment tomunicate with Zen, requesting him to add her back. So she can messaged him in the future. Zen saw a new chat pop up saying. ¨‹ Zen, this is Fiona. Can you add me back so I can message you? He saw the new message and thought about it for a moment. In the end, he decided to add her back. After answering some more questions, he ended the stream, as it had been 2 hours since he started. ''Well that did not go well, that''s the only time I''ll be doing that stream bullsh*t.'' He thought, no longer wanting to have anything to do with streaming. Zen got up from his chair and went to get a drink of water. While he was drinking, he heard a message notification from his phone. He checked and saw that it was Fiona. ========== Fiona saw that Zen had added her back, so she messaged him right away. Celestia and Daphne were sitting right beside her. All three girls were patiently waiting for his response. ========== Zen opened up the message and replied. ¨‹ Zen where are you right now? ¨‹ Somewhere. Fiona saw his response and asked another questions. ¨‹ Ok I won''t ask about it anymore. But how have you been? ¨‹ Pretty good. Been rxing on my newly acquired Z''s dwelling. ¨‹ Z''s dwelling? ¨‹ Just what I named the ce I am currently staying at. ¨‹ Anyway I gotta go still got something to do. ¨‹ Ok but do you mind if I add you to our group chat? Daphne and Celestia had long wanted to talked to you. ¨‹ Sure go ahead and add me. Fiona proceeded to add him to the group chat. ¨‹ Ok I''ll be going now then. ¨‹ Wait let me tell you something first about Daphne. ¨‹ What is it? Fiona was about to type ''She has a very dirty mind so don''t talk to her too much in the future'' Daphne saw what she was about to type and snatched her phone. ¨‹ Zenryx this is Daphne we are currently shopping together so we are going to let you go. Since you also said that you have something to do so Bye. ¨‹ Oh Daphne! Ok I''ll be going now goodbye. ========== Daphne, who was currently holding Fiona''s phone, was about to throw Fiona''s phone away. Seeing this, Fiona stopped her and hurriedly said, "Ok, ok! I got it. I won''t say anything anymore in the future." Daphne then replied suspiciously, "Really?? You have to promise." "Ok, I promise!" Daphne then gave the phone back to. Celestia, who saw them arguing, chuckled and thought, "They are like a cat and a dog arguing every time Zenryx is mentioned." She sighed. After shopping, they decided to eat together at a nearby restaurant. They bid farewell to one another following the meal and subsequently made their way back to their ships, which were under protective escort. Heading back towards their own vi. Fiona experienced great joy upon finally having the opportunity to engage in a conversation with Zen. Despite having numerous questions for him, those could wait. She will now be able to devote her attention to her training in order to achieve the status of a Peak Intermediate. Prior to her enrollment at the academy, which was scheduled to take ce in a month, she harbored aspirations of achieving a breakthrough. Additionally, she was had to dedicate some time to preparing for the written examination. Celestia, Daphne, and Fiona discussed this earlier and decided that they would be entering the Academy next month. Daphne and Celestia were both at Elementary level. It''s not that they''re both not as talented as Fiona. Daphne was cking and barely trained, so she was stuck in Elementary Rank. Celestia, on the other hand, was a Magic Swordsman. She was training in both Magic and Swords, so it was bit more difficult. But both Daphne and Celestia should be able to enter the Intermediate Rank before the academy starts. Chapter 30 Don’t Work Hard But Work Smarter ?Four weeks had passed since he had arrived on this little ind. His daily routine was to sleep, wake up, shower and brush, eat, exercise, and y games. He would also casually bathe in the hot spring, which he had also created back then. Overall, he was very carefree, like he didn''t care about anything else other thanzily rxing. At first, he was going to go find Edward and monitor him. But he decided to let him be for now. Because the more he interfered, the faster the story progressed. He did not want the butterfly effect to get out of hand. To the point that he would not be able to control it. He also thought of someone named Eliza, who was going to appear next year on Ounder continent. She would appear as the sessor of the Witch Emperator of mes. It was 8:15 p.m., and Zen was currently in the hot spring rxing, his head tilted back and his face looking up in the sky. He was admiring the clear, starry night sky. Back in his home, called Earth, the sky was very polluted because of the high amount of carbon dioxide. The humans on earth were very destructive, doing things like burning fossil fuels, releasing chemicals into the atmosphere, and engaging in industrial activities that then released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That pretty much causes the atmosphere to thicken, blocking the stars from being seen. Unlike this world, which uses sr energy and even mana stones as power sources. So the sky was very clear, and the captivating starry night sky can be admired by many people. Zen had finished his bath and headed back to his small house. He was going to message the three girls to y some games with him. In fact, this past week he had been talking to Daphne, Celestia, and Fiona. They yed games with him whenever they were free. Daphne would often message him multiple times in a day to y some games with him. Although he found this girl annoying, he would agree once or twice since he also enjoys ying games. Celestia and Zen talk quite often because Celestia is also a Magic Swordsman. She and Zen would often talk about somethings together. While conversing with each other, she gained some enlightenment and was able to break through to Intermediate rank. After that, she could not help but have a good impression of Zen. Fiona also talked to Zen about his circumstances. She would also tell him about her everyday life. Fiona had also broken through Peak Intermediate. There was only a week left for the written test and the start of the academic year at Pontiac Academy. These three were supposed to be part of Edward''s harem, but now they were all talking to Zen. Which is such an ironic turn of events. This was also part of Zenryx''s scheme. He knew that Fiona was really important to his ns. Because of her close rtionship with the two girls, she was really an important chess piece. Zen did not even have to do much to get close to Daphne and Celestia. Both girls just came to him without even doing anything. This was his definition of what he said back then when he just reincarnated, "not working hard and working smarter." Which worked out perfectly for him. Zen took out his phone, entered the group chat, and typed out something. He waited patiently for any of them to respond. ? Group Chat ? ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Any of you down to y some games? ¨‹ Daphne : Me! Me! ¨‹ Fiona : Sure give me a minute. I have to shower real quick. I''m all sweaty and dirty from sparring with Marie! She did not go easy on me at all. ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Ok let us know once your finish showering. ¨‹ Celestia : Sure! I have not yed any game for a long time. I think thest time I yed wasst year. ¨‹ Zenryxxx : What have you been doing? ¨‹ Celestia : Hmm just reading online novels to past time when I am free after training. ¨‹ Daphne : Hey Zen! What game do you wanna y? ''Ever since Daphne got close to Zenryx she has started calling him Zen'' ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Daphne can you shut up for a moment. Is there anything else other than games in your brain? ¨‹ Daphne : Buttt you said you wanted to y a game :p ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Just wait for Fiona toe back. ¨‹ Celestia : Right?! You also have not been training recently both Fiona and me are already in Intermidiate. Zen is also in Advanced rank but we can ignore his progress. His just weird. ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Come on now of course I''m just that talented. ¨‹ Celestia : Pfff right¡­ What a narcissist hahaha. ¨‹ Zenryxxx : It''s called confidence :) ¨‹ Daphne : Hohoho who said I was cking off. I just reached Intermidiate Rank yesterday. ¨‹ Celestia : Hmmm I guess you can do it when you try. The three were all busy chatting with each other and 10 minutes have passed. Fiona walked out of the shower, water dripping from her hair down to her slender neck. She took the towel from the rack and dried herself then proceeded to cover her body with the towel. She took her phone and typed into the group chat. ¨‹ Fiona : Ok I''m finish showering let me just put my clothes. ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Ok we''ll go ahead and wait for you in game. They decided to y PUBG since they would be able to y as a 4 man team in this game. Zen had also changed his in game name and stopped streaming ever since the incidentst time causing him to unable to y the game. The yers all decided to go crazy just because they found out it was him. Four of them yed the game for about an hour and half with voice chat on. After they finish another round of the game Celestia suddenly spoke out while yawning "Hey guys I''ll get off now I''ll be heading to sleep." Zen replied "Ok I''ll be off now too." Fiona also said the same thing. Daphne on the other hand said "What?! It''s only 11:30 pm Isn''t it early?" Celestia said "Early for you but it iste for us." "Hey Zen y a few more with pretty pleasse" Daphne said trying to act cute. "I''m getting off I still have ns for tommorrow" Zen replied. They all then got off the game and went to sleep. ===== As for Zen''s n for tomorrow? Find Out Next Time in the next episode of Dragon Ball Z! Chapter 31 Edward And Eliza Meeting ?On a small city called Iova, located on the small territory of a baron. A Tiered 2 beast was currently going on a rampage in this area. A Tiered 2 beast was a cmity for small cities like this. Human corpses were scattered around, and blood flowed throughout the streets like a river. Many people could be seen trying to escape from the area, which looked like a horror scene from a movie. Mages and Swordsmans were currently fighting, trying to repel the beast. But to no avail, they were unable to do serious damage. They were even unable to leave a scratch on its body. Tiered two beast defenses have already reached a level where only Magisters could do damage to it. The people who were in battle directly got ughtered one by one. There is a girl who was watching the scene from the sidline. Her eyes were red from crying, and next to her was her mother, whom his father had remarried. His father was also among the people who were ughtered. This girl watched the whole thing in horror. Upon the demise of her father, she uttered the anguished cry of "Daddd!" which then attracted the beast''s attention. Her stepmother was terrified and ran away, leaving her behind. The girl who saw this was dumbfounded and said, "Mo-Mother why?" After her biological mother passed away due to an illness. She had be a bit dull and not as cheerful as before. Seeing this, his dad thought that maybe marrying someone else would fix this. He had married someone he had met in a bar where he was drowning his sorrows away with alcohol. One thing led to another, and they ended up together. She was against it at first, but this woman was good to her. So she thought that it was not bad for her dad to marry again. But now, seeing her dad dying and her mother running away, she just felt her entire world had copsed. Every child deserves a mother, but not all mothers deserve a child. She finally understood this saying she had heard before. The formidable beast approached her, while she remained steadfast in her stance. The girl thought that there was no longer a point in living, so she just wanted to die and end her misery. Just as the beast was about to attack, a boy appeared in front of her, saying, "What are you doing?! Let''s go!" Seeing the girl just standing still, the boy directly grabbed her wrist and escaped the area. This boy is none other than Edward! If Zen were here watching, he wouldugh so hard seeing the hero saving a beauty in distress ying in front of him. In fact, Zen knew that this would happen soon after he obtained the Vrt family treasure. He knew that the next plot woulde next. He wanted to monitor Edward and block his path at first. But he chose to let Edward go for now. The reason is that he did not want to progress the story faster. Although he let Edward be, Zen did n to go to the Ounder continent to meet the Witch Emperator of mes. This girl, whose name is Eliza, was supposed to be her next heir. He could use this instead of interfering with Edward, which would not affect the plot much. Back to Eliza and Edward. They were both currently running away. Edward spoke, "You! Why were you just standing there in a daze." However, the girl remained silent, unmoved, with empty eyes. Seeing this, Edward spected that her parents might have been killed during the chaos. So he just switched his attention to escaping with the girl and no longer uttered a single word. He then went to find Crystal while the beast was on his back, chasing him. Edward went to the ce where they were currently staying. He then saw Crystal, who was standing next to a pole, waiting for him. He screamed, telling her, "RUN!" Crystal was confused by his words and why he was frantically running. She also wanted to know who the girl was next to him. The next moment, she looked back and saw a big white beast with two big bone like horns in its face. Seeing this, she finally understood the situation and followed Edward, running away with them. They then went to the docking area where they had docked their ship. They hastily boarded the ship and flew away from the city. After escaping the city, many hunters from the Guild Hunters Association have also arrived tobat the beast. Such a coincidence! His protagonist halo gave Edward a chance to act as a hero, saving a beauty. Then the Guild Hunters Association arrived after the scene yed out?! Such a thing can no longer be called a coincidence. An army of hunters quickly got into formation and got ready to fight. They were able tobat and kill the beast quickly as they had a Magister rank mage with them. On a ship where Edward, Eliza, and Crystal were. Crystal asked who the girl was that was spacing out as if she were dead. Edward replied, "Ah, this girl? I saw her standing in a daze in front of that beast. I saved her and took her with me. Her parents were probably killed." Crystal then said, "Ah ok, let''s just leave her in a nearby city then." Upon hearing this, Edward disyed a disapproving expression and uttered, "What do you mean leave her? Look at her! How is she going to survive? We need to help her!" Crystal was still mad about their family treasure being taken away by someone else. Upon listening to Edward''s remarks, it further exacerbated her rage. She then told Edward, "What?! Are you kidding me? We are already upied enough, and you are saying we are going to be bringing useless baggage with us?" "Brother, this world is just like this. I mean, look at us, our parents and family have been destroyed by an organization we don''t even know of. We suffered from a more tragic incident than she has. I''m sure she would be able to handle herself." Edward said "No! She also needs our help. She looks to be all alone now!" Crystal and Edward continued to argue. Eliza heard their arguments and suddenly spoke up, "Thank you for saving me and trying to help me. You can just drop me off in a nearby city. I can handle myself." She felt happy that Edward was trying to help her, but she remembered her mother''s betrayal. Hearing this, Edward continued to say that she should stay and that he would help her. Crystal was stunned and took a seat in anger. Both youngdies werepelled to concur with his argument. Edward was determined to persist with the issue. ==== Send power stones :) Chapter 32 Outlander Continent ?The news of what happened in Iova city quickly spread online. Zen saw the news, and it was as he expected. The plot was progressing faster than in the original novel. He thought in his mind [So... it has already happened, I guess it is time for me to also carry out my ns and go to the Ounder continent. That Eliza girl and Edward should have also met up with each other.] [I''m sure it was the same situation as what I read in that cliche novel. Such aedic scene I wish I could''ve seen. It would have been an entertaining y while I bonbons.] He also thought that he would have a chance to poach the girl when he enters the academy next year. Edward was a very timid and naive person. So he naturally thought that Edward would not progress with the girl too much, but he would still have a chance. But of course, if they were already together, he would simply use her in order to achieve his goals. Once she''s all used up, he will simply throw her away. It was already ten p.m., and he was about to head off to sleep when he saw this. He stood back up and prepared all the items he needed. Zen decided to head out first thing in the morning. Ounder continent, this continent was acquired by Astre continent 12 years ago. It is a vastnd and consists of sects, barbarians, and devil cults. Different from the usual society of Astre. This group of powers was weakened because of the war that transpired back then. They were now acting like ves for the Astre continent. The only sect left that has been able to maintain its standing on this continent is the me Sect. The leader of the sect proposes a contract with Elle Duragny Raverdieu. The contract was that they would be a subsidiary family of the Raverdieu''s working for them on this continent. Elle agreed, as she also needed them to establish Raverdieu''s authority. Although it was not needed, it was still a good proposal. Allowing her to not work too hard on it. Just like Zen, she prefers that others do the work for her. She would just watch from the sidelines as everyonepleted the task she assigned to her subordinates. She would only step out if there was an unexpected problem that arose. Zen does not know about this contract. So he was currently thinking of a n on how to meet up with that Witch Emperator of me. He did know that in the novel, this sect maintained its standing on the Ounder continent. He thought that there should be someone supporting them from behind. But he did specte that it might have something to do with his family. The reason for that? Simple, it was just in the entire Astre. Who would be able to intimidate the whole continent into not making a move on this sect? That is right, that is his Raverdieu Family. Even the Royal Family of Doomthorn would have to discuss this matter with other families if they were to do the same. But the Raverdieu could pretty much do anything they wanted, and no one would dare provoke them. Zen was thinking of contacting his parents to ask them about it. But he denied this, as this did not really need their interference. He would eventually find out who was supporting them once he arrived at that sect. He was also hiding from his parents, so he did not contact them about his n. Zen decided that he would go straight to the Ounder continent. While he was preparing his stuff, he also made ns for when he finished his business at that ce. He muttered, "Hmmm, I''ll go on another sightseeing trip, I guess, I''ll need to bring a lot of stuff. I''ll go around the world and explore it while I''m out. I would not be back to Z''s dwelling for a while." He smiled when he reached the end of his sentence. Zen was really looking forward to exploring this world. Back in his home world, called Earth, he would also travel the world to get his mind off work. He usually leaves the work to his subordinates, as it is enough to maintain his business in that world. He would then go on many vacations. Before heading off to sleep, he took out his phone and entered the group chat. This was the group chat where Fiona had added him to. something. ?Group Chat? ¨‹ Zenryxxx : Hey girls, I won''t be messaging you all. I''ll be busy this next 2 months. ¨‹ Fiona : Busy with what? You will still have your phone right? ¨‹ Celestia : What he meant by that was ''I will me tozy to be messaging you all'' When Zen and Celestia talks to each other. She was able to get the hang of what Zen''s personality was like and his hobbies. He was veryzy, carefree, and does not like to do things that requires too much effort. She was shock at first that he did not pretty much do anything to reach the Advanced Rank. But after she was guided by Zen helping her break through Intermediate. She epted it that he was just too talented and intellectuallypetent. It is not that Zen is omnipotent that he was able to guide her. He just knew what to tell her to do from what he read in the novel. ¨‹ Fiona : Hmm when you be able to then? ¨‹ Zenryx : :) I don''t know maybe in 2 months time I''ll give you all a surprise. ¨‹ Fiona : Another surprise? Your surprises usually do not have any good thing stored. ¨‹ Daphne : Right?! Lol he ditched his own birthday to go on vacation hahahahah. ¨‹ Zenryx : :) After talking to them for some time he said his goodbyes to closed off the conversation. He turned his phone off and set it at the top of the table that''s located in his right side. ===== Time skiping soon and send power stones thx and let me know your thoughts on the novel so far. Chapter 33 Heading Off ?Zen woke up and had finish doing all his morning routines. He was presently situated outside the house, prepared to embark on his journey to the Ounder Continent. Zen wanted to try the Tiered S ship, and he was rewarded by the system. So he decided to use that ship instead of Jack''s ship. He was going to leave the Tiered B ship at Z''s dwelling. He had the capability to store Jack''s ship within his dimensional storage, however, the space consumption would be excessive. Consequently, he resolved to abandon it in this location. Hemenced moving towards his own ship. As he proceeded towards it, he found himself irresistibly enthralled by the ship''s design once more. The ship exhibited a striking appearance and featured a design reminiscent of a Gundam spaceship. A science fiction television series he viewed during his childhood. Zen boarded the ship and got used to how the aviation system worked. familiarized himself with the intricacies of the aviation system. Additionally, he discovered that the ship harbored a technologically sophisticated artificial intelligence system. His human brain currently has the capacity to analyze approximately eleven million units of data per second. However, this artificial intelligence has the remarkable capability to instantaneously process an astounding amount of five hundred million bits of information. The weaponry system of the ship was also much, much more powerful than that of the Tier B ship. If Tier B can destroy a small town. Then this Tier S ship can destroy a country! Ounder was situated approximately 200 thousand miles distant from his present whereabouts. The vessel categorized in the S Tier possesses the capability to achieve a velocity reaching Mach 200. He should be able to arrive at that continent within a few hours. Zen then told the A.I where they were headed to. The A.I processed the information in an instant, and the ship flew to the sky and started heading towards the coordinates given by Zen. The ship elerated two hundred times faster than the speed of sound in an instant. He lowered himself into the pilot''s seat and made the necessary adjustments to the seatback. He reclined into afortable position, resting his back against the rear support of the seat. He dozed off while waiting to arrive at his destination. When the ship was closing in towards the continent. The Defense System of the continent was able to detect Zen''s ship. The A.I then received a warning from the Defense System. A voice transmission was sent to the ship that said, [We are warning you! Do not fly any closer! Identify yourself] Although Ounder was a barren continent, it was still technologically advanced. In fact, the whole world was advanced, it was not just the Astre continent that was advanced, but Astre was the most advanced and powerful. There were also continents that could be considered as strong as Astre. Even though they can be considered as strong. They stillck the ability topete, evenpared with Astre. The A.I then notified Zen about the current situation. He then awoke from his sleep and said with a frowning expression, "Are you all crazy?! Disturbing my peaceful sleep." Zen proceeded to respond to the transmission "I am Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu, get someone with the highest position toe meet me when Ind." He exposed his identity directly because they probably had never heard of him before. But surely they have heard of Duragny and Raverdieu. The entirety of the information and news pertaining to the Astre continent had undergone thorough censorship and was encrypted using the most stringent security measures avable. Therefore, it will be prevented that information is disseminated globally. Unless there was someone who was able to secretly enter the territory of Astre. After entering, they can collect information and news and bring it back to their continent. As a matter of fact, there are many such cases. People disguise themselves as travelers, immigrants, smugglers, etc¡­ The only downside was that it would take a long time for them to bring it back. An estimated five months would pass before they even received the information. In a room where people who were in charge of the Defense System. They revealed an expression of shock when they heard the words Duragny and Raverdieu. Of course they knew the family names Raverdieu and Duragny. When they hear those words, they instantly think of the fierce ''Tyrannous Empress''. This person was none other than Zenryx''s mother, Elle Duragny Raverdieu. Elle was the person who caused the most havoc in their home. Although she was a very beautiful woman, they just thought she was a devil in disguise. She ruthlessly exterminated millions of individuals without disying any sign of remorse. Her alone was enough to cause the destruction of multiple territories on this continent. So these people naturally revealed a shocked expression when they heard the words Raverdieu and Duragny from the voice transmission Zen had sent out. The whole Defense System room momentarily wentpletely silent, so that only the static sounds of the system could be heard. Finally, somebody reacted and said, "Hey! Someone quickly informed the Emperator. A Duragny is here!!!" After everyone heard what the person said, the entire room instantly became busy. Everyone is trying to contact all the high ranking people in charge of the Ounder continent. The person who spoke was the one who sent out the voice transmission to Zen. He sent another voice message to Zen, saying, "I apologize. Just give us one moment. We are currently contacting all the high ranking officials. "You can go ahead andnd your ship in this area." giving him the direction where he couldnd. Zen then proceeded to respond with a concise acknowledgment, stating, "Very well." Zen manually flew the ship, heading in the direction he was told to go. On a territory called Feura. bustling cityscape with tall buildings and skyscrapers can be seen. There towers and structures reaching up into the sky. There are also many ships hovering in the air. This scene gives off an atmosphere of progress and modernity while still maintaining its traditional charm. There are people walking by and hovering cars in the streets. Overall, the atmosphere was very lively and busy, with lots of people and activity. At the center of this territory, the Infernal Sect is located. This sect is currently the one maintaining the order of the entire continent with the help of the Raverdieus. Inside the Infernal Sect, there was a futuristic looking temple. A beautiful woman can be seen sitting down on arge throne like chair. In front of her were her subordinates, kneeling down. Reporting the details that they have just received of had happened. Chapter 34 Meeting The Emperator ?This individual happened to be none other than the esteemed Witch Emperator of me. Founder of the Infernal Sect. The individual in question is identified as Zhao Yun. In the context of this continent, it is customary for individuals to ce their surname before their given name. Yun is a high ranking Magister. She had only lost once in a battle. That was when she fought against the ''Tyrannous Empress''. Following the conclusion of that confrontation, her admiration for her grew. That is the exact moment the contract was created. Her subordinates, with furrowed brows and bowing deferentially at a ny-degree angle, conveyed, "Empress, we have received reports of an unknown Tiered S ship arriving. The person who was inside sent a voice transmission. He introduced himself as Zenryx Raverdieu." The empress frowned, as she had never heard of a name like Zenryx that was from the Riverdieu family. Zen had never appeared to the outside world before. He only once showed himself during his birthday banquet. So the whole was not yet aware of his presence. Yun asked them, "Where is he right now?" "The ship is currently docked at the Defense System of Ounder." "Ok, start getting all the ships ready and head there." Yun did not want to neglect this persons arrival. The reason for that was because Zen was from the Raverdieu Family. Her Infernal Sect is now a subsidiary of Raverdieu''s. She believed that this person was really from that family, as he arrived on an S Tier ship. She summoned many of her subordinates, all of whom embarked upon a multitude of ships. They proceeded swiftly in the direction of Zenryx''s location. Upon arrival, each of them disembarked from their ships and assumed a motionless position, anticipating the presence of Zen. Zen cast a cursory nce towards the window of his ship, observing the numerous vessels that had descended and witnessed the disembarkation of several people. They were currently maintaining a respectful stance outdoors, patiently awaiting his appearance. He opened the door and got out of his ship. Seeing his figure appear, they all had the same shocking reaction as those people from the Astre continent whenever he showed himself. His appearance was just too perfect. Yun also saw this and hurriedly walked to his front to introduce herself. She neither prostrated herself nor engaged in any form of excessive veneration towards him. She was still high-ranking Magister, she refrained from engaging in such actions, even though she was presently employed by the Raverdieu''s. She would only voluntarily submit if it were Elle. Although she was also shocked at his appearance at first. She eventually regained herposure. Zen nodded at her salutations and said, while chuckling and feeling amused, "Why are there so many? You brought an army. Such an extravagant wee just for me?" Yun then inquired, "Pardon me young master for asking, but could you kindly borate on your connection to Elle, as you bear a resemnce to her?" Zen then took out his phone, showing Raverdieu''s Crest, and conveyed, "Allow me to formally present myself. I am Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu. I have the distinct honor of being the son of Elle Duragny and Randell Duragny. Yun was dumbfounded, as she did not know Elle already had a child with Randell. This son of theirs was also already this old. After hearing him say his identity. Her tone and behavior had be a bit more respectful. After calming down, she then said, "So you are Lady Elle''s son, but she had never notified me that you would being here?" "Ah that? Well, I came here on my own ord. I havee here for you." "Me?! Why?" After hearing her say his mother''s name, his suspicions were cleared. The Infernal Sect that this Witch Imperator founded was really backed up by his family. Zen then proceeded to tell her something with an indifferent expression. Not a single trace of dishonesty can be seen on his face. Zen had developed exceptional control over his poker face during his years as a sessful businessman in his previous world, thus effortlessly concealing his true emotions and deceiving others. "Actually, I have heard about you from my mother. I came here to especially tell you if you could take a friend of mine as a disciple." "Indeed, I am capable of doing so; however, prior to epting her as my disciple, I must assess whether she possesses the necessary qualities and capabilities." "Actually, I don''t have her with me right now. I could probably bring her to you around next year." "Ah, alright, but you could have just told your mother about it, and she would have told me about it. You did not have toe all the way this far just to tell me this, right?" "Well, I have my own reasons. I wanted to travel the whole world so I stopped by in this continent." "Travel the world? If that indeed holds true, would you like tomence our endeavours with this particr continent? I can arrange for my subordinates to apany you and provide a guided tour." Hearing this, her female subordinates revealed an expression of joy. But then it suddenly turned into a disappointment. "Actually, I like moving alone. I can''t enjoy my time if I am with people." "Ah ok, Understood. Here is my contact information. Feel free to get in touch with me whenever you require any assistance or support." Zen then took out his phone and scanned it, saving it in his phone. After that conversation, all the people who arrived started leaving. Zen also stored his ship in a capsule and put it in his storage ring. "Well the! Where should I head first. I want to try the delicacies this continent has to offer. I am quite hungry, I have not eaten lunch yet. Ah right, I forgot to ask Zhao Yun for a map!" He said. Zen forgot to ask Yun for a map showing him all the ces. It''s a good thing he got her contact information earlier. He then proceeded to call her. Zen patiently waited for her to answer. Finally, she answered and chuckled, "Hello, young master, we just met earlier. You are already calling me. What do you need?" "Actually, I forgot to ask you for a map." "Hmm, ok, I will send it to you." "Thx goodbye." The empress, who was currently on a ship heading back towards the temple, frowned and said, "Did he really just contact me just for me to send him a map?! I thought it was something important." She sighed and thought that this kid was so unpredictable. In fact, if she finds out what he has done so far on the Astre continent. She would be even more shocked, to the extent that she would be rendered speechless by his actions. After being sent the map, he implemented it into his Tritonics navigation system. He started heading toward a small city. Zen knew that restaurants that are run-down tend to have better food. Chapter 35 Goodbye Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu ?After getting back to the Infernal Sect Temple, Yun decided to contact Elle. She was provided with a device by her that has the capability to circumvent the censorship imposed by Astre. Yun wanted to contact Elle in light of Zen''s arrival. Despite her repeated attempts, she failed to elicit any responses. After trying again multiple times, the call finally came through. Yun started the conversation by greeting her, "Greetings, Lady Elle." She replied in a nonchnt manner, "Why did you call me? It better be something important." "Lady Elle, I contacted you because of your son." "My son? How did you know about him? And What''s that got to do with you contacting me? "Actually, he just arrived on the Ounder continent on a S tier ship." Elle changed her tone a bit. She was really confused, so she had a lot of questions. "What did you say?! What the hell is that kid doing there. Did I understand correctly that you mentioned an S tier ship? We have not previously provided him with a ship of this caliber. Are you certain that the person there is indeed my son?" "He introduced himself as Zenryx, and he also showed me the crest of the Raverdieu''s. I don''t know anything else about your other questions. He did tell me something about taking his friend as a disciple." "That is indeed my son. That friend of his is it a girl? Or a boy?" "A girl." Elle sarcastically stated while chuckling, "Ah, am I finally getting a grandson?" Both exchanged small talk for a bit before Elle finally asked, "Did he tell you anything else?" "He did tell me that he would be traveling the world." Elle sighed "That kid is so unpredictable sometimes. The moment he disappeared, he said he would be going on a vacation. Now he is traveling the world." Elle thought that Zen might''ve have used the 500 million CDR he had withdrawn out of his ount, but she denied this thought. Even that amount was not enough to buy a ship of that caliber. "He is even using an S tier ship as transportation, and I don''t even know where he got it from. I am not sure what to do with this kid anymore." Yun had never before heard Elle speaking in such a tender manner, demonstrating concern for another person. Both said their goodbyes and ended the conversation. Whilst dining at a restaurant, Zen caught a glimpse of a youngdy through a windowpane. The youngdy possessed untidy, raven-colored hair. Her attire exhibited signs of being worn and soiled. She had dirt smeared across her face. She assumed a reverential stance, lowering herself to a kneeling position in front of the restaurant. It appears that she begging for food. Numerous individuals who happened to be walking by considered the appearance of this destitute person to be repulsive, thus hesitating to approach her. This world was simply too wicked. The strong eat the weak. This is the modus operandi of this world. They harbored nopassion or empathy towards the young girl. Zen, upon witnessing the sight, rose from his seat, proceeded towards the youngdy, and graciously presented her with a piece of bread. The youngdy promptly seized the loaf of bread from his grasp without so much as ncing in his direction. Shemenced devouring the bread with haste, disying an insatiable hunger akin to that of a hungered animal. Zen saw that she had finished the bread. So he handed her water and asked her, "What is your name?" Upon witnessing Zen''s visage, she found herself captivated beyond control. Unable to refrain, she found herself biting her lips while reminiscing about her uncivilized animal like eating manner. She averted her gaze, experiencing timidity, and replied, "I-I m-my name is Xue Shan." "Xue Shan, huh, what a nice name. If you don''t mind, may I ask what you are doing here?" "S-sure I don''t mind." Shan then told Zen about her life story slowly from the beginning. She was actually someone who was raised in an orphanage. Due to some circumstances, the orphanage closed down. She told him about the director embezzling the funds that were supposed to be used to maintain it. Now all the kids have been taken in by people. There were also unfortunate ones who are now wondering the streets like her. In fact, Zen recognized this girl, who resembled someone from the novel he had read. His guess has finally been confirmed after hearing her name. This Shan girl was going to meet Edward when he arrives to Ounder with Eliza. Knowing Edward''s kind personality, he would take pity on this girl and help her. That was when he took her with him to attend the Pontiac Academy. Over time, she rose to power, and her timid personality transformed. Shan did not have any feelings for Edward, she was only grateful. She was a supporting character in the novel. He simply came here for Yun because he thought he could just recruit people in the Academy. But now that he had met her coincidentally. Naturally, he would take her in as his follower. Zen then asked the girl if she wanted toe with him, as she no longer had any ce to go. She agreed easily, she did not want to miss this chance to get out of this sh*thole. Also, after seeing his appearance, she wanted to get a little closer to him. Zen led her inside the restaurant and told her to eat. While they were eating, he told her about his ns to travel around the world before taking her to Pontiac Academy. She revealed a joyful expression after hearing his words. She also thought that traveling around the world would be fun. After eating, Shan led Zen to ces to visit. They continued until it was about to get dark. They had visited the majority of the ces, so Zen decided to set off and leave the continent. Zen got his ship out of his storage ring, shocking Shan. She eventually calmed down, as after seeing his appearance, she naturally knew that Zen was someone of high status. She just did not expect that she would meet someone like him in such a rundown restaurant. Zen then thought, [I''lle back once the Pontiac Students go to the Twilight Zone." I have not fought for a long time now. That would be a chance to have some fun. Maybe I could also disguise myself and fight the instructors, also hmm...] Once he had finished gathering his thoughts. They boarded the ship, flying away from the Ounder continent. Shan looked out the window and felt happy that she was finally getting out of that sh*thole. Chapter 36 Pontiac Academy [Part 1] ? Themencement of the new academic year was approaching, and today marked themencement of the examination. The academy is a veryrge ce, spanning up to one hundred thousand acres ofnd. This academy was built like a castle with arge waterfall cascading down the side. Therge academy building had several windows, as well as a dome-shaped roof that was painted white at its base and blue on top. There are also two towers rising up from either side of the building, adding to its grandeur. This was how all the buildings looked in the academy. In front of the academy''s main building lies an expansive looking fountain surrounded by lush greenery. The water in both the waterfall and fountain sparkles in the sunlight, creating an idyllic scene. A stone archway can be seen near where the waterfall meets the ground, adding to this picturesque scenery. There were alsorge trees and grass around the area that could be used as a hangout spot, providing shade for people. Overall, the academy looked out of ce with the futuristic buildings that were surrounding the Pontiac Academy. Many young people can be seen arriving at the gate of the Academy. Ships were also arriving, dropping off their youngdies and young masters, who came from different types of noble families. There were also those who did note from a noble lineage, such as the young citizens of Astre. All different types of people also came from all over the world. Different types of demi-humans, such as elves, dark elves, giants, and human beings that have the characteristics of dragons. Students who came from Astre were given free benefits. As the academy was sponsored by the duke families and the royal family. There were no charges associated with enrollment in the academy. However, they were still responsible for covering the expenses incurred for their sustenance, amodations, daily provisions, and, additionally, the uniform expenses which amounted to a substantial sum of money. There were a countless of individuals whocked the financial means to procure adequate amodations, sustenance, and other necessities. The academy was situated in the heart of the Astre continent. The cost of living here is quite high for normal people. So they are unable to attend the academy, even if they wanted to. There were also those who came hoping to attend but wereter denied due to not qualifying for the requirements. The Pontiac Academy ces great importance on talent, consequently there were also individuals who were provided with sponsorship to enroll at the academy. As for the living beings that came from outside the continent? They had to pay for everything. So usually, only those young people who had high status and wealth were the only ones who were qualified to enter the Academy. Pontiac students were required to fulfill all academic requirements spanning a period of six years to attain graduation. Fiona, Celestia, and Daphne have simrly arrived and are presently upied with sitting together in a ssroom. Approximately one hundred students were present in this ssroom. Certainly, there were a countless of young men engaging in discussions surrounding them, expressing admiration for their aesthetic appeal. The seats and tables were arranged in rows. In each seat, there was aputer ced on each of their tables. The room walls were painted a light brown color, and the floor is covered in dark wood. There is arge window on one side of the room that looks out onto an outdoor area with grassy fields. While engaged in conversation, the three individuals were interrupted by the forceful opening of the door. A figure emerged, resulting in the cessation of conversation amongst the crowd. The facial features of the man that just walked in include sses and a mustache. The man had gray hair that wasbed neatly to the side. The man looked to be in his sixties. But who knows how old he truly is? With how this world works, he might be an old guy who has lived for almost thousands of years. The man spoke and introduced himself, "I am Professor Hawkin. I am the one in charge of A building test. This test will determine what ss you will be taken into. There will also be a testter on measuring your powers." There were about a thousand students who had entered the academy. All students were separated into groups. As one building would not be able to amodate them all. Prof. Hawkin then proceeded to instruct them to open theirputers and start taking the test. The examination epassed topics such as scientific principles, advanced logical reasoning, advanced mathematical concepts, fundamental understanding of magical and sword arts, rudimentary familiarity with alchemy, and other essential aspects of worldly knowledge. They were able to choose which field of study they wanted to learn once they became students. Once the examination concluded, the students was subsequently escorted by professors to an expansive are a. Where their skills is evaluated by the professors personally. All students were separated by their affinities. On one side were the Swordman, and the other side were the Mages, and at the center were all the students who practiced both. Three elders stood at the top of the stage. Each of them were experts of each field''s and all. All three had the same status at the Pontiac Academy. One is called Folmon Thebe, he was a magister. The other elder''s name is Sivana ynore, she is a Royal Swordsman. Thest one is called Navarre Valdi, he is a Magic Swordsman. Navarre spoke "What do you two think about this year''s new student?" "I''m impress! This year''s Astre students have many outstanding young people." Silvanna replied while ignoring the beings from the outside continent. Folmon spoke also and said, "Right, especially that Fiona Raverdieu and Celestia Doomthorn. Those two families have created another two monsters." "There is also that Daphne, I heard she has an indolent type of personality. She never trained, but she was still able to reach Intermediate." "The outsiders are quite impressive too, especially that young man called Goren from that dragon lineage and the twins from the elven family." "These five people should be the strongest of the current generation right now." Silvanna stated. But then suddenly Navarre spoke, refuting her words. "You are wrong about that. Have you guys forgotten about that Zenryx." "Ah right, the kid who ditched his birthday banquet." Silvanna replied while chuckling. Folmon was also at that banquet and wanted to meet the rumored young master of the Raverdieus. But to his disappointment, that kid vanished and never attended it. Chapter 37 Pontiac Academy [Part 2] ? "That kid is talented, able to reach Advanced Swordsmanship at eleven years old." Folmon stated. "I wonder where that kid is now. I''ve heard rumors that he appeared in Mevouires territory. After that incident, there was no longer any news of him again." "He is probably causing trouble at a certain ce." Silvanna said whileughing. In fact, she was actually quite entertained by every action he had taken so far. Navarre then said, "We will find out next year. He had said to the world that he would make his appearance again the next academic year." They concluded the discussion and redirected their attention towards evaluating the students. Fiona, Celestia, Daphne, and seven other students were currently sparring with Prof. Hawkin. Ten of them failed to apprehend him in any way. He adeptly evaded all their offensive maneuvers with remarkable ease. Fiona utilized her Mystic Field, capable of impeding his mobility by a margin of fifteen percent. Then, she initiated her skill, Ice Strike, thus impeding his attempt to flee. She employed a Ice beam of magic targeted at Hawkin. Celestia perceived this as an opportunity, she used her aura and mana. As a result, a dual tonedyerprising of blue and white manifested itself enveloping her body. She then executed her skill known as Judgement Strike, utilizing her sword to unleash a formidable long range attack imbued with the power of light. She dashed out following the strike she sent out. After that, she delivered an additional sword strike with the intention of finishing off Hawkins. Fiona was apanied by the remaining three mages, who were also engaged in deploying magical projectiles in Hawkin''s direction. Another Swordmaster also perceived this chance and swiftly advanced alongside Celestia. They collectivelyunched an assault from every direction, trying to strike down Hawkin with sweeping waves of shes. In addition, another Swordmaster proceeded to execute a vigorous offensive maneuver with a weapon enveloped in scorching mes. Daphne also joined in the fray andunched a powerful thrust infused with the power of wind. As a result of Hawkin''s movement being impeded by Fiona''s Ice Strike, he was rendered immobile in every direction. Coupled with the Mystic Field constraining his mobility. Therefore, his only course of action at present was to remain in his current position and fend off the barrage of iing assaults. ''Booom Boom Boom'' All ten simultaneously attacked together, and all their attacks finally managed tond. After the smoke caused by the battle cleared out, They saw Hawkin standing, who looked like he had not taken any damage at all. They were quite surprised, but it was reasonable. Hawkin was still a Magister rank mage, so they simply would not be able to even leave a scratch on him. He was just restricting his power, which is why they were able to block his movements. That is the only reason they were able tond their attacks. "Nice! You are all very good. You will all get your evaluation sent out to youter." Hawkin eximed. Hawkin then called for the next group toe forward and continued the test. Fiona said something. "Damn it, we couldn''t even scratch him." "Don''t worry too much about it," Celestia said, "He''s still a Magister after all." Fiona then added, "And you! What the hell is going on, Daphne? At least give it a try." "It is just too much work. I just want to get back to my game. My father simply forced me to attend the Academy." Daphne said. "Huh? I thought you agreed to go with us together." "I was going to ditch you all. I mean, three girls going together? I would rather wait for Zen and go with him. But my father forced me to go." Both girls sighed upon hearing her words. This girl was just toozy! If she had the talent of Zen, then she would have the right to ck around. "Right, Zen. I''m curious where he is now. He told us that he would not be able to contact us for the next two months." Fiona said. Celestia said, attempting to tease both of them. "By now, he''s probably found a girlfriend or two. Don''t you two agree? Considering his perfect appearance, it will be pretty easy for him to find a girl friend." Both girls turned to face Celestia and red at her. "OK, you two calm down, I was just saying." Celestia then tried to change the subject, saying, "But it would have been easier if he were here. We could have been able to cause damage to that professor." "Right! We could have traded Zen for this use-less Daphne." Fiona responded, emphasizing the word useless. "Useless? I just didn''t want to make a move, though I did make a move once at the crucial moment." "Isn''t that the same thing? At least try it once. Why are you so slothful." Celestia sighed, thinking, [These two are arguing again. What is their problem?] She was beginning to feel like a mediator for these two. Celestia went ahead and put a stop to their argument. She then asked if they wanted to go shopping. They could go out and get their daily necessities now that their evaluation was finished. They all agreed that they would meet at the gate entry. They needed to shower and change their clothing because they were drenched with sweat after the battle. A young man from the side overheard their conversation and approached them. He then asked if he could go with them, as he also needed to buy a few things he needed. When another boy came and tried to hit on them, the three girls frowned. Daphne then said, "Huh? Who are you?! No way! Yuck! Get out of our way." The young man was taken aback by what she said. Such words came from such a beautiful girl? Normally, girls like her would have a more graceful attitude. "I was just fighting with you guys, Earl¡ª" before he could continue his words. He found that the three had already started leaving. He was going to go after them, but he knew that he was going to get rejected. He decided to just give up. Chapter 38 Pontiac Academy [Part 3] ? The academy room sses were organized as A ss, B ss, C ss, and D ss. A ss was for those who had the potential of bing a Great Magister. B ss were for those people who had the Potential of bing a Magister. As for the C ss, it was for people who had the potential to reach Great rank. Thest D ss was for Advanced. The other year sses were also designed like this. The majority of the students fell into the categories of C rank and D rank. So both sses had been separated into three sections. C1, C2, and C3, the same goes for D sses. The general knowledge test on theputer was used to evaluate their scores. The scores are then used for the field of study they were going to choose from. Those who had high scores could pretty much choose any field of study they wanted. As for those who scored low? They were limited in what they could study. The power evaluation test in the arena had been finished. All students have returned to their own rooms. The three elders have also finished recording their judgments. They had passed it on to the professors who were in charge of each ss before leaving the arena. One of the professors who had been handed out the evaluations scrutinized it. She could not help but be surprised and muttered, "There are actually seven people in A ss this year. That is quite a lot." Although seven was a small number, we need to remember that these were students who had the potential to be a Great Magister. Though they had potential, it was not certain that they would be one. Those who were also assigned to high ss right now, also has a chance to be downgraded to a lower ss. There were also underdogs, so students could be promoted to higher sses. As long as they proved they had the prospects of bing one. They could eventually have their sses upgraded. About five hundred forty students were ced in D rank. So there are around one hundred eighty students in each section. C rank had about four hundred eighty students. About one hundred sixty students are in each section. The B rank was about fifteen people. Finally, A rank had seven people. So rounding it all up, there were about at least a thousand new students that hade to attend the academy. If we include all the students currently attending the academy. There would be a total of eight thousand people. Night came, and all students have been mailed their situated sses. Fiona had received her mail saying she was in A ss. Celestia, who had received it, also found out that she was in A ss. What''s surprising is that Daphne had also been assigned to A ss! Even though she never did anything in the evaluation fight and only moved once. In fact, the elders had discussed this thoroughly. They had investigated and found that this Daphne from the Duragny has an indolent personality. The elders believed that if she trained properly, she would be as strong as Fiona and Celestia, or maybe even surpass them. They decided to put her in A ss and hope to encourage her to put effort into her training. Daphne, who had returned to the academy, was currently walking towards her room. Once she arrived, she opened the room door and walked inside. She mmed the door behind her, causing it to shake the entire room. She naturally had checked her mail and she was surprised about her being brought into A ss. She sat down on her bed and said with a frown, "Why the hell am I in A?!" She had deliberately sabotaged her own general knowledge test and power evaluation. "F*ck, I''ve done everything to be put in a lower ss so as not to make myself exert too much energy. But those elders have got to be kidding me!" If Celestia and Fiona had heard her words, they would have thought that Daphne might have a problem with her head. Sabotaging your own test?! Daphne needed a reality check for once to understand how important it was to have power in this world. If you have no power in this strong eating the weak type of society. Then you would simply be trampled around by those stronger than you. Daphne desperately needed a reality check, as this world was not as simple as just ying games. Even Zen, who is known to bezy, had ns and such while he rxed. This Daphne only knew how to y games and thought that it was more important than increasing her power. Which is such a stupid mindset. Daphne had decided to go to sleep early this time. The reason for that was, all her gaming devices, which she was going to sneak into the academy, had been confiscated by her father. Her father did not even give her much money to use to purchase devices. Only giving her an amount that was enough to use for her daily needs. The next morning is going to be when the academy year officially starts. The morning came, and everyone was doing their morning routines. Showering, brushing their teeth, and so on. Some students have also woken up early and can be seen exercising outside. Female students wore a ck uniform. A long sleeved shirt with a white and ck tie tied around her neck. The top has two buttons at the cor and one on each cuff. They also wore a ck skirt. While male students wore a ck suit and tie. The suit consists of a zer with two buttons on the front. It also came with a zer that was opened, revealing a white shirt underneath. Once, there were only thirty minutes left until the sses started. Students have started heading toward their assigned sses. Each ssroom was designed differently. The most eye catching ssroom could be said to be the A ssroom. As this was the best ss in the entire year, it would naturally be located in the most luxurious ssroom. Chapter 39 Pontiac Academy [Part4] ? In a small room, seven people sat in their chairs. The small room had several tables and chairs ced in elevated positions. The walls are lined with windows that have many panes, letting in natural light from outside. In the center of the room hangs a beautiful chandelier. On one side of the room, there is a bookcase full of books. These seven people were Fiona, Celestia, Daphne, Goren, the twins Chloe and Zoh, and thest one was a young man who seemed mysterious and arrogant named Noah. In the entire academy, there was no such thing as status. They were all equal, but those with talent were privileged. There was a figure standing on a pedestal in front of the room. This is Hawkin, the professor who was in charge of the earlier A building test. He was currently exining how the academy works and what they should start doing. While he was exining, Daphne raised her hand and asked a question. "Professor, I have a question." Hawkin gave her the go sign to go ahead and asked her question. To which she said, "Why was I ced in A ss? My evaluations were probably bad, as I did not even do anything," with confusion in her tone. Hawkin stated, "I am not the one in charge of assigning your sses. This was all decided by the three elders of the academy." After hearing his answer, she sat back down angrily. Celestia, who was sitting beside her and was leaning on her hand, turned her gaze towards Daphne and said, "You were deliberately sabotaging your test, weren''t you." Daphne did not respond to her and just let out a ''Hmph''. Celestia ignored her response, and she moved her gaze towards a young man who seemed to be full of mystery and arrogance. She momentarily scrutinized him. She was quite intrigued by the aura this young man, who was sitting at the back, gave. The seven students had sat scattered, one was at the back, one was at the center, the twins were together, and the other three girls were sitting together. Fiona, who was also next to the two girls, spoke with a mocking tone, "Serves you right!" Daphne red and was about to speak but was interrupted by Celestia. She knew when she heard what Fiona said that another cat and dog fight was going to happen. So she quickly acted and tried to change the subject. She scratched her head in annoyance, not knowing what to do with these two friends of hers. In fact, she knew that Fiona always acted maturely, but now she seems as childish as Daphne. Celestia immediately spected that this change probably had something to do with Zen. Celestia spoke "You guys see that young man sitting in the back acting all mysterious?" She pointed her index finger skillfully so as not to be noticed. They turned their gaze and looked at the man. The young man noticed this and showed an indifferent expression. Daphne stated, "What about him? He is just a weird guy. Trying to act all cool." Fiona was about to speak too when the professor suddenly yelled at them to stop talking. Once they all became quiet, Prof. Hawkin started to talk again. He got to the part where, when they got used to how the academy worked, they would then be sent to the Twilight Zone in two months. A ce where they will be training to hunt beasts and gain battle experience. The number of beasts they hunt will then be used for their rankings in the academy. Other than getting their rankings, they will also earn academy points. The academy had multiple gravitational training areas. It was used to train and enhance their bone structures. The ranking will determine how long you will be able to use that training area. After that, Hawkin sent them the list of fields of study. The list contained all types of studies they could choose from. Such as aviation, where they could learn about ships, technology, alchemy, weaponry, medicine, etc¡­ They were able to study these things that they chose by themselves. They would only need to report to their respected ssrooms once in a while and when their professors call for them. Magic and Swords were the main curriculum, so obviously they would not be wasting much of the academy''s resources. To teach students such simple things that they could learn and teach by themselves. Once the professor had finished talking about everything he needed to say. He asked if anyone else had any questions. The young man that sat at the back raised his hand and asked, "Professor, is there any other way to earn points? and how are the points used." Hawkin replied, "Ah, about that! Thank you for reminding me. I almost forgot to tell you all about it." He then proceeded to exin, "So other than hunting beasts, The academy will often post missions in the academy forum. You can all take the missions requested there. Afterpleting a certain mission, you can go to the front counter of the academy to have it confirmed. Where you will then be given points forpleting it." He put his hand on his chin and thought for a bit before saying, "As for how the points are used. You can use it to exchange for more time in the gravitational training area, exchange it for artifacts or weapons, or exchange it for ships that were developed by the academy itself. The most important use is that you could use those points and go to the third floor of the library area where you could study the academy experts skills." He exined the various uses of the points. After he finished exining, he told them that the ss would end early today. Today was just an orientation, so the ss was short and simple. All the first year students got out of their ssrooms. The hallways and walkways instantly became crowded with all the students getting out of their ssrooms. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia stayed in the ssroom for a while. Waiting for the crowd to lessen. They did not like walking into crowds because they would end up bumping into people. The students in A ss also did the same. Chapter 40 Battle With Noah [Part 1] ? It has been a few weeks, and all students have be familiar with how things work in the academy. The ssroom atmosphere in A ss had also be harmonious as everyone got acquainted with each other. Except for one person. This person was none other than Noah Crellon. He was the one who acted mysterious and arrogant. He detested these Demi-humans. He was from the Vrt family. He thought that these demi-humans were inferior creatures. In fact, Goren tried to talk to him. Goren stretched out his hand, trying to shake his hands. When Noah saw his action, he told him, "Disgusting! Get out of my face." With a disgusted expression, he continued to tell him, "I do not want to touch the hand of an animal." Goren was dumbfounded by what he said. He was also infuriated by it. The other five people who were currently in the room also frowned. Thinking that his words were too arrogant and immoderate. Daphne could not help butugh and say out loud that everyone could hear her say, "This guy has a superiorityplex!" Sheughed so hard that she had to wipe a tear that came out of the corner of her eyes. Fiona spoke out also. "You! Don''t go overboard!" she said, trying to defend the demi-humans. "They are also the same as us. What makes you think that they are more inferior than us." "Us? Don''t include me with you trashes." Noah scoffed and mocked her, saying, "Even if that brother Zenryx of yourses. I will trample him under my feet." When he said that, it made Daphne, Celestia, and Fiona''s expressions immediately be ugly. Although Celestia did not have any feelings for Zen. She still had good impressions of him, and he was also the brother of her friend. "What makes you think you could even beat him?! You are merely a Peak Intermediate, and Zen is already an Advanced level." Daphne said. Noah refuted her. "What makes you think he is already in Advanced? He merely said that and did not show any proof." He said and pointed at her, "And why is an Intermidiate rank talking? You are garbage." Daphne could not refute him and stayed silent for a moment. Celestia wanted to tell him about Zen easily guiding her to breakthrough to respond to his word and prove that Zen was really capable, but Fiona suddenly stood up and said, "You! Shut up," she said angrily, "Fight me in the arena. I will beat you until you are almost dead." "Sure, we can battle at the arena next month," Noah responded, feeling confident that he had already won. "Don''t go crying to your family after I beat you." They both agreed to fight in the arena next month. Some students who were outside at that time heard themotion. They heard about the battle that was going to happen next month. Immediately, the news spread throughout the academy that Noah Vrt and Fiona Duragny were going to fight each other. After what happened, Fiona went to the library and read books to get rid of her anger and calm her mind. Fiona and Celestia would often go to the library and study books. As for Daphne? Everyone already knows how she is. She simply stays in her room, fiddling with her phone. The books they read were the Beast Records. They were going to the Twilight Zone soon. So they studied what the Twilight Zone was like. This book was recorded by previous students who had gone to the Twilight Zone. Other than hunting and doing missions, students could also earn points by sharing informations. The points earned depend on how valuable the information they acquired was. The library wasrge and spacious. It had three floors, and each floor had a different type of use. The library is circr, with many books on the shelves. The first floor is filled with wooden bookcases that are lined up against the walls and in the center of the room. There are several people scattered throughout the library who appear to be sitting or standing around in small groups or circles. One group can be seen near the stairs leading down into another part of the building, while another group is gathered around a shelf full of books near one wall. This ce is just where individuals havee together for knowledge and learning purposes amidst rows upon rows of bookshelves containing countless pieces of information. Fiona was among this group of individuals. She sat near a window at one end of the library. Celestia stayed in the ssroom to ask Daphne toe to the library with her, but she strongly refused, saying, "Nope, I don''t want to do such boring stuff." She had tried to persuade her over and over, but to no avail, she could not change her mind. Even when Noah criticized her strength, she still did not want to put effort into trying to increase her power. Celestia thought that she was a lost cause [Maybe Zen might be able to change her like how she changed Fiona]. Celestia sighed and just let her be. She went on her way to go to the library. Fiona was currently sitting in the library, reading books about the Twilight Zone. She was so engrossed in reading that she did not even notice that Celestia had arrived and sat down in front of her. Celestia spoke and greeted her, waking her up from her immersion reading. Fiona came back to her awareness and greeted her back. "Hey!" She then asked, "So what about Daphne? Where is she?" Celestia replied, "You know how she is. What do we do about her? She is a lost cause. Maybe if Zen was here, just maybe he would be able to pursue her." "I don''t know what is in that girl''s mind at all either." She is a lost cause already. Unless a miracle happens in the future, that could encourage her. If not, then she would just continue to bezy." Fiona stated. "Where do you think Zen is right now, Fiona? Maybe Zen can help." Actually, my mother has called me before and told me something." "What did she tell you?" Chapter 41 Battle With Noah [Part 2] ? "She said that Zen appeared on the Ounder continent with a S-Tier ship. That even she doesn''t know how he was able to get." "S Tier ship and Ounder continent? Usually only Magisters are able to acquire such a ship." Celestia was surprised, as even she, who was a princess of the Doomthorn family, could only get a B-tier ship. Let alone a whole S-tier? Where would she get such a ship? "What was he doing on the Ounder continent? That''s my question." "My mother said that Zen went there to introduce a friend of his to be a disciple of an acquaintance of hers." "Girl or boy?" "Girl!" Fiona spoke with a slight anger in her tone. "Wow, you and Daphne might have a newpetition, huh?" "Whatever!" she said, emphasizing her word. "By the way, what are you going to do with that battle with Noah?" She asked with some slight worry in her tone. "You know, he pretty much carried his whole team at the evaluation. He is a tough one." Hearing her words, Fiona just said, "So what? They fought against a weaker professor. Why would I be intimidated by him? He is also a Peak Intermediate like me. After hearing what he said about Zen, He deserves a beating from me." Celestia nodded, agreeing with her words. Celestia got up and went to look for books. So she could also start studying the recorded information about the Twilight Zone. Once she found all the books she needed, She went back to where Fiona was sitting. Both stayed in the library for about two hours before leaving. This is their daily routine for now in the academy. ==== Days went by fast, and the appointed date for the battle had arrived. A multitude of students were visible in the grandstands, engaging in hushed conversations. There were first-year, second-year, third-year, and subsequent year students, and so forth. It can be confidently asserted that this battle has garnered the attention and participation of every student within the academy. Celestia was also in the stands. Even Daphne, who did not liked going out, was here. She wanted Fiona to beat the living hell out of this guy. Fiona had also arrived in the arena and was currently standing at the side of the field. "Where the f*ck is this guy?" she muttered, thinking that this Noah was really too arrogant. He is not even taking the battle seriously by not arriving early. "So infuriating! Who the hell does he think he is?" While Fiona was waiting for Noah on the sidelines. More and more people wereing to the arena. They wanted to watch the show, as this was really an interesting turn of events. Two people with high status, both in A ss, fighting one on one? This was simply a good show they did not want to miss. Ultimately, in the midst of the discourse surrounding the battle, a distinguishable figure appeared, proceeding to enter the arena through the gateway. It was none other than Noah, who arrived after an hour of waiting. "I apologize, I amte," he said, yawning. "I overslept and almost forgot about the battle." His tone did not even sound apologetic at all but sounded more arrogant. Fiona then walked to the center of the arena and stated, pointing her finger at him, "Cut the crap! Let us start." Noah then walked towards the center and took out his sword from his storage ring. "All right, since you''re in a rush to lose so badly, I''ll dly fulfill your wish," he responded, making it sound like he had already won. All the spectators eyes were glued to the arena stage as the battle started. Fiona started the fight byunching an ice beam at Noah. ''sh'' Noah directly used his sword to slice the magic apart into two. After cutting the magic beam into two, he said, "Aren''t you a fierce one? Is that all you got?" She ignored his taunts and immediately sent another barrage of beams aimed at his head. ''Boom boom'' A furrowed brow could be seen on Noah''s face, indicating his growing inability to fend off her unrelenting assault. He deftly pierced the earth''s surface with his sword, subsequently erecting a stone wall that effectively obstructed the iing beams. Following that, he used his aura to enhance his speed and attack power. He jumped into the air and pushed forward while trying to cut down the series of beams being sent towards him. He used his sword and shed at Fiona downwards, but suddenly Fiona directly used her mystic field, restricting his movement. Next, she also used her mana, enhancing her physique. She dashed towards him and focused all the mana that was used to strengthen her physique on her foot. She kicked forward, trying to send him flying. Noah effectively employed his sword as a means to parry the kick, exhibiting remarkable stability by maintaining his ground. He encountered a significant challenge as the impact of this kick was overwhelming heavy. Noah exerted his entire physical power to forcefully propel Fiona in a backward direction using his sword. After he pushed her back a bit, he proceeded to unleash a long-range attack in the form of a sword slice, empowered by his aura. She used her skill, ice strike, to form an ice crystal wall in front of her. Which then blocked his sword aura attack. She then formed another crystal wall behind her, using it as a foothold. Then she pushed her foot off the crystal ice wall, and she rushed towards Noah again. Noah saw this and could not help but be shocked by how she uniquely uses her skills. Her mana control was just as outstanding. He brought his awareness back and prepared to block her attack. This time Fiona used her mana to strengthen her fist and sent a punch to Noah. He raised his sword in front of him like a shield to block the iing attack. Fiona''s punch and Noah''s sword directly collided. Noah''s sword shook due to her strengthening her fist andbining it with a heavy punch. He was able to block it, but he got a little bit injured in the process. He was surprised at how heavy her punch was. He sessfully deflected the attack, albeit sustaining injuries in the course of doing so. He found himself taken aback by the sheer force behind her punch. Fiona can be said to have such an incredible delicate body, but her attacks were too fierce and heavy. He doesn''t get how Fiona trained her mana control and physique. His arrogant attitude could no longer be seen on his face. Now there was a hint of anger and seriousness. They then backed off from each other. Seeing this, the spectators cheered. This fight was just too good. They were d that they came to watch. Daphne was also rejoicing in joy jumping up down in the stands. When she saw blood dripping out of the corner of his mouth. Celestia observed the situation withposure and had long foreseen this oue. She was merely providing a gentle reassurance when they were in the library regarding Noah, and her level of concern was not particrly high. She possessed a firm belief in Fiona''s abilities. Fiona and Noah stood opposite of each other. "Is that all you got?! Right back at you," Fiona said, using the words he used earlier. Hearing her words, Noah was infuriated. But he just stood silently. He raised his hand and wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth. He also spit out the blood that was in his mouth on the ground. "If that''s all you''ve got, then You wouldn''t even be close to an ant in front of Zen," she said in a mocking tone. "I don''t even know where you got the courage to even challenge him. When you can''t even beat me! You even dared to say you would trample him with your feet! I say you are dreaming or something is wrong with that brain of yours." Chapter 42 Battle With Noah [Part 3] ? ''Is there a problem with this guy''s psychology? I would not even stand a chance against Zen. Let alone this guy?'' she thought in her mind. Fiona knew that if she were to fight with Zen, she would not even have a chance to fight back. She would be instantly defeated by him. Zen was able to defeat an Advanced rank while he was at the Intermediate rank. Now that Zen is at the Advanced level, surely he would be able to fight against a Great rank. When Noah heard more wordsing out of her mouth. He wanted to attack her again, but he was starting to be cautious. The disparity in their physiques was just too great. Noah was, in fact, just a sheltered, spoiled brat. Due to him not experiencing the world yet. He had been treated like a god in his family''s territory. This made him develop a superiorityplex and an arrogant personality. Right now, though, Noah still had a trump card he had not used yet. He felt that Fiona was also hiding her trump card and had been holding it back. So he did not dare to recklessly attack again. Even though he was a spoiled brat, he still had brain cells remaining in his brain. The crowd in the stands also heard Fiona''s words. They did not know what the reason for their battle was and just came to the arena. They were just so excited to watch such a show. They only heard that there was going to be a battle between them today. Now that the reason for their battle had been stated directly by Fiona, they were astounded. This Noah actually said that he would trample the young master of the Raverdieu under his feet. That Zenryx Duragny Raverdieu who keeps bringing shock to the whole Astre continent. He wanted to challenge him and said that he would directly beat him. With this revtion, Noah will now be known as a clown in the entire academy. His reputation has practically been ruined by his arrogance. He couldn''t even beat Zenryx''s sister and still had the audacity to challenge Zenryx himself! This clown was just wishful thinking, as everyone thought in their minds. Hearing the conversations from the stands, Noah finally spoke and said, "Shut up! You merely got lucky! Come again and see how i''ll beat you to the ground." he said, grinding his teeth in anger. He then took out another sword from his storage ring and put back the current sword he was using. The sword was surrounded by earthly dust circting around the edges of the sword. "So you still want to continue?" Fiona questioned him. "I''ll give you the chance to surrender and apologize right now. If not, my next move would probably leave you crippled for the rest of your life!" He ignored her and then tried unleashed his sword skill behemoth stroke, which was powered by his earthly affinity. Fiona flipped backwards, avoiding his attack, andnded on top of a crystal wall. "You simply do not know what is good for you," she stated, and then a cold smile appeared on Fiona''s face. "Absolute Zero," she muttered, to the point that no one could hear her words clearly. After saying the word ''Absolute Zero'' the whole center of the arena started to freeze, and the temperature went below the freezing point. The ground started to be covered in ice, let alone a human body. Fiona stood on top of the crystal wall, watching the scene unfold in front of her after she unleashed her skill. Looking indifferently at Noah, shivering from the coldness and his body starting to freeze. Noah''s skin was turning purple from the cold temperature. "What the f*ck is going on?! I can''t move, and I cannot even feel my body." He was confused about what was going on. ''thud'' With a loud ''thud'' he fell to the ground without any warning and ended up fainting. All the people above the stands who were far away also felt the coldness of the air. [This is bad, if this continues, his body will be unable to move for the rest of his life.] Someone from the audience mumbled. Suddenly, a girl jumped out of the stand and stepped into the center arena, trying to stop the battle. Fiona saw the girl who stepped and looked at her coldly. This girl was none other than Ste Crellon, Noah''s sister. She is a fourth year student at the academy. "Hey Fiona, do you mind letting my brother go?" Ste spoke. "Why? I gave him a chance, and he did not listen to my words of warning." Fiona said coldly, "He can stay crippled for the rest of his life." Ste couldn''t help but sighed. [This is the result of my family spoiling this brat.] Although she did not care about this brother of hers, she was still a Crellon. So she had to do something. "I''m willing topensate you and let him kneel down and apologize to you for his actions. So I hope you can let him go." Ste did not rashly attack, even though she can defeat Fiona easily. She was still part of the Raverdieus, so she couldn''t attack her rashly. After some words of persuasion, Fiona finally calmed down and released her skill. Ste breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her little brother Noah, who was lying down on the ground and was unconscious. "Why do I have such a stupid brother?" she said with a deprecating smile. "It would be nice if my brother was like that Zenryx instead of this brat." Fiona then walked out of the arena and toward the exit gate. Before exiting the arena, she tilted her head back and said, "Do not let him act so pretentious in the future. If not, he will know that every action has its consequences," she said while looking straight at Ste. Ste nodded, agreeing with her words. She called some people to bring her brother to the infirmary. The crowd in the stands was also shocked by Fiona''s power. At this point, she could be considered as strong as the second year students or even some of the third year students. Daphne and Celestia also came down from the stand and congratted Fiona on her victory. The battle has ended, resulting in Fiona''s victory. The news of the result of the battle was also spread throughout the academy. Fiona''s fame in the academy skyrocketed due to this incident. Chapter 43 After The Battle ? After themotion caused by the battle between the two cooled down, the academy returned to its usual peaceful atmosphere. First year students start the day with their morning routines, then go to ss, then to the library. Noah was still in the infirmary, recuperating. When he woke up, Ste was notified and came to talk to him. She exined to him what happened after he fainted. When Ste told Noah that he had to kneel down and apologize to Fiona. He was repulsed by this idea, "You want me to apologize? Impossible! I would rather die," was what he told Ste while ming her for what happened. If she had stepped up sooner, he would not have been humiliated so badly. Ste was noticeably annoyed by his reply. When she made further attempts to persuade him, he consistently reiterated the same response. Followed after that was Ste telling him that she would rescind her support and advocacy if he were to encounter a simr situation in the future. Noah gave her a scornful look at that time and told her, "Huh?! Do you think I need you to protect me? You are useless anyway!" Seeing how delusional her brother was, She simply left the room, feeling furious. As for thepensation Ste had promised Fiona? Ste had given her academy points. Academy points were pretty much the currency used in the academy. It was more valuable than CDR for the students. Students could also use CDR to buy points from other students, but it would be expensive. Just one academy point would be one million CDR. This was just how difficult it was to earn points. This was normal, though, because the things you can use the points to exchange for cannot be bought with money. For example, the gravitational training area can be used using Academy points but cannot be used with money. The skills of multiple experts recorded in books in the library can also be studied by using the points. Five points will allow you to use the gravitational area for about one hour. The same can be said for the skills. The majority of how the Pontiac Academy functioned was by using academy points. Ste had given Fiona thirty points. Originally, she was only going to give her fifteen, but when she told Fiona about her brother refusing to apologize, "Well, I don''t mind, but you have to give me double the amount of points," Fiona told her, grinning, trying to haggle with her for more points. Ste reluctantly gave her thirty points, and after that, she made up her mind that, she would no longer associate herself with his ipetent brother. The ssroom was now very peaceful because Noah was not here. Noah was pretty much the troublemaker in this room. The demi-humans also thanked Fiona for defending them. Their anger has been satiated, seeing how Fiona beat the living hell out of Noah. Though Goren wanted to beat Noah himself. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia were currently sitting together, talking to each other. "You should have just crippled him, Fiona, like you said when you attacked him," Daphne said while fiddling with her phone, ying a game. Celestia remarked, "She should have, but she would have probably been punished by the Academy after." Celestia also said, "Daphne, you are really stupid. Do you think the Academy would allow that to happen? It would cause her some problems." "I was going to stop halfway too, but Ste stepped up. So I just used it as a chance to get some benefits from her," Fiona said, proud of her handiwork. "She probably thought that I was serious about crippling her brother. She knows that the academy would not dare offend the Raverdieu family just for a mere Noah Vrt." "Mhm, but what''s with that skill of yours that you used at the end? We have never seen you use that skill before." Celestia had her hand in her chin, trying to think about it, but she couldn''t figure it out, so she asked Fiona. "Ah, that skill? Well, it''s actually my domain, but not a domain at the same time. It is not aplete skill. There are also consequences if I use it carelessly." "How did you learn it?" "Actually, Zen told me about it and gave me an idea of what to do. He said that my mystic field could evolve into a domain in the future. So I used that skill toprehend that iplete skill, ''Absolute Zero'', that I used." "Really? That brother of yours is really interesting. He is pretty much omnipotent at this point." "I mean, he has inherited Father and Mother''s intelligence, so it is normal." Daphne suddenly put her phone away, spoke up, and said, "Well, that is the reason why I wanted to marry Zen! Our child is probably going to be the strongest and smartest." "Huh? You are quite stupid! So how would that make sense? As always, whenever you speak, the only words thate out are dirty thoughts." Fiona refuted her and proceeded to insult her. "You are the stupid one! It is not dirty at all, you can ask anyone, who would refuse to marry Zenryx and have a child with him?!" Celestia pped her forehead and thought, [Here we go again with these two, can''t they ever get along for once?] While they were all talking, Goren suddenly came up to them. Both three girls looked at him in confusion. Goren spoke up and said with a slight blush on his face, "Uhhmm, Fiona, can youe outside with me? I need to tell you something." Fiona was confused by his words, "Why?" she asked. "Uhhh, never mind, never mind!" he replied and left the ssroom, not knowing what to say to her question, leaving the three girls behind confused. "What is wrong with him?" Daphne said. "Well, I don''t know," Fiona said, not minding his strange action. "Anyway, let us go to the library." "I''ll pass" Daphne refused and then hurriedly left the ssroom hurriedly and went back to the academy dormitory. Both Fiona and Celestia sighed at seeing her run away again, refusing to go. Chapter 44 Where Could Noah Had Gone To? ? ''VIII 24th, 2400'' There are 7 days left before all the students travel to train in the Twilight Zone. ss was currently taking ce, but Noah was still nowhere to be seen. In fact, Noah was nowhere to be seen, even in the entire Pontiac Academy. It seemed like he had just disappeared. Rumors say that he disappeared or quit the academy because he was embarrassed by his loss. Losing after all the things you said? Who wouldn''t be embarrassed to show themselves to people after losing so badly. After that crushing defeat, I bet even a chameleon would struggle to change color out of sheer shame. Many people thought that Noah was just all talk and a clown. He had beenbeled a clown in the entire academy, that was his title, but no one really knew where he had disappeared to. They spected that he might have already returned to his family. The A ss students were also questioning his disappearance, but they were d that the troublemaker was gone. Inside ss A Prof. Hawkin was giving an exnation about the history of Magic and Swords. Goren was sitting in the corner of the ss. Goren has neck length red spiky hair, and his eyes are blood red. There were two horns sticking out of his hair. He had a muscr physique, but not so overbearing that he looked bulky. To be precise, an athletic body would be more appropriate to describe him. He kept ncing at Fiona from time to time, and looked like he really wanted to tell her something, but could not get the courage to speak to her. He was in deep thought, trying to find a way to talk to her alone. Suddenly, Prof. Hawkin asked a question, breaking Goren out of his trance like state. "Does anyone know when, and how Magic and Aura became a thing in society today?" Celestia raised her hand, wanting to answer the question. "Celestia! go ahead and exin your understanding," Prof. Hawkin called out to her. Celestia stood up and exined, "Well, for starters, scientists back then discovered that mana and aura existed in the universe while they were studying the human brain. It was just that we were unaware of it. When they found out about this matter, they also discovered that humans seem to be able to absorb this mana and aura. Some people could absorb mana, while others could absorb aura. There are also those special ones who can absorb both, like me, who can practice both Magic and Swordsmanship. This changed everyone''s view of the universe. This revtion simply broke the universalws of physics." "Mmm, very good," Prof. Hawkin nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Well, anyone else want to share their knowledge?" Gorin saw this as a chance to show off his knowledge to Fiona, so he raised his hand. "Ok! Gorin! Go ahead and share with us your thoughts," Prof. Hawkin said. Goren also stood up, his chin elevated, and started to exin his thoughts, "Mana and Aura are actually rted to the dark energy, which makes up sixty eight percent of the universe. Dark energy has always been a mystery to all living beings. The only thing we knew about it was how it affected the universe''s expansion. Other than that, it is aplete mystery. After the discovery of Mana and Aura, some of the mysteries of dark energy have been solved. That was also when the whole world started changing. The amount of mana and aura in the world thickened, causing animals to mutate into beasts, and the beasts had formed mana stones in their bodies." After he finished speaking, he nced at Fiona, who was watching him speak with a smile, feeling proud of what he said. Fiona turned her gaze away from him and frowned. "Why the hell does this guy keep looking at me like that? I felt his gaze earlier too, and he kept on ncing at me," she said asking the two girls beside her. Daphneughed and said, "Maybe he likes you! You should go and respond to his feelings!" urging Fiona to go and ept Gorin''s feelings towards her. "Maybe he was going to confess to you thest time he came to us," Celestia also said. "No way, right? You two jest," Fiona replied to them, chuckling a bit. Gorin, who saw Fiona look away, couldn''t help but widen the smile on his face. Goren did not see Fiona''s frown, so he simply thought that Fiona was shy, as they were both in eye contact when he smiled at her. Goren muttered, "Maybe she also likes me back! That must be it, right?! Otherwise, why would she look away right away after we made eye contact and when I smiled at her. There was also at that time, she stood up for me, when Noah insulted me. I''ll find a chance to ask her." This Goren was simply too delusional! Fiona simply fought with Noah because of his words of insult toward Zen and the harsh words he said toward the demi-humans. She did not specifically fight with Noah just for him?! If Fiona heard his words, she wouldn''t help but feel disgusted towards him. "All right, Goren, what are you doing just standing there? Sit back down now, and good job. Your exnation is satisfactory," Prof. Hawkin said. Hawkin continued his words, saying, "Anyway, since Goren ended his sentence with the beasts, I am also reminding you all that your expedition to the Twilight Zone ising in about a week. You all better start preparing for it." Hawkin ended the ss, but as he was about to walk out of the door, Fiona called out to him. "Yes? What do you need from me, Fiona." "May I request a day off from ss tomorrow?" "Can I ask why?" "Well, I wanted to go to the gravitation training room and use it." "Use it?" Hawkin was confused, as the academy year had just started. She should not yet have academy points to use in that area. "Yes!" Fiona said. Hawkin spected that she might have gotten points from someone. He did not question how she got them and simply agreed to her request. Chapter 45 Is Goren Crazy? And Fiona’s Hardcore Training ? The morning came, and Fiona was not going to ss today. She had ns to go to the gravitational training room. While she was walking by, her path was blocked by a young man. She looked up and saw a familiar face. It was Goren! He had heard Fiona''s conversation with the professor and that she nned to not attend ss today, because she would be going to the gravity room to train. Goren saw this as a chance to finally be able to talk to Fiona alone. She was always with the other two girls, so he had not been able to get a chance to talk to her alone. Finally, he heard the conversation between Prof. Hawkin and Fiona. He did not want to miss this chance. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be in ss?" She asked while looking up at him. Goren shyly responded, "Mmm, b-but I was going to ask you something." "What?" she said with an indifferent expression. Goren gulped his saliva and said, stuttering his sentence, "D-Do yo-you l-like me?" "Huhh?!! What the f*ck are you talking about?" Fiona fiercely red at him before walking away from him. She thought that this guy was just as crazy as Noah and decided to just ignore him after saying her words. Her action was immediately misunderstood by Gorin. [Waittt! Is it really what I expected? She really likes me?! She was angry that I found out about her feelings for me] he thought inwardly. To be honest, no one really knows what girls are like. They always gave mixed signals. Girls are just strange creatures that are hard to understand. Unlike boys, who go straight to their point, for example, if they decide to eat somewhere, that''s where they are going, while girls will always change their mind. So it was easy to misunderstand girl''s intention sometimes. No one can really me Gorin. Just that his misunderstandings were just on another level of misunderstandings. He was being delusional to the point that he starts creating a false reality in his mind. While walking towards the gravitational training room. Fiona was contemting whether to just ignore Gorin and not talk to him in the future. She thought that this guy was going to be another Noah. She finally arrived in the training room and went to talk to the one in charge of it. The one in charge of the gravitational training room was none other than the second elder Silvanna. She was a bit surprised by her arrival because Fiona was a first year student and she should not have obtained any points yet. So she simply thought that she was just her to ask some questions. But the next moment, she directly exchanged twenty five points for five hours of training in the training room, which shocked her even more. This was academy points! Not just anything that can be picked up from the ground. Fiona decided to use twenty five points for this training, and she would use the remaining points to ess and study the skills recorded in the library. After talking to Elder Silvanna, she headed inside the room. The room It was also made of special materials that were extracted from space, and how it worked was that, it increased the gravity to however much you could handle, which could train your physique. They would feel much lighter and fasterpared to when they first entered. It was able to go anywhere between one and one hundred times Pontiac''s gravity. Compared to the earth''s gravity, which was 1G, because of this''s enormous size, the normal gravity was 50G. Fiona was in the room and made up her mind to increase the gravity to four times that of Pontiac. That would be 200G, she instantly felt heavy and ended up kneeling to the ground with one knee supporting her, feeling her body very heavy. Fiona decided to get familiar with it first and get started once she got used to it. She stayed in the room for about five hours. Once she came out of the gravitational room, she instantly felt the changes in her body. Her bones, muscles, and mana have be more powerful. Her physical appearance did not really change, the changes urred internally. If her punch before could destroy a house, now that her strength has increased twice as much as before. She should be able to create a huge crater in a small town. Of course, if she were on earth, her punch could destroy half of that if her fist was enhanced with mana. She left the building, and her next destination was the library. She nned to go to the second floor of the library, as that was where the skill books were located. The one in charge here was the third elder Folmon. He had the same reaction as Silvanna when she saw her. Fiona wanted to find a defensive skill, as she did not yet have any defense type skills except for her monstrous physique. She asked Folmon if there was any defensive skill she could learn that was suitable for her affinity. Folmon then told her about Ice Armor, which was located at the top right corner of the room''s bookcase. She was able to find it, and once she found it, she took the book and sat down at a nearby table. Since this ce was where people went to learn skills, there was also a room in the second room where everyone could practice the skill. Fiona read the Ice Armor skill information. This skill allows you to encase yourself in an orb of ultra-fine ice, granting you resistance to both physical and magical attacks. Once the skills mastery reaches fifteen percent, you could also absorb your Ice Armor into your body, using the magical ice to repair wounds, This skill was really suitable, like it was made just for her. Fiona was pleased with the skills functions. She decided to learn this skill and stayed for five hours. Five hours have passed since she entered the library. Although she was unable to learn it, she still gained some understanding. She would have another chance in the future to learn it once she gets more Academy Points. Chapter 46 Edward Meets Anastia ? The academy has been going on for almost two months. Outside of the Academy In the territory of Mevouires, where Anastasia''s vi was located. Edward and Anastasia were currently talking with each other. Anastasia seemed to be in a bad mood caused by his arrival, and she was also infuriated by his request. How did thingse to this, you ask? Well, after escaping Iova City with the two girls. They wandered around for a while, trying to find ces to hide. The enemy who was chasing them was able to locate them every time they managed to find a ce toy low. Surprisingly, every time the unknown enemy kept attacking them, Edward and the two girls who were with him always managed to escape for some reason. If Zen witnessed that situation, he wouldugh and say, ''Wow, the protagonist''s halo is ying out and protecting this Edward again!'' Anyway, Edward did not know what to do anymore, but he remembered that he had a fiance from the Mevouires family. He made the decision to seize the opportunity and approach her, and see whether she would be amenable to providing them temporary shelter until their enrollment in the academy, which is scheduled for the following year. Crystal also concurred with Edward''s proposition, as it represented their sole optimal course of action at present. After conducting thorough investigation, they also acquired insights regarding the institution that was in pursuit of them. It was an organization known as Doom Order, an organization that operated in the dark. This Doom Order holds a simr standing to the Duke Families during their peak of power. Indeed, this organization had a connection with Fiona''s family as well. This was the organization that was hired by the Marquess family to destroy Fiona''s family. After Elle and Randell destroyed that Marquess family, they came knocking at the Doom Orders door and obliterated half of their organization. This caused the organization''s power to decrease, now they hid in the dark, not daring to cause trouble on the Astre Continent. The motive behind their resumption of movement stemmed from their pursuit of the Vrts Family treasure. Upon receiving news of the demise of the progenitor of the Vrt family, they seized the opportunity to eradicate the lineage and acquire the coveted treasure. They were unsessful in finding it, leading them to surmise that it was in the possession of Edward and Crystal. They were making utmost efforts to locate them. Crystal also found out that the person who took the treasure away from them at the banquet was not part of the organization. Because if that person was really part of it, then they would not still be chasing after them. She also knew that they would not be willing to mobilize their organization''s forces just to kill them, because there was a chance that the Raverdieu family would take action and just end up erasing the whole Doom Order from this. The Doom Order was taking action, knowing the risk of this whole operation just to acquire that valuable treasure. What the whole order did not know was that the artifact had some special function in order to activate it, as they had never inspected it before, so they simply did not know. They only acquired a bit of information about it. As for what this treasure is? It was an item belonging to the Vrt family''s progenitor. The whole Astre continent also knew about this, but it was prohibited for every noble family to take action against each other. There was still an unknown enemy lurking in the gxy that they needed to deal with, so everyone hade to an understanding to remain peaceful until then. Crystal also found out the identity of the person who took the treasure through the inte. She felt that person really gave her a familiar feeling, so she opened up her phone to see if there was any news about it. Sure enough, she also came across the post that was posted on Twittogram. She did not inform Edward and just kept silent about it. She had mixed feelings about it, but she also thought it was better to leave it in his hands rather than let the evil organization obtain it. She also thought it would be safer in Zenryx''s hands. Crystal made up her mind to help Zenryx awaken the artifact in the future to gain his favor. There was pretty much nothing else the artifact could help them with since their family was already destroyed. She also thought that maybe Zenryx would help them avenge their family in exchange for helping him activate it. Coming back to Anastasia''s vi. The security stopped them as they had never heard of any guests, so they informed Anastasia first. After a while, Anastasia agreed to let them in and see what they were up to. Since Anastasia was also a smart girl, she already had a guess in mind. Upon approaching Anastasia, who was apanied by her best friend, Edward cordially addressed them. However, Anastasia opted not to reciprocate the greeting and instead uttered in a cold tone, "Make it fast and state your business here." Edward frowned and remarked, "Why are you acting so cold and distant? Didn''t we still have the rtionship of a fiancee back then?" Anastasia, whoseposure remained intact, grew incensed upon hearing his words, "What?! I never agreed to that, and I was forced to do so by my family. Now that it is over, we no longer have anything to do with each other. If that is all you came for, then you can leave." Edward heard her harsh words and stood silently. Observing hisck of response, Anastasia proceeded to speak with a mocking tone, saying, "Or, could it be you are here to ask for my family''s protection? You are really shameless." feeling repugnant by him. Crystal finally spoke up, seeing how her brother was being treated. "Hey, you b*tch, don''t go overboard." ''What a stupid brother and sister, it''s good that your family has been destroyed. Saves me the trouble of destroying it myself in the future.'' Anastasia did not care about her words and just called for security to force them out of her vi. She simply let them in to tell them that she and the Vrt family no longer had anything to do with each other. Edward, who was forced out, stood silently outside the vi and revealed a self deprecating smile. He looked straight at Crystal with the same expression and said, "Hey Crystal. Isn''t this world a bit too unfair?" Hearing his words and looking at his expression, which resembled her own feeling of the situation, Crystal started to tear up and went to hug her brother tightly, as he was the only blood-rted family she had left. Although Crystal always acted rational, she was still someone with emotion. She could not contain her bottled up feelings any longer and started to released it all. Eliza, who watched the entire thing, could not refrain from experiencing a genuine sense of sympathy towards them. While staying with them, she also got to know both of them and learned their stories. It was much more tragic than what she had experienced, so she finally understood the weight on their shoulders that they were carrying. Edward has made up his mind that he would be stronger so he could protect those around him and also the people from injustice, as he did not want them from experiencing the same thing that happened to him. Chapter 47 Celestia’s Life ? ''VIII 28th, 2400'' Three days until the expedition to the twilight forest. In the Pontiac Academy. The young masters anddies hailing from a lineage of high nobility were bestowed with certain entitlements, one of which involved the amodation of spacious dormitories. These were the families that made financial contributions to the academies, therefore it is reasonable for them to receive some degree of preferential treatment. Celestia was currently organizing and cleaning her dorm room. Her room was quite spacious, the dorm room included a cozy living room, and it also had a kitchen area. The walls are painted a light gray, while the floor is covered in white tiles. In the center of the room is an off white couch with several pillows on it. In front of the couch lies a table, which also had chairs, there is also a bed dressed in crisp white linens and decorative pillows. The kitchen area features futuristic cabry, and in the corner of the room there was a bookcase filled with books. There was also a door near the kitchen area leading to the bathroom, which was also quite big. The room pretty much had everything a person needed. It was prettyrge, but it would also be very hard to clean. Fiona and Daphne paid her a visit recently, taking on the role of admonishers, asserting that it was imperative for her to tidy up, given thementable state in which her entire room was found. The Pontiac Academy prohibits bringing attendants to the academy, meaning they want all the students to be independent. Knowing Celestia''s personality, she should know how to clean up her room, right? But no! It is the exact opposite. She simply does not care about it. I mean, shouldn''t it be Daphne, who was toozy to have the messiest room? In fact, Daphne could not stand a messy room and would always go out of her way to clean it up, even if it was already so clean that you could not even see a speck of dust. If she only put that much effort into her training, she would rather put much more effort into gaming and cleaning up. As for Celestia? Well, it was pretty reasonable, as she is a princess after all. She would always have maids clean up after her, when she was still in her vi. Now that they were in the academy, she needed to learn how to take care of things by herself. She could not always rely on others. Celestia haspleted the task of cleaning up her room in its entirety. She proceeded in the direction of the exit door, and upon arriving, she reversed her steps and took a moment to appreciate her aplishments. "Wow, It is actually cleaned, I might be a genius for being able to do it on my first try, right?" she said. Genius? For being able to clean your room? Isn''t that a normal thing? After admiring her cleaning, she went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. She finished showering and changed into her uniform. She still had a ss to attend today, so she started heading to ss. Whilst strolling, numerous male students appeared to cast discreet nces in her direction, appreciating her exquisite allure. She acknowledges their nces, yet she effectively disregards them due to her ustomed demeanor. Wherever she travels, individuals often cast lingering nces her way due to her distinctive physical features. She did not find it annoying either, because which girl did not want people to admire her own beauty. Although she is a princess, she does not act arrogant at all. She takes an interest in those around her and is kind and polite to everyone. She also has a level headed and a reasonable personality. The only time her emotions fluctuated a lot was when her father proposed a marriage between her and Zenryx. Celestia wanted to marry someone she chose, not someone her father chose for her. Due to that, she always trained hard to exceed her father''s expectations, so her father could value her more and not use her as leverage to further the interests of the Doomthorn family. If she is able to find something to improve about herself, she will immediately do it. That is also the reason why she started cleaning her room when Fiona and Daphne told her to. She would also study in the library with Fiona, but she chooses to stay longer than her sometimes to further her knowledge. Typically, she engages in six hour long sses, thereafter proceeding to the library, and subsequently dedicating time to refining her magical and sword-fighting abilities in the arena. She would also ask Fiona to spar with her. As for Daphne? She could not count on thatzy brat, and there was also no one she knew who could go toe to toe with her among the first year students other than Fiona. After arriving in ss, she saw Daphne and Fiona sitting together already in ss. She sat together with them and greeted them while also trying to share what she had just done this morning, "Hey, I actually got to cleaning my room this morning. I was able to do it on my first try." "Nice, you should clean your room once in a while from now on." Fiona praised her even though she thought that it should be a normal thing. "Right, Anyway, we should be going to the Twilight Zone soon, right?" "Yes, in about three days, I am actually quite excited." "Same, I have never fought with any beasts before, so this should be a good experience." Daphne, who was sitting silently with her phone on her face, suddenly spoke, "Wait? Is iting soon? The hell, time flies so fast. It felt like we just entered the academy yesterday." "Mhm, so why don''t you start training and increase your power a bit? We never know what might happen there." Celestia said she was worried about her situation. "Makes sense, since I can''t avoid not going to that expedition." I will go with you guys to the library after ss this time. I still have three days to work on my strength." Daphne said. Fiona and Celestia finally felt relief after hearing her words. They thought that she was going to refuse again. Although Daphne waszy and did not train, whenever she tried, she would always bring out an amazing result. "Hey! What is with your expressions? I amzy, but I am not stupid. I still have awareness that the trip to the Twlight Zone should be a little dangerous, so I need to prepare also." "Ok, we get it, we just thought you were going to refuse again." Celestia said with a smile on her face. Chapter 48 The Expedition Has Started ? Over the course of the previous three days, Daphne, Fiona, and Celestia have engaged in coborative training sessions at the arena. Both also goes to the library daily. Fiona and Daphne would often also argue with each other, but Celestia always stepped in to resolve it. As time psed swiftly, each freshman diligently madeprehensive preparations for the Twilight Zone. The academy had a fairly tranquil atmosphere. As for Noah? He had be a figure of indifference, with nobody making any real effort to discuss him, and the general apathy towards him had grown significantly. For Goren, though, he still had that false reality he made up in his head. Fionargely disregarded his advances, yet Goren persisted in pursuing her relentlessly. In a forthright manner, she explicitly expressed herpleteck of interest in him, yet, in spite of Goren''s awareness of this fact, he continued his insistent behavior. Today was scheduled to be the day they departed for the Twilight Zone. At present, all newly enrolled students are gathered in an orderly manner at the forefront of the Academy, attentively attending to the professors as they elucidate their forting agenda. They were all diligently and keenly engaged in listening. Many of stationary ships were park in their vicinity, and these ships had undergone modifications to incorporate various armaments and additional amenities. This ships was specifically designated for use by the Pontiac Academy, with the exception of the Duke and the Royal family''s. Once the professors finished their instructions, they started heading inside the ships. All fifty plus ships rose to the sky and started heading in the Twilight Zone direction. They had to drop by the Guild Hunters Association first, as they had jurisdiction over the forest. Naturally, the Guild Association was already aware of their arrival, as this exphidition is an annual undertaking of the Pontiac Academies. Pontiac Academy is not obligated to go there but they just went to the Guild Hunter Association for formalities. Five hours have passed¡­ Numerous vessels can be observed descending from the sky beyond the guild''s boundaries. The present leader of the Association was currently positioned in front of the edifice, awaiting to extend a warm wee to the academy. While the ships remained stationary in midair, Professor. Hawkin leaped down and slowly touched the ground. He approached the Head of the Association and cordially greeted him, expressing, "Greetings, Warden. It has been quite some time since west meet huh." The warden reciprocated his greeting, and the apanying higher authorities respectfully extended their greetings as well. Warden was a Royal Swordsman, and he can be said to be on par in strength with Hawkin. He was also the one who founded this organization. "Has it truly been a long time, like a year? Anyway, wee back." "Yes, well, there are about a thousand students this time, so the whole outer area of the forest might get cleared out." He chuckled as he suggested that the hunters may find themselves with idle hands in the times ahead. "Hoh? Are there any outstanding students this year?" "Yes, indeed, the currentposition of A ss consists of six students. It is noteworthy to mention that the initial count was seven." "However, one student has mysteriously gone missing, most likely as a consequence of his boastful ims culminating in his defeat in the battle. Undoubtedly conceited, if I may be so bold." "Seven!? That is quite a lot, in the past, usually there would only be about one, two, or three at best. I am also quite curious who the students that fought mind telling me." "It''s Noah Vrt and Fiona Raverdieu." "Raverdieu?! Oh, is that Zenryx also in the academy?" Warden was shocked again by what he said. "Nah, we do know that he should being next year. That kid is too unpredictable." Warden nodded, agreeing to his words. "Anyway, Noah Vrt truly seems to be too arrogant. The Vrt family truly spoiled that brat." "Yes, but I''ve been told by the Vrt Family that after he disappeared from the academy, he never returned to their territory." "Really? Where could that young master of the Vrt have gone? He might have secluded himself and he''s too embarrassed about the battle." "That is also a possibility, but I''ve also investigated the matter. In fact, I''ve talked to the people who were tending to his injuries after the battle, and they said that he was very upset at first, but the next day he seemed to calm down, and then after that he disappeared, which is truly weird." "Did you ever think that he might have a change of mindset and went to train ande back when he got stronger and such?" "Yes, anyway, I will be going now, as the students are still waiting for me and we still have to head to the Twilight Zone." After exchanging goodbyes, Prof. Hawkin retraced his steps and leapt into the air, ultimately touching down on the posterior exit hatch of the ship. Upon his return, the ships swiftly departed and set a course towards the vast expanse of the forest. Warden watched as the ship flew away from the ground. Once it was out of sight, he headed back inside and instructed all the other people to get back to their work. He reentered his office, and a silhouette could be discerned seated in the corner. He cast a fleeting look towards him and uttered, "Well, they are gone, you can rest easy. The Doom Order is currently recruiting talents like you. We will help you achieve all your goals. If it were not for the Raverdieu''s, we would have already been able to be on par with the Royal family." The figure sitting down in the corner nodded and said, "Alright, thanks." But, hisck of gratitude was evident, suggesting that his response was perfunctory. Warden did not mind it that much and continued to speak, "Also, do not provoke the Raverdieu''s any more, this is a warning. You may not know this, but Raverdieu''s main family is not even on this." "This branch family alone is so strong, let alone the main family. Let me tell you that we know some stuff about them, and their main family consists of many old monsters that probably have lived for millions of years, which is why they are called the oldest fossils of progenitors. The Raverdieu family did not evene from this, and there are even rumors that they came from a distant universe or gxy." The individual seated was considerably taken aback, nearly sumbing to physical fatigue, as the revtion of the family''s hidden depths surpassed his expectations. ===== I''ll try type out one chapter a day while in vacation and send power stones thx since it''s a new week Chapter 49 Twilight Zone ? The academy hasmenced its presence within the Twilight Zone, prompting all students to scrutinize their sorroundings, given that this marks their inaugural encounter with this particr forest. They were significantly astonished by the immense size of the ancient trees, feeling miniscule inparison, as if they were mere ants. The professors have vacated the premises, thereby necessitating that the students assume responsibility for their own welfare. Naturally, they remained concealed in the periphery to minimize casualties. There were about a thousand students here, so it would be hard to avoid casualties, the professors won''t always be there for all of them. So some weaker students formed groups with each other, and those that were strong decided to take matters into their own hands. Fiona and Celestia decided to act on their own because that way they would be able to hunt more beasts. It would be much more efficient to act alone. This is what will determine their first year ranking, and the benefits thate with the academy rank are quite generous. So there was alsopletion among students. The forest had an outer area, an inner area, and a center area. The outer area consists of tier six and tier five beasts. The center area was inhabited by creatures of Tier four and Tier three, and it was the location which Zen had previously ventured into. As for the center area, that is where Tier one and Tier two beasts lurks. The professors have issued instructions for them to exclusively remain in the outer area, however, students in ss A were given the liberty to optionally explore the inner area. By venturing to that location, they would also have the opportunity to pursue more formidable beasts, leading to a greater umtion of points. "Are you both going to the inner area also?" Fiona asked the two girls beside her. "Mhm, It should be much more efficient than hunting in the outer area. It would also serve as a good practice as the outer beasts are quite weak." Celestia responded. Fiona nodded, agreeing with her, and then moved her gaze to Daphne. "What about you, Daphne?" "I do not have much interest in those rankings. I''ll be staying in the outer area. I simply came because my father is probably going to disown me if I had ditched this expedition." Upon hearing her utterances, Fiona and Celestia emitted exasperated breaths. Both individuals shared the perception that she had undergone a slight transformation, as evidenced by her willingness to partake in training sessions alongside them over the course of the previous three days. Reality is often disappointing. Additionally, numerous students approached the A ss students with a request to join their group, only to be met with refusal. Goren also refused, saying he wanted to go independent, but he was lying! He simply wanted to go with Fiona, so after rejecting those that came to him, he headed towards Fiona to talk to her. When Fiona saw him approaching, she frowned and said, [What the hell?! This guy again!] She hastily left the area, grabbing Celestia''s wrist, and saying, "Let''s go, an annoying fly ising!" Seeing this, Celestia nced at Goren from the corner of her eyes, and she could not help but pity the guy. They both directly left the area, leaving Goren, who was at a loss for words. He couldn''t even talk to her! He couldn''t help but feel that his judgment was wrong. Though he still had some hopes in his heart. Daphne stayed behind and sat on a stone ced at the side of the road. She couldn''t wait for this exhibition to be over. She also decided to take action and hunt some beasts at thest moment. While they were heading to the inner area, Celestia spoke and sighed, "I pity that Goren, why not just tell him directly, Fiona?" "I did! But he keeps on pestering me, it is so annoying." "What did you tell him?" "I told him that I had no interest in him and he should just leave me alone, and stop his delusional thoughts." "Mmm, but you did not tell him that you already liked someone." "What do you mean? I do not have someone I like yet." Celestia unveiled a yfully suggestive expression and uttered, "Mhm... Don''t you like Zen very much? If you had told him that, then he would''ve stopped long ago." Fiona stumbled while walking as she was caught off guard by her words. "Wh-Wh-What are you talking a-about! I-I do n-not l-like him th-that way!" she stuttered, and there was a slight blush on her face. Seeing that they were about to arrive at the inner area. Fiona went on her way, separating from her and going in another direction. She harbored no inclination to tolerate any further nonsensical utterances emanating from Celestia''s mouth. Seeing Fiona leave flustered, she smiled and muttered, "She should just be honest with her own feelings. Well, it doesn''t really have to do anything with me. I''ll just leave it up to her own judgment." Celestia ventured down an alternate path, eventually reaching a towering peak where a cavern awaited her. She perceived that this location may serve as the dwelling of a beast. She figured out that it might be a ck Serpent or a Fanged Ursavus. She had read about it in a book at the library. There were certain documents present which indicated that this location served as the customary habitat for those two creatures. The ck Serpent is a Tier three beast that has a long, slender body and is very agile. Its defense is not worthy of attention, as its main skill is its speed. The Ursavus, however, is a Tier three beast and has ck, thick fur that is harder than metal, and its sharp fangs can easily break throughrge, solid, hard rocks. Those two beasts were also natural enemies. Celestia was currently scanning the area, trying to see if there was any sign of those two beasts. Suddenly, a loud thumping sound echoed throughout the area, and the ground shook. She surveyed her surroundings and took notice that it was a Ursavus, with a creature evidently suspended from its jaws. Upon careful examination, she discerned that the creature was indeed a ck serpent gripped firmly in its jaws. Furthermore, she observed that Ursavus had sustained injuries. Witnessing the creature''s wounded state, she recognized an opportunity to kill it. Chapter 50 Who? ? Normally, Celestia would not be able to kill it on her own, but with the beast''s current condition, it should be possible to kill it. There was also the ck Serpent''s mana stone in its body, if she could bring that also, then would it not be killing two birds with one stone? She stepped forward, and the Ursavus noticed her right away, but as soon as the Ursavus noticed her, she began attacking it. She took out her sword and unleashed Judgement Strike, a long ranged attack filled with light affinity that was sent to the beasts while at the same time blinding it. ''ROOOAAAR'' A deep, loud roar came out from the beast, causing the area to reverberate. The beast roared and blocked its eyes with its hands because of the blinding light that the sword skill produced. It was also unable to block the sword strike that came with the blinding light as its body was too heavy and could not move fast. While the beast''s vision was blocked, she dashed forward again, aiming for its head. She was able tond a sideways sh to its neck, but it did not bleed because of its fur''s hardness. But she was able to send the beast flying towards a nearby tree. Just as she thought it was over, the beast got up, looking like it had not been injured at all. The beast got up filled with anger, and its killing intent can be sensed just by looking at the beast''s eye. It generated an enormous amount of mana in its mouth, preparing an attack. Celestia saw the beast charging a certain type of magic attack, and she did not wait for it to finish. She used judgment strike again, but the beast no longer flinched as the attack posed no threat to it. The beast focused on charging its magic attack. Seeing that her attack no longer worked, she directly used her domain, Mirror Chain, in which a bunch of mirrors were summoned and many chains could be seening out of the mirror. It rushed directly towards the beast, binding it. She used her skill judgment strike again, and because the mirror chain skill was activated, it was able to amplify her skill''s power. The beast struggled to break free, and the mana energy it was generating to prepare for its attack was cancelled. Celestia''s attack hasnded on the beast, and many wounds can be seen on its body. Even with its metal like fur, she was able to injure the beast. Seeing how powerful its opponent was, it tried to escape, trying to break away from the chains binding it. It was also injured, so it was unable to fight at its full capacity. To no avail, even when it used all its physical strength, it was unable to break free because of its wounds and the injuries it suffered from fighting the ck Serpent. Celelestia arrived in front of the beast and shed its eyes, as the whole body was covered with its fur. She was unable to do much damage. She directly used her amplified sword and thrust it into its eyes until it reached its brain, causing it to die. ''ROAARR'' The beast roared in agony, its eyes were slowly pierced through by a sword, causing it unimaginable pain before it died. Celestia took a step back, panting, She took a look around, and the whole area was destroyed by their battle. She took the Ursavus corpse and stored it in her storage ring, and she also walked towards where the ck Serpent was and also took it into her storage ring. "I can just let the academy take care of the beasts corpses." Celestia said. She could just hand it to the Pontiac Academyter, and they could get the mana stones from the beast''s body. So she would not have to do the work, as it is really hard and messy if she were to do it herself. Instead of wasting her time doing the work, she can use the time to find more beasts to hunt. Currently, she is satisfied with her gains so far. "I should also be ahead of all the students, including Fiona. I was really lucky toe across this situation." She thought that even Fiona should not be able to defeat a Tier three beast. She was only able to kill it because the Ursavus was in such a bad state. Probably because it fought with the ck Serpent that it was carrying, causing it to suffer a heavy injury. She took a quick break before moving out again. She was very tired from her fight with Ursavus. Fiona, on the other hand, was able to hunt down a bunch of tier four beasts, but she was unable to kill those tier three beasts. It was extremely hard. Just as she was collecting the corpses of the beasts she killed. She heard a defeaning roar in the sky. ''RAAARRR'' She looked up and saw a creature with a dragon''s head and wings, two legs, a reptilian body, and a tail that had a arrow shaped tip. [A Tier two wayvern!] She started to panic, saying, "What the f*ck! What is a Tier two beast doing in the inner area." She was about to run away, but the beast noticed her. It charged towards her andunched a lightning breath at her, with an immense beam of lightning rushing towards her. She was unable to react quickly and was instantly sent flying away by a couple hundred meters. She groaned in pain while trying to get up from the ground. The attack she received was just too much. She would have instantly died, if it weren''t for her monstrous physique that she had trained in the gravitational training room. "Sh*t, good thing I was able to train my body in the gravity room, if not, I would''ve died from that attack." The wyvern saw her trying to stand back, and charged at her again, flying down from the sky. But just as the wayvern was about to attack, a certain figure appeared out of a dark corner. Both the beast and Fiona saw the figure, and the figure in the dark cornerunched an attack towards the Wayvern! Chapter 51 Unexpected Arrival ? The Wayvern stopped in its tracks when the attack wasunched at it. "Hey Fiona! Are you okay?" The figure in the distance came into sight. The figure that suddenly appeared was Celestia! "Celestia!!" Fiona was surprised to see her. Unexpectedly while she was searching for another beast to hunt. She heard a deafening roar in the distance. She was curious to see what it was, as she had also heard themotion of a battle. She also spected that it might be Fiona, the other students from A ss, or students from B ss who had entered, as the whole Twilight was currently upied by the academy during this exhibition, so there should be no other people in the area. Even if there were, it should be normal hunters, but they should be in the outer area patrolling the surroundings. Because she was not a normal person, her hearing is quite outstanding. Celestia currently has her hearing and eyesight enhanced by mana while searching the area. She rushed over and saw Fiona being attacked by a beast. She did not even care what tier the beast was. She only had her focus on her friend Fiona, who had suffered fatal injuries in the attack. So she directly attacked the beast and stopped it in its tracks. Although it did not suffer any damage, it gave her enough time to grab Fiona and run away. The smoke caused by Celestia''s attack cleared out. The Wayvern looked around, looking confused about what just happened, and to its surprise, it could not see or sense Fiona and Celestia. On the other hand, Celestia activated an artifact that was able to conceal both their aura and mana. So it should be almost impossible for the Wayvern to be able to detect them now. After activating the artifact, Celestia grabbed Fiona, and they ran as fast as they could, both enchancing their bodies with mana and aura to their maximum limits. While they were running, Celestia looked at Fiona and her injuries. She took out a couple regeneration potions and handed them to her. "Thanks," Fiona said while gulping down the potions. "Are you okay?! What happen?" Celestia asked with a hint of worry in her tone. "I do not know, that beast suddenly attacked me out of nowhere, it was toote when I noticed its attack, and I ended up getting hit." "Huh? What type of beast is it? I was not able to get a good look at it. I just attacked it to stop it in its tracks so I could save you." "It is a two tiered wyvern." "What?! Good thing I acted fast and used an artifact right away to escape, otherwise I wouldn''t know what would have happened to you." "Yes, I really have you to thank for that, but isn''t that beast supposed to be in the center area? What is it doing here?" Fiona was really confused about its sudden appearance in the inner area. "Should we retreat for now, Celestia? and inform the professors." She asked Celestia, as she was the most suitable person to assess the situation. In fact, she was one of the people that she knew who would be able to stay calm even if the entire world copsed. As Fiona was waiting for her response, Celestia was in deep thought, trying to think of how they should handle the current situation. Finally, she spoke and said, "Hmmm¡­ I don''t think it is necessary, we just need to stay cautious and avoid that Wayvern for the time being. It is not really that strange for beasts to wander around and get out of their usual area." Thinking about it, Fiona nodded in agreement with her words. "Ok, anyway, let''s stop talking about what happened earlier, Let me ask you, how many beasts have you hunted so far, hmm?" She said it in a sarcastic tone, thinking that she might be ahead of Celestia so far. "Actually, I have only hunted two so far. What about you?" Celestia responded with a mysterious smile on her face. "Hehe, I guess I am leagues ahead of you so far, but I''m surprised you have only gotten two. What have you been doing? Have you been fooling around?" She was surprised because Celestia''s strength was no lower than hers. Then she saw her mysterious smile and realized that something was wrong. "Don''t tell me, those two beasts you hunted are Tier three?!" Celestia giggled, feeling satisfied with the reaction she got from her, "That is right, good job guessing it." "What! How? You shouldn''t be able to kill a Tier three yet, right? Let alone two? Are you lying?" Fiona responded feeling suspicious. "Hehe, I am for real. Anyway, I just got lucky, I found a heavily injured Ursavus, so I took the chance to kill it. That Ursavus also killed a ck Serpent and it was carrying it. It probably got injured from fighting that ck Serpent." "So lucky? And just like that, you were able to get Two tier beast. That is quite unfair." "Hey, luck is also part of strength, you can''t me me for having such good luck." "¡­" Fiona could really argue with that. "You should be ahead of everyone right now then, I have to step it up a bit." "Hmm, good luck with that, but there are also a bunch of students from B ss in groups who also came to the inner area, so we can''t really be sure if we are ahead, you know? There is also Goren, Chloe, and Zoh." "Ah right, I almost forgot about those guys." Thepetition for the academy''s first year ranking is intense, because the benefits thate with the rank are quite generous. After some small talk, Fiona and Celestia went their separate ways again to find more beasts to hunt. They also avoided going in the direction where the Wayvern was. Meanwhile, in another area of the forest, screams can be heard. "Ahhh, What the f*ck is going on! Run!! Hurry up and go inform the professors!" Chapter 52 Mysterious Beast ? A student from D ss yelled, "WHAT IS THAT?!" Which then immediately attracted the beast''s attention. Itunched an attack on them. The students in his group burst into a pulp of blood, including him, leaving their body parts all over the ground. They died instantly without having a chance to even scream. The creature approached the students'' corpses and ate each one as it approached. Meanwhile, in a certain location close to the area where those students just got killed. "Who do you guys think woulde in first on the ranking, by the way?" "From the A ss, it should be Fiona or Celestia, Goren, Chloe, and Zoh." "Yeah, I don''t think any students from other sses would stand a chance; only students from A sses should be able to be ranked at the top." "Their strengths are just too monstrous, I''ve watched that battle between the academy clown and Fiona." "Nevertheless, we must at least¡­" This student noticed that his group members had stopped as he was about to speak. This group of students was conversing while they were walking when they abruptly stopped. Their facial expressions change a split secondter. The student who was about to speak was perplexed and cast a nce in their general direction before his expression changed. They could make out a beast at a distance devouring the body parts of their fellow students. When the group''s leader regained his senses from his shock at seeing such a scene, he said, "RUN! and tell the professors about what just happened." The beasts noticed them, it stopped what it was doing, and immediately appeared in front of them as they prepared to retreat and seek out the professors. They were so terrified as they stared at the beasts that suddenly appeared in front of them that their knees weakened, and one of them even peed her pants. Its desated skin was pulled tautly over its bones, making it gaunt to the point of emaciation. With its eyes pushed back far into its sockets, its ash gray, deathlyplexion, and its bones pressing out against its skin. Its eyes were sunken in and glowed red, and it had long limbs, teeth, and long, sharp ws. A student screamed, "We''re done for!" as he copsed to the ground, as if there was no hope of their survival. Due to the academy wanting them to use their individual survival skills rather than relying on devices to train them, they couldn''t use any device to inform them, so they could only try and find them. Their Tritonic device''s functions are suppressed aside from using it to record the information they gather and other things. Suddenly a professor appeared to protect them. The professor who came goes by the name Adika, and is a C-ss professor. The fact that he had a shiny egg on his head was more noticeable than the suit he was wearing. It could reflect light from the sun, giving the impression that it was a mirror. He was hiding in the shadows, protecting the students, when all of a sudden, he noticed some of the students vital signs disappeared on the device they were using to monitor them. He was deeply contemting the fact that a few students die in this circumstance, which is actually quitemon, so he did not really take it seriously at first. But then, as he was lost in thought, he felt a strong pressureing from a certain direction, prompting him to investigate. Anyway, that''s how he showed up here. He approached the students and turned on the Tritonic functions back before sternly warning them, "Hey students, hurry up and turn on the emergency signal in your devices, and retreat back as quickly as you can! I won''t be able to hold this beast." "I won''t be able to hold off a Tier 1 Wendigo, I''m afraid. Worse, I could die at any moment. Hurry up! I have no idea why it showed up here." The moment they heard his words, the students faces turned horrified; however, they soon becameposed and began to withdraw. This creature is actually about as strong as a Great Magister and a Heavenly Swordsman. You would need to have at least the rank of a Royal Swordsman or a Magister in order to be a professor at the academy. This Adika was one of the lowest ranking professors in the academy but he was still a Royal Swordsman. Like a predator watching its prey struggle before devouring them, the Wendigo found that it was entertaining to watch the scene in front of it. It moved with lightning speed and charged at the students who were fleeing, but to its surprise, Adika blocked it just as it was about to kill those students. But he was unable to withstand the force of the attack and was sent back half a mile, destroying the surroundings and paths he was sent to. Finally, he stopped, and with a loud ''bang'' his body was fixed onto a huge ancient tree, and his bones broke from the impact. The students were also caught in the attack by the beasts and were reduced to a bunch of corpses. They simply could not withstand the pressure of its attack. ''KREKRAKRAKA'' the beast''s divilishugh, as it killed them ruthlessly. Adika vomited a mouthful of blood from his mouth. Other than his bones getting broken, his internal organs were also messed up. ''AHHHHHHH''. When the Wendigo appeared in front of him again, it reached out its hands, grabbing him by the neck, lifted him into the air, and then reached out with its other hand to rip Adika''s heart from his body by prating it. He screamed in pain until he died, leaving stters of blood all over the ground. This beast is too ruthless, killing him without even giving him a chance to fight back. The heart that it grabbed out of Adika''s chest was devoured by it, and it started slowly gobbling his body parts like it was a delicacy. Blood dripped from its mouth as it ate his body, and an unclear expression appeared on its distorted face that looked like a menacing grin, which shows that it was satisfied with this Royal Swordsmans corpse. After detecting a few strong auras approaching its location, the wendigo vanished from sight. The emergency signal sent out by the retreating students who ended up dying was received by the other three professors. So they started moving in the direction where the signal was sent out. They arrived on the scene and carefully examined the surroundings. The entire two-mile radius around this ce was destroyed, leaving no trace of what had urred here. Previously, there were four professors, but after one of them passed away, only three remained. Usually, four professors in Magister and Royal Swordsman rank were enough for the Twilight Zone expedition, so the academy did not send more than that. One of them eximed, "What in the world just happened?! Everything is destroyed!" Hawkin replied, also confused, "It looks like we have to cancel this exphidition. Inform all students that this expedition will be cancelled." "Start informing the academy also to send back up. This incident seems to be serious." "Ok!" a professor said, turning and leaving to where all the ships were stationed to inform the academy. Chapter 53 Chaos ? Daphne, who was staying way back in the outer area of the Twilight Zone, was about to enter the forest and go in search of a beast for herself to hunt when she noticed a professor rushing out of the forest. She was curious as to why she was hastily rushing out, so she couldn''t help but follow her and inquire as to what was going on. "Professor!" she yelled as she approached her in the distance. Startled by someone suddenly calling her, the professor turned her head and saw Daphne, then stopped for a second, saying, "Get out of the forest right now! Something unexpected happened!" After saying that, she continued to rush towards the station. After hearing what the professor had to say, she frowned and began to think about her two friends and that something might happen to them. "Should I enter the inner area then find Celestia and Fiona?" Daphne contemted. Daphne was in a dilemma about wether she should go look for them, but seeing that the Tritonic device on her wrist was working again, she reasoned that they might already have received that emergency retreat signal. And that they should being back soon. "Forget it, I''ll just wait outside for them. In the event that something actually happened inside, they should be capable of handling themselves and escaping safely." As soon as she finished contemting, she nced at the inner area''s direction before leaving the Twilight Zone. The suppression of the Tritonics device was lifted for all the students, and everyone was made aware of the current circumstances. Twenty minutes passed¡­ Students have already retreated, but it can be seen that half of them seem to have note back yet. Fiona also received the message of retreat. She stopped hunting for beasts and directly left the forest without stopping. She didn''t look for Celestia either since she should also have received the instructions to retreat. The three friends, Celestia, Fiona, and Daphne, really trust each other''s skills, so they were not really that worried about each other.. She had already spected back then that something was weird when they encountered that Wayvern, but because of Celestia''s assurance that it was nothing out of the ordinary, so she just let it be and forgot about it. She walked out of the Twilight Zone and saw Daphne frantically waiting for her and Celestia. Daphne saw her figure emerge out of the forest and ran to her and hugged her, but then she noticed that Celestia was nowhere to be seen, so she asked, "Fiona! Your back, what about Celestia? Where is she?" "First of all, stop hugging me for now, you''re suffocating me. But is she really not back yet?" "Not yet" "She''ll probably be back soon, By the way, does the retreat signal have anything to do with a Wayvern appearing?" "Wayvern? No? Why? Did you encounter that Tier 2 beast?!" eximed Daphne. "Yes, I was barely able to escape, luckily, Celestia came across me and was able to get me out of there." "The hell? What is that thing doing in the inner area. It should be in the center area." "Let''s stop talking about this for now. Since you said that you guys are not yet aware of what is happening, let''s ask around, and see if the students know something." Simr to Goren, Chloe, and Zoh, who emerged out of the forest, many people who had arrived outside were perplexed about what was happening. The three professors were searching for the students inside the Twilight Zone who hadn''t yet returned. Themotion in the station was very loud, and they were all discussing the situation. Fiona broke up themotion by moving toward the front, jumping up onto a high stand, and shouting "HEY SHUT UP!" The area suddenly fell into silence as she yelled, and all their gazes turned towards Fiona to hear what she had to say. She currently holds the title of being one of the strongest of the first year students. So they quite down to listen to what she had to say. "Since you all seem to be confused also. I''ll tell you about my experience inside the inner area. I encountered a Tier 2 beast, but that''s all I know for now. Let''s gather all the knowledge we have and figure it out. Does anyone else know anything about the current situation?" Even though they were surprised that she was able to escape from a Tier 2 beast, they let it go for now and did not ask her how. They were all lost in thought when a male student from ss B stepped forward and said, "I know something about it, I heard from a professor that they saw a two mile radius area of the forest destroyed." "Me too! I''ve heard that many students have died inside!" As the students continued to speak out their thoughts. Fiona gathered every piece of information and ruminated on everything that was said. Fiona seems to have figured something out and informed everyone that there might be a Beast breakout. "A breakout?" Chloe spoke with knitted eyebrows. "What is that?" she asked Fiona about it. Goren and Zoh also had the same question, as they were not originally from this continent and did not know anything about it. Fiona carefully exined it to those who were not from the Astre continent. After that, all of the students present were dumbfounded because the beast breakout hadn''t urred for so long. This was where every beast suddenly goes out of the Twilight Zone and start wreaking havoc across the continent. There would usually be a Tier 1 beast leading this beast breakout. "A beast breakout?!" A student from B ss eximed "That is impossible, right? Hasn''t it been about twenty years since one of those urred? Why now?" "Right! Hasn''t the Hunter Guild Association been maintaining the order of the Twilight Zone?" Fiona couldn''t help but frown because what they said was true. After gathering information about the current circumstances, she stepped out of the high stand and went to Daphne''s side. "Is Celestia not back yet?" Fiona asked Daphne. "Not yet. I''m starting to worry that something might have happened to her since you said there should be a beast breakout." Daphne said while biting her nails that she was worried about where Celestia was. "Don''t worry, the professors have gone looking for students inside. They should be able to find her since she is a Doomthorne, they would prioritize her safety more than those other students." Daphne calmed down after hearing Fiona''s words. She had also started to change her mindset during this time. [Im too a weak...I can''t really do anything at this moment. I should start taking training seriously.] Daphne thought with a mocking smile while she thought about her past actions, such as neglecting her training and such. She never thought something like this would happen, as the world seemed so peaceful when she was just in her room ying games and having fun. That is why she never took things seriously. Now she realizes that the world isn''t as peaceful as it seems. All the students patiently waited for the professors toe back and wait for their instructions. Chapter 54 Celestia’s Compassion ? ''Inside the Inner Area'' Hawkin, along with the other two professors, were presently utilizing their mana and aura to fly, whilst employing it to sense their surroundings in search of the missing students. Celestia was at a distance, retreating as sooon as she received the instructions to go back. As she was running back, she caught a glimpse of Professor Hawkin in the distance. She advanced towards him, catching Hawkin''s attention, and he let out a heavy sigh of relief upon seeing that Celestia was unharmed. In the eventuality of any harm befalling her, the Doomthorne would direct their wrath towards them. Once Celestia arrived in front of him, she asked, "What is going on, Professor?" What''s with the sudden retreat order?" She felt confused, but then she thought of how she and Fiona encountered the Tier two Wayvern. Before she could think about it and tell him about what they had encountered, Hawkin promptly articted in a grave manner, "Based on our thorough investigation, it appears that there will be a beast outbreak. We need to get out of here first, and we''ll talk about it on the way." "Ah! Make sense now how me and Fiona encountered a Tier two beast." "You¡­you what?" Hawkin was taken aback to hear that they had encountered a Tier two beast, not to mention the Doomthorne family. There was also the Raverdieu family, such that any knowledge of Fiona being exposed to perilous circumstances could potentially lead to severe consequences. "Oh, Celestia, please refrain from discussing the events that urred in this ce," he uttered. Celestia discerned the source of his concern and smiled, then reassured him, saying, "Rest assured, Professor, there''s no need to fret. My lips are zip tight." They subsequently proceeded on their way and rendezvoused with the other two professors. Each of them sessfully convened with one another. Hawkin inquired of the other two professors whether they had sessfully located the missing students, to which they informed him of their unsessful efforts and the possibility of their unfortunate demise. When Celestia heard this, she med herself for not informing the professors back then. [If I had only agreed with Fiona and reported it back then, then the students wouldn''t have died.] she thought with a depressed expression on her face. ''ROAARRRR'' ''THUMP'' ''THUMP'' Following a brief discussion, they made ready to depart the Twilight Zone, only to be met with an overwhelming mor and a multitude of thunderous reverberations that appeared to rock the very foundations, akin to the tremors of an earthquake. They swiftly shifted their gaze towards a specific direction from which the reverberating roars emanated, only to behold a multitude of thousands of ferocious creatures approaching in their direction. "It''s really a beast breakout! We need to inform everyone right away and evacuate the whole ten thousand miles!" "This is a huge problem. Let''s quickly get out here!" Without dy, they swiftly disembarked, positioning themselves around Celestia in a protective stance, prepared to promptly respond and shield her in the event of any unforeseen circumstances. Celestia nced over her shoulder one final time, and her gaze fell upon a towering creature bearing human like qualities, but at the same time, the beast simply looked strange, positioned at the farthest end of the herd of beasts. As she gazed upon the creature, a sensation of goosebumps traveled across her entire body, causing her hair to stand up. The sight of it seemed to induce a sensation of suffocation in her. Sensing Celestia''s abnormality, Hawkin spoke, breaking her out of her state, "Hey what''s wrong with you, Celestia." As he said that, he looked towards where she was looking, but he saw nothing other than many beasts scattered around rushing in their direction. He assumed that her reaction was simply due to being taken aback by witnessing an outbreak for the first time in her life. However, his spection was instantly denied when Celestia spoke, "I saw something! It looked like a human, but at the same time, it was not. It''s hard to exin, but it had peculiar traits, such as glowing red eyes and a pallid, deathlike color to its body!" Upon hearing this, Hawkin''s brow furrowed as he contemted what Celestia had said and thought about something. The fact that it had glowing red eyes and the striking resemnce of its appearance to a particr beast he had been acquainted with prompted further reflection from him. "Wait! That should be the one leading this outbreak! A Tier one Wendigo." The two professors heard their discussion, and one of them also expressed his thoughts about the matter. "Is it possible that this beast is the perpetrator responsible for Professor Adika''s death." "Apart from that, there would be no beast capable of causing his demise within the entirety of this Twilight Zone, with the exception of a Tier one beast." "This is really bad. That is why there is an outbreak. There is a Tier one beast leading them. They wouldn''t dare break out of the forest if there wasn''t one!" Celestia experienced a brief moment of shock, but promptlyposed herself due to her strong mental fortitude. They rushed out of the forest at a faster speed. Many students who were waiting at the station saw four figures emerge out of the forest. Fiona and Daphne also caught sight of them, prompting a sense of relief as they saw Celestia among them. They did not really care about the other students who went missing, but it was a different matter for Celestia, as she cared about everyone''s lives. The professors expeditiously assembled all individuals present and notified them regarding the prevailing circumstances. Fiona''s spection regarding the outbreak has proven to be urate. Fiona''s intelligence, which enabled her to swiftly deduce the situation, garnered even greater admiration from the students. When abruptly a multitude of Wyverns emerged from the surrounding Twilight Zone, unleashing long ranged breath attacks upon the very ships they were about to enter in. ''BOOM'' ''BOOM'' ''BOOM'' All the ships simultaneously exploded from the coordinated attacks of the Wayverns. Although the ships had defensive barriers to protect itself from attacks, it simply could not withstand the amount of power the Wayverns used. This was a Tier two beast after all, so it had no way of resisting their attacks. Many students were also caught up in the attack and died. Those students who also boarded the ship also died and are now buried under the rubble of the ships. Countless screams of agony can be heard around, with many being injured and close to death. As for Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia, they were near the professors, so they were protected by them. The other A and B ss students were also safe, as the professors prioritized those talented students first and simply did not care about the other lower ss students. This was just how the world works. Seeing what just happened, the professors scowled, and the students that survived started to panic because their only transport to retreat had been destroyed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Author : Guess who''s appearing soon? :) Chapter 55 Savior? ? Initially, there were approximately one thousand students upon their initial arrival; however, this number has now diminished to a minimum of several hundred. A significant number of students perished, with the majority of survivors being from ss A and ss B, while only a few were from sses C and D. As they collectively gaze upon the ghastly beasts materializing before their eyes and swiftly approaching them, a sense of terror grips their souls. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia exhibited a sense ofposure, but they were internally thinking seriously about how best to tackle the predicament. The three professors rose to the air and engaged inbat with the Wayverns, who attacked and destroyed the ships. Promptly, an intense aerial skirmish ensued. There were six Wayverns that shed with the three, and each of the professors took two and fought them fiercely. The resonating conflicts echoed throughout the vicinity, shaking the entire region and causing numerous fissures to develop in the terrain. Subsequently, the ground became leveled, unveiling a multitude of craters as the Wayvern unleashed its projectile assaults. Despite being outnumbered, the professors sessfully engaged in a confrontation with the six beasts. Hawkin is a Peak Magister, whereas the other two individuals are a Royal Swordsman and a Magister, respectively. If it had been any other ssification of Tier two beasts, their likelihood of sess would have been diminished. However, considering that the Wayverns were situated at the lowest tier within the beast rankings, they stood a better chance. They were able to fight the six Wayverns head on, despite being at a numerical disadvantage. It would be a different matter if suddenly another type of Tier two beast appeared. The trio of professors were able to sessfully kill three of the Wayverns, however, before they could rx, their worst fear appeared right in front of them. ''GRRRRR'' The professor''s expression changed to frantic upon witnessing the apparition of a dragon. A dragon was the highest type of Tier two beast. It hurtled towards them with remarkable speed, extending its sharp talons upon appearing in front of the C ss professor. In an attempt, he raised his sword to fend off its attack, only to be forcefully propelled approximately one mile away before finally halting on the terrain. He remained firmly nted on the ground, and upon rising, he experienced a numbing sensation in his right and left hands due to the impact of the sh. The students remained transfixed by the battle, filled with a deep sense of horror. Initially, they began to rx after observing the professor''s capability to kill the three Wayverns. However, upon the sudden advent of the dragon, they promptly sumbed, copsing to the ground. Seeing the situation change, Hawkin spoke in a loud, serious tone, breaking them out of their scared state. "You kids all of you run as fast as you can and get away from this ce. We will try to hold them off." The professor who was sent flying also rose back into the air to try and hold off the dragon. Upon eliminating the Wayvern Hawkin was facing, Hawkin issued amand to the B ss professor to kill thest one after killing the one he was currently facing. "After you kill thest one,e and help us with this Dragon." Hawkin said, and the B ss professor nodded. After he said that, he hastened to provide assistance to the C ss professor to withstand the onught of the Dragon. Goren proceeded towards Fiona and told her, "Fiona, let''s get out of this ce." As he reached out his hand, intending to grab Fiona''s hand. "Why the f*ck are you her again? Can you stop pestering me?" "I recall that you are associated with a dragon lineage, are you not? I believe the correct term would be ancestor. Am I correct? Perhaps you can engage in conversation with that dragon, as there is a chance it might lend an ear to your words." After uttering these words, Fiona left him. Goren frowned as his advances toward Fiona kept getting rejected. Celestia and Daphne also saw their interactions, prompting Celestia to ask, "Can I ask what you are doing, Goren? Given our current circumstances, I am amazed that you are considering engaging in flirtatious behavior," she said with a disapproving tone. "You are absolutely disgusting!" Daphne further eximed, and she found herself utterly disgusted by Goren''s behavior. Both also left and followed Fiona, leaving a dumbfounded Goren. Fiona yelled and directed all the students, saying, "Everyone, stop being in a daze and follow us. We will lead you all out of this area and run as fast as we can." "I have also contacted someone from my family, and they should be arriving soon to get the situation back under control." "I''ve also contacted my Doomthorne family." "Same here! I''ve told my Duragny family about it. As soon as I heard there was an outbreak." Upon hearing what they said about the three Duke families taking action to quell the outbreak, the students exhaled a collective sigh of relief. They all gathered around and started to rush away from the battlefield. But then suddenly the Wayvern the B ss professor was about to kill slipped away and started heading towards the students who were retreating. He realized what it nned to do, but it was toote. The Wayvern used all its mana to fly at high speed, directly charging a mana st towards the students, and nning to die along with them. "Not good!" The professor gravely eximed, "Students, watch out!" Hearing the professor yell, the students turned their heads back, and they saw a Wayvern heading towards them. They instantly fell into despair, feeling that they were about to die. Celestia also saw this and hurriedly got in front to block it. Seeing Celestia take action, even though Daphne and Fiona did not care about the other students and could''ve escaped, but they cared about Celestia. So they immediately came to her side. They were ready to fight and die with her. Just as the Wayvern was on the verge of initiating its attack. A long-distance beam of light can be seen in the distance rapidly converging upon the Wayvern. Chapter 56 Two Figures Emerged Therge beam of light came to rest upon the Wayvern. As soon as it came into contact with the beast. Theplete disintegration and subsequent dispersion of the body urred, resulting in the formation of fine dust particles. This particr scene stupefied all those present. As they gradually shift their gaze in the direction where the beam of light originated. A ship can be observed flying towards their location. "Look! That''s a Tier S ship, right?" "Have the Duke families arrived atst? That''s great!" One of the students eximed with excitement. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia were perplexed as their families seemed to have arrived unexpectedly quickly, considering the considerable distance they had to traverse to reach the Twilight Zone. Amidst their collective perplexion, the ship abruptly halted, jostling them unceremoniously. Two people emerged from the ship, disembarked, and slowly descended to the ground. Upon witnessing one of the figures, it appeared as though time itself decelerated in their presence, akin to the gentle descent of autumn leaves from trees and the gradual sway of grass on the ground. Fiona observed the figure, and without any hesitation, she approached him swiftly before embracing him tightly, akin to a distressed child, and tears came out of her eyes. In that moment, herposed demeanor vanished entirely. That''s right, the figures that appeared were Zenryx and Xue Shan. Who he brought with him from the Ounder continent. Daphne and Celestia also came in front of him. This was the first time they had seen Zenryx other than his pictures on the inte. He simply looked better in person. This made Daphne, who had previously exhibited bratty tendencies whenever or whoever she talked to, to groom herself and adjust her demeanor in order to make a positive initial impression. The students were equally taken aback to witness Fiona, whom they had always perceived as dignified, behaving childishly in the presence of Zenryx. They were particrly astounded by his sudden appearance in the Twilight Zone and the ease with which he killed the Tier two Wayvern. Zenryx capitalized on the armament capabilities of his ship, given its prestigious S tier ssification, which naturally warranted the inclusion of an S grade weaponry system. However, he did not offer any exnation as Fiona rested in his embrace. He sternly requested, "Hey, stop acting so clingy, and stop suffocating me, it''s hard to breathe. It''s just been two months, and you became more of a crybaby." But Fiona did not move and maintained her silence, and nestled against him, like an octopus with both her feet tied around his waist and both hands tied around his neck, harboring a deep seated fear that he would once again vanish away from her sight. Celestia expressed her gratitude sincerely, stating, "I am deeply thankful for your act of saving us, Zen." Despite being taken aback by his sudden appearance, she maintained her regalposure as a Princess. Regarding Daphne, despite her seemingly usual carefree demeanor and words, she appeared rather introverted or shy, exhibiting a noticeable reluctance to engage in conversation, resulting in her choosing to remain silent on the sidelines. The men envied Zenryx, and the girls envied Fiona, seeing their closeness. Goren, on the other hand, was gritting his teeth in anger, seeing how Fiona was behaving. He advanced towards Zenryx with a reprimanding tone, stating, "Hey, get your dirty hands away from her!" Upon hearing this, a profound silence descended upon the entire vicinity, causing them to momentarily forget about the impending arrival of the herd of wild beasts. The utterance of Goren''s words was truly bbergasting. All the attending students were epassed by a state of bewilderment. Goren, hailing from a separate continent, was still unfamiliar with the identity of Zenryx, despite having heard spective murmurs. However, he regarded these ounts as exaggerated, even after the battle with Fiona and Noah. He simply could not stand the girl he fancied so close to another man. Zenryx cast his gaze upon the person who boldly approached, with an expression of indifference, and inquired, "Uhh, Who might you be?" "I am Goren, from a Dragon lineage continent, and I am a student in A ss." "So? What do you want from me?" "Fiona is my woman. Get away from her." as he stretched out his hands, trying to pull Fiona away from him. "Oh? Is this true?" with a mysterious smile on his face. When Fiona heard Goren''s words, she abruptly snapped out of her trance like state, causing her face to flush with anger. "What the f*ck?! Are you out of your mind?" Fiona spoke with an angry tone. All the students present were also thinking that Goren might have a problem with his brain and that he might have been dropped when he was born. Daphne and Celestia thought the same. Goren disregarded Fiona''s words and, seeing Zenryx''s not moving at all despite his words, he proceeded to unsheathe his sword in a direct attempt to intimidate and issue threats to Zenryx. "I''ll fight and kill if you don''t get your hands off her." "Hey, hey, look, shouldn''t you be saying that to Fiona, as she''s the one grabbing me?" Upon acknowledging the veracity of Zenryx''s statement, he redirected his attention towards Fiona. Fiona saw Goren switch his gaze towards her, she then said, "Why do you care? Like I don''t even know you?" Hearing her words, Goren''s expression furrowed, and he inadvertently uttered an offensive term, calling her "B*tch", disying apse in hisposure. Zenryx found this situation to be quite entertaining at first, but when he heard Goren utter that word, an evil mocking grin appeared on his face. Upon witnessing this spectacle, Celestia and Daphne were on the verge of stepping forward to engage Goren in a confrontation. However, just as they were about to do so, there was an abrupt decrease in atmospheric temperature, apanied by a swift and precise sword strike that cleaved Goren''s body in two. Blood spewed forth from the severed center, eliciting a mix of horror and shock among the students. All eyes turned towards Zenryx, whose decisive actions had instilled a palpable sense of fear among them. Chapter 57 The Battle Of The Outbreak Starting ? Celestia was profoundly taken aback and perturbed by Zenryx''s ruthless execution of Goren, which was noticeablycking in any semnce of remorse. Despite experiencing a strong sense of repulsion towards Goren, she did not harbor any intent or desire to take his life. Daphne, however, did not really care about Zen killing him. She had long wanted to kill that guy, so it saves her the trouble of killing him herself. In contrast, Fiona experienced an overwhelming sense of joy. She had the impression that Zen''s actions were influenced by thements expressed by Goren earlier. Sensing the stares emanating from the students of the Pontiac Academy, Zen maintained an air of indifference. Zen nonchntly remarked, "Did anyone happen to perceive a bothersome buzzing sound like a fly just moments ago?" while smoothly returning his Katana back to his dimensional ring. Seeing Zen''s attitude, it appears that he does not possess a genuine sense of gravity towards the act of taking another person''s life. They were stunned and unable to respond. The B ss professor also witnessed the whole thing, and he was also as shocked as the students. Seeing that the Wayvern situation was resolved, he redirected his attention towards aiding the other two professors in the elimination of the dragon. At present, he is unable to allocate time for contemting such matters. Even if he had time to, he did not have the courage to reprimand the young master of the Raverdieu just for that. Additionally, that person was from another continent. "Hey everyone, the herd of beasts ising, you all should retreat now! Well, if you want to stay and be killed by those beasts, then you are free to stay." Zenmunicated, effectively snapping them out of their trance like state. Even though the students could not fathom what just happened, they reacted quickly after hearing him and hurriedly rushed out of the area. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia stood beside Zen, waiting for him to speak of his next action. Even though Celestia disagreed with Zen''s actions just now, she did not pursue the matter any further. "What are you three doing? You should get out of here too," Zen stated, casting a fleeting gaze at the three young girls in front of him. "Then what about you?" Fiona spoke. "I''m going to help those three fight the dragon and kill some beasts myself. My hands are itching for battle right now as I haven''t really fought these past two months." Upon listening to his words, the three girls inadvertently disyed a concerned expression. Finally, Daphne expressed her concern in a voice filled with worry, stating, "Uhmm, Zen, shouldn''t we retreat together? It''ll be dangerous." Celestia also agreed and said "Yes, Zen, we should just leave this matter to our families as they areing soon anyway." Fiona also voiced her apprehensions; however, Zen abruptly ascended into the air and entered his ship along with Eliza, disregarding their concerns altogether. Before he entered his ship, he instructed them, "You three should go back first." "Are youing back at least, or are you going to leave again af¡ª" Before Fiona could finish speaking, Zen had already started leaving, causing her foot to stomp the ground. The only course of action avable to the three girls was to simply watch his departure as he ventured into the battleground. A definite tone of anger could be heard in Fiona''s words, "Well, let''s just leave then and let him be." She sighed after conveying her statement, "There is little we can do about his behavior as it seems to be deeply rooted in his nature to do whatever the hell he wants." Both girls nodded in agreement with her words about Zen. "Ok, then we''ll go and meet up with our families first so we can tell them about the situation. That''s the only way we can help him," Daphne said. They subsequently departed and withdrew in an attempt to rendezvous with their respective families. Throughout the duration of the event, Xue maintained her silence from the sidelines. Zen and Xue were situated within the ship, while Zen directed Helix to prepare the weaponry system and strategically position it for the purpose of engaging the dragon. Zen bestowed the name "Helix" upon the artificial intelligence of the ship, as it was deemed necessary to establish a separate identity instead of just calling it A.I for the sake of enhancing his personal convenience. The professors observed the arrival of the ship and expressed a sense of reassurance upon its sighting. They naturally acquired knowledge about the events that had transpired and the person who was inside the ship. Amidst their confrontation with the Tier one dragon, the professor of B ss ryed the recent developments to them. Despite their initial reluctance to involve Zen in the battle, their indifference grew upon seeing him equipped with a top Tier S ship. Given the escting threat of beasts wreaking havoc on small towns and cities, their primary concern was securing as much assistance as possible. Urgency necessitated a swift resolution of the dragon situation. Helix prepared the cannon for firing, meticulouslyputing the dragon''s trajectory prior to unleashing a concentrated beam of light upon it. The three professors moved out of the way in order to avoid being caught up in the st. ''BzzzZZT Bang!'' The dragon managed to evade the attack to some extent due to its agility, yet ultimately, a breach was inflicted upon its wings by the force of the st. Despite the formidable defense possessed by the dragon, it remains incapable ofpeting against the might of an S grade cannon. Upon witnessing the plight of the injured beasts, the three professors proceeded to rush forward and take action to continue their assault. Due to the ship''s ability to self operate under the control of Helix, Zen jumped out of the ship, leaving Xue behind. He expressed a desire to engage inbat with Tier two and Tier three creatures personally, as he is also yearning for a battle. Unknown to them, a beast is observably lurking ndestinely in a dim corner, observing the entirety of the battle. Chapter 58 Outbreak Battle ? The assorted creatures varied in their dimensions, forms, and rankings. A significant portion of the animals that remained behind from the group consisted primarily of low ranking beasts, particrly those in the tier three to four range. They were unable to match the agility exhibited by the higher tier beasts. The professors and Helix were engaged in a fierce battle against the Tier two dragon. The remarkable swiftness of the dragon, enabled by its mastery of the aerial expanse, proved insurmountable even after enduring the forceful assault from Helix. The dragon began to exhibit caution in its approach, sessfully evading all the beams of lightunched toward it. The professors were pressed for time due to the imminent arrival of the creatures in urban areas. Observing the circumstances at hand, they made an all out effort and used all of their domains. Hawkin initiated his domain known as Astral, harnessing the mana in the vicinity to unleash his unparalleled ultimate attack. "Anna and Lector, use your domains to bind it, so I''ll be able to uratelynd by attack," Hawkin said, instructing them on what to do. Upon hearing his instructions, both professors employed their respective domains. Professor Lector of B ss, initiated the activation of his domain, which possessed the ability to generate tangible afterimages. These afterimages swiftly enveloped the dragon from all directions, while simultaneously implementing his skill to immobilize the dragon within a specific location. Professor Anna of the C ss employed a domain barrier type, thereby augmenting Lector''s encirclement. Perceiving the intentions of the professors, Helix likewise made preparations for its offensive maneuver. Hawkin sessfully amassed the mana in the surrounding area, which subsequently manifested as a colossal ball of fire. Heunched his attack towards the dragon that was restrained within the domain of the two professors. Additionally, Helix hasunched its most formidable beam of light attack. Witnessing the barrage of assaults directed at the dragon, it exerted its utmost power in an endeavor to free itself from the entrapment. ''Bang'' ''Bang'' ''Bang'' The dragon aggressively collided with the barrier using its reinforced horns, resulting in noticeable fissures forming in the barrier. Upon observing this, the professors began to frown. The barrier fractured into small fragments, which then caused arge explosion that propelled both Lector and Anna forcibly backward. The attacksunched by Helix and Hawkin were about to reach the Dragon. However, mere moments before making contact, the dragon ascended into the air. Lector harnessed the entirety of his aura with the purpose of amplifying his physical attributes to their utmost capability. He abruptly vanished from his original position, giving way to the emergence of a hazy silhouette in his previous location, only to reappear atop the soaring dragon. He delivered a blow in a downward direction with his leg, followed by an execution of a downward thrust using his sword. Deploying the dragon to the ce from which Helix and Hawkin initiated their assault The dragon was sent downward, perceiving its inevitable fate of being subjected to scorching onughts initiated by Hawkin and Helix. The dragon sought to counter the assault with a retaliatory strike of the same caliber. It initiated its defense by opening its mouth and conjuring a mighty breath of fire, which then surged toward the oing attack. The strikes from both sides converged, however, the dragon''s assault proved insufficient to withstand thebined onught of a Peak Magister and an S Tier ship. A hole emerged on the chest of the dragon, causing the disintegration of its heart. The professors experienced a sense of relief, observing with great satisfaction as the lifeless body of the dragon gradually descended to the ground. ''Bang'' The lifeless body of the dragon made a resounding impact as it crashed onto the ground. Upon catching sight of the dragon''s remains, all the beasts fervently charged towards it, driven by the intention to consume its flesh. Zen alsonded on the ground and intended to start killing all the beasts that was present in the vicinity. He wanted to clean this area and ughter all the beasts left behind. He immediately drew the attention of approximately fifty lower ranking beasts, including the well known cerberus and chimeras that he had encountered in the past. In addition, he managed to draw the attention of the beasts that were feasting upon the corpse of the dragon. "Hoh, my old friends are here too," Zen remarked, graciously unsheathing his katana from within his dimensional ring. "I can take you guys to meet all your family members in the after life." He put his hands up and defiantly extended his middle finger towards the creatures, taunting them as he proimed, "Come b*tches!" As soon as he finished his words, all the beasts rushed towards him. Zen used his skill Triple Thrust, effectively unleashing a thrust aura that dispersed in three distinct directions. Which then prated the low tiered beasts, causing the manifestation of a frosty veneer upon their bodies that made the blood on their bodies freeze due to the ability of his Katana. Upon witnessing this scene, the animals suddenly halted and instinctively attempted to flee, their perception seemingly shifting from predator to prey. "What the f*ck!" Zen eximed, seeing the scene in front of him. Zen has be so powerful that tier five and tier three beasts are no longer a match for him. He then used his domain, and lighting sword pirs appeared In the surrounding area, followed by four instantaneous lightning shes that emitted a cold aura. He also enhanced his physique and rushed towards the herd of beasts, ruthlessly killing them all one by one. At this point, his katana''s edge and his white clothing were now drenched in copious amounts of the thick blood of multiple beasts. The professors in the air watched the battle in astonishment. Hawkin spoke "Is this still someone from the young generation." "Let''s go, let''s just leave him here, it seems he can handle these things himself." They left, heading towards where all the rest of the herd beasts went. "What the hell? This is bullsh*t!" Zen eximed disapprovingly as he observed the professors leaving. "These b*tches can''t even put up a good fight." Zen felt dissatisfied with his fight with the lower ranking beasts. So he just left behind the rest of them and followed the professors, hoping to fight something stronger. He doesn''t care what the rest of the beast does after he leaves. They could perpetrate acts of lethal violence towards humans to their hearts content, and his indifference would remain unswayed. Zen was merely in search of entertainment and he could also use a good battle to temper himself. He needed to fight something stronger to train. The beasts that was also lurking in the shadows disappeared after they all left. Chapter 59 The Meeting Of The Villain And The Protaganist ? Arriving at a nearby city. Many creatures can be seen roaming the streets looking for people they could kill and hunt. Corpses were strewn about in various states of dismemberment, bearing the marks of savage killings inflicted by all the beasts. The facades of the buildings were bespattered with crimson stains, apanied by a disquieting hum permeating the atmosphere. To the extent that it renders an individual nearly incapable of tolerating the visual and induces a profound sense of nausea. The structures in this area have undergone severe destruction and have beenpletely demolished as a result of the devastation caused by the creatures. The surrounding area appears devoid of any human presence, characterized solely by devastation and destion. One where life was once vibrant but now all that remains is sadness and despair. Hunter Guild Association has arrived at this area looking for survivors while also clearing out the whole area. Leading them is Warden the head of the organization himself and there was also another Magister rank amongst them. With about hundreds of hunters with Great Rank achievements. The Duke families army has also arrived. With about four magisters leading them. However, the Raverdieu dispatched a grand total of six Magisters. Upon receiving news that Fiona is presently in the Twilight Zone. Inclusive of the Magisters, Marie Zen''s personal maid was also among them. Elle and Randell deployed a significant number of their forces in order to ensure Fiona''s safety. The total number of troops was approximately in the range of tens of thousands. Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia are currently staying in their respective families together and informed them about the current situation. As they swiftly cleared out the area they promptly evacuated the vicinity, uncovering surviving individuals ensnared beneath the debris of the structures, still exhibiting signs of breathing, and also those hiding in hidden areas. Each town and city they went to was systematically liberated, exterminating all of the wild beasts in the process. The majority of the low ranking beasts have been significantly eradicated. The professors and Zen are presently en route to a neighboring town. Despite his confusion about the outbreak, Zen decided to seize the opportunity to further develop his skills, perceiving it as a favorable chance for self improvement. He could just conduct an investigation into the matter after all problems have been resolved. Hawkin perceived the presence of an approaching aura, prompting him to cast a nce behind him. To his astonishment, he beheld the formidable ship of S tier caliber tailing their path. They stopped for moment and asked what he was doing. "Zenryx, why are you here?" Hawkin asked. "Don''t mind me. Can you guys leave this town for myself." "What about the beasts that you were fighting with?" Lector asked but only to be met with silence. Zen did not bother responding to his question. "So?" Zen asked again. The professors exchanged nces, contemting whether to entrust Zen with the task of addressing the predicament befalling the town before them. They did not really trust that Zen would be able to handle it. Since they have only seen him fought with lower rank beasts earlier. The situation thaty before them was considerably moreplicated, for there existed the possibility of the presence of a Tier two beast among the other creatures. Ultimately, a consensus was reached and Hawkin decided to remain in order apany Zen. He directed Lector and Anna to proceed to alternative destinations. "Let''s go Zenryx." Hawkin stated and Zen followed him behind. In this town, by mere coincidence, Edward, Crystal, and Eliza happened to be present. They were current involved in an intense battle with two Tier three beasts. Edwards was facing one and while the two girls was fighting the other one. Injuries can be see on their bodies developing as they fought the two beast. Ultimately, Edward sessfully killed the beast he was facing, his breathbored as evidence of his exertion. However, he recognized that he could not afford to waste any time to catch his breath. He rushed towards Crystal and Eliza to help them kill off thest one. Theyunched an assault from multiple angles and ultimately seeded in eliminating the final Tier three beasts. Eliza, ovee with exhaustion, dropped to her knees and, out for breath, inquired, "What¡­What is..is going on?" Eliza took her phone out, her hands trembling due to the battle that also exhausted her, to ascertain if there were any new pertaining to the matter. "There''s actually a outbreak happening right now!" Edwards looked at her with seriousness hearing her words. "We have to get as far away as possible from here then." "The whole area is filled with beasts roaming around how do we escape?" After engaging in brief conversation to deliberate on their next course of action regarding the current issue. They proceeded in the direction of the southern region. While engaged in stealthy ambtion, endeavouring to remain concealed from view. They heard a sound of battle while trying to escape. Hearing the battle their expression change thinking that reinforcements had finallye to quell the outbreak. Edward guided them to the location from which they had perceived the sounds of the battle. Upon arrival, they beheld a solitary figure engaged inbat with the formidable creatures, akin to a deity of war, while his countenance was marked by blood trickling down his visage. Edwards was taken aback, uttering, "What on earth?!l as heid eyes upon this individual who aroused an innate sense of hostility within him. He was perplexed as to why, given that this should be the first time he is meeting this person, he couldn''tprehend the feeling he was getting. In fact this was perfectly normal because the viin and protagonist could not simply coexist together in the same world. It was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, no matter how you twisted and turned, they just weren''t meant to exist side by side. Despite the grotesque sight of blood, which evoked a semnce of madness, the individual''s appearance remained unrivaled, retaining his inherent allure Eliza and Crystal directed their gaze towards the same direction as Edward and disyed the same expressions of astonishment upon witnessing the scene unfolding before them. Chapter 60 Request Of Crystal ? While Zen was fighting a bunch of beasts, he caught a glimpse of the three. He cautiously retreated and positioned himself beside the Professor. "Professor Hawkin, right?" he questioned. "Yes, what is it?" "Mind taking over for a moment?" Hawkin was watching from the sidelines, alert for any potential surprise attacks from other beasts, so he was a little perplexed by his request as Zen''s battle was going along smoothly. "Look over there," he said as Zen pointed in a certain direction. "Coincidentally, my friends are here too. I''m going to see how they are doing." Hawkin directed his gaze towards the indicated direction, and, indeed, he saw three individuals who appeared to be of the same age as Zen. Upon witnessing this, he consented to temporarily assume Zen''s responsibilities of holding off the group of beasts, thereby enabling Zen to engage in a conversation with his alleged ''friends''. Zen approached the trio, who were likewise directing their gaze towards him. When Edward saw himing, he disyed an air of caution. He appears to be wary of him, thinking of him as bad news. He stepped forward, with the two girls positioned behind him in an attempt to shield them. "Hey damn, why are you being so cautious? I''m just trying to see if you guys are ok, since you all seem to be injured." "Y-you are Zenryx Raverdieu, right?" Crystal said her voice was tremulous, and she emerged from behind Edward and uttered, "You''re the one who saved me back then at the Twilight Zone." "Hmm?" Zen acted like he was thinking hard and trying to remember. "Ah! You''re that girl back then that was surrounded by a bunch of Cerberum." "Yes, yes," Crystal said while uncontrobly nodding her head . Eliza stepped out from behind, also asking if they knew each other. Seeing another girl step out, Zen nced at her and pondered, ''This should be the sessor of that Emperator huh.'' [Hey Destiny, is it possible to kill this Edward right now? He seems he weak, and there shouldn''t be any issue with killing him. It wouldn''t be like those novels where some expert suddenly appears just right before I kill him, right?] Zen said in his mind, questioning his system as he shifted his focus to Edward. ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [¨‹ Host, you have the liberty to proceed as you wish, although be advised that there will be repercussions as a result of your action.] [Consequence?] [¨‹ Given that the current plot centers around this character named Edward, it will inevitably impact the entirety of the storyline. For instance, the series of cmities that Edward would encounter individually in the times ahead wouldmence simultaneously.] [Hmm, interesting. So what do you suggest?] [¨‹ Of course, the resolution of this issue will be attained upon the implementation of system update 3.0.] [There''s such a thing?] Seeing that Zen was silently just standing. Edward spoke, breaking out of Zen''s thought. "Hey! What are you staring at?!" "My bad, anyway, do you all need some help?" "Why would we need yo-" Edward''s words were cut off when Crystal suddenly spoke, "Yes, and can I talk to you privately for a moment? I need to ask you something." "Yeah, sure, go ahead." Crystal discreetly pulled Zen''s wrist, pulled him to the side, and asked, "Do you still have that amethyst earring?" "Ah, so you figured out that it was me who took it, huh? I do have it, but why do you ask." Zen asked her curiously with a gentle smile on his face. Crystal avoided looking directly into his eyes and spoke in a nervous manner, fidgeting as she twined her fingers through a lock of her hair. "Umm, y-you should know that there''s a restriction to those earrings that makes you unable to use it" "Seeing how you bid for it back at the action for like what ten million? Isn''t that too excessive?" "So?" "Well, I can help you activate it in one condition." "Condition?" "Do you know about the Doom Order?" "I am from the Raverdieu family; of course I know of them. Who do you think destroyed half of their organization." "Yes! About that, you know that we are from the Vrt family, right? And that the reason for my family''s destruction is caused by them." "So in exchange for activating that artifact, is it possible to ask you to avenge my family in the future? It doesn''t have to be right now, but in the future." Zen pondered the matter momentarily. Indeed, he had previously entertained the notion that the beast outbreak was linked to the Guild Hunter Association, and he was also aware of Wardens affiliation with the Doom Order. So he nned to start his investigation with the Doom Order. This was simply killing two birds with one stone, but he was a businessman, so he wanted to kill three birds with one stone. "Ehh, But what if I don''t want to?" "Well¡­" Crystal actually understood why he just disagreed since this was the Doom Order after all. Although it may have been an easy task for the Raverdieu family to eliminate the Doom Order from the face of the, it would still require some effort. So she understood that she had to give something to him at least, for him to take her request into consideration. But if she could hear Zen''s thoughts, she would think that he was too wicked and greedy. Thinking about it Crystal couldn''t think of anything that she could give Zen because, after all, this was Zen; he should be able to get pretty much everything he needed from the world since he is from the most powerful family on Pontiac. "Do you have any other conditions?" So she asked him instead. Zen lowered his head, and his face approached Crystal''s. Seeing this, her limbs appeared to have transformed into stubborn statues, refusing to budge a single inch. Believing that Zen intended to kiss her, she proceeded to close her eyes, not refusing him at all. But then she felt his warm breath on her ear and thought that she had misunderstood his gesture. Subsequently, Zen whispered something closely in her ear, causing her to lower her head and her face to flush red like a tomato. Chapter 61 Planting A Seed ? Edward saw the entire interaction and started to frown a bit at Zen''s action, thinking that it was a bit too intimate. He just felt deeply in his heart that this person had malicious intent. Following the conversation between Crystal and Zen, she returned to where Edward was and talked with him, providing him with an exnation of the what she and Zen discussed. Furthermore, she admitted that Zen is in possession of their family''s artifact. Upon hearing her words, Edward was so taken aback that he involuntarily clenched his fist and eximed, "What?! Why have you never told me about this before?" Thinking that she might be hiding something more from him, he asked her again. "Is there anything else I should know about? I''ll go confront that Zenryx and take it away from him." "No! What are you even saying? Did you even hear me say that he will help us with the Doom Order." "What makes you think he will help us? I''ve always felt something was wrong with that guy. I''m sure he has bad intentions." Hearing this, she couldn''t help but blush a little bit, recollecting the words Zen had whispered into her ear. Edward saw this and said, "Wait¡­ Don''t tell me he had another condition other than you helping him activate the artifact?" Seeing that she was silent, he switched his attention towards Zen with bulging eyes, who was standing behind Crystal. "Hey! You! What conditions did you tell her?" Zen was watching them talk from the sidelines, but then Edward spoke to him in an angry tone. "Nothing really. I am merely suggesting something of a straightforward nature," Zen replied, apanied by an enigmatic grin. "Regardless, return that artifact to us. That item is the property of our family. I am prepared topensate you for it." "Hmmm? What makes you think I''m inclined to sell it to you?" Zen is questioning Edwards stupidity. ''Does he think Ick money or something, and Why would I give something that will just make the protagonist stronger? Hahahha The f*ck'' Zen thought, ridiculing him internally. After a prolonged exchange of arguments. Edward''sposure reached its breaking point as he drew his sword with the intention of striking Zen. Zen deftly evaded the attack and swiftly delivered a powerful kick, propelling him a distance of twenty meters. Observing that the situation was escting, Eliza and Crystal ultimately intervened in an attempt to quell their altercation. Crystal rushed to Zen''s side and pursued him "Hey, Zenryx, let my brother go this time. I don''t know what has gotten to him today. He seems like a different person." Eliza additionally proceeded to go to Edward and check on him, who had been forcefully sent back. The impact of Zen''s kick inflicted some slight injuries on him. ''What the hell? Is this protagonist really this weak? I didn''t even use much strength, and he''s done just like that? That''s crazy.'' ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [Please don''t be conceited, host.] [Huh? Why are you talking suddenly? You''ve be a bit talkative recently; why is that?] [¡­] Edward stood up, forcefully moved Eliza aside, and brandished his sword towards Zen once more, resolutely expressing his desire to fight him again. "Again, You bastard!" "¡­" All three of them were rendered speechless upon hearing him articte absurdities at this moment. He clearly can''t defeat Zen, but what the hell was he thinking? But Zen didn''t want to continue any longer, as he remembered that in the novels he read, the protagonist would always break through their level of power at critical moments. So he wanted to prevent such things from happening. Until updating the system to version 3.0, Destiny posited that all such issues would be effectively resolved, so he simply had to wait until that time. Zen simply disregarded him and proceeded to depart, intending to return to the professor. However, before he turned away, he conveyed, while pointing at Professor Hawkin, "Head north; that old man over there told me that the Duke armies are there; you all should be able to meet up with them." acting like he was a benevolent human being with morals. After Zen left, Eliza suddenly spoke to Edward, asking, "Edward, why are you so hostile towards him? He doesn''t seem to be a bad person." "Hmmph, Don''t judge a book by its cover. He is definitely hiding his intentions deeply." Crystal also returned to Edward''s side after persuading Zen to let her brother go. "Brother, what the hell are you thinking? Are you really going to be like this?" "Crystal, don''t be fooled; be wary of that Zenryx!" "Why? He even told us a safe path to head to, to avoid fighting those beasts." In reality, Zen harbored the intention of preventing Edward from engaging inbat, in the event that he unexpectedly achieved the rank of Peak Intermediate, which Zen did not want happening. Seeing how stubborn her brother was, she just left him behind and started heading north, where Zen told them to go. In the end, Zen found contentment in the conclusion he envisioned. He would slowly break their rtionships apart until the point where they would kill each other. ======= The beast outbreak was almost solved, but the whereabouts of the Tier One Wendigo remained unknown. All high ranking individuals were duly notified of its appearance within the Twilight Zone by the professors. They diligentlybed through every crevice and recess, yet their efforts proved fruitless in locating it. After effectively killing all the beasts in the town, Zen decided to rendezvous with Marie and request her assistance in conducting investigative inquiries. Hawkin subsequently returned to the Academy to report to the Dean of Pontiac Academy regarding the events that transpired. The loss of life resulting from this catastrophic incident amounts to hundreds of thousands of fatalities. Everyone was befuddled as to the origins of the sudden outbreak, employing their cognitive faculties to ascertain the underlying factors responsible for such an urrence. However, it remained an enigma as to how an unforeseen Tier one entity abruptly appeared and triggered an outbreak. Therefore, Zen wanted to initiate an investigation, with the Guild Hunter Association serving as his primary source of information since the founder of that organization is affiliated with the Doom Order. Chapter 62 Investigation ? Zen was on his way to meet up with his family''s troops, which were stationed near the Twilight Zone. After twenty minutes had passed, he eventually arrived and safelynded his ship onto an expansive destroyer type of ship ssified as S-tier, boasting an impressive length of approximately three thousand meters. When he arrived, all the troops present were surprised by his sudden appearance, but they quickly came back to their senses. As they had grown ustomed to his frequent disappearances and sudden reappearances, their intrigue was piqued by the presence of the girl who was following behind him. "Hey, did the young master find himself a girlfriend?" "I think so, she looks like a doll and is quite cute." Discussions among them can be heard as they curiously scrutinize Xue. When she first met Zen back on the Ound continent, she was besmirched with filth, her clothes were worn down, and her clothes had all types of rips. But after cleaning herself up, surprisingly, she was quite cute, and a beauty at that. Be that as it may, though, she still could notpare to Fiona and Celestia. Who knows? Maybe in the near future, once she''s all grown up, she might be able to, no one knows what the future holds. They both entered a room that had been prepared for them, and Fiona, Daphne, and Celestia were all inside as well. All three of them were having a conversation, trying to figure out the identity of the girl who was apanying Zen. Since they did not have to think time about it back then because of the outbreak. Their conversation was interrupted when both Zen and Xue opened the door and entered, Fiona hurriedly stood up when she saw Zen, grabbed him by his arm, and red at Xue like she was protecting her food. Seeing this, Xue chuckled a bit and said, "Youngdy, don''t be too wary; I am just young master Zen''s follower, nothing else." Zen spoke up, also asking Fiona. "So how are mother and father? Are they... still breathing?" "Hey... Don''t talk like that!" Fiona responded, "Anyway, they have left Pontiac and have gone somewhere; I do not know where, that is just what I was told." Zen thought about it for a moment, but in the end, he could not figure it out. He found an empty seat and sat down, however, as he sat down, he had an enlightenment. ''They might have gone to the main family. It might have something to do with the unknown enemy lurking in the gxy. Well, I do not have to worry about that for now.'' Zen exchanged greetings with all the girls in the room and told them all about his adventures so far. Of course, he hid some parts that could not be discussed and that only he should know about. The three girls also talked to Xue and asked her about her story. "You girls talk; I have something to do." Zen informed them. They all nodded in agreement, but all the girls watched him as he walked and were curious what he was about to do since he might do something unexpected. To their disappointment, Zen just stood up, walked to a corner of the room, and took out his phone to call someone. So all four girls reverted their gazes towards him and just continued talking. After he finished his call. Zen returned back to his seat and joined their conversation. A loud ''growl'' was heard in the room while they were all conversing. They all looked at Daphne andughed. She ended up covering her face with her hands in embarrassment. Of course, she did not care in the past even if this happened, but Zen was currently among them, the guy she liked, so she was very embarrassed about it. "Ok, let''s go eat then; since someone is hungry, you girls might also be tired from running all day from the Twilight Zone." All of them agreed, and they stood up and started heading towards the exit. The door suddenly opened by itself, and Marie''s figure entered their vision. Fiona saw Marie and questioned her: "What''s wrong, Marie? Why are you here?" "Young Master Zen called me here as he seems to have an order for me to do." Celestia looked at Zen curiously and thought, ''This guy should be nning another thing that would shock the continent again.'' Thinking of this, she chuckled slightly thinking Zen was full of surprises. It was at this moment that she started to get interested in him, like she wanted to know about all his secrets. Zen was full of mystery, which attracted her. "You guys go out first; I have something to discuss with Marie." Zen spoke up and instructed the four girls to go ahead and eat without him. They followed what he said and exited the room. "What are you order''s young master?" Marie asked as she looked straight at him, trying to attentively listen to what he was about to say. "How is our family''s intelligencework?" "Why do you ask?" "I want you to instruct our intelligencework to find out about Warden''s action these past weeks and find out what he has been up to, he is also affiliated with the Doom Order organization." "I''ll need a detailed report on it as soon as possible." Although Marie was confused about why and how he found out about such information, she was still willing to follow his orders. "Anything else young master?" Zen contemted for a moment, thinking that the academy should also have some clues about the outbreak since it happened when the students entered the Twilight Zone. "Hmm, include some details on the report about what has happened in the academy so far." After receiving the information conveyed to her, she started heading out of the room with the intention of investigating Warden''s background and attending to the additional task entrusted to her by Zen. Zen watched as she left, his gaze fixed upon her leaving figure. "I hope she''s useful and can do the things I assigned her well." Zen mumbled as he did not really have any information about her from the novel. While saying that he also started heading towards where the four girls went, to join them for dinner. Chapter 63 The Academy Dean ? The beast outbreak was excessively unpredictable; no one knew it would ur without any sign. Resulting in the demise of numerous people. The majority of students from Pontiac Academy also perished as a result of the outbreak. Despite the unforeseen event resulting in the student''s tragic death, the academy was not subjected to significant me from the people of the Astre continent. As the unfortunate outbreak was unanticipated. However, there were also those who expressed disapproval towards the academy''sck of ability to ensure the safety and well being of their students. Due to this, the Pontiac Academy has postponed the sses for now. Another reason for that is that pretty much the majority of the students have died, so who is going to attend the sses? Their lifeless corpses? In any case, the freshmen have been granted a break while the academy attends to what they should do from now on. Inside the Pontiac Academy''s conference table, many figures can be seen sitting down. The academy''s dean has requested a meeting to deliberate on the appropriate course of action moving forward. The one sitting at the head of the table is the dean herself, known as Hermione Belles; she is one of the Great Magisters of the Astre continent. Furthermore, she holds the authority to make all decisions pertaining to the academy. Her hair is a vibrant shade of red, while her eyes emanate a gentle color reminiscent of the harmonious union of the ocean and the sky. Hermione hails from a marquess family, and due to the nobles way of doing things, she was pressured and had to follow each and every instruction she was given by her parents when she was a child. Due to that, she took matters into her own hands and left the family, cutting them offpletely. What she achieved when she left her family was astounding, and while traversing the outside world, she managed to establish her reputation throughout the whole. While she was attending Pontiac Academy in the past, she was fortunate enough to be admitted as the dean''s disciple, thus paving the way for her to be the dean. Hermione was able to rise to power just by relying on her own power, her personality is very strict, and a perfectionist at that. The matter of the outbreak and the students dying angered her to the point that she wanted to kill Hawkin and the other professors that were in charge of the Twilight Zone expedition. All the high ranking individuals were currently gathered together in this academy conference room, and there was silence in the room, they were all waiting for the dean to speak. They are able to perceive the extent of her displeasure regarding this matter. "So, Hawkin, what do you have to say?" Hermione suddenly spoke with a smile on her face, but if we closely listened to her tone, there was a sense of indignation in her voice. "Dean, I have no excuse for what happened, the outbreak just urred without any warning." "Hmm, I can understand, but¨C" as she was speaking, her mana manifested, making all the people inside the room feel like they were suffocating. "How the hell did you all not even minimize the amount of the student''s death?" "Do you consider yourselves professors at the Pontiac Academy merely for amusement?! Does your rank as a Magister hold no genuine significance?!" Hermione''s mana kept on increasing to the point that some professors were overwhelmed by the pressure and ended up losing their consciousness. Seeing how everyone was silent, she let out a deep sigh and left the conference room. While walking, she conveyed, "I am not mad; I am just disappointed in all of you." Of course, they are silent. What the f*ck? You made them faint; how the hell are they going to talk? Anyway, back to where Zen and the girls are currently at; they have returned to Zen''s vi. While they were all taking their leisurely time talking and ying games and such to get their minds off of the outbreak that transpired. Zen spoke and asked, "So how is life in the academy so far for you all?" "Boring! There is nothing to do there." Fiona also made a statement, expressing, "Of course, it is boring for you; you do nothing while you''re there; I have never seen any person aszy as you." As Daphne and Fiona engaged in a heated dispute, Celestia turned her attention towards Zen and said, "The academy has told us that sses will be on hold for now, as they are still trying to figure out what to do." "They did not tell us about anything else, but I''m just wondering how everything will proceed from now on." "Most of the first year students are dead; maybe they will restart the first year sses and recruit new students again?" "That is possible," Zen responded. "By the way, were there any strange urrences that happened in the academy?" Celestia fell into deep thought for a moment and suddenly remembered something. "Now that I think about it, there was a student that disappeared called Noah; he is from the Crellon family." "Up until now, there has been no sign of him." Hearing what Celestia said, Zen thought of something that might corrte to the things he had been specting in his mind. But he did not exin his thoughts to her; he just simply nodded at her words. "Well, I''m nning to bring Xue with me to the academy the next time the academy recruits students again." "Hmmm, hey, tell me honestly, is she your new girlfriend or something?" Upon bing aware of the subject to which they redirected their conversation, Xue inadvertently found herself blushing andpelled to attentively eavesdrop. But then she thought, ''Hays, if that''s really how things are, then I would have died of happiness long ago.'' When she thought of this, a deep sigh escaped from her. Zen just ignored Celestia''s question, and he flicked her forehead. ''Ouch'' "What the hell Zen!" she says, as she caresses the spot where Zen hit her on her forehead. During their conversation, Zen abruptly received a call and proceeded to check who the person calling him was, which turned out to be Marie. He picked up the call and asked, "Marie, have you finished what I instructed you?" "Yes, I will send the documents to you right now." ''Damn, they work quite fast, I did not expect to get results this fast'' Zen said internallymending his family''s intelligence force. Chapter 64 Results ? Zen was currently inside his room reading the documents that had been given to him. Which contained the thorough findings of the in depth investigation that the Raverdieu''s intelligence force conducted. Marie, too, was in the corner, awaiting additional instructions and was just watching Zen scheme through the documents. Because of Zen''s photographic memory, he could just look through it and memorize all the things that were on the document at an astonishing speed. ''Hmm, Warden took someone in?'' Zen contemted trying to figure out the identity of the person the Warden took in at the Guild Hunter Association. Marie observed Zen with interest as he attentively scanned the document, effortlessly flipping through its pages like he was just reading randomly. "Young master, everything you told me before was correct. That Warden is indeed affiliated with the Doom Order," Married stated. "Do you have any other information about the identity of the person he took in?" "We do not know yet; the person we sent out said he had a cloak and a mask on, so he could not see his face." Marie responded. "We were also unable to establish any concrete connections or evidence pertaining to that persons identity. "But judging from that person''s aura and bone age, we were able to find out that he seems to be the same age as you." "Hmm, Can you tell me some of your findings about what has transpired so far since the beginning of the academy year?" "Yes," Marie said, proceeding to elucidate her preliminary findings concerning the academy. "HoH, Fiona fought someone from the Crellon family, and that Crellon young master lost after talking so much sh*t. That''s quite funny." Zen''s statement was followed by a chuckle. "So what happened to that young master after that battle?" "That is what I intended to convey to you as well. It appears that the young master from the Crellon family has inexplicably vanished after that battle." Marie then proceeded to tell Zen that Noah might be linked with the person who was by Warden''s side. "That might be the case," Zen said, and he thought about something for a moment with his chin rested on his hand. ''Damn, everything is getting out of hand, huh. Everything from the original novel is f*ck up hahaha. Well it needs to be like this; otherwise, everything would be boring.'' But then he suddenly had an epiphany and he stood up from his seat surprising Marie. "Young master?" Zen did not hear her words, as he was really surprised by what he had just thought of. ''Wait, haha, so it''s like that. I actually got substituted by someone else.'' It was previously designated that the old Zen, was to be a member of the Doom Order after he fell out with his family. At that time, when he left his family, he was contacted by them and ended up getting recruited, and that was also one of the reasons for his demise. Once the protagonist rose to power, he searched throughout the looking for the Doom Order''s base. Once he found their base, he started a fight with them and ended up uprooting the entire organization. With the power of friendship and love, he and his harem were able to destroy that organization. He was able to avenge his Vrt family that day. That was also the time that the old Zen met the Grim Reaper. Seeing that Zen was silent, Marie called out to him again, breaking him out of his state: "Young master Zen, what''s wrong?" as she waved her hand in front of Zen''s eyes. Zen came back to his senses and asked her, "So the Doom Order is responsible for the outbreak?" "We have some suspicions that they were, because when the outbreak urred, Warden was nowhere to be found." "That is also part of the reason why the Guild Hunter Associations were unable to respond to the situation quickly, as he went missing at that time." "The report said that he went missing during the outbreak, around 12 p.m. right?" Zen questioned. "Yes," Marie responded. "That is also the time that the professors had finished their fight with that Tier two dragon and my fight near the Twilight Zone." Zen exined his thoughts. After hearing Zen''s words, Marie was ovee with deep thought and wondered if there might be a connection, "Could there be some corrtion to that? This Doom Order is hiding something deeply." Marie said under her breath. "Aren''t they afraid that Lady Elle and Lord Randell woulde looking for them again?" Zen then spoke and instructed Marie to let him be alone for now, snapping her out of her deep thought. To which she then exited the room, leaving only Zen behind. ''This is too strange, isn''t it? Everything I remember from the novel is messed up.'' Zen was sorting out all the information he had learned. ''So the person beside Warden is Noah Crellon, that''s for sure. Warden is from the Doom Order. The Doom Order might also be responsible for the outbreak. What I do not get is their purpose for starting an outbreak or how they started it.'' "If I remember correctly, during the battle between the protagonist and the Doom Order in the novel, Warden was nowhere to be found, which is quite suspicious. This guy is definitely the one doing everything behind the scene." Zen muttered. In the end, Zen decided to let the matter go for now; he just needed to get stronger to the point that the schemes of others would no longer affect him. He could also scheme things in the dark himself, and he was waiting for the System 3.0 update, which Destiny told him would resolve everything once it was updated. Zen called out to the system, [Destiny, are there any requirements for the update?] ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [Host: There is no such thing; it will eventually update once the time is right.] [Well, at least remind me when that timees; don''t be likest time when you just disappeared without even notifying me.] [Roger that host!] "I guess I also need to start showing my authority and dominance to the entire soon," expressed Zen. Chapter 65 Sparring ? "Young master, it seems you have improved again." "Of course, who do you think I am? Aren''t I the most talented in the younger generation? How am I not supposed to improve?" Zen, the master of rhetorical questions, strikes again. Marie and Bundoc shared a subtle chuckle at his narcissisticment. Both were currently sparring with Zen, providing him assistance in his training sessions at the practice field situated behind his vi. Abruptly, the faint sound of gentle steps can be heard heading in their direction, which interrupted their conversation. Looking in the direction of the footsteps, once they came into sight, Fiona and Xue''s figure appeared. "Fiona and Xue, what are you two doing here?" Zen asked. To which she responded, "Celestia and Daphne have already gone back; it is boring inside the vi." "So? What do you n to do here?" "Can we spar? Now that I think about it, we''ve never fought against each other before. I wanted to see howrge the gap was between us." Hearing this, Zen''s interest was piqued, as he also wanted to test out his step sister''s strength. "Hmm, I guess we could do that, but on one condition, you and Xue join together." "Huh, why? I told you I wan¨C" Fiona was about to say something, but she was interrupted by Zen. "Hurry up and both of you start getting ready, if you don''t want to then just forget it." ''What is wrong with this guy? In the past, I might have been defeated instantly, but I have trained in the gravitational room, and my experience at the Twilight Zone, So annoying!'' she thought as she started getting ready. "Xue, try to follow my movements and attack him simultaneously without letting him have any time to counterattack." Fiona whispered to Xue, exining her n. "Ok, got it," Xue acknowledged with a nod, signifying her agreement. Fiona and Xue went to the opposite side of the field from Zen''s position. Bundoc, Marie, and some guards that were at the practice area, moved to the sidelines to watch the battle between them. "Are you two ready?" Zen asked, but both of them suddenly rushed forward to attack him. Seeing this, Zen chuckled, "You both are in a hurry to get your asses beat, huh." He took out a regr sword, not intending to use his Tiered A Katana as this was just a spar. "Hmph, I know someone who said the same thing as you, Zen; he ended up getting crushed by me." Fiona countered. "Hoh aight." Fiona and Xueunched magic projectiles at Zen first to test the waters, but Zen effortlessly dodged all of them. Xue activated her mana to enhance her physical capabilities and ran towards Zen, which Fiona also did the same. She manifested an Ice crystal under Zen''s feet, intending tounch him into the air. They nned to finish the match fast, so she tried tounch him in the air so he would not be able to dodge any of their attacks. But just as the Ice Crystal appeared, Zen vanished from his spot. Xue stopped momentarily, feeling confused about where he had gone. Zen appeared behind her back and tried to karate chop her neck, which was what he did to Fiona back then. Sensing this, Xue directed her mana towards her neck, intending to create a barrier that could withstand his attack. Zen''s hand met her neck, which then made her fall to the ground. Although she did not faint, she still suffered some damage. Fiona saw this and activated her Mystic Field to slow him down because Zen was so fast she couldn''t even see his movement. Of course he was fast; his entire body was enhanced with both mana and aura. He was also an Advanced Magic Swordsman at that. "Wow, it seems your skill has undergone some upgrade, Fiona," Zen said, sensing that his speed was slightly restricted. "Hmph, I have been training hard." while she rushed to Zen, enhancing her physique and also using her mana. Sheunched some ice crystals to block his vision. Once she reached Zen, she sent a forward kick with all her mana focused on her foot. Zen likewise directed his attention to concentrating his aura and mana on his hand. With remarkable speed, he swiftly sidestepped to evade her kick, swiftly grabbed her foot, and sent her flying. Fiona manifested arge Ice crystal to where she was sent behind her and used it as a foothold. She then jumped out of the Ice crystal, but this time the amount of force she exerted from her foot disintegrated the Ice Crystal she formed behind her. All the people currently present at the practice field cheered as they watched the intense battle. "Damn." Zen was just as surprised as Noah back then at how she uses her skills uniquely. Zen finally used one of his skills, the Defiant Sword, andunched a sh at her. He minimized the force of his sh to a certain extent because this was just a spar; there was no need for the other party to get injured. The speed at which Zenunched the sword sh was so fast that it created an illusion, there were at least five shes sent. If you look closely, one could see that every move was sent only when the previous one ended. Fiona could not react fast enough and was sent flying. Both Xue and Fiona could not continue fighting any longer, so the fight was concluded. "Not bad, you too," Zen stated,plimenting them both while approaching them as they stood up from the ground. "Zen, what kind of training do you do, why are you so strong? Like it doesn''t make sense." Fiona said. Zen then responded with a smile on his face, "I train very, very hard every single day, Fiona, to the point that my body aches every night." Upon hearing this, Bundoc and Marie couldn''t restrain themselves from sighing, and Xue who had been with Zen for a solid two months, had never witnessed him engage in any kind of intense training. It was like watching a sloth trying to break the world record for the slowest marathon. Once everything had been settled at the practice area, everyone dispersed. Zen went back to his room and had some schemes in mind. Chapter 66 Appoinment [Part 1] ? A ship ssified as B tier can be seen entering the Mevouires docking area, prompting notable interest and conjecture among the people regarding the possibility of the people inside the ship belonging to a noble lineage. Although a B tier may not seem much, a ship of this caliber is still considered prestigious, usually reserved for individuals of noble lineage or those in high-ranking positions serving the Duke families. "Who do you think just arrived on that ship?" "He might be someone from the Mevoires family." While there was a discussion among the people, a figure with ck hair and a mask on, exited the ship, which attracted their attention as this figure seemed to be a young man. They could not see his face, but nheless, he exuded an air of nobility. This figure was none other than Zen, he had recently inquired of Marie if there was anything that could be used to alter his appearance as he had an appointment with someone at the Mevoires territory. He did not want to attract attention, so he went undercover. Last time he came here, he garnered a lot of attention, and as a result, his identity was found out. This time, he took more precaution. As for who he is meeting with? It was none other than the girl he saved from the Twilight Zone long ago. He was still in need of the activation of the amethyst earring and required Crystal''s assistance in aplishing this. So the condition he asked for Crystal back then in exchange for him helping them with the Doom Order was a date with her. That was the reason she was as red as a tomato back then. Naturally, he was only masquerading as a Good Samaritan. Who in their right mind would lend a hand to their arch-enemy? He could seize this golden chance to y a little puppeteer with Edward. Zen walked through the crowd, which was looking at him curiously about his identity, but he ignored their gazes. The docking area was more crowded than thest time he came. He halted before a woman who appeared to be the guard in charge of supervising the docking area. ''Why does this young man seem familiar?'' She contemted. "Hello, young master, the docking fee is¡­" just as she was about to finish her words. Zen handed her one thousand CDR, which was the same amount of money he gave her the first time he came here. With a smile on his face, he said, "One hundred CDR¡ªthat''s your tip." As her gaze fell upon the money resting on her palm, she pondered, ''What the heck, why does this situation feel so familiar? Is it deja vu or something?'' Zen walked away and started heading towards a cafe to wait for Crystal, leaving the confused woman behind. ======== Meanwhile, at a certain ce, Crystal was all dressed up and was about to leave, but suddenly someone spoke in the background, "Sister, where are you going?" Seeing her all dressed up, he walked in front of her and asked seriously. "Somewhere, why do you care? I can''t even go out for once and take a breath of air?" she responded. "It is quite dangerous right now, and there is also that outbreak that just happened recently. Let me go with you." "Brother, this is the Mevouries territory; there is no such thing that will happen." "Still, let me go with you." "Why are you always so persistent? I can handle myself." Crystal said in an impatient tone, as she did not really want Zen waiting on her, After uttering those words, she proceeded to utch the door and depart, forcefully shutting the door in front of Edward. Upon witnessing this, Edward harbored a sense of suspicion and decided to discreetly trail her, concealing himself in the shadows. He wanted to find out what she was really up to. Crystal proceeded towards the designated rendezvous point, mutually agreed upon by Zen and herself, which was close to where she, Edward, and Eliza were currently staying. ====== Zen was currently sitting inside a cafe, sipping the drink he ordered. "Wow, this drink is quite unique, quite different from the usual drinks back on Earth," he mumbled as he enjoyed the drink. While drinking and fiddling with his phone, a young girl caught his attention in the distance that just entered the cafe. She was ncing around and seemed to be looking for someone. This young girl was none other than Crystal! Zen stood up and started approaching her, stopping in front of her, he graciously said, "Greeting youngdy, it seems like you''re lost, do you need someone to apany you?" Hearing someone talk to her, she turned her head to look. She thought it was Zen, but seeing this figure, she frowned. "No!" she eximed. ''Damn, I thought it was Zen seeing as he is wearing a mask, but this guy has ck hair. Turns out its just some random guy hitting on me." She said internally. Suddenly, the person in front of her leaned down at the same level as her face, about one inch away from her face, which surprised her. "I am just yin. Haha, I am Zenryx, I have my appearance changed for now since if I did not do so, I would attract a lot of attention." Zen stated as he chuckled at her reaction. "A-a-ah, ok." Her face went red, seeing how close their faces were. "S-So where do you want to go first?" she asked. "Hmm, let us eat first, and we can go visit some fun ces." After that they went on to popr areas and had fun, it seemed like little by little Zen was gaining her trust. While on their date, Crystal also felt some girls gazes towards Zen, seemingly drawn to his air of nobility and perhaps harboring a desire to interact with him. Because of that, Crystal red at them with killing intent, as if she were really about to kill them. As they went on with their date, someone in the background was frowning at them, and he had a suspicion that the person she was with was actually Zenryx. That was just the feeling he got in his gut. In fact, he was always with her and knows Crystal had not been in contact with anyone other than Zenryx. While they were walking, Zen noticed him, and a grin appeared on his face. He grabbed Crystal''s wrist, leading her to a corner. Edward, who saw this, also hurriedly followed them. Once they were out of sight from people, he took off his mask, intending to show a glimpse of his face to Edward momentarily, who was hiding in the dark. This confirmed Edward''s guess that he was indeed Zenryx Raverdiue. Chapter 67 Appointment [Part 2] ? Feeling confused about Zen''s action of taking off his disguise for a moment, she asked, "Huh? Why did you do that? And why''d you pull me here?" "Nothing, just had some itchiness on my face from sweat. Anyway, let''s take a rest for now. I''m tired." Zen stated as he put his mask back on and his hair turned back to ck. ''Huh? You are an Advanced rank Magic Swordsman, and you are telling me you are tired from just walking?'' Crystal thought feeling suspicious of what he said. But in the end, she agreed to his request, as they had really been roaming around for quite a while now. They found a bench situated near a walkway near them and sat down. "Anyway, here is the amethyst earring, take a look at it and see if you can activate it right now." Zen said as he handed her family''s artifact to her. She extended out with her hands and took it, saying, "Before that, can you promise me that you will really help us with the Doom Order? We really do not have anyone else we can turn to." Crystal conveyed this with a depressing tone in her voice. Zen grinned momentarily, an action that went unnoticed by Crystal. "Of course, I promise you that I will help you guys out." He reassured her with his eyebrows pulled down t showing apassionate expression. Disying genuine sense of empathy for her circumstances. "Ok." After she said that she bit her pinky and applied a dropped of her blood to the item. It glowed for a moment and after some time the light gradually disappeared. Edward, on the other hand, who was hiding in the distance, saw that Zen handed Crystal their family artifact. Without thinking, he rushed towards Zen and Crystal, and before Crystal could even react, Edward forcefully grabbed Crystal, intending to run away with the artifact. "Huh?! What?" Crystal was so bewildered by what was happening, to the point that she didn''t even know how to respond to the situation. She tried resisting Edward who grabbed her but to no avail she couldn''t overpower him. Zen watched this with amusement, and he revealed a devilish smile. He used his mana and aura together to enhance his physical capabilities, then vanished from where he stood and instantly appeared in front of Edward and Crystal. "RUN!" "WHAT?!" Edward was shocked at Zen''s speed and that he could catch up to him so fast. He had already maximized his capabilities and was still unable topete with Zen''s speed. As Zen looked at the two in front of him, he thought, ''WTF? AHhahahaH, this guy really took the bait? How stupid is this protagonist?'' With a saddened expression showing on his face, and a sighing out of him, he said, "Crystal? I did not expect you two to have such a sinister n, you know I really trusted you?" "N¡­Noo, Zen, it is a misunderstanding, I had no such intentions¡­" Crystal tried to justify what just happened, but with how everything looked, it really seemed like they intended to steal it. "I don''t need any of your fake excuses, stop acting like you really did not intend to steal it. If I had not acted quickly, you both would have already seeded with your devious n." Zen stated. "Hmph, so what! This is our family''s property, it belonged to us in the first ce. You do not have the right to have it!" Edward retorted. Without engaging in further arguments, Zen took his Katana out from his dimensional ring and executed a surprise attack against Edward with swift precision. Edward did not expect Zen to suddenly attack him, so he could not really react at all. The bystanders were all looking shocked that a battle had broken out¡ªat the Mevouires territory at that. "Aren''t they afraid that the Mevouires Family will find out about them fighting in a civilian area?" "They could be imprisoned and executed. What the hell are those three thinking?" Discussion amongst the bystanders who saw what happened could not help but be surprised by their audacity to start a fight in a civilian area. Zen swung his katana at Edward''s hand, where he was holding the amethyst earring. His hands bones ended up breaking with a loud ''crack'' andcerations of his flesh can be seen. He emitted a shrill cry, eximing, "AHHH!" in response to the intense pain he felt on his hand. The ghastly glimpse of his hand, where flesh and bone intertwine with eerie transparency. It dangles from his wrist, perilously teetering on the precipice of detachment, as if daring to take a leap into the realm of severance. Truly a gruesome sight that would make even the bravest flinch. ''CLANK'' The artifacts he was holding flew into the air and fell to the ground, rolling in Zen''s direction. Zen kneeled down on one knee to grab the two earrings that were on the ground, and then he put them away on his dimensional ring. Before leaving, he turned his head back and cast ast nce at Crystal, who was likewise looking at him in silence. He showed her an expression that seemed to convey that he was disappointed in her. Crystal could not get the courage to go to him because she couldn''t find a suitable exnation of what just happened. Everything just happened in a sh without even warning. Who would have thought that the date she was looking forward to would get ruined by her brother himself! She approached Edward, who was groaning in pain, and helped him stand up from the ground. Although she was infuriated with her brother''s action, he was still her family and could not just ignore the severe injuries he just suffered. But the way she''ll treat Edward will never be the same as before. They then started heading back to their current ce. The air carried a deafening absence of sound as they headed back, trapped in a peculiar vow of silence. Once they arrived at their ce, Crystal took care of his injuries, Edward tried talking to her, but was met with silence. After taking care of his injuries, she exited his room. Eliza, who had returned also, was confused about the awkward silence between them. She thought that it was just some simple disagreement between them, because it was normal for siblings to fight with each other from time to time, so she let them be for now as they could probably solve it by themselves. Eliza did not see the injuries since Crystal gave Edward some potion that quickly regenerated his bone cells that healed his broken bones and the severe cuts of his flesh were also healed. It was quite an expensive potion but it needed to be used to quickly treat his injuries. If it was not taken care of quickly, Edward might have to cut off his handpletely. Chapter 68 The Artifact ? Following the whole ordeal involving Edward and Crystal, he proceeded towards the location of his ship, experiencing a sense of contentment regarding his scheme on this asion. Some time passes¡­ Zen boarded his ship and directed the ship''s artificial intelligence to proceed towards the coordinates of his vi. After that was settled, he proceeded to take the amethyst earring from within his ring. This artifact was called ''Am¨¦lioration des sens.'' With great scrutiny, he meticulously inspected the intricate craftsmanship of the item. Once Crystal activated the artifact, its aspect underwent a notable transformation, transitioning from a gentle shade of purple to a dark purple. Based on what Zen can remember from the novel, it appears that the Am¨¦lioration des sens artifact possesses the capability to enhance the sixth sense of a human five times. The senses of touch, vision, hearing, smell, taste, andstly, proprioception. For instance, using it once would bolster those senses with twice the potency of your present sense, and with each subsequent use, the enhancement would quadruple, escte to eightfold, and so forth. This truly represents an artifact of immense power, given its provenance as an item belonging to a progenitor. Consequently, it is logical to ssify it as a Tier SS artifact. Naturally, there were certain limitations in ce, so that Zen would have ess to only a fraction of its potential power. However, as his strength grows, he will be able to gradually use the full extent of its capabilities. Zen possesses a considerable level of senses, such that, with focused attention, he can detect the movements of an ant at a distance of five hundred meters. If he were to utilize the artifact, his senses would be amplified twofold, thereby extending his range of perception to one thousand meters. Senses are measured by the amount of aura or mana you have, and since Zen was rewarded with a Great Rank mana pool by the system, his senses are quite remarkable. "This artifact will be incredibly beneficial to me." Zen stated. [Destiny, don''t I get a reward for activating it?] ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [No, dear host, your reward has already been bestowed upon you upon its acquisition.] [Ah, what a shame.] [There is no cmity greater thanvish desires.] ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [There is no greater guilt than discontentment, And there is no greater disaster than greed.] [Greed is a bottomless pit that exhausts a person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.] [Ok, Ok, I got it! What the f*ck, why are you suddenly preaching quotes to me.] Four hours have passed, and while Zen was fiddling with the artifact in his hand, the ship''s artificial intelligence uttered a message, announcing their arrival at his vi. The ship sessfully arrived at the designated docking area, and Zen disembarked from the ship. "Good evening, young master." "Good evening, young master." The guards on patrol observed his emergence from the ship and promptly approached him to extend their greetings. They had be limated to his actions after repeated urrences, rendering them unsurprised. This type of thing wasparatively far better than the past urrence, when they witnessed Zen inflicting harm and torture upon a multitude of animals. So they thought this was better than him doing that type of stuff. Zen reciprocated their salutations and proceeded to make his way back indoors to his vi. When he got back inside, he nced at three figures seated in the living room. "Why are you guys here again? You guys are really using my vi as a hangout spot, huh?" Zen said. "Ah, Zen, you''re back. Don''t mind us; we are just discussing something," Fiona stated as she stood up and greeted him. "What do you mean, don''t mind? This is my vi; stop barging in all the time; at least notify me first." Zen stated this with a reprimanding tone in his voice. The three figures were Xue, Celestia, and Fiona. Celestia and Xue rose from their seats and approached Zen with the intent to extend greetings also. However, once they came closer to him, Celestia discerned a subtle, sweet fragrance emanating from Zen. "What is that smell? Did you meet some girl, Zen?" inquired Celestia, because of the delicate fragranceing from him. "Hey, Fionae here, Zen met with a another girl." Celestia called out to her trying to tease her. Fiona heard this, hastened towards Zen, and proceeded to sniff him as well. "What are you two doing? Are you two dogs?" Zenmented. Fiona was curious to learn more about the source of the odor emanating from him, but Zen deflected the topic. "Where is Daphne, though? It looks like she isn''t with you guys today." Fiona then exined, "She has some matters to attend to with her family, so she couldn''te." "Ah, and what were you all discussing about?" Fiona and Celestia then exined the recent announcement by the Pontiac Academy, wherein it wasmunicated that the academy intends to proceed with the uing academic year starting next week, and would also be epting new students. Upon hearing their exnation, Zen turned his gaze towards Xue and stated, "Xue will be entering the academy too." "Ok, young master," Xue responded, although she did not show it, she was really looking forward to experiencing academy life. Xue is a simple girl with a few words. She''s a master of the sinct vernacr at this point. Fiona also jumped in excitement after hearing that Zen would be entering the academy too, and Celestia also had the same feeling. ''It seems like the Academy would be more entertaining with him entering. Looking forward to the surprises he''ll bring to the academy. But I hope he doesn''t go overboard'' Celestia thought. She still recalls the incident where Zen killed Goren; once Goren''s family learns about it, he might soon find himself in some trouble. After conversing with them, Zen went back to his room and contemted, ''I supposed Edward, Crystal, and Eliza would also being to the Academy.'' ''They have nothing else to do outside since the only reason they didn''t enter the academy yet was because they were looking for their family''s artifact, which is now in my hands.'' ''So I''m one hundred percent sure that they''ll being. It looks like the fun is about to start.'' He was looking forward to entering the academy. He already have ns in mind on what he would do during his time there. Zen also took out the amethyst earring artifact and tried it on. He could use it by directing his mana or aura at the artifact. Once it was activated, his senses were multiplied twice. He could hear drops of water from a certain distance, which seemed to be someone showering. After doing all that, he headed to the shower also and went to sleep. As he needs to go to the academy the next day. Chapter 69 Entering The Academy ? Many young people have been flocking to the academy ever since the news broke out that it will be reopening next week. Due to the events that transpired during the outbreak, the academy has made the decision to provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their socio-economic background. All individuals are now eligible for admission, and the academy will assume responsibility for covering their amodations throughout their first year at the academy. This gave a lot of youngsters a chance to attend Pontiac Academy. Pontiac Academy also promised that they would be changing how everything would be conducted, which assured all the people that no such thing as the outbreak would ur again in the future. This time a greater number of students haveepared to the previous gathering, with a minimum estimate of four to five thousand students. "Hey, do you guys think that Zenryx Raverdieu will enter the academy also." "I do not think so; he did say back then that he would enter next year." "We never know; he mighte, right?" "The academy also changed how they will be doing the ranking test. How do you guys think they will conduct it?" Just as these conversations among them were going on, one figure noticed a ship arriving at the academy. "Hey, that should be a Tier S ship, right?! What the? Is there a new professor also?" "Let us go check!" They thought it was because one of the professors had died during the outbreak that a new professor had been assigned. They hastened towards the site of the ship''snding, fueled by their curiosity regarding its upants, only to be taken aback by the unexpected revtion that it was not a professor, but rather two youngdies who emerged from within the ship. "Hey, It is actually Fiona from the Raverdieu family!" "Who is that girl next to her, though? She looks cute like a doll." Fiona and Xue abruptly stopped on their tracks just beyond the threshold of the ship''s door, apanied by a visible manifestation of Fiona''s displeasure etched upon her face. While Xue remained expressionless. Seeing this, Zen also walked out of the ship, eximing, "Hey, hurry up, what are you two doing just standing there?" As he nced towards the front, it seemed that the entire vicinity was crowded with people surrounding them. As Zen''s figure emerged from the ship, it was as if someone had hit the mute button on the whole crowd. Not a single word escaped their lips, as though the world had suddenly run out of words. ''Damn, what is wrong with these people, it''s as if they had never seen someone handsome.'' Zen said internally. He jumped out of the ship and instructed Fiona and Xue to follow him. As they walked forward, the crowd subconsciously stepped aside, leaving the entire crowd baffled about his unexpected arrival at the academy. "Hey, do you even know where you are going, Zen?" Fiona questioned him while they were walking. "Of course," Zen responded confidently. "Stop acting, you have never been here before, how could you know? Like, where even are we? This is not the way to the office." "Stop talking and just follow me; you talk too much." Fiona was quite confused, but she followed him anyway because she thought that Zen was always right and did not question him any longer. Then they entered arge building, and inside was actually a path that led to the office. "Ah, it seems like a shortcut to the office, how does he know this?" Fiona mumbled. Both Zen and Xue had already submitted their application online and just needed to show up for appearance purposes to confirm that they would be attending the academy. As for the test and such, it will be rescheduled in three days. This decision has been made in light of the considerable influx of students, resulting in substantial dys in thepletion of the enrollment procedures at the Academy. It was imperative for them to authenticate the eligibility of each student in order to ascertain their qualification to enroll in the academy. Once they were inside therge office, Zen saw Hawkin, Lector, and Anna inside. They were the professors he met back at the outbreak. They were in charge of the first years, but one professor was missing because he was already buried six feet underground. Many young people could be seen lined up. Zen decided to cut the line and just went straight to the front. Seeing this, someone from the line who notice him wanted to go and tell him off. "Hey! You go back in¨C" Someone spoke up grabbing him by the shoulder. But just as he was about to finished his sentence, Zen turned his head around to look at the person who grabbed him. That person instantly became pale and swallowed his words. "What do you want?" Zen questioned in a domineering tone. "Get your hands off me or else I''ll cut your fingers one by one." "No-nothing. Go ahead, young master Zenryx." He anxiously responded while hurriedly pulling back his hand. Seeing Zen turned back and leave he heaved a sigh of relief. ''Ah my precious fingers are safe!'' But once his name was said out loud by him, it grabbed all the people''s attention, and all their gazes were directed towards Zen. "Hey, that is Zenryx Raverdieu! He actually came!" The three professors also saw him. Zen walked towards the front of the queue and talked to the three professors, but they did not really mind him cutting the line because Zen had really helped them out during the outbreak; this is the least they can do. Once all the formalities were finished, Zen, and Xue all decided to go look for the rooms they had been assigned to by the professors. As for Fiona, she already had a room, so she just apanied Xue, as it seems like Zen already knew where he was going. While they were doing all that, what they did not know was that countless battleships could be seen arriving at the Academy. Like they were ready tounch an all out war! All people currently present outside the academy''s vicinity looked at the scene with worry, sensing that something big might happen again. An imposing figure emerged from arge ship, exuding an air of authority. He projected his voice with an intensity that resonated with hismanding presence: "Where is the Dean responsible for overseeing the Academy? Come and provide me aprehensive exnation regarding the death of my son!" His words reverberated across a radius of five miles, audible to all within that distance. His voice reverberated and shook the surroundings a little, causing multiple fissures to appear on the ground while all the people covered their ears in pain. Chapter 70 The Appearance Of Gorgon ? The person who arrived was none other than Goren''s father, known as Gorgon, a mage ranked as a Peak Magister. After finding out about his son''s death, he rushed over to the Astre continent with an army of ships apanied by countless troops that served the dragon lineage family. At least thousands of ships were currently stationary in the air. He came here to ask for an exnation about his son''s death. Ignoring all the rules that the Astre continents have set. Perceiving the situation unfolding beyond the purview of the three elders, Sivan, Folmon, and Navarre instantaneously appeared in the presence of Gorgon. "Gorgon, what is the meaning of this?!" Navarre inquired. "WHAT?! You are really asking me this? All of you just informed me that my son is dead without any exnation of how he even died?!" "This is what you call the most prestigious academy in the whole Pontiac!? What utter garbage." "I am here to demand answers about my son''s death, not have a conversation with you all." "Please exercise discretion in yournguage, Gorgon. While we understand and sympathize with the unfortunate situation involving your son, we kindly request that you refrain from making derogatory remarks about the academy." Sivana stated this with an indifferent tone. "We regret to inform you that, due to confidentiality agreements, we are unable to disclose the details of the incident in question, as it is rted to someone you do not want to go against." Although many students witnessed Zen kill Goren himself during the beast''s outbreak. They refrained from disseminating this information due to their awareness that doing so would have grave repercussions, including the potential eradication and demise of their entire family. After all, this was the Raverdieu family; who would dare go against that family on the entirety of the Pontiac? No one has the courage to do so! The Academy also took proactive measures to prevent the spread of information regarding the incident, ensuring minimal knowledge of the events of that day, limited to a select few individuals. "No permission, you say?" Gorgon stated that his heart was burning in rage. Hemanded his troops to get ready as if he were really going to start a war with the Academy. Fiona and Xue also came outside after hearing themotion. They stood on the ground, their gaze fixed on the sky, observing the situation with worry written all over their faces. They both knew that it was Zen who had taken Goren''s life on that fateful day. ''Hey Zen, stay hidden for now. Do not show yourself'' Fiona said she was internally hoping Zen did not expose himself, as it would really be bad if he suddenly showed up. Their parents were not on Pontiac right now, so they had to act safe. What she didn''t know was that the Raverdieu family was capable of destroying a Duke family even without Randell and Elle. Unexpectedly, amanding voice reverberated throughout the surroundings, proiming, "Gorgon, get out here! Stop causing trouble here in the academy." "Hermione! Tell me what happened to my son please!" Gorgon said, pleading with her to tell her what really happened to Goren, as he was his only son. Hearing this, Hermione sighed and told him, "Come to my office inside the academy; I will discuss it with you." "Three elders led him to my office," Hermione said. The three elders then followed what Hermione instructed them, and they were about to guide him to where Hermione''s office was located. "Let''s go Gorgon." "Stay here and wait for me!" Gorgon said, instructing his troops to standby. In fact, Hermione and Gorgon were acquaintances they met during their teenage days. Since Hermione often wandered around the, she met a lot of people along her journey, and Gorgon was one of the people she met. But just as they were about to head inside the academy¡­ "Hey, wait, lizard!" a voice spoke. What was said just now made Gorgon frown and turn his head around, only to see a young man with silver hair and eyes. "What did you call me, kid?!" Gorgon roared, He was already angered by his son''s death; now a kid is calling him a lizard? What was this? This person who spoke was none other than Zen! A hush once again fell over the entire area. ''What the f*ck is this Zenryx Raverdieu doing?'' That was what was on everyone''s mind when they saw him emerge out of nowhere and say something outrageous. Sensing Gorgon''s killing intent, Hermione appeared instantly in front of Zen and intended to protect him. "Gorgon, calm down for now, if you don''t, you''ll be forcing me to make a move!" Fiona and Xue also became afraid that Zen was about to get killed by Gorgon, so they also went ahead and rushed to Zen''s side, even though they probably would just get killed easily too. "Who is this kid?" Gorgon asked, feeling suspicious that the cold Hermione he knew was protecting someone. Just right before Hermione could answer, Zen spoke again and questioned, acting confused about what was happening, "Umm, what are you guys doing? I am just looking for my pet lizard. Why are you all looking at me so seriously?" ''WHAAT?!'' Hermione, Gorgon, and the three elders¡ªpretty much everyone present¡ªlooked at Zen in astonishment. "What the hell are you doing, Zenryx Raverdieu?" Hermione questioned while looking straight at Zen, perplexed about the current situation that Zen created by what he said. "Oh, did you all perhaps misunderstand me, and think I was calling that guy a lizard?" Zen said this while pointing at Gorgon. "Ah, sorry about that. My apologies. Continue with what you guys were doing. I will be going now since I still have to chase my pet lizard." As he proceeded to walk back inside the building. Fiona and Xue were also confused, but they also followed him back inside to ask what just happened. Following that, everyone just regarded what just happened as a misunderstanding and returned to what they were doing. Hermione watched Zen as he walked away and muttered, "What is this Zenryx doing, Doesn''t he realize that this is the father of the person he killed?" She contemted why Zen did such a thing out of nowhere. ''Lizard?! Lizard, my ass'' Hermione finally came to the conclusion that Zen was simply mocking Gorgon. Chapter 71 The Revelation ? The crowd that were in the vicinity discussed what was going to happen next. However, ultimately, they decided to vacate the premises due to their apprehension that arge scale battle might ensue. If one were to break out looking at the number of troops and ships that Gorgon brought with him, they would inevitably be casualties of the battle, a fate they wanted to avoid. Leaving only the elders, Hermion, Gorgon, and his troops, and some that still stayed curiously anticipating what would happen next. ''Curiosity killed the cat.'' Some individuals thought as they watched some people who stayed. The trio of elders also bid farewell to Hermione and proceeded to return indoors to the academy premises. Given the Dean''s presence, their guidance of Gorgon was deemed unnecessary. "Follow me, Gorgon," Hermione said as she started walking back inside the academy to start heading to her office. Gorgon proceeded to walk behind, and amidst the ensuing awkward silence, he made the decision to initiate a conversation, given that they were close acquaintances. "I apologize for my behavior earlier, my attitude was a bit inappropriate." "It is understandable, considering the circumstances regarding the death of your son. I did not feel offended by your actions. There is no need to be so concerned about it." "Thank you. Anyway, Hermione, who was that kid earlier?" He was curious since Zen looked like someone of high status. After also thinking about it, his appearance and aura seemed familiar to him, but he could not make them out, so he asked her. "Young master of the Raverdieu family, and his name is Zenryx Raverdieu, Son of Elle and Randell Raverdieu," she responded. "Huh? The Raverdieus got a young master now? Since when?" "It happened long ago, however, his parents chose not to disclose his existence to the society. He has only recently made his presence known." "Hmm that''s why he gives me a familiar feeling." "Looking at his aura, it seems he has reached an Advanced rank. The Raverdieus have produced a monster, quite a talented young man, if I say so." Hearing him praise Zen, she couldn''t help but purse her lips together. ''You would not be saying that if you found out that he was the one who killed your son.'' ''This Zenryx is too ruthless.'' She had gathered information from the three professors regarding the outbreak,prehending the sequence of events and the factors that led to Goren''s demise. It was revealed to her that the incident was caused by a minor disagreement. But because of that, Zen just killed him, which made her think of him that way. Although she is quite ruthless herself, she does not go killing people nonchntly without any reason. After that, the entire walk to the office became silent again. Upon arrival at the office, Hermione proceeded to scan her identification card, and the door automatically slid open. Looking at the room, the walls are painted a brownish color, while the floor is covered in a light red carpet. In the center of the room is an ornate chandelier that hangs from the ceiling, casting a soft glow throughout the room. On either side of the room are twofortable couches upholstered in red fabric. In the center sits a wooden table topped with books and a globe-like decoration that shows the Pontiac. There were also a bunch of bookcases ced on either side of the spacious room. The room really looked fantasy-like, without any trace of futuristic technology other than the door. They then got inside, and Hermione instructed Goren to sit down on the couch. Once he was seated, he immediately asked what happened to his son. "So tell me, Hermione." She released another sigh and proceeded to sit down also. "Gorgon I am going to be honest with you; I do not think you will be able to avenge your son." Once her words dropped, Gorgon''s face turned ugly, and he said, "Why? Are you going to protect that person also?" "It seems that I just wasted my timeing here to talk to you." "So be it then; I might not be able to fight with you, but I can still do some damage to your so-called academy." As he was about to stand up and leave the room angrily, Hermione spoke up to calm him down: "Calm down, you misunderstood." Hearing this, Gorgon sat back down and asked for an exnation of what she meant. "What did you mean by that then?" Hermione contemted for a bit if it was really fine to tell him, but she gave up in the end and told him what happened, starting from the start of the outbreak until his son died. "So you are saying someone killed my son?! Who!" Gorgon roared angrily. "Zenryx Raverdieu¡­" she responded. "So you are telling me that the kid earlier that said the word ''lizard'' was none other than the one responsible for my son''s death! And that what he said was not a misunderstanding and he was simply mocking me?!" "AHHAHAHA, VERY GOOD VERY GOOD, so what if you are from the Raverdieu family? Today will be yourst day in this world." Gorgon manicallyughed. After he finished his words, he instantly appeared outside of the academy, projecting his entire aura and diligently surveying the surroundings in search of Zen''s whereabouts. He really wanted to go and kill him after finding out that he was the perpetrator, he even mocked him after knowing that he was the father of the person he killed. Zen simply did not take him seriously. Once his aura had been spread out, a bunch of professors sensed it and appeared outside, trying to figure out what was happening. All the students also felt confused about whether there was really going to be a battle. There has never been a battle of this scale between humans on the Astre continent before. So they were quite worried. On the other hand, Hermione, for some reason, did not follow him or even stop him. She seemed calm, like she was not worried about what was going to happen next. "WHERE ARE YOU, ZENRYX RAVERDIEU! You ruthlessly killed my son, and you dare not appear in front of me?" His words were heard by everyone. This revtion immediately caused an uproar among the people. Chapter 72 Another Scheme ? After Zen walked inside the building with Xue and Fiona. ''Well, that was quite fun, looking at their faces full of confusion. That Dean Hermione should also be in the middle of exining to that lizard what happened to his intellectually disabled son.'' Zen thought. Fiona, who was trailing closely behind him, couldn''t help but ask him about his strange actions earlier. "Zen, what did you mean by a lizard? Did you get a pet or something?" Zen responded by stating that one could describe it as a sizable reptilian creature, bearing a striking resemnce to a human being. "Huh? Where is it?" "It should being for me soon." Zen answered her question with a grin on his face, which indicated that he was scheming something. Zen halted on his track, then he turned back and faced Fiona and Xue to say, "Stay here for now in the academy. I need to go somewhere." "Where are you going again?" "Stop asking so many questions, you''ve been asking me questions all day, Fiona." "..." After saying that, he proceeded to where his ship was parked. He was nning on going back to his vi and just wait there for the lizard. As he walked, there were still countless gazes directed towards him. People just can''t seem to resist looking at him. There were also those who had not yet heard that Zen had appeared in the academy, causing them to be shocked to see him. "That''s Zenryx Raverdieu, right? He is actually in the academy!" "Hurry up and tell everyone! The famous Zenryx hase." By now, the news of his attending the academy has spread among all the students. Zen arrived at his ship and got inside. He instructed Helix to head to the coordinates he gave it, which is his vi located in Tranquil City. This was the reason Hermione was so calm about Gorgon looking for Zen. She had long sense that Zen had left the academy and that Gorgon should not be able to find him. The entire academy was covered by her mana, so it was easy for her to know that Zen had left. Although she doesn''t know why Zen suddenly left, she spectes that it might be rted to Gorgon. What bothered her was what Zen''s motive earlier was when he suddenly mocked Gorgon by calling him a lizard. Others might perceive it as a misunderstanding, but she knew full well that Zenryx was referring to Gorgon. Gorgon also realized that after finding out everything from Hermione. ====== Zennded his ship at the docking area. He exited the ship, and he nned to call Marie over so he could discuss something with her. Along the way to his vi, many servants and guards greeted him. Upon arrival, he took a seat in the living room. He then proceeded to grab his phone out of his pocket and call Marie. Marrie was currently doing chores and such when suddenly her phone started to ring. She took the phone out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID of the person calling,beled as ''Ill Mannered Young Master'' Seeing this, she immediately answered it, "Yes, young master? What''s with the sudden call?" "Come inside the vi; I have some matters to discuss with you." Hearing this, she was quite bewildered as to what he was doing back in the vi. Since he was supposed to be at the academy right now. "Yes, I''ll be right there," answered Marie. The call ended, and she started heading towards the vi. Zen, who was sitting in the living room, was busy thinking about his scheme. He activated his Tritonic device, which was linked to Helix, and issued amand for it to position itself in the north-east area of the sky, positioned just beyond the outskirts of Tranquil City. . The Tier S ship that was docked near his vi suddenly started and flew in the direction that Zen instructed it to go. Helix concealed the ship inside a cloud and stayed stationary in the sky. Once that was settled, he sat quietly, waiting for Marie to arrive. Some time passed... ''Swoosh'' The door to the living room opened, and gentle steps could be hearding closer to where Zen was sitting. Hearing the footsteps, Zen nced at the figure who hade, and it was Marie. "Greetings, young master, what did you need from me?" "Have a Peak Magister from the main familye here." "Uhh..." "Apologies, young master, but may I ask the reason for this?" "Ehhh, Someone mighte and cause trouble here." Marie did not understand what he just said: ''Who would dare cause trouble for the Raverdieu''s? Are they not afraid of death?'' She thought she misheard, so she asked again to rify if what she heard was correct, and she also asked who it was that wanted to cause trouble. "A Lizard! A lizard that looks like a human; there''s also an army of them!" "Are you really serious, young master?" What Zen said made Marie think that he was fooling around. "Yes, Hurry up and ask for backup. Ah, and just ask them to send one Peak Magister since you are here anyway." She was unclear about what his young master was up to, but in the end she decided to call the main family and ask for backup just in case Zen''s words were true. Since the main family house was closed, it shouldn''t be long until the backup arrives. One ship can be seen arriving at his vi. Once itnded, a figure stepped out with a domineering aura. He was a bit perplexed by the sudden summons, but he still came since it was the young master''s order. Sensing his aura, Marie, who was next to Zen, spoke, "Young master, he has arrived." Zen then instructed Marrie to go and greet him and guide him inside. Marie disappeared from her spot, appearing outside the vi. Since it seemed urgent, she did not want to dy and just directly used her Magister rank prowess. "Hello, Sir Ian, please follow me." This Peak Magister who arrived was called Ian. He has Raverdieu''s bloodline running through his veins. He was also in charge of a subsidiary family of the Raverdieus. Chapter 73 Gorgons Anger ? Marie re-entered the vi with Ian behind her. Ian saw Zen and approached him, then proceeded to introduce himself. After he finished introducing himself, he asked, "May I inquire, young master, if your statement holds veracity? If such is the case, it is possible that additional support may be necessary apart from my involvement." Zen simply shook his head and stated, "No need." Marie and Ian frowned slightly, as this was really a serious matter, and they thought that Zen was too calm about it. The arrival of a Peak magister apanied by an army is a matter that warrants serious consideration on their part. "Just wait for them here, they should arrive soon." Zen also took out his phone and took a photo that showed his location, which he posted on his Twittogram. Ian and Marie were confused by why he just took a picture and how calm he was despite the gravity of the situation he had just informed them about. ====== After Gorgon released his aura throughout the Pontiac academy, he was unable to find Zen''s presence. ''Where the f*ck is this kid?'' Since he couldn''t find Zen, he proceeded to retract his aura. Gorgon rushed back to where Hermione was and asked her if she knew where Zen had gone. Hermione, who was contemting Zen''s motive sense that Gorgon came back. Her gazending on him, "What else do you need?" "WHERE IS HE!?" "He has already departed from the academy. I am uncertain of his whereabouts." Hermione responded. "Did you possess awareness of this matter and choose not to disclose it to me? It appears that our acquaintance does not possess any significance or value in your eyes." "My son died! Hermione at the hands of that kid? And you are here doing this? What?!" Hearing this, Hermione remained indifferent, and although they were acquaintances, she did not really care about his son dying. Her decision to disclose all the pertinent information pertaining to his son was solely driven by the imperative to safeguard the Academy''s reputation and preventing any havoc he might cause, which could result in numerous casualties that could inadvertently kill a lot of students. This was a world where the strong ate the weak. Even she had to go through all types of situations to get to her current position. ''This guy really doesn''t want to leave'' Hermione thought. "Gorgon, you should leave now." she stated with a hint of impatience and annoyance because of Gorgon''s persistent attitude. Gorgon departed in a state of evident displeasure, expressing his discontent by saying, "Very well, very well!" He returned to the location where his troops were positioned and waiting. He called out to someone among the troops, "George! Come, I have something for you to do!" An individual emerged from arge ship and proceeded towards Gorgon,ing to a halt in front of him while respectfully lowering himself. "What are your orders, my lord?" "Given our current presence in Astre, their censorship should no longer affect us, and it is expected that we will have the means to procure certain information that was previously unattainable in our home territory. "We might only have four or six hours or so until all the high ranking individuals on this continent notice us. Find a person called Zenryx Raverdieu and give me a report of everything about him." Since Zen was so famous on this continent, they should be able to find his information easily, such as where he lives. Unbeknownst to them, Zen had some ns and a trap that he set up just for them. George was slightly taken aback hearing the word Raverdieu''s. "Lord, are you sure? Raverdieu''s? Is that not one of the Duke families on this continent." "What are we going to do with his information." "I need to know where he lives. He is the one who killed my son! This kid also does not take me seriously, mocking me and sh*t." George did not question him any longer and proceeded to start investigating. He was also close to Goren, as he was the one who trained him from a young age. He can be regarded as both his uncle and mentor. He also wanted to avenge his young master after hearing Gorgons words. George did not dy further and started to investigate all the information on the inte, as he there were short on time. He was also a cyber expert, so he is able to hack into systems and such. Some time passed, and George found Zen''s Twittogram post, which included his location. ''This Zenryx Raverdieu is simply stupid, posting your location online? Such stupidity.'' After that, he went back to where Gorgon was and reported everything he found. "Lord, It seems that Zenryx is currently in the territory of the Raverdieu''s in a city called Tranquil." "I''ve also found out that It seems that the Lady and Lord of the Raverdieus aren''t currently on Pontiac." "Very good, it seems the heavens are helping us today!" All the troops were directed to re-enter their ship. Upon embarking on their ships, they roared with great force, causing significant vibrations in the immediate vicinity. "AVENGE THE YOUNG MASTER!!!" "AVENGE THE YOUNG MASTER!!!" They were then told the coordinates of the Tranquil city. That would be their destination, and they intended tounch a war to avenge their young master. They seemed like they were all ready to put their lives on the line. In fact, the people hailing from the Gorgons lineage were bound by unwavering loyalty, such that any instance of injustice suffered by a member of their kin would ignite an unwavering determination in them to seek retribution. They also had arrogance and pride; they didn''t want people stepping on them, so once they all found out about what had happened to their young master, their hearts surged with anger. Seeing all the countless ships and Gorgon leave the Pontiac Academy area. They all finally heaved a deep sigh of relief. The distance between Pontiac Academy and Trainquil City was quite close, so after an hour, they finally arrived. Countless ships can be seen in the sky, and a multitude of people can be observed exiting the ship and starting to get into formations. Chapter 74 Deep Scheming Of Zen ? After sensing Gorgons aura enveloping the entire academy earlier, Fiona and Xue also came back outside. Once they were outside, they heard Gorgon yelling Zen''s name and looking for him. They were quite calm, as Zen had already left the academy and had gone somewhere. Fiona could not help but think back to Zen''s earlier words, ''So that''s what he meant when he said a lizard wasing for him. That guy even mocked him earlier.'' Her thought was followed by a chuckle, thinking that it was quite a bit funny. But then her phone suddenly vibrated. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket, checking what it was about. It showed a notification of Zen''s Twittogram. She clicked on the notification, which showed a picture of him in his vi, and on the right top side showed his current location. Seeing this, she couldn''t help but frown and contemte why he did such a thing by posting something like this all of a sudden. While looking through her phone, the army of ships in the sky suddenly started leaving. Fiona looked at this and thought, ''Wait, wait, wait... It couldn''t be right?'' In the end, she shook her head and concluded that they were simply returning to where they came from. On the other hand, Xue, who was beside Fiona, also got the notification, and she notioned, ''This shouldn''t be a coincidence. I wonder what the young master is nning.'' Xue was entertaining her notion, but then Fiona turned her head and faced Xue. "Let''s go back, Xue; I''ll show you around the academy." Fiona proposed, which made here back to her senses. Xue nodded, and Fiona grabbed her hands, and they both headed back inside the academy. They both trusted Zen, and they knew that he knew what he was doing, so they did not bother worrying about him any longer. ================ Back to Tranquil City. Marie and Ian sensed the arrival of countless ships outside the city, which they then informed Zen, who was lying down on the sofa with his phone glued to his face. "Young master, it seems your words were true; they have indeede." Hearing this, Zen proceeded to stand back up and put away his phone. He then instructed Ian and Marie. "Marie go ahead and gather all the people currently in my vi. There should be around a thousand troops here, right?" "Yes, young master!" "Once you''ve gathered them, standby outside the vi." Marie went ahead and exited the vi to gather all the guards and inform them of the circumstances. Zen turned his Tritonic device, and a holographic screen emerged. The screen showed a scene of the outskirts of Tranquil City. There were countless ships and troops, and a domineering figure stood in front of all of them. It was none other than Gorgon himself. This was the video being recorded live by his Tier S ship, which is concealed in the sky. ''There should be about an hour left before the other Duke families arrive here in Tranquil City. I need to wait about fifty minutes. Ten minutes is all I need to execute my n perfectly.'' ''This would be my first step in showing my authority and increasing my prestige on the entire Pontiac. I should also be able to obtain a lot of resources after this, which could be used for the organization that I will form in the near future.'' Zen nned to create a suitable situation where it could be used as an excuse to attack The Land of Dragons. The ce where Gorgon and his troops came from. He should be able to easily destroy that ce using the Raverdieu family force. If he could sessfully acquire thatnd, then it could be used as a base for his future organization. The resources avable on thatnd were also abundant. He also wanted it so that the other Duke families would not be able to interfere with that matter and join in to also get a piece of thatnd. As for how he ns on doing this? He had created a perfect scheme in his mind. ============= Gorgon released his aura again, covering the entire Tranquil city, and searched for Zen''s presence. "HAHAHAH, I''ve finally found you, kid! You will know soon enough that there are always consequences to your actions." Gorgon turned back and looked at his army, instructing them, "All of you leave all the other people living here alone, Our sole target will be Zenryx, that young master of Raverdieu''s." George stepped out of the crowd of troops and showed a hologram of what Zen looked like. All of them scrutinized the appearance that emerged from the hologram. "THIS IS THE PERSON WHO KILLED OUR YOUNG MASTER! ENGRAVE THIS APPEARANCE INTO ALL OF YOUR BRAIN!" With the arrival of Gorgon and his army, naturally, all those living in Tranquil City were baffled and did not know why they appeared so suddenly. They did not know their purpose foring here, as they were not informed of any type of asion regarding their appearance. Some people also felt like they were sofucating once Gorgon''s aura fell over the entire city. "What''s going on? Who are those people in the sky?!" "Is there going to be a battle? I can feel that they did note with good intentions." "Do they really dare cause trouble in the territory of Raverdieu''s?" Many were discussing, and they also started panicking because of the situation. Gorgon and his army started moving towards the city, which caused all the people to start running for their lives because they thought the city was under attack. "Ian, go ahead. Try and dy them for about thirty minutes ande back once that time is up." Just as they were about to enter the city. A figure appeared who seemed to want to confront the entire group of Gorgons. This figure was none other than Ian, "WHO ARE YOU?" Gorgon inquired. "That is not important; this is as far as you all will go!" "Hmph, you must be one of those Raverdieu dogs!" Chapter 75 HUH??!! ? "You will not be able to stop me today from killing your young master today!" Gorgon stated this and took out his sword, pointing it at Ian. "Hmm, you are delusional if you think you are capable of doing so!" Ian retorted, his mana surging and enveloping his entire body. "You are mere garbagepared to our young master. You cannot evenpare yourself to a strand of his hair." In fact, a lot of people from the entire Astre continent regard those from outside their continent as lowly creatures, just like Noah said back then. It was not as bad as Noah''s, but deep down they think they are more superior. Hearing this, George suddenly stepped out and eximed, "You dare say such things to our Lord?!" Gorgon stretched out his left hand and ced it in front of George. "George, stay back, he is a Peak Magister. Let me take care of this first before we proceed. You all will just be holding me back. Stay behind and wait for me." "Are you lizards done talking?" Ian said mocking them. "I now know why the young master called you all lizards. Group of reptilian lookin asses." What Ian just said instigated the anger of everyone on Gorgon''s side. Gorgon then swung hisrge sword toward Ian without any warning, but Ian was ready for it and dodged it. ''The young master instructed me to just dy them for thirty minutes. I do not know the reason, but it seems he has some ns in mind.'' Ian then activated a skill he created himself, which was oxygenbined with fire, making a white colored me, and there was a wood attribute mixed with it that is stronger than diamond. A wooden prison in the shape of a triangle was constructed, and the wood used was stronger than diamond. The prison burned with a white me, which surrounded and engulfed Gorgon. Due to his dragonic human physique he possesses great defense, he could withstand the attack for a while. However, as he remained trapped, burn injuries started appearing on his skin. Without hesitation, he released his aura once more, and it surged with overwhelming power, crushing the triangr prison into pieces. With his body fully enhanced, he charged forward and unleashed a devastating skill known as the Royal Heavy sh, sending arge wave of sword aura hurtling toward Ian. Ian was hit by a powerful attack that blew away all the clouds behind him. Fortunately, Helix was positioned behind the clouds; otherwise, the Tier S ship would have been exposed. Both were fighting in the sky, so it did not affect the people living in Tranquil City much, but they could feel the vibrations of the fight on the ground. Ian raised his hand and manifested a wall of white me to block his attack. After blocking it, he released a bunch of toxic molecules of oxygen, which were thenunched towards Gorgon and entered his body, causing him to spit out blood. "Wh- What.. is this?" Gorgon said as he tried to figure out what Ian just did. Those people behind Gorgon, who were low ranking mages and swordsman were also affected, causing them to die instantly. ''What?! Aren''t these lizards too weak? Ah, damn, the young master told me to just hold them off. I might end up killing them all at this point.'' Ian thought as he gazed at the enemies in front of him. "Is that all you have? What gave you the courage to attack Raverdieus with such little strength?" If Fiona were here to witness this scene, she would most likelyment, like Father like son. Hearing that Gorgon was being mocked again, his aura surged again, but blood could be seen gushing out of the small microscopic holes on his skin where the molecules of toxic oxygen entered. Seeing this, Ian decided to go easy on them for now so as not to ruin his young master''s n. "Come!" Ian shouted. Gorgonunched forward again, but this time Ian just kept dodging and did not go on the offensive. Gorgon sensed this, "You-you! Are you toying with me!" Ian busted outughing, ''AHHAHAH'' "Are you a retard, slow, or just dense?" The troops on Gorgon''s side were enraged by this and could not tolerate it any longer. They decided to join Gorgon in the battle against the haughty enemy before them. Even if it would result in their deaths, they wanted to at least protect their dignity. There were only Great rank soldiers left on Gorgon''s side because most of the weaker ones had been killed in Ian''s attack earlier. There were those who also survived and stayed inside their ships. They were also ready to utilize the ship to fight off Ian since they were unable to use their aura or mana to fly; they could only pilot the ship to help Gorgon. Gorgon saw this and could not help but feel helpless, as he could not even avenge his son by himself and needed the help of others. "There''s no helping it." Gorgon said. "CHARGE!" As soon as his words fell, all. the soldiers rushed towards Ian. But then Ian''s tritonic device rm suddenly rang. "Welp, I guess it is time for me to retreat." Ian muttered, then turned his back away from Gorgon and others and disappeared from their sight. They all stopped, feeling bewildered by why he had just disappeared. They scanned their surroundings because they thought that Ian was nning a sneak attack. In the end, they could not find his presence at all. ''It is time, the duke''s armies should be arriving soon.'' internally said by Zen who was staying inside his vi and watching the whole battle being recorded by his Tier S ship. "Helix, it''s time for you to shine!" While Gorgon and others were still stunned in the sky, trying to figure out what was happening. Suddenly, a beam of light rushed towards them from behind them, shooting downwards. "WHATTTT!!!!!" Chapter 76 Let The Destruction Begin! ? Gorgon and his group heard a loud "BANG," causing them to turn around. They were startled to see a beam of light rushing toward them. Upon witnessing this, they experienced a brief moment of dazedness, and it appeared as though time hade to a stop. As it approached them, it seemed like they had epted the grim reapering towards them to send them on their way. But then something unexpected happened, the beam of lightunched toward them actually missed! Gorgon was bbergasted with this, "Huh?" Then he looked towards where that attack was heading, and it was aimed at Tranquil City. ''BOOOOM'' ''BOoom'' ''BoOm'' The beam of light came to rest upon the center of the city; it echoed throughout the surroundings, and another loud ''BOOM'' sounded that finally destroyed half of the city. The city was destroyed just like that, engulfed in me, and if you look closely, all the people living there have been turned to dust. Arge crater appeared in the ground, and half of the city was destroyed! Gorgon, who was beside George, could not help but ask, "UHhh, George, did we get any reinforcement or something? What the f*ck just happened?! Can you tell me what''s going on?" George, who was in a trance-like state, came back to his senses and said, "My Lord, I have no idea whatsoever." "What is going on? I did not n on causing this much destruction, and I was only aiming for that kid, Zenryx. This is bad; this mightplicate our homnd too." Gorgon muttered. "WHO DID IT? COME OUT!" Gorgon screamed. But then what followed after that was a bunch of ships arriving in Tranquil City with strong auras of a mage and swordsman''s among those ships. The Duke family''s army has finally arrived! Zen has alsoe on his Tier S ship, apanied by Marie, Ian, and a bunch of guards that came from his vi. Gorgon and his group were now surrounded. The duke''s armies were trying to figure out why and how Tranquil City was destroyed. They all looked at Gorgon and his groups, who were all silent, not knowing what just happened. The Duragny family was unable toe since their territory was situated all the way to the north of the continent which is the opposite side of the Raverdieu''s. And they knew that the other families should be enough to apprehend the outsiders. Zen stepped out of his ship, got on top of it, and spoke with an angry tone in his voice, "How dare you cause trouble, and destroy the very city I lived in?" With a grieving expression, he continued to say, "Do you realize how many innocent lives you have just taken?" "Why would you do this? There were innocent children among those that were in the city; you are really ruthless. How could you do such a thing!" Gorgon did not know how to respond, and his anger about his son being killed by Zen disappeared suddenly. "Why!?" Zen questioned him as he looked at Gorgon with a saddened face, but in his heart, he wasughing. "See how I will avenge those that have died. I will destroy your homnd also to make you feel what I am feeling right now after losing so many lives in the city I lived in." "Do you know how hard my heart is aching right now?" Gorgon finally spoke, "You-," but then he suddenly realized something. "Youu...you were the one who did this!" Without letting him speak anymore, Zen instructed Ian and Marie to apprehend them all. After hearing Zen''s words, the duke family armies also started moving to apprehend and kill the remaining troops of Gorgon. It seemed that they hade to the conclusion that Gorgon was the one who destroyed the city. "s, it seems that the Land of Dragons will suffer some retribution because of this." A Royal Swordsman from the Crellon family stated. Another one from the Doomthorne royal family said, "It seems so; why would they even cause trouble in the Raverdieu territory." "It seems they do not know the terror of the Raverdieus." Although they did not know what caused this group of dragon lineage people to attack Tranquil City, they just thought that it was suicide to be ying around with the Raverdieu''s. "It looks like the Land of Dragons will disappear from the world." A Magister from the Mevouires family was in a dark corner of arge ship talking to someone respectfully. "Youngdy, I suggest we act like we will help the Raverdieus destroy the Land of Dragons. That way, we could use this chance to also take a piece of thend and resources." The youngdy the Magister was talking to responded with a gentle voice, "Do you think they will agree? We also have no reason to attack the Land of Dragons, if other continents heard that we were grouping together to attack them, what do you think they would do?" "They will think that we are bullying people, and they might group together to attack the Astre continent. As for the Raverdieus, they have all the reason to attack the Land of Dragons, seeing how much those dragon lineage people cause so much trouble in the territory of the Raverdieus." The Magister beside her nodded and thought that it was reasonable. ''Why does it feel like all this was nned?'' The youngdy contemted, then thought of Gorgon''sst words earlier, saying Zen did all of it. She then nced at Zen, who was leaving the vicinity with Marie, Ian, and his guards. Zen felt like someone was staring at him, so he turned his head to see if his intuition was correct, and then he saw a girl staring at him in the distance inside a ship. He waved at her and smiled before entering his ship. Marie, Ian, and the guards followed him back to his vi. His vi was safe from the attack that destroyed half of the Tranquil City since his vi was located at the far end of the city. Once they arrived back, Ian was in deep thought: ''It seems the young master is a bit of a scheme, eh...'' As they were walking back inside the vi, Zen asked, "Ian, what do you think about being my follower?" Ian was taken back. "What do you mean, young master? I am already part of the Raverdieu family." "Not that, be my personal follower, I am nning to create my own organization in the future; I need someone to manage it when I am busy and stuff, you know?." "You too, Marie, think about it. You guys can go back. I''ll have instructions for youter, Marie." Zen concluded his words and returned back inside his vi to n his next move. ''If I can pull Marie and Ian together, I''ll have more foundation I can use to start my organization. There is also that Emperator from the Ounder continent I can use.'' ''I guess I''ll bete for the start of the academy.'' Zen though as an evil grin appeared on his face. Chapter 77 Guinea Pig ? In a dark underground cell, a burly-looking man can be seen chained up with both his hands hanging in the air. This burly-looking man was none other than Gorgon. Blood dripped from his face, injuries were all over his body, and his eyes were closed as if he were dead. His aura was constantly being absorbed by the chain that was holding him, so he had no way of escaping, even if he were a Peak Royal Swordsman. Suddenly the door leading to the underground cell opened, illuminating the entire room, which then made the burly man open his eyes. His gaze fell upon the doorway, but his eyes were blinded by the light so he could not see who entered. "W-who?" he said weakly. Then a figure walked in dressed in all white, and as the door closed, his appearance was revealed. "It''s you! Why did you leave me alive? Just kill me!" Gorgon shouted, using up all his strength. This figure was Zen, he had made Ian and Marie imprison Gorgon in a dungeon located near where all the guards lived. "Why would I? You still have some use for me," he said with a grin on his face. "Do not worry, you will be joining your son soon." Hearing this Gorgon red at him fiercely as if his gaze could kill Zen thousand of times by now. "Anyway, I just came here to check up on you. It seems Ian did a number on you." Zen said as he threw a dark type of pill into his mouth. ''Cough'' ''Cough'' After swallowing the drug given to him, Gorgon started coughing nonstop "What ''cough'' did you just ''cough'' feed me?!" Gorgon asked. "Nothing really, it is a modified drug I was given by Ian. You know the guy you fought with earlier? He is quite a mad scientist, you know, he invents all types of ridiculous drugs. Quite disgusting drugs." As soon as Zens''s words fell, Gorgon felt like his injuries were recovering, which surprised him. But then suddenly he felt piercing pain all over his body¡ªhis muscles, his bones¡ªand everything seemed like it was getting torn apart into pieces. Gorgon was about to faint from the pain, but for some reason, he could not, the drug he was given seemed to be keeping him awake. As Zen watched Gorgon silently as he groaned in pain, he spoke, "Wow, this pill given by Ian is quite good! Fantastic!" "What if I activate my poison skill on you as well? Well, would a Peak Royal Swordsman be able to handle it?" "I am quite curious about the extent of the damage these things will do to you." In fact, Zen came here to test out all types of stuff, as he needed to figure out ways to deal with stronger enemies. For example, in assassination and such. Zen got his hands on such a good specimen which is Gorgon. Instead of killing him, he took him in as a prisoner. He intended on using him as a guinea pig. After trying out some stuff like his poison skill and a bunch of poisonous pills given to him by Ian, Gorgon finally copsed and died with bubblesing out of his mouth. ''Hoh, it took about twenty types of poisonous pills to take him out even when he was in his weakened state, huh. I would probably need a stronger pill made; I''ll ask Ianter if there are any stronger ones.'' Zen contemted. Now all the dragon lineage people that came to the Astre continent have met the grim reaper. Soon their families back in their homnd would follow them to hell also. Zen proceeded to use his skill devourer on Gorgon obtaining the skill dragonic enchancement. ''This skill could bebined with the physical enchancement skill in the future.'' "You, father, and son are quite useful," Zen stated this as he looked at Gorgon''s lifeless corpse hanging from the chains. After concluding his words, he turned around and left the dungeon cell. He also called Marie and Ian back again to arrange things, instructing them that they should start getting ready to invade the Land of Dragons. ======== News quickly spread all over the continent about what transpired in the Tranquil City, and about it being half destroyed because of Gorgon and his troops. People from the continent all felt angered by some inferior creature suddenlyunching an attack on the Astre Continent and even destroying a city. Simply outrageous, they thought. They all cursed Gorgon and others, saying that they are to be condemned to eternal torture in hell, subjected to a never-ending cycle of demise and resurrection. Celestia and Daphne, who have also arrived at the academy, are currently with Fiona and Xue. When Daphne heard from Celestia that Zen was attending the academy, she immediately rushed and came to the academy. They have also learned what happened while they were away from the academy about Gorgon and his mening to cause trouble. While they were sat on the grass rxing in the shade of a tree, Daphne spoke up, "Hey Fiona, why did Zen go back to his vi?" She was currently looking at Zen''s Twittogram. "I do not know." she responded. "Hmmm..." As Daphne was scrolling through the feed on her phone, she came across a news story showing what happened to Tranquil City. "Ummm, girls.." Daphne stood up and showed the screen on her phone to all of them. "What!" Fiona was shocked to see the news. Xue, on the other hand, was unsurprised since she had long predicted that Zen had some type of scheme. Being with Zen for two months during their trip around the world has made her understand a bit of Zen. Both Daphne and Fiona were about to rush to Tranquil City, but then Celestia stopped them and said, "Rx. I just messaged Zen earlier, and he responded saying he was all right." As she showed the message she got from Zen to them. "See." Both then rxed and sat back down on the grass. On the other hand, in the Dean''s office, Hermione was bbergasted at what just happened. Her deductive mind went into overdrive, suspiciously pondering whether Zen''s shenanigans held any corrtion to the turn of events that had just unfolded in Tranquil City. Zenpletely unhinged Gorgon, triggering a furious frenzy that turned his brain into mush, causing him to recklessly charge straight at the source of his agitation which is Zen. In fact, Zen knew the personality of Hermione from the novel, he simply knew that she was going to tell Gorgon about him killing his son to avoiding a battle in the academy. The moment Gorgon appeared in the academy, all his ns were set in stone. He has been nning this since the time he killed Goren. He knew that his father would eventuallye seeking answers about his son''s death from the academy. Chapter 78 Invasion ? In the main family of the Raverdieus. "Such atrociousness, these reptilian b*tches are courting death!" a middle aged man with neck-length hair stated. "It appears that our presence has been quite dormant, leading to a collective oversight of the dread once instilled by our lineage," another elder remarked. These individuals are regarded as the elders of the Raverdieu family. The Raverdieu familyprises a collective of twenty esteemed elders, all of whom have attained prestigious ranks such as Peak Magister, Great Magister, Royal Swordsman, and Heavenly Swordsman. These were some of those hidden figures that were lurking in the shadows. They have lived for thousands of years, and the oldest lived about a hundred thousand years. Some would onlye out if there were important matters to discuss. This time, it seems that five hidden elder figures have appeared and met with each other to discuss the matter that just urred in Tranquil City. Although Ian was a Peak Magister, he can not be considered as strong as these elders. The reason why people get stuck at the level of Peak Magister and Peak Royal Swordsman is because of how difficult it is for one to form a catalyst in their body that is needed in order to break through. Since some Elders have been stuck in peak rank, they have substituted their training regime to get stronger by creating stronger, modified, andbined skills in order to be stronger while slowly forming their catalyst. They had even developed multiple domain skills andbined them together to make a stronger domain that defies logic. Some Elders from the Raverdieu who were stuck in peak rank could even fight about ten to twenty Iansbined. "HAHAHA, Randell''s kid is quite a schemer. Have you all not realized?" "Can you borate on what you mean by that 15th elder?" "Have you all not been paying attention? He killed someone whom I believe was called Goren, and as a result, his father came here looking for answers. He then found out that Randell''s kid was the perpetrator of his son''s death." "So he came to Tranquil City looking for Zenryx, and because of this, that kid was able to nt the me on Gorgon for destroying the city. He created a suitable excuse for us, Raverdieus, to attack the Land of Dragons." The other four elders were then enlightened by hearing the 15th elder''s words. "Ahhh, that kid is going ces." The 14th elderughed loudly, echoing through the surroundings. "That kid''s strategic scheme is rather audacious, though I find merit in it; the notion of sacrificing a small Tranquil City to gain extensive territorial acquisition is truly worth it." These elders exhibited a markedck of empathy towards the astonishing amount of death resulting from Zen''s actions because their mindset was ''Who cares if a bunch of ants dies?'' "We do not really need thatnd, but it could be used to hone Randell''s kid. Let''s just let him do what he wants for now and support him in the dark." "Since Randell was called by his father to the main branch along with Elle, well be responsible for this kid for now." With that, they concluded their conversation. ========== Back at Zen''s vi, where everyone was preparing to set off towards the Land of Dragon. There were about twenty Magisters, Royal Swordsmans, five Peak Magisters, and five Peak Royal Swordsmans that was among the troops. Marie was leading the Magisters and Royals, while Ian led the peak rank of the group. There were also one thousand Peak Great Swordsmands, five thousand Great, which were led by Jack, the person Zen used to order around. The rest of the troops consist of Advanced and Intermediate ranks, amounting to an astonishing amount of one hundred thousand. Zen stood tall in front, delivering a speech regarding the destruction of the city he lived in. "Today we will attack the Land of Dragons, who destroyed one of the cities of the Raverdieu. They shall pay for what they have caused." "They ruthlessly killed the innocents, and children, who have not yet experienced the joy of the world." "Let us embark on the territory of the lizards to avenge the fallen citizens of our Raverdieu family! They simply do not deserve to live and need to face the full extinction of their race!" ''AAOHHH'' ''AAOHH'' ''AOOOH'' The battle cry of every soldier resonated across vast distances, spanning hundreds of thousands of miles. "For the Raverdieu Family!" Ian screamed, which was then followed by countless screams repeating the same words. "For the Raverdieu Family!" "For the Raverdieu Family!" They all boarded the ships, and thousands of ships from small torge can be seen floating to the sky with a Tier S ship in front, which was Zen''s ship leading them all. Following behind was a multitude of ships, consisting ofrge A tier ships, B tier, and so on, with different sizes and equipped with many types of weaponry systems. Marie, who was with the troops she was leading, could not help but sigh at her young master''s schemes, and his actions. About how he confidently delivered a speech to the soldiers, raising their morals and fighting spirits despite the fact that all the things he said were all lies. She started to think that as her young master grew older, he had started to be more and more unpredictable. Everyone on the ground who survived the beam of light attack in Tranquil City looked at the scene in the sky in admiration, seeing the young master of the Raverdieu wanting to avenge them. They all screamed, cheering for him and the rest of the army, who were about to charge and destroy the Land of Dragons. The very people who destroyed the very city they lived in. "Go Raverdieu Family, show those outsiders that they cannot simply barge into the Astre continent and just expect that there are no consequences." One person on the ground screamed with all his strength and tears rolling down his eyes because he also lost families during Gorgon and his group''s attack. "Thank YOU! Young master of the Raverdieu!" They all felt powerless, not being able to get revenge, but finally, someone was willing to avenge their fallen families. At this moment, they have decided that they will someday repay Zenryx''s kindness; if they are not able to do so in this life, then in the next life. They all bowed in the direction where Zen and his family troops flew. Chapter 79 Launching An Invasion ? While on the way to the Land of Dragons, Zen checked his system panel status showing a transparent bluish screen in front of him. ¨‹?????????????? ???????????? 2.0¨‹ ¨‹Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) Race : ?Human? Age : ?11? Points : ?20? ¨‹Talent = Mage [Advanced], Swordsmanship [Advanced] ¨‹Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery:14%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery:27%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 16%] - Lightning Ball [Mastery : 22%] - Triple Thrust [Mastery : 8%] ¨‹Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory ¨‹Abstracted Skills = me, Poison, Physical Enhancement, Dragonic Enhancement ¨‹[System Shop]¨‹ [Dragonic Enchancement Description] Due to the capability of being part of the dragon lineage, one is able to easily absorb mana or aura in the surroundings with this skill. Enhancing the speed at which, one is able to gather and absorb mana and aura to increase their mana pool and aura pool. Previously Zen has used up about ny points from his previously acquired one hundred ten points that he got from getting the Amethyst Earring artifact which is now his use. He allocated about forty points on his skill Fork Lightning and about fifty points on his Lightning Ball. He increased his previous fifteen percent mastery on Lightning Ball to twenty percent but because of the outbreak he used as training, he was able to sessfully increase his mastery of that skill by two more percent. Resulting in an increase of twenty two percent. Same for his other skills which he trained during the beasts outbreak. Overall he allocated about ny points leaving only twenty points left at his disposal. Despite the seemingly insignificant figure of two percent, it actually represents a substantial amount considering the increasing difficulty of increasing a mastery skill as he progresses. However, the system does not have such restrictions making Zen directly advance his skill and all the information about the skill would be automatically integrated into his mind. Regarding him purchasing items from the system shop? The inexpensive section of the shop did not contain any worthwhile items. A majority of the items that could prove beneficial to him were inessible due to their locking mechanisms, and some were also very costly. He required a quantity of points upwards of tens of thousands in order to buy just one items. This perplexed him considerably, as he pondered how he would acquire such a quantity of points given that he is only receiving a meager one hundred points from Edward, which is manifestly inadequate. He tried asking the system about it but all Destine said was everything would be clear once the System is updated to version 3.0. With that, he decided to just wait things out until then ''So this thing I got from that lizard is this huh. Quite useful since my mana pool has already reached a level of Great Mage the progress of which my mana is increasing has slowed down and my aura has stayed in Advanced rank.'' Zen, engrossed in contemtion, ponders the advantages of the skill bestowed upon him by Gorgon. Zens aura pool was on the verge of reaching its peak advanced state, and this particr skill was precisely what he required to sessfully progress beyond that threshold. He directly use the dragonic enhancement and immediately he felt all the mana and aura in the surroundings rushing to him and entering his body. Marie, Ian, and all the other high ranked Mages and Swordsmans who were following behind his S tier ship could feel the changes. They all looked at Zen''s ship who was in front leading them all and felt the changes were rted to their young master. ''What is going on all the mana and aura in the area seems to be rushing to young master Zen,'' Marie thought after sensing it. They were all curious about what their young master was doing. Even though they were traveling at a high Mach speed, for them who had high attainment it was like they were just standing still so they could easily figure out what was happening to the surroundings. All ships were progressing at a velocity of ten Mach, despite the fact that certain ships possessed the capability to achieve higher speeds. The collective decision was made to maintain a uniform pace, given that other ships were unable to match the speed of other lower tiered ships. While they were all busy with that, Zen who was inside his ship felt like his bottleneck with his aura pool was about to break through. He decided to focus on this while they were on their way to the Land of Dragons which would take about eight to ten hours to reached that location. Thatnd was located in the southwest ocean region of the Astre Continent. It is and where people prosper there was no such thing as poor or rich in thisnd. That is just how the Dragon Lineage work for them they were all loyal to each other, but it would be a different matter the way they treat outsiders. While it is true that the Land of Dragons operated under such principles, it must be acknowledged that even in the darkness, corruption also exist, as there existed no realm that could be ssified as entirely pure and tranquil throughout the vast expanse of the world. Nheless, whenpared to other ces within Pontiac, it may be contended that the Land of Dragons tended towards an air of serenity and harmony. Just like the Astre continent people thinking how everyone else from outside of their continent is garbage, this was the same mentality that they all have. Unlike the Astre continent who allows others from outside of their continent to enter thend, this people from the Land of Dragons prohibits such thing. ============ After a few hours... Zens body seems to be illuminated in blue and white light, which then gradually disappeared. It appears he has been able to sessfully upgrade his aura pool to a Peak Advanced. He felt the changes in his body, his physique and senses strengthened. "It looks like I am now able to utilize both my mana and aura to be able to fly. Been looking forward to this..." he quitely muttered to himself. ''Young master Zen seemed to have be stronger again.'' Marie thought who was actively sensing the changes inside Zen''s ship. ''I wonder how he improves so fast.'' In the end she shook her thoughts away since she knows everyone has their own secrets. Chapter 80 Arriving In The Land Of Dragons ? In the quiet Land of Dragons, surrounded by majestic mountains, life looked quite simple and serene. The people were going about their daily routines, their faces adorned with contentment as they, engaged in lively conversations, and walked through the bustling marketce. The marketce, usually bustling with vibrant colors and lively banter, was abuzz with conversations about the day''s harvest and thetest goods on disy. The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air as vendors showcased their wares, enticing the people with promises offort and sustenance. "Mommy, can we buy that bread? It smells tasty!" A little girl spoke, looking at her mother in anticipation. With a smile on her face, she responded, "Hehe, you little girl, of course mommy will go buy one right now," as she gently patted her head. The buildings here were fantasy-like but mixed withrge, tall, twirling structures that looked unique, clustered together in groups, and a body of water that runs through the entirend. Overall, one can see that this was a prosperousnd. Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, a sudden disruption emerged from the horizon. Countless ships can be seen in the sky, blocking out the sun and casting a veil of unease upon the people. A person saw this and yelled, grabbing the attention of all the people present near him. "Everyone, look there! Look at those ships." "What is going on?" Gasps of confusion can be seen in their expressions as their eyes lock on the approaching ships. As the ships drew nearer, the people could feel an air of uncertainty settle around them. Whispers spread like wildfire, with rumors of impending danger coursing through the crowd, which eventually reached everyone''s ears. Nobody knew their intentions, but their arrival certainly did not feel like they hade here with good intentions. They were also confused about why such arge fleet of ships came. There have never been such asions in the past. Finally, all the ships came to a halt. At the forefront of the fleet of ships, a figure emerged from a small ship, epassing an unparalleled handsomeness that drew both admiration and apprehension from the crowd. The people on the ground stood in stunned silence, their eyes fixated on this mysterious young man who had just emerged and exuded an aura of dominance. This was none other than Zen and the others; they have finally arrived in the Land of Dragons! ''So this is the Land of Dragons, this is quite big. Perfect ce to setup the base of my organization.'' With amanding voice that carried across thend, Zen spoke, addressing the confusion of all the people living here. "We are here to avenge the lives lost at the hands of Gorgon that came from here. You all should thank that lizard that wreaked havoc in my homnd." Then Zen acted like he was enraged by the atrocitiesmitted by him, "Today I will dere that we will annihte thend of dragons, thus bringing justice to the people who suffered injustice and death at the hands of your people!" As the weight of Zen''s words sank in, the people''s confusion transformed into chaos. "HEY! Is he serious? Lord Gorgon did such a thing?" "What the hell? Such lies! Lord Gorgon will never do something like that!" Some protested, calling him out and saying he was lying because they knew Gorgon was not such a person who goes around killing people. They were all unaware of what happened at Astre, like Gorgon''s son being killed, so they were all baffled. They only knew that Gorgon recently departed with an army to go somewhere, but they did not think that he brought an army to cause trouble somewhere. Caught between panic and disbelief, the people scrambled toprehend the unfolding events. They all did not believe what Zen was saying; they had full trust in their Lord that he would not do such a thing. Seeing the people below him and their words, Zen thought, ''Hahahah, That''s right, I mean, I did it all by myself.'' Anyway, as soon as Zen and his group appeared, Some high ranking individuals belonging to Aragon family appeared in front of him to confront him, which is the family Gorgon was from. There were about five that appeared; they had the aura of a Magister, and Royal Swordsman. They were the five elders of Gorgon''s family lineage. In fact, they were one of the people who knew what had transpired, which was Gorgon''s son being killed. Just like the people of the Land of Dragons, they did not believe that Gorgon would go and ughter a bunch of people. Marie and Ian frowned and took a step forward, intending to block them. One of the magisters spoke, looking straight at Zen, and said it in a serious tone, questioning him. "Hey young man, stop spreading false things, Lord Gorgon would never do that." "Where is he?" "Ah, he is already six feet underground." Hearing this, the five people that appeared revealed a shocking expression and unisonly said, "What?!" "Ah, yes, that''s right I forgot before he died, I expiremented on him. He is quite tough; he was able to endure all types of poisons that I gave him. All you lizards bloodlines are remarkable. Im impressed." What Zen just said instantly enraged them, hearing that their Lord was tortured to death! All their aura and mana surges directed it at Zen, but Marie and Ian took action to block it. Zen spoke again, addressing the matter "Now, now, don''t be hasty, I mean, he deserved it after killing all the people in my family''s territory." Without speaking further, he instructed all the troops behind him, "DESTROY THIS LAND; LEAVE NO ONE ALIVE BEHIND!" He also instructed Helix to start charging the weaponry system of his S tier ship. Helixunched a beam of light directed at therge city below, which then destroyed a part of it. After that, all the troops Zen brought with him started to exit their ship to start ughtering all the people in thisrge city. All five elders that appeared watched the horror in shock and looked back at Zen. "STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! They all do not have anything to do with this!" Zen then responded nonchntly, like he did not care, "You all should die also." Then the Magisters and Royal Swordmans that Zen brought with him attacked the five elders. As they all fought fiercely, Zen retreated back inside his ship to watch the battle. ''This is quite entertaining, would be nice if there were popcorn in this world. Speaking of it, I should try to find some ingredients that I could use to make some.'' He thought and did not care about the lives being lost every second of the battle. Chapter 81 The Progenitor Of The Aragon Family ? Screams could be hearding from all over the city, all running for their lives, but to no avail; they were unable to keep their lives. Zen''s army ughtered them all one by one as if they were all some kind of killing machine who had no emotions. All the soldiers of the Raverdieu were all trained to follow every order of the family, and killing people was normal in this world where the strong can kill anyone as long as they are powerful enough to ignore the consequences of their actions. The Raverdieu family was strong enough to do so. There were also armies from the Aragon family trying to stop them all, but in the end, they died. There were not that many of them since Gorgon had brought half of the family''s army to the Astre continent back then. The five elders of the Aragon family were fighting with five people from Zen''s side, and they were all starting to show signs of exhaustion as time went by. There were still about twenty five high ranking mages and swordsmans from Zen''s side who had yet to take action. He had instructed them to standby for now as he was concerned about the Aragon family. The Aragon family is still an ancient family, so of course there are some progenitors among them. That was what Zen was waiting for. In a deep underground cavern located in the Aragon family, an old man can be seen who is characterized by white hair and white eyebrows, and his face has a bunch of wrinkles. A red aura surrounded him, and he seemed to be in a slumber inside an open coffin. Suddenly, his eyes flickered as he felt something was going on outside. His eyes started to open wide, and he stood up. He released his aura, sensing the whole Land of Dragons. He scowled as he sensed the battle, and shouted, "OLD NUPAS WAKE UP!" As soon as his words dropped, the surrounding area started shaking, with cracks developing on the cave walls and rocks shaking on the ground. Arge hole appeared on the ground, and a figure emerged from the hole with the same appearance as the old man who woke up earlier. "Why did you wake me up, brother? What is wrong?" "It seems some bugs have invaded ournd." "Hoh, let''s see who gave them the courage to cause trouble in Land of Dragons." The five elders of Aragon fought fiercely, but just as the two of them were about to be killed, an aura barrier formed in front of them, blocking the attacks of Marie and Ian. Marie and Ian looked in a certain direction, where they sensed the aura of the person who formed the barrier, and they saw two old figures appear. "Who are you two?" Ian inquired, his face filled with confusion. The other five elders also noticed them, and they revealed a relieved expression. "Progenitors!" The battle came to a close with the appearance of these two. One of the figures spoke with anger and was called Old Napas. "Shouldn''t we be the ones asking you all that?" and his aura surged, causing both Ian and Marie to be forced back. Ian felt the aura emanating from Old Napas, "A Heavenly Swordsman!" "How dare you all ughter the people of thisnd?" Old Napus also went ahead and yelled in anger. He then looked at one of the elders they saved and said, "Hey you! Come exin to me what is going on." Immediately, all five of the elders flew towards them and exined the situation. "Gorgon has died and been tortured to death at that?" "Presumptuous!" Zen, who was watching the battle, saw them also, and he came out, followed by twenty or more magisters and royal swordsmans behind him. All the people present directed their gaze towards him. Seeing him, the five elders revealed ugly expressions. "Is that the kid you are all talking about?" "Yes, Progenitor." Zen then spoke as soon as he reached a sizable distance between them, "Greetings, progenitors of the Aragon family, I am delighted to be in your presence." Napus scoffed, "You kid, so arrogant for someone who still wets the bed. Say which family you are from on the Astre continent." "Raverdieus!" "Raverdieu?" Napus showed a shocked expression upon hearing that family name. He proceeded to look at the five elders as if he wanted to me them all for offending such a behemoth family. Anyway, let''s stop this pointless conversation." Zen then instructed the twenty people following behind him to go ahead and kill the two progenitors. But then, as soon as the twenty people were all about to attack. The surroundings suddenly darkened, and the entire Land of Dragons was split in two. Another old man appeared! But this time it seems that this old man came from Zen''s side. "Ahhahahah, Very good, you two seem to have forgotten how I ughtered the founder of your Aragon family back then." His voice carried a powerful aura aimed at the two progenitors, causing them to tremble. The force of the old man''s aura that just appeared made them feel like ants that could be killed at any time. "You two were still kids back then, huh? It seems you two have grown arrogant since that day!" The old man that appeared was none other than the 15th elder from the Raverdieu family, a Great Magister! "Yo-You, what are you doing here?" Napus was scared out of his mind because he could still clearly remember how this 15th elder ruthlessly murdered their ancestors and plucked his head, then proceeded to madly rip their ancestor''s body like a ragdoll. "You call yourself progenitors? You two cannot evenpare to my family''s elders; what gives you the right to be arrogant in front of the young master of my family?" The 15th elder then appeared in front of the two progenitors. Heunched an attack, instantly killing them both, and their bodies disintegrated into dust. The five elders from the Aragon family also died right after. The battle ended just like that. Just like that! The elders of the Raverdieu''s often go around the Pontiac, causing trouble everywhere, so they were all quite famous. As time went on, they have been forgotten; only some could remember them, who were alive during their rise to power. All the people from Zen''s side gathered together, even the high ranking people, and they all bowed down to the 15th elder, greeting him. "RISE!" he stated, then started approaching Zen, who was in front of all of them. ===== Please write a review if you have reach this chapter so far thank you! Chapter 82 Destruction of the Land of Dragons Chapter 82 Destruction of the Land of Dragons ''The f*ck this old dude should have appeared earlier so things would have be smoother.'' Zen looked at the 15th elder who was approaching him. He had long expected that someone from his family was hiding in the shadows, considering the scale of the operations he had organized and the issue that transpired back in Tranquil City. Naturally, it would get the attention of the old elders in his family. In case of unexpected idents, he was sure that someone woulde and supervise the situation. If that were not the case, then he had other ns to deal with the Aragon family''s progenitors. That is the reason why he brought an overwhelming number of thirty Magisters and Royal Swordsman all of whom were experts in that rank. This is another way we can see the extent of the power of the Raverdieu family; they could easily take out a bunch of experts with a mere snap of a finger. The 15th elder arrived in front of Zen. "Not bad, not bad!" he said as he scrutinized Zen. "So you are Randell''s kid, you are by far one hundred times more talented than him," followed by a hoarseugh. "Yes, may I ask who you are senior?" Zen responded. "I am the 15th elder of the family! Zephirix Raverdieu, but most people who know me just call me Zeph." "I appreciate your assistance, 15th Elder; you have done me a great favor." "HAHAHAHA, no need to be so distant we hail from the same family, just talk casually, kid. You have quite the scheming mind, huh? We have also helped solve some problems for you behind the scenes." "There were some old fogs wanting a share of thisnd, So we simply gave them a visit and had a peaceful conversation about it." ''Peaceful visit? Are you sure you did not threaten them?'' Internally retorting what the 15th elder stated. They had some small conversations talking about some minor matters before Zen proceeded to tell him that he still had some matters to attend to, like how he should handle this Land of Dragons he just acquired. The 15th elder decided to leave and go back to the Raverdieu territory after dealing with the Progenitors and talking with Zen. The entire Land of Dragons now looked lifeless; corpses covered the entire ground, and blood flowed like a river. The once-clear body of water that ran throughout the entirend was now stained a crimson color. The entirend was also split in half, which was caused by the 15th elder earlier when he appeared. But overall, it was a satisfactory oue that Zen wanted. Just like how he terraformed the volcand back then, it would be fairly easy to terraform this brokennd. Zen then instructed all the troops he had brought with him to clean out the area and burn the corpse. He decided to go to the main area of the area where the Aragon family was located and wanted to see if there was any useful treasure in there, with Marie and Ian following him behind. Ian could not help but ask what his ns were for thisnd: "Young master, what do you n to do now that we have sessfully acquired this?" Turning his head and looking directly at Ian, he said, "Did I not tell you before or did I not? Well, I can exin it to you more clearly." "Well, I will use thisnd as the base of the organization that I will be creating in the future." "Let us call it, ''ckout''." Zen concluded his words and flew in the direction of the Aragon family. Once they arrived, there seemed to be some people alive who managed to escape the ughter. "Yo-you why are you doing this." A young man who was with a group spoke, asking Zen and the others who had just arrived. This group belonged to Gorgon''s family, so they were able to escape because they were hiding inside the main family territory. They noticed that the battle seemed to have stopped, so they all agreed to get out and try to escape from thisnd. They then went out of their hiding spot, but they did not expect to meet the people that invaded theirnd. Thats how they all met Zen along their way. "Man, shut the fuck up," Zen responded as he took out his katana, shing the young man to death. The other people who were with that young man all revealed a shocking expression, and they all started begging to spare their lives. The dragon lineage arrogance they once had seemed to have entirely disappeared; they were now crawling in front of him, saying they were willing to be ves. But Zen did not care and directly instructed the people behind him to kill the rest of them as he walked towards the inside of therge building, which was the Aragon family building. He roamed around for a while but did not find anything useful, so he just exited the area. ''Well, as expected, there is nothing in here; I am just wondering where the artifacts of the progenitors of this family are." Zen contemted, then realized that the 15th elder had said earlier that he had oncee to thisnd before. ''Ahh, f*ck, that old geezer probably took it already.'' After that, he decided to leave the Land of Dragons, as he still needed to go back to the Academy and start his academy life. Before leaving, he left a bunch of troops behind to clear out the area and instructed them to renovate the entirend and build a structure that could be used as a base for his organization. He really did not care anymore whether people said he was ruthless or found out about his ns for building an organization. From now on, he will show his dominance to the entire, to the point where no one will say anything about his actions. He got in his ship and started heading in the direction of the Pontiac Academy. Chapter 83 The Results Chapter 83 The Results The result of the battle... The Aragon family was destroyed, along with all the people that lived in the Land of Dragons. Zen did not leave anyone alive, it was just like he said back then: he erased the Dragonic Lineage from the face of the. He even did it in such a ruthless way that they were unable to defend themselves and were unable to escape their fate of being killed. The entirend first had the most peaceful atmosphere, but the next moment, before they knew it, a bloodbath started essentially killing them all. Even the Aragon family, which ruled thisnd, was unable to do anything. It was really tragic, even for the people in thisnd; they did not even know the real reason why they were killed, even though Zen exined the reason why he invaded them, they did not believe him at all. This was just the unwavering loyalty that ran through the bloodline of the Dragonics. Thisnd had existed for more than hundreds of thousands of years, and even though it suffered along the way, they were always able to sessfully rise up again and again. For example, when their ancestor who founded the Aragon family was killed by the 15th elder of the Raverdieu family, they suffered arge setback, but in the end, they were able to make it through that catastrophe. It might be because the 15th elder did not bother with them, as they were all ants in the eyes of that elder, but still, after that incident, they were all able to rise up again. Now that they were all killed, there was no way they were ever going to rise up again. Even their offspring, who should be the next generation, were ughtered. The wholend now looked like an apocalyptd where life did not exist. The trees, grass, flowers, etc... that once shone in majestic colors were now reduced to a dark, burnt color. The entirendscape is covered in dust and blood. As for Zen specting that the 15th elder took the artifacts that belonged to the progenitors of thisfamily? His guess was right because the reason the 15th elder attacked the Aragon family back then was because of this. The 15th elder once arrived in the Land of Dragons, meeting the ancestor of the Aragon family and demanding that she hand over the artifacts to him. That ancestor, who was called Wifrafni, disagreed, but knowing how arrogant and overbearing the Raverdieu family is, the 15th elder decided to fight, resulting in her demise. With how powerful he is, it wasn''t even a fight at that point; it was pretty much a one-sided massacre. There were also three progenitors of the Aragon family at that time, but even with them, they were unable to stop the 15th elder. After that battle, he forcibly took the artifacts belonging to the Aragons and left the Land of Dragons, leaving all the people that witnessed the battle and the 15th elders actions infuriated to the point they wanted to rush him themselves. But they knew that they would be unable to even approach him before they got killed, let alone kill him? That would pretty much be them delivering themselves to the Grin Reaper. This is also one of the reasons Gorgon rushed to Zen back then; he had long studied the history of his family and wanted to bring justice to what happened back then. Quite a fool, if one were to say so. The Aragon family was able to produce two more progenitors after that incident in mere thousands of years, which is quite remarkable. These progenitors are none other than the two brothers Napas and Napus. In the end, they suffered the same fate as their ancestors. It can be seen here that the Aragon family had the chance to rise up as one of the strongest families on Pontiac if they were given time, but Zen arrived and ughtered them all before they could even do so. The entirend was now being renovated by the troops Zen left behind. They all melted the bodies of the people, turning them into liquids, whether they were children, teenagers, parents, or old people. They all suffered the same fate. The liquids were then used and scattered around thend, and they were used as fertilizer since the human body contains a lot of mana and aura, which can enrich thend. While doing all that, the troops all remained indifferent at the sight of this and felt no remorse for ughtering them all. Some had the mindset of ''what''s wrong with killing animals''. Quite a ruthless mindset! They had all used all the revolutionary items that were invented by the Pontiac Academy to transform the wholend. With the''s technology, they were even able to terraforms that were inhabitable to make them suitable living environments. Once that was done, the entire area had be much more pleasing to look at, with no more dead bodiesying around and greenery having once again thrived. After that, the troops started to construct what Zen had instructed them. Since a lot of them all had knowledge of architecture, it would be fairly easy to be able to make a structure that was to the liking of Zen. The entire terraforming was eazy peazy but the construction of such a structure that they were instructed to create would probably take time. Zen did not leave them with any instructions on how they should make the structure. But they knew it had to look majestic, knowing Zen''s background. As for the name ''ckout'' that Zen wanted to name his organization, it meant covering the entire in the shadow of this organization and controlling it behind the scenes. While people may know of this organization, they would never know what its goal was. The destruction of thisnd and what happened to it afterwards would probably never reach the ears of the people on the Astre continent; they would only know that Zen had gone there with an army. Of course, it is a different matter for the high ranking individuals, as they had ways to find out these things. Chapter 84 Assembly [Part 1] Chapter 84 Assembly [Part 1] The news of what happened to the Land of Dragons has been blocked by the Raverdieu family, but either way, some of the powerful families had other ways to find out. Some of the powerful families like the Dukes, and Marquess also already had an idea of what transpired there. As for the other continents? They''ll eventually find out sooner orter. Currently, the academy testing was about to start, and many uing students were all neatly seated in the assembly hall of the Pontiac Academy, waiting for the arrival of the instructors in charge of the testing. Zen''s attendance at the academy has also already been spread amongst them, and they were all looking forward to seeing him. Naturally, they also knew that Zen had gone to the Land of Dragons with an army. So they thought that he would bete, although once the academy started, no students would be able to enter. Knowing Zen''s current situation, the academy should be able to make an exception for him. Many recordings had been circted online of the Raverdieu''s extravagant armies appearance on Tranquil City; it was to the point that it could pretty much crush any third rate continent. Continents were divided into rankings as first rate, second rate, third rate, and the Astre continent holds the prestigious title of being the one and only first rate continent on the entire. That was the first time that the Raverdieu family had shown part of their family prowess. All the people on the Astre continent were in awe of being able to witness such a powerful army. "When are the instructors going to appear, it''s been so long." "Uhuh, I wonder what''s taking them so long, We have been here waiting for an hour!" The young people who came here were all conversing with each other, trying to figure out why the instructors had not yet made their appearance. "Oh right, the Raverdieu''s young master will attend the academy too!" "Yes, not only that, but look!" a young man said while he pointed at a few figures in the area that had the temperance of nobles and had strong auras. If Zen were here, he would say, ''Shii, all of those from the novel have finally made their appearance in the academy!'' "Thepetition in the academy this year would be much much harder, I do not think we''ll even be able to shine," that same young man stated with a gloomy expression on his face. Fiona, Celestia, and Daphne were also on the sidelines, sitting down, confused as well because they had already finished the tests and such back then. They should not need to be here, but they were instructed to attend, which baffled them. All three were also conversing with each other and talking about Zen. It was as if whenever they got together, all they talked about was Zen, but mostly it was all mediated by Daphne; all the words that came out of her mouth were all about him. "What do you guys think happened at the Land of Dragons? I mean, Zen went there with like a massive army from your family, Fiona." Daphne questioned. Hearing what Daphne said, Celestia thought about it for a moment, as she seems to have sensed something strange with Zen''s actions and how everything went down. She couldn''t figure out what made her feel that something was wrong, so in the end she responded to Daphne with a concerned tone: "I believe thatnd would probably be taken by Fiona''s family; I just hope that Zen would not go overboard." "Not everyone from there was at fault or should even have knowledge of what happened at Tranquil City." Once Celestia concluded her words, Fiona suddenly spoke with a sense of hatefulness in her tone, saying, "Hmm, you know, Celestia, the people at Tranquil City also had innocent children and such, and they all died just like that because of those people from the Land of Dragons. They deserved what ising for them!" "But.." Celestia was about to speak but swallowed her words because she knew that she had no right to speak about it because this happened in the territory of the Raverdieu''s. If it happened in the territory of the Doomthorne, would her family do the same and attack the entire Land of Dragons? "Right! Do they really think they can casuallye and go to the Astre continent without consequences?! Impossible." Celestia felt the topic of their conversation was a bit dark, so she decided to redirect the topic: "Hey, enough about that, let''s talk about this assembly." "Oh right! Why were we even called here, We have already done all the testing and such. "I was ying my game in my room when suddenly I received a notification from the academy forum saying that I had toe here." "I identally clicked on that notification, and I died in the game; I lost all my items!" Daphne said as she aggressively scratched her head with both hands, feeling infuriated about what happened. "There you go again with the games; like, take a break from it once in a while." Fiona stated. "Nopee!" Daphne responded, looking straight at Fiona with her tongue out and a sound escaping from her mouth: ''Bleeh''. "Y-You, you know I am doing this for your own good." Celestia listened to both of their conversations feeling helpless and thought, ''How did the conversation go from why the instructor called us here to games again?'' "I may have an idea of why we are here, actually." Celestia spoke up, breaking up Daphne and Fiona''s conversation. Both were also quite curious about the current situation, so they turned their gazes to Celestia with a serious expression, wanting to listen to her exnation attentively. "I''ve heard that all the instructors and the dean had a meeting regarding the event that transpired during the Twilight expedition. They might be implementing new rules and a new system regarding how the academy should work from now on." "Since what happened then was quite tragic, the academy should have thought of things that would prevent such incidents from happening again. They should be announcing all this during this assembly." Hearing this, Daphne came to the realization, "Ahhh, maybe that is why the instructors arete and they should be preparing to announce all this stuff." Fiona wasn''t surprised, as she also had the same thoughts as Celestia. While these three girls and all the people currently present in the assembly were conversing, four figures appeared on the front stage of the assembly, which immediately silenced the entire room. The instructors have finally made their appearance. Chapter 85 Assembly [Part 2] Chapter 85 Assembly [Part 2] Hawkin stepped onto the high stage, apanying behind him were the other two professors, Anna and Lector. He took up the high stage, and as he got there, he enhanced his voice with mana so everyone in the assembly could hear him clearly. Seeing that the entire assembly had quieted down, he spoke, "Greetings, you youngings, I apologize for the dy as we had to prepare all things that we would be announcing, such as the changes we have all agreed upon that will take ce starting today." "But anyway, I wee you all to Pontiac Academy!" "Usually you would have been all separated into groups to start taking the test and such, but we gathered you here for that reason." "First of all, I''ll start with everything that will remain the same: the general knowledge test will be done the same, and how your ss ranking will be determined for the first years." "As for those who have already done all this things, you all must be confused as to the reason why you all have been instructed to join in on this assembly!" While Hawkin was speaking, he noticed something in everyone. "Ok, ok, I''ll try to keep this short so we can go ahead and be done with all this boring stuff." Everyoneughed at his words, as he really guessed what they were all thinking, which was that this assembly was quite boring. "So the changes! You all should be aware of the unfortunate Twilight incident, right?" "Yes!" Everyone unanimously said. "So there will no longer be an expedition to the Twilight for the first year students, and that woulde only once you all have be second year students. This was done to avoid such incidents from urring again." Once those words dropped out of Hawkins mouth, a young girl stood up who was sitting at the side, grabbing Hawkins attention. "Yes Fiona? What''s the matter?" Subsequently, everyone turned their gaze towards her. "Isn''t that Zenryx Raverdieu''s sister? She is too pretty!" A young man stated. A girl from the crowd sitting down heard this young man, and then she thought of something and fell into deep thought as she scrutinized Fiona. "Uhmm, Professor, I have a question." "What is it?" "So what happens to the students who have participated in the Twilight expedition and have killed beasts and such to earn academy points? Wouldn''t we have just wasted time going there?" "Well, I was just about to get to that part." "Ok, got it." Fiona eximed as she sat back down. Celestia, who was beside her, noticed something and asked, "By the way, Fiona, where is Xue? Howe she is not here?" "Ahh her? She was called by the dean, for some reason, quite strange." "Hmm..." A bit perplexed about why she was called by the dean. They then turned their attention back to Hawkin, who was about to exin about the students who had already participated in the Twilight expedition. "So about Fiona''s question earlier, you all should still have the Tritonic devices in which you all recorded the information of all the beasts you all have killed and their corpses in your storage ring." "You may all stay behind after this assembly and have it all calcted by the staff that wouldtere here, and you all would receive the academy points you all deserved. Everyone else would be taking the test we will administer ourselves." "As for how the first year rankings will be determined, you all will bepeting with each other in the arena. Since there''s quite a lot of you this year, there would be ten battles each round, and the elders of the academy would be helping out to judge the battle." "That''s it for now; everything else will be exined once you all have be the official students of Pontiac Academy and during your orientation." After that, he stepped out of the stage and instantly appeared where the exit door to the assembly hall was, along with Anna and Lector. Anna shouted, grabbing everyone''s attention, and they all turned their heads back to face her. "Ok, all the new uing students, follow us; we will start doing all your sh*t!" This was the first time Anna spoke during the entire assembly, and everyone couldn''t help but think, ''Uhhh... Is this really a professor? Why is the first thing that came out of her mouth so vulgar?'' They all shook their heads and stood up, preparing to follow the professors out. While all the other students who had all done the test stayed behind. Two girls and one guy were among those that were about to follow the professors, but then one of the girls stopped on her track and said, "You two go ahead first." The young man questioned, "Why? Where are you going?" But the young girl ignored him and started heading in a certain direction. Just as Daphne, Celestia, and Fiona were having a conversation with each other, a young girl approached them. Noticing the girl who was walking towards them, all three girls stopped their conversation and looked at her. Once she arrived in front of them, Daphne was the first one to speak: "Hello? Can we help you?" perplexed about why this girl suddenly approached them. "Hello, I am Crystal Vrt." She then looked at Fiona and said, "You are Fiona Raverdieu, right? May I speak to you in private for a moment?" After hearing her family name, all three girls unconsciously thought, ''Isn''t that the baron family that was recently destroyed? The youngdy of that family actually survived?!'' They were all surprised. "Yes, I am," Fiona responded as she slowly sized up the girl in front of her. "Why do you need to speak to me? As far as I am concerned, I do not think we are familiar with each other, and this should be the first time we are meeting, right?" "Yes, we are not, but I am familiar with your brother, Zenryx; I am kind of a friend of his." Chapter 86 Talk with Crystal Velart Chapter 86 Talk with Crystal Vrt "What did you say? A friend?" Fiona was surprised; she had never heard Zen talk about this Crystal girl. "Sorry, mind exining how you even met him?" She added, feeling suspicious of what Crystal said. "Actually, he saved my life back then in the twilight zone, so I owe him one." Crystal exined. "He saved you? So you were also present during the beasts outbreak." "Well, not during the outbreak; this was before his birthday banquet." Once her words fell, Daphne and Celestia both looked at Fiona and asked her to exin, as they had never heard Zen go to the Twilight Zone before from her. Fiona then reluctantly exined what had urred back then, starting with him sneaking out of the vi and so on. ''So... and so and that''. "I came back to his vi after the dinner with our parents because I wanted to talk to him; that''s how I caught him in the act." "But hear this: he actually knocked me unconscious before leaving!" Crystal, Daphne, and Celestia were all surprised at his action, but this seems to align very much with Zen''s personality as far as their understanding of him goes. As Fiona was exining what had happened back then, Celestia cut her off as she seemed to have realized something, and she raised her hands and pointed at Crystal. "Ah! You must be the girl that Zen secretly went to meet back then, right? That was about a week ago, she said with a smile on her face. Fiona also became enlightened: "Hmm... Now that I think about it, the perfume you''re using seems to be the same as the smell that Zen had on him when he came back to his vi." Daphne was quite confused about what was happening because she was not present at that time, so she did not know what they were all talking about. She discerns from the conversation that this girl called Eliza should have a rtionship with Zen that''s not as simple as being a friend. "Well, that''s right. I did meet him a week ago, but it''s not what you guys are thinking." All three girls looked at her suspiciously, and they also sized her up and thought maybe this was the type of girl that Zen liked. They all continued asking her all types of questions, and Crystal answered them all one by one. Thinking that Crystal was really someone who Zen knew, the way they talked to her was no longer that of a stranger. "Oh right! You said you had something to talk to me about, right? And you should hurry up; you might miss out on the academy test, so what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Fiona inquired. Daphne and Celestia were also curious about what she had to say. Crystal was hesitant to speak at first because Daphne and Celestia were also here, but thinking that she had be quite familiar with them, she decided to just tell Fiona, "I actually came here because my brother, who is called Edward, did something unforgivable, so I''m here if it''s possible for you to tell him that I want to talk to him to apologize and exin." "Your brother Edward? What did he do?" Fiona frowned. "It''s like this..." Crystal proceeded to expound on what unfolded during the time she met with Zen a week ago. "Your brother actually did what?!" Fiona blurted as she stood up from her seat; her tone was cold and filled with hostility. "Where is your brother?!" With how loud she spoke, everyone present at the assembly hall looked towards them and wondered what was happening. Celestia, who was beside Fiona, grabbed her hand and told her, "Fiona, calm down. Let her speak." Fiona sat back down and asked, "Is it really as you said? It''s really a misunderstanding, and you had nothing to do with it?" "Yes, so I just came here to ask if you could tell him that I wanted to talk to him if it''s possible. I really want to apologize to him." Just as Fiona was about to speak again, Daphne intervened and questioned, "Shouldn''t it be your brother apologizing? Why are you doing it instead of him?" Crystal looked at her and said, "Well, yes, I''ll talk to him about itter. I''m just asking Fiona if it''s possible." "Sure, here, add my Twittogram. I''ll message you on there if Zen is willing to meet you or not." Fiona took out her phone and showed her Twittogram to Crystal. "Mhm." She nodded, and she then bid farewell to them as she still needed to go take the test to be an official student of the Pontiac Academy. Daphne, Celestia, and Fiona all watched her as she exited the assembly hall. Once she was out of sight, they all withdrew their gazes. After that ordeal, they went back to the topic of conversation they were all talking about earlier. After ten minutes passed, the staff who were in charge of calcting how many points they would be getting finally arrived. They all instructed all the students to transfer all the information about their experiences and such they acquired during the Twilight expedition. They were all also told to transfer all the beasts corpses to the storage rings they had given them. ====== In the dean''s office, Xue was currently sitting on a sofa, and on the opposite side of her was Hermione, the dean of the academy. "You are Xue Shan, yes? You must be wondering why I have called upon you here." Hermione stated, looking at her seriously. Hearing her speak, Xue nodded. She may look calm outside, but her heart was quite nervous because this was the Dean of the Pontiac Academy; most people do not even have the chance toy their eyes upon her, and the pressure she exuded was simply too much for her. "To be honest, I just wanted to ask you some questions since it seems like you have been staying beside Zenryx Raverdieu during the time he disappeared. But now that I am meeting you, I can feel that..." "You are not from the Astre continent, are you? Your name and aura resemble those of those people from the Ounder continent, am I right?" Xue simply nodded at her words. Seeing this, Hermione couldn''t help but frown and say inwardly, ''Is this girl a mute?'' Chapter 87 Testing ? Hermione was getting impatient with Xue as whenever she asked her something, she would simply nod or say yes or no. At first she wanted to inquire about Zen, so she asked questions in a roundabout way, but Xue was an intelligent girl, so she pretty much knew where the questions were going. Xue knew that she was trying to make her identally spill out information, so all she did was nod, say yes, or say no. But this was also part of Xue''s personality; she is a girl of few words. Additionally, she was Zen''s follower; why would she snitch? He even saved her from that hellhole of a continent where she lived a hard life every day, not knowing when she would die, but it was Zen''s appearance that gave her light to life. In fact, Hermione did not really care about the matter with Gorgon and the Land of Dragons. She knew the extent of the Raverdieu families, so thatnd being destroyed by them should not be a surprise after what Gorgon did. All she wanted was to know more about Zenryx Raverdieu. She was quite curious about him, as he seemed to be the most mysterious, scheming, and ruthless person she had ever met. After Zen left the academy back then, she sorted out her thoughts and eventually understood that what happened with Gorgon and Zen was no mere coincidence. First, Zen killed Gorgon''s son, which led him toe to the academy to seek answers. She herself eventually informed him of all the details regarding the incident. Zen most likely anticipated this, and so he left to go back to Tranquil City and revealed his location for everyone to see. After that, Gorgon and his army went to Tranquil City to find him. She knew Gorgon was not the type of person who would kill innocents who had no part in what happened to his son. So she was confused about why he would destroy half of the city, or was it Zen who did such a thing? Such a ruthless thing could be done by such a young man? Hermione also spected that Zen was aiming for the resources of the Land of Dragons, as thatnd is filled with mana stones, ores, and all types of metals and such, but why would he need them? He had the Raverdieu family behind him; he shouldn''tck these things. This was all she was baffled by. Back to Xue and Hermione "Alright, you can leave now; you still have to go take the test. I won''t take any more of your time. Go." Hermione said. "Ok Dean." Xue responded, and she got up from the couch and prepared to exit the room. Hermione watched as she walked out of the room and thought, ''Sigh, I probably need to monitor this Zenryx Raverdieu once hees to the academy. He smells like trouble and would probably cause trouble every day during his time in the academy!'' A troubled expression could be seen on her face as she rubbed her temples with her fingers. She also got up from the sofa and went back to sit on her desk to start working on paperwork. At the testing building... Due to the number of students, the academy was forced to make new ssroom arrangements this time. A total of fifty rooms were used, with each room having one hundred people. The first year students all upied a massive building by themselves. Usually one building is shared by both first year students and second year students but this time the first years monopolize this building. Other than Hawkin, Anna, and Lector, other professors also came to help supervise the testing. As the other professors that the academy had newly recruited have not yet arrived. Two beautiful girls arrived at the entrance of the building, and there was a guard standing there. Seeing these two girls, he looked at them and asked, "You girls are here for the written test also? Both girls spoke in unison and said, "Yes." "Why are you guys sote-" He thought of reprimanding them, but in the end he said, "Aiyaa, forget it; you both go to room D3." As he pointed in the direction of the room. One girl smiled and thanked him, while the other simply nodded. They then both proceeded in the direction to which the guard pointed. While they headed there, the girl looked at the girl walking with her and decided to initiate a conversation: "Hey, I''m Crystal, and you are?" "Xue Shan." She replied. ''Xue Shan?'' Crystal said it inwardly, thinking that it was quite a strange name and so foreign. "You are not a native of the Astre continent, are you?" "Yes." "Ahh, that''s why; which continent did youe from?" "Somewhere." They continued to talk, but just as you''d expect from Xue, she didn''t say much. Crystal smiled awkwardly as she felt like she was talking to herself, and the girl beside her was like an emotionless puppet. Sensing that Xue did not like talking, she decided to stop talking to her. They walked towards room D3 in silence. Finally, they both arrived. As they opened the door and walked inside the room, all the people who were currently taking the written test stopped what they were doing. Xue and Crystal seemed to have gotten all their attention for beingte. The professor in charge of this room was Anna. "You little girls are quitete. I wonder what''s the asion that made you bothte, hmmm?" she questioned with an annoyed expression. "What''s your names?" "Xue Shan." "Crystal." "Hmm, Xue?" Anna thought of something and nced at her, saying, "Ah, you must be the one who went to meet with the dean." Ok, you''re fine, then go find a seat and start." She then switched her attention to Crystal, "What about you, little girl?" "I apologize for beingte, Professor; I had to go to the restroom badly, responded Crystal. Anna looked at her suspiciously, but she ended up epting her made-up excuse and proceeded to tell her to start her test also. As this test was being held, a ship could be seen in the sky slowly approaching. Chapter 88 Finally Back When Zen was about to head out and go to the Pontiac Academy, he suddenly remembered something: ''Ah wait... Didn''t one of the professors die during the beast outbreak? They should be recruiting new professors to teach in the academy.'' Thinking of this, he exited his ship and went to look for Ian. He did not have Ian''s contact number, so he had to go to the trouble of looking for him. Ian actually agreed to join the organization that his young master was nning to create. He had watched and seen everything Zen had done up to this point during the short period of time he was together with him. He was indeed bbergasted at everything, and so he believed that Zen would eventually be someone the world would fear in the future. He decided that it was worth following him. What Zen nned to do by looking for Ian was have him be a professor in the academy; that way, he would have someone he could use during his time there. This would make it much more convenient for him to do things in the academy with a backing. He was confident that Ian would be qualified enough to be a professor and that it would be quite easy at that. He once saw how many students there were who came to attend the academy this time. Apart from one of the professors dying, they should also be looking for more, as the current number of professors for the first years would not be simply enough to teach five thousand students. Zen finally found Ian, who was currently ordering around the rest of the troops that were left behind to handle the matters of the Land of Dragons, and so he approached him. "Ian!" he called out to him. Hearing someone call out to him, Ian nced in the direction where the voice came from. "Uh... young master, what are you doing back here again?" Ian''s eyes narrowed, feeling confused, as he thought Zen had already left and headed to the academy. "I have something to discuss with you regarding the academy." ''The academy?'' Ian became even more confused, because what does the academy have to do with him? "Young master, what do you mean?" "Actually, I need you to enter as a professor in the academy. Since you are a smart man, you should know what I am thinking, right?" Zen said this with a grin on his face. Ian ruminated on what Zen just said and immediately came to understand what he wanted to do, and so he responded with a smile, "Hmm, alright, but young master, I may need to get back to the branch I manage first and get everything sorted out." "That''s fine with me; follow me, and I''ll help you with all that boring stuff. My ship could get us back to the family''s territory in a short time." "Let me contact Marie first and tell her you''ll be going." Ian nodded and waited for him. Zen took out his phone and called Marie. After a short while, the call connected. After the call was connected, Marie asked, "Did you forget something, young master?" "No, I called because I came back to get Ian with me; he will be going with me somewhere. So I am leaving all the matters in your hands here." After she heard his words, she was rendered speechless. ''What? I have to handle all the things here by myself?'' But these were Zen''s orders, so she could not really refuse or disobey. "Certainly! I''ll handle it to the best of my ability." She responded like she was looking forward to it, and the call ended. Marie sighed and mumbled, "I guess I''ll be here for a while." Back to Ian and Zen: Zen led him back to where his ship was, and soon they both entered. Once they were inside, Zian could not help but be surprised by how highly advanced the ship waspared to the other ships he had seen in his lifetime. This was the first time he had seen such a ship! He wondered how Zen was able to acquire a ship of this caliber. Of course, this was a one of a kind ship; it was a reward from the destiny system after all. Zen then instructed Helix to head back to the Raverdieu territory first, and he entered the coordinates of where the Raverdieu family branch that Ian manages is located. The ship rose to the air and flew at a speed of Mach one hundred. The distance between the Land of Dragons and the Astre continent was quite short, so they should be able to arrive at their destination quickly. After an hour or so had passed, they finally arrived in a city called Krita, where the brand was located. The ship stayed stationary in the sky, and Ian jumped out of the ship and slowly levitated down,nding gently on the ground. Zen then scanned the vecinity and found an area where he couldnd his ship and decided to wait for Ian there. While he waited for him, he also went ahead and learned everything that he needed to know for the written test. With his photographic memory, it was quite easy for him. Ian entered the branch family residence, and the guards all saw him, to which they then all respectfully greeted him. "You all go inform all the elders to gather at the main hall as I have some to tell them." Ian instructed as soon as he finished speaking, he went inside the main hall and waited for the elders. Once they were all gathered there, Ian exined the situation. At first, the elders were a bit reluctant, but in the end, under Ian''s persuasion, they all agreed, and he also thought that they should be able to handle the branch family matters without him. As soon as that was finished, he went back to where Zen was and got back inside the ship. Zen saw him and said, "Everything done?" "Yes, young master." "All right, we''ll be going to the Pontiac Academy now." After they arrived at the academy, Ian went to the dean''s office to meet Hermione. As for Zen, he asked one of the guards in the docking area where the test was being held, and after finding out where it was, he started heading there. The area was quite clear at the moment, and no students could be seen around as sses were taking ce and the tests were also taking ce, so after he arrived, there were none of those annoyingmotions. If there were people around, an uproar would probably start up again with his arrival at the academy. Chapter 89 Photographic Memory At Its Finest ? The guard, who was currently on standby by the entrance of the testing building, saw him approaching and instantly recognized him, which prompted him to hurriedly greet him. The guard then said, stuttering his words, feeling pressure from his presence, "He-Hello young master Raverdieu, the test is still currently taking ce, but there should only be fifteen minutes left before..." It''s quite normal for one to feel nervous when facing Zen, as he just had that type of presence that exuded the word ''Extremely Noblity or Divine.'' As he was about to finish his sentence, Zen questioned in an indifference tone, cutting him off. "Where should I go?" "Umm...Room D4," he replied with a smile on his face as he raised his fingers, showing him the direction of the room. Zen then walked towards to where Room D4 was with both his hands in his pocket. A minute or two passed, and finally he arrived in front of room D4. No noise could be heard from the inside; it was extremely quiet. He opened the door, his figure entered the room, and he nced around. It looked like most of the people that were taking the test had finished it since some of them had either had their heads down on the table or were fiddling with all types of stuff. Zen also saw two familiar faces who were sitting by themselves; it looked like some of the people were afraid of getting close to them because of their high status. As Zen''s gazended on them, they also noticed him. These two familiar faces were none other than Anastasia Mevouires and J-Lo, the two girls he met back at the auction he went to. "Anastasia look! Zenryx is looking at us." J-Lo told Anastasia excitedly. In fact, this J-Lo girl was infatuated with Zen. Anastasia looked at her and said, "I know, I have eyes; can you stop acting like this whenever you see him? It''s quite embarrassing," she said, scolding her because of her behavior. "I can''t help it..." Zen smiled at them before retracting his gaze from them. As for the other people inside, when he entered, they were all thunderstruck, not expecting Zen to suddenly appear, which then rendered them speechless and unable to react. Although they were quite surprised by his sudden appearance, they all kept their cool as there were still some people taking the test and they did not want to disturb the room. They would also be reprimanded by the professor, which could lead them to get into trouble. Zen''s gaze finallynded on the professor at the front of the room, whom he did not recognize. He walked towards him, and after he arrived in front of him, he said, "Professor, I am Zenryx Raverdieu. I apologize for my tardiness, as I had important matters I had to attend to. Can I still proceed with the test right now?" The professor was aware of the matters Zen attended to, so he did not question them. This guy was also from the Raverdieu family, so he had no courage, nor was he qualified to give him an earful. "Are you sure? There''s only about..." The professor looked down on his wrist, which had a watch. After checking the time, he replied, "About ten minutes left, I do not think you would be able to finish on time. It is possible, though, to reschedule another day for you to take the test, and after this current test is over, you can just join in to take the physical skill testing." "It''s fine, Professor; it should be enough time for me toplete it." Hearing this, the professor was stunned. "Ummm..." He actually doubted what he just said and grumbled inwardly. ''Huh?! Are you ying with me? Ten minutes toplete the whole written test? Impossible!'' He looked at Zen straight in the eye and sensed that he was being serious. "Are you really sure? After this, you would not be able to take it anymore; once you take it, that would be your final score. You can still reconsider if you want." Although the test only had fifteen questions, the questions were really difficult and abstruse. Even if he were really intelligent, wouldn''t he need to take some time to think about the questions on the test before answering them? It''s not like after he sees the questions, he''ll instantly know the answer. "It''s fine, Professor, I know." Zen stated with a confident expression. "All right, go and find a seat then and open theputer on the table to start taking it." It was called a written test, but they all used aputer to take it. Zen turned around and headed towards a seat. After he entered the room, he already found one, which was beside Anastasia and J-Lo and was unupied. The rooms were arranged the same as the room that Fiona, Celestia, and Daphne were in when they took the test, with elevated seats and stairs between them. The people in their seats all watch him. Some of the girls in the room wanted him to take a seat near them so they could admire his perfect appearance, but to their disappointment, they saw him go all the way back to where Anastasia and J-Lo were sitting. "Mind if I sit next to you two youngdies?" Zen asked, looking at them both with a gentle smile on his face. J-Lo looked at Anastasia, who was beside her, in anticipation of her saying yes. Of course, she could say she doesn''t mind herself, but Anastasia had the final say. Anastasia then spoke with a smile, "Sure, we don''t mind." Zen sat and started theputer that was ced on the table. It was quite small; it was the size of a coin, but all he had to do was touch it, and a transparent holographic screen and a transparent keyboard appeared on the table. The screen showed the questions of the test with nk areas where he could type his answers. There were about nine minutes left, so he started right away. The speed at which he was typing was astonishing. J-Lo, who was watching him, could not help but be surprised as she watched him go through and answer each of the questions at a fast rate. Anastasia, who also saw this thought, ''Is this guy crazy? Is he guessing all the questions?'' She did not believe that he was not answering the questions urately, as even she, who considers herself a genius, still had to take time to think about the questions and remember what she had studied before answering them. What kind of bullsh*t was this?! Did he simply not care whether he got a good score or not? Zen, on the other hand, while he was taking the test, said inwardly, "Damn, this is too easy. This photographic memory skill is really working its magic!" Chapter 90 Mock Battle [Part 1] ? After nine minutes passed, Zenpleted the test and submitted it. The professor who was in front of the room nced at Zen; he was baffled by how he hadpleted it in such a short time. "Hmm... That''s interesting. I guess we''ll find outter whether he even took the written test seriously or if he is just fooling around," he said under his breath. "Times up! You all stop with the test." The professor shouted, and all the holographic screens that were on the table dimmed and all simultaneously got retracted back into the coin-sizeputer. All the young people that were in the room then looked at him, waiting for the next instructions. Seeing that he got their attention, the professor exined, "The next agenda for you all would be the physical skill testing. You all would be in groups, and then each group would be having a mock battle with a professor." "Each of you is free to choose the people you want to join with. We will not interfere with your choices. Although you will all be fighting in groups, your individual skills will be the ones being evaluated by the three elders. How you will act or work with your group will just be an addition to your skill evaluation." "This written test is for your field of studies, and the skill evaluations will determine which ss rank you would be put in." With that, the professor gestured to them to follow him to the arena where the mock battle would take ce. They all got up from their seats and started following him. Zen walked with Anastasia and J-Lo and while they were walking, Anastasia looked at Zen strangely before saying, "Zenryx, how was the test? I saw you answer them swiftly. You must have done quite well." That''s what she said, but in her mind it waspletely different. ''Yeah, right... He will probably get an egg score.'' "So-so, it was really easy if I''m being honest." On the other hand, J-lo, who heard him say it was easy, thought, feeling downhearted, ''Easy? I had to rack my brains around just to answer a single question.'' Anastasia and Zen continued to converse in a friendly manner while they headed towards the arena. Their conversation might seem friendly, but inwardly, Zen and she were scheming about how they could use each other for their ns. Back at the auction in the Mevouires territory, Anastasia had long been nning how she could use Zen for her n when she met him for the first time. Anastasia had quite a big ambition, which was that she wanted to rule the whole Pontiac in the future. How would she be able to do that? (Stay tuned.) They finally arrived at the arena, the same asst time, where they were all separated by what they practiced: Swordmans on one side, Mages on the opposite side, and finally the Magic Swordsman in between them. The Magic Swordsmans only had about fifty people, which is a small numberpared to the two sides, which had thousands of people. While they were all neatly gathered, all eyes were fixated on Zen as they discussed his sudden appearance at the academy. Perfectly normal because Zen right now is probably the most popr person on the entire continent. How could he not be the topic of discussion with all the surprises he kept bringing to the Astre continent? In all likelihood, the discussion about Zen will just die down, as they will get used to him being in the academy amongst them in the future. Crystal and Edward, who were both in the arena, also saw him. Edward gritted his teeth in anger, remembering what happened back then as he looked at him. He also saw Zen wearing the artifact that his Vrt family owned. ''That artifact belongs to us, you thief; I''ll make sure to get it back!'' he said in his mind. Crystal, on the other hand, had the urged to go talk to him, but now was not the right time, and she had already informed Fiona about the situation, so she simply just had to wait until then. The entire arena quieted down as twenty professors appeared and all stood on the stage. Among them was Hawkin, "We will give you all fifteen minutes to form your groups; each group should only have a maximum of ten members." "Decide a figurehead and have him/her list all the members on the Tritonic device you were all handed beforehand. Send all the group information to us, and who goes first, second, orst for the mock battle will be decided randomly." After Hawkin finished speaking, all of them got to work trying to find a group they could join. Eliza, Edward, and Crystal stayed together and formed a group with the other seven people they found who needed three more members. While Zen stayed with Anastasia and J-Loz, there was also Anastasia''s cousin from the Mevouires family who joined their group, named Elmkelm, and two young men and a girl from the Duragny family named Mathias, Rnd, and Noeme. The other two members were from a branch of the Raverdieu family, and finally, thest member was Xue. It''s perfectly normal for the ones from the Duragny family to stick with Zen because of the close rtionship between the Raverdieu family and the Duragny family. Elkelm, who had just joined the group, approached Zen, stopping just right in front of him, and proceeded to greet him: "Greeting, Zenryx Raverdieu, I am Elmkelm Mevouires, It''s my pleasure to finally be able to meet you!" He then raised his hand intending to shake Zen''s hand. Seeing this, Zen simply nodded and did not shake his hand. Elmkelmughed awkwardly as he scratched his head while he put his hand down before finally returning to Anastasia''s side. "What''s with him?" Elmkelm asked Anastasia, only to be met with silence. ''What the f*ck? Why am I getting ignored?'' He questioned himself, trying to figure out why. Finally, as the mock battle was about to start, all the professors jumped down from the high stage and scattered, positioning themselves in certain areas. They have all gotten the lists of the groups that they are in charge of. The three elders, Navarre, Folmon, and Silvanna, have also arrived and stood on top of the stage. Chapter 91 Mock Battle [Part 2] ? The arena was massive, and it could fit about twenty thousand to thirty thousand people. At the same time, there were also seats at the side where spectators could sit. All of the youths who had formed their own group gathered on the sidelines, waiting their turn for their mock battle with the professors while they watched those that were currently battling with the professors. Some were also nning strategies or how they would proceed with their battle once it was their turn. The ones who had taken this physical test, like the twins from the Elven family, Fiona, Daphne, Celestia, and the others, were not present as they were still current in the Assembly Hall getting their academy points calcted. Among the people who were on the sidelines were Zen and his group. Zen was not interested in watching a bunch of amateurs fight and simply chatted with Xue regarding any incidents that transpired in the academy while he was gone. "Xue, anything that happened while I was away?" Zen, who had his back leaned against a wall, inquired. "Yes, young master, the dean of the academy called me to ask me your motives and such." "The dean? Hmm..." Zen contemted and remembered something from the novel. Hermione Belles is one of the big backers that Edward got in the novel. She was also the one who helped Edward throughout his time at the academy. Edward was first able to get her attention due to the talents he showed and his overly selfless and righteous personality, which always put others before himself. This made him quite different from the other students in the eyes of Hermione, and because of that, she wanted to take Edward as her personal student. As years and years went by, the student and the teacher developed feelings for each other. By the time Edward became a Heavenly Swordsman, as he was about to confess his feelings to Hermione, who was called Trent back then closed the book. The reason for that? He could not stand such a scene, and he found it cringeworthy. That was also the time he had transmigrated to this world. "F*ck!" Zen muttered as he remembered thest scenes he had read before closing the book he had read back then. He looked back at Xue, who was staring at him because of his silence. "Ah... young master, I did not say anything about you." Xue hurriedly said this because she thought that Zen might have misunderstood that she had revealed information about him. "I know." Zen stated with a smile as he patted her head, and Xue could not help but blush a little. "I''ll work harder for the young master in the future to repay you!" Xue eximed. On the other hand, Zen said in his mind, ''Of course, I know you''re quite loyal and useful; otherwise, why would I take you away from the Ounder continent? If you were not useful to me, then I would have just left you to rot there.'' "All right, all right." Zen responded, taking his hand back that was ced on top of Xue''s head. While Zen and Xue were conversing, the other members of the group watched the mock battle and discussed with each other how they would proceed with their attack on the professor they would be facing. Soon their discussion stopped when one of them said, "Won''t all our nning be useless? We don''t even know which one of them we will be fighting." Elkelm agreed with his words. "Yes, each of the professors fights differently. It would have been great if they told us which of them we''d be going against." "Mhm, if they had told us, it would have been much more convenient." Noeme stated. They then all looked in Zen''s direction at the same time, as they all had a tacit understanding that he was the strongest person in their group. Zen was already an Advanced Swordsman while they were all stuck in the Intermidiate rank. Sensing that they were looking at him, Zen realized that they might want to know what he thought about what they should do. "Just fight. Strategy is useless against absolute power. Do you all really think that just because you have a good strategy, you will be able to defeat someone in a Magister rank with all your flimsy little tactics? "And your hoping to beat a professor with all your little Intermidiate rank prowess? That''s nothing, and your current rank is not even worth mentioning. Even I, who''s in Advanced rank am nothing. Delusional if you all think so." Zen mocked. "So just focus on your own sh*t since the most important part of this mock battle is an individual skill evaluation anyway." Hearing his words, they all revealed a gloomy expression, and Mathias, who was part of the group, had his head down because he had recently just advanced from Elementary level to Intermidiate level. He felt ipetent after what Zen said; if an Advanced rank was nothing, what would that make him? Trash? Xue, on the other hand, who had just started, did not feel anything about what Zen said, as she had just recently started training. Even though she just started, she was able to reach the Elementary level, which is quite remarkable. While she and Zen were traveling, she trained relentlessly and nonstop since the requirements to attend the academy were to be an Elementary rank. With all the resources and teaching Zen gave her, it would have been embarrassing if she had been unable to reach Elementary rank. She was already a Novice rank mage, as she was taught basic magic back when she was at the orphanage. In fact, most people in this world at least knew the basics of magic and swordsmanship, as it is essential to be able to live in this world. Although his words were quite harsh, they could not find any words to refute them, as everything he said was true. Suddenly Anastasia, who stayed silent during the whole thing, spoke, "Well... you are right, but the professors have suppressed their rank to Great rank. With you here, don''t you think it''s possible?" "Although I''ve never seen you fight before, with all the rumors going around about how powerful you are, we might be able to beat one of the professors, right?" In fact, Anastasia had another intention other than beating the professor; she wanted to see the extent of Zen''s power. She wanted to fully grasp what he was truly capable of. Just as they were all talking, Hawkin, who had finished his battle with another group, called out to them. It seemed like it was finally their turn! Chapter 92 Mock Battle [Part 3] ? The three elders who were watching and evaluating each student through a ss window in a room were a bit excited to see that Zen and his group were up. "This kid is finally up!" Folmon eximed with a broad grin. "Let''s see whether he truly is as strong as rumors say." Navarre added to what Folmon just said. All three elders then changed to having serious expressions, and their eyes focused on Zen''s group walking towards the battle tform. All the people on the sidelines also hushed down, as they had also been looking forward to this moment to witness the battle. The other professors and the groups who were currently battling with them were quite interested on watching, but unfortunately they needed to continue their mock battle and would be unable to watch. Fortunately, there would probably be video recordings of Zen and his group''s mock battle with Hawkin, so they could just watchter on. Finally the group arrived in front of Hawkin, and he became a bit vignt as he had seen Zen fight before, back when the beast outbreak urred. Although he was a Magister rank mage, his strength and mana were currently suppressed to a Great Mage rank. "All right then, it looks like you all are ready; let''s start." Hawkin announced as he raised his index finger and middle finger together, moving them slightly, signaling them to start attacking him. As soon as his words dropped, the two people from the Duragny, who were both swordsmans, rushed towards Hawkin with their auras coating both their swords and bodies. Both jumped upwards, intending to chop down Hawkin, but once their swords got close to Hawkin, he raised both his hands that were covered in mana, and his hand that was enveloped in mana parried both swords. Then, after that, he grabbed both swords. Those two tried pulling their swords from his hands, but in the end, Hawkin spun them around and sent them flying. They quickly stabilized their bodies and were able tond on the ground on their feet. Seeing this, Elmkelm also moved and rushed behind Hawkin while forming a small type of magic attack the size of a peeble that was then shot towards him. It may seem small, but once it reached Hawkin, that peeble sized attack exploded, which then formed a whirlwind, immobilizing Hawkin. "Now''s the chance!" Elmkelm shouted at the other members of the group. With the opportunity Elmkelm gave them, two of the swordsman from the branch of the Raverdieu family rushed forward, and the other two from the Duragny also rushed forward, delivering fierce sword strikes enhanced by their aura and elements. Xue also took out her sword and enhanced her foot to increase her momentum. Sheunched herself toward Hawkin, intending to slice his neck. Anastasia and the other mages stayed at the back, forming their own magic attacks, which they prepared tounch after the assault initiated by the swordsman''s to avoid hitting them. Just as the swordsman''s were about to get close to Hawkin, ten haloes of fire suddenly emerged, surrounding Hawkin and circling around him. Hawkin raised his hand, and one by one, those halos were sent towards all of them, including Zen. The swordsman''s who were rushing towards Hawkin were again sent forty meters backward. Of course, Hawkin did not use much power since he did not want to injure them. On the other hand, the mages who originally prepared their attack for Hawkin saw the halos of fireing towards them, so they had tounch their attacks now to cancel it out; otherwise, they''d sted away. Both magic attacks collided, but in the end, Hawkins attack was much more powerful. Although the force of the halo was reduced to a certain extent, they hurriedly enhanced their physiques with mana and dodged to the side. But surprisingly, Anastasia''s magic attack was able to cancel the halo of fire. The magic element she practices is shadow. The attack she sent out to cancel Hawkins magic enveloped the halo of fire, sucking out all the heat, and it gradually lost its momentum until it finally vanished into thin air. Zen also easily canceled out the attack by slicing it in half using his katana; additionally, his katana has an ice attribute that ended up destroying Hawkins magic without effort. "Damn it, what is this?! We can''t even get close to him!" Rndined. ''Only if Zenryx Raverdieu joins in the assault would we have a chance. Why is he not budging and simply watching?!'' Elmkelm said in his mind. Of course, he did not have the courage to scold Zen out loud, so he just simply nced at him, feeling dissatisfied. ''What the hell?! He clearly ispletely capable, with how he was able to destroy Professor Hawkins magic easily. What the f*ck is he doing?'' Anastasia also looked toward Zen, trying to figure out why he had been staying out of the battle. The three elders, who were also watching from the top of the arena, were also bewildered. "What is this sh*tty brat doing?!" Silvanna spoke. "Now, now, let''s just wait; he is probably just letting the others test the waters first." Navarre replied as he was typing the assessments of each of the individuals participating in the mock battle. Folmon nodded his head, agreeing with his words. Since they have heard how strong this youth is from Hawkin and the other professors from their report of the beast outbreak incident, they''ve been looking forward to seeing how Zen fights. Returning to the mock battle... "Is that all you guys got?" Hawkin blurted. Hearing him speak, they then returned their attention to Hawkin and focused. They all got ready, and this time they all exerted their full strength, and all of them surged with power. They wanted to go all out this time, and so they charged at Hawkin fiercely, and a battle of nine against one broke out again. Nine of them attacked Hawkin relentlessly, but just as they were all attacking him non-stop, four sword pirs appeared in the surrounding area, emitting lightning that shook the area, vibrating through the air. Fourrge sword shes covered with lighting element simultaneously bolted at Hawkin. This attack would also implicate the people who were attacking Hawkin. Seeing this attacking towards them, they all thought, ''F*ckkk, what the f*ck is this!'' Chapter 93 Mock Battle [Part 4] ? With the approaching four sword shes, the other swordsmans acted quickly and got out of the radius of the attack. However, Mathias was unable to react quickly and ended up getting caught up in the attack. The same could be said about Elmkelm; although he was a mage, he fought in close proximity, which was his fighting style. His physique was also a bitckingpared to others, so he couldn''t dodge the four sword shes and got caught up too. Hawkin saw this and could not react for some time, feeling perplexed about what was happening. When he came back to his senses, before he could block the attack for them. Both of them got sent flying, and finally their bodies were mmed to the ground. Severe injuries could be seen on both of their bodies. Although they were still alive, they were both in such a pitiful state. On the other hand, when the four sword shes approached Hawkin, he condensed twelve halos of fire, and three halos were sent to each sword sh. As the attack sent by Hawkin got close to the sword shes, he watched as it all diminished and desintegrated. "What is this?!" Hawkin eximed as he examined the attack and found that, other than lightning, it had the properties of ice, which was the reason for the halo of fire to be distinguished. The four shes thennded on Hawkin, who parried them with both hands. This attack was none other than Zen activating his domain, the Tempest of des. Just as Hawkin was blocking the attack sent by him, Zen shot a ball of lightning towards him. Relentlessly spamming it without care, like he had unlimited mana, Hawkin frowned and found this unbelievable, as it did not seem like Zen was an Advanced Rank. His specttion was indeed a bit true, because Zen was rewarded by the system and his mana pool had reached the level of a Great Rank mage. So he was able to willingly spam this skill. With all the balls of lightning being sent towards Hawkin. He quickly used a bit more of his mana to enhance his hands and destroy the four sword shes. After that, he dodged all the magic projectiles at breakneck speed. Even though he was doing remarkable dodging, there were far too many of them, and so he got hit by one and was stunned, which rendered him unable to move for a moment. This was enough time for Zen to pull off another attack and sessfullynd it. He activated his skill, triple thrust, which was aimed at Hawkin. First thrust, second thrust, but then as the third thrust, which was the one that could cause critical damage, was about tond. Hawkin was able to escape the entrapment using his mana to enhance his physique and got out of it. "Hmm, I guess that was not enough." Zen muttered while he got ready to attack Hawkin again. As Hawkin thought it was over, Zen leaped towards him, this time using the skill Defiant Sword. In an instant, he appeared behind Hawkin and shed at him. Hawkin sensed this, and he jumped up, dodging Zen''s skill, but he didn''t expect that the sh would still reach him. He was then forced back a little due to the force of the sh. Hawkinughed inwardly, ''Aiya, this kid is not even giving me a chance. Hahahha. He is giving me quite a bit of a hard time.'' ''Last time I saw this kid, he was not this strong. How does he do it?'' While he was busy with his thoughts, Zen stood back up straight and looked at Hawkin. ''My attacks are notnding at all... Anyway, I should use this Hawkin as a practice partner and practice all my skills. I haven''t fought someone stronger than me in a long time.'' With that, he shouted, "Be careful, professor; I aming at you seriously this time." Hawkin smiled "Ok! Come,e, let''s see what you really are made of," he responded. Zen grinned, and he then activated the skills he had devoured at the same time. Dragonic Enchancement, Physical Enhancement: Additionally, he activated the earring artifact he was wearing, and his senses were enhanced by two times. The Dragonic Enhancement skill also recovered part of the mana he had used up earlier, meaning he could activate his domain a second time. He also used both his mana and aura to enhance his physique, to which then a doubleyer made up of blue light and white light enveloped his body. Leveraging these skills, Zen experienced a fourfold increase in strengthpared to his prior state. And so both Zen and Hawkin fought, exchanging moves one after the other. They ended up ignoring both Mathias and Elmkelm, who were seriously injured. The other members of Zen''s group all stayed out of the battle, as this was no longer something they could possibly join in. They might even get killed if they identally get closed. Anastasia called some people over who went to help Mathias and Elmkelm stand back up, and she had them sent to the infirmary. "This... Why did Zen just do that." J-Lo spoke, asking Anastasia beside her as she looked at Elmkelm and Mathias, who were being taken away. Anastasia ignored her, and her attention was focused on the battle between Zen and Hawkin. All people on the sidelines momentarily stopped what they were all doing; even the people who were doing their own mock battle watched this scene in astonishment. "What the hell? The rumors said that Zenryx Raverdieu was very powerful, but not to this extent!" "How did he do it? He already has such a perfect appearance, but he is also so strong. This world is unfair!" Edward, Eliza, and Crystal were also watching the battle closely. At first, Edward saw Zen activating his domain, which ended up hurting Zen''s own team members. That immediately infuriated him, but eventually he calmed down and watched the battle seriously. Watching this battle, Edward felt powerless. If that were him battling Zen, would he even have a chance to get close? There was no way he would be able to emerge victorious, let alone evenst a few moves against him before he gets defeated. ''It seems like he was showing mercy to me back at the Mevouires territory." Edward thought and felt confused. Although he felt like Zen should be his enemy, he couldn''t help but rethink it. If Zen was able to hear his thoughts, he would probably uncontroblyugh and say something like, "Huh?! Mercy? That word does not exist in my dictionary. If it weren''t for the system telling me there were consequences, then I would have killed you long ago!" The three elders who were on top of the arena were also watching the battle unfold excitedly. "Now this is what I am talking about!" Silvanna eximed, a broad grin appearing on her face. "Mhm, this Zenryx is actually so powerful. Even if Hawkin''s current power was suppressed to a Great Rank, he is still a magister. He is actually getting pushed around!" Navarre analyzed. On the other hand, Folmon spoke as he rubbed his chin, thinking about the situation: "But why did he choose to attack suddenly while those fellow members of his were attacking? They ended up getting injured as a result." Chapter 94 Mock Battle [Part 5] Chapter 94 Mock Battle [Part 5] Although many of the individuals present were baffled about why Zen suddenly attacked, resulting in injuries to two members of his group, they ultimately chose to overlook and disregard it. Given that sustaining injuries during mock battles was normal. Their current attention is more focused on Hawkin and Zen''s battle. As for why Zen suddenly attacked? Well, it was out of impulse, and he was getting bored waiting for them to finish. So he took matters into his own hands and ended their battle. He wanted to fight Hawkin by himself; otherwise, how would he know what his current limit was? While Hawkin and Zen were fiercely battling, a certain individual who just finished getting his points calcted can be seen walking toward the arena. "Sighed... I only got five points. Tsk. It''s not even enough points for me to enter the gravitational training room." He mumbled, while absentmindedly nudging a pebble along the ground with his foot during his stroll. "I have nothing to do anyway. I will just go watch the mock battle to entertain myself." Finally, he arrived at the entrance of the arena and decided to go to the spectator stands. But then, as soon as he was about to sit, his eyes fell on a figure who had a silver white hair. That figure was engaged inbat with one of the professors. "Holy sh*t!!!" bbergasted by the figure he saw, he stood back up straight and proceeded to run out of the arena to inform his friends. "That was Zenryx Raverdieu fighting with the Professor, right?! Damn! He is fu*king overpowered." He murmured while running. He quickly arrived back at the assembly hall and hurriedly came to his friend''s side. "H-hey! Y-you all havee to s-see this!" He spoke as he tried to catch his breath. "Huh? Why are you out of breath?" One of his friends asked. "And why does it seem like you are in a hurry?" "Z-zendyx Ravede!" He responded, but his words were jumbled and couldn''t be understood. "The hell?! Can you be a bit more coherent? We did not understand a word you said." The young man calmed down and spoke again, "Zenryx Raverdieu is in the arena right now fighting with Professor by himself. It seems like they are evenly matched!" Hearing what their friend just told them, they quickly rushed towards the arena, and some of the other people in the assembly hall also heard the discussion amongst them, so they quickly followed behind. Unfortunately, some who wanted to follow along and watch the mock battle were unable to go as they were stuck getting their points calcted. At the side, Celestia, who just finished getting her academy points, exited a room and saw a bunch of them rush out, so she asked one of the people sitting about what was going on. She then found out that Zen hade back to the academy and was currently in the arena doing the mock battle. She took out her phone and left a message to both Fiona and Daphne, saying that she would be waiting for them both back at the arena. She was also quite interested in watching the battle because, from what she heard from others, it seemed like Zen was currently fighting Hawkin one on one. This is quite unexpected since even when she and the others fought Hawkin back then, they couldn''t even beat Hawkin even when they worked together. Many individuals could be seen arriving at the spectator stands and proceeding to sit down to watch the battle. "It really is Zenryx Raverdieu fighting one on one with the Professor!" Very quickly, the previously empty and silent seats in the spectator stands became boisterous. As for Celestia, she also arrived and quickly found a seat, her eyes fixated on the arena''s battle tform. Returning back to Zen and Hawkin. Zen, who had activated his domain, became much faster than lightning. Using one of the pirs of swords as a foothold, heunched himself towards Hawkin, delivering a heavy kick amplified by his aura and mana. This kick is as heavy as one hundred ten tons; usually his regr kick would be twenty seven tons heavy, but his strength is currently enhanced four times. One had to know that this world''s gravity was fifty times greater, so if it were back on earth, this kick would be like getting hit by two trains that were moving at four hundred miles per hour. As Zen''s kick approached, Hawkin raised both his hands, intending to block it. ''Baamm'' A loud sound sounded, and the ground where Hawkin stood cracked as he blocked Zen''s kick. It could be seen that Hawkin was struggling quite a bit because of how heavy the kick was. Seeing that Hawkin blocked it again, Zen retreated back, and he then punched out with a stronger level of force than his kick earlier toward Hawkin. He sensed this, and so Hawkin rose to the air and dodged it sessfully. However, just right after he leaped to the air, Zen swiftly took out another sword from his dimensional ring, which was the B tier sword he used back then. He pointed the sword at Hawkin, and arge lightning ball condensed at the tip of the B tier sword, which was then sent at Hawkin. Finally, Zen''s attacknded, and after that, Hawkin became unable to move. Zen then initiated his domain, and four domineering lightning sword shes rushed towards Hawkin. "Damn." Hawkin mumbled as he watched the attacksing in his direction. Soon, the four lightning sword shesnded on Hawkin. ''BOOM'' ''BOOM'' ''BOOM'' ''BOOM'' As all of itnded, it created smoke, making the battle tform hard to see whether Hawkin was able to block it or not. Zen retreated back away from Hawkin and waited patiently to see what type of damage he had done to him. "I don''t think that was enough, but let''s see." But then, as soon as Zen finished speaking, he sensed something, and a grin appeared on his face. All the people present in the arena also waited in anticipation to see the result of Zen''s attack. Seconds passed, and the tform cleared out. "Ah, Professor, you broke the rules!" Zen eximed. Hearing his words, all the people present felt confused about what he meant by Hawkin breaking the rules. But then, when they looked at Hawkins figure that came out of the smoke, they came to a realization and finally understood what Zen meant. That''s right! Hawkin actually released the suppression of his rank and got back his strength as a magister. Sensing all the gazes looking at him, "Uhmm, well... Things got a bit out of hand." Hawkin said, feeling a bit embarrassed by the situation. "Anyway, you, Zenryx Raverdieu, that''s enough for now. Your group is done; get back to the sidelines, or you all can go back now to all your dorm rooms since you all have finished." "You all will receive mailter on with the results of all the tests you took." After that, Hawkin called in another group that was up next for the mock battle. Before the next mock battle started, he drank a mana regeneration potion, as he had used a lot of mana earlier when he fought with Zen. Chapter 95 Sizing up the Protaganist Chapter 95 Sizing up the Protaganist As Zen was about to go, Hawkins voice sounded, prompting Zen to turn his head around. "Zenryx Raverdieu, next time have a bit more self-control and inform others before you suddenly attack. Your fellow students got heavily injured as a result of your action earlier." Zen nodded at his words, with Hawkin also nodding back and gesturing to him that that was all he had to say. At this time, Edward''s group was called, and they all started walking towards the arena''s tform. Zen, who saw this, raised his eyebrows, feeling interested in watching the mock battle of Edwards group. "Why not? I am already here anyway; might as well." In the end, he decided to go to the spectator stands to watch it, as he was curious about how much this protagonist has improved since hest encountered him back in the Mevouires territory. As he and Xue went to find a seat, he caught a glimpse of a beautiful figure who was looking at them. It was none other than Celestia who came to watch his mock battle with Hawkin. Seeing her, Zen walked towards her, with Xue following behind him. Once they both arrived in front of Celestia, Zen greeted her before sitting beside her. "Where were you guys?" Zen questioned curious about what they did while he was participating in the mock battle. "Well, we handed in the corpses of all the beasts we hunted during the Twilight Exphidition. They calcted the amount of academy points that we should be given." Hearing her words, Zen remembered back in the novel that there were indeed academy points. Which was used as currency in the academy. "Hmm, so how many points did you get?" "I was able to kill two tier beasts, each of which was worth thirty points, and with the rest of the beasts I hunted, it got me about seventy points." "I also handed in the mana stones that were contained inside the beasts, as I did not need them. So in total, I gotseventy five points." "Just enough points for you to train in the gravitational room for seven hours, huh? Or you could half it and use the other points on the second floor of the library." Celestia was stunned after she heard what Zen just said. "How do you know about those areas? Isn''t it your first time here in the academy?" "You know everything can be found on the inte. What are you so surprised about?" Zen replied. "Ah, ok, well, I do n on doing that; Fiona did the same as you said, and she became much stronger after. Even I don''t think I will be able to fight against her right now." "Lucky for her, Ste Crellon gave her some points, and she was able to use those areas much earlier than us." Just as both of them were having a conversation, Daphne and Fiona, who received Celestia''s messages, finally arrived at the arena and saw them. "Oh, you''re back, Zen. So how was the mock battle?" Fiona inquired. "It was quite fun, actually; I was able to get an understanding of what I am currently capable of." "Fufu, Hear this; he made the professor release his suppression." They continued to converse before Edwards groups finally started their fight with a professor. "You girls, be quiet for a second; I want to watch that guy''s match." Zen announced. Hearing his words, the girls looked towards where Zen was looking and saw Crystal, the girl who came up to talk to them earlier. They also saw someone who was fighting alongside her and had the same facial features as her. The girls spected that he might be the Edward she mentioned, who was her brother. And so they quickly quieted down and attentively watched the ongoing mock battle. They were also quite curious about how this guy caught Zen''s attention and thought that he might be strong. On the battle tform, it can be seen that Edward, Crystal, and Eliza, along with the other seven members, were doing quite well. They were managing tond a couple of attacks, but over all, it was the three of them carrying the whole match. The girls who were with Zen were surprised; they were actually doing quite well, and they thought that Crystal and Eliza had the same strength as them. As for Edward, they thought that they might not be able to win against him if they were to fight him. While they were all watching the battle, Zen suddenly spoke, saying one word that got the girls attention. "Disappointing." He said and a pronounced sigh escaped out of him. ''I expected more from a protagonist. Really, that''s it? I don''t think he can even block a single sword of mine.'' He stated inwardly. After saying that, he stood up and started leaving the arena. Confusion struck the girls, who did not know why Zen just said that and started leaving. "Hey Zen, wait up." Fiona called out to him, but before she could follow him, Zen stopped her. "You girls, go do your own thing and don''t bother me for now. I''ll be going back to my dorm room." "I just came back from a war, and after that, I had toe back to the academy and do all the tests without a break, so I want to go rest." Zen then went back to the dorm building, while the girls stayed back at the arena to watch the mock battles. Since they had nothing to do, they might as well stay and watch. Just as Zen was about to enter his room, a systematic notification sounded in his mind. "Huh? A system notification?" He swiftly entered his room to check it out. ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [System Update 3.0 initiating...] "Oh, the system is finally updating." Zen muttered, then he questioned, "Destiny, how long would the update take?" ¨‹?????????????? ????????????¨‹ [Replying to the host, it would take approximatelytwo weeks for the update to bepleted.] ''The hell, why does it take so long to update? Ah, forget it; I''ll just wait until then. The system will also probably just inform me of all the information regarding the new update once it finishes updating.'' Destiny, who could read his mind, spoke, [Yes, the new information would be directly inserted into your mind.] ''I won''t pass out likest time, right?'' [No, since your brain now possesses an ability that allows you to process information faster than a normal artificial intelligence.] ''Alright.'' Zen then went to shower, and after that, he decided to sleep for a while and just wake up tomorrow. The start of the official sses would be in two days. Chapter 96 Dean Talks With Ian ? In the Dean''s Office. Ian arrived in front of the dean''s office and fixed himself up before knocking on the door. ''Knock'' ''Knock'' ''Knock'' "Come In!" A female voice sounded from the inside. Ian entered the room and saw a stunningly beautiful woman who had a domineering personality exuding from her sitting in a chair in front of a desk that was filled with paperwork. As Ian entered the room, Hermione sensed his aura and immediately figured out who had entered. She cast a sideways nce at him, "To what do I owe the pleasure to Mister Raverdieu Branch Head Ian?" "Greetings, Dean Hermione." "Speak. What did youe here for? I am extremely busy, as you can see." Hermione said as she gestured towards the pile of paper on her desk. "Get to the point. I don''t have the time to dilly-dally talking with you." "If that''s the case then, I am here regarding the recruitmen-" Before Ian could finish his words, Hermione cut him off. "Rejected! Do you think I am stupid? Say, that young master of yours instructed you to join the Pontiac Academy as a professor, didn''t he? Otherwise, why would a Raverdieu branch head want to be a professor?" "Don''t give me that ''I want to try a professor''s life'' excuse." "I am not sure of what that Zenryx is nning, but I sure do know that he has no good intentions." Hermione stated while sneering. ''This Dean is quite intelligent. How did she figure it out?'' Ian thought. "It is actually as you said, Dean." "Hmph, your young master is troublesome. If that''s all, then you can leave now." "No, Dean, my young master has nothing to do with this. What I meant was that, just as you said, I do want to experience the life of a professor. Staying in Raverdieu''s territory bore me." Hearing his words, Hermione revealed a tight-lipped smile, mming the desk with her hand. "You! Shameless!" Her mana surged, increasing the pressure in the room as she stood up from her chair. The pressure Hermione released pressed down on Ian. Sensing this, Ian hurriedly said in a dignified manner, "Calm down, Dean. I just want to be a professor; it has always been my dream to be one, but I never got the chance in the past." Hermione, who was infuriated, suddenly calmed down because she thought of something. "All right, since you''re so passionate about it. I''ll agree, but the academy ispletely covered with my mana, so anything suspicious you do will instantly be noticed by me." She said as a grin appeared on her face. "All right, I appreciate it, Dean. I am extremely grateful for you helping me achieve my dream that I have been trying to be ever since I was alittle child." "Tsk." Hermione waved her hand, and Ian''s figure appeared outside of the room. After Ian realized that he had appeared outside without even a warning, he fell into silence for a moment, contemting what had just happened. "So this is the power of the Pontiac Academy''s dean. Very impressive." He muttered as he walked away from the dean''s office, intending to find Zen to inform him about the good news. He was also aware that Hermione was one hundred percent sure that it was indeed his young master who instructed him to be a professor in the academy. So he was not worried that Hermione would find out that he went to find Zen right after he met with her. As he was about to walk away, Hermiones transmitted a voice in his mind saying, "Oh right, go find Hawkin; he''ll be the one helping you get settled in the academy. He is currently in the academy''s arena." "He will exin everything to you about how everything works in the academy. I''ve also informed him about you; he should be expecting you there once the mock battles of the first year students finish." With that, Ian decided to go meet with Hawkin first and just inform Zenter, as he spected that his young master probably already knows that he will be able to be a professor as he was the one who instructed him toe here. There was also confidence in Zen''s tone when Ian talked to him about it, and it seemed like he was sure that he would seed. Speaking of Hermione, she knew that Ian was spouting bullsh*t, and for what reason did she agree? The academy was indeedcking in professors because of the number of students who came this time. With Ian, there would be an extra helping hand. She could just supervise both him and Zen together, so she was not worried about them causing trouble in the academy. Such a thing was an easy task for her to do as a Great Magister. Even though the Pontiac Academy was such a massive ce, she could sense the entire area if she wanted to. Back inside the dean''s office "Zenryx Raverdieu, you think you can outsmart me? You are delusional. You really are underestimating me." "You think just because you are from the Raverdieu family you could do whatever you want inside the academy? You are gravely mistaken!" Hermione talked to herself for a bit before she went back to working on the paperwork. Ian arrived at the arena and saw twenty professors engaged in a battle with a bunch of students. Seeing this, he went onto the spectator stands, intending to wait for Hawkin. As he sat down, suddenly someone called out to him, "IAN!" Hearing this, he looked in the direction where the voice came from and saw four girls approaching him. "Youngdy Fiona! What are you doing here?" "We are just here to watch the mock battles, but that''s also what I wanted to ask you. What are you doing here?" In fact, Fiona''s vi was located near the Raverdieu family branch he managed, and Ian was also assigned as Fiona''s instructor back then. He was the one who taught Fiona the basics of magic. "Well... I''ll be bing a professor from now on here in this academy." "What?!" Fiona was stunned and couldn''t believe what she just heard. "Really?!" "Yes, youngdy." Ian responded. "I am just waiting for someone called Hawkin; that is why I am here in the arena, and may I ask which one of those is Hawkin?" Fiona then pointed at Hawkin, with Ian following her fingers where she pointed. "Ah, ok, thank you, youngdy." "Well, be going now, Ian; we got quite bored watching the mock battles. So we''ll be leaving." Fiona stated. The four girls then exited the arena after bidding farewell to him. Chapter 97 The Email The next day, Zen was lying on a bed; his eyes flickered before fully opening. He got up, proceeding to get his phone from the bedside table to check the current time. While he checked the time, he noticed that he had received an email from the academy. "It seems the results are up. I mean, it should be pretty obvious that I got assigned to A ss." Zen stated as he threw the phone on the bed, not even checking the mail. He then did all his morning routines, such as showering, eating, and so on. As he was eating, he was also thinking about what field of study he should choose. "With my score, I should be able to choose anything, right?" Zen mumbled to himself. "F*ck it, why don''t I just go ahead and learn every single one? It should be possible with my photographic memory." "The problem is, would the academy allow it? They would probably also question my decision to do so." While Zen ate at the table, a knock could be heard on his room''s door. He got up, walking towards the door. When he opened it, he saw Fiona standing outside. "Why are you here?" Zen inquired with a cocked head. "Hey Zen, I need to tell you something! Can Ie in?" Fiona replied. Zen moved to the side, and she entered the room with Zen following behind her after closing the door. They both sat on a couch located in the living room. "So? What did you need to tell me?" "Yesterday, a girl called Crystal came to talk to us, introducing herself to us. You should know her, since she said you both knew each other." Fiona looked at Zen and saw him nod and say, "I do know that girl; why what happen?" She then continued with what she was saying. "She told me that she wanted to apologize to you for what happened and that she had nothing to do with what her brother did." "So she wanted me to tell you that she wanted to meet up with you and talk to you privately." "Hmm... Really?" "Really!" "Ehhh, just tell her I''m too busy and will be unable to meet with her. She''ll probably also be assigned to A ss with us, so she can talk to me then." Zen nned to instigate the conflict between Edward and Crystal even more, so he refused. If he meets Crystal privately, wouldn''t that be a waste? He is better off meeting with Crystal where Edward is present; otherwise, how would he be able to break off Crystal and Edward''s rtionship? ''There is also that Eliza; I had an agreement with that Witch Emperator of me that I would bring Eliza to her and have Eliza be her disciple.'' ''I could use Crystal to get close to Eliza, I guess.'' With that, Zen made up his mind. "Ah ok." Fiona then fell into silence after saying that. It was like she did not know what to say next because she actually wanted to hang out with Zen before the official sses started tomorrow, but she couldn''t find an excuse to tell him. Seeing her silence, Zen rose up from the couch, and decided to get back to eating. As he was walking towards the table, he said, "Shouldn''t you go back now, or is there anything else you wanted to tell me?" "Uhmmm... can I stay with you for today and hang out?" "No can do Fiona. I am very busy; didn''t I tell you already?" Hearing him say that he was busy, she couldn''t help but mumble, "Hmph! Stupid, that''s what you always say, busy? When have you ever done something worthwhile? You are simply just..." Zen could hear a bit that she was mumbling and seemed to be cursing at him; he then spoke up with a grin on his face, "Huh? What did you say? I can''t hear you, Fiona, speak up." "Hmph!" Fiona got up from the couch and left the room, mming the door behind her. Zen ignored her and continued eating. He decided to go find and meet up with Lector after he finishes his breakfast. Ever since Zen arrived in this world, the first thing he did was just rx andze around, but now that he has had enough fun, he is nning to start doing things seriously, like training and such. ''Knock'' ''Knock'' Just as Zen was getting ready to go out, there was another knock on the door. He got up, walking towards the door and opened it and saw a box ced outside. He turned his head, looking in the right and left directions to see who put it there, and saw that there was someone dropping these boxes into each room. He took the box and got back inside. He ced it on top of a table and started unboxing it. Once it was opened, he saw what seemed to be a uniform. There was a ck suit, tie, and suit pants. There was also a zer with two buttons on the front and a white t-shirt. "I''ve been wondering when the uniforms will be given. Came just right on time! Huh, what''s this?" Zen saw a book ced at the side of the box. He grabbed the book and opened it, showing him some guidelines and such. "Ah, it''s just a guide book to get all the students settled in." He put the guide book back into the box, closing it and cing it on the bedside table. Zen walked out of the room intending to go find Ian, but then he saw Xue, who seemed to be on her way to his room, so he shouted, "Xue!" Being called by someone, she turned her head and saw Zen. She hurried towards him. "Young master." "Were you about to go look for me?" "Yes, I wanted to see if you have any instructions or orders for me. I do not really have anything to do." Zen fell into deep contemtion for a moment. "By the way, which ss were you assigned to?" Zen questioned after thinking about something. Since he was about to go find Ian, he might as well tell Ian if it was possible for Ian to teach the ss Xue gets assigned to. Ian could also teach Xue himself, which would make it much more convenient for Zen. So he did not have to do such boring things as teach. "B-1, young master." "Mkay." Zen responded. "Go back and just train your magic. I don''t really have anything for you to do." He then turned around and left after saying that, leaving Xue behind. Chapter 98 Classes Start ? Zen arrived in front of the first and second-year students building, where he had previously gone to take the written test. After he arrived, many students were surprised to see him here, and all of them stood motionless. Zen walked towards one of the students and said, "Hey, have you seen a middle-aged man that has gray hair? Ah! He also has arge scar behind his ear. Have you seen him?" He inquired at one of the girls, looking straight at her. The girl was unable to process what was going on and why Zen suddenly decided toe up to her. Seeing her silence, Zen bent down a little, waving his right hand in front of her eyes. "Hello? Anyone there?" As his words dropped, the girl in front of him came back to her senses. "Uh.. Uhmm, so-sorry, what was that?" "Have you seen someo- Ai, forget it." Zen said this and clicked his tongue. He entered the building and went to look for Hawkin. ''Hawkin is in charge of the first years. He should know where Ian is. I really need to get Ian''s contact number; it''s too troublesome for me to go out and look for him every time I need something from him.'' Zen remembered that Hawkin was in charge of A ss, so he intends to go there and see if he is there. Inside the A ss room. "The Dean informed me that you have also graduated from this academy. You are a pharmaceutical scientist, correct?" "Yes, that is the field of study I was and am currently focusing on." "Since that is the case, you would be teaching this subject to the students. The first item on the agenda for sses is usually mana and aura training. After that, the students will use the remainder of their day to dedicate their time to studying by themselves, training, or whatever they choose to do." "Tomorrow, though, it would just be an orientation day for all of the students and new professors to get used to things." "Ah, and also, there will be new changes to the academy that will be announced tomorrow. You will get an email regarding that tonight." Hawkin then inquired. "Any questions so far?" Time slowly passed, and just as they were conversing, Zen arrived in front of A ss. He opened the door of the room and saw Hawkin and Ian together, who both seemed to be having a conversation in front of the room. Sensing someone entering the room, both of them looked in the direction of the door and saw Zen. "Zenryx Raverdieu, what are you doing here?" "I''m here to find Ian. I need to talk to him." "Ian?" Hawkin nced at the person in front of him, and his fingers raised and pointed at Ian. "Him? Why do you need to talk to him, and how do you know him?" "I am currently exining to him how the academy works. We are quite busy, so go and wait until we are finished." "Uhmm, professor, did you perhaps not know that Ian is from my Raverdieu family? I need to talk to him regarding some important matters regarding my family." Sighed... This whole Raverdieu family really deceives people too much and can lie with straight faces! Important matters regarding the Raverdieu family? Ye right. It seems like a poker face is engraved in Raverdieu''s bloodline. "What?! The dean never mentioned this to me. All she said was that he is one of the new professors that will be teaching the first year students from this day forward." Ian, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, "I am indeed from the Raverdieu family, Professor Hawkin." "Professor Hawkin, would it be possible for me to borrow him for a moment? It would only take about a minute or two." Zen asked. "All right, if it''s regarding some important matters about your family, then sure, go ahead." Hawkin responded. Both Ian and Zen then walked out of the room. "Young master, what is it that you need to talk to me about? "What did the dean tell you when you went to her?" "She told me that she would be observing my every action during my time here as a professor in the academy. Also, I''m not sure, but she was able to figure out that you were the one who arranged for me to apply as a professor to the academy." "Hmm, a smart woman. Hehe. Anyway Ian!" "Yes?" "Which ss room are you assigned to?" "Ah, for that, me and Hawkin haven''t reached that topic yet. I think he was about to get to that part earlier when you suddenly walked in." "Well, actually, try to persuade Hawkin to have you assigned to B-1 ss." Feeling confused about why his young master wanted him to be assigned to that particr ss room, he asked. "B-1 ss? What about that ss? Is there anything special there, young master?" "Do you know that girl who always follows me around?" Zen said. "Wait, actually, nevermind. I don''t think you''ve met her before. But she is my subordinate. "She just started with her training to be a mage, so I wanted you to look out for her. Even though she might not look much, I guarantee that in the future she will be one of the strongest on Pontiac." "What? Are you for real? I''ll ask Hawkin if it''s possible. Anything else, young master?" "Yes, and let me get your contact number." Zen stated as he took out his phone from his right pocket, handing it to Ian. "Enter your stuff here." Ian took the phone and entered his number before handing it back to Zen. "There you go, young master. I thought you would never ask, haha. It is quite inconvenient for you to keep going out of your way to look for me." Zen talked to Ian for a while before he finally returned to his room. While he was in the room, he did some research about the different ways academy points were earned and a bunch of other information about the academy. With his photographic memory, he only needed to nce at the pages on the screen of theputer. He was able to acquire every single piece of information in an instant without reading it. ======== The next day... It was on this day that the sses officially started, and Zen was getting ready to head out. He wore a ck suit and tie, consisting of a zer with two buttons on the front. The zer was opened, revealing a white shirt underneath. He was also wearing ck pants. With this uniform, his handsomeness was once again enhanced. My dude looked fresh! Chapter 99 Ranking System ? Once Zen finished dressing up, he walked out of his room and started heading towards the first and second year building where his ss was located. It was quitete, and many of the students had already gone to ss. As for the reason why Zen decided to gote? Pretty simple. It was due to the fact that whenever he goes out, he always garners everyone''s attention. Usually, some would find it pleasurable to be recognized and held esteemed by people, but Zen finds it displeasing. ''Annoying'' he would say whenever he fell into such situations. Right now, the entire vicinity is clear, and not many people are around. There were some students who were also running around seeminglyte for ss, like him. The difference was that Zen took his time as he walked towards his ss room. Upon entering the A ss room, Zen instantly recognized most of the students inside. There were about twenty students this time, all in A ss. Edward and Crystal were seated together on the back left side of the room, with Edward sitting right next to a window. Naturally, Daphne, Celestia, and Fiona sat together with the elven twins behind them, who were Chloe Wynren and Zoe Wynren. All five of them were sitting in the middle of the room. Anastasia sat by herself as J-Lo, the girl she was always with, was assigned to another ss. Finally, there was someone else who caught Zen''s eye. This person has the appearance of a giant, about twelve feet tall. A horn sticking out of his forehead, cerulean colored hair, and a physically fit physique He upied three seats all by himself. "This... Isn''t this the dude who''s one of Edward''s rivals? His appearance fits the description to that of what I read in the novel." Zen said under his breath, with a slight chuckle escaping from him. "F*ck, this guy is he tall. I think his name was Vrarock Xulwar." He added while sizing him up. When Zen entered the room, Crystal had a bitter expression. Fiona already told her what Zen had said, making her feel helpless. Then she looked at her brother beside her, who was looking outside through a window. As if ming him for the current predicament she was in. Hawkin, who saw him enter, eximed, "Zenryx Raverdieu, you arete! Go take a seat." "Hey, Zen." Fiona was the first to greet him with a smile on her face. "Sit here," she said, tapping the empty seat beside her. But Zen ignored her and walked towards the back of the room, finding another empty seat. Seeing this, Celestia couldn''t help but chuckle a bit. "Ehh, why is Zen ignoring you? Did something happen?" "I don''t know what his problem is." Fiona responded while pouting. "Maybe you''ve been bothering too muchtely and find it annoying, don''t you think so?" Once Zen sat down, he thought of something regarding a certain person, who was Noah Crellon. ''I should probably start investigating this matter with that Warden also. Even though that guy is rted to the Doom Order, I suspect he is also rted to the unknown enemies lurking in space.'' ''I''ll have Marrie deal with the Hunter Association also. I''ll take over that association and have it as a subsidiary for my organization.'' With that, he nned to contact his family and mobilize some of Raverdieu''s forces again to investigate these things after the ss finishes. As they were talking, Hawkin urged them to quiet down. "All right, you all settled down. I''ll start exining some of the changes to the academy. For those new here, I''ll also exin how everything works in Pontiac Academy." "For starters, instead of going to an expedition to the Twilight Forest to determine the first year rankings. At the end of each month, apetition will be held. The amount of points you will receive each week will also be determined by your rankings." "First year students that are ranked 3000th to 4000th will be given 2 points each week." "Students ranked 1000th to 2999th will receive 4 points." "Ranked from 500th to 999th gets 6 points. 100th to 499th receive 8 points." "Then the students that are ranked 50th to 99th will be given 10 points, and those ranked 11th to 49th will receive 12 points. Ranks 4th to 10th will get 14 points. Rank 2nd and 3rd will be 15 points." "Finally, whoever is able to rank 1st out of the five thousand first year students will be given 20 points each week." "Other than thepetition held every month, you could also challenge someone, and you will be able to rece their ranking if you are able to defeat them." "Challenges will take effect once the firstpetition that will be held at the end this month is finished." "This challenge will be held at the battle arena located north west of the academy." Hawkin said as he turned on a holographic screen showing the battle arena. "This is an augmented reality arena; each and every one of you would also need to wear this, which will suppress your mana or aura when you challenge someone." He added as he took out a wrist band. "This wrist band is worn to suppress your strength to the same level as the other party you challenged. To remove advantages and keep everything fair." "This is constructed like this so that injuries among you all will be avoided." After stating those things, Hawkin then exined the use of points and the areas where they could use the points to train themselves. He also told them the other ways they could earn academy points. In another ss, unexpectedly, J-Lo, Eliza, and Xue were all assigned to the same ss. "You are that Xue girl that''s always with Zen, right? Nice to meet you. I am Juliet Mevouires, but most people just call me J-Lo." She said as she sat down beside Xue. "I can''t believe we are both actually in the same ss!" Seeing someone sit beside her and introduce herself to her, Xue nced sideways just to see the girl she had on her team during the mock battle. "Xue Shan." She responded by keeping it simple and withdrawing her gaze away from her. "I''m d I got into a ss with someone I kno-" "Please shut up. You are very talkative and noisy." Xue scolded. "Uhh..." Chapter 100 Doom Order Territory [Part 1] ? X 17th, 2400 While the academy was taking ce, back at the Guild Association Warden was currently talking to the leader of the Doom Order. The leader of the Doom Order is called Lord Doom, and he is one of the Heavenly Swordsmaster of Pontiac and the founder of the order. Inside the association, in a dark room, a holographic figure with his face hidden spoke with a deep and hoarse voice. "Warden, I am pleased with the result of the beast outbreak you caused." "Many of the sessors of some noble families were sessfully removed from this world. This would help us with our rise to power in the future." "Those noble families strength will plummet soon enough without their sessors, who should have been the ones that would rule their noble families in the future." "Though it was not the descendants of the major families that died, it can still be considered a sess." "Just do not provoke the Raverdieu''s, as that family is not something we can contend against right now." "Yes, my Lord," Hawkin responded in a dignified manner while kneeling down. "Even though this n was sessful and that no one knows that we were responsible for this outbreak. It seems that someone has suspected us and is currently investigating the Guild Hunter Association." "Hmm, do you have any idea who it is that is looking into this matter?" "I believe it should be the Raverdieu''s, more specifically, Zenryx Raverdieu. He was also the reason why the scheme I had been long nning was only partially sessful." "If it weren''t for that kid, Celestia Doomthorne, and that Daphne Duragny, they would have also fallen during the outbreak." Hearing this, Lord Doom was taken back. He did hear about what transpired during the outbreak and how Zen appeared and saved the day, but he never thought that he would be the one who figured some things out regarding what caused the outbreak. Even if it were just Zen''s spections and such, this is a serious matter. They did not want to provoke the Raverdieu''s, and now that same family that they did not want to provoke is suddenly investigating them? What is this? "Warden, this is a serious matter; you should know what caused our order to fall and reduce it to our current circumstances. Do you have any basis for what you just said?" The Doom Lord inquired. "My Lord, the forces that were sent out seem to belong to the Raverdieu''s. Currently, Duke Randell and Elle are not present on Pontiac. Other than Zenryx Raverdieu, who else do you think can mobilize them?" "Did Fiona Raverdieu get caught in the outbreak?" Doom Lord questioned, "If so, that might be one of the reasons why the Raverdieu family is suddenly mobilizing their forces to investigate the matter." "I stayed around, lurking in the shadows, and made sure that she was out of harm''s way. Otherwise, if she ended up dead, the Raverdieu''s would really use all their power to get to the bottom of what happened, and our order might just get wiped out of this." "How Zenryx Raverdieu figured out that it was probably us who caused the outbreak? I have no idea." The Doom Lord digested all of the information he said, stayed silent for a moment, and thought about it. "Leave the Guild Hunter Association for now and return to our main base." "There might be a chance that the Raverdieu''s will figure things out and will suddenlyunch an attack on you." Although Warden has only recently joined the Doom Order, his achievements and usefulness were really something that the Lord Doom valued. If he loses such a valuable subordinate, it would really be a great loss. So he wanted him to retreat back to their main base andy low for now. "Yes, Lord, but before that, I have someone to introduce to you." Warden said with a smirk showing on his face. "Come in!" As soon as Warden''s words dropped, a young figure entered the room. "This is Noah Crellon from the Crellon family. My lord, I believe he would be a great help for us to achieve our goal. What do you think?" "What?! Crellon?" The Doom Lord gazed at him and questioned him. "You want to join the Doom Order? What made you want to join?" "I was promised power by Warden. He contacted me and said that I would be able to gain strength in a short period of time. I am willing to offer you the Duke family and have it serve the Doom Order. "HAHAHHA, Very good, very good. With you by our side, we will be able to rule this whole continent. Not even the whole continent, but it would also be possible to rule the entire in the future!" Doom Lord manicallyughed. That''s what he said, but inwardly it was different: "We''ll except for the Raverdieu''s, of course; that family is too strong. Why did they even choose toe to Pontiac?'' "Warden, you''ve really done an impressive job, even being able to recruit such an outstanding young man." "Very good, you, Noah Crellon, follow Warden back to our main base. I will help you gain the strength you are seeking." Hearing this, Noah revealed an evil grin and stated inwardly, ''I will be back, you f*ckers, and destroy those that made a mockery of me!'' With that, they both entered a ship and started heading towards the main base of the Doom Order. After some time, they finally arrived at a medium-sized ind that looked to be like a normal ind, but as they got closer, the surrounding area seemed to be caged in what seemingly looked like a barrier. Warden flew out of the ship and took out a token, followed by a mechanical sound that could be heard, and then a doorway appeared. Warden got back to the ship and entered through therge doorway that manifested. The ind looked like a normal ind from the outside, but inside,rge, dark structures or buildings could be seen. Inside, it actually looked like a miniature city. Noah, who was inside the ship, was speechless. "What kind of technology is this? How can a normal-looking ind suddenly turn into something like a city?!" Soon they exited out of the ship and got ready to meet the Doom Lord. Chapter 101 Doom Order Territory [Part 2] ? Both Warden and Noah entered a tall,rge structure that exhibited an ancient feeling but had futuristic features that made this building look out of this world. The building looked weirdly domineeringly out of this world. As they entered, there were two guards at the entrance. One was a Great Mage, and the other was a Great Swordmaster. With Warden and Noah approaching the Doom Lord''s residence, both of the guards recognized Warden. "Wee back, Sir Warden. We have been informed of your arrival by the Lord, and he told us he will be waiting for you both underground." Both of them entered the building and used an elevator to get underground. They then arrived in a spacious underground white room. The room was about four hundred square meters. Sensing their arrival, Doom turned his head around. His appearance was the same as the holographic disy back in the Guild Hunter Association, with his whole face covered by a mask. There''s also no opening in the mask, as a Heavenly Swordsmaster, he could sense everything without needing to see. No one knew why he wore such a mask, and the people of the Doom Order just spected that he might be blind. "Greetings, my lord, I am back with Noah Crellon here." Warden announced. Doom nodded and proceeded to walk towards Noah. "Noah Crellon, you said you desire power, yes? Are you willing to do anything in order to obtain absolute strength?" "..." Noah did notment; he was thinking about how they were nning to give him strength. Looking at his silence Doom thought that Noah was a bit skeptical, so he added, "You must know, many people want to get this opportunity but never have the chance to do so." "You will be a very valuable member of our order, so I am willing to help you get stronger." Noah then finally spoke and stated, "Ok, you all better not be tricking me; otherwise, I''ll have all of you killed by my father." "My father has my life stone anyway; if my life is ever in danger, that stone will shine bright, and if I die, that stone will shatter. Once that stone is shattered, it will emit an image of what happened and what caused my death." "So you all better not be ying with me!" Finishing off his sentence in an arrogant tone. He did note here without a n; it would be stupid to not have one. If he just came and believed what Warden told him, that would make him r*tarded. "Ai, do not worry, Noah Crellon. I am truly willing to help you. In exchange, you must work for us wholeheartedly." Doom responded. "Ok." With that, Doom led him to a small room, and in that room was a fist size mana stone. "What''s that?" Noah asked. "It is a tier one mana stone of a Whspogus, we were able to acquire this mana stone at a great price." Whspogus is a Tier one beast that resides in the ocean and sometimes moves tond during the winter. A very intelligent creature,bined with its prowess, is able to rival a Peak Magister or a Peak Royal Swordmaster. "Tiered one beast?!" Shocked by what Noah heard, he examined the mana stone in front of him carefully. "So what do you n on doing by showing me this?" "This will be integrated into your body, which will make your strength reach new heights like never before. You would also gain the abilities of the Tier one beast." "After this mana stone is integrated with someone, it will also increase the speed at which one gathers aura or mana." "What?! Are you serious?" Noah felt suspicious, as this was too good to be true. He had also never heard of a person integrating themselves with a mana stone before, and he had only heard of people absorbing the mana instead of directly integrating it into their bodies. In the end, he believed that it should be possible since he remembered the technology the Doom Order used outside the ind that was able to camouge the entire ind and create an illusion. "Is there no side effect?" Noah questioned because something like this shoulde with a price. "Hmm... the only side effects are..." Doom thought for a moment; "Actually, there is nothing other than getting nausea if you exhaust your aura or mana." "Are you sure?" "Yes!" Doom reassured. ''Well, there are other side effects, such as your appearance being altered as you gradually transform into a beast. But you don''t need to know that, Kekekekee'' ''By the time you noticed, you''d be useless by then. You will just be used as a chess piece by me to help me achieve my goal.'' Doom said internally. Doom might act friendly on the outside; however, he always had a feeling of disgust against nobles. Noah entered a chamber, and the tiered one mana stone was put into a device that was connected to the chamber that Noah entered in. "Warden, how''d you even get this kid to join our order?" Doom asked while looking at Noah, who was inside the chamber and had fallen asleep. "Actually, I have informants all around the continent; at first, I was thinking of recruiting that Zenryx Raverdieu, as I''ve heard about some things about him, but I gave up on the idea." "So my next target turned to this Noah kid. He is a spoiled brat and does not know how the world works yet, so he is ignorant. With the informants I have in the academy, I found out his situation and took the chance to contact him, and he agreed to my proposal." "Ah!" Doom finally understood, "By the way, about that Tiered one Wendigo. Where did that beaste from? Were you also responsible for its appearance during the beast outbreak?" While Doom was not looking, Warden''s eyes turned red for a moment before he said, "Ah, yes, my lord. I lured it into the middle region of the Twilight Zone. And soon it wrecked havoc and killed one of the professors." "Hmm, weird, usually Tiered one beasts don''t show themselves easily. But I guess with all the beasts rushing out of the Twilight Zone, it attracted its attention." Doom analyzed it with his finger on his chin. Chapter 102 Accepting A Mission ? "And so you lured that Tier one Wendigo into going on a rampage after it appeared?" "Just as exactly you said, Lord. It made it easier for me to execute my ns with the help of that Wendigo beast." Warden responded. "What are we going to do with this Noah, though?" He questioned, as his gaze fell upon the chamber in front. The chamber was filled with a transparent liquid that emitted blue light. It seems that the mana stone has been melted into a liquid substance and is constantly and gradually being absorbed into Noah''s body. "Well, just use him to take control of the Crellon family." "After he finishes integrating with the mana stone, help him get used to his new gain power. You could also send him somewhere to fight maybe an ind located nearby." "There should be some Advanced rank mages or swordmasters on those nearby inds. He could fight them and use them as practice." "I believe once this process isplete, he will be an Advanced Swordmaster. Not just any regr Advanced, he would be able to fight against Peak Advanced." Warden nodded, agreeing to his instructions. "Also, didn''t this kid fight with that Fiona girl from the Raverdieu''s? You have to carefully monitor this kid so as not to bring trouble to our order. He might suddenlysh out and go looking for trouble with that Fiona." "Yes, yes, that''s what I am nning to do. Even though I haven''t been part of the Doom Order for a long time. I do know not to go looking for trouble with the Raverdieu''s." 2 dayster...X 19th, 2400 In the academy, Zen has already spoken to Hawkin regarding the field of study. At first, Hawkin was a bit hesitant, but looking at how Zen was able to easily get a perfect score, it should be possible for him to go into multiple fields of study. He had heard from one of the professors that Zen only took ten minutes toplete the test, and with that amount of time, he was able toplete the test in such a short time. He even got a perfect score, which is simply impressive. Currently at the Human Resources building, Zen and Xue are talking to the person in charge of handing out missions to students. After Zen looked through the list of missions that was posted on the board, he picked out one. The mission was about catching a criminal who was wreaking havoc on a nearby ind. Killing the inhabitants of that ind like killing animals. Usually, first year students are not eligible to take missions before thepetitions are finished and their rankings have been determined, but they made an exception for Zen. As for Xue? Zen wanted to bring her along to have her gain experience and also train. It was pretty easy to bring her along, as the professor in charge of the ss that Xue was assigned to was Ian. He simply had to just messaged Ian about it. "We will take on this mission." Zen said looking at the receptionist. "Sorry, First year students are currently not allowed to partake in missions." The receptionist replied. Hearing this, Zen took out a token Hawkin had handed him, which meant that he had the right to take missions. "Ahh, ok. I''ll input your name here then. Just bring back the head of that criminal as proof that youpleted the mission." With that, both Zen and Xue walked out of the building and started heading towards his ship. Just as they were walking Crystal, Edward, and Eliza walked out of the library and saw them both. Hesitating for a moment before Crystal got the courage to go up and talk to him. Seeing her approach, Zen revealed a smile as he also looked towards the back and saw Edwards with an unfriendly expression. "What do you want, Crystal?" Zen asked in an indifferent tone. "C-can I talk to you for a moment?" She responded, her voice trembling a bit, afraid that Zen would reject her again. "Ok, you''ve been pestering for so long now; you even talked to my sister about it. I might as well listen to what you have to say. Even though we don''t really know each other." Zen spoke as if he were treating Crystal like a stranger he had just met for the first time. Hearing the tone of his voice and his distant attitude towards her, Crystal felt her heart tighten. Ever since she first met Zen, she had long fallen in love with him. She thought that they were starting to get close back then. Unexpectedly, the rtionship they both built ended up being ruined. "Zen..." "Hurry up and get to what you want to say; I still have some important matters to attend to." Zen coldlymunicated, his voice filled with impatience. Crystal remained silent, and a tear dropped out of the corner of her eye. "Don''t expect me to just forget about what happened back in the Mevouires territory. After what your brother... unforgivable." "What can I do to make you forgive me?" Crystal pleaded, her eyes red. "You think about it; I''m leaving." Zen started walking away from there with Xue behind him. Seeing how Zen treated his sister, Edward was about to go confront Zen, but Crystal grabbed him and red at him fiercely, shaking her head before leaving. Zen and Xue got into the S Tier ship, and Zen told Helix the coordinates of the ind, and the ship elerated at a fast speed. While both he and Xue were heading t towards the location of the ind, Zen checked his system panel. ¨‹?????????????? ???????????? 2.0¨‹ [3.0 Updating... Eleven days left.] ¨‹Status : Zendryx Duragny Raverdieu (Zen) Race : ?Human? Age : ?11? Points : ?20? ¨‹Talent = Mage [Advanced], Swordsmanship [Advanced] ¨‹Skills - Tempest of des [Mastery: 20%] - Defiant Sword [Mastery: 29%] - Forked Lightning [Mastery : 16%] - Lightning Ball [Mastery : 22%] - Triple Thrust [Mastery : 11%] ¨‹Innate Ability = Skill Devourer, Photographic Memory ¨‹Abstracted Skills = me, Poison, Physical Enhancement, Dragonic Enhancement ¨‹[System Shop]¨‹ ''Once I finish this mission, I''ll be able to get about fifty points. I can use it to train in the gravitation room.'' ''I can also trybining Physical Enhancement and Dragonic Enhancement.'' Chapter 103 Cloaked Figure Chapter 103 Cloaked Figure "Hey, Fiona Have you seen Zen?" Daphne, who had just arrived in ss, asked as she approached Fiona. "I went to his dorm room, but he was not there. I thought he already came in ss, but it seems like he is still not here." "No, and I don''t care." Fiona responded with a tight-lipped smile. "Why do you ask Daphne?" "Nothing, just asking." Daphne scratched the side of her face, feeling confused about why she responded in such a manner. Soon Celestia and others arrived in A ss and were all confused as to why Zen was absent. When Crystal walked into ss, the three girls noticed something about her. They felt like she just got rejected by the guy she liked; it was their girl''s intuition. They analyzed something and came to the conclusion that she might have met up with Zen. Since the only person they could think of that Crystal liked was Zen. With that, Daphne stood up and walked towards her. "Hey Crystal, did you meet with Zen? If so, do you perhaps know where he went?" "I do not know; I did meet him on the way here, though. He said he had some important matters to attend to. Maybe ask the professor; he might have an idea." "Mhm ok." She then went back to her seat, waiting for Professor Hawkin to arrived. The door of the ss opened, and Hawkin walked in. "Are you all ready for ss to start?" He asked as he put some books on the desk located in front of the ssroom. Daphne raised her hand and said, "Professor, do you have any idea about where Zen went? It seems he is absent today." "Zen? Ahh, you mean Zenryx Raverdieu?" "Yes." "Ah well, he asked me yesterday regarding epting missions to earn academy points. So this morning he went to the Human Resources building to choose a mission." "Right about now, he should be heading towards the mission he epted." Hearing this, the whole ss eximed. "What the hell? We can ept missions now? Professor, why didn''t you tell us about it? I thought we could only start working on a mission once thepetition is over." The giant named Vracoch spoke. "Ya, Professor, you have never told us about this. Did we have to go to you and ask about it? You only told us about the missions, but not when we can start." One after another, they all raised their questions. Hawkins lips were pressed together, feeling annoyed by their constant questioning. "You all be quiet! Let me exin this. You all can''t ept missions to earn academy points right now." "WHAT?!! Why was Zenryx able to do so? Don''t tell me the academy doesn''t treat all students equally?" One of the students felt discontented with the special treatment, and he felt jealous. With those questions that one of the students asked, Hawkin revealed a quizzical smile and looked at him straight: "Let me ask you? Have you ever contributed something to the academy? No right?" "Zenryx saved a lot of students during the beast outbreak, so of course we have to give him some reward. Well... it''s not exactly a reward, as he still needs to do the work to obtain the academy points." "Of course we will give him some special treatment. Were you present during the beasts outbreak? Let me just tell you, Zenryx gave us a lot of help back then, and that''s why we were able to minimize the number of casualties." Hearing Hawkins words, everyone in the room felt they were reasonable, so they did not question this matter any longer and epted it. While Fiona, who was sulking earlier and was cursing Zen, felt proud of her stepbrother, she revealed a smug expression. "Hey Fiona, do you have a bipr disorder or something?" Daphne asked. "One moment you were cursing Zen, and now you are all smiley." "Hmph." Soon, the ss started. On the Plymnach Abyss, an oceanic region located southwest of the Astre continent, a small ind can be seen. Three ships can be seen hovering above the sky. Earlier, one figured to jump out of one of the ships and started massacring the whole ind. The figure that started killing all the people on this ind was wearing a ck cloak. As he was massacring the whole ce. A powerful aura can be sensed approaching. As that person who had that powerful aura got closer to the ck cloak figure, his expression showed horror. Shocked by what he was seeing with his own eyes, he said, "Wh-Wh-what the hell?! Who the f*ck are you?! How dare you kill the citizens of this ind?!" His tone of voice was filled with anger. This individual was none other than the person who governed this ind. He was a Peak Advanced Mage. As his words dropped, the ck-cloaked figure became excited. "Finally someone appeared that I can use as a practice!" "We have been going from ind to ind and haven''t found a Peak Advanced yet. As I was about to give up trying to find one, you appeared. Hahahaha!" This ck-cloaked figure was none other than the criminal that Zen needed to apprehend. The Pontiac Academy received this information from some inds that sent out SOS signals. SOS signals were one of the ones that the academy gave out as a mission to some students toplete. By doing this, not only will it increase the prestige of the academy, but the students will also be able to use it to train. It is simply killing two birds with one stone. The governor of this ind became infuriated hearing how this cloak bastard massacred his whole ind simply to find someone to fight with! He rushed towards the cloaked individual andunched a domineering attack. They fought for thirty moves, and finally the governor got heavily injured. "What a disappointment." The cloak person stated this as heunched the final attack to end the governor''s life. Just as his sword sh was about tond, his sword sh was intercepted by a lightning ball that collided with it. "Hoh, what do we have here? Hehe." A voice sounded from the sky, and a figure slowly descended to the ground. Chapter 104 Meeting Satan! Chapter 104 Meeting Satan! "Z-Zenryx Raverdieu?!" The cloaked figure eximed, baffled as to why Zen suddenly appeared. With his appearance, the people from the three ships also walked out with all of their faces covered. "Well, well, what do we have here? A bunch of rats." Zen mocked each and every one of those figures as they suddenly appeared in front of him in a defensive position. Zen felt a sense of danger from one of them; he guessed that the person in front should be a Royal Swordsman based on the aura he emitted. However, Zen stayedposed as he had Helix to fight someone who was a magister or a royal swordsmaster. Suddenly the person in front of the group spoke in a serious manner, "Let''s retreat!" Soon they all retreated back to the ship. But then Zenunched a sword aura, slicing all the ships in half. This ship were no more than B ss and C ss ships, so it basically had no defensive measures against someone who has the strength of Zen. "Now, now, don''t be in such a hurry to leave. We haven''t even introduced each other yet." Zen said with a smirk. "Why don''t we y around a bit?" After he finished speaking, heunched another attack on the ck-cloaked figure who had fought with the governor earlier. The attack sent by Zen was blocked by the Royal Swordsmaster; however, Zen sent another unexpected attack, which then revealed the appearance of that ck cloaked figure. It was none other than Noah Crellon! "F*ck, F*ck, this b*tch is ying with me! Warden, kill this b*tch he is just an advanced rank, and he is only one person. Kill him!" "Hoh, Warden? You are the Hunter Guild Association founder. What an amazing turn of events!" Zen spoke with a hint of surprise in his voice. "Zenryx Raverdieu, don''t push your luck." Warden said in a domineering tone. "Luck?!" Zen scoffed at his words. After that, he no longer talked nonsense and called Helix tounch an assault on Warden. While Zen directly fought against Noah and one other Advanced ranks Xue fought against the other two weaker ones. Although Xue was a Peak Elementary Mage, she could fight against a rank one level higher than her. Of course, she could not fight against two advanced ranks at once, so Zen gave her the earring artifact that he obtained from the auction, which enhanced her strength. Even so, she would still be at a disadvantage, but this is what Zen wanted from her. She could use this as an experience and train herself. She only needed to hold them off until Zen finished dealing with Noah. When Warden fought with Helix, the ship suddenlyunched a beam of light. Seeing this beam of light, Warden was taken back. ''Th-This is... Isn''t this the beam of light, the attack that was used to destroy half of the Tranquil City?!'' Realizing this, he felt goosebumps all over his body. "This Zenryx Raverdieu couldn''t have been the one to destroy that city, right? He med it on Gorgon and used it as an excuse to plunder the whole Land of Dragons?" As the beam of light sted towards Warden he took out his sword and threw it into the air. The sword spun uncontrobly, and soon it formed a barrier blocking the attack. Cracks started appearing on the barrier, and finally it shattered, sending the sword flying back into Wardens hands. He tried using his speed and constantly attacking the ship, but the ship was too fast and its defense was too high, to the point that Warden could not even scratch it. As Warden was about to activate his domain, he sensed something and nced in a certain direction, only to see Noah getting beaten back fiercely. Zen activated all his skills during his battle with Noah, even using Dragonic Enhancement Physical Enhancement, and so he was able to suppress Noah to a pitiful state. Seeing this, Warden was going to rush to help out Noah, as the order used such valuable material in order to nurture Noah. His usefulness was also needed by the order in order for them to rise up. Warden couldn''t just sit back and watch him be obliterated. As he was about to rush, Helix instantly appeared in front of him, blocking his path. "Get out of the way!" Warden roared, directly unleashing his domain. The weather changed, and the entire area became dead, as if it had be a desert where life did not exist. The trees, grass, and pretty much all the nature in the surrounding area became lifeless. The mana and aura also became nonexistent in an area of 30 meters. Since the ship was running through mana and aura, it shut down and fell to the ground. Thissted for thirty seconds. Warden finally arrived in front of Noah, blocking all of Zen''s attacks for him. "That''s enough, Zenryx Raverdieu, otherwise..." "HAHAHAHA, Otherwise what? I don''t give a f*cke take my sword." That''s what Zen said, but then, after thirty seconds passed, he sensed that Helix became active again. Zen transmitted a voice to Helix, saying, ''Helix, get ready to retreat.'' Zenunched ast attack towards Noah and Warden, but as Warden blocked the oing attack, he realized it was just a distraction. Zen used his skill, Defiant Sword, to target the three other weak figures. As the sword attacknded on the three figures, their bodies were cut in half, and blood spewed from their bodies that covered the ground, turning it a crimson color. After killing them, Zen grabbed Xue by her waist, entered the ship, and started retreating. Seeing this, the Warden was infuriated: "This kid is ying with us!" He did pursue the ship that Zen and Xue entered, but instead he grabbed Noah in a princess-style carry. But then, as soon as they were about to retreat, Zen''s ship came back andunched another beam of light towards them both. Warden did not react in time, and he took the blow head-on. His body and Noah''s body pressed to the ground; the difference was that Warden suffered a heavy injury with his clothes all ripped off and his whole body showing burnt marks. Noah, on the other hand, had his body almost disintegrated by the attack as Warden couldn''t block the beam of light. His body directly shed with the attack, and as a result, he no longer had a single breath left in him, and he directly met Satan. The governor, who was gravely injuredying down on the ground and watching all this scene take ce, was bbergasted. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!