"I'll be his tutor." A rough voice sounded, and the students turned around to see Seth walking with a rusty sword.
"He's crazy."
"Does he think he can stand against Xanders by himself? He's done."
"Arrogant indeed. I heard he's the combat instructor for honorary students. How many days will he keep his position?"
"He—"
The murmurs of students filled the air, and the teachers on the stage squinted at Seth.
Openly defying Xander, what was he thinking?
Knox raised his neck and glared at Seth. His bloated body shook as he pointed his finger at Seth and said, "You… are the combat instructor. Get out."
Seth walked in nonchalantly.
"I said get out." Knox spat, and he was already in front of Seth.
Varian felt the space in the surrounding fluctuate wildly. It was as if he was shaking, but the thing that was actually vibrating was space itself.
Seth felt the solidifying space around him. It could severely injure a normal level 6 Awakener, which was the level of most combat instructors. Not him.
"Hmph" Seth controlled the gravity around and swung his sword.
"Crack"
"Crack"
"Crack"
Like shattered glass, the solid space around him collapsed. Everything was a blur for a moment before everyone saw Seth looking down at Knox.
Knox stood stupefied as his gaze stared at the rusty sword. On it was a drop of blood.
Finally, he came to his senses and looked around. The students were gazing at him. He felt absolutely humiliated.
"How dare you attac—"
"Clause 13.6: Severely injuring for retaliatory self-defense is not illegal. Plus, you just lost a drop of blood." Seth said with a deadpan face.
Knox felt the tingling pain on his neck and calmed himself. The guy in front of him was a monster! But he was the Supervisor of 1st year. Including teachers.
"You cannot accept a pupi—"
"Clause 18.3: Any teacher can accept a pupil. Clause 20.2 (a): A combat instructor is also a teacher."
"You—" Knox couldn't find any words. Wasn't he supposed to suppress others with rules, why did this guy know them all?
"Can I do my thing, or should we ask Mr. Evander?" Seth looked into Knox's eyes and said in a hoarse tone.
Knox's legs wobbled for a moment and he teleported back to the stage. He said to the audience "Honorary students is done. Teachers will now choose pupils from the audience. Those who don't get selected, keep trying and make them take notice of you."
A new round of selection started. The selection was too important, and the students didn't bother with the fiasco.
Varian saw Seth waving at him and exited the auditorium. Knox acted like he didn't see it. That was his last pride.
"Let's take a walk." Seth said and held his shoulder. The surroundings flashed for a second, and the next moment, they were on a garden walkway.
Seth walked in silence, and Varian followed the short, bald man.
There were many questions bubbling inside.
He must be crazy or he must know …
"I know what you're thinking." Seth said, breaking the silence. "You're right. I do know something."
Seth looked into his eyes and Varian felt an immense sense of danger. It was like facing a tsunami. He instinctively wanted to teleport, but held himself back.
"What is that you know?" Varian calmed himself and asked. He was ready-to-use teleportation on any sign of hostility. Even if that didn't increase his chances of survival.
'Will he kill me to please Xander?' He thought.
"I must kick that bastard Gareth. He didn't tell me about you." Seth threw his head back and laughed out loud.
"Everyone thinks you got lucky. Only Gareth doesn't. He is the major stakeholder of the murloc islands you trained in. He is more clear than anyone that there are no natural treasures there." Seth glanced at him with an expression that said 'cat's out of the bag'.
Varian's eyes twitched.
'You are indeed filthy rich, Mr. Gareth. But that's not the point.'
"So?" Varian feigned ignorance.
"So?! You went from an unawakened to a Level 2 in like 14 days. What the fuck?!" Seth cursed and continued, "I practiced for a year and a half. I'm so fucking jealous of you." Seth swung his sword in frustration and the shock waves crushed a stone a few hundred meters away.
Seth saw this and facepalmed, "That damn gardener will extort me for compensation."
His causal manner of speech did relax Varian a little, but puzzled him at the same time. 'He sounds like an adventure more than a soldier.'
They soon reached a pavilion near a lake.
Seth slumped on it, and Varian sat in front. He closed his eyes and said in a serious tone, "I know you're worried. I used to be in the same adventure team as Gareth. Then… things happened."
He snapped his eyes open and gazed into Varian's eyes. "I got into military to keep fighting. But they threw me here. I want to do something important. Not rot."
He smiled and pointed at Varian. "You, little fellow, will be someone important. If I tutor you, won't I get even more respected?"
Varian rolled his eyes and went along. "Fine. Then what can you provide for me?"
Seth raised his arm and was about to put his salary to use. But his comm sent him a message.
{Due to your frequent destruction of public property, you are suspended from being an instructor for a semester.}
The hologram was open, and Varian could also see it.
Varian said awkwardly, "They're already targeting you."
Unlike the usual reaction, Seth laughed out loud. "I will say it again. They are fools. I can spend more time training you."
Varian saw he was not taking it seriously and signalled with his fingers — stipend.
He still needed mp for his monthly exam. His only source of mp mission. If he could get some mp from Seth first, then he could wait till he broke into Level 3. Then he could go on a solo mission.
Seth waved his hands and was about to promise when another message popped up.
{There is an accusation that you broke a Level 6 artifact. Until you prove otherwise, your mp is frozen, leaving besides a limited sum for daily expenses.}
'Fuck!' Varian cursed.
Seth slumped on his table.
He raised his head and glanced at Varian.
Two pairs of eyes, one young and one old, stared at each other. Both sighed.
"Broke." They said at the same time.
Seth stood up and said, "I have aura crystals in my home. You can take as many as you want. They can't take this away. "
Varian didn't hope this time. He prayed. Not this too. Let this poor man live.
Then the omnious tick of Seth's comm sounded again.
{Your home was robbed.}
"Your Mom!" Seth cursed and threw his comm on the ground. He stomped it and spewed out venomous curses that would cause devils to blush in shame.
Finally, Varian sighed and said, "I appreciate your effort. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused, but I'll not be accepting you as my tutor."
He stepped out of the pavilion and was about to leave.
"Varian, I lost my wife on Pluto. She was ... pregnant at that time." Seth's choking voice sounded.
Varian slowed down, but kept walking. Everyone had a sad story.
"Four years. For four years, I can't sleep properly. I dream of my unborn daughter. Of my wife." The sounds of fist bashing chest sounded, followed by drops of liquid splashing the ground.
Varian took a deep breath and continued. He was an orphan. He couldn't remember his dad. He lost his mom a year ago.
"I feel like a loser. I hide myself in the weapons to sleep." Seth's low voice sounded.
Varian finally stopped. This really hit home.
"That day, I vowed one thing — I'll end that goddamn race. If I can't do it myself, I'll do everything for someone who can." He yelled, his voice brimming with hatred and determination.
"I am a Level 8. I am here only to find someone who can do what I can't. Everyone thought Julius or Charles was the one. No. I don't think so. It's You."
"You, who has a secret I can't fathom. You, who are willing to risk everything for your own goals but won't abandon your friends. You, who is also running from your own past. You are the One."
Varian turned around.