3 months before the tournament.
The institute was very busy, it entertained many individuals who came from each continents. It's still three months earlier but the schools from each continents sent out their students with their handlers in order to familiar the environment and build connections from each other. Aside from being recognized by their talents, building connections with other power beings from other continents could help them with their progress, as the students and instructors from each continents had this certain backgrounds.
After announcing the upcoming 205th World Winter Tournament, the students within Harconia Institute were excited, other than being recognized by revered sects, they were interested with the battle between a star instructor and a newbie instructor who only taught talentless students in cultivation. Even though the Minds were famous for being intelligent freaks, they were still more on the mental category, they're not as good as the martial practitioners.
The silver haired young man had no idea about her being famous for that kind of challenge but well it did not affect her still listless lifestyle.
The students with their instructors were led around by the representing instructors of the institute. One of it was Chun because her schedule was at most cleared by this month so Quin tasked her to lead them.
The silver haired young man was assigned to the Sororite Academe (SA) from Slatercort continent and Elite Class of Learned Society (ECLS) from Greatworld continent. Each were containing 12 individuals, 10 students and 2 instructors. It depended how many students or instructors would a continent sent but the minimum was five while the maximum was twenty.
Chun greeted them, not bothering herself from the others' ignorant or frivolous behavior on greeting her back. The Sororite students were polite and courteous at her, meanwhile the Elite students were rude and haughtily prompted the silver haired young man to hasten her introductory as she was wasting their time.
The young man ignored them and patiently or intentionally slowed her pace to irk those rude students. Their handlers weren't minding their students' behavior as to test the temper of Chun which the latter was clueless to it.
The handlers of other continents wouldn't want to let go this opportunity to exploit any weaknesses on their opponents in order for them to be in an advantageous state so this farce of touring these people wouldn't end well.
Mika, a handsome eighteen-year old young man was the leader of the Sororite students. He had his innocent charming look as he would jovially asked and conversed to Chun with the others, too. His close friends from the same class was Anith and Ji Ah. Anith was a glasses guy with his mature look as he would glare at the rude Elite students, making them shut up for a moment of whinning. And Ji Ah was the seductive type of woman as she would flirtily winked at each passing students and sometimes cling at Anith, getting her a disgusting expression from the clean freak guy.
"Are we not yet finish to this lame tour?" Bai Ze, the leader of the Elite's broke their merry atmosphere. He frowned at the silver haired young man and haughtily turned his head to their handler.
"Yes, Instructor Chun. We had schedules for tomorrow so can you let us return to our quarters?" Rong Xia said, the handler of the Elite's. This woman was a cousin to the Greatworld King's mother and had a status second to the crown prince so the Elites' respected her as well as the headmaster of Harconia Institute.
Despite having a title of Imperial Instructor as she had gained from her merits for the kingdom, she still took the job as a handler of the elite class and accompanying her was the third princess Xiu Ying as a selected instructor too to join the tournament.
Xiu Ying smiled at Chun as she admired the beauty of this white prince. The title of white prince came from the mouths of the Harconian students as they adored the beauty of this teacher. Xiu Ying smirked while thinking about her 'lover' Zero back at Greatworld continent. His handsomeness was comparable to this youth but she love more of Zero's antics.
'I wish he woke up from his coma. It's been three years now' Xiu Ying thought depressingly.
The instructors from Sororite's did not want to offend these two great figures and asked Chun if they can rest now. The young man with her thinning patience just replied with her lazy smile and allowed them to go while the three that she had befriended volunteered to join her on her lunch.
Chun with Mika's team went straight to the cafeteria and looked for a space to sit in. The institute's cafeteria was very crowded as students and instructors from other continents mingled with each other.
"Where do we sit?" Chun murmured to herself.
"Someone's waving at you," Ji Ah stated while looking at a dark brown haired boy, smiling widely at Chun's direction.
The youth turned to where Ji Ah was looking and smiled at her seven students, "That's my students. Let's go!"
The three followed while communicating with each other, observing the seven students that was seated the location where the young man was headed.
They neared the table as Kai Sun cheerfully offered a seat to Chun and the other three.
"Teacher, who are these beautiful beings?" Terra whispered while staring at Mika. The smiling Mika widened his grin and his two dimples showed up, making Terra restrained her squeal.
So cute and handsome!
"They are from Sororite Academe and good students too."
Mika greeted them, "Can we join you?"
Before Han could speak while looking suspiciously at the three, Terra interrupted him, "Join us, we had more chairs and space to spare, right, team leader?" She then asked the dozing young man on the table who only replied with a hum.
'Is he still dreaming?' Mika thought to himself.
While the six of them agreed minus the suspicious Han. The three was allowed to sit with them, the young women easily befriended Ji Ah as she was friendly aside from her flirting tendencies. Rye was still silent with his laptop and Kai Sun already left to order their food with Chun. Han with his on-point instincts could sense danger from this three even though their aura doesn't held any ill intent but his instincts was telling him that something was off from this three.
The silver haired young man with the chatty Kai Sun asked his handler, "Where's that handsome butler of yours, teacher?"
Chun replied while staring at the menu food confront, "He will be back after the tournament."
"Oh. A months off?"
"No. I had given him a task," Chun simply replied as she took a rolled ham with chesse.
The seven students was now aware about Art being their handler's butler as they betted it during their exams if Art was just an assistant or a kept man of Chun. Kai Sun with Li Li, Terra and unexpectedly Rye wagered that Art was Chun's kept man while Lith, Han and the clueless sleeping Lerrent was on the assistant part. But the bet resulted on a draw as Art was a butler, not a assistant nor a kept man and well, the money went to Art after knowing this ridiculous bet.
He burned the money infront of the students to teach them a lesson on not to conclude unfounded basis. As a investigation team with intelligent minds, they must uphold their dignity for it. But basically, Art has his own 'reasons' for burning their money and no one's gonna know about it.
After eating lunch, the three separated from Chun's class and went back to their assigned quarters.
------
Slatercort continent
Dark lands
On the skull structured throne seated a humongous being, he was like a titan infront of his generals. The ten generals were obediently kneeling with one knee infront of him as he uncaringly played with his crown. The crown was black with intricate swirling designs, the most eye-catching part was the black box designed at the center of the crown. He wore it back on his head and gazed at the kneeling subordinates.
"How was it Fourth? Did you find my son?" The Demon King who was a thousand years old was still handsome on the appearance of a middle-aged man. He smiled at the handsome general who had his head bowed.
"The prince is not there, Dark lord," Fourth replied with respect.
"Hmm. Still we proceed to what was planned. Understand, generals?" The Demon King said and they obliged at him.
The ten generals went out and back to their own assigned missions. As the Demon King was lazing around on his throne, a demon with tail tucked between his legs and burnt face run towards him.
"Dark lord! The prince is here, he is fighting Third!" He reported nervously while kneeling with one knee.
"Oh. He fought Third? Who do you think will win?" The now interested Demon King asked the servant.
Descending from his throne, his large size reduced into a normal human being's stature but his majestic aura cannot be rivalled.
The servant was more nervous to answer the question as he wouldn't like to lie that Third most likely to win but the Demon King was a son-con. He love his only son very much despite of being a rebel for choosing to be with that human that led him to be stripped off his status yet the demons still acknowledged him as their prince.
"Ah-- well, Dark lord---"
Bang!
The servant was saved by the banged of the door and breathed with relief.
The dark faced Art went in as he throw the injured Third infront of his father. The servant was surprised that he defeated Third, knowing that Third was part of the ten generals.
"Bravo! My son!" The Demon King cheered at the dark faced Art.
Art just stared at his father directly with no reply or something.
"So rude. What are you here for? You're not a prince here anymore so don't show off that haughty attitude," the tsundere Demon King stated while glaring at his son.
The present general and servant sighed inwardly at their terrifying king who suddenly turned a child who was robbed off by his lollipop. Knowing their thoughts, the Demon King dismissed them.
"What do you need?" Not acting childish as he observed that his son was serious.
"I need your help," Art indifferently stated.
The Demon King with joy on his heart masked it with his cold face while hearing this. His son was needing his help! It's the first time that this happened.
"Hmp. What's this all about?"
"The silver box."
Silver box... silver box? Where did I hear that?
Silver box!
"Silver box? You have Pandora's silver box?" The Demon King asked.
"It's none of your business."
The Demon King brushed off the rudeness of his son and answered, "I'll help you in one condition."