Mane shivered as he replayed the recent event in his mind. "Don't think too much about it boy. We will talk after this. For now get back at that old man who calls himself your teacher." It was only now that Mane realised he was still standing with the entire class staring at him. He thought a long time had passed but it seemed that only a few seconds had passed.
He was sure that Mr. Aikens had assumed that he was embarrassed and that was why he was silently standing waiting for him to compose himself. Honestly, after what he just went through he did not put this minor incident to heart. He just wanted to understand what happened.
He apologized to Mr. Aikens as he prepared to sit down. As for the comment of the 1st, he just ignored it. After that experience, he felt that Mr. Aikens was much more pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, the man did not look pleasing for too long.
Mr. Aikens was terrified. For a brief moment he felt a dangerous aura lock onto him- a very dangerous aura. His blood run cold as he felt that aura revolve around the class and pick him out as its target. It was as though the gates of hell had been opened to welcome its unwilling visitor- him.
He had many near death experiences but this experience trumped all that came before it. He never flinched from challenges. Hell most of his near death experiences were due to his own hard headedness, his stubbornness to experience a challenge!
However, for the third time in his life he felt fear. He had no proof but he was sure that this feeling came from one of his students. Others might call him crazy if they heard his conjecture but he knew he was right. He had great instincts and he always trusted in them.
It was due to trusting in his instincts that a man like him had survived many dangerous encounters. Fortunately, this feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. If it was not for his wet sleeves he would have believed it was his imagination.
He grew ashamed of himself as he realised that he was afraid of a student. All his students were six year olds for crying out loud! He looked outside the door hoping to calm himself with the sight of the playful birds, forgetting that just a few minutes ago he had blamed them for distracting his pupil.
Unfortunately, he the weather was not the same as it was a few minutes prior. He did not know when it began but it was no longer bright outside. Dark clouds acted as a veil to the sun as they covered the sky and blanketed the entire school. As for the birds from before, they were nowhere to be found!
He heard the roaring thunder and could see the flashes of lightening that decorated the sky. To rid himself of this awkwardness, he pointed at the blond haired boy and asked, "Did you have a question for me boy?"
Looking at the man who had called him out again, Mane felt some irritation. If it was possible, he would have smacked this man so hard that a severe amnesia would be the most favourable result. Regrettably, this man was like an itch. The harder you scratched the itchier it became.
He felt that he had let the man of easy. "Why don't you ask him what you asked the 3rd yesterday?" This time Mane did not ignore the 1st. He had indeed posed a question to the 3rd the day before.
He was surprised when the 3rd responded that he had no idea. That was the first time ever that the 3rd seemed out of sorts. Upon careful consideration, he realised that it made sense that the 3rd did not know. The 3rd may be highly knowledgeable but she was not from a lower world and hence her understanding of the lower worlds was bound to be limited.
Mane smiled at Mr. Aikens. For some reason the older man felt a chill when he looked at the boy's smirk. Mane stood up as he asked, "Yes sir. I only have three questions. Sir, if you would not mind my asking, are there other levels above the SSS level?"
The mountains were confused when they heard this question. They had already informed Mane of the realms above the mortal realm. That was until they heard the loud laughter of the 3rd.
"HAHAHAHAHA. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" the 3rd laughed uproariously. The mountains were even more intrigued and were eager to see what Mane was up to.
The 3rd's laughter took Mane by surprise. He had never heard him laugh before. However, that was not what caught him off guard. That unbridled laughter was feminine. The 3rd was a woman! He always assumed the 3rd was a man and she never corrected him when he called her a 'him'.
Mr. Aikens shook his head when he heard Mane's question, "This… I am sorry. I cannot answer that. Why don't you ask something else?"
Mane smiled and spoke, "I apologize sir. I was just curious. I was wondering if you could enlighten us by giving us information on the organization that is strong enough to build such an independent power. After all, the academy has many branches including the one in Neces yet it is has no affiliation with any of the empires. We all know that it takes the strong to raise the strong."
Murmurings could be heard in the class as numerous students began to speak among themselves. Mane could hear the little brats discussing his question among themselves. Though they did not understand the last line, they understood the essence of the question. They had never thought of this before.
Indeed, who owned the hunter organization?
For the second time today, Mr. Aikens began to perspire at a fast rate. He wanted to look for a hole to bury himself into. He had jumped from the frying pan only to land into the fire! He now knew what it meant to cry without tears.
There were many geniuses who had wondered about the very same thing. This little boy was not the first. But he was definitely the first to voice it out loud. Most of these geniuses were from prominent families and had been well educated since they were young. Their families had already informed them that it was a no go area. They were not like this little boy who was not of a noble family.
"I am sorry. I cannot answer this question either. Can you ask another?" Mr. Aikens cursed his unlucky stars as he wondered whether he had done anything wrong lately. First, a terrifying killing intent appears from nowhere and locks unto him.
Now, he cannot answer two questions, both of which he has extensive knowledge on, due to ethical reasons. He could hear the murmur of his students as they questioned the school's decision to have an incompetent man lecture the elite class. Looking at the blonde haired kid who had furrowed his brows in dissatisfaction, he silently swore to himself to get the last on right.
"Much obliged sir. Sir, I was reading a book in the library the previous day and came across a sentence that left me with more questions than before I had picked that book up. It mentioned an organization called the dark kingdom. I would be eternally grateful if you could clear my doubts."
Mr. Aikens sighed in relief when he heard the question. This question was tricky but he could answer it. "Well, the dark kingdom is not really a kingdom. It is an organization. Think of the wielders academy as the light of this world and the dark kingdom as the darkness to that light. Just like the wielders academy, the dark kingdom trains individuals and shapes them into wielders with the sole purpose of destroying the world. But unlike the wielders academy, the individuals who join this organization don't do so willingly. People with talent are abducted and brainwashed to work for the organisation and hence it falls to the wielder academy to prevent this. Most of the academy's missions are based on thwarting the plans of the dark kingdom. However, you do not have to worry about that. Only when you get past your fourth year and into your fifth would you learn more about the dark kingdom."
Mane smiled at Mr. Aikens and took his seat. He seemed pleased with the answer he had received. The mountains were still confused. They knew that the only thing Mane wanted the answer to was the last question. Unfortunately, they did not understand why he had to go ask two questions just before he got to that one.
"3rd don't leave us in suspense. Tell us what he did", the 9th asked, inpatient to know what just happened.
"Brilliant, truly a genius. That was shrewdness at the apex. All the questions the boy asked were questions that under normal circumstances, should not be answered. However, the severity of answering each question was not the same. Take the first question for instance. There was no way that question was going to be answered. The second was the same. The ethical principles that underlay each of these questions were too strict and sever to be ignored. The third question was not the same. Of course under normal circumstances, this question would not have been answered. After all, as the man said, it was to be revealed in their fifth year. I am assuming that, you are only a core member of the academy after the fifth year, hence such sensitive information would not be given to individuals who might not make it that far. Our boy knew this, hence he asked the first two questions, each with a different purpose. He asked the first question to introduce guilt into his teacher's heart. He was aware that the man was a scholar and as a scholar he had one weakness- his knowledge! A scholar studies in order to share his knowledge with the world. In a case were a scholar has information he is not able to give out, they will feel immense guilt whether the fault is theirs or not. The second question introduced doubt into the hearts of his classmates. As students of the elite class, the perception they have concerning their teacher is at an all-time high! They believe that their teacher should know everything! Their teacher not being able to answer the first question would be surprising but it will be brushed off. Asking another question their teacher could not answer would shake the faith they have in him. Children always show their emotions. Hence their discussions on their teacher's capability. This would be heard by the teacher and would cloud his judgement. Like a fish out of water, he would be extremely vulnerable. Without giving him much time to compose himself, Mane asked the question he actually wanted to ask all along. Since the ethical implications were not as serious as the first two, a very eager to redeem himself Mr. Aikens bit the bait without realizing it. The added benefit of this method is freedom. After this, little Aikens would not disturb our boy anymore no matter what he does. Brilliant! Mane is truly destined to be a great strategist!"
Though the 3rd had never spoken so much before this, the other mountains were not thinking about this. The mountains waited for Mane's confirmation. They sighed in amazement at the 3rd terrifyingly accurate analysis and Mane's quick-wittedness when they saw the little boy nod his head.
"Interesting. I was wrong all along." Mr. Aikens was plagued with questions from all sides as the students became more eager to present their doubts, hoping to gain clarification.
Though he was answering their questions, he still paid attention to the silent figure at the back. After answering the questions he realised his error.
He had been set up! He had swallowed the bait, hook and all!
However, he was more impressed than he was mad. He may be a wielder but he was also a scholar! As a scholar, he always appreciated a good brain. He was so deeply impressed with the boy that he was willing to apologize for the earlier incident if the boy asked him to.
He looked at Abelard only to see his little face covered in confusion as he tried to understand the entire ordeal. "I guess he doesn't compare to little blondie over there. What was his name again?"