At the entrance of the Academy, a very long line could be seen. It was the line of registration before one can enter the Academy. People on the line were doing their own stuffs while riding their own mounts. While on the side was a bustling crowd with some stalls being put up.
"Selling a Rank D pet for one gold."
"A messenger beast for only a silver, come and avail."
"Rank D mount level five is for sale, come and discuss the price!"
When Lander heard these, he was instantly shocked. He went to the Dark Forest to finish a mission just to have a pet and messenger beast, he never knew that those beasts are actually being sold during this time.
"Those beauties never told me that there was actually stalls selling these beasts?" Lander sighed. He had undergone a lot of dangers to acquire his pet and messenger beast, but he never took it to heart because he still gained better from those dangers: Grey evolving to Rank C, Lightning Stone, messenger beast, a pet and who knows what rewards he could get from the Energy Soul Stones.
Those people who were in the line were mostly composed of teens, youths and even adults. And those who wanted to enter the academy; they don't have yet the capability to differentiate an outcast from the elites or commoners.
When Lander joined the line of those who were entering the Academy, a lot of them took notice of him because of Grey.
"Hey look at that, it's a Rank C beast," One of the elites pointed his finger to Grey.
"So another powerful competitor," Another one said clenching his fists.
"How I wish I could also have a Rank C beast," A lady sighed while staring at Lander full of jealousy.
Lander on the other hand just remained silent, he comprehended the usage of his soul efficiently using the messenger beast and pet he has. It was very hard for him and he remembered that only the talented outcast can use their soul to a small success. Even then, Lander still persevered as he believed in the saying, "Determination with effort beats talent."
It was nearing the afternoon when Lander suddenly felt the soul of his weakest beast, although it was only for a second, it made Lander smile and rested for a while as he wiped the sweat on his face. Although Lander hasn't learned the Soul Affinity, he was still able to learn more about soul from the old man in the Dark Forest.
Apparently, while he comprehended and practiced his soul, he never noticed that he was now only one head away from the registration area. After the elite in front of him was done, it was now his turn.
"Hmmmmm! Outcast?" The one officiating the registration felt the aura of Lander; she was a stunning woman with an angelic face wearing a white robe with an emblem pinned on her robe. This pin was the symbol of being a student in the Wyvern Academy, a wyvern dragon was inscribed in the middle of it emitting a little chill.
Astonishment was painted on the faces of each and every member of the crowd when they heard this, even the people selling beasts stopped. It was a moment of silence that only the breathing could be heard.
"Why? Are there rules implying that outcasts can't join any academy?" Lander asked breaking the silence. He was getting used to being discriminated. Although he doesn't like it, he has to adopt to achieve his goal but it doesn't mean that he would be a pushover.
The crowd has different reactions when they heard Lander, some ridiculed him, others pitied him but most of them disgusted him.
The guard who were guarding the entrance looked at Lander, the two of them were very familiar with him. They were the first batch of guards who were overlooking the Wyvern Capital when Lander first stepped in. A respect could be seen in both their eyes as they knew that he has a reputable background – disciple of the Great Duke Bobby.
The woman was slightly pissed when he heard Lander, she was about to call the guards to shoo him away, "Guards, take this good for nothing outcast…"
"Let him register," A sweet voice with an intense aura interrupted the stunning woman, she was Sung-min.
"Princess Sung-min? But he's.." The stunning woman was slightly pressured and wanted to retort.
"Are you disobeying my order?" Sung-min looked at the woman with a little anger.
"I dare not milady!" She was afraid of Sung-min's background. Sung-min was the only daughter of the King.
But when Sung-min looked at Lander, she sighed. She never imagined that his Master's status would be so high, only lower from her dad, the King. She then smiled at him ruefully before leaving.
Lander nodded at her. He was quite curious why she helped him this time despite not giving him all the necessary information about the Centennial Ceremony. But he shook his head as it didn't bother his goal.
Now, the people looked at Lander curiously. Some have even assigned their underlings to look at Lander's background. They became more wary of him.
Lander then finished signing up, he was then informed by the guards to come back tomorrow for the next phase of the Centennial Ceremony. There were five phases which Lander already knew, the Registration in which every participant should fulfill the necessary requirements, Mount Race Elimination, Pet Battle, Messenger Beast Delivery Attainment and the Final Battle Ground. They then gave him a token that signifies his participation in the Centennial Ceremony.
Of course, Lander passed the Registration as he has already his own mount, pet and messenger beast. He was also told to pay one gold coin as fee in entering. Overall, the Centennial Ceremony would be a 10 day Celebration in which the Final Battle Ground would take five days to finish and the last day would be the Awards and Academy's Choice.
After Lander was done with his registration, he immediately took off as he felt the gazes of almost everyone in the crowd.
After leaving the crowd, Lander wanted to go back to Lord Kazo's manor when he remembered the Energy Soul Stones he has so he detoured and went the opposite way. He also let his beasts go back to Lord Kazo's place alone as he asked around about the place called Silent Pub.
When people heard about the Silent Pub, there were people who got frightened but some just ignored him because of his status. Luckily, a hooded man with a buffed body gave him the direction costing him 2 gold coins.
The hooded man never imagined that Lander has money despite being an outcast. The hooded man decided to rob Lander. Of course he could just kill Lander with his magic but he has to be cautious and doesn't want to attract attention. "Excuse me young man, how about I show you the way instead? I just remembered that I have a business there with the elderly woman there at the pub."
"Sure!" Lander answered that made the hooded man smiled with evil intent.
How couldn't Lander notice the intention of the hooded man? He has already experienced this kind of intentions when he was still on Earth so he was used to it. But he wasn't scared as he knew that the man was just easy to defeat.
The hooded man led him into an alley but before he turned around, Lander was prepared as he kicked the hooded man in between his legs. The hooded man howled in pain and Lander placed his knife towards the neck of the man.
"Release your soul and be my slave!" Lander said as he tilted his head smiling evilly.
"Audacious! How dare you order me around!" The old man gritted the pain as he removed the sword from its scabbard and was about to slash Lander. But then, he never expected to be kicked in the face revealing his very ugly face. The hooded man's right cheek has a hole in it revealing his teeth, it was very gruesome.
Despite being shock from the appearance of his enemy, Lander didn't stop as he stole the man's storage ring and dislocated the man's left arm and toe. The hooded man cried in pain, "I told you to release your soul and be my slave!"
"How could I be your slave when you already dislocated my arm and toe?" The hooded man said in pain while sweats was dripping from his face.
"Just be my slave and I can revert back your dislocation," Lander said.
"Fine," Seeing Lander's composure and confidence, the hooded man gave in. It was better for him to be a slave than to live his life with hardship because of his dislocated arm and toe. Also, he has a way to remove his slavery seal especially that the seal came from an outcast.
The hooded man released his soul, and although Lander wasn't yet experienced in soul techniques, he was able to give a slavery seal to the hooded man. Then he got tired as he swept his sweats. This made the hooded man smirk and smile.
Using the techniques he has learned from his Martial Arts Master, Lander fixed the dislocation of the hooded man. This made the man smile and acted respectful as he bowed down to Lander, "Master!"
Lander wasn't impressed. Although he knew their relationship, the change in attitude made him wary of this slave of him. To be safe, Lander asked the way towards the Silent Pub and ordered the hooded man to go and investigate the things about the Centennial Ceremony and his competitors.
The man bowed towards Lander and left. Despite being a slave, this man has his own plan in his mind, "Just you wait outcast, I will kill you a hundred times after I remove this slave seal of yours!"
On the other hand, Lander sighed and continued on his way. Following the instruction of his slave, he entered a very narrow alley. He was about to move forward when he heard some sobbing.
"Why? I gave you everything you need to enter the Academy and now you're leaving me?" A sickly teenager with a pale face holding a stick to support himself asked a beautiful and petite blonde teenager.
The petite blonde harrumphed, "Who wants to be with a sickly boy?"
"I will be healed. Trust me! Just wait for me!" The sickly teenager said coughing.
"You might be an elite but you're not outstanding, besides you are just a nobody to me," The petite blonde scorned the teenager.
The sickly teenager's heart was pierced a hundred arrows that made him slumped down. He was so hurt that he coughed a mouthful of blood and was clenching his fists. But he sighed at the end.
"Are you just going to give up?" Lander asked walking towards the sickly teenager.
"What can I do? I am so sick and have no way to cure this sickness." The sickly teenager answered.
"What's your name?" Lander asked.
"Midas," The sickly teenager answered coughing again a mouthful of blood.
"Midas, I've heard you a while ago saying that you will be healed? You should just stick to that and believe. Harden your will and be the greatest," Lander said remembering his past when he encountered his Master.
"I always believed that I will live, but having only two days left on this world, I don't have much hope," Midas answered ridiculing himself.
Lander was silent and pitied Midas. If only he could help him, he sighed.
"Midas! My dear grandchild?" An old woman with wrinkled face said with affection as she went towards Midas caressing him gently.
"It's you, elder?" Lander was stunned then he realized that Midas might be the one needing the Energy Soul Stone that was required by the old woman.
The old woman looked up to him and was more shocked, "You? You survived the Dark Forest? How is that possible?"
"I didn't just survived Elder, I brought what you asked me," Lander said smiling.
The old woman sighed as she smiled bitterly, "Thank you but it doesn't really matter because my grandchild needs at least three of those stone to survive."
Lander took off his storage ring and tossed it towards the old woman, "There are five Energy Soul Stones in there that could be used to heal Midas. I think that would be more than enough. Just get the five and return the ring to me Elder as I don't have yet the capability to open a storage ring with my soul."