[So, this scene's mini-arc is a short period after Larne's confrontation with the Academy head and his long dream. During this period the Academy head had informed Larne to go train, challenge and prepare for the extra-classes he was to start taking. After he started finished challenging his fellow and senior colleagues. He was to be also awarded the Agos Medal, a prestigious award for excellent and outstanding students or instructors and the only award he had not received since he started his Winning streak.]
Bam!
Instructor Watkins rushed into the Academy Head's room with a face full of worry.
Sitting behind a large desk and browsing through a document, Academy Head Grey lifted his head and asked curiously, "What's wrong? You look very anxious. Is someone dead or has another war broken out?"
"Um, no one is dead and there is no war breaking out sir. Academy Head, are you going to just leave it be? Another three of our Silver ranked instructors have just resigned today," said Instructor Watkins.
"Oh, I know that," nodded Steven Grey as he stood up. "Would you like some tea or some sweetened milk drink?"
The sweetened milk drink was a beverage that was quite similar to a chocolate drink; after the milk had been extracted from a special tree called 'Milk Tree', It was then boiled so as to make sure the impurities was completely removed. It was even rumored to be the favorite drink of ancient elves as well as the legendary mages of the past and was quite highly priced.
"I'll be fine with some plain water. Right now the Gold and Purple-leveled instructors are extremely afraid of being challenged to a duel by Larne. If this keeps on going we'll be even more understaffed and will find it hard-pressed to maintain our usual classes. It's one thing if the students only spectate the duels, but they are also eager to see Larne beat the crap out of all the Gold and Purple ranked instructors in the school. Every day a whole bunch of them would follow him around in anticipation of such a scene; it's quite pressuring and humiliating to the instructors Larne challenges," explained Watkins.
Steven Grey lifted a silver kettle on the table and poured some water for Watkins and asked, "Has Larne lost any duel yet?"
"No. He's fighting his 28th duel today and hasn't even lost one duel, and I don't think he will either. I've seen a few of his matches and I believe those Gold ranked instructors wouldn't be able to put up a fight with Landon at all. Most of them lose within three-five sword bouts when dueling Instructor Landon," replied Watkins.
"But Academy Head, 13 of the 28 instructors he challenged have already resigned due to the humiliation of losing to him in public. Even several of those who hasn't received any challenge from him left in fear as well."
"If they don't even have the courage to face failure, I wouldn't stop them from leaving. We don't need spineless cowards like those in the Orca Academy."
Laughing bitterly, Watkins continued, "Academy Head, say that as you may, but think about how we're supposed to maintain our regular classes with the sudden loss of more than 20 Gold ranked instructors. There are already three swordsmanship classes that can't continue anymore due to the sudden vacancy, with the students left with nothing to do but to wander around in the academy."
Slowly moving up to the window and gazing outwards, Steven said, "Watkins, don't you feel that our academy has been stagnating for some time now, much like a pool of still water?"
"Hm?" Instructor Watkins tilted his head as he did not understand what the Academy Head just said.
"While our academy has only 26 Purple ranked instructors, the Gold ranked instructors number a staggering 258 people! Even the rest of the Sliver ranked instructors and the assistant instructors only number 84 people, with another 62 people being non-combatant professors who focus on other disciplines. The academy management staff consists of 90 people, the Enforcement Department has 126 and the other miscellaneous workers number 152 people. Apart from them are roughly 8-9000 students. Given that kind of ratio, don't you think the Gold ranked instructors hold a little too much influence?" with some Purple ranked Instructors backing them up.
Steven turned to Watkins and said with a smile, "We have always put more focus on the actual abilities of a person when we intend to appoint someone as an instructor. Since when has it been based on their CoreEnergy level? If it were like that, doesn't mean that a cripple like me who can't train in CoreEnergy should resign as the Academy Head as well? As Gold ranked instructors, not only do they not continue to strive for perfection, they harbored jealousy for people more skilled than them, banded together and even formed their own caucuses and even dared to put pressure on the academy when anything starts to go against their favor."
"This time, the reason I let Landon do as he pleases was partly due to Pella's support as well. It is time that we wake up the Gold ranked instructors of the academy and remind them that their status in the academy is not dependant on their CoreEnergy Levels but rather their actual skills. If there's anyone who's unsatisfied with this policy, they're free to resign for all I care."
Wiping sweat off his forehead, Watkins said, "Then, what do we do about the suspended classes? Should we start recruiting new instructors?"
"There'll be no need. I already negotiated with the city's garrison general and will be having ten or so retired military officers who are all of the Quasi-Sword Lord rank to come over and be replacement instructors for a while. If we still lack people, we can appoint some promising students to be our new instructors, but only if they're truly capable."
"Duly noted. I suppose I'll make my move now," said Instructor Watkins as he put down the cup on the table and turned towards the exit.
"Wait," said the Academy Head. " One more thing. Put up a notice that states that instructors of the Orca Academy cannot refuse challenges from other instructors or students. Those who do not comply should leave the academy. Hmph, if I don't force them like this, they won't continue to strive to improve their skills."
"No problem. It will be carried out."
"Oh, and you mentioned three classes having no instructors in charge at the moment?" Steven gave it some thought and continued, "When Landon gets himself together and has already been awarded, assign him to take charge of these three classes since they lost their instructors because of him in the first place."
"Wow, is that for real?" thought Instructor Watkins, Flabbergasted.
In only three sword strokes, Larne forced the instructor he challenged to admit defeat.
This was his 30th duel. There was a small stage about the height of a person beside the dueling venue. It was like they knew without a doubt that Larne would win. Instructor Watkins stood solemnly by the stage beside a beautiful female student who held a box that was about 30 centimeters wide, presumably containing the Agos Medal(The Agos Medal was named after an outstanding student decades ago because the student had challenged 30 instructors consecutively and won, but sadly, died shortly after he joined the Army to fight in the war.) within.
Larne was still in a rather good mood after his victory; he found the duels he initiated for the past ten days to be quite addictive. The feeling of owning the other Gold ranked instructors completely was quite pleasant. Maybe he could negotiate with Instructor Watkins about whether he could continue dueling for another twenty or more times and create another record within the academy and rename the Agos Medal after him.
Too bad Instructor Watkins rejected the proposal immediately and pulled him up to the small stage. All the students cheered as Larne received the Agos Medal.
During the ceremony, Watkins announced two things. He first congratulated Larne for obtaining the Agos Medal and the history and explained the tradition behind the medal. After the long speech, he finally said something that is of direct relevance to Larne, that is, Larne was to be treated as a Purple ranked instructor in the academy and shall receive the same benefits and entitlements as a Purple ranked instructor, making him the first Instructor to ever achieve that.
The second announcement came directly from the academy administration. From that day onwards, no instructor is to refuse a spar from students or other instructors for no justifiable reason and the result of every spar would play a part in the yearly instructor evaluations. Should an instructor refuse a spar for no reason up to three times or should they lose too many duels, the instructor will have to relinquish their instructor badge. The rules and protocol of dueling was also announced to the crowd, namely, an instructor may not challenge a student, a person of a higher rank may not challenge those of lower ranks, etc.
But that special rule concerning challenges directed to lower ranks didn't apply to Larne because he was the holder of the Agos Medal. Since he got it by getting consecutive victories against opponents of a same and higher level in the first place, he must still accept challenges issued by Gold ranked and Purple instructors even though his CoreEnergy was only at the Grandmaster level. Larne will lose both the Incador Medal as well as the Gold rank instructor privileges should he lose even one duel.
Unbeknownst to Larne, he was serving as a pawn in the Old Miser's scheme to change the academy's attitude and as a whip to pressure the Gold and Purple ranked instructors. He did, however, feel that the timing for the second announcement was a little too coincidental with his obtaining the Agos Medal.