- Enfeeble the weaklings, amplify the undaunted...
"Attention to all students! Attention to all students! The council proposed a meeting for every student! Everyone must come to the conference circle! I repeat, everyone must come to the conference circle! Anyone who'll refuse will be working in the labor camp for sixty years!"
Everyone knew it was a serious deal. There were rumors around the academy that The Academy of Tera sent students to a labor camp if they never complied with what the academy wanted. never sent anyone to a labor camp for over a century or two, and now they're warned about it.
"The warning has already started... we're already doomed!"
Everyone started rushing to the main hallway. Stampede almost happened due to everyone's panic as if they're being manipulated by their fear...or maybe they are.
"H-hey? What's going on?? Why everyone's in a hurry?! " Fate asked one of his classmates, but they never answered him. Fate asked everyone, but no one was answering him. The only answer he's hearing is, "Run before you're too late!!"
Fate really had no choice but to run along with his schoolmates inside the academy. He tripped, but no one helped him. He tried to stand up but he was being stepped on. Fate had no choice but to hold onto a student's leg for him to stand up and catch up to the ruckus. Everyone headed east when they reached the main entrance.
While Fate was running, Lucien suddenly got into his mind. Where is she? Why can't Fate see him? The level four Humanoid has been eliminated but did Lucien die along with the humanoid? He cannot answer that question, and he didn't dare to know what lies behind his questions since he'll be doomed.
Fate finally reached the conference circle, along with a few students. There, they met a man standing in the middle of the room, but the only thing everyone saw was his silhouette.
"Why why why? What is the hurry? And look yourselves, y'all look very awful! Why's everyone afraid of this? Why's everyone in panic? Why's everyone under an adrenaline rush?" the man in front of the conference hall asked. The man's voice sounded like he is already in his thirties. "Ohohoho! My bad my bad! I forgot something, didn't I?"
The door everyone entered suddenly closed shut. A few moments later, the screams of the student who didn't make it in time echoed from outside. Slashes of the swords were heard.
"HELPPP!!"
"NOOOO!! LET US INSIDE!! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
"P-PLEASE HAVE MERCY! PLEASE DON'T!!! " LET US INSIDEEE!! WE'RE TOO YOUNG TO DIEEE!! AAAAHHHH!! "
Those were the screams of the student who desperately wanted to live, but did not make it alive. It was gut-wrenching to hear. Everyone was bamboozled that they will be sent to the labor camp if they refused to come to the conference circle. It was just a trick. Everyone was gullible to fall for their trap, and they were too late before they noticed it.
"Now, where were we? Ah yes, I must introduce myself.
"I am an Aristocratic Councilor. I'm pretty sure everyone knows what we are capable of, right? Or should I demonstrate it on behalf of the Councilors?
"Hmmm, how do I introduce my name again? Oh, right! It goes by the name of Inzary Azumaora. I am the founder of the Aristocratic Council so as you can see, I am the God here! Everyone respects me. Everyone bows down and grovel before me. What I tell them is absolute. Everyone's just my pawn inside this Academy. Everyone is my lovely, little, disposable pawns here. I am in touch with the Kingdom's Highness so that will explain why I am the God here! I AM THE GOD HERE!!! I AMMMM!!!
Everyone knew what will happen to them if they tried to mess with Inzary. The fear, terror, and anxiety in everyone's faces grew larger as Inzary laughed hysterically. The room is filled with Inzary's manic, evil laughter. Everyone is in the insane Councilor's hands now, and they cannot do anything to fight it since they are literally facing a high-level official.
"Ah, I deeply apologize for being carried away by my power. I did not intend to terrorize everyone.
"Oh! I knew it! Everyone probably asks the Aristocratic Council why did we bring you to Conference Circle all of a sudden, yes?
"I would really love to answer everyone's question! It is all because of The Juvenile's Pledge!! Very exciting, right? I can tell from your lovely, cute, and beautiful faces the surge of the adrenaline rush caused by your excitement. It has been six decades since we successfully launched The Juvenile's Pledge program, and I'll tell you! Everything went according to plan back then!!
Contrary to what the counselor said, everyone, felt a spike of anxiety and dread as Inzary himself announced that everyone will be undergoing The Juvenile's Pledge program. It's as if something dark happened on The Juvenile's Pledge program's history. Some already cried, and some passed out because of their fright.
"Before we end this once and for all, I would like to congratulate Lucien here for defeating the level four humanoid that might've murdered everyone inside this Academy! Give her a big round of applause!!
Lucien suddenly appeared in front of everyone else. Fate was relieved as he saw Lucien made it in one piece - no traces of bruises, no injuries whatsoever, but he cannot be relieved yet. None dared to hesitate to applaud Lucien as she saved them from their almost untimely demise, although everyone appears to be forced to give her a round of applause. Inzary Azumaora really is a God inside the Academy.
"Now, where were we? Ah, yes! I almost forgot something really important! What do you think it is, huh?"
Someone raised a hand, "I-is it the O-Oath of The G-Gods...?" A student answered. But at that very moment, his head exploded like a bomb, splattering his blood everywhere, including pieces of his brain.
"I SAID WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS???" Inzary shouted, but no one answered him. Silence filled the entire Conference Circle.
"Ah."
He started to kill the students inside the Conference Circle one by one. Their nightmare has begun, and once again, it's everyone for themselves. Everyone tried to go outside, but they, too, have met their helpless doom. If someone didn't answer the Councilor's question, everyone will be a corpse in a matter of seconds.
"It's the Oath of Intrepidity, Sir Inzary!!!"
Fate answered. Fate then started to catch his breath as if he ran for an eternity. The killing was eventually stopped. Thankfully, only a few students died. It doesn't change the fact that they got killed by the manic Inzary, though.
"VERY GOOD, YOUNG MANNN!! Now, tell me. What is that Oath of Intrepidity all about?"
"I-it is a p-poem m-made by t-the Legendary Heroes o-of the existence, a-and it i-is something they c-chanted w-when they u-underwent The Juvenile's p-pledge..."
Fate was really nervous about his answer, but he knows he answered the right thing Inzary wanted to hear. He just needs to say his thoughts and prayers that he won't be killed by the manic Councilor and die in vain.
[Oath of Intrepidity: It was a poem made by the three heroes of existence when they were just youngsters to express their courageousness and fearlessness to the Academy of Tera, an indication that they will never back out to The Juvenile's Pledge no matter what, and never abandon each other. They're all in this together].
"VERY GOOD, YOUNG MAN!! I am starting to like you! You got every question correct!! I thought you were like those useless, idiotic students I killed but you, you're different!" Inzary replied. "Now, chant the Oath of Intrepidity."
"I hope I won't mess up this time... never be stupid, Fate!" Fate whispered to himself. He took a deep breath and without a second thought, he chanted the Oath of Intrepidity.
"Oi atromitoi polemistes den to kanoun.
Den kanoun pote piso.
Oi atromitoi iroes den fevgoun pote"
Fate repeated the chant for as long as he can until everyone chanted with him. It seems that everyone was very afraid to die in vain. Everyone doesn't wanna die young, and even the most depressed person dared not to end his still growing age. Fate chanted the Oath of Intrepidity, and everyone chanted it too.
They are all in this together...