"T–This…?"
Noah's voice was shaken, his legs as soft as jelly.
He couldn't believe what he had just taken a peek into.
The residents of the Conscientious Faction were always taught of the existence of the Seven Heroes and Mr. Subramanian in school, but even Noah wasn't sure if the latter ever existed.
His works were famous, but he himself was not.
It was to the point where people had debates about whether he ever existed or whether he was a cover-up for the work of another great scientist who didn't desire publicity.
"The scripture of emergence!?"
His voice resounded throughout the arena, piercing the eardrums of the spectators, whose jaws dropped at the mention of the object.
The Mythical Scripture that no one knew really existed had been discovered.
Moreover, it was by a sixteen-year-old kid who was barely at the B- Rank.
Genro Govel facepalmed when he heard those words, knowing he'd finally been caught possessing the item.
He was also disappointed with Natalie, who had let a B- Rank child slip by her, even if it were with such severe injuries.
He wondered whether Natalie's skill had deteriorated but quickly decided against it due to her performance during one of her mock battles against a colleague.
'It means that kid is the real deal.'
Instead of worrying about the scripture, which his predecessors had already extracted knowledge from and built the Iniquitous Faction like it currently was, Genro was busy admiring the skills of a nobody from a school that was located in a Faction that openly contradicted his own.
He had been interested in Ace ever since he had arrived at the school, and now the boy had proved his worth by escaping his secretary, who was almost comparable to High-Rankers.
'I gotta snatch him before Noah does. Well, the boy's relationship with Noah is already sour…'
Licking his lips with a lewd expression on his face, Genro slowly stood up from the couch and headed towards the arena to try to solve the conflict that would soon occur.
*
*
*
"H–How do you possess the Scripture of Emergence?"
Noah asked, barely being able to spit out the words. His voice was shaking, and his legs weren't any different.
It was pretty comical seeing one of the strongest people on the planet shake uncontrollably due to a single scripture.
However, it was valid since the scripture was considered legendary after 500 years of its making.
It would also be crucial in the future development of the Conscientious Faction.
"The Iniquitous Faction possessed the scripture, and I escaped Natalie Adams with the scripture, which I found in her room."
Ace replied, his voice shaking as well.
Blood trickled down his head, and it wasn't very different from his entire body. He was slouching to relieve himself from the pain caused by standing upright.
Having escaped in the nick of time when Natalie completed her speech, he hadn't been hit by Natalie's attack directly.
However, the part that came into contact with Ace's body left him half-dead.
"By that statement, I take it that you had prior knowledge of the scripture being held by the assistant of Genro Govel?"
"Yes… Yes, sir."
"And how is that, Mr. Ambrosia?"
"I invoke the fifth."
"You cannot. This is not an interrogation from police but the head of the faction you reside in."
"Isn't the scripture enough contribution to relieving me from interrogation?"
"Well, yes… yes it is."
Following that conversation, Noah headed towards the crimson-haired individual named Genro Govel, who was just emerging from the buildings where the VIP Rooms were built.
The latter glanced at the unconscious body of his assistant and encompassed it in a barrier for safekeeping.
Then, with his topless upper body that was perfectly carved into six-packs, he walked towards the head of the Conscientious Faction.
"Noah, I can explain…"
"Okay… do it,"
Noah replied, crossing his arms with an expectant expression, wondering what the perpetrator was going to say to defend himself.
"I can't."
Genro raised his hands, sticking out his tongue in amusement.
Then, he waved at Noah and proceeded to try to leave the scene without offering compensation of some sort.
"Genro Govel… You possessed the scripture of emergence this entire time and decided to monopolize it!?"
"Technically, my predecessors possessed it. I inherited it."
"You didn't return it."
While the heads of the factions fought like children, Leo and Luna walked away from their interrupted battle.
However, not before they said one thing to each other.
"I'll be waiting for our next battle."
"Usually, I would insult you… but same."
"For now, let's spectate this conflict, blonde-haired boy,"
Luna said as she walked in the other direction, her eyes as emotionless as ever.
She was expectant of the King of Indifference, and Ace had definitely lived up to her expectations.
He had found the scripture of emergence that her father was hiding and had even gotten it out of the clutches of Natalie Adams, someone who was nearing the threshold of High-Ranker.
'I look forward to meeting you in battle, too, King of Indifference.'
She said inwardly, heading towards her room to pack her things.
It was obvious that the tournament wasn't going to continue after an occurrence of such a scale, and there was definitely going to be a conflict between Genro Govel and Noah Williams.
She glanced over and noticed that Oliver Tree had disappeared too.
'He wanted no part of this, I assume.'
She assumed Oliver Tree wanted no part in the conflict between the Conscientious Faction and the Iniquitous Faction due to the legendary item that had been found in the clutches of the latter.
It was a problem that Noah and Genro had to handle themselves, and interfering would only bring consequences.
She glanced at Ace, who was on the verge of collapsing and motioned for Leo to assist him.
As Leo walked towards Ace, the argument between Noah and Genro became heated.
The conflict was heating, and so were the minds of the spectators, due to their insurmountable confusion.
Felix suddenly appeared and began calming down the crowd.
'I have an ominous premonition.'
He said inwardly before 'calmly' announcing to the spectators about their evacuation, which would be held in…
"3, 2, 1. Run."
The crowd erupted, people running in all directions. The spectators had been spooked by what seemed like a very insensitive way of telling them to evacuate.
As the entire school was quickly filled with screams and people trying to run away, mana was finally utilized in the conflict between the two heads.
"If you just back off, we won't have to go this far."
"You should have 'backed off' 500 years ago."
Genro and Noah said respectively, their voices sounding like venom in the ear of the other.
Mana swirled in the atmosphere, greatly amplifying Genro's "Shakti", and Noah's "Qi".
As two contrasting energies contaminated the atmosphere, the suffocation felt by the onlookers increased greatly.
The spectators' faces turned red due to not being able to breath in the presence of the two monarchs.
Some spectators who were running through their battleground out of fear froze immediately, tears welling up in their eyes due to the news of their imminent death.
Being in-range of the attacks of Noah Williams and Genro Govel most likely equated to inevitable deaths, and since the breachers of their privacy were regular humans, they basically had no chance of survival unless saved.
As Genro and Noah stared at each other, sparks of fire appeared in their eyes, possibly to symbolize their excitement for the upcoming battle.
*
*
*
As Leo tried running away with the half-dead body of his friend, Ace, he witnessed several people get swept up as collateral by Noah and Genro's unstoppable battle.
"L–Leo…"
"Yes?"
Leo asked, his tone implying, hurry up and spit it out!
"My family…"
Immediately, he sat the King of Indifference against a rock, calling a taxi in the meantime.
Then, while he waited for the taxi, he headed towards the VIP Rooms to intercept Ace's family's path.
Since his surroundings were so cramped due to the sheer amount of people trying to escape with their lives, he had a difficult time getting to the VIP Room building.
'Can Ace's family wield mana?'
He thought inwardly, trying desperately to locate them in the chaos ensuing all around him.
He soon spotted a girl and two adults coating their bodies with mana, and scrutinized their appearance.
'Lemme go ask.'
He immediately sped through the crowd and towards the three people, stopping only when he reached close enough.
The three, frightened by the sudden intervention of an unknow variable in their plans of escape, directed their stares at the blonde-haired lanky-armed individual.
They stared daggers at him while extending their arms into a stance.
"Are you Ace's family?"
Leo asked, his tone frantic.
Alice, the most wary of the individual out of the three, carefully approached the lanky-armed boy, nodding her head along the way.
"Yes, I'm his sister."
Her eyes and gaze were still wary, but her body had now relaxed, scrutinized the individual that stood before them.
"Aren't you Leo Kadz?"
Amanda stepped up, her eyes lighting up in excitement.
"Yes, and can we please leave, for now? Ace is in a very critical condition, and the battle isn't going to end any time soon."
Nodding, the three quickly began following the lanky-armed individual as he escorted them to their family member.
As Ace spotted Leo and his family members nearing his location, he quickly pointed to the taxi, which had now arrived.
Somehow standing up despite the excruciating pain he felt, Ace entered the taxi, waiting for the others.
Leo quickly sat in the front seat while four people occupied the back, making it very cramped.
The driver, surprised by the occurrence, was quiet due to Leo's threats as they sped towards Ace's family's home, which was an apartment in a building owned by Felix Edwards.
'Hopefully, the entire city won't be swept up in their battle… no, maybe the entire faction might be destroyed.'
That was the scale of power the two heads of the factions represented. Their mere mention could shut heads of families all around the world, and their presence could either signify peace, or destruction.
Since they had finally decided to have a battle, no one knew how much of the world would be destroyed in the process. Not even the person closest to them could identify their true power, and that power might be utilized in the battle currently going on.
The aftermath was the scariest part, however. Either one of the faction heads to cease to live, causing Earth to be monopolized by the other. Or, they both could die in the encounter, initiating the process of choosing new faction heads.
However, there was also the possibility of them both surviving.
That would create ripples throughout the power system maintained throughout the centuries, letting the faction heads know of the other's true strength, and giving one an edge above the other, resulting in none other than…
A war.
*
*
*
"You really wanna do this, Noah? Just because my ancestors stole something and I didn't care to return it?"
Genro asked. However, contrary to his words, his tone was rather mocking. His expression also displayed amusement rather than one of being wronged.
"Yes, Genro. We need to end this once and for all, and it doesn't matter if we perish." Noah responded, his words startling the crimson-haired individual that stood before him.
"You would die for this petty rivalry? I mean, I have thoughts of conquering the world too, but giving my life for those useless ambitions? Never!" Genro shouted, mobilizing the most of his mana towards ending his rival once and for all.
As the mana swirling around the two became denser, it became difficult for anyone else to interfere with their godly battle.
Their figures soon couldn't be spotted in the battleground which was now completely empty.
Noah unsheathed his blade, while Genro unsheathed his.
The two swords looked majestic when encompassed with the wielders' mana, their strengths being amplified several times due to the same reason.
Noah, being a user of the skill [Sword Saint], prepared to unleash the fourth move of the said skill while keeping an eye out for his opponent.
Genro stood there, observing his enemy without moving a muscle.
As flames enveloped the blade wielded by Noah Williams, the preparations for the fourth move of [Sword Saint] were complete.
"Flaming Slash!"
He shouted, swinging his blade, which was now enveloped with flames.
As the strike created an aftermath of an arch made using solely flames, the blade neared Noah's opponent, the crimson-haired faction head.
Kang!
Noah's eyes widened as his blade came into contact with Genro's blade.
The latter's blade had perfectly blocked the former's strike, and had caused cracks to appear on it.
Before he could speak, however, Noah was instantly pushed back several meters, landing on his butt near the edge of the campus.
As he groaned in pain, his body was struck with another kick from his enemy, shattering not his body, but his will to fight.
He had lost any will to win, but he still wanted to live.
Noah screamed, concentrating all of his mana into augmenting his body so that he wouldn't feel the same pain he felt two seconds ago.
"You can scream pretty well." Genro remarked, a devilish grin appearing on his previously emotionless face.
He concentrated mana and Shakti on his fist, encompassing the body part with as much energy as he could muster in the limited amount of time he utilized.
The wind moved to his will, getting out of his way when he pulled his arm back to prepare for a punch that would surely shatter Noah's body and will to escape.
"You see where these petty ambitions get you? Nowhere, I tell you." Genro uttered before his eyes turned white.
The air around the two distorted as Genro extended his arm to initiate a punch that could end his enemy's life.
Whoosh!
His arm cut through air, nearing Noah's body akin to a cannonball.
Boom!
As Genro's fist came into contact with Noah's body, an explosion occurred at the place of impact. The explosion seemed to be as large as the school itself, clearly displaying the strength and energy used to produce such a shockwave.
Genro believed he had ended Noah's life with that explosive punch that could level mountains.
However, he was dead wrong.
As the smoke subsided, what Genro saw before him was well above his comprehension or anyone else's.
His fist had been caught by his opponent, Noah Williams, who was now on the verge of death.
"W–What!?" He voiced out his utter shock, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
As blood trickled down Noah's face, his heavy breathing was displayed in the quiet atmosphere.
Cough!
As Noah coughed up more blood, a tired smile soon appeared on his face, clouding his previously pained expression.
"I can never die, idiot. The reason I yapped about my ambitions was because I have the strength to back it up."
Noah said with a voice that seemed excessively raspy to any listeners.
Genro, who was shaking in anger, summoned his real weapon.
As a person who had passed the Trial of Worthiness, he had commissioned John Fritz to create a weapon that surpassed the heavens itself.
For that, John had worked for several months without a second of sleep to finally create a weapon matching Genro's standards and expectations.
A spear. A spear that could cut through heaven itself.
Not just any spear, but a replica of Gungnir, the spear wielded by Odin.
A spear that assisted Chief God Odin of Asgard his entire life, a spear that symbolized his entire existence.
A replica of such a monstrosity was created by the best blacksmith of the world.
As Genro held the shaft of such a weapon, several thoughts raced through his mind.
Being the highest ranked weapon on Earth except for Ace's "Shadow", it could cut almost everything and everyone… and Genro knew that.
The spear's shaft was a sleek, black color, while the tip was bright golden.
The aura it exuded was that of a weapon wielded by the mightiest of people, something akin to a King or Emperor.
"Gungnir…"
Noah muttered, chuckling due to the irony of the current situation.
How could he have forgotten about the factor that differentiated Noah from the crimson-haired individual, who possessed such a weapon?
Noah did not know of Hephaestus' existence yet, so he was unbeknownst that the creator of such a mighty weapon was residing in his faction.
He was so close to escape, yet so far. He could feel his life slipping away into the hands of his enemy, who seemed too strong. It was as if a boulder twice his size was obstructing his path of escape.
Well, if he couldn't do so himself, he would wait for others to rescue him.
Because that's what he'd been doing all these years…
As Genro prepared for a strike using the replica of Gungnir, the sole SSS Rank weapon still existing on Earth, several shadows raced through the ground.
His extended arm was immediately gripped by several unknown figures seemingly working together.
As the smoke subsided, several figures could be seen holding the specific arm that was about to wield Gungnir to dig into Noah's body.
They had managed to stop the arm from stabbing the mighty spear into the leader of their faction's body.
"The family heads?" Genro asked, suddenly amused by the recent development. The six great family heads that resided in the Conscientious Faction had suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his attack and stopping it from nearing their leader.
'Is this what he meant?'
"The strength I possess… is in numbers." Noah was barely able to voice these words out as he breathed heavily in the suffocating atmosphere.
Before him stood George Kadz, John Smith, Harold Yearning, Vanessa Anderson, and two other figures shrouded in a black light.
"It's time to end this, Genro Govel." George said, his face contorting into a sinister smile following his words.
Following George's dramatic display of words, Harold spoke in concern of their leader. "Noah, what have you gotten yourselves into this time?"
Not being able to provide a reasonable answer, Noah only chuckled lightly in response.
"No, this is only the beginning of something big, leaders of the Conscientious Faction." Genro stated solemnly, his eyes narrowing while his expression hardening.
"This is the beginning of something long, something that will bring change to this world that has been maintained perfectly from the last 500 years."
Ending his monologue, his figure soon scattered into the wind, signifying the abrupt end of the battle awaited by everyone.