Later that night...
A black figure walked down the corridors of the boys dorms, in the weapons department.
The footsteps were extremely silent despite appearing as if they were stomping. The corridor's right side was the garden; the left the walls of the dorms, and the directly towards the dorms entrances.
The footsteps abruptly stopped and the figure, that was wearing a hood and all black, walked into a dorm room.
Inside, there were three students.
The most important one, who the hooded figure was looking at, was James.
The blonde-haired boy slept peacefully until a few seconds later, his neck was grabbed by the mask man which woke him up. His pupils widened.
"Wh-who..", James couldn't talk.
He tried to shock mana into his body but failed.
'W-what? Why the fuck can't I use my mana? Did this bastard do something?-'
He struggled to even attempt to scream as his neck was constantly strangled.
Looking towards his two dorm mates who were also sleeping, he tried to speak, but to no avail. Nobody could hear him.
'Dammit, I'll.. I'll..'
His attempt was not successful.
Unconscious. His eyelids cover everything on the bed.
The hooded figure lifted James up and walked out of the dorm, as if nothing had happened, in a way which nobody heard at all.
The masked figure carried James till he reached another destination.
Drop. He laid on the ground as it looked over him. While, the dark night hid behind the moon which shined down..
BZZZT!-
The thunder lighted the entire surroundings, revealing,
A silhouette of a Joker mask.
* * *
The next day...
Archehon and Atif walked down the corridor and heard murmurs from the crowds.
When they both went towards the front of the crowd, they saw James who was injured walking away with a member of staff. He had bandages tie his arm at a right angle. His face was also gloomy.
"No way, is that James Walker? How did he end up like that? He was quite talented.", Atif looked at the back of James who was walking away, while staring at the ground.
Ring-ring!-
Every student's phones buzzed. They checked their phones and saw a video.
The video began playing.
"Oi. Shut the fuck up.", James showed an cold expression.
The clip continued.
"Tsk.. looks like, you need some disciplining."
Punch!-
Video ends.
"What the.. no way. I didn't think James was like that. Wait! The one who uploaded this was..", one person shouted after viewing the video.
".. Smith?!"
Smith and George walked into the corridor and saw everyone staring at them with confusion.
Suddenly, a teacher walked to them both and ordered them to come with her.
The two walked away confused.
While they walked with the teacher, they passed James, who gave them a cold and hateful look.
Back in the crowd, Atif stared at the scene with shock.
"A-Archehon, that's.."
Archehon placed his hand on his finger on Atif's lips.
He shook his head.
The day was.. surprising.
* * *
One hour later..
The school's office was filled with many emotions as multiple people sat there.
The headmaster sat upright on his desk while George, Smith, James and his dad sat on the couch.
"H-headmaster, shouldn't you do something about this? My child's arm was broken and it'll take him at least three months to recover.", James dad told the principal.
"Mr. Walker. What do you want us to do about this?", the headmaster asked while keeping his charisma in such a tense situation.
"I-Isn't that obvious? I want you to find and punish the perpetrator behind my son's injury!"
"Is that so?"
Knock-knock-
"Come in.", the headmaster said after hearing the doors knock.
Mr. Snake walked into the room and glanced at everyone but the headmaster until laying his eyes back to his superior.
"Oh, what have you found after investigating the incident, Mr. Snake?", the headmaster smiled.
"I found out that there were no traces of mana at all and the perpetrator was very experienced."
The headmaster relaxed his chin close to his two hands which he had kept together. He stared into the distance, not making eye contact. This wasn't out of fear, but from irritation.
Why?
It's because he was a man who wanted to get his work done perfectly. He hated mistakes, though he didn't show it here.
"But.. there's something very strange about this incident.", Mr. Snake added on while feeling quite confused.
"What is it?", James' father asked in a hurry while struggling to even keep his composure.
"The perpetrator felt.. weak. His physical traces were there and if he was a little stronger he would've definitely been able to hide them."
"Headmaster, could this be done on purpose?"
But he didn't answer.
After a few seconds of staring, he brought back his charisma and smiled.
"Mr. Walker, we will not look into this incident for the time being."
"W-what do you mean? My son was injured a-and he can't train for three months! Why no-"
"Mr. Walker."
This time, the headmaster's voice was stern. He gazed at the father with an intimidating look.
"Judging from the occurrence of recent events, such as the video of your son potentially harassing others and how the individual who committed this act on your son was experienced—I'd like to believe that maybe someone who you know could've been behind this."
'Tch, stop lying. I know that you just want to cover up these incidents to prevent your reputation and that you're just sugarcoating how my enemies were behind this.', James' father thought with frustration.
But hid his anger, as after all, he wouldn't dare to offend or get on the bad side of the headmaster. His strength was up to par with even the top two hundred ranked heroes. Nobody in his shoes would want to defy his words.
Because, if he did..
'My reputation could spiral downwards at an alarming rate and my family could suffer terribly.'
He calmed himself before answering,
"Understood, headmaster. Thank you for your time, we will leave."
"..."
James' eyes widened and bit his lips, in his idea of an hierarchy crumbling, before following his father out, leaving his now-old underlings in the office.
"Now, Mr. Snake. I hope you will please ask our two students here some questions about their, possibly, new actions.", the headmaster lifted his chest out and exited the door with a kind expression, displaying his usual confidence.
Click—
"Now.. I hope you two boys will explain this video that has been released under your name."
He looked down with no expression, like a psychopath, at George and Smith while making them tremble,
All in fear.
"N-no way.. how did that get recorded? I could swear that I didn't post it.", Smith stuttered in absolute shock. He didn't expect anyone to even had thought of taking a video of him and George when they had checked the surroundings.
* * *
The school day came to its usual end and everything fell back in place despite the series of fortuitous events that took place, both last night and today.
Archehon walked down the corridors with Atif while he stared at the floor in a gloomy mood. Although, Archehon had zero change in his facial expressions at all.
"Hey, Archehon?", Atif broke the silence with two simple words.
"Yes?"
"Was it... you who posted the video of Smith and George hitting you when we first met?", Atif struggled to get the words out.
"..."
Archehon had no response but after a few moments, he replied.
"Yes.. it was..", Archehon suddenly made a small frown with the lines following down his face. The eyes of his squinted a little along with his aura becoming milder..
—But the last sentence that came out was completely unexpected.
"Not me! Hahaha..", Archehon patted Atifs back in a slightly aggressive way and wrapped his arm around his shoulder like he was his younger brother.
"It wasn't you? But it was just us two in the alley that night..", Atif showed no change in expressions and still continued to throw questions, gently.
The lines above Archehon's mouth and under the eyes both disappeared. His expression transitioned to a more mature and serious one, along with his tone.
"Atif.. let me ask you something. Do you really think that it was the two of us, James, Smith and George there that night?", Archehon spoke as if there was meaning behind that rhetorical question.
"W-what do you mean?", the shorter boy listened keenly.
"Are you sure that nobody wasn't listening into our conversation that day?"
"I don't know.. maybe...", he thought for a few seconds but then realized something. "That might be a possibility. Someone could've just recorded us in that alley since our focus wasn't on the exit!"
"Exactly. But, if you want to question me.. then go right ahead.", Archehon smiled bitterly. "I'm fine with the fact that you don't trust me.."
"W-wait, what are you talking about? I believe you!", Atif panicked and tried to cheer the gloomy one with his words.
"Really?"
"Yes! We're friends after all! I'm sorry that I doubted you."
Archehon's face slowly, and naturally, changed back to one of joy. "Thank you, Atif."
The two walked to their dorm hall and Archehon spoke again.
"Atif, I have to go talk to one of my teachers."
They both nodded and parted ways.
Archehon walked down the stairs, the hallways then to the schools lush green environment outside the buildings. It had many well maintained stone paths and gardens, with all kinds of flowers.
The boy sat on a bench and sighed. "Sorry, Atif. I can't afford our relationship status to go down and have one of my future subordinates have doubt in his master. I needed to lie to you back there."
"Although, to me. Lies or truth, killing or saving, morals or no morals. Everything in the end has no effect over true power. They are nothing but restrictions that I avoided thoroughly in my past life."
The notification rang in the background.
Archehon's eyes shut closed and opened very slowly.
He stared at the clouds beginning to separate and letting the sun slowly set.
Two whole hours passed until the night arrived.
"People say that the closest things are the greatest.", Archehon suddenly spoke whilst the surroundings were dead silent and the birds had stopped tweeting.
His demeanor was completely unlike his usual one.
A person would even think that it isn't him after a single glance if he was in a strangers body.
"Yes, I can certainly agree with that now."
"The system is certainly close."
"And I will be with it, forever."
"And become the strongest."
"And achieve anything while the black travels with me..."
Archehon looked up to the sky.
"With a normal, generic ending."