Chapter 36 - He knows

"I'm not who you think I am, " Levi said with a slightly deeper voice, hoping Thyone wouldn't recognize it. 

Thyone laughed and entered deeper into the room. He closed the door and locked it. 

"I'm not stupid, Levi. I know it's you. "

"Who is this Levi that you speak of? " 

In a swift movement, Thyone removed a dagger from his pants and threw it at Levi. If it wasn't for Levi's fast reflexes, it would have pierced through his eye. 

"Lie to me one more time and I promise you'll not be able to stop the next dagger from meeting your eye. Now take off your mask. There's no reason to hide. "

Reluctantly, Levi took off his mask and threw it on the vanity table. He ran his hands through his face wondering what his fate was going to be. 

Thyone had seen him use his powers, no doubt. Everything he did on that underground ring matched everything that had been happening in the school. 

Thyone knew it was him behind those attacks at the school. If he thought his days were numbered before, he now knew for sure that they were. 

"You can relax. Your secret is safe with me. " Thyone reassured but Levi was having a hard time believing him. 

"B-But didn't the school hire you to find the attacker at the school? You've found him. Why not turn me in? " Levi asked. 

[Be grateful that he is sparing your ass and stop trying to make him change his mind, you stupid fool.]

"I am at the academy chasing my own personal interests. If I turn you in, my time there will be cut short."

Levi still didn't believe him. There must be something Thyone needed from him to do him such a big favor. 

"But why protect my identity? What do you want from me? And how did you know it was me? "

Thyone pulled a chair and made himself comfortable in the middle of the room. Levi went and sat on the bed. He had a feeling he wouldn't like standing during that conversation. 

"I want a strong ally on my side and you're both strong and powerful. I have a deal to strike with you. Oh, and I followed you here. I have suspected you for a while."

Levi closed his eyes tightly and then opened them. He had a feeling he was going to hate what was going to be said. He needed to find a long-term solution for Thyone. 

He could put everything at risk. Levi already had enough problems. He didn't want to carry the burden of another man's problems. 

Nevertheless, Thyone was holding all the cards and he had to do whatever he said. 

"What kind of deal is that? "

"I'm glad you asked. I will help you train how to fight and use a sword as well as other weapons. In turn, you will owe me three favors. "

Levi thought about it for a few minutes before eyeing Thyone carefully. There had to be a catch. The deal seemed too good to be true. 

"Which kinds of favors? "

"Anything I ask, you do. Three times that will happen and you will not question my reasons each time. "

"What good does that training do me in school? I have one more week left before I'm kicked out. If you didn't notice, there is no way I can learn magic. "

"Don't lose hope. A week is a long time for us to find a solution. "

"Why are you helping me, Thyone? First you keep my secret, offer to help me train, and then offer to help me remain at the school. What kind of favors are these that you want me to do? "

Levi eyed Thyone suspiciously but he wasn't bothered. He was one with the upper hand. The boy had no choice but to do what he wanted. 

"Doesn't matter. My decision to help you remain in the school is for my own personal interests. It would benefit me if you remained there. "

[This smells fishy but we don't have a choice. I recommend that we do what he says but still keep our eyes open]

From experience, listening to the system had only served to benefit him. All the times that he had failed to listen to it had led to a disaster. 

"Fine but I don't trust you. Don't betray me. You saw what I did to those men out there. I will not hesitate to do the same to you if you betray me. "

Thyone responded by laughing and clutching his stomach to show Levi how comical he found his statement. 

"What is crazy is that you think you think you can beat me in any fight. Stop being arrogant and let me train you to be the killing machine I know you can be. "

Levi knew Thyone was right. He needed to humble himself if he wanted Thyone to help him. What had happened out there at the ring proved that he wasn't ready. 

"But while you're here? I need you to answer some of my questions. "

Thyone knew the questions Levi wanted to yet he nodded his head. He was confident that everything he spoke with the boy would not leave that room. 

"What do you want to know? "

"Why the president attacked Earth. I want to know what she wants with us. "

"Isn't it obvious? She wants to create an army of puppets to help her conquer all the planets that supports human life. She wants advanced humans to be the only humans in existence. "

To see if Thyone was telling him the truth, Levi asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"How are humans that don't have advanced cells able to perform magic? My friend can perform magic and I can't and I would like to know why. "

"Don't play coy with me. You know exactly the reason why you can't perform magic. There is something the academy is giving you that you're not taking. "

"What is the risk of that pill, Thyone? "

"It is still being tested. Humans from Earth are the test subject for the pill. How they react to it will tell the president if she can continue on her run to wipe out planets and incorporate them to ours. "

That was fucked up. All that Levi deduced from everything Thyone had told him was that humans were puppets in a game. They were nothing but guinea pigs. 

"You haven't asked this but I want to tell you so you have enough knowledge on your hands. Principal Adam is the one who let in the president and her army to come and attack Earth. "

Levi's eyes widened and he shook his head in disagreement. Adam wouldn't be foolish enough to do that…. would he? 

"He betrayed a whole planet. Stay away from him and his son. If he senses something weird going on with you, he will report you. He is loyal to nobody. "

The pair was silent for a while as Levi tried to process all the information he had just received. Some things were out of his control. 

Staying in the academy was just a way for him to be safe. That was free shelter with food and protection. Levi would die before he became a puppet in someone's game. 

The moment he got an opportunity to run away, he would do so without any hesitation. Even if he had to leave Eliot behind. 

It was every man for himself in Sunaru. 

"So, when do we begin training? "