It was generally understood that the academy would not compensate for feeding the students or for the use of expensive items within its walls. This was particularly true for the rescued slaves, as the academy recouped costs by claiming 50% of their earnings. The wealthy students were indifferent; after all, their parents had lavished the academy with gifts, ensuring their children were exempt from such policies. This arrangement seemed particularly cruel to the less fortunate.
As the doors opened, the crowd surged into the building like a tsunami. Zephyr, determined not to be caught in a human stampede, shoved aside anyone who tried to push past him.
"Wow, what a beautiful place," Jack exclaimed, his voice echoing the awe that filled the spacious hall. It seemed to stretch on forever, requiring perhaps 300 steps just to cross from one end to the other.
But it wasn't just the size of the building that captured everyone's attention. On the left wall, an array of weapons was displayed, much like in a dojo. They shimmered and glittered, their colors and shapes varied, each emitting an intense aura that was palpable. Some could even see the power radiating from the weapons, indicating a strength far beyond the basic Fledgling level.
"A minor level weapon!" someone shouted, revealing to the crowd that only those with aura vision—typically level 4 and above—could truly appreciate the power on display. And now, thanks to an overzealous level 4, the secret was out.
Zephyr surveyed the weapons, his vampire eyes easily discerning their auras without the need for any special skills. Of the 600 weapons, only about 100 were of Minor level; the rest were mere Fledglings. 'Clever,' he thought. 'The academy has baited the strong with a few prized weapons, leaving the rest to chance.' But they hadn't accounted for someone like him—a vampire with an undead gene.
Feeling a rush of mischief from nearly being trampled, Zephyr decided to stir the pot.
"Zephyr is smirking that dark smirk again," Browny observed.
"Oh, no!" Jack groaned, recognizing the look all too well. It meant trouble, and he had a hunch about what was coming. But it was already too late to stop Zephyr.
"Everyone! There are only a few Minor level weapons on the wall!" Zephyr announced, feigning concern.
"What?! Only a few?"
"Really? Just a few?"
"What the—?"
The crowd erupted into a frenzy, each person now desperate to claim a powerful weapon for themselves.
As everyone's necks slowly turned, it became clear that there were only a few Minor level weapons available, which meant every person was on their own.
"It looks like you, Zephyr, want to cause chaos. This isn't good. What's wrong with that guy?" Ella asked her sister beside her.
"I don't know what's going on in his head; he's a mystery. And I think he's creating this chaos for fun, from what I know about him. He's practically a villain," Jade replied.
"Well, we have no choice. We must get our hands on a Minor weapon at all costs," Ella said to her sister, preparing for action.
"Agreed!" Jade said, looking unfazed and ready.
No one was moving yet; there was tension in the air, and no one knew whether to go for the weapon or just wait. However, Zephyr, deciding to be the decision-maker, was the first to rush forward, further aggravating the situation. This angered the onlookers, seeing a mere level 0 trying to take advantage of the situation and possibly snag a weapon. Although they doubted he knew which weapons were of Minor level, there was still a chance he might get lucky.
Thus, the stampede began as students started to rampage through the hall, fighting over who would get the Minor weapons. Not everyone joined this act of foolishness; some stayed back, finding it pointless to fight and risk punishment when a teacher arrived. They were mostly the lower rankers, unable to discern which weapons were of Minor level and likely to be pummeled in the fight, so they opted out, deeming it not worth the risk.
This was a situation of first come, first served, and Zephyr was leading the charge. He reached the wall in seconds, astonishing everyone with his abnormally fast speed. Those who didn't know him thought he might have used an ability. However, Ella, Jade, and Jack were truly shocked by his velocity. Browny wasn't with them, chasing after weapons; he stayed back, not wanting to injure himself further, as he was still healing from a previous incident at the Gym three days prior. His wounds might have healed, but the trauma of that event still haunted him.
"Perfect!" Zephyr exclaimed as he quickly spotted a katana. He leaped 20 meters into the air, reached the weapon, and landed on the ground, holding it. The others had just arrived, but Zephyr had already taken his weapon and moved to the sidelines, leaving everyone else to continue their battle. People were beating each other up but refrained from using their abilities, knowing they could bring the building down. Those who had taken the Minor level weapons were targeted, yet they held strong, beating back anyone who approached. No one confronted Zephyr, thinking that he, being a level 0, was too weak to have found a Minor level weapon, but they were gravely mistaken.
**[Katana of Flames]**
**[Minor Level Weapon]**
*No attribute points increase*
**[Weapon Attributes]**
*Control of Flames*
'Damn, it doesn't have a stats increase, but at least it has the ability to control flames,' Zephyr thought. It wasn't a complete failure. The weapon featured a bright red hilt, reminiscent of flames, and a scaly skin design of a dragon, indicating it was made from dragon crystal. The blade was sharp and smooth, capable of cutting through anything. Zephyr sheathed the katana, strapping it to his back.
Jack raised an eyebrow as he approached Zephyr, who was already armed with a Minor level weapon. "Oh, I see you've chosen your weapon first—a Minor level one at that," Jack noted, glancing at the club he had picked for Browny, while he himself wielded a sword. Initially, Jack had intended to assist Zephyr in selecting a Minor level weapon, but seeing that Zephyr had already done so, he decided to equip Browny instead.
"Well, I did," Zephyr replied, his attention shifting to the end of the hall. There, a woman sat nonchalantly at her desk, sipping coffee amidst the chaos. She hadn't flinched during the scramble for weapons. Zephyr recognized her as the receptionist they were told would assist them with their mission registration.
"Hello, since you're the first to arrive here, I'll explain how you'll receive your mission," the woman said, gesturing towards a section of the wall that everyone had overlooked upon entering.
This section was plastered with articles detailing supernatural attacks on cities, demolished military bases, and abductions leading to either consumption or transformation into a power source by supernaturals with a taste for humans.
"The world is in chaos," Jack murmured, scanning the headlines. Zephyr, however, was focused on the receptionist. Anticipating his needs, she pressed a button on a device, producing a piece of paper and handing it to him along with a large bag.
"This paper will give you some insight into the mission, and the bag contains a bit of equipment that may help," she explained, pointing towards two hooded figures. "Those men will transport you to your desired location."
In the center of the room lay a large circular device, hovering slightly above the ground. About a meter in diameter, its top glowed a brilliant blue. It was a teleporter.
Zephyr returned to Jack and Browny, relaying the receptionist's instructions and sharing additional information he had gleaned from the paper.
"So, we need at least five people for the mission, but we're only three. We need two more," Jack realized.
"Yeah, I know," Zephyr mused, pondering their next move. They knew only two others, and Zephyr was indifferent about their identities; his priority was to leave the academy. At that moment, a voice interrupted their discussion—Jade had been listening.
"I heard you guys need two more members," Jade announced, arriving with her reluctant sister in tow. While other groups were forming strong alliances, they were joining what seemed to be a band of underdogs.
"Then let's go," Zephyr declared. The group stepped onto the teleporter, and with a few button presses by the hooded men, they vanished into thin air, like smoke dispersing into the wind.
*****