For the first time in a while, I had slept well.
No dreams and no sweating, I woke up feeling anew. So I began planning my next steps to the monastery.
I flicked on my watch to check the time but I was hit with a few messages and missed calls.
'Sister: 47 missed calls 6 messages'
'Brother complex?' and 'I had a sister?' were the first questions that flew into my mind. 'Perhaps I had a family too'
Unwanted memories sufaced as I stopped entertaining such uselss thoughts.
I switched over to the notification that grabbed my attention.
Academy: The academy starts in a week. Please prepare and dress in your uniform for the opening ceremony. No luggage is necessary as it will be collected from your homes. There will be a quick test for ranks and no outside help is permitted.
Prepare well,
Lionize Academy.
This was mentioned in the novel too, the opening ceremony was a show of strength, being suppressed by high rankers.
Recalling the novel quickly, the human civilization had very few A-rank and above. Only around 300 A-rankers had to protect humanity. There were around 20 known S-rankers, who were either in charge of guilds or part of the council.
The SS rankers numbered less than 4; Sword Saint, Omni Magus, Godly Seraph, and the last hidden one Death.
No one knew his whereabouts nor his looks and he seemed to be the most dangerous having the highest kill count of high-ranked demons. Some even speculated that he was on the verge of breaking into SSS rank.
About SSS ranked, humanity only had 1 and she had disappeared a decade back so no one knew if she was still alive. She was known as [Dawn Lunar]
Each sin could contend with humanity's SS as each sin was on the verge of breaking through to SS- each armed with a large repertoire of skills with years of experience.
Cain, in Vexham, was strong enough to fight SSS ranks but coming through the portal dropped his rank to SS+. This was the problem as humanities SS were all SS-, except for Death. Of course, fighting depended on experience and skills as well but Cain, being the oldest, could easily wipe the floor with them even if he dropped another rank.
Outnumbered and severely lacking in strength.
The council has 10 S rankers of various ranges, with 5 others creating top-tier guilds and 1 acting as principal of the academy.
The rest joined a guild where there was a lot more freedom than being in the council. Or were somewhere hidden amongst the world.
The principal, despite the low rank, was a friend of the of [Dawn Lunar] and opened the academy in hopes of shaping a new SSS rank.
The test would be judged by 5 academy professors, each A rank, in a 1v1 virtual reality against the first-generation 1st years.
The system would consider your stats from readings and put you against a reasonably ranked opponent out of 1000. This was done to maintain privacy so other students could not see your skills and in hopes for first years to be competitive and socialize to discover each 'allies' abilities, encouraging camaraderie.
If you won all fatigue was removed and a higher-ranked opponent would face you and vice versa if you lost till you defeated someone.
If you had classes like alchemy, healing, and blacksmithing, scenarios would be virtually created to see abilities in those ways.
Only 1200 students were selected in the nation to be turned into 'heroes' hence the name Lionize with 200 being non-combatants.
The top 500 were mostly likely to be students with a background, having battle arts and quite powerful talents.
In exchange for achievements or points, the rest would be given techniques and battle arts by the academy. With the rare few being given talents.
The test would take the whole day as each battle was monitored remotely in private.
I would probably lose as I didn't even know how to dual-wield. The battle art I wanted was tier I but could evolve.
It wasn't made for the weapon but the person who wielded it. It would evolve according to my strengths, adapting to weaknesses, and how I chose to dual-wield.
Abilities would be created fitting my style, weapon, emotions, and personality.
The battle art would have to wait as I didn't have the time or strength currently to access the dungeon it was in. There were dual wielders in the academy but the weapons they used were different.
'All in due time' I thought.
.
.
'A week left till the academy starts..'
'A WEEK?!'
'How long did I stay in the forest? Was I put in a different dimension or did I faint but not realize it?'
I still had to go to the monastery to gain a talent to help with my mind and do some training.
Packing up my belongings I prepared to leave the ripoff inn, secretly vowing to sue them for their prices despite being in such remote areas.
ZZZZTTT--ZZZZTTT
'Sister is calling you'
I realized I had no memory of Aeron's life so far making me reluctant to pick up but something within me forced me to,
"You fucking piece of shit rat! How many times do I need to call you? Why you not picking up? Are you disabled?" I heard her huff before another string of curses rang out...certainly not a brother complex it seemed.
"I woke up late"
Silence ensued before a melody of curses arrived.
"The academy starts next week and you probably didn't even know. Listen here, you will get to Felicitas by Sunday or I will-"
"Yes I will see you next week Mom"
I ended the call and saw a voice message from her.....I didn't play it.
Using the academy web I typed Araxys and a profile picture of a graceful but cold-looking beauty popped up. She had white silvery hair with obsidian eyes empty of warmth. This was my sister?
She was no.3 in her year going into 3rd year, a dual class healer and archer rank B-. Her rank cap must have been S or SS then as the mc with an SSS rank cap was B/B+ at the beginning of the third year.
The gap between minor ranks increased as rank increased.This was due to the stats becoming more and more difficult to train as people neared their cap.
She was talented. That was all she was, another person to kill more demons for me and to help me obtain my freedom.
Gathering my wits together, I finally left the inn leaving the receptionist with a scornful stare.
'I would be back'
To get to the monastery wasn't too difficult. I had to go straight through the forest trekking continuously for 3 hours.
It was a magical place filled with monks shielded by illusion. Quite contradictory for monks who preached the truth to hide behind a veil of deception.
No matter which direction I walked in the forest, as long as it was 3 hours I would get there and so I did just that.
After some time, I felt a faint nausea before blinking and suddenly staring at the stairs that led up to a temple.
The monks didn't pay any heed to my presence, even with my hood down, as if I was already expected. Looking at the time the seconds drifted by slower than usual. The watch matched how Ashyn roatated so time was always accurate.
'A domain?'
I trekked up the stone stairs and the bald monks walked past me oblivious to my presence.
As I reached the top, a wizened voice was transmitted into my mind,
"Look to your left and walk into the wall"
I did as told.
Anyone who could mentally transmit was definitely above A-rank not yet something I could even dream of fighting.
Walking through the wall, I stood in a courtyard with blossoms that fell before mysteriously sinking into the floor.
I knew who it was. A man with a broad back and white hair standing still despite the wind, the master of the monastery.
He was in a white robe with plum blossom markings looking like a wise martial master. Standing there his aura was sharp but gentle, soft but heavy.
An S+ ranker unrecorded in the modern world: Sakura Sanity
"I feel the world within you. But your weak aura fluctuates and is unrestrained."
He was acting like this right now to act cool. Despite his name, he was quite insane always dueling those only stronger than him. Yes, he was trying to be mysterious.
"I came here to get a skill or talent to help with my mental instability and train before the academy starts" I answered.
Slowly turning around Sakura Sanity stroked his long fake beard like a wise sage and looked me in my eyes as he increased the pressure.
I activated Poker's Gaze and stood there undeterred as the floor around me trembled and cracked.
My hair whipped around crazily as I stared emotionlessly into his eyes patterned with mirth, surprise, and curiosity.
My mana capacity drained as I tried absorbing it from the surroundings but the drain was too fast.
Veins began to form around my eyes and blood leaked down my nose.
The pain was nothing compared to the torment I had felt before.
This wasn't even his full power. If he had done so the mountain would have collapsed on itself, a feat I couldn't imagine.
The pain increased yet I stood there my eyes boring into his.
Unwilling to back down.
My veins were now bulging and pulsing, and blood streamed out of my pores.
I could endure much longer but it seemed my body couldn't handle it, even my organs were shaking in pain.
Mentally sighing, I turned off Poker's Gaze,
And like that, I crumpled to the floor like paper being crushed whilst my vision turned black.
Ruben Lucero POV:
I watched the boy walk up the stairs in amusement as he looked at the monks.
No doubt he was handsome but not more than me.
"Right?"
I opened a drawer with my mana took out a wig with a beard and wore it.
'Itchy'
As the boy reached the top I tested my voice and deepened it, sending out a telepathic message,
"Look to your left and walk into the wall"
I stood there with my back towards him staring into the distance.
'He is weak but DAMN he is handsome'
"I feel the world within you. But your weak aura fluctuates and is unrestrained."
He answered, "I came here to get a skill or talent to help with my mental instability and train before the academy starts"
'Mental problems even though he was so weak?'
I slowly turned around as I gradually increased my pressure to D rank.
His grey eyes which were filled with constant annoyance and a seed of misery turned apathetic and emotionless as he stared at me as if challenging me.
Smiling inside, I could only increase my pressure to B rank.
Anymore would twist the surroundings.
I didn't know what skill he had but he seemed unaffected by the presence.
My hands clenched in excitement. He had potential.
I knew he was in pain as he started bleeding yet it wasn't from my presence but his own skill.
A body unfit for his own skill.
I scoffed, 'What stupidity!' But I liked it.
'No wonder he had mental problems '
After 2 more seconds as I was about to stop my aura, he crumpled face-first into the floor, completely knocked out.
I grinned as my wig got vaporized by my sudden increase in intent.
The intent to make his my first student.
'The mind doesn't match the body. What has he gone through to be able to tolerate the pain at such a young age?' I thought, with pity and slight admiration
I quickly drowned out the feeling, 'Me! S+ ranker
The Ruben Lucero,
Sakura Sanity,
Plum Blossom Saint,
The Pink Plethora felt admiration for a mere boy. Hah if word got out I would become THE joke. No one was watching, right?' I scanned my surroundings...
'I am in my own domain dumass'
I picked him up with my pink-shaded mana and fed him a B-rank healing pill to heal him quickly.
'If only it wasn't pink' I sighed in displeasure.
I laid him on the floor with a D-rank skill and a note,
'Climb up the mountain without any skills to start your training.'
I turned into a wisp disappearing not without leaving a faint odor of plums and cherry blossoms.
'That should be enough right'
Lemme put him in a bed of pink blossoms too.....That floats.
'See you at the top'
Somewhere in the world
"What a wierdo" it snorted.
.
.
.
Aeron POV
Fate points: 3053--->3553
I grunted. A piercing pain shot through my head.
Easing myself into a seated position, I felt weak and tired. Completely out of myself. It was already 10 in the evening even with the domain's time dilation.
It must have been ran on formation and crystals as even for S rankers a domain like this was difficult to maintain. Unless he was nearly SS....
Grimacing, I thought to myself,
'Lets not run out of mana ever again'
My grimace turned into a smirk,
'Poker's Gaze was definitely a worthy upgrade'
Opening my swollen eyes, a plethora of pink greeted me. I was seated on hundreds of pink blossoms levitating on the stone floor.
The petals swirled around me as it delivered me a book and a note.
I pretended to act surprised widening my eyes as if in shock.
His antiques were beginning to annoy me as my eyebrows twitched in irritation.
The book was the D-rank skill: Cool mind. The note read: 'Climb up the mountain without any skills to start your training.'
I didn't have any skills to help me anyway.
The novel stated it took around 1-2 days to learn a D-rank skill. So I immediately started to learn it.
Once learned the book would disappear and the contents would appear in your mind indefinitely.
Only high ranked individuals and the specific class 'Scribe' could write skill books even of the lowest ranks.
The books weren't really 'books' but made of magic formations and runes that had a specific mana signature for that skill. It would then imprint itself onto the mind sea which was where all skills were if the practitioner had learned it.
I touched the skill book and as I opened the first page, it turned into a blue streak entering my brain.
I could feel the pronting of the skill in my mind sea.
'Were these the effects of Energy Lord?'
Excitement gripped my heart as I read the description:
Cool Mind {D} Passive: 'Be cool, Be chill, Be like me!'
Meditation and rest increases recovery speed by 20%
Your mind is cool and emotions are cool. Outbursts of emotions are controlled.
Negative mental deffects decrease by 30%
My eyes twitched at the description.
In the future, I would have to fake learn skills as the effects of Energy Lord would be a desired skill. Many would thirst for it, which would not be convenient.
'Finally' I thought. 'Though the effects are quite mid, it is only a D-rank skill and it should help supress my instability'
I upgraded it for 2000 fate point leaving me with 1553FP
Cool mind{C} passive:
Meditation and rest increases recovery speed by 40%
Negative mental deffects decrease by 50%
A cool sensation flowed through my head and the constant headache had finally settled down.
The only problem was that Ruben saw me literally devour that skill book if it really was his domain.
'This might be troublesome.'
Steeling myself, I looked at the peak of the snowy mountain in slight trepidation.
My stats should increase through this right.....
There were a few cherry blossom trees that decorated it outlining a path, one I wouldn't take.
From then my training started.