Ten days had passed since the cave incident. Because of it, the director of Limitless Academy, Satile, issued a decision stating that cave missions would begin in the third academic stage and that missions would be simplified for the first stage.
Two weeks later, at 8:00
"Shouldn't we try with Kinto, even a little?" said Sai, looking at me with shining eyes.
"No."
He tensed a bit. "But—"
I replied with absolute seriousness, "No. He said we are weak. He's the reason for this."
"Speak of the devil," said Mary. Kinto came to talk to us.
He looked at me with his red eyes, and I did the same. He spoke, "I will surpass you, Leo."
What? Just like that?
"I thought you would offer an apology, but it seems your head was affected by your poisons to the point that you can no longer think clearly. Were you ever thinking clearly in the first place?"
Of course, my words caused a heated argument... but no matter how much I think about it, the argument wasn't something serious. Sai and Mary were laughing. I wasn't extremely annoyed. Kinto's expression didn't show clear irritation. I think he was a kind person in the end.
From a distance, Langst was watching us. I could see the pride in his emotionless face.
Three hours later
Sai and I were walking around the academy. The weather is always clear here, since after all, we are under a lake. Or almost under a lake. Sai spoke, "Isn't today a holiday? Why don't we go out for a bit?"
I looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "To where?"
"Anywhere. We're close to the capital's center."
"Thinking about it, we only went there once when we were kids."
"How long will it take to get there?" Sai asked.
"With Beatless' speed, we'll arrive in an hour and 15 minutes."
"That'll take a lot of time." Sai looked away. He got an idea. "Why don't we race to the third gate of the capital?"
"What kind of idea is that now…"
He looked at me mockingly. "Are you afraid of losing?"
"Of course not!"
As soon as we left the academy, Sai used enhancement to launch at full speed.
"I'll beat you easily!" he shouted.
"Let's see then!"
Flying is so easy. I can't imagine life without Beatless. "Looks like you're getting tired," I said with a provoking smile.
He looked at me and shouted, annoyed, "Shut up!"
I reached the gate! "I'm the winner!" we both said at the same time. Sai arrived at the same moment.
There was someone near us. I went to ask him directly, "Did you see who got here first??"
"No…" He had a music player.
Seriously? We were right in front of you…! He must've been lost in thought because of the music…
"Looks like we tied this time," said Sai, folding his arms and looking away.
"Whatever. Where should we go now?" I dismissed Beatless.
"About that..." You brought us here without a plan?...
Then the guy I asked spoke. "You must be heading to the capital's center. You can come with me." I hadn't noticed this before, but this person's eyes… they are far too beautiful. I've seen many hazel eyes in my life, but these can't even be called hazel… his eyes are golden. He then spoke, "I'm Myuso."
We started walking through the city. Its atmosphere is full of energy, unlike the village we're used to. Humans, elves, and dwarves. They all interact with each other kindly under the annoying summer heat. A human sitting in an elf's shop because of the heat. A dwarf helping light a baker's oven belonging to an elf. I hope things stay this way for a long time.
Of course, it didn't last long. A few steps away, in one of the alleys, there was an elf trying to steal a newly-made weapon from one of the dwarves. I separated from Myuso and Sai at that moment and entered the alley. "Aren't elves supposed to be the kindest beings?" When the elf saw me, he took two steps back involuntarily. He spoke with a trembling voice, "Don't you dare do anything! If you do something stupid to me, Emory will punish you!"
I drew my sword and continued approaching. "Whoever this Emory is, I'm sure he'll punish you." When he saw me draw my sword, he ran away immediately. The dwarf thanked me and I returned to Myuso and Sai, who were ordering special meatballs called Dongo.
"It's my favorite food," said Myuso. His smile alone was enough to tell me that.
I feel like I've become calmer than before. Especially after what happened in the cave. Am I affected this easily? Or is it my increasing strength? Whatever the reason, I'm just at the beginning. The road is still long.
At that moment, we noticed that the director of the Ultra Academy, the Grand Academy, was in the capital. The five great academies are located in four of the five great kingdoms. Two in the kingdom of Anastasia, and the remaining three are each in a separate great kingdom.
Does he have something specific he wants to do in the capital? I don't really ca—
I felt a Shinta moving quickly toward the director through the ground. A shadow in the ground was about to reach the director. I jumped over everyone, but I wouldn't reach in time. A person emerged from the shadow right behind the director, but suddenly, Myuso appeared at the man's side. "Music Line"—a glowing yellow line shot from Myuso's finger and pierced the man's chest. The man fell to the ground, but he didn't die. Myuso hadn't aimed for his heart. The director was surprised, of course—he was just about to be assassinated.
The director thanked Myuso and the man was arrested. Myuso came back to us. Sai asked him, "How did you get there so fast?!"
"My ability is music. I can move at the same speed as my music."
I looked at Myuso, surprised. His level is amazing. I asked him, "Are you in an academy?" My curiosity was obvious. It definitely would be after what I saw.
"No, I don't need such things," he said, smiling. Even though our ages are close, I felt a difference in combat ability between us. Even though I have more experience than him, that experience was against low-intelligence beasts. Myuso most certainly has more experience than that. He has the experience of a real warrior, even though he didn't attend any academy.
At that moment, I wished he would train me. But I could tell he would refuse—he hadn't even entered an academy.
The next day, 6:40 AM
Sai and Brika were talking to each other. No doubt this girl wants Sai…
Before I entered the classroom, I saw a strange eye from the corner of my vision, but when I turned to look at it, it wasn't there. I didn't sleep well last night. Maybe I imagined it.
Karez Lavalik
After the lectures, I was eating, a short break. That's when I saw a gift on my room's table. Who put it here? I'm sure I didn't receive any message from the academy regarding a letter.
I opened the gift to find a communication device. The moment I touched it, someone started speaking.
A voice I didn't recognize and a strange way of speaking. "Hello, Karez, you can call me the 'Captive.'" From his voice, I could tell there was a wide smile on his face, but it wasn't a friendly smile at all.
"Captive? Captive of what?" I asked.
"Your mother."
Two words. Two words were enough to stop time in my mind. My Shinta started to intensify without me even realizing, and soon the furniture in the room began to shake. I wanted to destroy the device so badly, but it would be useless. I would only lose. I controlled myself for a moment and spoke, "What exactly are you aiming for?" No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hide the hostility in my voice.
Then the man laughed, as if trying to provoke me. He answered, his voice full of uncontainable glee. "I won't prolong the matter, Karez. There are coordinates written on the gift. If you don't arrive within three days, you'll have to say goodbye to your royal family, not just your mother! Oh, right, you probably don't care about the Lavalik family at all since they abandoned you because of your magnetic power! That's what the Lavalik family always does to those who don't use volcanic magma. But that's not important now. I'll be waiting for you."
Before I could respond, the device exploded, and its pieces scattered everywhere. I haven't felt such intense emotions in a long time. Whoever you are, I will kill you. I will rip your throat out. I will tear out your spine and destroy it by striking it on your body. I swear on my mother's honor, you won't live for long.
Leo Vitalite
One day later, 4:00 AM
Karez's best option was to inform the academy's director. If he left the academy and informed the head of security on his own, it could lead to his mother's death, since this man had the ability to kidnap a royal family member. It's not impossible that he could know Karez's every move outside the academy.
Teachers Elizabeth and Corner, students Karez, Garin, and I will head to the coordinates. I don't know why they would choose students for such a mission, but what I know is that Karez needs our help.
We set off towards the coordinates an hour before sunrise.
When we arrived, we saw a tall tower, about 50 floors. Karez will go in first, so the "Captive" believes he came alone, and when it's time for us to intervene, Karez will activate his ability on a large scale so that the metal pieces we have move.
Langst Vitaline
This damn academy doesn't provide Mercury Blossom tea... It's a piece of heaven! Anyway, my lecture will begin soon. Oh, I forgot, the lectures were canceled today because of the Lavalik family mission... I wonder why old Director Satile wanted me and Gref to stay at the academy while he sent Elizabeth and Corner.
I entered the academy, and as soon as I lifted my eyes to look at it, my eyes widened in shock. The academy was destroyed. Students were heading toward the academy's exit while giant hands were chasing them. I used my ability, the blades, to turn my hands into blades, and with a single dash, I cut all the giant hands. After cutting them all, I saw Gref in a bad condition. He was fighting two of them alone.
The man with the hands spoke, "That man mentioned something about you being one of the four after we killed that old man, he must've lost his mind because it's impossible for you to be one of the four strongest warriors in this kingdom!"
That son of a bitch pisses me off.
I was about to attack, but then the woman picked up someone from the ground, someone whose face I couldn't see clearly at first, but in the end, I recognized him—Kinto, unconscious and covered in blood. Behind them, I heard another voice I knew, along with the sound of heavy footsteps. Kyotai and Sai were still holding their ground.
I saw enough. A single dash. A single dash was enough to cut off the heads of those two bastards. But after my dash, I saw something else that clarified why these bastards had come. Director Satile had been assassinated.
Leo Vitalite
In a moment of calm, the metal pieces finally moved. We launched into the air in Garin's mist and on beatless until we reached the highest point of the tower, then we broke in and descended inside, but where are the teachers?! Only Garin and I are inside. Were they somehow stopped? I don't think this bastard would allow Beatless to fly outside. We'll have to fight him ourselves. His gaze pierced our hearts directly, but being a warrior requires sacrificing everything, even your heart!