Chapter 281 – I Will Challenge You
Ananke fell into a sudden silence, not quite believing what she’d just heard. It was pletely unexpected.
[Are you sure about this, Cassius?] she said with caution in her tone, [Trying to fool a goddess is not truly a wise choice.]
"Who said I’m fooling her?" Cassius replied with a leisurely smile, the two flames still burning across his whole body like a torch, "I have the Ring of the Eternal Kingdom, created by the Eternal King himself, with me. I have his will. Am I not his Messenger, then?"
Slowly, each flame began to twist, transforming into the shape of a snake. Stella, watching the scene from the corner, narrowed her crimson eyes, seeming irritated to see other snakes coiling atop her master.
"It doesn’t matter how I obtained the ring, or whether the Eternal King himself appointed me as his Messenger. I simply am."
Ananke understood instantly what Cassius was doing. By believing his own words as truth, he made it far more likely the goddess would believe him too.
It was a lesson he’d learned from his aunt. A statement didn’t need to be true. It just needed to be believable enough to fool anyone.
Still, it remained a dangerous thing to attempt against a literal goddess. But Ananke knew the time for dangerous things had e.
[As you wish,] she accepted, [I’ll try to contact the Sleeping Beauty.]
"How long do you think that’ll take?"
[Time flows differently across this plane of existence, and it varies by Gate. But it shouldn’t take more than a couple of days.]
"That’s just perfect." Cassius said, nodding, "I have enough time to get through the Opening Ceremony on Tuesday, and a few other things, before meeting her."
[Most certainly.]
"Then after that es the mission Meadow wants us to plete, and the Second Blessing quest." He mapped out the ing days and weeks briefly, realizing more than ever the hurdles ahead of him.
He shrugged and picked up another sword, wanting to train his dual-wielding while activating his flames, to build both endurance and flame control.
However, a notification sound from his phone briefly interrupted his training. A very loud, grating sound, which meant only one thing...
"The EP?" He deactivated his flames to check, and he was right.
His master had sent him 50,000 EP at once. Higher than what he’d initially expected.
Cassius smiled and wasted no time.
If one wanted to challenge someone inside the Academy, one first needed to speak with The Watcher itself.
The same being — or Beast, as it once called itself — who had overseen the Entrance Test.
The way to do so was to declare your intention through an app created by the Academy and press the call button. The Watcher would instantly know who did it, and where, and then...
the voice echoed inside Cassius’s training room as he summoned The Watcher."> the voice echoed inside Cassius’s training room as he summoned The Watcher.
He nodded, expression serious, looking upward, "I did."
it said instantly, "> it said instantly,
"That’s fine, I didn’t call to challenge anyone." He replied, "I called because I want to set requirements for anyone wanting to fight me. I’m a busy man, you see. I have no time for petty, useless fights."
"> The voice was momentarily surprised, but it gathered itself quickly and spoke, its tone more curious now,
"I know."
">
Cassius took a couple of breaths to settle everything in his mind before speaking:
"First, anyone wanting to challenge me must have at least the same amount of EP as I do. Second, as a Palatine and Heir of Desdemona, I gain nothing much from accepting their challenges. Because of that, anyone challenging me must wager at least three Tier 5 or higher artifacts, each one different, or owe me a favor...and that favor increases if you e back after I beat you. That favor must be sworn on an Oath, by the way, to make sure these bastards keep their word. And finally, third..."
He smiled faintly.
"...if I beat you in three strikes or less, you’ll change faith, swear allegiance to my goddess, and bee a faithful believer of the Reader."
Ananke immediately huffed with pride, chest puffed out, chin ridiculously high, nodding repeatedly, as if saying, "That’s my Blessed!"
But Cassius’s motives went beyond just serving his goddess. By increasing the number of people who believed in her, he’d also increase the number who followed him. And by extension, expand the ranks of the Dean’s Faction.
And by ensuring that anyone who challenged him matched his EP, meaning they were almost certainly strong and influential themselves, he’d spread his influence all the more easily.
’Corrupt the head, and let the head corrupt the rest of the body.’
Win-win, as some would say.
Cassius smiled devilishly, his eyes burning with crimson and white flame.
The Watcher said with a loud laugh, "> The Watcher said with a loud laugh,
"Oh, don’t worry about that. I have plenty to screw them all." He winked, "Mommy spoiled me rotten."
[...]
">
...
While Cassius planned his next move, the Chosen Ones were far from idle.
Each of them sensed the opportunities and dangers heading their way. Those hoping to break into the Top 10 had already begun considering who to challenge.
Those wanting to keep their spots were doing the same, wondering how best to defend them.
And there were still others who didn’t care about the Top 10 at all, or who were simply confident they’d never lose their ranking.
For the latter, we have none other than Klaus himself, currently facing Love at the doorstep of his room.
"What are you doing here?" He asked with unconcealed scorn, looking down at her.
Love was used to that by now. She shoved past him and stepped into his room without hesitation, glancing around while humming, her short pink robe fluttering softly in the unexpected breeze inside.
Klaus’s lips twitched heavily. He shut the door and turned, finding Love smiling widely
.
"I’m here to see the room I’ll be occupying soon enough." She said, her pink, heart-shaped pupils magnetic in the dim light, "I hope you’re ready to live with a damn bloody moner. I can tell you one thing, though, it’s not a fun experience at all."
Klaus smiled, amused, "The fact you actually think you can and will beat me is genuinely funny."
"What’s funny is you thinking I can’t and won’t." Love slowly approached him, her steps utterly silent, "Back at the Entrance Test, I would have beaten you if that bitch Anesthesia hadn’t interfered."
"You truly are something. A whore and a fool. Hard enough to be just one in today’s world, but you, Love de Bayard, manage to bine both." Klaus sneered, shaking his head, "I hope you know I only used my First Skill?"
"And I didn’t use most of my Runes."
Love was now an inch from him. She leaned even further forward, letting their breaths mingle.
She smiled, "I’ll challenge you, and I’ll win. But it’s too boring if it’s just that. Let’s bet, shall we?"
"You stole the words right out of my mouth." Klaus replied, "If I win, you delete—!"
Love scoffed loudly, "Forget it, I’m never deleting those pictures. I have something better in mind. If I win, Klaus, I want you as my slave."
"Huh?" Klaus tilted his head, his expression darkening, "My what?"
"Slave." Love repeated without a hint of shame, raising her hand to grasp at his silky green hair.
Klaus batted her hand away coldly.
Love chuckled, "What? Do you already know you’re going to lose? Is that why you’re so worked up?"
"The more I get to know you, the more I realize how messed up you are." Klaus smiled humorlessly, "Now that even your boyfriend wants another woman, the only way for you to feel better is to keep a slave of your own?"
Love’s jaw clenched tight, but she didn’t back down, "Not just any slave. You, Klaus. I want you kneeling in front of me. I want you acting like the dog you are, doing everything I tell you to. You hear me?"
She leaned in closer, whispering,
"I want no one but you as my slave, oh dear Klaus Silicin Handoff. I dream of the day I see your fucking ego crushed under my heel."
"Sweet. But you’ll be dreaming for a long time yet." Klaus said, and Windy appeared atop his head in a puff of wind, "And I accept your bet. Unlike you, I have no intention of keeping a whore like you as my slave."
Love’s body trembled.
"In exchange, if I win, and I know I will..." he leaned toward her left ear and whispered,
"...I want you to break up with our dear Emrys, aka fucking Sky, openly, in front of the entire damned Academy."
—End of Chapter 281—
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