Chapter 294 – Opening Ceremony [1]
"I see everyone’s here." Teacher Jade said with a professional smile, standing at the front of the class, "Well, everyone except Omar Ibn Omar and Océane Terre. The latter’s situation is pretty clear. The former was arrested last night by the House of Sanctions for...well, attempted rape, apparently. We’re still not sure if it’s true."
The class erupted into a chorus of whispers, some frowning, wondering what the ugly man could have possibly been thinking.
Cassius sat at the very back of the classroom, alone, cheek resting against his left palm.
He felt two gazes fixed intently on him during the Teacher’s speech. He turned toward them and found Theophane and Emrys sitting together, watching him.
Cassius immediately noticed something different about Emrys. His eyes were sharper now, and...harder, crueler.
’Something happened to him.’ He deduced, and he didn’t need to be a genius to guess what that "something" was, once his gaze shifted to Theophane beside him.
’Oh, I see. Is this how you want to play it? Using your own nephew against me and my goddess?’ Cassius almost smiled, but he’d woken up in a sour mood that morning.
He wasn’t even entirely sure why, or maybe he was.
Isolde hadn’t responded to his messages in days now.
Cassius didn’t want to worry, but this had stretched on too long, and something felt wrong.
But he was fairly powerless with so much else happening around him.
Given all that, he genuinely had no patience left for a manipulative woman and her puppet. So he pulled his eyes away from them, refocusing on the Teacher’s words.
Soon after, though, he felt someone sit down beside him.
He turned his head left and found Esmeray, who was late. Badly late, even.
"Esmeray," Cassius called out, surprised, "Feels like it’s been years since I last saw you. Where have you been?"
The Princess glanced at him intensely, then shook her head slightly, looking away, her heart pounding far too fast, "Just dealing with my own problems."
Cassius arched an eyebrow at her response. Her voice was surprisingly soft, even carrying a faint edge of shyness.
"What kind of problems?"
"Focus on the Teacher, Cass. I’m going to sleep, I’m exhausted. Wake me when we’re about to start."
Then she let her head drop onto the table, ready to steal some sleep before anything began.
Cassius grew even more puzzled. The Esmeray he knew would never speak to him this softly, this gently. It almost felt like an entirely different person.
’Sigh, too early for this. Let’s just focus on the Teacher’s words.’
And Teacher Jade was still talking.
"Now that we’re down to 22 students in the first year, I’m probably not supposed to say this, but it’s perfectly convenient. The second year is also at 22 — one’s crippled, and the other one...well, accidents happen from time to time."
He swept his gaze across the class, smiling,
"Now, I think it’s time I properly explain how the Opening Ceremony will work." Jade said, clicking a button on his desk.
Instantly, a projector flickered on behind him, displaying a wide, flat expanse littered with rocks.
"The image behind me is one of the possible battlefields for the Opening Ceremony."
"Battlefield?" Klaus’s voice rang out, confused, "We’re fighting? For an Opening Ceremony?"
"Let’s say that’s the gist of it, dear Klaus." Jade nodded, "Not simple battles, though, a team battle between you and the second year. The concept is straightforward, meant to give you the chance to face off against your seniors and learn from them. It will be dangerous, I’ll warn you now."
The projector image shifted, showing a large, brightly glowing crystal.
"Each team will be given this crystal to protect." Jade continued, "The goal for each team is to destroy their opponents’ crystal. Whoever destroys it first wins. So, perhaps I shouldn’t need to say this, but you don’t need to beat every member of the opposing team individually. I’ll also add: if a team wins, they can swap in two players to replace two from a team that hasn’t fought yet, if both teams agree."
The class began nodding, murmuring, discussing this unusual take on an opening ceremony with the people around them.
Cassius said nothing, watching in perfect silence.
"But how many teams will there be?" This time it was Anesthesia asking, "How many players per team? We’re down to 22, after all."
"Good question." Jade said, his smile far too bright for Raven and Anesthesia’s taste, "There will be four teams. Two will have 6 members, the other two will have 5. That makes 22."
"But then," Meadow began, frowning, "will the 5-player teams only face other 5-player teams?"
Teacher Jade chuckled, seemingly amused by the question, "Well, of course not, dear Meadow. Did you think you’d always be matched against teams your own size? I highly doubt that. Do you?"
Meadow said nothing. The Teacher was right, but it still felt unfair, somehow. Still, she wasn’t going to make a fuss about it.
"As for team position," he gestured with both hands, "that’s entirely up to you. Generally, teams formed during the Opening Ceremony stay together long afterward. So choose your teammates carefully."
He paused, glanced at his watch, then continued,
"You have ten minutes to choose your teammates. After that, we’ll teleport directly to the battlefield and begin the Opening Ceremony. And—! Oh!"
He made an exclaiming sound, "I nearly forgot to mention what you’ll gain if your team wins, and if the first year wins overall, with more victories."
The students immediately snapped to attention,
"You’ll gain EP based on your performance, of course." He said, "But the top 10 highest-performing students will also earn the chance to travel to the Wastelands and attempt a Fractured Land at the end of the month. It’s a Tier 4 Fractured Land...dangerous, certainly, but well worth it."
"Huh?" Cassius focused instantly on those words. This wasn’t something that had happened in the Game.
"This is a gift, and a test, offered specially by the King and Queen of the Kingdom. It matters more than most of you realize." Teacher Jade’s tone turned serious, "So fight, break into the top 10, head to the Wastelands, plete whatever task the Plague King of the Hood and the Queen of Souls set for you...and you’ll absolutely secure your place in the Hall of Fame. After all, Imbued-rank students clearing a Tier 4 Fractured Land is unheard of.
"And this is the first time the Opening Ceremony’s rewards have been this significant. So..."
Teacher Jade smiled.
"...don’t disappoint me. Now,"
CLAP! CLAP!
"You have 7 minutes to form your teams. Time’s ticking, my dears!"
The students remained somewhat dazed by the Teacher’s words. The chance to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame was huge.
Laya Bint Aicha was stunned, ’They’re really sending them to that Fractured Land?’
Nafissatou was equally taken aback. If her kingdom got wind of this, they’d do everything in their power to stop it.
Cassius, meanwhile, was thinking about something else entirely.
This wasn’t supposed to be part of the Opening Ceremony’s rewards. But by this point, he’d accepted that plenty had already changed.
In fact, he was even pleased about it. Because the Tree of Dreams was located within the Wasteland.
And wherever dreams existed...so did memories.
’And it just so happens I have a damned Seed I need to nurture into a true Realm. Queen’s breath, it’s been so long. Finally, the perfect opportunity.’
[And the timing is perfect. You’ll have time to handle everything before heading there. You just need to be a top-10 performer.]
’e on, Queen. That’s the easy part.’
[It certainly is.] Ananke said, then smirked, [But how about a bet, my beloved Blessed?]
’A bet?’ Cassius said, watching the others talk, whisper, some even arguing over who’d end up on whose team.
The students had already decided that Team Sky and Team Angel, as they’d taken to calling them, would be the two 5-player teams. Because...
"These two motherfuckers alone are worth two of us."
Cassius was tempted to say "more than two," but he was a humble man.
[Yes, a bet.] Ananke said, [Why not extend your little idea here? Whoever you defeat in three strikes or fewer bees my believer.]
’Are you that hungry for faith?’
[I’m learning from your methods. I need to make the most of every situation.]
’Oh my.’
DING!
[You have received a Cursed Quest!]
[Cursed Quest: Preach The Glory of The Reader!]
[Description: Do we really need to say more than the title? No, of course not.
You have one duty: steal the believers of other gods. You’re already quite familiar with that, aren’t you?
You’re used to stealing.]
[Rewards: Unknown.]
’Well, fuck it.’ Cassius shrugged, accepting the bet.
Right then, Meadow approached him. Beside her stood Diaila Law, fidgeting nervously, and William Castria, whose expression remained entirely indifferent.
"Well, look at you, lazing around." Meadow said, smiling, "Anyway, I brought our men."
She gestured toward them, "Diaila Law."
"...hey?" Diaila said shyly, nervous.
"And William Castria."
The man simply nodded.
"Nice to have you with us, Diaila and William." Cassius said, "But we’re only four. We need one more."
He glanced over at the sleeping Esmeray, considering it briefly, then shrugged, figuring why not.
However...
"Sorry, Cass." Raven appeared abruptly behind his sister, "This one’s already with us."
He grabbed Esmeray by the collar and dragged her off. She woke up and immediately began cursing her brother out with every name imaginable.
"Hm, well..." Cassius muttered.
"Can I join you?"
A voice sounded from just behind Cassius.
They all turned and found Layla Bint Aicha, her half-bare, vitiligo-marked skin visible, two axes strapped to her back, looking down at Cassius.
"Do you want to?" Meadow asked.
"Yes."
Meadow glanced at Cassius, who shrugged.
"Alright. You can join us. I’m Meadow. This is Diaila, William, and Cassius."
"Layla." She replied curtly.
The five panions looked at each other, and soon after, the 7-minute timer ran out.
"Now!" Teacher Jade shouted, drawing everyone’s attention, "I see all four teams have been formed. Perfect. Now,"
He grinned.
"Shall we?"
CLAP!
Everyone vanished from the classroom.
—End of Chapter 294—
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