The Top Eight, the title given to the First Warriors eight companions.
mbers of the Top Eight must be strong and could never reject anyones challenge, lest they forsake their promise not to tarnish the honor of their na. Yet the claim that the mbers of the Top Eight were the strongest of all was not necessarily correct.
It went without saying that those with similarly powerful skills existed, including others who were hostile or simply neutral toward humanity.
Among them was the Chancellor of Galshdin Academy, a woman whod been the chair of the academic board since the Academys founding. Her outward stance may have leaned toward showing humanity goodwill, yet she still insisted on maintaining neutrality.
Two of the Top Eight were known to be affiliated with the Academy. Unofficially, however, there were a total of three of the strongest players on the world stageincluding the Chancellorwho positioned themselves with the Academy.
"Are you going to just let that happen?"
"It's just a childish prank, is it sothing this old man should care about?"
Gaillon the Beast King, one of the mbers of the Top Eight whod kept his position there for quite a long ti as a beastman, answered by chugging expensive liquor like water.
Even so, his white ears twitched, and his face showed clear annoyance.
"How rowdy Tsk."
Jaqnelle, who looked annoyed at his reply, said bluntly, "No, even now, he looks like hes up to no good
Looking in the direction he pointed his finger, he saw Julius inhaling red powder on a large screen. It was right after he took part in the entrance examination.
"Are you saying it's normal to deliberately lower your skills?!"
Despite his shouting, Gaillon's attitude remained unchanged. Instead, he simply covered his fluffy ears with his hands to dull the volu of his voice.
"Adults do not intervene in fights between children. So then, no matter what happens, it is imperative to act accordingly."
His indifferent words caused red heat to rise up Jaqnelle's neck.
"And you call yourself one of the Top Eight! You don't even know what's going on, yet you're going to sit on the sidelines and just watch!"
"Little boy."
"What was that?"
Gaillon laughed at his angered expression.
You think ntioning the Top Eight will do anything for you?
Jaqnelle.
He was best known in the world by the na of the Shield of Heaven. As the youngest of the current Top Eight, hes held the title for the last three years. However, his reputation was not as significant in Gaillon's eyes.
You sure have a smug face for soone who took over the position in such a corrupt way.
"What?"
Gaillon snorted and continued, "Theres a fair bit of talk about your underhanded way of bringing down an elder."
Jaqnelle no longer held back.
Crash!
"You crazy old man!
Hundreds No, thousands of orbs of light ford around Jaqnelle and flew around at a high speed.
Despite his threat, Gallion did not bat an eye.
"What, am I wrong?
Gaillon was referring to the grudge that still festered in the back of his mind.
"Is it still not over?!"
Despite Jaqnelles cry, Gaillon replied with a sour face, "I didn't agree."
"So? All the others already have!"
In order to rise to the position of the Top Eight, it was necessary to gather notable achievents and for a majority of the Top Eight to agree. The simplest of these notable achievents was to beat one of the sitting mbers of the Top Eight.
Jaqnelle had the ability to contend with the Top Eight, but his true nature was to defend rather than attack. While fighting against one of the previous generations Top Eight, he realized that he lacked the ability to finish him, and instead sealed his opponent in a space vortex.
As one day passed, his opponent ignored him.
After a week, he began to try an assortnt of thods to escape.
A month later, he tried to negotiate with Jaqnelle.
Three months later, he went mad.
And finally, after five months of confinent, his opponent conceded defeat.
The cause of defeat was not a difference in power, but rather, the fatigue from months of isolation.
"Whatever ans I used, I got the consent of the majority, and I am a mber of the Top Eight, like you! Please act accordingly!"
"You?" Finally making eye contact with Jaqnelle, Gaillon spoke that one word and revealed his long canines.
"Yes, so please act
Jaqnelle cut himself off and instinctively expanded his orbs of light.
Crash!
"Ohoho, so youre not all bark. Youve got a little bite in you?"
Before he even knew it, Gaillon had a huge sword gripped tightly in his hand. A wave of power rippled through the rugged sword. A glow, dark red like his temper, blazed along the blade.
Jaqnelle, his expression visibly uncomfortable, could not put up with it any longer.
"Ha, you started this. Don't regret it."
Hed co to the Academy full of excitent to et him after earning his position in the Top Eight, but if hed known him to be such a crotchety old man, he wouldve put it off longer.
"Yes, Ill use this opportunity to teach you that there is a hierarchy within the Top Eight.
Gaillon burst out in joyous laughter. He valued strength above all else, and so, he didnt approve of Jaqnelle, who won his qualifying battle in what he believed to be an unworthy manner.
As soon as they were about to collide, a soft voice rang out from the space in between them.
"Oh, stop it, would you?"
"Anastasia."
"Grandmother."
Matching Gaillons reaction, Jaqnelle sighed and collected himself, aware that a new force had now entered the room.
"Ah, alright. Ill listen, just this once."
As he stepped down, Gaillon also sheathed his sword with an irritated expression.
"Tsk, a man with no fighting spirit."
Just as Jaqnelle was about to answer angrily at his remark, another woman intervened.
"Stop, stop! You guys are here to do your duty. We can't just sit on the sidelines and have our own little quarrels!"
"If it werent for him, I never wouldve had any intention of fighting in the first place.
Gaillon gauged the ability of the woman standing in front of him.
'I'd like to try fighting her soti
It would be difficult for him to fight here, a place shed spent hundreds of years designing and constructing.
This city, it might as well have been her very own ho.
To add to that, all the knowledge of the Academy had passed through her hands, information belonging to the descendants of a dragon. Gaillon didn't know exactly how strong she was.
Is it worth the risk?
After thinking it through for a while, he raised his hands as if hed co to a conclusion.
"Alright, alright. Lets let it go, shall we?"
He shouted in a clear sulky tone, but no one seed to care.
"So, what were you arguing about this ti?" The Chancellor of Galshdin Academy sighed at the sight of them causing conflictas always.
"Let explain."
Despite Jaqnelle's words, Gaillon layed down again and tilted his bottle, as if telling him to do whatever he wanted.
At the entrance exam, one no, several students, including that guy, took the tests while intentionally hiding their skills. We do not know their purpose in choosing to do so, so we need to investigate.
The matter beca even stranger upon further thought.
"And apart from that, there are a good deal of problems with the Academy's system. No, with your talents, you could have prevented these problems from the beginning
As he glared at her with suspicious eyes, Anastasia smiled faintly. "No, we won't do anything about it."
"You"
"Even if that is sothing happening, it's an issue for the students to deal with on their own, not sothing for us to intervene in."
Jaqnelle gave her answer a mont of thought.
"Wait, then youve known about this?
"What we cultivate are warriors, not flowers in a garden."
He wasn't so stupid that he didnt understand what she ant.
"In order to allow students the chance to develop their skills, to train them"
All while hed been running around trying to solve the problem He was left despondent.
"Those threatsthe lethal fights between students and attacks on the Academy itself are more than enough to be driving forces to instigate that growth."
"Is it the sa for the spies on the inside?"
A proper trial, if overco, becos manure that will fertilize the soil.
For that reason, regardless of its na as the top educational facility in the world, Galshdin Academy had regularly been ho to a series of incidents several tis each year.
"However, when it cos to such dire situations
"There is still no reason for an adult to intervene in a child's quarrel."
Anastasia nodded as if Gaillon was correct.
"I can't believe it
Gaillon replied, taking a new drink from the shelf for himself. "Further proof that you are nothing but a child."
"If you had explained it to from the beginning, I would never have made a fool of myself
"Was there any reason why I shouldve done that?"
Jaqnelle looked a little somber.
"So just let things play out. If it goes too far, you can put a stop to it, but even then, you don't have to worry too much. Youve been made aware of the risks well in advance.
"Yes, thank you for letting know."
Once their conversation was over, Anastasia smiled and said, "Oh, by the way, if there is a child you like among the new students here, you may take them on as a disciple.
"Hmph."
"Just give it so thought."
Gaillon snorted, as if to signify that he had no thoughts to share, as Jaqnelle's eyes montarily flashed to one of the screens.
"Theres a lot of ti left, so please take your ti. Though your work will not end once you exit the city.
And with that, she removed herself from the room.
Gaillon glanced at the screen and shook his head.
'A few of the guys looked decent enough, but
There was no one whod caught his eye yet.
He didnt know if he matched those specific qualities he was looking for.
* * *
* * *
"that's Philosophers Hall, where you'll be staying, and that's Thrasos Hall on the other side."
The clear sky was cloudless, lit by the warm sunshine. The Academy was quiet, waiting for the new sester to begin the next week.
Thrasos is assigned to those who plan to specialize in close combat, and Philosophers is assigned to more magic-oriented students like you.
The entrance examination had concluded yesterday.
Allen was following Rachael, who was guiding him through the Academy grounds.
"You can get to one of the academic research buildings or the library pretty quickly by using the back alley from Philosophers Hall."
To the east behind the dormitory was a research complex for studying ancient relics, literature, and magic, and to the south was a huge comrcial district.
"If you take the subway east of the Academy, you can easily get around to just about anywhere off campus."
To the north was an industrial area where various necessities and weapons were produced, and to the west was a residential area full of innswhere Allen had been staying before arriving here.
"Allen, why aren't you talking?
"Wait, I was just thinking
"About what? You already ignored , not calling and all that. Are you going to ignore what Im saying again now?"
"I apologize," Allen said with a puzzled face.
Rachael made plans with him for the very next day as soon as she t Allen the day prior.
'I got double booked
Today, he had scheduled to et up with others, not just her. He also wanted to et Heisel, but Allen was forcibly dragged away by Rachael's fiery spirit.
"This ti, ignoring . Next ti, you won't even pretend to know , will you? Hmph."
"No, I can guarantee that that will never happen."
"How can I believe that?"
Rachael turned and looked at Allen. Her determination to make him prove it sohow was visible in her eyes.
'I was going to reach out.
He was planning to et up with her after the entrance examination.
He never thought that eting her at the Academy ant contacting her the first second he arrived in an adjacent city. In short, this ordeal had co about as a result of the difference between her expectations and his actions.
Allen began with a serious look, "I'll prove it to you sohow. Ill do whatever you need.
"Pfft.
Then, a small giggle laughed out. Her eyes squinted, curled like a crescent moon.
"Haha. I'm just kidding. Kidding!"
Allen stiffened at her smile and looked back at her. "Are you kidding ?"
"Hehe, did you feel bad? I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, but you did freak out a little bit
As she looked at Allen, her voice beca smaller and smaller. Her head tilted downward.
"Allen, I wanted you to know how I feel
"I'm sorry."
"Allen? Allen?"
She slowly lifted her head at his lack of answer.
"Say sothing. If you're going to get angry, then I
Right then.
"No, I'm kidding, too."
She saw Allen smiling awkwardly, as if he had never been angry.
"Allen."
She trembled, eyes wide-open and jaw dropped just slightly.
"Its no fun if I dont get to pull any pranks back
"Ah I cant believe you! She stomped away in a display of apparent anger.
"Wait a minute!"
With Allens shout, she turned her head for a mont to see him holding out his hand proudly.
"If you're sorry, then co back and hold my hand!"
"Do you need anything else?"
"A-anything else? A small flush rose up to his cheeks. As she took his hand, Rachael drew toward Allen. "Yes, well perhaps
Allen whispered in her ear.
She looked around with a startled look on her face. When she confird that no one else was there, she looked relieved.
"Ah So manly all of a sudden.
He spoke with a faint smile. "Well There was soone who said that when I ca to the Academy, they would ask to do sothing worse than this. Cant seem to rember who.
She blushed, face flushing a red best-suited to apples.
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Don't say it! Don't do that!
Allen grabbed her, trying to escape.
Mwah.
"Are you satisfied with this?"
After mumbling out several tries, deciding what she wanted to say, she whispered quietly in his arms, "Yes."
"That's a relief."
"Actually, I think it's a little lacking."
Allen's face wore a carefree smile for the first ti.
Behind them, a pair of eyes glared silently in the shadow. In the place from which the eyes had disappeared, there remained a subtle scent of trees.
"Allen, what are you doing? Aren't you going to leave quickly?"
"No, nothing. Let's go."
Allen quickly guided them back to traveling into the business district together.
Neither of them had much ti to spend together today.
'To gather those with talent together.
That's what Julius used to do.
Allen set his sights on one of the industrial zones.
It was ti to harvest the seeds that had been sown.
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