Eternal Freedom's Ascension

Chapter 247: The war begins

Apollo grinned, his gaze swirling with battle intent.

"And if I say she is? Do you want to stop me, Kaiser? I definitely don’t mind taking you on right here, right now."

Maya’s eyes widened. "Two of you, don’t cause any trouble."

However, Apollo didn’t listen to her at all. He slammed a palm against the table, then grabbed at Kaiser’s collar.

His hand stopped halfway, grabbed by Kaiser at the wrist.

"You want to hold me?"

Kaiser smiled. It was a simple casual smile, but Maya felt her vision blur from the pressure he exuded.

Apollo’s grin faltered, but he wasn’t going to back down. He growled, then tried to pull back his hand.

It didn’t move an inch.

’Huh? This guy...’

Still smiling, Kaiser slowly tightened his grip. "Let’s see how strong your bones are."

Apollo’s grin dropped further, and a pained grimace appeared on his face.

"You fucker..."

Maya immediately turned to Kaiser and tapped him. "Kaiser that’s enough. Don’t hurt him... at least not here."

Abruptly, Kaiser let go of the boy’s arm, letting him stumble back.

Apollo glanced at his wrist, noticing that it was red and swollen.

He glared at Kaiser again, realizing this guy was a real monster in terms of strength.

’Looks like only a psychological method can truly subdue this guy. Heh.’

Arrogance returned into his eyes, and he smiled mockingly.

"I told you I’d crush you, right? Wait patiently. I’m going to come for you."

Giving Maya one last look, he turned around and left.

Once he was gone, Kaiser sighed and tapped the table.

"Do you think I overreacted?"

Without hesitation, Maya answered. "Yes, but at the same time, no. He made the first move, and you only made an attack wrapped in self-defense."

She paused, looking at his slender hand that looked like it hadn’t experienced any battle at all.

"I just... didn’t expect you to act like that."

Kaiser tilted his head, his eyes shifting to her with a snap.

"Possessive? Defensive? I... I can’t say. It’s just... like you didn’t want me to actually go with him."

He nodded, "Yes. Why do you think I would let you go with him?"

Maya blinked, caught off guard. "W-well, maybe we needed to rediscuss our strategy for tomorrow? Just as he has said, I’m the strategist of Class-C."

Kaiser shook his head, expression calm. "No. I am currently spending my time with you. Unless you’re actually willing to go, then I see no reason to allow any interference."

His blue eyes, hollow and beautiful, turned to Maya.

"If such a thing happens again, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from flipping that coin."

His hand slipped into his pocket, gently feeling the surface of gold coin.

He has flipped coins for Eric and Kiera, and they were lucky. However, Kaiser didn’t believe that luck could cover his next targets.

"Kai, what would you do... if the coin ends up on tail?"

Hearing her ask that, Kaiser answered fluently. "I will kill them. Like I always did."

Seeing her fall silent, he realized he might have been too blunt. However, words couldn’t be swallowed.

"Do you think this is wrong, Maya?"

The girl nodded. "To me, yes. Although I haven’t killed someone, I wouldn’t just decide their fate using a coin. I would let myself decide."

Pausing slightly, she looked into his eyes.

"However, considering your own line of thoughts, it isn’t wrong. You are simply giving them a chance to live by letting the coin decide, right?"

Kaiser felt like she had misunderstood his intentions, but he still nodded.

In reality, he simply couldn’t be bothered with weighing the pros and cons of their death. Therefore, he let the coin decide, then handle the possible consequences later.

"In that case, there is nothing wrong with it. My only advice is... don’t do it too often."

A bitter smile tugged at her lips.

"It might result in more deaths than you think."

Sighing, Kaiser answered. "Alright. I won’t use it randomly. But I have to admit, I’m looking forward to what Apollo is planning."

Maya blinked, surprised. "What he’s planning?"

"Hm," He nodded. "I can tell that his actions today wasn’t because he thought I could get information from you."

She nodded. "I thought so too."

"Instead, it was a probe at my personal strength."

Kaiser’s smiled widened, looking charming but with a hint of madness.

"Naturally, that squeeze was enough answer. Now, I look forward to see what he can really do to me."

Maya couldn’t help but facepalm and shake her head, wondering why everyone was so strange recently.

......

The next day, all the first-year classes were taken to the hall, where a grand runic array was drawn on the ground.

Instructor Rutherford stood on the stage and addressed them seriously.

"We will be sending you to a different location than the forest you have always been visiting during your monthly hunts."

His gaze swept across every student.

"The five classes will be assigned with their own territory, and you already know your opponents. As soon as you appear there, your time starts immediately. The first team to successfully plant the opponent’s pole into their home wins the first place. So it would be better if you’re very fast with whatever you’re doing. A war of attrition or little skirmishes wouldn’t help you win."

He paused, ensuring his words sank into their hearts before he continued.

"Now step into the runic array, and you would be transported to your territory."

Before they could comply, Adela raised her hand to ask a question.

After receiving permission from the man, she asked. "Will it be purely a competition between students or there will be variables like Nirad creatures around?"

Her question immediately brought a flood of whispers into the room as the students turned to each other with caution and doubt. They didn’t want a repetition of their suffering at the hands of the Nectar Bees.

Instructor Rutherford raised his hand and silenced them.

"This area of the Nirad Realm is under our rule and there are no dangerous creatures around. It is purely a competition between students."

"Now, move."

The runes on the ground lit up.