Chapter 25: S-Rank Treatment? The High Command!

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: S-Rank Treatment? The High Command!

Cedar Heights Estate.

The old butler, Uncle George, stood in the living room, watching Nathaniel’s back disappear at the top of the stairs.

Only after Nathaniel was gone did the tears he’d been holding back finally fall.

He quickly wiped them away.

There was no time to remain consumed by grief. Beyond the pain of losing the master and mistress, more practical problems awaited them.

Nathan Beaumont and Eleanor Beaumont were gone.

The Beaumont Trading Consortium, which they had built through years of hard work, would theoretically pass into Nathaniel’s hands.

It was one of the largest commercial organizations in Westmere and ranked among the most influential businesses throughout the Southern Province.

Its assets included enormous wealth, distribution networks, rare resources, professional connections, equipment supply chains, potion workshops, and dungeon-material trading operations.

Any one of these assets was enough to make others envious.

While Nathaniel’s parents had been alive, their reputation and strength had kept ambitious people at bay.

But now...

Uncle George’s expression grew grave.

"The young master is still so young."

"I’m afraid inheriting the consortium won’t be easy."

He sighed quietly.

The world had never lacked people willing to take advantage of another person’s misfortune.

And with the Beaumont family’s strongest protectors gone, the consortium’s enemies might soon reveal themselves.

Aurelion, Capital of the Aurelian Alliance

Aurelion was the true center of the Aurelian Alliance.

It was also a sacred city in the hearts of countless professionals.

The towering Class Advancement Tower pierced the clouds, while glowing energy routes stretched across the city like a vast network of luminous veins. Floating structures hovered among the skyscrapers, creating a magnificent skyline that seemed to belong to another world.

The five most prestigious class-transfer institutions in the alliance were all located here.

And one of them was Calder Academy.

Inside the principal’s office, an elderly man with white hair sat before a massive light screen, reviewing a top-secret file that had just arrived.

His expression was initially calm.

But as he read through the information, his eyes gradually widened.

"An unknown and mysterious class..."

"Cleared the Novice Secret Realm in one minute and seventeen seconds. SSS-Rank evaluation..."

"Killed three Level 100+ powerhouses on the very day of awakening..."

The old man tapped his fingers lightly against the desk.

After a long silence, he finally uttered two words.

"Absolute monster."

He raised his hand and activated the communicator.

"Ask Professor Marcus to come to my office. Immediately."

A few minutes later, a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses entered the room.

"Principal, you wanted to see me?"

The elderly principal didn’t waste time on pleasantries. He pushed Nathaniel’s file across the desk.

"Go to Westmere."

"Evaluate this student personally. If the intelligence checks out, do everything you can to recruit him."

Professor Marcus lowered his head and began reading.

At first, he maintained a composed expression.

But the farther he read, the harder it became to hide his surprise.

When his eyes reached the final line about Nathaniel killing three Level 100+ powerhouses, he froze.

"Principal... is this really a student who awakened his class just yesterday?"

The old man leaned back in his chair.

"That’s what the report says."

Professor Marcus swallowed.

"Then what level of admission treatment should we offer him?"

The principal looked directly at him.

"S-Rank admission privileges."

Boom!

Professor Marcus’s pupils contracted.

Calder Academy divided its admission privileges into four grades: S, A, B, and C.

C-Rank was the standard treatment for students admitted through the regular entrance examination.

Even reaching Calder Academy through the normal selection process meant a student was already an outstanding talent.

B-Rank privileges were reserved for exceptional geniuses who ranked among the best in major regions.

A-Rank privileges were granted to extraordinary talents specially recruited from across the provinces.

As for S-Rank...

That was a completely different category.

It was strategic-level treatment reserved for talents whose potential could influence the future of the entire alliance.

Even at Calder Academy, fewer than ten students in an entire year group might receive such privileges.

Professor Marcus couldn’t help asking, "Principal, isn’t offering S-Rank privileges immediately a little excessive?"

The elderly man’s gaze remained steady.

"If the intelligence is accurate, it isn’t excessive."

"It’s possible that even S-Rank privileges won’t be enough."

Professor Marcus stared at him in disbelief.

The principal continued.

"The other four academies must have received the same report."

"If Calder Academy wants to recruit this student, we have to act quickly."

"The competition will be fierce. Go yourself and make our strongest possible offer."

Professor Marcus straightened.

"Understood. I’ll leave immediately."

He turned and was about to walk out when a notification sounded.

Ding!

The light screen before the principal illuminated.

An encrypted message had arrived.

The elderly man glanced at it casually.

Then his expression changed.

For the first time, the principal of Calder Academy, a man renowned for remaining calm under pressure, displayed unmistakable shock.

"Wait."

Professor Marcus stopped and turned around.

"Principal?"

The old man stared at the message for several seconds before finally speaking.

"There’s no need to go."

Professor Marcus was stunned.

"No need to go? Does that mean the intelligence was false?"

The principal shook his head.

"No."

"The intelligence is genuine."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the encrypted message.

"It’s just that the High Command has already made its move."

Professor Marcus’s expression froze.

The office fell completely silent.

The High Command.

Those words carried extraordinary weight throughout the professional world of the Aurelian Alliance.

It wasn’t an academy.

It wasn’t an ordinary organization.

It stood at the highest levels of the alliance’s power, with authority and resources far beyond those of ordinary institutions.

Professor Marcus felt his throat tighten.

"A student who has only just awakened..."

"Has actually attracted the High Command’s attention?"

The principal didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

The message on the screen had already made the situation clear.

The Following Morning, Cedar Heights Estate

When Nathaniel opened his eyes, his gaze was frighteningly clear.

There was no visible trace of despair on his face.

He got out of bed, washed up, changed into a clean black casual outfit, and headed downstairs.

In the dining room, Uncle George had already prepared breakfast.

The old butler stood beside the table, watching Nathaniel descend the stairs with undisguised concern.

"Young Master..."

Nathaniel sat down and picked up his knife and fork.

"Good morning, Uncle."

His voice was steady.

So steady that it almost seemed as though nothing had happened the previous night.

Uncle George felt even more troubled.

If Nathaniel had cried, shouted, or even smashed something in anger, the old butler might have felt a little less worried.

At least then, Nathaniel would have been releasing some of the pain inside him.

Instead, he was calm.

Almost unnaturally calm.

Uncle George hesitated before speaking.

"Young Master, you don’t have to force yourself to be strong."

"About your father and mother..."

Clack.

Nathaniel’s knife and fork paused for the briefest moment.

Then he continued eating.

"They aren’t dead."

Uncle George’s heart trembled.

Nathaniel lifted his gaze toward the distant sky outside the window.

"No bodies were found. No one witnessed their deaths."

"Whether they’re trapped in a spatial storm or somewhere near the Abyss Rift, I won’t give up looking for them."

He set down his fork.

"As long as there’s a chance they’re alive, I’ll bring them home."

Uncle George’s eyes grew hot.

Nathaniel picked up his glass of milk, took a sip, and placed it back on the table.

"I’m going to run dungeons today. I need to level up as quickly as possible."

The old butler looked at the young man sitting before him.

For a moment, he felt as though Nathaniel had grown up overnight.

Yesterday, he had still been a young man celebrating his class awakening.

Today, he was already carrying a burden that could crush many adults.

Yet Nathaniel hadn’t abandoned hope.

He had simply turned his grief into a reason to become stronger.

Uncle George lowered his head, hiding the emotions in his eyes.

"Then I’ll prepare everything you need, Young Master."

Nathaniel nodded.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Westmere Professional Center

The Westmere Professional Center was one of the busiest places in the city.

Awakened professionals came here to enter dungeons, obtain professional certifications, accept missions, and purchase basic supplies.

The enormous circular building occupied a vast area in the city center.

People streamed through its entrance throughout the day.

Newly awakened students gathered in groups, carrying their equipment and discussing their first dungeon adventures with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Veteran professionals moved among them, some carrying visible injuries and others wearing the hardened expressions of people who had spent years fighting monsters in low-level dungeons.

Nathaniel walked into the main hall, completed the entry procedures, and entered a separate dungeon-selection room.

Inside, rows of enormous light screens displayed available dungeons.

Each screen listed the dungeon’s name, entry-level requirements, recommended party size, and available difficulty settings.

Nathaniel glanced over the available options.

[Dungeon: Blackwind Valley]

[Entry Level: 5–10]

...

[Dungeon: Rotting Mine]

[Entry Level: 8–12]

...

His gaze moved across the screens until it stopped on an ice-blue display.

A new dungeon’s information appeared before him.

[Dungeon: Frost Cave]

[Entry Level: 13–18]

[Recommended Party Size: 4]

[Dungeon Attribute: Ice]

[Difficulty Options: Simple, Normal, Elite, Hard, Nightmare, Hell]

Nathaniel studied the information.

His current level was thirteen.

The Frost Cave was an appropriate choice for his level, and its range extended several levels above him.

More importantly, he didn’t need a party.

With his attributes, Shadow Soldiers, and Shadow Execution, ordinary monsters at this level were unlikely to pose much of a threat.

Nathaniel raised his hand and selected the dungeon.

His eyes settled on the available difficulty settings.

Simple.

Normal.

Elite.

Hard.

Nightmare.

Hell.

He didn’t hesitate for long.

If he wanted to reach Level 200 and search for his parents, wasting time on easy challenges wasn’t an option.

Nathaniel moved his finger toward the highest difficulty.

Hell Mode.