Way of the Knights

---

"Listen here…" Veronica kneaded her temples due to stress, this fatty is really making older students like her to lose face. "Not everyone is non-athletic as you are. So quit being shocked."

"Hmph! You make it sound like you weren't! I wonder who nearly fainted at the end of the so-called 'warm-up'!"

Hearing him say this made Veronica blush in embarassment. Flashbacks of her viciously panting and holding on to dear consciousness flooded her memory, in the end she could only pinch fatty's arm once more.

The rest chuckled at their antics, Mark then asked: "You guys, what are the contents of your mission?" To Raven and the rest, but before anyone could reply, Veronica chimed in.

"Wait! I don't think it's wise to discuss that!"

Raven and the rest looked at her with a confused face, which made her explain her motives. She looked around her and noticed that aside from the eight of them, everyone else already went along their own way.

"Don't get it wrong, I'm doing it for your own good. I don't really think it's wise to tell others about your mission." She explained.

"The point is, you never know, so just to be safe, it's better to keep somethings private." Fatty added.

"Oh." Anne let out a knowing sound and said: "You mean, someone in our group might sell us out?"

Her words were a tad too sharp, which made the two grimace, nevertheless the squeezed out a nod which clarified the whole intention.

"Makes sense." Mark nodded and gave a suggestion, "How about clues then? That should be fine right?"

"Eh?" Both Rupert and Veronica was stunned, it seems that they fail to get the point of their warning. Didn't he say: 'Makes Sense'? Then why did he contradicted himself by giving them clues? It was like he was asking them to prepare an ambush for him.

"Should be fine. I'll go first." Paul clapped his hands and cleared his throat, "I have to search a needle on a haystack. Troublesome." He shook his head.

"I have to be a sea woman for a while, which is the worst place for me, ugh." Ellen groaned in displeasure.

"I have to be a shepherd, not really my forte." Mark sighed.

"Well, I have to be a saleswoman, works well for me." Anne joyfully shared.

"As for me, I think I'll be an assistant doctor." Luna said while smiling.

As for Raven, "Well, I have to stroll outside for a bit."

"You guys are weirdos, you know?" Fatty Rupert could no longer hold it and released his straightforward comment. On one hand it felt like they were mocking them, but it seems that they don't have that intentions.

"Are we now?" Raven said, amused by their reaction. This poor fellow, he doesn't know anything yet.

"Anyway, we should be off. Even though we have a month to complete this, finishing it early would be more beneficial for us." Luna said, to which the whole group agreed.

Just like before, Raven and his friends separated to prepare for the necessities.

He was on his way back to his dwelling where he came across something that somewhat irritated him.

At the gates of the Mountain Range where the Genius Class stayed, there was a man leaning on the iron bars, grinning at him as he walked forward.

He was wearing similar uniform as he does and wore the same badge. He had blonde hair, a slightly bulky figure and a pure white skin, which gave him a very 'young master' look.

Raven raised his brows and snorted despite himself. He knew this guy, he wished he didn't, but he does. He was prepared to ignore him since he had something else to place if focus on, but it seems like he won't have that.

He arrived at the gates and was about to open them, when a hand prevented him from doing so. Raven's eyes narrowed as he looked at the guy, who was now wearing a smug look on his face.

"Come now, do you really plan on ignoring me? Don't you think that's a bad idea? Aren't you aware of the consequences?"

There was thick mockery in his voice as he asked these questions. He had his arms crossed on his chest as he slightly raised his chest and was obviously looking down on him. Of course, Raven knew what he wanted, but since when some random pest could order him around?

"Who are you again?" He asked with a grin on his face.

The guy's proud and arrogant looked crumpled instantly, his eyes turned into slits and he suddenly radiated a very dangerous aura around him.

"Oh? It seems that someone grew up a little too fearless huh? It seems that he wasn't educated properly in his household." The guy said malevolently, he continue to release his killing intent, hoping to drown Raven in despair and let him know the true gap between them.

"Oh well, what can I do? Common folk nowadays doesn't really care about class. What can I say? A mere commoner, would stay as commoner anyway." He continue mocking Raven's background.

Which in Raven's eyes, was completely laughable. He had lost count on how many time his dad refused nobility since he didn't really needed it. Even then, they still came from a noble household despite the circumstances that happened. But it seems that this son of a pig just want to really stretch his patience thin.

But how would he let other people control him? Since when was that on his agenda?

Seeing that Raven was really moved nor threatened by his words nor his cultivation, the guy's face crumpled even more. He could even see that Raven tilted his hair and smiled at him, his expression seemingly says: 'What's this clown doing?' And that thought truly angered him.

"You spawn of Valorheart! Do you want to do this the hard way!?"

'There it is…' Raven said inwardly, the casual phrase of the Fat Merchant and his family.

To be more precise, it is the Mort Family of the Golden Coin Clan's phrase. The person who's standing in front of him is Zelor Mort, son of the Yael Mort, the fat merchant who's one of the superiors of Luis and highly antagonistic of him.

"That phrase…" Raven faked a shocked expression and asked: "I knew it, just from that look! You are from the Mort Family!"

"Hmph!" The smugness in his voice returned, he then continued by saying: "Since you know, then you should-"

Zelor didn't even finish when Raven uttered the word…

"Gross." Raven uttered with a thick disgust.

Zelor mouth hang wide open, his brain can't seem to understand how react with that. What he expected Raven to do, was to quickly apologize for his behavior and curry favor to him, even to the point of letting him become his lackey for the chance that 'MAYBE' he will place is a good word to his father so that Luis would have an easier time.

And in all honesty, if this was Raven's previous life, he might've done just that. But alas…never in this lifetime.

"I was honestly wishing that I would never meet someone like you even in my life, but man! I'm just really unlucky aren't I?"

"How did you even manage to enter the Genius Class anyway? Wait! Let me guess….money?"

Zelor can't even speak since Raven won't give him a chance, this was him doing what he does the best. Angering people.

"Would you look at that! How scandalous! As expected from the young clan lord of the Richest Clan in the kingdom! With money in hand, everything is possible! Wow, how admirable...and pathetic."

Raven's tone became extremely frosty by end. If it weren't for the fact that fights are forbidden on public places, he might already separated this guy's head from his shoulders, but he also can't allow this guy to prance around on his weight in front of him….

He suddenly thought of a very good idea…

Raven's eyes gleamed and stared directly onto the eyes of Zelor. As soon as their gazes met, Zelor truly understood the meaning behind the word 'nightmare'.

The skies caved in, replaced by a blood tinged carpet, looming over the horizon. The sun disappeared, in it's place, a harrowing blood red moon hung. Zelor heard ghastly screams from beyond, he felt the ground beneath him quake fiercely and every tremor sent his heart pounding with fear.

"W-wha…"

Cold sweat poured from his whole body, he's stuttering in his words, shivering on his boots. He had long forgotten Raven's presence and wholly felt like the world was ending.

He wanted to run, to utter a cry for help, but whenever he wanted to do so, he felt like he was gargling water instead. He placed a hand on his throat, only to feel wetness on his neck. He looked at his hand only for his eyes to widen. He saw blood on his fingertips, he hurriedly tried to do something, only to find out that he was now missing his right fingers.

He paled in fright and fainted with panic.

Soon, a guard will find him. Passed out in front of the gates with white froth on the corners of his mouth and a wet from pee, pants.

And the culprit for his ending, was back on his cave dwelling and was eating some grilled meat.