Heaven's Greatest Professor

Gale's first thought after hearing what she had to say was that she was going to ask him to kill someone. Of course, being a transcendent ranker herself, there was rarely anything she couldn't do. Murder was probably the simplest of deeds for her. However, there could be some complication for a transcendent to move against any lower ranker.

"It's not really a difficult task," she continued, unaware of his thoughts, though the changes in his body language didn't go unnoticed by her eyes. "You were working in the arcane academy, correct? Just think the job would be an extension of that."

Gale stared at her in surprise.

"Iron rankers are the future of any nation," she continued. "Unfortunately, many of the elite iron rankers died in the terribly planned expedition to the inheritance ground. Now the need to replenish the numbers is greater than ever, considering the strange chain of events occurring throughout the world. We'll soon be opening a special position of Drill Sergeant, responsible for training promising candidates to become elite warriors." Continue reading on empire

He narrowed his eyes. "You want me for the job?" he asked. "I think there are over a dozen candidates you'll think of before me."

"Of course, there wouldn't just be one Drill Sergeant," she smiled. "But that's not to say there's anyone better for the job. I just find your demeanour perfect for it."

Gale didn't know where her confidence was coming from, but he wouldn't just sign himself up because a transcendent powerhouse praised him.

"Looks like I need to throw a couple of carrots to make you more enthusiastic about it," the white-haired woman said. "You'll be given the charge to train a few hundred promising iron rankers—it's still a huge job for one person. How about the privilege to take anyone as your assistant?"

Gale frowned.

"What do you say, Agnes?" the woman turned to her student. "Do you think he'll ask you first to join his retinue, or the elven woman?"

"I haven't accepted anything yet," Gale interjected.

The woman smiled, as though she already had him. "Whatever you decide, decide quickly. You have two days."

Gale and Agnes walked through the ragged path in silence. The crimson sky darkened fast, as evening was an extended time on the front lines.

"So what is your master's relationship with the empire and military?"

"She's a High Seat of the council," Agnes answered in a tone that suggested she wasn't too sure about it.

He guessed that it made sense for her to have authority over the military and other business. The High Seats of the council had regions divided among them, and she was probably the one responsible for this side of the world.

"What do you think of the job she proposed?" he asked.

Agnes opened her mouth, but instead of answering, she mulled over the question and found she wasn't sure. "Other than the obvious, I'm not sure."

"Maybe she just wants that and has no other purpose in her mind," he said.

Agnes shook her head without thought. "As far as I know her, every move she makes is deliberate, and accomplishes more objectives than people tend to see."

Gale nodded in understanding.

"Are you going to take it?" she asked.

He looked up at her seriously. "You don't want me to take it?"

Agnes wasn't sure what to say.

"I think we need to know more before deciding anything," he said. "Do you think she—"

Gale paused, spotting a crowd of people making a ruckus ahead. There were plenty of soldiers as well as students from the academy, gathered around a temporary challenge ring where a couple of fighters were sparring, cheered on by the watchers.

Gale's eyes widened as he recognised a face in the spar. It was none other than Professor Torin Walt, the same little shit who had pushed his buttons from the very beginning.

"Gale?" Agnes quirked her eyebrows.

"Let's leave the important business for later," he said, turning to her. "Let's have some fun right now."

With that, he crept towards the crowd near the challenge ring, where two silver rankers were engaged in a proper sword fight, although even an infant could tell who was winning. Torin Walt was winning, and by a large margin. He had already wounded his opponent, who was covered in sword wounds and looked desperate, while Torin looked majestic as ever.

As Gale thought to himself, the man put on a show for the already defeated opponent, dancing in a barrage of flourishing moves, until the man could stand no more.

"I forfeit," cried his opponent. "I admit my defeat. It was my fault. Please, my lord, spare me!"

"The victory goes to my lord Torin Walt," announced a little gremlin-looking youth. "That's three times in a row now..."

"Does anyone still doubt what this Torin is capable of?" Walt said imperiously, standing tall among the crowd. "Does anyone still believe it was merely my family—"

"We do," Gale said from within the crowd. He made sure his voice came from a different direction, manipulating his aura.

"Who said that?" Walt glared in the direction the voice had come from. "Who said that? If you have something to say, come up in the ring."

The bystanders shook their heads immediately, indicating it wasn't them.

"Coward," Walt spat on the ground. "If you have any courage, step into the ring."

"Well, I'll gladly take you up on the offer," Gale said and stepped towards the ring.

Torin Walt's eyes narrowed in his direction as recognition dawned on him. "It was you!" he said, quickly scanning Gale's aura to determine any threat.

Gale let him. It wasn't as if the poor fool could find anything.

A victorious grin appeared on Torin Walt's face. "You have no idea how many days I've waited for you to send yourself to me on a silver platter."

"I'm sure a dipshit like you masturbated thinking about this day," Gale said, stepping into the ring.

"Insolence!"