Chapter 22: The Only Path to Avoid the Heat
Chapter 22: The Only Path to Avoid the Heat
"What? You accepted me without knowing my abilities?!!" Lan wasn't the only one shocked, as others thought he knew what Lan was able to do.
It was obvious, especially to the two girls, that Jim knew what Lan was capable of. Or else why take the trouble to invite him over and face everyone back there?
"I came from a world with no knowledge at all regarding the rest of the universe. So I lack a lot of info," Jim replied, trying to give them an excuse to clear their doubts.
He was truly unaware of the ability Lan had, and he had to know!
"Sigh, you really are something," Lan just shook his head before adding, "Actimos race can absorb the energy of the world, channeling and refining these energy before releasing it out in a form of usable energy others can use but not them," he explained before pointing to himself, "I have a dual ability, not just one! The first ability is to create stones, and the second is to create thunder."
Jim suddenly had his eyes lit up! He now understood why his old man advised him to look for an Actimos. "His first ability is sh*t, yet the second one," he shook his head before Lan added, thinking wrongly Jim was disappointed in his ability:
"Deno has a great physique. With my stone ability lent to him, I'm sure he would be a monster! No one would be able to touch us!"
He tried to magnify his ability, and Deno nodded agreeing with his words. "My body is unique, covered up in skin harder than steel and made up of muscles stronger than mountains. With Lan's help I'm pretty sure I can defend pretty much anything."
Jim understood the two had read his feelings wrong. "I want your second ability to be lent to me," he simply said without explaining.
Yet the two girls standing silently behind him realize what he was after, which gave them a scare! "What about you?" Lan asked, addressing Ashley.
"I can use swords pretty much like my arms," she simply replied, with a lower tone and humble attitude.
"Don't mind her, her sword is really strong," Jenny said before adding, "as for me I'm a fire witch."
"So we are going to need a source of fire then," Lan said, as he understood what a fire witch meant.
"Sure, isn't it allowed?"
"Each contestant is allowed to select one aiding equipment or materials from the store of the arena," he said before adding, "I will ask for a lightning ore, so I can suck pure lightning and enhance my abilities for Jim," he added, as he trusted Jim knew what he was doing.
"I would ask for a full body armor," Deno said, pointing to his chest with that hole.
"What's this hole?" Jim asked, as he didn't know what he should select from the arena's store.
"This" the face of Deno changed. "It's a mark left by what happened to the fairies a long time ago," he vaguely answered, and the look Jim got from Lan made him refrain from asking more.
He knew he would know more later, either from Deno or from Lan. "What will you ask for?" Lan suddenly asked.
"A pair of swords of course," Jim replied, and Ashley nodded agreeing with his choice.
"You use swords too?" Deno said, trying to forget about the painful hole in his chest.
"Hehehe, he is strong," Jenny replied while adding, "I bet you two will be amazed with what our skinny weak looking master can do."
The two glanced at her before they believed she was exaggerating. "We need a leader, I believe you will do fine," Lan said, trying to change the topic.
"That's fine for me," Jim accepted as he was the one creating the team after all.
"Then I will be the supportive one," Lan spoke, acting like the leader, "Deno will be our defensive man. You three you shall be our tip of the spear," he hesitated as he still didn't know what ability Jim had!
"That will do," Jim said, before taking back the leadership aura from Lan, "you will follow my orders in the fight. If I asked you to retreat, you will," he stressed over this point, while the two girls knew what he was talking about.
His power was immense, yet uncontrollable! He might end up hurting them while trying to hit his enemies.
"We will, boss," Deno replied before turning to the test entrance, "we should move now. The more time we give them the more they would look for a stronger team for the arena match."
"Are you this sure they don't want you in?" Jenny asked, not understanding the mystery behind Deno yet.
"Bulltors aren't allowed to enter the academy, that's an unwritten rule of thumb here. If a team took a Bulltor, then this team will face one of the strongest teams out there. This means fighting against those hailing from strong clans," Lan explained, while Deno just shook his head.
"Don't worry, our Jim here can crush anyone," Jenny confidently said, while adding, "will we be tested as well?"
"Aren't you his slaves?" Lan asked, "he will be tested and you will be degraded one grade down," he explained, "receiving the same treatment like us."
"That's nice," she replied before adding with much enthusiasm, "let's go then."
"Tsk, so the rumors are really correct after all!" suddenly this voice came abruptly from behind, startling everyone.
No one noticed Siera while approaching them. "A Bulltor? You really have a great appetite," she observed the giant standing on Jim's side while the latter moved to welcome her.
"I thought you'd never come," he laughed, trying to cover up for his embarrassment.
"I told you to wait," she said before returning to glance over the Bulltor and Actimos. "Taking these two with you will make you fail."
"Is it prohibited in the academy rules to have a Bulltor in the academy?" Jim asked, trying to find a solution.
"Frankly? It's not! But the rulers of the academy and all the big clans agreed since ancient times to prohibit certain races from learning inside. Your Bulltor is one of them."
The answer she gave him wasn't what he expected. "So it's not against the academy rules?" he asked, trying to confirm what he heard.
"Yes, but it's against the academy policy," she said, before stressing over this point, "if, and this is a gigantic if, you managed to enter the academy as a team, you will always be harassed and not having a single moment of peace."
She paused before adding, "even Pol is now amassing his strongest team to face you off! If you succeed in surviving here, you won't be safe even inside the academy."
The words she said meant a lot, and the heaviness inside them made the atmosphere tense. "Isn't there any solution?" he asked, with a sigh.
He didn't want to live his life in fear, making enmity with everyone!
"There is one," she suddenly said, "he knows it," she gestured to Deno who sighed.
"I think I just wanted to be a disciple," he felt bitter, yet Siera said without giving him a chance to refuse:
"Serving a good master that sees you as equal is worth the shot, right?"
"Wait a minute," Jim said, "do you mean he will be my servant?"
"As a start, this Actimos here won't make it. The first test is an ability test, and his ability the academy doesn't acknowledge him. So he will end up being your slave, so why not add one more?" she said, trying to explain the inevitable.
"But" Jim wasn't that acceptable to this way things would end. He turned to glance at the two new friends. They were new, yet the circumstances and the injustice they lived through he was perfectly related to.
He wanted to help them, as if he was helping himself.
"This is the safest route for you," she said, before glancing over Deno who sighed.
"The fox lady is correct, this is for the best of all," he said, before adding, "I just hope you can teach me some of the stuff you will learn inside the academy."
"Some?!" Jim went silent for a moment, before simply nodded. He intended to teach the four of them everything he would learn.
"That's great," she clapped her hands, "I will go and spread the news. Despite this will bring some heat from other teams; at least those freaking monsters won't bother you anymore."
"Thanks," Jim honestly said, expressing his gratitude for her constant support.
"No problem, after all you are worth the help, hehehe."
She simply vanished while the five stood motionless in their places. "So," Jim said, trying to change this depressing mood, "let's aim to make the biggest score and make me reach a higher place than outer disciple."