Chương 84: Chapter 82: Reality

Snapping his head toward Elena, Seth pierced her with a golden-eyed stare.

"Do you still think I should stop being stubborn? While they burn entire families alive just because they could maybe be a liability?" Caught off guard, the noblewoman stammered, "I—I—" But before she could answer, the old man stood up abruptly, pointing his trembling, bandaged hand at the charred remains of the house.

"You know who did this?" Seth's jaw tightened.

"Yes. The Faertis."

"W-we don't have proof yet," Elena interjected.

"Come on," Seth immediately shot back.

"You know as much as me that they did it. No one else had any reason to." The old man let himself fall back onto the wooden box, and his gaze drifted to the ground.

"They'll never be punished for this."

"Oh no, they will," Seth hissed through gritting teeth before striding back toward the academy. Elena hurried after him, dodging the few passersby.

"How exactly are you planning to do that?"

"I don't know," Seth muttered, barely looking at her while continuing his walk.

"But I won't sit on my ass and wait for one of them to maybe go to prison in a goddamn month."

"You'll just get yourself killed!" Elena argued, following him while trying to match his pace.

"At least let me talk to my parents! When they come back from their expedition, they will be able to help us by launching a real investigation."

"Your parents?" Seth blurted out before stopping dead and spinning to face the noblewoman.

"That's always your answer, isn't it? Asking someone else from your House to take action? Imagine if I'd taken your advice and waited for them to assemble a team to go into the Rift. Every single person I freed would have been killed instead." Elena's eyes immediately dropped to the ground.

"I… I didn't know they'd be gone for so long. They are supposed to be back."

"Then, you shouldn't have suggested that!" Seth exclaimed, throwing a hand in the air.

"You talked about your family fighting for the greater cause behind the scenes, but what have you done? Nothing. You hide behind your House name and wait for others to take the risks."

"But if I act recklessly, it reflects on my entire House," she answered, raising her head back.

"There could be extreme consequences. You don't understand noble politics. It could make things worse for everyone!"

"Everyone? You mean you and your family?" Stepping aside, Seth pointed at the remains of the burned house behind her.

"Because I hardly see how things could get any worse for the commoners you so deeply care about when they're getting burned alive!" A flicker of pain crossed Elena's face.

"I do care about them!" she shot back, her voice cracking at the end.

"But what am I supposed to do? Charge in like you and get myself killed? How does that help anyone?"

"At least it would be somethin—" Seth's last word faltered as he looked back at the noblewoman and noticed the tears shimmering in her emerald eyes. The desire to shout back at him seemed to have left her all at once. Her shoulders slumped, her chin dropped once again, and the proud posture she always held just… crumbled. Seth's chest tightened, and his anger slipped away with his next breath.

"I'm sorry," he said, rubbing the side of his neck.

"I shouldn't have gone that far." Elena quickly wiped her cheeks and regained her composure.

"It's fine. You're right. About the Rift… and everything else. I've been lashing out at you for taking action, while I've done nothing myself… even with my House standing behind me." Caught off guard by her sudden self-reflection, Seth froze for a moment before dragging a weary hand through his hair.

"I just feel like I'm the only one who finds this whole situation absurd. As if a single person was responsible for all this. Professor Reat, the Champions of Chaos, you… everyone seems to be fine with this outcome."

"That's not true," Elena answered.

"We all feel the same. But we also know the consequences of handling things the way you're trying to."

"I know them too," Seth retorted.

"Either they'll pay, or I'll get killed. I won't blindly charge in as you said… but I won't just stand back and watch."

"It's not just about you getting killed, Seth," Elena argued, her voice trembling slightly.

"Do you have any idea what happens when people try to force change through violence? It results in crackdowns, not freedom. That's what happened with the last rebellion with the locks of Rift cities! If you kill a noble in broad daylight without a rock-solid self-defense excuse, that might be just the excuse the king needs to execute everyone from your town." Seth paused, a cold chill running down his spine. He opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat.

"They could pass a law saying commoners simply aren't allowed to awaken anymore," Elena continued, pressing her point.

"They could ban you all from the academy, or use guards to constrain small towns into forced labor. It can always be worse." Seth stared at the ground. He had been so focused on his own survival and revenge that he hadn't considered the wider consequences of his actions.

"But there are safer ways to change things," Elena said, her mouth twisting to the side for an instant.

"What if you use the academy to climb in Ranks with me? Once you and I are strong enough, we'll be able to make a real difference. We could still take actions along the way… just on a smaller scale." Seth met her gaze, catching the earnest plea in her eyes. He understood the risks she was talking about, but the thought of waiting years while injustices continued was impossible for him to accept.

"That would take years, Elena. I'm sorry, but I can't sit on my hands for that long," he said.

"But I hear you. I won't be reckless. And I'll make sure to act in a way where no one else pays for my actions."

"But you could still get killed," Elena mumbled, her shoulders drooping again.

"If that happens, at least you won't have to help my dumb ass study," Seth said with a wink, trying to lighten the mood. Seeing a faint smile appear on Elena's lips after a few seconds, he nodded toward the intersection ahead.

"We should get moving if we don't want me to miss my fight."

"Alright." Together, Seth and Elena headed back to the academy through the city's streets, their footsteps echoing against the cobblestones. They took a quick detour to the dorm tower to make a brief stop at Seth's room so he could grab fresh linen clothes to wear under his leather armor—at Elena's insistence. Finally, as they reached the coliseum, their paths separated; Seth headed for the locker room to prepare while Elena left for the spectator stands to join Devus and Jenna.

Inside the dimly lit chamber, Seth quickly removed his leather armor, grimacing at the blood-soaked clothes underneath clinging to his skin. After peeling them off, he tossed them aside, then pulled out fresh ones to put on. The moment he put his dark leather pants back on, Nightmare spoke up through their bond.' I think crimson-hair now wants to mate with you.' Seth remained silent, thinking about Elena's proposal to rise through the Ranks together.

Two months ago, his heart would have skipped five beats at those words, and he would have jumped at the opportunity—now, things were different. Nightmare prodded again.' Too excited to talk?'' No,'Seth finally answered, lacing up his pants.' I just don't think she and I are a good fit. She'd keep trying to hold us back and stop us from doing what needs to be done. It'd be best for me to keep my distance.'' Are you sure about that?' Nightmare asked, his surprise spreading through their bond.' Yeah.

'Seth grabbed his leather armor and slipped inside.' We already have plenty of obstacles ahead.' Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.' If you say so.

'The direwolf sighed, laying down in the beast-holder.' But if you change your mind, I could consider the pros and cons of you mating with her for you.' Seth cracked a smile while putting on his combat gauntlets.' Since when do I need your permission for that?'' We're co-leaders,'Nightmare scoffed.' Without my approval, no one joins the pack.'' Great. I'll keep that in mind.' As Seth finished fastening his leather pants, he glanced down at his hand.

A thought then crossed his mind, and he filled the grooves of Intermediate Identify, realizing that with everything that had happened, he hadn't cast the spell on himself since learning Beastmaster Rage. The familiar pane of words shimmered into his vision.

Seth Class: Primalist Rank: 30 (Low-Iron) Subclass: Beastmaster Core: Feral Instinct [...] Strength: 86 (77+9) Arcane Power: 76 (67+9) Toughness: 75 (68+7) Well Capacity: 59 (52+7) Agility: 90 (80+10) Regeneration: 62 (56+6) Spells: - Link [??? 〜??? (???)] - Share [??? 〜??? (???)] - Phantom Punch [Iron〜Legendary (Standard)] - Beastmaster Rage [Iron〜Epic+ (Decent)] - Fog Shroud [Iron〜Rare (Decent)] - Huntbound Rush [Iron〜Uncommon (Standard)] - Intermediate Identify [Iron〜Common (Standard)] [...] Rank 30.

His mouth twisted slightly, caught between satisfaction and concern. That threshold had stopped countless adventurers for months—sometimes years. Everyone knew that every Ranks ending in "0" were notoriously difficult to break through. Even those which weren't the cap of a Tier. Hopefully it won't be the case for me. Seth's gaze drifted lower across the display, then he froze. His bonus attributes had climbed higher than he'd expected— much higher.

Toughness and Aether Well had both increased by two, and there was no way Nightmare had gained twenty points in each of those. Colossus, he realized. He's already sharing— Before he could dwell on it, his core violently ignited within his chest, sending a strong, intense warning through him—a scream for him to run away, and fast. Within the teardrops of his necklace, Nightmare sprung to his feet while Colossus stirred nervously in his egg.

All of a sudden, the locker room door then creaked open, revealing a large man with a sharp jawline and long blond hair. Seth immediately recognized him: Sergeant Faertis, Lucius' brother.

"Hello, Seth," the man said casually while shutting the door behind him. Seth's eyes narrowed, and his hands rolled into fists.' Don't come out. No matter what happens.'' I won't let that bastard kill you,' Nightmare growled.' He won't risk killing me on the academy's grounds,' Seth answered, his heart pounding in his chest alongside his core.' But you, he could.' As the noble walked closer, his boots echoed ominously against the stones of the floor.

With a loud sigh, the man casually sat on a bench across the room and leaned back.

"Ahh, you must be proud of yourself after everything you've accomplished recently."

"Not particularly, sir," Seth answered with a completely neutral tone.

"You can drop the act," Sergeant Faertis retorted with a smirk.

"We both know you'd kill me right now if you had the strength to." A fake smile appeared on Seth's lips, and his eyes gleamed with defiance.

"Oh no, sir, I would never do such a thing."

"Right." The sergeant's expression suddenly darkened as he leaned forward.

"Where's the communication orb?" Seth feigned ignorance without missing a beat.

"What communication orb are you talking—" Before he could finish, Sergeant Faertis lunged forward. A large golden shield materialized in the man's arm, and the enchanted metal viciously slammed into Seth's face with a loud crunch. The blow hurled him back, his body crashing into the wall with force. Groaning in pain, Seth fell to the ground; pain shot through his back and face while blood dripped from his smashed nose. Inside the necklace, black smoke started billowing from Nightmare's jaw.' I'm coming out!'' No!'

Seth shouted back through their bond.' He'll just kill you!' Sergeant Faertis sneered, standing over him.

"Don't play dumb with me. Where's the orb?"

"I threw it away," Seth spat, struggling to talk through the throbbing pain. The noble burst into laughter before crouching down.

"And why would you have done something like that?"

"I could only see Ronard's name in it," Seth answered.

"The other was concealed. So the thing was useless."

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that?" the sergeant growled.

"A commoner like you, throwing away something so valuable?" Seth cursed inwardly, pushing himself up against the wall to force his body upright. Sergeant Faertis stood back up and began pacing in the locker.

"You know that all this orb will lead to is me getting expelled from the army and the academy?" He's the person behind the question marks, Seth realized. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he managed a defiant smile.

"Oh, really? I'm pretty sure I was told you'd be rotting in prison for at least a few years." Sergeant Faertis charged again and threw a powerful kick into Seth's chest before he could fully get his feet under him, smashing him against the wall once more. Seth let out a half-muffled growl then violently coughed, blood splattering from his mouth as darkness edged into his vision.

"Me? In prison? You're truly stupid. You don't realize how useless all your efforts are," the noble retorted with a laugh that echoed through the locker room.

"By the time the trial even begins, every single witness will be dead." Seth glared at him, wiping blood from his mouth.

"So, you're the one who burned the house?" The sergeant's smile widened.

"Oh, you saw that already? It was Lucius who suggested the idea." A fierce, burning anger rose in Seth's chest as his fists clenched tightly on his side.

"You didn't have to kill them."

"You really think I'd leave any loose ends?" Sergeant Faertis then looked around before turning to Seth with a blood-chilling expression.

"In a day at most, all the rest will be… handled. Just like that weak Primalist you saved who couldn't keep her mouth shut… what was her name? Theodora, right? Chances were she'd never have come to the trial. But I made sure she couldn't."

"Y-you killed her?" Seth shouted, his voice cracking. The noble chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, no. One of my men did. Not me." Blinded with rage, Seth sprang on his feet and lunged forward. Yet before he could even throw a punch, the sergeant's boot rammed into his chest, cracking ribs and hurling him into a wooden bench, which shattered on impact and sent splinters flying. Seth groaned in pain but hauled himself onto his elbows.

"My father may not entirely support me, but some still do." Smiling, the sergeant crouched once more beside him.

"Well, there isn't much time left together, so let's stop playing around and tell me where the orb is. Oh, and please also bring out your direwolf—I want to give it some attention too." Seth spat blood in the noble's face.

"Go to hell." Sergeant Faertis' smirk vanished, and he wiped his face. With a single motion, he grabbed his shield and slammed it down. Seth raised his arms and shielded himself, his bones creaking under the blow. Nightmare's voice thundered inside the necklace.' I'll kill him!'' No!' Seth shouted back.

"Bring out your direwolf!" the sergeant screamed.' Seth!' Nightmare roared.' No!' Gritting his teeth, Seth forced all his will onto his necklace and formed a barrier with his consciousness to restrain any aether from coming out. As Nightmare started fighting to come out, Colossus joined him and began pushing his defensive aether through his own hazel teardrop.

"Are you deaf?" Losing patience, the sergeant raised his shield again and swung his shield down with more force, hitting Seth's left arm again and snapping his forearm. A guttural scream tore from Seth's throat and his face twisted in pain as he clutched his broken limb, struggling to keep both Nightmare and Colossus' aether contained. Sergeant Faertis growled in frustration and reached for Seth's necklace.

"I'll just take your damn beast-holder, then." Seth's eyes widened, and he immediately tried to push the man away with his uninjured arm. Smirking, the sergeant grasped Seth's hand and viciously yanked it backward, breaking his index and middle fingers with a sickening crack. Seth howled in agony, struggling to pull his hand free.

"Fight as much as you want, it won't—" Yet the moment the noble's fingers grazed the necklace's teardrop, a violent surge of unknown, bestial aether burst out, taking both Seth and the man aback. In a flash, the energy pounced like a predator, searing through Sergeant Faertis' hand with a blistering, scorching heat. A piercing scream ripped through the man's mouth while he staggered back, clutching his forearm, where smoke curled from the charred flesh.

"What was that noise?!" a muffled voice shouted from the corridor outside. The Sergeant froze, his eyes darting toward the door. He couldn't risk a scene right now.

"You filthy bastard," the man hissed, glaring at Seth.

"You'll pay for this." Then, without another word, he stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him. Seth slumped against the cold stone wall behind him, pain flaring through his broken ribs with each breath. Theodora… soon the others and Selena. He had fought with everything he had against injustice—and it hadn't made no difference. All those risks. All that pain. And the Faertis still won in the end.'

You should have let me out,' Nightmare growled from within the necklace, his anger spreading through their bond.' No,'Seth retorted dryly.' You would have been killed.' The direwolf snarled.' I'd rather be dead than watch you get beaten up like that.' Seth closed his eyes, knowing he'd done the right thing. If he had let the direwolf come out the man would have killed Nightmare in seconds. The gap between them was gigantic. Seth and Nightmare both were mere insects beneath the sergeant's boots.

A deep, primal surge gradually flowed out of Seth's core, causing his golden eyes to snap open.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself upright, every movement sending knives of agony through his broken bones—but he stood. They might be weak now, but it wouldn't always be the case. Sooner or later, they would rise and stand at the top of the food chain. They would be the predator. And those nobles? They would become the prey. As long as he breathed, he would get back on his feet and fight. Following his Path and thriving—until he became the boot and they became the insects.