Chapter 181: Plans
Severin watched them without saying anything. He could feel the change in them, and that brought him satisfaction. He didn't know what their experience was in the 'Etherion space', but he was sure it was something that must have changed them somehow.
It had changed him as well. It changed the way he looked at some things, and it also got him thinking about his path to the future concerning power.
Severin ate and turned ideas around in his mind while the others spoke without sharing their experiences as well.
After a long time, Miret cleared his throat. "I believe it's time to talk about the reason you did the training in the first place. Yes, it's to become better fighters, but it's also because of my duel with the others that'll be happening soon."
That got Severin's attention, and he lifted his head. "When is it happening?"
"This week. You guys spent five weeks in the caskets, and I have to keep delaying it."
Everyone paused.
Five weeks? They spent that much time?
Severin felt a chill because everything that happened to him shouldn't be more than an hour or so. How then did it take five weeks?
He decided not to think about it.
From the look of it, seems the others weren't surprised that they spent that long. It was only Severin that experienced something like that.
'...maybe it's because of the dreaming...'
"Who are we fighting?" Severin asked.
"A team of six. The same Advancement Stage rank, Refined, as you guys. They're a combination of top students from the academies."
Severin looked up with a grimace. "Don't tell me Zenith Hero Academy is part of the academies?"
Miret looked at him curiously. "Why, is there someone you don't want to fight?"
Derrick chimed in. "Nobody wants to fight Lucas Dawn. Even among the S-ranked. He's on a rank of his own."
Miret raised his brows. "Is that so."
Julius smirked. "Judging from your tone, you must have heard of him and maybe even tried to get him to your side, but it mustn't have worked too well."
Miret scowled and waved his hand. "He's not part of those you are fighting. No Zenith Hero students are."
At this stage, Severin wasn't afraid of a direct fight with Lucas Dawn. Rather, he was wary of what was inside him. From his understanding now, Severin was sure that thing is even more powerful than a god.
Maybe even more than a God.
"So. I want you guys to get ready for the fight. Don't lose." Miret was looking at Severin as he said that. "Each team should be made of five members, so one of you guys will have to step down for the fight."
"Why? It's not like we'll be fighting one on one. It's team against team. Why don't they fight anyway?" Derrick said.
Miret cleared his throat. "Actually, there were eight of them. The rules were made so that there would be fairness. And it would also give you chances to get the best on the team."
The House members shared a look.
Celia broke the ice. "Who's going to step down?"
They looked at each other and saw the reluctance. Everyone was looking forward to a good fight. After all the training, they needed to let off some steam.
Severin smiled. "I won't be fighting."
He did promise them a good training experience for their holiday.
The team members looked at him swiftly. They had all shed the notion of Severin and weakness. So they were surprised when they heard that he didn't want to fight.
"Are you sure?" Julius asked.
Severin nodded. "I trust you guys to handle it."
Derrick snorted. "Or you're just afraid of a fight."
Others glared at him, and he threw his hands up. "Come on, Severin was the weakest among us, and we all know he likes using us."
Severin shrugged. "There is simply no need for me to fight here, unless I can't trust my House members to represent me well?"
Silence returned to the table.
Derrick huffed. "You know we'll do our damn best."
The others nodded along.
But Severin shook his head. "No. I want you to beat them so soundly. An overwhelming victory. Because, ladies and gentlemen, this is the first step of House Chains into the outside world."
Severin's voice was low and casual, but it made their eyes gleam with killing intent. They were ready for fighting.
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They spent the remainder of their week just lazing around. It turned out there wasn't really much to do in an 'independent prison'. The prisoners gave them bad looks wherever they were seen, and the whole aura of Isolde Dusk was bleak with sadness.
They didn't train.
They gave their bodies time to rest, and so they just slept most of the time.
For most of them.
Severin and Julius spent their days trying to know what was happening outside the prison, which was harder than it seemed. Isolde Dusk being where it was made it difficult for messages to pass across without detection.
But Julius did receive some messages from the spies he was using and learned that Darius Faulkner hadn't left the Academy at all since the beginning of the holiday.
They couldn't tell if he was planning anything though, as he just went about his day normally, accepting visitors and hosting academic gatherings.
There was nothing to indicate he's a fucking bastard.
Severin wasn't convinced. "You know, Julius, if Darius was seen in the capital and accepting secret meetings, then I wouldn't be very concerned. Not as I am now.
"But when your enemy starts pretending as if everything is good, when they start acting as if you did not step on their toes and smash their heads, that's exactly when you should be more worried because it means they've cornered you and don't want to spook you.
"Julius, I think we might have just driven ourselves into a corner by coming to Isolde Dusk."
Julius didn't reply for a long time. Then, "I think you might be right, House Leader."