In two different enchanted arenas of The Academy, one group of over 200 humans and one group of over 100 demis both received the same message from Headmaster Erion himself.

"My disciples Lone and Sophie have been granted permission to alter the rules of your challenges issued against them considering the special circumstances. In exactly 1-week they shall be holding a contest. The details of the contest are as follows: Every member of The Wanderers shall fight against all challengers who sign up to fight against them one by one. For each defeated Wanderer, every challenger will be rewarded with 1 ruby-gold coin. Lethal force is allowed during the challenge, though Lone and Sophie guarantee that The Wanderers will only be using non-lethal force."

Just this alone was enough to shock the two groups in the two different arenas to recoil in shock, but there was more.

"After this event, the rules to the challenges issued to my disciples shall be changed. Should you challenge them together, a limit of 150 people may fight them. Additionally, only 1 large-scale challenge may take place per month as well as only 4 individual challenges."

The headmaster's tone turned serious and a large amount of disappointment could be heard in his next words.

"My disciples are strong, but they are not undefeatable. It is impossible to express how much my pride as The Academy's headmaster has been damaged upon learning that you thought the only way to win against my disciples was to gather an army. They are people like you or I and they cannot afford to be wasting so much time every day on being challenged endlessly by what amounts to what is essentially armies."

A variety of shame and anger filled the two separate arenas.

Erion's next message was exclusively spoken to the humans in the larger arena.

"What do you gain by winning through numbers? Personal satisfaction? Student Lone may seem arrogant and rude beyond comprehension, but he is more than willing to help you learn and grow through fighting with him if you show him some respect."

The over 200 humans wore embarrassed expressions on their faces. Were it any old person saying that then they could brush it off, however, this was Headmaster Erion himself.

Arrogance and wilful ignorance had realistic limits. Even the sons and daughter of royalty had to bow their heads in shame at the pointed words of the Divine directly addressing them.

His calm and soft yet crystal clear voice echoed once more, however, this time, he was directly speaking to the gathered demis in the smaller arena.

"I see my opinion of you children and of your ability to make wise decisions was misguided. I expect better from you all in the future."

Those words... they hurt more than a blade to the chest. Even with the difference in species, being so directly reprimanded by a glorious Divine and one who was so well-known for his efforts towards establishing total equality between the sapient species... Well, it made the gathered demi mages feel like they had betrayed Headmaster Erion.

Now, he spoke to both groups again.

"Would your loved ones be proud of you to know that you are wasting such a valuable opportunity simply by trying to satiate your wounded egos? To bolster your racially-charged mindsets? To establish your superiority over my personal disciples? To win the hand of a girl who has already promised her entire self to another? If your answer to any of those questions is a 'yes', then, young students, you do not belong in The Academy."

With that said, Headmaster Erion stopped using his peculiar magic to transmit his voice, leaving the pupils to ponder over his words and to reflect on them.

"I'm sorry, old friend, but I really do not know of whom you speak," a being made entirely of clouds - a Timbus, one of the most powerful evolutions of the nimbi, a reclusive monster species - said sadly as it floated on the edge of a cliff.

"If you truly are not speaking of the Primals, then I and my people cannot assist you in your search. Our great heritage says nothing of these 'true gods' or of the ones you call 'Clicker', 'Tapper', and 'Flicker'," the cloud said.

Lipsilk smiled and nodded. "Thank you anyway for seeing me. Too many of my old acquaintances have refused me an audience. I'm happy to know that you don't hide behind your Divinity as an excuse to avoid me like they did."

"You cannot blame them, old friend," the cloudy being replied. "While intrigue boils within them regarding the late Ele'hunda, fear clouds their minds. Yhtmagobla was the continent's most powerful practitioner of necromancy magic and contract magic. It's reasonably unreasonable of them to fret over what his soul may be capable of even in death. Ancients are not forces to be underestimated."

Lipsilk laughed. "Nyehehe. Fools is what they are. I've already made it public that we killed the Ancient in both body and soul. Ele'hunda's death wasn't in vain."

"I understand, old friend." The Timbus floated underneath Lipsilk's legs and lifted him off of the ground. "It has been a while so I was wondering if you would care to explore an X-ranked dungeon or two. For old time's sake?"

"I don't see why not," Lipsilk happily answered as he smiled. "I could use a break. I'm starting to wonder if these 'true gods' even exist. If it wasn't Lone that sent me on this quest and if it wasn't him that had told me they were definitely real, then I'd be certain that I'd been sent on a goose chase round about now."

"What is wrong with a goose chase, old friend? Does a goal require meaning or substance to be worthwhile? If anything, your new task has brought about our reunion, and of that, I am grateful." Unlike most Divines that grew detached from the world upon their ascension to Divinity, this little cloud was still very much so connected to its earthy bonds.

"Nyehehe, that's certainly tr-"

"Lipsilk?" Lone's voice suddenly rolled out of the fairy's earring, surprisingly both him and the Divine he was riding.

"An interesting item you have there, old friend," the Timbus said, but it didn't inquire further. It wasn't a nosy Divine.

"Lone?" Lipsilk asked as he put a finger on the tiny gem embedded into his accessory. "Is something wrong?"

They usually only spoke after Lipsilk was done meeting a powerful contact and had a solid verdict over whether they knew about the true gods or not, so being called like this unexpectedly had surprised the million-year-old fairy.

"Yo. Are you and Elder Talion busy in a week? I'm gathering all of The Wanderers' members for a big ol' magic showdown. You, me, the other members. And our opponents? I'm guessing at least a thousand fledgeling mages, tonnoes of adventurers, maybe the kids of a few Divines, even. We're not allowed to use any lethal force, but they are. Sounds like a party, right?" Lone's words resulted in the Divine cloud monster chuckling faintly.

"What an interesting child. You said he was not even 30-years of age yet? I can see his threads of destiny from here. Accept his invitation, would you? Assuming you were thinking of saying no. I wish to witness this 'showdown', as he called it," the Timbus requested with a polite tone.

"Are you with someone right now? I can kind of hear them, though they're pretty fuckin' quiet. Sorry if I was interrupting anything. I'll call you later if that suits you better, Lipsilk," Lone said a bit rudely, but the genuine tone in his voice was unmistakable.

Lipsilk chuckled. "Actually, yes, I'm currently enjoying a lovely afternoon at the Towering Cliffs of Bobesh with Divine Thread."

"Divine Thread? That's a strange Divine title. Are they, like, a heavenly tailor? No, wait, seamstress? That's kind of romantic, isn't it?" Lone asked in interest.

"Haha, this shall be entertaining, no doubt," Divine Thread - so named due to its ability to see threads of destiny - chuckled.

"Ya really are a box filled with endless surprises, aren't ya?" Sarah said with a warm grin spread across her lips.

"Sure am, though be careful of shoving your hand inside. Who knows what surprise will pop out to scare you?" Lone jokingly responded.

"Hah, the only thing I'll stick myself into it a smokin' hot chick," Sarah retorted.

The foxkin sat across from her chuckled faintly at that. " Well, anyway, more seriously, they're the ones who raised an army, I'm just using what I have to make things a little bit fairer."

"Inviting a famous triple-X-ranker to be on your team is considered fair these days?" Sarah teased.

"A supposedly cursed triple-X-ranker. Don't forget about the cursed thing," Lone spat out a bit bitterly.

"Yeah, that. I'll throw my weight around a bit to dispel that rumour. Divines are a very superstitious lot. Anything that relates to the Primals or the Ancients is like the fuckin' plague to the twats," Sarah said casually.

"Thanks, that's nice of you, but yeah, you'd think they'd have a spine or two since they've become Divines," Lone noted.

Sarah shrugged. "Ya'd think, huh? Well, few things can kill a Divine, but the things that can snuff them out, well, they scare 'em more than anything else in existence. Immortality can be addictive on such a magical and mysterious planet."

"I suppose," Lone said. "Anyway, you called me here for a reason, right?"

Sarah nodded and grinned. "Right. I got off track a bit what with Erion making your contest a public invitation for participatin', viewin' and bettin' purposes. I'm looking forward to seeing a few of the braver Divines making an appearance. Apparently this country's king who you'll be meeting in 5-months is gonna show up too. Three of his little shits are taking part, after all."

Lone rolled his eyes. "I really don't give a fuck."

"C'mon, Lone. There's no harm in idle conversation," the exceedingly muscular woman claimed. Regardless, she got to the point of her actual reason for summoning him.

"Here," the grand guildmaster said as she reached into her desk and then slid a sheet of parchment over to the seated foxkin.

Lone read its content then frowned. "Really?" He reread it to be sure that he hadn't misunderstood the contents.

'We, Archduke Mikael Rivion, lord of the Archduchy of Rivion, servant only to King-Emperor Justinal Margrace, formally invite you, famous adventurer and skilled warrior, Lone Immortus, to our decennial ball which shall be hosted on the 15th Sun of the 7th Moon at our esteemed palace in Rivion's capital, Rendon.

We have reason to believe that a powerful criminal organisation is targeting our fair daughter who is coming of age, and we would ask you to act as a humbled guest while your real goal is to oust these wrong-doers and see them brought to justice.

We are aware of your forthcoming nature and your disposition towards those our own ilk - nobles - however, we know a talented individual when we see one. No one but yourself is more suited for the task at hand.

We ask of you to bring no one with you. Come alone and come prepared. We have attached a note of the planned activities for the event so that you do not show yourself up.

Do as we have requested, famed adventurer, and we shall shower you in riches. Simply inform us of what you desire and we shall make it so.

Yours sincerely,

Archduke Mikael Rivion, lord of the Archduchy of Rivion, servant only to King-Emperor Justinal Margrace'

Lone reached around the back of the parchment and found the mentioned attached note. "A contest of strength, a talent show, a paired dancing contest, a display of wealth... What the fuck is this?"

"Hahahahaha!" Sarah was loving Lone's confusion. "I knew you'd act like that. Well, just do the quest, yeah? I'll file it as an SS-ranked one, so that'll finish up your side of the bargain, right?" she offered.

Lone's eyebrow moved to form an expression of suspicion. "What's the catch? A human archduke of a kingdom that illegally allows demi slavery under the board wants me, a very prolific demi, to attend his once-a-decade ball as an honoured guest while secretly working as a bodyguard for his daughter? Everyone present who thinks that this reeks of bullshit, raise your hand."

Lone's hand shot for the sky. Sarah just burst out into another round of laughter as she clutched her stomach.

"Just go do it, would ya? Ya'll be doin' me a favour. Also, the archduke has a habit of giving out rewards to people that win his ball's little competitions, so ya might get a fancy new toy on top of whatever ya get for doin' the quest," Sarah claimed.

Lone ran his hand through his hair as he scowled. "This smells like; A, a waste of time, and B, like a fuckin' trap. Why do I have to go alone? Why me specifically, and not a Sin or another powerful adventurer from one of the other gem-plated adventurer groups?"

A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Fine, whatever. I'll go. If it'll get you to tell me whatever 'left' meant, then fine. I swear to God though, you better not have been pulling my leg in regards to that, Sarah. Divine or not, muscle head or not, I'll beat the shit out of you. We're friends, but I'll still kick your ass if you've been playing me for a fool."

"C'mon, do I look like a liar to ya?" Sarah said as her chiselled face took on an innocent and wounded expression.

Lone shrugged. "Anyone can lie if and when they need to."

Sarah smiled widely. "True 'nuff. D'ya need help finding formal attire? I happen to know a tailor that can make clothes just one step shy of being artefacts. I'll recommend ya if ya want."

The foxkin shook his head. "I'll manage on my own. The ball isn't for another 2-months, so I think I'll focus on my upcoming battle contest instead. At least I know exactly how that'll turn out."

"Fair, fair," Sarah laughed before Lone exited her office, leaving only her in it. "Well, the wheels are in motion. Now, it's only a matter of time... Anyone can lie, huh? I certainly hope that isn't true, all things considered."