Just as Kira had defeated the Fighter-class beast, one of the houses inside the capital glowed. Nobody noticed it, and nobody would care much if they did. It was a run-down house and most of the houses near it were vacated. From that glow, an arrow appeared and shot through the roof at untold speeds.

It was silent but traveled many times faster than the speed of sound. There were no sonic booms, it didn't travel through the air, it pierced through it. This arrow was so fast that nobody in the capital could see it as it traveled towards the place where the beasts were being slain by Kira and his group.

As everyone was focused on Kira who had just removed the Fighter-class beast's head, the arrow arrived. It didn't head towards any of the beasts, but the crevice that the beasts came from. If anyone were to witness it, they'd marvel at the strange sight. The arrow which should have stopped at the first obstacle avoided it.

It was insanely agile, whenever it would hit an obstacle, it would curve and if need be, make a hard turn towards the sides. It was as if it was lightning being redirected by a lightning rod. Not only did it dodge obstacles, but it also moved towards tiny gaps like a snake.

The arrow traveled for at least two or three minutes before reaching a huge pocket of space. And within that pocket of space underground, there were beasts. Not just tens or hundreds, even a thousand is calling it a meager amount. The arrow was connected to Kai's vision and he couldn't quite tell with just the sight from the arrow because it was moving at supersonic speeds, but there were hundreds of thousands of beasts in there. Perhaps there might even be a million.

If Kai was there personally, his left eye could most likely find out how many beasts there are gathered here.

Once the arrow arrived at the center of the space, it split apart into a hundred pieces. These fragments were very tiny but as if they had a mind of their own, they separated themselves with quite the distance between each one and embedded themselves into the floor.

Each fragment began to glow and rays of light shot up into the sky. At first, the light only formed a small magic circle but it quickly grew several times in size.

Normally, it would be impossible for an arrow to split into a hundred pieces, even if Kai were to manufacture it himself. When he was being trained at the forest, Reo had also taught him about runes and with it, what would normally be impossible became possible.

He could make heavy sword lighter than a feather at one moment and heavier than a truck at another, he can also make frail wooden arrows pierce through steel. With the knowledge Reo gave him and his own experience over it, he managed to create this arrow that not only contained a magic circle, it could also give him vision, guide itself, and split apart.

If the world were to know the existence of an arrow such as this, wars would be fought. In truth, the existence of archers had dwindled by quite a bit over the years. That was only natural, compared to using arrows, magic was far stronger. In the battlefield, most resources would be used to acquire mages and knights rather than archers.

When the magic called Barrier was created, arrows became far less efficient in battle. When creating an Enchanted Gear, the weapons needed to be inscribed; bows weren't an exception. But the arrows shot from the bows weren't enchanted, they'd have to be done so separate from the bow.

Finding someone who can make an Enchanted Gear was hard enough but to have them inscribe on dozens of arrows was impossible. In the first place, the runes had to be perfect otherwise the weapon would become even more worthless than one without an enchantment.

Only Kai would be able to do something like this. Perhaps in the past, when Ancient Gears could still be made, people who could do something like this weren't rare in the least but now that the quality of people who could use runes degraded and even most of the runes that Reo had taught Kai was all but lost, only he'd be able to do it.

For Kai, creating Enchanted Gear and using runes was as simple as a walk in the park. With the chance to study the degraded runes and some understanding of ancient runes from the scabbard of an Ancient Gear, if Kai were to claim to be the second best, no person would dare claim to be the first.

The magic circle created from runes illuminated the darkness of the cave and those who were hit by the light began growling and howling at the beasts surrounding them. In response, those beasts that were growled at glared at the ones who were hit by the light.

If Kai had to use one word to describe the scene that he had caused—chaos would be the word he'd use.

The beasts tore each other apart, it didn't matter if they were of the same race or the same kin, none of the beasts bathed by the light discriminated against who to kill.

Mental Pressure, a skill that he had underestimated and hadn't had the chance to use in his two lives. If he could do something like this all the time, then it would be quite terrifying. During the tournament, he was limited to giving suggestions to the brain but he couldn't influence them too much.

The mind of beasts without much ability to think was easily manipulated and that was the only reason he could do something of this scale. But if someday, Kai could manage to control humans, then let alone being a force that can match a country, he'd be a force that can rival a continent.

If he had something like this during the war, then perhaps the casualties wouldn't have been that bad. Though it wouldn't help against the fight with the Demon King and the King of Gods, or even the fallen hero, he'd at least be able to save more people.

Kai smiled bitterly as Anne opened the door to the principal's office.

"You head inside, I felt a disturbance caused by magic somewhere off-campus. I'll go ahead and check it out."

As expected of an S-class, she managed to sense that explosion even though it was so far away. Though, Kai was counting on her to sense it after all. When Kai used the teleportation circle, he used a huge amount of mana and Anne would definitely have sensed it but with the explosion, he managed to cover it up.

Of course, just a fireball wouldn't have enough magic power to surpass the magic circle. That's why Kai used both a teleportation circle and a fireball.

The arrow made of iron sand that Kai made contained runes, one for the destination of a teleportation circle and one to stab into the walls.

When the arrow landed, the teleportation activated. Once the fireball went through, Kai made the iron sand disperse and stab into the walls using Malleable, a skill that took advantage of metal properties. If he had used a normal arrow, someone may find traces and creating a rune to disappear would leave traces, that's why he used iron sand, it was normally found on the ground.

With the damage left behind by Malleable and the explosion, it was normal to assume one of two things; it was either that there was a struggle that ended with a fireball or a weapon was used and the shrapnel left damage on the walls.

Once he was sure that Anne had left, Kai opened the door and walked into the room. He didn't want Anne to hear about Superbia, he hadn't told her about it during the interrogation. If even people from his kingdom didn't know, why would he let Anne know?

"Greetings, principal."

Kai spoke as he entered the door.

"I mind not formalities, sit down and speak."

Kai didn't stand in ceremony, he followed the principal's instructions and sat down on the chair opposite the principal's desk. Normally, the chair wouldn't be there but it seemed to have been placed just for Kai. The two sofas facing each other—sideways from the principal's desk was normally where the guests would sit.

On top of the desk was a chess board—a product of Superbia—with all the pieces in their proper starting places.

"Is this your first time seeing one of these? It's one of the products of a company from another continent."

Although judging by the state of the world, chess would be invented within the next century, Kai quickened the pace. The price for each unit was quite cheap but because of the logic required to play the game, it was mostly a game for the nobility and the educated which a huge majority of citizens weren't part of.

"To request a meeting with me, I can tell that it isn't for greetings. I believe in the principle that those who wish to do business need to use their heads."

Hence the chessboard, his gestures showed.

Kai sat down on the chair silently and took the first move. He had the white side while the principal had the black side.

"It looks like you are familiar with this activity. In the entire year that I've searched and searched for opponents, I've only found three who had heard of this game before but you are the first to know the rules."

A smile crept up on the principal's aged face as he made his own move.

"We can do business while playing."

Kai nodded.

"I'd like a permit for a company."

He said after thinking about his move for a few seconds.

"A permit to create or a permit for a place?"

It took the principal a minute before moving a piece and answering.

"A permit to signify that the academy allows my business to exist and spread."

Kai answered instantly while making his move.

"You are quite strange, you already own a company at your age? Mind if I hear the name?"

"Superbia."

The principal's eyes widened and he quickly thought of a move to talk. The two of them only talked as they made their moves meaning that they would stagnate if they didn't make a move.

"You're the owner of that mysterious company?"

The principal inquired.

"No, I'm one of the executives. The owner had asked me to set up a meeting with you and discuss some terms, hoping that you'd accept us in this continent."

Kai responded.

"I don't recall our school interfering with business matters like this."

We don't do these sorts of deals was what the principal's eyes were saying.

"Indeed, but in the end, your school has even more power than a kingdom. For a business like this, a word from you would stop any and all forms of trade in this continent."

Meaning that the permit Kai asked for was not a permit to promote them being sponsored by the academy, it was a permit to let them thrive on their own, without the academy's interference.

"I am not against foreign businesses setting up inside the continent but, to grant you a permit like this, what would the academy's compensation be?"

—now was the time for the real negotiation.

Kai and the principal talked back and forth, answering the other's queries, capturing the other's pieces on the chessboard.

It took them quite a while, dusk was arriving soon but one side on the board only had a king left.

"Checkmate."

Kai spoke.

"...I was defeated."

But the principal's face wasn't one of dejection, it was one of joy.

"I'll agree to your terms."

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Kai held out his hand, the principal took his without hesitation.

"Let's have another match sometime."

"Yes, it was quite challenging to face someone of your level, I have a lot to improve on to win another time."

Kai stood up and walked to the door before bidding farewell with a bow.

Once he left, Kai wiped the sweat on his forehead.

That was insanely close...

In truth, Kai wasn't good at chess. It was just that with his superior senses and with the functionality of his left eye, he foresaw all of the possible moves of all the pieces on the board. It took him minutes to think of a possible move with all the possibilities but even with that, the principal had nearly defeated him many times.

As expected of a turtle. Kai walked away after wiping his sweat.

The principal was part-turtle, he had lived for more than a hundred years yet still had the body of an elderly man. Although he didn't retain his youthful appearance, he still had a long life ahead of him.

With this, I only have one thing left to settle in the academy.

With William dealt with by the chairman and Superbia's permit secured, Kai only had one problem left.

—The Soul Thief.