Note: "lllllllllllll " - for direct conversation.

'lllllllllllll '- for indirect conversation

lllllllllllll - for inner thoughts

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Chapter Fifteen: Incoming Storm

'Looks like your princess has arrived, stupid kid.' Ignavus said, grinning at him.

'she's not my princess!'

'Oh why you're face was heating up? Do you have a fever Rick?'

'I-idiot! It's because of the hot weather!' Rick reasoned.

'Is that's so? Even though your immune to high temperature, yet your feeling hot? That's... '

'Arghh! Let's just greet them!' he interrupt, as he straightend himself and wave towards his friends to caught their attention.

Its good to be damn alive. Come to think of it, could I be able to touch another ghost? Nevermind, it was too rare for a ghost to appear anyway. Ignavus suddenly thought.

Tania, Lily and Ascathon saw him and headed towards his direction.

"looks who's here. The knight in shining armor." Lily said.

"Sh-shu-shut up! Lily!" Tania exclaimed as her face reddened.

"Knight in shining armour?" Rick dumbly asked as he tilted his head.

"Oh~ you want to know? He was..."

"Lily, I said shut up." she said imperatively stern.

"Aah, I didn't said anything!..." she said immediately as she saw Tania's face.

"Good..."

"But... even though you're angry, your cuteness overload! Kyaa! Let me hug you!" Lily said and firmly hugged the struggling to break free from get arm.

"hahaha, okay let's register now and gather information about the Ruins." Ascathon said to the two girls as they continue on what they're doing. He looked at Rick and asked. "Rick, why don't we join hands again?"

"Sure, I'm waiting for you three to conquer the ruins with you, anyway."

"Oh so you're waiting for us in whole one week?"

"Yeah, that's what teacher Seigehart said, that it would be one week before you gone out the temporal dimension. Thus, I did many quest in whole 6 days. Then, only do quest near the city so I could check out on you guys."

"hey, you two let's go or we'll leave you here." Ascathon said as the two followed and they entered the City, ignoring the guards, which only indifferently looked at them and continue inspecting the goods of the merchant caravans.

While the merchants only looked at them; Annoyed that they need to line up for inspection while the students of the academy didn't.

The guards didn't need to, because once they saw the ring on their hands, as well as the uniform, they already knew they're genuinely a students of the academy and not impostors who steal rings from the students, because it was impossible to do so.

For once the ring given by the academy got snatched away, once it leaves their finger, it would be destroyed automatically.

"Wow~ so this is the yellow leaf city. All the leaves of the plants at the side walks are all Yellow. How peculiar, this kind of place didn't exist outside." Lily mused.

"Right, but how did the leaves became yellow? Not even a single one is green or brown." Tania added.

"No one knows what or why it has become like this. The only things is, any plant you planted, if the plant's leaf are originally green or other colors, no matter what it will turn into yellow." Rick said, sating their curiosity.

"Hmm... Truly bizarre, yet beautiful." Ascathon as he examined a leaf in his hand. Even if plucked out, the leaf didn't turned into any color. As many fallen leaves were scattered at all streets.

"That's not all, wait until twilight. You will be surprise to what you'll see." Rick said which peeked their attention.

"Okay, let's register then eat outside to watch the setting of the sun! Rick can you take us to the adventurers association building?" Tania asked as she looked at other direction.

Rick don't know why she's avoiding his gaze and only shrugged his shoulder and answer. "Sure, follow me this way."

And so they followed. As they walked towards the center of the city, Lily and Ascathon smile wryly as they looked at the two, happily talking to each other.

As they walked all people they passed by would only glance at them and go back to their own businesses. It was really a normal occurrence to them, but after all they're from Gaia's Heart Academy, the academy who gave them a wonderful life in the realm.

Although, they didn't revered the students, they still held an anticipation that they would be someone whose name would resound through the whole world, because they're tought by Seigehart.

Who didn't know the preparator of the strange occurrence in Yellow Leaf City? Even though they didn't know Seigehart was the creator of the realm. They were extremely grateful to him, because of what he gave to them.

He tought them the importance of the yellow leaves. The hidden properties of the yellow substance that came from the leaves of every plants within the city, which could be made into an [Golden Blood Potion], an extremely potent healing salve.

Though, it couldn't regrew cut off limbs, it could take any man from the door step of death, with only one small bottle.

It is the city's product that they export from another city to another, and sell it to the adventures. After all, the beasts in Gaia's realm were all strong, completely different from outside and chances of being injured at collecting material from beasts were high.

As they arrived at the huge infrastructure before them, Rick suddenly felt an extremely ominous gaze. As he felt a jolt of danger from his surroundings, that made him frantically looked in every direction, which agitate his friends.

"Rick, what is it?" Tania asked. As concern was evident in his friends faces.

Shaking his head, Rick send a mental message to Ignavus. 'Ignavus, don't come out, and cautiously watch our surroundings.'

'Don't worry, leave it to me.' Ignavus assured to him, which made him slightly signed in relief.

He smiled to his friends and said. "No, it's nothing. Let's go and register you app as am adventurer and form our party!"

As they thought anything won't go wrong, the storm that brewed had started to move.

The Orbital Tower Sect, Orion Sect, Gold Arcaide Academy, Violet Water Sect, Divine Lightning Sect had already issued a petition against the Gaia's Heart Academy to be punished by the Law of Underground Haven, under the jurisdiction of The Law Order.

Currently, the leaders of each institution were at the [Mountain of Authority], which where the Headquarter of The Law Order located. They were the one who personally issued it, to exhibit their unity about the matter.

As to make the matter of the petition be more essential to The Law Order. They planned on enticing one of the Five High Officials of the great benefits of the Gaia's realm had.

Of course, they already had an strong cards on their hands, as well as right strategy for the matter. As they still hadn't know how strong the expert behind the Gaia's Heart Academy was.

They personally passed the petition to the most easily bewitch person, Arialan Hubhab, the Fifth High Official. As he was known for being pretentious and susceptible.

Though, he had such disdainful character, he was still an important official and strength to back up his words.

"It's really a rare sight to see bunch of sect leaders and academy headmasters here at my place. So, what king of bad air lead you all here?" Arialan said mockingly as he grinned amusingly.

"The bad air is the Gaia's Heart Academy. Their monopolization of the newly found hidden realm at their territory." Orbital Tower sect patriarch Golou said, bluntly hitting the bottom of the lake.

"Oh what's with the second rate academy? That news you brought was already know to all people. Who didn't know it? Though, I wandered, what's the Gaia's realm looks like." Arialan said as he imagined a lecherous paradise.

"Inside the realm was an environment with dense energy and hidden places surpassed that Ancient continent's Labyrinth of Zor." Violet Water sect matriarch Cindi said, as they felt an domineering pressure from behind.

Even Golou the strongest amongst them wasn't unable to make an emotionless complexion. It only means that this person was way more stronger than him.

"Don't said that word leisurely, Cindi. It might cause you, your death, Be wary." said by an middle aged man in blue and black leather tunic, with low voice but powerful enough to be heard.

"High Official Straz!" they all greeted.

"first brother Straz, you've come. I'd expected it anyway. Hehe... I know you'll visit me after you found out about them." Arialan said smiling, while Sigeil silently nodded and Arialan offered him a seat.

As Sigeil seated, his eyes quietly scrutinized them, as he close his eyes and said. "You wanted to use the Law of Underground Haven to enter the Gaia's realm? What a brainy bunch. We'll take action immediately. This hidden expert you talked about has only mediocre strength. I could destroy his barrier." he said and walked out.

"Arialan, arrange everything we'll personally go to the Gaia's realm. I want to see how powerful this hidden expert truly is." he said before stepping out the room.

As the leaders heard it, amused smile appeared in their faces, as their plan worked and only needed to wait for the good results.

"Okay, you can leave now. I have things to do. We'll contact you immediately when, everything is ready." Arialan said and the leaders bowed and leave, satisfied of what the outcome was...

Meanwhile, at the academy. Seigehart is currently training a bunch of Sage rank students.

"Now sit in meditative position and enter a trance into your sea of consciousness." Seigehart and the students complied.

"You'll see an unstable and endless thin stream of light, stretched all over your consciousness. As it flail, a spark could be seen in collision of some parts, that stream of light is your Battle Experiences."

"As you see, some parts of the light particles have an different difficulty of knots. The more light particles were entangled, the more difficult it is to unbind. As you unbind the knots, some memories of your past battles will randomly flash in your mind giving you insights. This is the initial stage of Sage rank. Now, count the knots and tell me how many what you see." Seigehart said.

Then after a minutes someone opened his eyes and raised his hand.

"I have over 1890, teacher. Is it too many? This would take a lot of time." he said the latter in low tone, but still heard by Seigehart. After it followed by other students.

"teacher, I have 2509."

"1693"

"500"

"Only 500!? Isn't that small!?" said by someone.

"4806"

"That's a lot..." someone's remarked.

"10093" said by someone, which caught the attention of others, for being huge number.

"Umm... How come mine is too many than others?"

"That's seems would take a lot of time..." they all said.

"Umm... I have 390..."

"Eh!? Too small!? How come!?"

"Now, Quiet down." Seigehart said as the noise ceased and Seigehart continued to his explanation.

"The numbers of knots are inversely proportional to your foundation. As I said before, the more parts were entangled the more difficult it is to unbind. Now, you all tell me the smallest number of parts that were entangle at once." Seigehart asked.

Then, the students entered their sea of consciousness and counted the parts. After a minute, one by one opened their eyes and answered. "mine is 5 different parts. teacher."

"Mine is 2..."

"Mine too"

......

"Mine is 3"

"Mine is 4"

"As you all noticed. The lower the number of knots, the more parts are tangled together. As the knots signifies, the emotional, physical and spiritual conflicts you encountered on every battle. While others have more numbers, it only means they encountered many conflicts than others, while those with less numbers encountered less. As those with less had an even more solid foundation, than those with more."

"Now, try to unbind one knot with smallest number of parts. Let's see how much time you'll need to complete one. Remember, don't haste. This process is a little bit crucial. With consecutive collisions of parts, the light particles might severe and repairing one would take more time, than unbinding one. Okay, start now."

Half an hour later, all students that unbinded 2 entangled parts, had already opened their eyes and waited for others. While those with 3 and 4 need more than half an hour and those with more, need more than one hour.

All of them sweated as they finished unbounding one. A moment later, someone groaned in pain and held his head, as he felt a mild headache.

"that's what you would felt when you accidentally severed one knot... no one could help you but your own. To repair the severed part, concentrate on it and analyze the severed part. Be careful not to connect the wrong ends or you will have more serious problem." Seigehart said, as the student answered with a slow nod.

"Now, what you all felt after you unbinded one?" he asked as some raised their hand and Seigehart picked one.

"Okay, Amare. Tell us, how many parts of the knot you unbinded and what you felt afterwards." Seigehart pointed towards the student who raised her hand.

"I unbinded a knot with 3 different parts. After unbinding one, I didn't felt anything." she answered. Some nodded at her answer, as they also felt the same.

"Hmm... You took more than half an hour just to unbind a knots with 3 different parts. As it is your first time, it is only natural that you took more time. But, as you familiarize yourself with the process. You could do it in a minute or so. Especially, for those with greater number of knots. As you all unbinded a knot, it was accompanied with a boost in strength. As the difficulty of unbinded knot increases, its also followed by an considerable increase in strength. You didn't felt it, but as you continue to unbind the knots, you will subsequently feel the changes."

"Continue to unbind the knots in streams of light particles, until you completely unbind all the knots. Thereafter, you'll breakthrough to middle stage Sage rank. By there, the process to breakthrough to peak stage rank will be different. That's all for today. You may take your lunch."

As Seigehart said the latter, they all rushed out of the room, to the huge cafeteria with many comfortable table sets. While Seigehart was the only one left inside the room.

When he was about to leave, a red-haired lady came looking for him.

"Oh Teacher Seigehart, I've been waiting for you. Come the Headmaster had came out from his seclusion training, faster than he thought and he wanted to see you and talked about something." she said as anxiety could be seen in her eyes.

What is it this time? Anyway I don't have anything to do. He thought.

"Okay, let's go." he said and they immediately disappeared from the room and arrived at an conference room, in front of the headmaster and elders with the red-haired lady beside him.

Upon seeing them, the elders all smile, as Seigehart sits on the empty seat as he started to speak. "You breakthrough to Highgod rank, Blayne. You can defend the academy from now on. With that, even if I leave, I will be at ease. But that will still be in the near future. Well, it depends on the circumstances... So what is it this time?"

All the elders had a solemn expression when they heard what he had said. Though, they knew it was inevitable, that Seigehart was someone... incomprehensible and couldn't be tied up with only one place. They still couldn't help but felt somewhat lonely, whenever they thought about it.

Blayne, looked at Seigehart, then to the red-haired lady from before and offered her a seat. "Please, sit down beside Seigehart, Princess Rosalia."

"Thank you, headmaster." she bowed slightly and sit down, as Blayne started his narration.

"Our Gaia's City is within the boundary of Howlstrom Empire which had an enmity with the neighboring Empire, the Everspear Empire. As the peace treaty fall into jeopardy, the Howlstrom Empire declared war against the Everspear Empire. The Howlstrom Empire knew that a royalty from Everspear Empire is under our tutelage and they behest us to relinquish them. I call you all here to talk about this matter."

As Blayne finished what he wanted to say, Seigehart had began to spoke, which startled the Princess Rosalia beside him.

"There's no need to talk about this, Blayne. Tell them we won't hand over the Everspear royalties. End of discussion. If they insist on this and became aggressive, I'll deal with them myself." he said the latter with a dark tone and walked out of the room, leaving the dazed people behind.

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laziness is hitting me like a fever. Anyway

thanks for reading, enjoy.

Any criticism is welcome.