09/16/3122 YDB – September 16th, 3122
Archer happily walked his way down the street towards the main gate of Trinity Academy. As he reached the gate, Esme Soto as diligent as ever, was there to greet him.
"Hello Archer." She said with a wide smile on her face as she checked him over, "In proper attire as always."
"Hi Esme. You seem extra chipper today." Archer greeted her smile with one of his own.
"Ah yes, tomorrow we begin sparring classes. I can't wait." She said happily tapping her pen on the clipboard, "I might get a rank-up at the end of the month."
"Oh right. Yeah, I was told that this was happening tomorrow." Archer recalled. Ah right, that's a problem I haven't addressed yet.
"Oh. But how do you feel?" Esme asked remembering Archer's whole situation as she took a quick glance to see if anyone was paying attention.
"I'll be fine." He assured her, "I'll avoid any injuries."
"Climbing the ranks is unlikely?" Esme said.
"I doubt I can. But I'll avoid flunking." Archer shrugged.
"Hmm." Esme said nodding with a slight look of disappointment, "Oh right. A new food stall is being set up here today."
"I feel like that's a normal occurrence." Archer said, there had been a few stalls that had been set up around the academy and then replaced with new ones. There was nothing inherently suspicious about that, but if Esme said something, Archer would listen.
"It's just the people who are running it are giving me a bad vibe." Esme said.
Archer nodded his head and headed into the school. Class itself was rather normal save for near the end before lunch. Professor Blackowl pulled out a raffle box and placed it on a table in front of the class.
"Please form a line and pick a piece of paper from the box. Each piece of paper will hold a number, there are two of every number. Those who pick a matching pair will battle one another tomorrow."
Selena Schenn, the purple-haired F-rank, raised her arm up, Blackowl gave an annoyed look as he allowed her to ask her question.
"Any rank in this class may battle any other rank?" She asked.
"Yes." Blackowl said with a nasty smirk on his face, "It is a perfect opportunity for you to prove your worth, Miss Schenn. If you succeed, you might see a rank up come the end of the month." He said before glaring at the rest of the class, "This performance will be graded. Victory matters."
Archer glanced around the classroom, the tone had shifted with that comment. Classmates were eyeing each other up, more importantly, the higher ranks gazed at the lower ones like how predators would eye their prey.
I don't blame them for wanting an easy grade. Archer thought as students began to queue to pick up their number. As Archer trudged his way to the back and waited to slowly move up the line he could see other students reacting to their pairings already.
Ran Almer further ahead of him, already drew a paper out and read it. As he looked around for his pairing a D-ranked student pushed him from behind. Turning around, Ran was looking at his opponent, Kenneth Len. One of the D-ranks that had harassed Selena on the first day of school.
He was built like a strongman, on the larger side, but clearly most of that weight was hard muscle. Though height-wise he was actually from the looks of it, as short as Archer. Which, while not miniscule, was not towering over most. In fact, he had to look up at Ran. He had a happy smile on his face seeing that he was going to have an easy day tomorrow.
"Man, after Igor told me that we had to leave you alone I was so angry. But now I get an excuse to bash in your head." He laughed. Archer assumed that Igor was the massive man that challenged Ran to the duel in a couple of weeks.
"You better not underestimate me." Ran advised which prompted a scowl to form on the face of Kenneth.
"Don't try to lecture me trash." He sneered.
"No fighting in class." Blackowl warned the two. With a scoff, Kenneth then stormed away as Ran stared him down. Both were then joined by their friends who had already drawn their numbers and began discussing with each other.
Taking a good look around the class, there were only a handful of F and E ranks. Most people will be paired up with a B or C rank. When Archer thought about ranks and what their expected strength output were.
F-ranks were simply that of athletic humans. Though they did possess some aptitude for things like magic and resistance to unnatural elements, among a few other things. E-ranks were similar, though they obviously get a bit more, though not all the time. One of the major strengths an E-rank gets over F-ranks is that they get more specified skills or superpowers.
Some skills only activate in dungeons and towers, while others are passive and can be used anytime. The usefulness of said skills does also vary, and a single skill or power can turn a person from E-rank to S-rank. Though the higher-class abilities were far rarer, of course.
People are either born with the gift of procuring these powers while others develop them as they grow older. Once someone had their gift, they could grow their skills and become stronger. It was at the D, C, B, and A ranks where the line of differences blurs a bit.
A D-rank is hard pressed to beat a B-rank, but it wouldn't be surprising if they beat a C-rank that is less experienced. Same for C-ranks against B-ranks and so on. S-ranks were rare and on their own island when it came to skill level and were highly regarded as the best. Even developing S-ranks proves to be trouble for veterans of lower ranks.
So having an F or E-rank actually beat someone at D or above was seen as a joke. Sure, they can grow and get stronger, but in two weeks? Please, it would take at least a year. Anyone who gets paired with a lower rank will have a free pass.
Archer could feel eyes on him, hoping to be paired with him. Well I shouldn't keep the crowd waiting for me. He thought as he reached the front of the line and stared at the raffle box in front of him. Sticking his arm in, he found it nearly empty and pulled out his number. Eighty-eight.
"Uh." Archer uttered out loud as he moved away from the line and held his number in the air and spun in a circle as he hoped to catch sight of his pairing.
"Ah, of course." An eerie voice behind him croaked out.
Archer turned around to find the weird F-rank student with messy curly hair staring at him. He had his jacket tied like a cape, a black face mask, and bandages wrapped around his arms all the way to the elbows.
"I shall be the one to deal with the pariahdom and rid the kingdom of your taint." He said staring at Archer with crazed eyes.
"Oh. Okay, nice to meet you, my name is Archer Griffen." Archer said sticking a hand out towards him.
"Remember my name cur! For Orolos Otoi will be the one to vanquish you! The peasants shall be in awe of my power!" Orolos declared as he brought his arms up, not to shake Archer's hand but to strike a pose.
"Well I look forward to facing you tomorrow." Archer said smiling. The confidence that Orolos was exuding was genuine and not entirely out of delusion. Perhaps it was Archer's sixth sense, but he had a feeling that Orolos had some talent he was going to prove to everyone. Might have to be careful with him.
Archer then moved on from that interaction and watched what the other F-ranks got. Selena, Emmra, Alex, and Alia were all paired with higher ranks. Evidently the moment the higher ranks discovered their opponents, taunting and posturing ensued.
However Archer's eyes naturally drifted over to Luna, who held the same number as Annaxia did. Annaxia said nothing, only glaring at Luna with spite. Luna was Julia's friend, and if Annaxia could make her suffer, it would be a good day for Annaxia.
Before long the lunch bell rang and the students all headed towards the cafeteria. Archer headed straight to the brand-new food stall that was set up today. It was a noodle place operated by a duo, it was decently popular, with a couple people waiting for their order.
It sold hot noodles that were prepared on the spot, where the customers could see the chef cook in front of them. Running the register was a man with dark brown hair with narrow eyes and wearing their restaurant T-shirt reading 'Holy Noodle!'.
"Hello, how can I help you?" He said greeting Archer with a beaming smile, he was a few years older than Archer, a young adult it seemed.
"Uh, let me think." Archer said taking a moment to read the menu. The menu was simple and tasty-sounding, but it was the artwork that really interested Archer. There were small drawings and motifs on the menu board itself.
They were all based upon the Faith of The Circle, the most popular religion in the world. It is a belief of a council of righteous gods that would lead humanity out of the darkness. Archer was pretty sure that those worshipped helped the world half a century ago and he was also pretty sure that the two twins were a part of this group.
"That's nice artwork." Archer complimented.
"Ah, thank you. Grace did it herself." He replied, nodding towards the girl cooking the noodles. Hovering over a large wok and several pots of boiling liquids was a girl Archer's age, in the same shirt as the cashier and with a shoulder-length black mullet. She was diligently working and gave Archer the slightest grunt of acknowledgement.
"Good to meet you Grace." Archer called out to no reply, "And you are?"
"Phineas, now what would you like to order?"
"I'll take a large Zhajiangmian. Pork belly please." Archer said.
"A what?" Phineas said looking confused.
"Black bean noodle sauce." Grace called out as she already began to portion out noodles to boil.
"You know your cuisine." Phineas complimented as he charged Archer.
"I have friends who are foodies." Archer said with a shrug as he handed over his card to pay he noticed a tattoo with the symbol of the church on his wrist. Not just any symbol, it's a symbol that typically higher-ranked members of the clergy wear, "You setting up here permanently?"
"We hope so. Business this first day has been good." Phineas said before beckoning him to move to the side as a couple more students began to line up behind him.
"My apologies." Archer said as he shuffled to the side where he could watch as Grace cooked his meal.
Archer watching her cook could tell that she had strong hands, used to handling the wok and knife. She was on the shorter side yet had no problem moving around the kitchen, she put her attention fully on cooking. The heat of flames and steam not bothering her, in fact she wasn't perspiring from the heat that Archer could feel from behind the glass.
"How long have you been cooking?" Archer asked hoping for a response but not holding his breath on it.
"Started at eight, now sixteen, so about eight years." She replied as she finished cooking the pork and black bean sauce.
"You guys do classic la mian noodles?" Archer asked.
"No, not practiced enough." She said, "I want to learn." She added as she began to garnish the bowl.
"Are you a local eatery?" Archer asked.
"No, newly set up by the church." She said as she got him a spoon and chopsticks.
"Pretty cool to get to be the first one huh." Archer said as she handed the bowl and a drink to him.
"It's fun to cook. But also very serious." She added as Archer took the bowl, "Please return the bowl."
"Of course. Thank you kindly." Archer said as he took his food and found a quiet place to sit down and eat.
As he enjoyed his meal there were two thoughts running in his mind. One was how good these noodles are, he would have to go down the whole menu trying everything at least once. The second thought was that Esme was right. These two were suspicious.
A food stall was installed here by the Faith of The Circle. That's not exactly common happenstance. If it were, there would have already been one here on day one. There were enough religious students here that they already have services provided for them. So why did the church need to supply a food stall?
Especially when the food stall was simply just sponsored by the church, yet a young man of the clergy was working there. Trying to keep their identity on the down low with a girl who was immune to heat. Could be nothing, but the fact that there is a potential demon king vessel around might make it something.
Archer then thought as he sipped on his drink, what the benefits of being a lunch-only service would be. The afternoons would allow free time for them. The same time when Lilith would have time off. Giving the opportunity to make a few visits without interruption.
Archer then thought of what he had been told in the past about stories of those devoted to the Faith of The Circle. There have been plenty of positive stories, but that wasn't what interested him. If Archer and they were to cross paths over Lilith, it won't be very amicable. Default rules of the church mean they are to exorcise the target once deemed a threat. Especially a threat as dangerous as what Lilith could be.
He hoped that he could handle this without anything occurring with Lilith. If it did, he hoped more importantly that if he did outfox them, backup wouldn't be called. Archer gave a shrug and proceeded to finish his meal. Not an issue right now.
***
After the lunch bell rang, Lilith Lilac was finally finished with marking the homework papers and could finally sit down for lunch. Thank the gods that she had a couple of hours of free time. Digging into her bag she pulled out her lunch, milk bread bought from a convenience store that was now partially squashed, and a can of room-temperature tea.
She briefly gave a sad sigh, she really needed to be better at budgeting. Expensive nights out needed to be better controlled. But her friends and co-workers influence her too easily. Lilith hated to admit it, but she was a bit of a pushover.
It was probably why other people's extra work was often thrust upon her. As she began to nibble on her bread, she saw the door to the teacher's lounge open as two people entered. They wore identical shirts saying 'Holy Noodle!' The younger girl held a bowl and the scent from it wafted its way into the nose of Lilith. She immediately began to salivate.
"Lilith Lilac?" The young man with narrow eyes called to her with a smile.
"Uh yes? That's me."
"Would you like a bowl of hot noodles?"
***
As Archer helped the custodian stack the cleaning supplies after school inside one of the supply closets, a small group of students gathered near it. They seemed to be discussing some type of after-school job tomorrow. Though it was who was talking that caught Archer's interest.
"Are you sure about this?" Rosaline asked sounding unsure about something.
"It should be safe." A student said.
"When you say it like that, I'm not sure either." Another student said.
"Well it's not meant to be easy is it? We are entering a restricted zone." The first student snapped, "But that's why we're going to get paid."
"But are these people trustworthy?" The second student asked, "This whole thing feels a bit sketchy."
"Don't worry other people made money from this."
"Still what if we get caught?" Rosaline asked.
"We won't. Come on Rosa, don't you need the money? Don't the both of you need money? You think I want to do this if I didn't need to?"
"I don't know." The second student said sounding unsure.
"The money is a hundred grand?" Rosaline asked so quietly that Archer had to press his ear to the door. At least he was right with his hunch and this was where they would meet, Archer was scared that he would be lounging around for nothing.
"Yeah. Each."
"I'll do it then." She said a bit more confidently, "It's just to help carry equipment right? I'm good with doing that."
"These are professionals, they'll keep us safe." The first student continued to persuade.
"Okay I'm in then." The second student said after a moment.
"When do we need to meet?" Rosaline asked.
"Nine tomorrow night. In zone 2C, they said we'll spot them and that patrols aren't frequent in that area." The first student said.
With that nugget of information, Archer left the supply closet undetected.