Emperor's Reckoning

The light inside the forest slowly dimmed down before a foot softly landing on the ground was heard. The feet grasped the feeling of the earth as the hands closed and opened— grabbing every feeling in the cell and the air surrounding it.

"They are still intact," Lyon smirked.

Rayus grinned with his eyes mixed with brilliance and happiness. He could feel the lost energy surging back toward both of his arms as he willed it. His potential had returned.

"Yaaaa!!!!" Rayus scream toward the sky with veins challenging the skin of his neck.

"Alright, alright," Lyon gestured to him to keep the voice low.

"R-Right, sorry," Rayus made an embarrassed smile before his brows furrowed, and put one knee on the ground. His head bowed, before he said under his breath, "Thank you, teacher. I owe you my life."

"That's overboard," said Lyon. "However, I will take it— stand up."

Rayus nodded before standing with his chest upright.

"Tell me, what do you think about winning your graduation?" asked Lyon.

Rayus furrowed his brows before he rubbed his chin as he contemplated. His eyes were on the soft earth below but his mind was thinking about the two of his fellows and the other five teams. He looked at Rayus with a face that didn't signify good news. "I think that it would be difficult."

"Difficult?" Selena furrowed her brows.

"M-Madam, please forgive my lack of confidence but, it is challenging to seize the ultimate victory against the other five teams," said Rayus as he bowed his head.

"Why?" Lyon asked.

"First, we lack better gear," said Rayus. "Second, they have overall higher cultivation than us and are still mining further as we speak."

"Third?" Lyon asked.

"Third... well..."

"So there are only two problems," said Lyon as he raised two fingers.

"But—"

"Besides, you didn't say that it's impossible, you just say that it's difficult," said Lyon as he shrugged his shoulder. "Also besides, I don't think that you will be lacking what you think you're lacking soon."

Rayus was a bit astounded by his words. However, this made him beg the question. "Teacher, why do you go so far?"

"So far, what?" Lyon asked.

"For us, I mean, we barely know each other that well, but not only did you dare face the Burgeon Swan, but also, you healed me," Rayus asked. The feat that Lyon did was more than monstrous even to his standard however, the reason behind it was still unclear. Such a powerful man to grace the Second Heaven, what kind of motif did he hide under the everlasting smirk?

"I thought I told you already," said Lyon.

"Y-You mean the part where you want us to win the graduation event?" asked Rayus. "There must be something else, did the principal promise you something?"

"What your principal gave to me was just an opportunity, and to make yield out of that opportunity, I need you to win," said Lyon.

"Just an opportunity?" asked Rayus with his brows furrowed. His eyes were deep in the vortex of confusion and it didn't seem that he knew a way out without his teacher's help.

"Don't overthink about what I want, it doesn't concern you," said Lyon. "All I need for you is to win the entire thing, no second place."

"R-Right..." Rayus nodded.

"My darling is not joking," said Selena.

"Yes madam!" Rayus immediately straightened his posture.

Lyon smiled as he shook his head. He turned before stretching his arms up. "Alright, how about we go back to the city, I'm sure they will have their best behavior in front of us."

"Hehe..." Rayus smiled wryly. ( Considering what happened, they better be ).

Soon the party returned to the city and lo and behold, the cultivators were acting like they were some sort of a deity that could brutally sever their heads at a moment's notice. None of them dare to make eye contact with him for far too long, none of their brows furrowed, even their breathing as controlled to be as easy as they possibly could.

Lyon walked passed by and heads bowing in respect like a domino. Regardless of his origin, he now had the power to make the cultivators bow without even saying a word, not even the other teachers of the Nirvana School had such capabilities. His presence alone was enough to change the atmosphere of the city.

"Teacher Lyon!"

A familiar voice called out. Lyon furrowed his brows and then glance over. He saw Lenu calling for him from afar as he rushed toward him.  "Who are you?"

"Sir Lenu! It's good to see you fine," said Rayus.

"Oh right," muttered Lyon. "What do you want?"

Lenu tightened his lips as he looked left and right. He spoke, "Let's find somewhere more appropriate."

Lyon sighed, "Fine..."

"Great," Lenu nodded before he led the way.

Lyon casually followed behind him, before he asked, "Where are they?"

"Huh, they?" asked Lenu as he slightly looked over.

"My other two students, Noah and Reinhard," said Lyon.

"Oh, those two? Don't worry, I called out the best physician to treat both of them," said Lenu. "They are in the bar."

"Of course," Lyon muttered.

"And where are we going?" asked Selena.

"The bar as well," Lenu smiled wryly.

Under the revered eyes, they saw the group enter the bar before resuming their daily activities with a big sigh of relief.

The door opened and Reinhard and Noah had their eyes widened as they glanced over. "You're back!"

"Yo!" Rayus smiled as he waved his hand.

"Holy shit! Are you... are you healed?" asked Reinhard as anticipation was plastered all over his face.

"Are you really...?" asked Noah.

Rayus slapped his bicep with a nod. "All well and fixed!"

"Holy crap!! Hahaha!" Reinhard pulled Rayus's head under his armpit before rubbing his knuckle on top of his head.

Noah sighed a bit of relief before he made a smile. His condition on the other hand was still on its own way to healing. His back was bandaged but the blood had stopped flowing over needlessly. Breathing was a bit complex at first but he was able to pull through with a few grits.

Lenu made a light cough and courted the attention in the vast and empty bar. "I hate to disrupt the joyous atmosphere, but I have something to say that is best delivered quickly."

"Go on, with it," said Lyon before he slammed himself on a vacant sofa.

Lenu couldn't mind his act even though his eyes revealed a season of annoyance. "As you may all know, Refl is perhaps either captured or dead. However, this knowledge is not yet public, and only those in this room know what's going on."

Lenu sighed, "This presented a problem that I almost made a blunder out of."

"What blunder?" Rayus furrowed his brows.

"The news of Refl's being captured is like a double-edged sword. On the hand, we might rile up the spirit in our group and take Refl back. However, we would need to prove more than just a belief. Otherwise, our morale will plummet and the group would break apart, betray each other and eventually destroy itself," Lenu tightened his upper lips as he looked at each of the three students' reaction.

"This 'almost blunder' that you mentioned, what was it?" asked Noah.

"I was about to tell the group what's happening," said Lenu as he sighed, "However, I figure that less contact would be best."

"Yeah, and how long would that last?" asked Lyon. "Words spread faster than your steps, it won't be long before they knew what's going on."

Lenu massaged his temple, "I know, that's why our options are greatly limited right now."

"What options do we have?" asked Rayus.

"Well, Refl got captured is bad news but the death of three top management of the Burgeon Swan is great news," said Lenu. "However the weight of the loss outweighs the take."

"If you think that, then the boss of the Burgeon Swan might think the same thing, I think they will launch an attack soon," said Lyon. "They have an advantage over the network in Second Heaven."

"What do you mean?" asked Lenu.

"He will play his card, from the way he speaks, he seemed like a calm and shrewd person," said Lyon. "Though, I hope he won't do it, for your sake."

In the midst of following the contemplation, Reinhard raised his brows as he noticed something at the corner of his eyes, "Hm?". He looked over the window and saw papers flutter freely in the air.

"What the..." Reinhard and the others had their brows furrowed and eyes squinted.

Lenu had his skin crawling before he rushed outside. He saw a giant bird passing by at great speed under the midst of millions of papers fluttering the sky.

"Teacher!" Reinhard came rushing with a paper in hand. His eyes widened before he approached his teacher who was lounging on the sofa.

"What is it?" Lyon asked.

"Here, look!"

Lyon who was relaxing with his legs crossed and hands behind his head— occupied the whole sofa —looked at the paper that was a pamphlet. Refl's face was the highlight as well as the funeral date under it. "Heh," Lyon smirked while Lenu had both knees on the ground outside the bar.