Rebirth of the Ruined Noble

What is the most crucial quality for a spy? Is it the ability to lie convincingly, the talent to blend seamlessly into different environments, or the skill to change one's identity? While all these attributes play a part, the paramount quality for a spy is the ability to conceal their emotions.

A spy must never reveal their true feelings, fortifying themselves against any emotional impact; this is what distinguishes a remarkable spy.

However, just moments ago, Professor Joshua had let his true emotions slip. It was a fleeting lapse that lasted only a second before he resumed his usual expressionless demeanor, but it had not gone unnoticed. Those around him were left utterly astounded.

'Professor Joshua can show emotions?' Eren whispered to himself, his voice barely above a murmur.

'Did I really see that, or was it my imagination?' Elric mused, his brow furrowed in confusion.

'Maybe I need some rest; I'm starting to have illusions,' the second year students thought to themself, unsure of what they had witnessed.

'I thought he was an advanced golem! He was human all along?' Selena's mind raced with questions and disbelief.

The one most taken aback by this unprecedented display of emotion was none other than Ezio. For nearly six months, he had been diligently observing Professor Joshua, painstakingly dissecting his every action and word. Throughout this period, Professor Joshua had been an impenetrable fortress of stoicism, never once revealing even a hint of emotion—until this moment.

'Damn it!

Ezio muttered frustrated under his breath. He felt a sense of injustice, as if a crucial piece of the puzzle had been withheld from him. This unexpected crack in Professor Joshua's emotional armor had left him bewildered and questioning the foundation of his observations.

Ezio realized that if he wanted to successfully carry out the mission assigned by his father, he needed to be even more prepared than he had initially thought. He inwardly acknowledged, 'There's still so much I don't know about my target.'

Steeling himself with determination, he recommitted himself to the task of surveilling Professor Joshua.

Anyway, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through their minds, and they struggled to comprehend what they had witnessed, however nobody dared to discuss it openly, their fear of the professor keeping their lips sealed.

Breaking the uncomfortable silence, Professor Joshua redirected the conversation. "The Mystical lands of Yalindor," he began, ensuring he had the undivided attention of his audience before continuing with a grave tone.

  "I don't know the specifics of your mission, but I must emphasize this"

He paused for a second before continuing his words.

"Never mess with the people of Yalindor."

His words hung heavily in the air, intensifying the room's atmosphere. The students exchanged bewildered glances, their curiosity piqued by his cryptic warning. It was a rare moment when the professor had offered them a glimpse of his true feelings, and it left them with more questions than answers.

***

While Eren's group sought guidance from Professor Joshua, several other groups were already on their way to complete their missions. Among these groups was an eclectic quartet, each with their unique personality and abilities.

Nova Wintergrace, widely regarded as the strongest student among the fourth-year students and arguably the strongest existent in the Freljord academy except the professor and the Principal. He is a true prodigy, who has earned the nickname as  " The Mage of Marvels," a testament to his extraordinary magical talents. He stood at the center of this group and exuded an air of confidence.

"Are you sure that you're the top-ranked student among the first years?You don't exactly exude that aura. Care to put it to the test?"

Nova teased, shifting his focus onto the junior who had been selected as one of their mission companions.

From the very beginning of their journey, Nova had kept a watchful eye on this particular junior. It was hard for him to shake the impression he had. The junior in question seemed rather absent-minded, casually strolling along and swinging his sword with an air of carefree nonchalance, as if he were lost in his own world.

Zephyr, the carefree junior in question, responded with an amiable smile, utterly unfazed by Nova's playful sarcasm. "Why not? I'm always up for a challenge."

"Have some shame, you peasant," scolded a rather irate young man.

The second member of the group and the other individual from the first years group who had teamed up with Zephyr, unexpectedly it was none other than rank-2, Babel Agnus!

His perfectly maintained blond hair and elegant appearance remained impeccable as always, and he didn't even flinch when he delivered his cutting remarks to Zephyr, who clearly didn't take them too seriously.

"No fighting within the group! I'll roast you guys alive if you break the Academic guidelines!"

An authoritative voice reverberated through the group.

It was the fourth and final member of this rather unique group, Erza Scarlet, a genius student among the fourth-year students, who was ranked third among her peers and also was the prime candidate for the role of vice-master at the Tower of Temperance upon her graduation. 

With fiery red hair and a massive sword strapped to her back, Erza Scarlett exuded an aura of intimidation that was hard to ignore. Her presence alone was enough to command respect and obedience from her peers. Even Nova, who held a higher rank than her, couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease in the face of her warning.

"Erza-chan! Of course, I will not break any rules, I was just teaching these ill mannered juniors some lessons."

Nova responded with a playful grin, his tone light despite the previous banter.

Babel, with a hint of annoyance in his voice, retorted, "Teaching a lesson, you say? Do you truly believe you can educate a noble such as myself?"

"Pfff~ Isn't it more like you wanted to flaunt your skills in front of us?" Zephyr chimed in, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Shut up all of you, one more word and I am slicing up you all."

This formidable team, capable of toppling a city in a single night, had ironically become the leading contender for failure due to their unruly behavior. Their instructor, concealed in the shadows, couldn't help but notice the chaos that seemed to surround them.

"It appears that this mission is destined for failure," he mused, quietly melding into his surroundings.

This mission, undoubtedly the most challenging among all those assigned by the tower, had been entrusted to this particular group.

--------------

Traces of demons have been discovered in the southern region of the empire. Please conduct a thorough investigation and promptly report your findings to the union. If, by any chance, you encounter a demon capable of speech, DO NOT ENGAGE IN COMBAT. Instead, ensure your safety by immediately retreating and reporting the encounter to the nearest branch of the quest union.

Deadline: One month

--------------

That was the mission received by this team, although it may seem easy at first glance, dealing with the demons was far from a laughing matter.

Demons, as they understood them, fell into five broad stages of power:

Low-rank demons.

Intermediate-rank demons.

Advanced-rank demons.

High-ranking demons.

And finally, the dreaded Nobles!

Anything up to the level of advanced-rank demons could be considered a formidable adversary, but once they entered the realm of high-ranking and above, these creatures became potential disasters in their own right. Among these demons, the ones capable of speech were to be regarded as agents of absolute destruction. The chasm of power that separated demons with the ability to speak from those without was as vast as the contrast between day and night.

Furthermore, among those capable of speech, there existed a select group of demons who occupied the highest echelons of demon society – the infamous 72 nobles. The mere thought of attempting to defeat one of these nobles was akin to reaching for the impossible, making it a blessing to encounter a high-ranking monster instead.

Their mission was anything but straightforward, for they ventured into a world where their lives hung on a thin thread.

Nonetheless, based on the Towers' meticulous investigation, it was nearly certain that the demon whose traces had been detected was, at the very least, an advanced demon boasting power exceeding the 7-star threshold. This revelation troubled the instructor tasked with overseeing this unruly team. The members of this group were a collection of individuals whose individual strengths far surpassed the norm. However, the pressing question remained: how would this motley crew fare against an advanced-ranked demon should they come face to face with one?

Beyond his concern for their safety, the instructor grappled with his own doubts about whether he could adequately protect them if things took a turn for the worse. It was a precarious situation that left him with a sense of unease.

"In such circumstances, perhaps it's best if they don't encounter the demon at all," he mused quietly, trailing behind them.

Unbeknownst to the instructor, all four members of the group were acutely aware of his presence. They kept this knowledge to themselves, secretly enjoying the game of cat and mouse as they slyly acknowledged his surveillance with internal smirks.

'The head of the demon…'

And each of them had just one thought in their head.

'I will be the one to claim it!'

As they pressed onward, exchanging playful blows and continuing their feigned battles, the instructor trailing behind remained blissfully unaware of the true depths of these young warriors' potential. Little did he know that these seemingly mischievous kids were, in fact, monsters in their own right—monsters far more formidable than the demon they would inevitably confront in the days to come.

----****----