Chapter 012: A Mountain of Manadytes

For Claudia, acquiring a large supply of Manadytes was no challenge at all.

Still, she couldn't help but be curious about why Aizen suddenly needed so many.

Logically speaking, he had just obtained Ser-Veresta, a powerful Orga Lux. He wasn't a researcher, so he wouldn't need the Manadytes to create other Lux weapons or study technology. What could he possibly want them for?

"May I ask what you plan to use these Manadytes for?"

Claudia didn't reject his request outright but posed the question, making Aizen inwardly sigh in relief.

Faced with her curiosity, Aizen decided not to lie outright and answered with a half-truth.

"It's related to my upcoming training."

After all, using the Manadytes to enhance his strength could reasonably be considered training, couldn't it?

"Training… I see," Claudia replied, blinking thoughtfully.

"Yes," Aizen nodded. "If everything goes smoothly, I should be able to improve significantly over the next little while. That's why I'm shamelessly asking for your help, President."

"I see," Claudia said with a look of understanding.

She didn't probe further into the specifics of his so-called training or why it required so many Manadytes.

Training methods were often considered personal secrets, especially in an academy where dueling was the focus and every student could potentially become a rival. Directly inquiring about such things, while not outright taboo, would be seen as inappropriate.

"If it's for your training, I certainly won't refuse," Claudia said cheerfully, readily agreeing to his request.

"Is that really okay?" Aizen felt a little awkward and added, "Even if they're just ordinary Manadytes, gathering them in large quantities must be expensive, right?"

Even with common materials, costs could pile up when dealing with bulk amounts. As a school sponsored by the Integrated Enterprise Foundation, Seidoukan Academy certainly didn't lack Manadytes. However, obtaining such a large number was still a significant expenditure, and Aizen felt uneasy about making Claudia foot the bill.

Claudia, however, dismissed his concerns with ease.

"No need to overthink it. The academy provides various benefits to outstanding students. If you rank high enough, they even grant special privileges. Providing resources to support student training is no big deal, especially if it yields results. They'd be happy to oblige."

Claudia planned to request the Manadytes from the academy under the guise of aiding Aizen's training.

In her mind, there was no reason for the academy to refuse.

After all…

"You plan to participate in the Phoenix Festa, don't you?" Claudia suddenly asked.

"Of course," Aizen said, caught off guard but offering no reason to hide it.

"In that case, the academy has every reason to support you," Claudia said, unsurprised. "As you may know, Seidoukan's performance in the Phoenix Festa hasn't been great in recent years."

Hearing this, Aizen nodded silently.

He couldn't recall every detail from the original story, but his recent internet browsing had taught him enough.

Seidoukan's lackluster results in the Phoenix Festa had been a frequent topic of discussion online.

The Phoenix Festa, part of the Festa—a global battle performance event held in Asterisk and organized by the Integrated Enterprise Foundation—was beloved worldwide. It was divided into seasons, with each season spanning three years and hosting three major competitions.

Summer of Year One: The Phoenix Festa, a two-person tag team tournament.

Autumn of Year Two: The Gryps Festa, a five-person team battle.

Winter of Year Three: The Lindvolus Festa, an individual tournament.

At the end of the three-year season, the scores from all three tournaments would be tallied, ranking the academies based on their cumulative performance.

For the past few seasons, Seidoukan Academy had consistently ranked near the bottom.

"Our overall ranking last season was fifth," Claudia explained seriously. "However, the sixth-place academy, Queenvail Girls' Academy, prioritizes their strategic philosophy over competition and doesn't seriously vie for rankings. In practical terms, we've effectively been in last place."

"For this reason, Seidoukan is putting special emphasis on student development and new talent this year. If the academy knows that providing you with Manadytes will help you improve significantly, the higher-ups will undoubtedly approve the request."

Currently, Aizen was in a privileged position.

As a recognized wielder of an Orga Lux, especially one as powerful as Ser-Veresta, he had caught the attention of Seidoukan's leadership. They now saw him as a key competitor for the upcoming Phoenix Festa.

Given his unprecedented compatibility with Ser-Veresta—exceeding all prior records—the academy had even higher hopes for his potential.

Thanks to this, Claudia was confident her request would be granted without hesitation.

"You don't need to feel bad about it. A good performance at the Phoenix Festa is the best way to repay the academy."

Claudia tilted her head, smiling warmly at Aizen.

"And you don't need to worry about inconveniencing me. All I need to do is mention it on your behalf."

Hearing this, Aizen could only nod in agreement.

But inwardly, he thought to himself:

"This request, and the help with borrowing Ser-Veresta—both were made possible because of you."

"This is a debt I'll need to repay."

Having lived independently for years due to his family circumstances, Aizen had endured many hardships and setbacks.

Because of this, he deeply resented those who had kicked him while he was down. Conversely, he was incredibly grateful to anyone who lent him a helping hand, always remembering their kindness.

For Claudia, helping him might have seemed like a small matter. But for Aizen, such favors weren't easily obtained.

So he must repay this favor.

As this thought crossed his mind, Aizen's gaze shifted subtly toward Claudia's waist.

An idea had already begun forming in his mind.

.....

It turned out Seidoukan Academy indeed had no shortage of ordinary Manadytes.

That very morning, Aizen had spoken with Claudia, and by the afternoon, the requested Manadytes had been delivered.

"This is a secured underground storage facility. The Manadytes you requested have been transferred there," Claudia wrote in a message to Aizen, attaching the location.

Barely able to contain his excitement, Aizen waited for classes to end. The moment the bell rang, he hurried out of the classroom and headed straight for the designated location.

Before long, he arrived at the underground storage facility. At the entrance, he completed a palm-print authentication, opening the door.

Evidently, Claudia had handled even this detail for him.

Grateful, Aizen stepped inside.

What greeted him was the sight of a mountain of green Manadytes, piled high.

"Perfect."

Aizen smiled broadly.

After all, these stones were nothing less than potent elixirs for enhancing his strength.

"Let's begin."

With Ser-Veresta's activator in hand, Aizen approached the mountain of Manadytes, brimming with anticipation.