Viole

…

"Hassel Stein from the house fallen storm, I Tenniel Viole challenge you to a balasik." The moment Naliaki and Chris got out of the training room, they were greeted by the sight of a group of noble scions gathered together blocking the entrance of the training facility. The school had a rule that challenges could not be issued within any facility, so if Naliaki was in the four-seasons quarter or like when he was in the training facility… he could not be subjected to any duels of any kind.

That was why they had to wait for his exit from the training facility. Chris looked more perplexed than shocked, he wasn't shocked because he and Naliaki had been expecting a challenge from the very beginning of the academic year. If anything the shock should be that it took them this long to issue a balasik which was the garulish (rune character combination) for a title battle, his confusion came from the fanfare in front of them.

"A balasik, huh? I suppose this was issued by the full support of your patriarch and the weight of your house?" Naliaki inquired coolly.

"Yes, the procedure has been approved by the island lord." Tenniel said with confidence and an arrogant smirk on his face, he gave one the impression that he had already won the duel.

"Good, so what are the stakes your house is willing to part with?" Naliaki in the same cool tone inquired again.

"Two unique class battle ships, and three years of our total annual profits." Tenniel still maintained his arrogant approach. Why wouldn't he, when he a battle seasoned Mystery was a full tier above his opponent who just enrolled the academy.

"Good, I trust you are with a formal balasik offer?" Naliaki inquired a final time while fighting off a smile that had been trying to ruin his joyful moment. Tenniel produced a rune jade from his holding bag which floated forward on its own, Naliaki retrieved the floating jade and inspected it then produced a drop of lightning infused blood from his finger tip letting it merge with the rune jade. "As dictated by the rules, I decide the format of our balasik… and I declare dakshi."

"Is he mad? A dakshi?! A duel to the death?"

"So the rumors are true… "

"What rumors?"

"I heard that his family were all bl--"

"Shut up, those are rumors. I heard that they ate human hearts to get stronger and that's why they always fought to th--"

"You're both stupid, the actual rumors are that he ran mad after the death of his family and clan."

"Yes, yes that's the one we all heard, I don't know the rubbish those two are spouting."

The crowd went wild with gossips after Naliaki dropped the bombshell that in the form of a dakshi, they had never had a dakshi before, no, they had never even had a balasik in the history after the calamity divide. The Viole clan was an upper nobility clan close to the top amongst the rest, they were ambitious for but confident about their chances of success.

They weren't scared of losing the title to a house that was overall stronger than they were, the rules of engagement entailed that they would hold the title for ten years and after that they could be opened to a new round of balasik. They were confident that by then they would have made so much progress that any challengers would be crushed in totality.

Everyone was skeptical because they all knew that a lean camel was still bigger than a horse, that was the reason no one had issued a balasik yet as they were waiting for higher chances of success. Truthfully their window of success was closing, most believed that the titled nobility were more powerful at any given rank. But the Violes believed that a challenge in the martial rank was the best chance anyone had at victory.

It wasn't as though the titled nobility were infallible at the same rank, but caution was a virtue and they would be fools to throw away caution with a scion of title. The arrogance portrayed by Tenniel was a measured strategy and had a purpose.

Naliaki and Chris were already a ways away from the gathered crowd, Tenniel had left after his goal had been achieved. "Sister, I have issued a balasik to the scion of fallen storm, but his confidence has me unsettled. He chose a dakshi sister, he is out for blood."

"The reason you're the first to issue a balasik isn't because the other clans are scared, but because you are simply in the best position to issue one. The other houses hardly have anyone as strong as you in the academy base, therefore it would be best if you utilize this chance. The benefits it would bring to the clan are immense, more than you could possibly know. Come back home this period, I would be in charge of your training and preparation for the dakshi."

Tenniel was surprised at the attention his usually arrogant sister was giving to him, yes, she had the right to be arrogant because her affinity was a rear one and he heard from his mother that her ability index was broken. So the fact that his step sister was showing this much concern for him even though he knew that her care wasn't whether he lived or died, but whether he could bring benefits to her and the family or not. He was well aware that all she saw him as was an ant, but he was glad all the same. He was not going to disappoint her this time.

Chris carried on with his live as he had since the beginning of the academic session, the same routine class the training facility, the library, meditation at night and with the occasional difference here and there. It was all in all a very interesting way to spend his time, and it had been three months since he had been here in Riversky academy base with the third month at it's end.