Unpredictability is so damn interesting

The general building also had a cafeteria for year one students. But classes continued in other buildings.

For Anon, who utilized the gauntlets and the staff, he had two separate classes to attend to.

Seth, utilizing only one weapon, was assigned to the only other mandatory session, the practical fighting class hosted in yet another building. 

This was the longest class, spanning over three hours.

Due to having an extra class, Anon joined the practical fighting class later than Seth.

But he wasn't the only student though. There were many geniuses who utilized two, three, and even four weapons.

So, in theory, the practical fighting class lasted for several hours.

Whilst all the other classes were optional, this practical fighting class was not, and only after spending three hours within it, which was recorded via the bracelet wrapped around one's wrist, were they then allowed to enter the cafeteria.

Although Seth had completed his three hours of practical fighting, he still remained within the building.

The practical fighting building housed many battle platforms that were constantly in use. There were several instructors overwatching multiple battle platforms simultaneously.

But instructors were in the third world, so there was really no problem for them to observe first and second world entities no matter how monstrous they were.

A burning light shone on Anon's face as a ball of condensed molten flames rushed towards him.

But he evaded with visible ease and closed the distance separating him and his opponent.

By the time his adversary could react, Anon's staff was already within reaching distance of his glabella, stopped only by an invisible barrier.

"Impressive." A black-haired instructor clapped his hands and approached the duo on stage.

Though the long-haired instructor was average in appearance, and even his body was of average height, thin and weak appearing, the sharp aura leaking from his eyes made him stand out more than the common man.

"Thank you, Sir. Katsaros." Anon cupped his fist and slightly bent his back.

"Be at ease, you can refer to me as Leon." He smiled.

"I don't dare," Anon replied outwardly, inwardly thinking, 'Leon Katsaros, of the Katsaros greater family. Not part of my father's faction, the instructors Victoria wished us to be cautious of, one such instructor is you, Leon.'

But there were too many individuals in society with at least two faces, so in front of Anon, Leon smilingly praised his fighting capabilities.

He had stood on the battle platform not even needing any pointers from an instructor, invincible from the start to finish.

"You and that Seth are a league above the rest, aren't you guys." Leon chuckled, "Along with Jacob, Orkhon, Morgan, and Elena, we're observing you six, don't disappoint us now."

"I can't compare to these geniuses," Anon humbly replied.

Leon sighed, about to dissuade such thoughts, but Seth's voice entered his ears, "Anon, ah, there you are! Have you completed your three hours, fuck, I'm hungry bro."

A tingle rushed up Anon's spine as he heard Seth's tone.

Each word that Seth said simply felt wrong, but...

"Eh?!" Anon brought the bracelet to his face before unconsciously nodding his head.

Catching himself, he turned around to exit the platform, but before he did, he paused, turning back to face Leon and bowing intently, "Thank you for your pointers, and praise, I'm hungry now, so please excuse me."

Without waiting for a reply, Anon leapt off the platform and into the crowd that encompassed it. But these stellar geniuses quickly reacted and dodged, allowing him to land right next to Seth.

Amid many stares of envy, and respect, suffering from hunger, the duo swiftly left the practical fighting hall.

"These two..." Leon smiled, thinking, 'They don't even bother to add any subtleness to their acting.'

As his eyes squinted, a cold light shone in them, 'It seems like they were already warned, already cautious of me.'

'But how do they know that my family particularly is opposed to the Heroes' Covenant?'

...

Upon exiting the practical fighting building, much to Seth's surprise, Anon did not approach the general building where the cafeteria was located, instead, taking a detour to another.

Once reaching their location, Seth mockingly stated, "Anon, do you really think profound arts are so easily obtained?"

"Though the bracelet of each student has thirty merit points upon enrollment, don't think that it'll be enough even for the most useless item within the hall of treasures."

The hall of treasures.

Anon had already planned to enter this building long ago, so instead of answering Seth, he entered through the hall of treasures' entrance doors. 

Seeing Anon's lack of reaction to his words, Seth mused inwardly whilst following him, intrigued 'Oh, is this the first time that I can't predict his thoughts?' 

But soon after, he exited with a frowning face, alongside Anon.

"Treasureless paupers, stay away from this building before I-!" A voice exclaimed from within the hall of treasures as the duo walked out.

'Surely, he knew he'd acquire nothing with his meager amount of merit points. I also reminded him of that.' Seth thought.

After all, with merit points being used as a currency within the military academy, some information on it was within the chip that they absorbed last night. 

They already knew that it made no sense entering the hall of treasures without having upwards of some thousands of merit points. 

'He just entered and had a casual look around before leaving.' Seth deduced, 'I thought he had some type of treasure that he'd exchange for merit points, but he didn't even approach the exchange counter, angering that senile old man.'

Seth glanced at Anon who seemed lost in his own world as they maneuvered through the military academy. This time, Anon finally approached the general building.

'What is it?' Seth smiled strangely, 'The son of humanity's lord does nothing on a whim, right. So, tell me, what is it? I'm curious...'

'Oh, you're so interested, aren't you, Seth.' Anon thought.

Smiling strangely, Anon promised inwardly, 'Okay then, don't be too surprised. Let me show you...'

Such thoughts floated in his head whilst he proclaimed aloud, "Let's head to the cafeteria."

...

Toppin.

It was the name of more than one Otherworldly Knights.

Like those with the surname Katsaros, it meant that those with the surname Toppin were members of a genuine greater family.

And one such individual sat inside the cafeteria playing with his food.

He sat alone at a table in the bustling cafeteria, a stark contrast to the tables hosting groups of four or five students chatting animatedly around him.

Despite being in the military academy where the status of one's family mattered little, still, a subtle divide lingered between those from the nine greater families and the rest.

Even the children of great families understood and accepted this.

Jacob Toppin displayed his boredom openly, absently pushing the food around on his plate.

His dark dreadlock-style hair framed his face, accentuating the intricate tattoo-like designs that adorned his eyes and cheeks.

Despite the lively atmosphere of the cafeteria, he sat alone at a table, a sense of detachment encompassing him.

It was as if his mind was elsewhere while he mechanically moved the food around on his plate, not appearing particularly interested in said meal either.

Bang!

A brisk sound viciously assaulted his senses, causing him to frowningly raise his gaze towards a certain area in the cafeteria where a small commotion was taking place.

There, a young man with a growing stubble and almond colored hair confronted another student.

"Oh," Jacob mused with droopy eyes, 'The Alton family...'

The Alton family was one of the eighty-one powerful families in the Core City, a name that carried weight and influence. Yet, Jacob struggled to recall the current year's genius from that family.

His gaze shifted to the adversary of the Alton family's genius and landed on Anon.

'Who's this fool?'

Jacob pondered, a sigh escaping his lips as he returned to absently playing with his food.

As the commotion escalated around him, the world seemed to shrink, closing off more and more.

The tension between the two young men intensified, but Jacob found himself indifferent.

The idiot provoking a genius from a great family hardly registered in his mind; he cared so little that he couldn't care any less.

But Jacob's senses were sharp, even if his focus was scattered. Lazily rising to his feet, he frowned. Damn, even if you wish to be foolish, why involve me?

A figure came hurtling toward him, clearly ejected from the commotion between Anon and the Alton family genius. Though he didn't know for certain who it was, common sense led him to believe it would be Anon.

Bam!

Jacob caught the person mid-air, gripping them by the neck before flinging them to the ground.

"Oh?!" he exclaimed in pleasant surprise, raising an eyebrow.

'I remember now,' he thought with certainty, 'Rowan Alton!'

A smirk crept across Jacob's face, 'At least I can remember this much.'

He briefly shifted his gaze from Rowan to Anon, who went on to confront another person.

But Jacob's attention quickly returned to Rowan, who lay sprawled on the ground, looking disoriented.

He glanced back at Anon again, before shifting back to Rowan once more.

'Wait a minute...'