Targeted

The next day, Clayton discovered he could only get a work permit by going to school and speaking to the administrators there.

He spent his entire childhood being taught by the imperial scholar, and now would have to congregate with normal people.

The school was directly in front of him and looked like two giant bells stacked on top of each other. There were girls, boys, and teachers passing by him examining his clothes.

He looked even poorer then dirt, and to Clayton he had no choice but to endure these gazes. When he went to purchase clothes yesterday, each item of the worst quality clothing was one bronze. He also needed one hen to cook for his mother to better absorb the Detoxification Source Pills, which cost seven bronze.

When he was in the palace, he had an allowance of twenty gold a week. If he had been able to sneak out twenty of those gold coins, he'd be able to buy this school, and acquire a cure for the seven-venom poison. However, now he had to convince an administrator it was okay for him to work before he turned sixteen.

RING! RING! RING!

Clayton looked down at the map, and then up at the bell.

He was supposed to go to class L32C, which was on the 32nd floor of the Magnus Imperial School, room C. The school should've been simple to navigate, but he got lost immediately.

Rather then worrying about this, he turned to the girl next to him.

"Excuse me… Do you know where L32C is?" He then noticed the girl's beautiful hair as it flickered in the rush with an elegant motion.

"Uhm, you can follow me I suppose… However, please stay three feet away from me…"

The girl subtly pointed towards his clothes. She'd never seen someone wear such bad clothing. If she only saw him yesterday, she might want to be in his arms forever.

Unexpectedly to her, though, he smiled and stayed four feet back from her. He was well aware that his current look was anything but attractive. In fact, he was more aware of it then she was! He'd been wearing dragon's silk since he was a baby. His diapers were made with gilded padding, and his first sword cost 20,000 gold coins!

She marched ahead as Clayton followed.

They walked up ten flights of stairs, and the bell rang once more.

RING!

RiNG!

RINGGG!

This was the final bell before class, and she sighed before she began running. Her cultivation was at the 3rd Star Mortal Rank, the highest in her class.

"Come on! We're almost there beggar!"

She rushed down the hallway as she activated her Qi. It was a force that allowed mortals to turn to immortals, and fish to turn into dragons. It led her quickly down the hallway as she sped past the other students dragging themselves to class.

In just five minutes, she made it to class before her teacher walked in. Unfortunately, she couldn't help Clayton get to class on time, but then she turned around and the beggar was sitting next to her!

"AHHHH! HOW?"

"What do you mean, how?" Clayton squinted his eyes with confusion. "I just followed you until we made it to class…"

Still shocked, the girl in disbelief looked around at her class. They all seemed to be wondering two things, why was the beauty of the class with the new student, and why was he wearing such garbage?

"Ah, you must have known the short cut!" She comforted herself by fixing her hair.

"Nope…. You were much slower than most people my age… It was easy," Clayton nodded his head, and then got up and moved a seat back.

"Also, I can tell what you're thinking with that look in your eye…"

The girl grimaced and then reached out and grabbed his arm. "No, you don't have to move…" She regretted this instantly.

Immediately, the boy's in the class eyes flared with ire, and resentment. Did their idol, Mara, really just touch another man?

"You sure?" Clayton asked. He just wanted to get his working permit, save his mom, and hopefully stay alive. It looked as though the men in the class wished he'd die the closer he got to this girl. Hence, he had no problem moving.

"Yes! I'm going to regret this, but yes! Just show me your short cut after class…"

Clayton sighed as the teacher walked in before she stared at him with a penetrating gaze.

"Ah… well, I'll try and find one then," Clayton muttered

Mara turned around and folded her hands as the teacher walked in and cleared her throat.

"Ugh Hum! We have a new student today class! Please raise your hand Clayton!"

Clayton raised his hand before waved the young teacher him to the front of the room. She had this look in her eyes that seemed both hostile, and mysterious. It was as if she wished to kill him, and this was supposed to be his teacher for the next year.

"Now, miss, what did you call me for?" Clayton asked and avoided eye contact. When in front of an angry tigress, it was best not to provoke her.

"Ah, well… I was wondering if you'd help me with a demonstration?"

"Yes, but… what kind of demonstration?" He pondered as he looked at Mara. She was shaking her head, but he didn't notice her warning.

"Well, I figured we could have a little mock battle… You fight me, and if you win… I'll give you an A in the class…"

Clayton shook his head and walked back to his seat. "I don't need an easy A—"

A hand grabbed his wrist and squeezed tightly. He looked down and then looked up at her.

"I take it you want me to fight you? What… did you learn about my history?" Clayton yanked free his wrist causing the teacher to stumble.

People trained in Seventh Lock of this city had access to far better resources and cultivation centers. He wasn't even sure if people in First Lock City would be able to handle him. Of course, with talent these Locks could be bypassed, however, his teacher wasn't ready to challenge him.

"Hmmm, your pretty strong!" The teacher smiled and then activated her Qi. She was at the Sixth Star Mortal Rank, but also had the fire element. When she unlocked the fire element, she knew she could even fight Seven Star Mortal cultivators. However, Clayton sat down at his chair.

"Seriously, I don't want an easy A, but if you can promise me a working permit I'll fight you!"

The class laughed wondering who this suicidal boy was! Getting a working permit in First Lock City was extremely hard. This world didn't make it easy for lower class citizens to climb up the latter, and this was even more true for the Lowest parts of the city.

Why should they help them ascend when their ancestors were the ones who put them here?

That was the thinking of the Kings, Saints, and Gods. There was no advancement for anyone besides the super talented. This was especially true here, too! With the resources seven times better in the seventh lock, this place required you to be seven time as talented as geniuses!

They also had better food, which led to better strong muscles! Clayton, up to yesterday, had eaten this food, and had eaten the best of the best. If his teacher really challenged him, he might kill her, but she insisted again and again.

"I'll get you a working permit, Clayton… If you let me fight you… Now, please come up to the class, you little shit…"

Mara had no idea how to make heads or tales of this situation. "Did she just call you shit?" She turned around and looked at Clayton.

"Yup, she did… I'll explain it to you later…" Clayton got up and walked back up to the classroom. As he did this, his teacher began activating her inner Qi Matrix. A red light bloomed around her body from her inner aura.

Clayton soon activated his energy as well stunning the students.

"So, you really want to fight me? We're the same rank?" Clayton started before his teacher whipped her foot at him.

He ducked and slid his foot into her calf causing her to flip in the air. Her dress fluttered as she attempted to stop herself from being exposed.

In her fear, a fist pummeled towards her and stopped in front of her face.

"AAAHHH!" The teacher swiped away Clayton's fist and fired a flurry of burning attacks.

One of these attacks was a fire punch, and Clayton ducked to the side before he sent an upper cut coursing towards her head.

WHOOSH!

The fist made a fierce sound before it pushed against the bottom of her chin. It was clear to all the students, and Mara now, that this student wasn't from this lock. Even the most talented student in the school, Journey, was at the fourth star mortal rank.

It echoed as he halted his hand in front of her face. It seemed to have little bee stinger blades at the tip of his knuckles.

"You're not bad…" His teacher gulped and then pat him on the back. "I just wanted to give you the test… However, unfortunately I can't give you a working permit!"

Clayton smiled suspecting this would happen. "Yup, I figured that much… I'll tell the administrators you recommended me though, if that's okay?" His hand was still by her throat, and she gulped realizing he could critically injure her if he moved his hand.

"Alright, you may ask for a permit! Anyway, class, this is Clayton! A piece of trash from the Seventh Lock… Please welcome him to First Magnus Imperial School!"

"Seriously?" Mara said breaking the silence in the room. "What's a blessed student doing in our neck of the woods?"

"Yeah, why the hell is he here!" One of the students sounded out angrily.

"They make us suffer, and now this? What is he here to take our only resources?" Another said in anger.

Clayton then turned and faced the boiling atmosphere of the students. It was causing the air to simmer, and the heat in the room to rise.

"I'm here because I have no choice… My mother is dying, and my father is the reason why… I had to sleep in a cursed house yesterday, and I already had to deal with two assassination attempts last night in my sleep… If you think my life is so blessed, please shut up…"

"Also, this was the third attempt at my life… Anyway, just don't talk to me if you don't want to…"

Clayton sat down at his desk as Mara turned around and looked at him strangely.

"So, there is no short cut?" She turned around him and asked him with her beautiful pearly whites showing.

"Nope, and I'd suggest you stay away from me, or your life will only get worse…"

He picked up his books and moved one seat back. The tension in this room then finally cracked as her teacher then cleared her throat.

"Well… I suppose that you all met Clayton now… We should get back to talking about the vile demons fighting us humans for our land."

As she said this, she looked at Clayton. He sighed and began taking notes on the Fourth Continental War.

….

In the teachers lounge, one hour later.

"So, did you hear what happened to Abagail?"

"No, what happened Jora, please tell us before she gets back from the nurse's office."

Jora had heard this news from Stacey, who was walking in the hallway by Bernard who was next door to Abagail. Basically, Bernard heard the fight and went to go out to the bathroom, when he saw a teenager fighting a teacher.

Obviously, as one of the teachers in the school, he was informed of Clayton, and that he would be attending. However, he was not expecting that Abagail would try and fight him! This message then passed from Bernard, to Stacey, to Jora, and now to the entire school.

"She fought Clayton, but she lost in three moves!"

"Wow! I thought she was one of the top twenty teachers in our school!"

Jora nodded his head. "Yup, but she still lost to Clayton!"

Clayton was obviously a well trained fighter, but he was very young. Even with their knowledge of the seventh lock, the strongest he should be is at the fifth star mortal rank. However, it appeared his cultivation was even unordinary for Seventh Lock City.

"Well, it might be because he's a demon… Did you hear he's a half blood?"

Jora frowned and nodded his head. "Yup, his mother deceived the king. It's a shame another demon attempted to infiltrate a human kingdom. Those demons live in those overpopulated lands, and are forced to feed on each other until they reach a high enough rank… I bet his mother was one of the weak ones, and fled at a young age. It's a shame she had such high ambitions!"

"Hmph, well… I don't mind that he's a demon… Perhaps he'll even help our school out?"

Jora sighed and looked over at the doorway and shook his head. "Believe me, if he's a demon, the only person he'll want to help is himself. Plus, he'll have to deal with assassins every day here… His cultivation will diminish faster than it will rise…"

A moment later, Abagail walked into the class room and sat down next to Jora. She could only reach out and hug him tightly as he looked at her with sympathy. Tears then began to flow down her face.

"Those bastards! They took my family from me, and now they sent his son! I'm going to kill him if it's the last thing I do!"

Her eyes then looked up at Jora who was patting her back.

"In fact, would you help me Jora?" She spun her hair into a ball, as he nodded at her.

"Of course, I will do anything to help you, Abagail? Where is he?"

….

Mara guided Clayton to the administrator's offices.

Once he was there, he'd hopefully be able to request an early permit to work.

"So, you want to tell me why you're down here, royal bum?" Mara joked as she walked down the hallway.

"I-I… I can't tell you, Mara… The less people that know the better…"

Mara nodded her head and poked Clayton's chest. "Hmmm, I can just guess… Would it be okay if I guess?"

Mara was a very picturesque girl even for the Seventh Lock City, but obviously Clayton couldn't tell her anything. If he did, she might also try to kill him.

"I'm sure you'll find out eventually. I just want to survive for a month, so my mother can live…"

"Ouch! Did people really try to assassinate you three times?" Mara asked and then Clayton nodded.

"Yup, first it was the knights, but that might have just been to impress the saints… Then there were two small girls that tried to stab me while I was shopping, and I think I saw one of them in the school. Finally, you just witnessed the teacher try to kill me…"

Mara shook her head as they approached the office. "Well, you're still alive, and you'll only get stronger! Plus, you're the strongest person I know in First Lock."

"Hmmm, I guess I'll remember that when I go into the office… thanks Mara!"

Mara nodded her head and then reached out and grabbed Clayton's hand. "No worries, and sorry about moving away from you in class… you're actually really nice!"

Clayton smiled and then walked into the administrator's office.

"Hmmm, well, you're actually my type…" He winked at her and giggled.

A man was waiting for him on a chair, holding a manilla envelope, as he browsed through Clayton's file.

Clayton closed the door leaving Mara stunned outside.

"So… I heard you would like to work at the mines? Is that correct?"

Clayton nodded his head and sat down.

"Great! Well, the pay is really well, but there is always a chance of demons attacking! You'd also be the youngest person in the mine… Oh, yeah, and by the way, I'm Felix!"

"Thank you, Felix!" Yes, I would like to start working tonight if possible…. Do you know how much I could make a day?"

Felix sighed and looked down at the file of Clayton. He was the top in his class in seventh lock, and now had a small star next to his name. This file was confidential and could only be seen by teachers and staff. That star meant he was at least a quarter demon.

"Hmmm, are you sure about this Felix? You were the best spell caster in your class?"

Clayton nodded his head. "I-I need the money, or else my mom's going to die… I don't even care if it's a high-risk facility… Just give me a job I can start tonight please…"

"I really don't recommend the mines… Wait a few more days, and you can work in the hot springs…"

He closed the file leaving Clayton gawking.

"Please, mister, I really need the money!"

Felix could only shake his head. "Nope, hot springs in five days… you can find jobs in the town before then… Here's your working permit!"

Clayton sighed and grabbed it looking down at his picture with the ominous red star next to his face.

"So, I really am a demon?" He whispered to himself.

"You're going to be fine! There are a lot of jobs around the city… Just ask around at a few shops…"

Clayton nodded his head and walked out the room before he notied Mara there sitting against the wall across.

"I…. I know a place you can get a job… Would you like to follow me?"