Chapter 116 - The Arrival of the Demotion Test

The backyard at Nerun's place was filled with rocks, debris and other signs of utter destruction.

Nerun was being sieged by Reina, Karles and Elijah at the same time. He was not allowed to fight back, for this exercise, he was only allowed to practice his most powerful defence. And defend he did, magnificently, we might add.

- RA TA TA TA TA TA

The attacks kept going towards Nerun who moved agilely, always maintaining his fighting stance and constantly parrying, blocking, avoiding and redirecting the attacks coming towards him. His Unbreakable Form was being perfected little by little. Nerun's reaction to incoming attacks, defence against multiple enemies and overall dexterity were what had improved the most in the recent training. This was expected by Nerun since he had been digesting fully the earnings he had made during the tests at the Royal Military School, where he had gained an epiphany.

"STOP!" said Elijah with a smile on his face.

"Very good little brother. You have not disappointed us. Even when the interval of attacks is close to unending and continuous, you've managed to parry most of the attacks back. Whether Karles is the main attacker, Reina or even me, you have been able to change the rhythm at the right time."

Elijah was quite proud of his little brother's advances and was even more thankful towards Reina and Karles. Both had done their best to help Nerun truly hone his skills. Either by attacking with their full might in concert with Elijah's instructions, just defending and allowing Nerun to experiment with his attacks and techniques, or simply by being there for Nerun. Of course, it was not like Karles and Reina earned nothing, Elijah, true to his words kept them company once or twice and gave them some pointers, which allowed them both to also improve in their techniques. So overall, the group was quite happy with what they had accomplished in this small amount of time.

After three continuous weeks of improving his forms under increased gravity, Nerun's agility and fluidness had increased a good amount. He even managed to tolerate an increase in two times the normal gravity and move with his full power and speed. This meant, that at twice the weight and constant pressure, Nerun was able to fight normally against any enemy. If Nerun did not have the obscene amount of Contribution Points he got from Cynthia, he would not have been able to achieve this improvement.

Moreover, with the constant replenishment of using the special menu each and every day, Nerun had even managed to increase his Qi and Mana by a small amount and reach level 13 in both energies. This increase was however hardly noteworthy, since most students, especially those in the second and third year had one all out, and several of them had also managed some improvements, several of them increasing their Qi levels by 1 or 2 levels. Of course, this rapid increase was not sustainable, since it required a grand expenditure in both Contribution Points and their family's resources, both finite.

Therefore, Nerun's improvement had fortunately gone unnoticed so far, since he also tried to eat from the special menu when all or most of the students had left the cafeteria, and fortunately, the Gravity Room was one of the least-used training rooms in the whole Academy.

"Well then, we've done all we can for now. Tomorrow is the Demotion Test, so after that and we get the rules for the coming Inner Class Ranking, we'll make our due preparations for it. Truly, guys, I can't than..."

"Stop right there Nerun. I don't want to hear thank you again, otherwise, we'll no longer be friends," said Reina raising an eyebrow. Nerun simply raised his hands in defeat, getting used to this menace by Reina, however, he had deeply engraved this gratitude in his heart.

Elijah couldn't help showing a smile towards this trio of friends, happy to see Nerun living a somewhat normal life as a teen. If only this peace could last... "Well little brother, worried about tomorrow?"

"What do you think?" answered Nerun with a cheeky smile.

"Cocky little runt!" said Elijah jokingly, and then went to his study once more. He had done his utmost to help Nerun train for the Inner Class Ranking, but his work as a Dragon General demanded him to work non-stop for hours without end. Thank EON for the presence of Serena, otherwise, he wasn't sure how would he have managed.

....

Meanwhile, at another manor in Eonia, Solda and his group of friends were meeting another student who was also with a Lyceum Uniform, however, it was different from the one he and his friends used. Its colour was lighter and its design was less regal, however, it was still kind of imposing. It was the uniform of those from the Outer Class.

"So, do we have an agreement?" asked Solda with his usual tone of disdain and derision. Even though the one in front of him was the very best of the students from the first year of the Outer Class.

The Outer Class students in the Lyceum were quite different from those in the Inner Class, at least in the latter years and in the lower rank of the classes. However, first years, especially those that had just entered, and the top-ranked class are quite similar in power to those from the inner class. The competition there could even be considered ad the fiercest among the Lyceum since the chance to go from the Outer Class to the Inner Class is a chance for the carp to go through the proverbial gate.

That's why Julian Jericho was a bit angry at both the proposal and the treatment and disdain he was getting from Solda. He had put his utmost to increase his chances of getting into the Inner Class. He had also heard about Nerun before, but given the rumours surrounding the latter, he considered him of no concern.

So for the test to come he had made his homework to investigate the rest of the Senior Brothers in the Inner Class in the bottom ranking and choose the one that he could more than likely defeat. However, Solda had come looking for him with a proposal that he was inclined to refuse. His family which while being a member of the bourgeoisie, was still not considered part of the true nobility. It was his dream to keep increasing his family status, to eventually be awarded the rank necessary to be given the Ansem patronymic of "Dai". He was also a proud individual, and he had gotten to the top of the Outer Class after much effort, and there wasn't that much difference between himself and the members of the Inner Class. Of course, this difference would grow larger as time went by, therefore the first couple of Demotion Tests for the Inner Class Ranking were the best chances for a member of the Outer Clase to move up.

And Solda's proposal would have him forfeit this long-awaited desire. Of course, Solda had also put forward some conditions and compensations, however, he was of the mind of not accepting any. But before he could formally reject, his very own family let him know that their businesses and projects were being disturbed by guards and hired thugs, coming from the Lorica Family. This was a hard blow to take, and although there were options he could take, his family put pressure on him to compromise with Solda. He was feeling humiliated, but in the end, he couldn't resist his family's request.

Those were the circumstances that led us to the present scene.

"Relax junior brother Julian. It's not like there won't be any chance for you to get into the Inner Class in the future. You do me this favour, and I assure you that you can be a part of my entourage. The benefit you will gain will more than compensate you for not being in the Inner Class. Also, your family will gain my family's protection and friendship. Am I not showing you enough sincerity?".

Julian clenched his fists, but in the end, he could only acquiesce and simply interjected: "thy will be done. But I still fail to see why we have to bother so much about that boy. He is sure to fail the test and get demoted. Why are you putting so much importance into this?"

"That's for me to worry about. Let's just say that there is someone very interested to make sure that Nerun is demoted no matter the cost. Therefore we can't simply leave things to chance. You will do as commanded, and that will be it. If there is nothing else, you can leave. Here, for your troubles, a bit of an advance."

Said Solda throwing a leather bag filled to the brim with gold coins. When Julian took the bag, he noticed that besides the gold coins, there was a special card made of jade inside, which had a Martial Technique inscribed on it. Julian was quite happy after seeing it and got somewhat appeased by it. Martial Techniques after all were quite rare, and not every student in the Lyceum had the ability to learn many of them.

Normally, Martial Techniques or Skills were still considered quite rare. Not only that, they were divided as well into different grades, low, middle, upper, top and divine. The ones taught by Maikal at the Orphanage were actually considered middle and upper-grade techniques, but still if people knew of their existence, it was more than likely that many sects and families would have scrambled for them or begged Maikal to teach their clans. Maikal did know some Top Martial Skills, however, those were much much rarer, and so far he had only taught them to Nerun and Elijah. The Free Flowing Fist was considered a Top Grade Martial Art, and each form was accompanied by a corresponding Martial Technique, but Nerun still had not been able to master any of them. As for Divine Techniques. Maikal's family did have one. However, its knowledge was lost when his family fell in disgrace.

Therefore, when Julian saw the Martial Technique he had been given he was quite pleased, and his anger was somewhat appeased. After all, while his family had a small repository of Martial Techniques they were mostly lower and middle-graded ones. This technique he got was another middle-grade technique, and when considering that to learn one from the Lyceum cost around 400 Contribution Points, he finally acknowledged that the deal was worth it. So without saying anything more, he left.

Solda couldn't help but look at the prior proud-looking Julian leaving with the bag right next to his chest, as if afraid that Solda or his friends would ask for it back.

"Such trash. If not because Senior Brother Roman asking me this favour, I would never associate with this rabble. In any case, that boy is done for. I'll make sure to savour his despair after putting him in his place. He should have known where he belonged from the start." said Solda with scorn.

Everything seemed to be in place for the test tomorrow. And after Nerun was demoted, he had even more surprises waiting for him. Solda had made sure that Nerun would regret the day he decided to enter the Lyceum. Solda thought nothing of it. He did not particularly hate Nerun, although he certainly didn't like him. Fighting or discussing with the boy was considered beneath him and his noble lineage. This was all a simple matter of business and political rivalries. That beggar, who should have known his place had come and tried to meddle in the word of the nobles, it was as simple as that. By being Elijah's brother, he had gained some free enemies, enemies he had never even known existed. Such was the price for his insolence.

....

The next day started with some slight rain falling in the city. The light mist of the morning formed an ethereal kind of feeling as Nerun was walking towards the gates of the Lyceum with a confident stride. For Nerun this was like any other day. There wasn't a shred of concern in his demeanour, although several of the students, both from the Outer and Inner Class looked at him as if expecting to watch a good show.

The Demotion Test was about to begin. And everybody wanted to see what the brother of the Dragon General, the orphan that tried to enter the Royal Military School and was disregarded and sent away, the boy who needed special connections to enter the Lyceum through a back door without being tested before and after the term had started was able to do. Would he perform a miracle and stay in the Inner Class, or as was expected he would be demoted to the Outer Class?

After being demoted to the lower rank of the Outer Class and staying there for three Ranking tests, he would simply be expelled. This was the ending they had pictured, and today would just be the beginning of the end of this charade.