The Indifferent Legion

Ace stood before her with an enormous pool of mana emanating from his body.

He hadn't used any skills except the basic ones and had accidentally scared the girl shitless.

However, since the loser of this duel would supposedly not be able to participate in tomorrow's event, he had to render her unconscious.

As he approached her, the mana around him became denser as his fist was now leaking with the substance.

"Sorry."

He muttered before preparing a punch.

Whoosh!

Click!

His punch neared her face but was instantly stopped by a certain figure, who tossed him aside like roadside garbage.

As he fell on the nearby ground with a loud…

Thud!

His consciousness became fuzzy, and as he looked towards the blonde-haired girl, he spotted a certain figure gazing at him apologetically.

Noah Williams.

Ace immediately used the mana to maintain his consciousness.

Blood trickled down his right shoulder, but there was nothing he could do about it for the time being.

As he clenched his fist with one hand while clutching his shoulder with the other.

"I apologize, but I cannot let you hurt this young lady."

"You wanna bet that even if she were about to kill me, you wouldn't have stepped in?"

Noah and Ace locked eyes with each other. The former had an expressionless face, while the latter revealed a glare.

"That is correct."

"Of course it is. I wouldn't be saying this if it weren't."

As he said those words, he began walking towards the infirmary, his grip on his shoulder so tight that his bones began shaking due to the pressure applied to them.

Before he exited the arena, he turned around to stare at the Head of the Conscientious Faction.

With an expression of disgust, he summoned one aether spear and sent it flying at Noah.

Bam!

Noah formed shields to block his attack, but half of them disintegrated before the other half finally neutralized the attack.

His eyes widened as he stared at the boy he had greatly underestimated.

Noah had suppressed his power a lot, but seeing a B- Rank individual break barriers meant for A Rank individuals was still a surprise.

Genro watched the entire display while stroking his chin.

'I still can't discern what substance he is using. Moreover, I couldn't sense it. If I hadn't seen it flying towards little goody two shoes, I wouldn't have known it even existed.'

Staring up at the sky, he asked…

'Can you tell what that was, Deity of Magic?'

[Yes. However, that kid should not possess it, let alone use it without any consequences. You should not know of its existence, either. It should not exist on your planet.]

A raspy voice entered his ears as Genro raised an eyebrow at the Deity of Magic's words.

'A substance no one on Earth should possess, huh? I need it, then.'

A rare smirk appeared on Genro's face as he swore to steal the substance from the boy one day.

[Also, that boy is the reason other planets were able to find the location of Earth. He is the prodigy, the star that shone bright enough to attract planets far away.]

Genro's eyes widened as he licked his lips lewdly.

'I want him even more, Deity of Magic.'

[Y'know what? I do too.]

*

*

*

Greeting the medic team with an apologetic expression, he was soon treated using a potion.

The medic team was not happy to see him back so soon but had to comply since it was their job.

*

*

*

The day finally arrived.

As Ace and Leo walked towards the VIP Room, none of them spoke to the other.

They were both too awkward to initiate a conversation, fearing that the other might not like to talk.

They both were fiery opponents in battle, but in real life, they were as soft as the insides of a coconut.

As they arrived at the entrance to their room, they were greeted by an even fancier decor than when they were spectating the events a few days ago.

"Was it always this fancy?"

"Huh? Ah, they made it like this after you left."

Scratching his neck in embarrassment, Ace sat down on the couch.

He had not attended the tournament for a few days, and the last event was already about to begin.

Lily was participating in the event, while Carl was not. The latter had still not returned to the school.

The particular person Noah wanted to join the event did not exist. Although he did not reveal such a thing publicly, it was already pretty obvious.

As they watched the arena, they noticed two people step into it.

"Anthony and Buzz."

Ace unconsciously muttered as he scrutinized the two with great interest.

Anthony had gone on to become a famous Conscientious Ranker in his previous life, while Buzz had become a drug addict after his loss to some heir of a rich family.

Despite that, Buzz's talent was exceptional during the Inter-Academy Tournament.

He revealed a wry smile when he realized that Buzz always bought the drugs from the Kadz Family's organization.

And the heir of the particular family was sitting next to him.

Being unbeknownst to the disownment of Leo, he did not know that even though Leo still possessed the surname 'Kadz', he was not a part of the family.

The referee began his countdown as Anthony and Buzz stood before each other.

"3."

Anthony readied his bow and coated it with mana while Buzz held up his axe, which was filled with dense mana.

"2."

Whoosh!

The cool breeze swept past the competitors as their hair fluttered due to it.

"1."

As the two got into a stance, the referee finally said…

"Begin!"

The two suddenly disappeared.

Buzz moved towards his opponent while Anthony moved backwards, trying to form a gap between him and his enemy.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Buzz swung his axe non-stop but was only able to cut the atmosphere and not his opponent, who seemed to be as slippery as an eel.

Anthony, who had gained enough distance by now, shot an arrow at his opponent before immediately migrating to a different position.

The arrow darted towards Buzz, splitting the air in its surroundings. However, it was easily split into two by Buzz's axe.

However, what Buzz didn't realize was that there was an arrow flying at him right this instant.

Whoosh!

He barely dodged the arrow while using only his instincts, which turned out to be quite powerful.

Buzz immediately leapt through the air, landing before Anthony with a loud…

Thud!

The ground beneath his feet shook wildly as several cracks appeared.

Anthony quickly activated [Arrow's Foot], running as far away from the brute as he possibly could with the meager amount of time he had before Buzz's next attack.

Unfortunately for him, he did not have to wait long as the boy with a humongous body approached Anthony with a demented smile.

Bam!

Crack!

Buzz's axe tore through the floor like tofu, missing his enemy completely.

By the time he realized what was going on, an arrow was already flying towards him at incredible speeds.

Stab!

The arrow dug into Buzz's right bicep, causing excruciating pain.

He quickly tore a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around the wound while evading the other arrows shot at him.

The cloth prevented Buzz from bleeding out, either ending his life or rendering him unconscious.

However, both outcomes would result in his loss, which he could not suffer.

He raised his axe upwards using both of his hands before whispering…

"[Heaven's Slice]."

His axe was immediately coated with a green substance, indicating the presence of Shakti present inside his body.

'He possessed Shakti too?'

Having fought against Phantom, who possessed Shakti, he absolutely hated the particular energy.

However, it seemed it was very popular among the students at different academies.

While he spectated the match, he spotted his parents in the stands, watching the match with bored expressions.

Immediately, he asked…

"Leo, how much do VIP Rooms cost?"

"A couple of million Clo, I guess? Why?"

"I'm gonna buy one for my parents."

Although he was eager to meet Ace's parents, Leo refrained from interacting with the former too much for now.

"I see."

He muttered before turning his head towards the arena to continue watching the match.

Not wanting to pry any deeper, Ace headed towards the stands where his parents were sitting.

As they spotted Ace, smiles blossomed on their face as they frantically waved towards the King of Indifference.

Using [Blitz Step] to approach them instantly, he asked…

"Let's go to a VIP Room."

Amanda glanced at Adam, who glanced back.

Alice's eyes glittered as she pictured herself in a VIP Room.

"Sure!"

She said before approaching her brother and putting her hand on his shoulder.

Adam and Amanda also agreed, albeit a bit hesitant at first.

As they walked towards the counter, Alice kept asking what it was like to watch the match inside a VIP Room.

"Well, you get free beverages, food, and a clear view of the match without the other spectators screaming into your ears."

Alice's eyes glittered with excitement as she squealed quietly, trying her best to contain her excitement.

Despite being a mature 13-year-old girl, she felt more comfortable with her brother and could open up to him.

It was to the point where she acknowledged her parents less.

Maybe it was side-effect of not meeting him as often as she preferred, or maybe it was purely due to her love.

"Could we book a VIP Room for… three?"

A lady at the counter, although a little skeptical at first, agreed.

Punching numbers into the device, Ace quickly paid five million Clo for a VIP Room, attracting the concerned gazes of his parents.

Alice, unbeknownst to the astronomical price, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Are you guys Ace's parents?"

A voice entered the ears of Amanda, Adam, Alice, and Ace, as they looked over to see a light-brown haired girl with a bight smile.

Beside her was a blonde-haired girl with a annoyance etched on her face.

"Hey, Melissa."

Ace called out, much to his family's surprise.

"Melissa… Smith?"

Amanda muttered, her eyes widening to the size of saucers by the time she uttered the words.

"Yes, mum. Its Melissa Smith, the heir of the Smith Industries. And the blonde is Lily Yearning."

"I'd prefer you didn't introduce me to your… freak of a family."

"Did you forget what happened yesterday? Noah Williams was the only reason you're participating in the event."

Ace mocked her with a self-centered expression, much to his parents' dismay.

"Ace! You can't say… Wait, Noah Williams?"

"Brother, you're in contact with Noah Williams?"

"Yeah, its a long story. Maybe Lily might be interested in satisfying your curiosity?"

With an expression of disgust, Lily stomped off, leaving Melissa behind.

With an awkward expression, Melissa apologized for her 'friend's' behavior before running off in embarrassment.

"Ace…?"

"Yes, mum?"

"Did you just insult Lily Yearning!?"

Fumes emerged from her ears as she smacked Ace on the head, almost knocking him out cold.

"I'm sorry!"

"You don't get to be sorry."

She whispered as he smacked Ace once again, causing his scalp to become red.

Adam was too stunned to have met two heirs of the most famous families in the Conscientious Faction, and to have found out that his son was in contact with the Head of the Faction.

In medieval terms, it meant Ace was in contact with the daughters of two counts and the literal King.

"Should we head to the VIP Room?"

Sighing, his mother nodded, a worried expression clouding her face once again.

She felt guilty making her son spend so much money, and finally understood the meaning of what he had said a year and a half ago.

"Thank you mum. I'll pay it back tenfold. I promise."

The words he had uttered after she lent him 50 Thousand Clo rang in her ears, causing a gentle smile to blossom on her face.

Now, he had showered her with a seemingly infinite amount of money, which only business tycoons could possess.

As they approached the entrance of the room, Alice was mesmerized not by the decor of the room, but by the decor of the hallway.

She squealed every time she noticed lights shaped like abstract figures or when she peeked inside other peoples' rooms.

Ace had concealed her so that people below his rank wouldn't notice her flow of mana, so it was extremely difficult for one to notice her peeking.

"Here we are."

He pointed to a room that said [Ace Ambrosia] on the top.

He raised an eyebrow at how quick they had assembled the entire room.

Guessing that several A or B Rankers were working with them, he entered the room with his family.

Immediately, his parents' eyes widened to the size of saucers as they witnessed the true glory of the VIP Room.

The most abstract shapes of lamps, several couches, a buffet, a mix of countless air fresheners, etcetera.

The Citrus and Floral scents worked together to create an unparalleled atmosphere for one to live in.

As Amanda, Adam, and Alice sat down on the couch, relaxation awaited them as they immediately fell asleep.

Ace revealed a wry smile at the unprecedented sight, which soon turned into one of concern for his family.

The reason was… something was about to change after the Inter-Academy Tournament, and his parents wouldn't be exempt from it.

No one on Earth would.

Sighing, he exited the VIP Room, only to be greeted by the annoyed expression of a pretty, blond-haired girl.

"Yes?"

"I have something I want to tell you… and ask you about."

Immediately, his eyes turned cold as he led the way towards a private place.

*

*

*

After the talk with Lily, he walked towards his VIP Room with a shaken expression.

Felix…

Just thinking about him from agony to Ace.

Lily had explained that the existence of the OTF had been revealed to her by principal Felix, and that she guessed Leo had made a contract with him.

Moreover, she also informed Ace about the disownment on Leo from the Kadz Family, which was a factor Felix abused greatly.

The Kadz Family was not obligated to protect Leo from legal nor physical troubles now that he wasn't a part of the family.

"Leo?"

"Huh? Y–Yeah?"

Clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of his friend, he faltered.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"A–About what?"

"Your disownment, and that contract."

Swallowing his saliva in nervousness, Leo tried escaping, only to be pinned to the wall by the boy who carried a glint of murderous intent in his eyes.

"Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Me?"

"He told me not to!"

Leo screamed. His voice, however, only came out as a meek squeal.

Wiggling his fingers to try to escape Ace's grip, he imbued his fist with mana.

His eyes glowed crimson as the mana leaked, encompassing the surrounding atmosphere with it.

Not giving him any chance of escape, however, Ace used [Body Augmentation] to maintain his grip on the lanky-armed individual's neck.

His neck trembled as tears flowed down his cheeks.

"That man could be a danger to you as well as al of Earth itself."

His eyes widened as a perplexed expression blossomed on his struggling face.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you've signed a contract with an organization named the OTF?

Leo nodded solemnly.

"The OTF is planning an operation named 'Anatropi', which involves the downfall of Genro Govel, Noah Williams, and Oliver Tree. Some might think it's a viable solution, and that it's for the best. However, in seven and a half years…"

Instead of continuing with his monologue, he moved his fingers and displayed the action of an explosion

"Boom."

"You're saying Earth will blow up?"

"Not necessarily, but it could."

Forming a wry grin, he tilted his head to cringe at what Ace had just uttered.

"Really now?"

"Indeed. If you don't believe me, I can tell you the future."

"Do it."

"In exactly thirty seconds, Anthony is going to pierce Buzz's chest and win the match."

Smirking, Leo approached the window where he possessed a clear view of the match going on in the distance.

Buzz was currently chasing Anthony with all his might, the latter being out of breath.

"You really think-"

Before Leo could continue his sentence, he was interrupted by the noise of an arrow piercing the right side of Buzz's chest.

Blood trickled down Buzz's chest, much to Leo's disbelief.

"Y–You–"

"I told you so."

Smirking, Ace sat down on the couch, continuing his explanation.

"The only reason I was involved in the organization's plans was because of my own interest. I wanted to maintain the balance while reaping whatever rewards I could by cooperating with the organization. After that, I wanted to watch it burn."

"Watch it burn?"

"Do you think it's hard for someone who knows insider information to snitch on the organization? Moreover, I was supposed to infiltrate the Conscientious Faction after the academy ended, so telling Noah about the plans would be fairly easy."

"Then…"

"Why did you sign a contract, Leo? If you knew I was involved, why didn't you consult me about it? Why Felix?"

Ace asked, his expression solemn and his tone grave.

"I… I was pissed at my father after my disownment, and I thought toppling over the factions with the help of an organization large enough to attract Felix Edwards would be plenty to do so."

Leo stared at the floor, tears welling up in his eyes.

"So, what would happen to me?"

"They would most likely use you as a chess piece since your position in the organization would be lower than slaves. Since you were recruited by Felix, a Co-Council Member, he would receive 90% of your earnings and fame inside the organization. Moreover, you would probably be disposed of in a few years, not being able to join any faction after that."

As tears flowed down Leo's cheeks, he finally realized the true consequences of his impulsive actions.

Back then, he had been blinded by desire. Moreover, it was a desperate situation for him, and he thought it was the same for Ace.

"So, what should I do?"

Finally, Ace's face contorted into a devilish grin, enough to scare even the Faction Heads shitless.

"We create an organization, bigger than the Factions itself."

"What!?"

"How about… The Indifferent Legion?"