Getting familiar with the school

"What of the third years? Who is the strongest student?" Damien asked.

He was using this opportunity to find out everything about the Imperial Institute. That way, he would have a headstart over his mates.

Information was crucial in a place like this and Damien was determined to make the most out of it.

"The strongest student in the Imperial Institute is Ariel Silverwing," Hank replied.

"Her power is fucking overpowered too. She has the mutant element Gravity!" Frank added reverently.

"How strong is she?" Damien asked.

"Well, Goddess Ariel is in the Grand realm. Rumor has it that she broke into the Grand Realm recently!" Hank answered.

Damien gasped. 

That powerful?

If newly awakened students entered awakened schools when they were sixteen and spent three years in the school, they would be either eighteen or nineteen in third year.

She wasn't even twenty yet she was at the same realm as the most powerful basic school teachers like Mr. Davis and Mr. Gavin!

She was what we called a true genius!

"Wow!" Damien couldn't help but exclaim.

"If Goddess Ariel locks onto you, don't even think of moving. One fight of hers I watched, she made her opponent lie down flat on the ground due to her power!

The poor guy couldn't even move an inch. He had to surrender or else his bones would have been grounded to dust!" Frank said.

Shock and admiration filled Damien's eyes.

"Is she the only one at the Grand realm?" Damien asked.

"Nope. The top ten students on the third year ranking list are all in the Grand realm! Unfortunately, no one can defeat her because of her power. Body oriented people like me don't even stand a chance," Hank answered.

So she wasn't the only genius?

Damn!

As expected of one of the best six schools on Earth!

The top 10 students were even more powerful than some teachers!

"Yeah. If not for that, the strongest student would have been Ezekiel Talon!" added Frank.

"Why is that so?" Damien inquired.

"He's overpowered! He's got a body path power and a spirit path power which perfectly complement each other. His power is weird though.

The fight between him and Goddess Ariel was epic.

Of all the students, he was the only one able to get within twenty meters of her and attack her. They were mutually injured but the decision was given to Ariel because she had more mana left in her tank," Hank said.

Damien nodded in appreciation.

He too had to get stronger like all these students Hank and Frank had mentioned.

Liu Shandian.

Noah Turner.

Ariel Silverwing.

Ezekiel Talon.

I will soon surpass you! Damien vowed inwardly.

Damien didn't know why but certain flames of ambition had somehow been kindled in his heart.

An overwhelming desire to become powerful had been growing within him from the moment he was targeted by the Dusk Organization and it was growing stronger as days passed by.

To Damien, this was no longer a matter related to the Dusk Organization alone but rather his future. If he was more powerful, rich kids like Ronnie Quentin and their families would not be able to threaten nor force Damien.

For the moment, Damien was far from reaching that level but he was eager to try.

And it all started from here.

But first, he had to see to it that he became the strongest student in his year before he could even think of matching such powerful students.

"Enough with the questions, Damien. Your room is on the left. Go and get some rest. Hank and I are heading out," said Frank.

"Thanks for your help, seniors," Damien said politely.

Frank waved his hands. "It's nothing. Just make sure you keep your room clean and you don't sneak in any girl without notifying us first. Other than that, we'll be fine."

Damien's face got a tinge of red and the two brothers laughed at him.

They patted him on the back and left.

Damien took a cursory glance around the residence before going to his room on the left.

It was very large, even larger than his room at home and also very immaculate.

The walls were a white sheen and a huge bed grandly stood in the room.

In the corner was a desk and a chair.

Those were the only things in the room. The furnishings were minimalistic.

Walking to the bed, Damien switched his nano uniform into something more comfortable and he lay on the bed.

Very soft.

Damien let out a content smile and sat up. 

It was time to eat.

**

Days quickly passed by and many more students arrived from the various sectors.

Of course, they were all scammed out of their 10 CP and none of the earlier students from the Western sector bothered about it.

When they arrived, they had also been extorted.

Thus, they were perfectly content to watch the other students from different sectors get ripped off.

Such was human nature.

It was only best that other students from various sectors shared in their suffering. 

If they had been in their shoes, would they have notified them?

Hell no.

No one would be that stupid or generous.

The seniors were all smiles. 

They had made a killing!

Over the week, they had been able to target various new students moving in groups and had charged them 10 CP each.

With the current population of new students, on average, if a senior was able to extort 10 CP from 100 newbies throughout the week, then it meant that he had made 1000 CP!

Converted into normal credits, the person would make 100,000 credits.

Just for tricking a bunch of newbies and showing them around, they had made this much.

Naturally, their profits were higher than this and they were very satisfied.

You could never have too much CPs.

With at least 1000 CP made, they could pay off some debts, enter the training centers and gyms regularly, get some resources or buy artifacts to boost their growth.

Damien used the week to acclimate himself to the school environs.

With the help of Hank and Frank, he was able to acquire a pack of 100 mid-grade mana stones to train rapidly when he wasn't looking around.

The two brothers had allowed him to tag along with them when they went out so they could show him various areas which were crucial for students to know.

This allowed Damien to have a clearer view off how he was swindled out of his CP.

Apparently, the landing zone was at the extreme end of the school and the only buildings nearby were newly constructed buildings and areas. No one would venture around those areas nor would there be any office at such an extreme location.

Thus, the seniors capitalized on it, giving the new students the illusion of it being inhabited and later withdrawing or blending in with the juniors.

Once the juniors wandered around, naturally, they would get near the used school blocks. All paths led to the same place. When they were close enough to the school block, then they would reveal themselves as helpers, put up a show and make the new students plead for their assistance.

Naturally, they would act as if it wasn't worth their time and 'grudgingly' lead them to the registration offices and residential areas. 

Thus, they used this to earn extra CP and make the new students feel indebted to them. With how inexperienced the general newbie populace were, at least seventy percent would feel grateful to their seniors, making it easier for them to pull similar stunts before they even realized. Truly, they had killed two birds with one stone.

If the students found out about their trickery, they would become more brazen and freely extort. After all, the new students were weak as compared to them who were at higher levels and realms.

With what Frank and Hank had told him, Damien was certain that latest by the next two weeks, majority of the new students would have long realized the scam and complain.

They wouldn't be able to do anything about it though.

School authorities liked to turn a blind eye on things as long as they were not too serious.

The seniors wouldn't face much of any trouble.

This wasn't how Damien expected it to be.

It didn't take long for the first week to end and the second week be slowly ushered in by the morning. 

It was time for the new students to be oriented and made to know how things really worked in the school.

Everyone was eager to find out how it would be.