The Devil's Cage

Chapter 1543: Tutorial

Professor Tyrese’s face turned ugly, not bothering to linger anymore and instead running down the stairs.

After Professor Tyrese left in a hurry, Kieran walked out from the isolated cafeteria, frowning in the direction the Professor ran off to.

Kieran shared a link with b.l.o.o.d.y Mary, so he had a clear view over the edges of E Block, where Professor Smith’s research lab was located.

Thick smoke was rumbling high and blazing lights were flas.h.i.+ng non-stop.

Something must have happened there without a question and it was faster than Kieran had expected.

After Oliford Ryde mentioned E Block Princ.i.p.al Romuse and the independent Professor Smith, Kieran sent b.l.o.o.d.y Mary to the research lab for surveillance.

Why not Princ.i.p.al Romuse’s place though?

After the princ.i.p.al’s little house was destroyed, Kieran hadn’t located where he was currently staying, but he believed as long as he kept an eye on Smith, Romuse would show up.

Based on what Oliford Ryde had said, the two must have a complicated relations.h.i.+p.

However, what Kieran saw through b.l.o.o.d.y Mary’s eyes told him there was more than one party taht had their eyes on Professor Smith.

More than three different parties were fighting in the area.

Modern firearms were blasting endlessly, explosions going off relentlessly.

The unique fighting technique of this dungeon world perfectly combined modern firearms, making the fight a lot more strange. However, none of the fierce fights in front of the research lab mattered because Professor Smith didn’t show up at all.

b.l.o.o.d.y Mary was ordered to carefully search the place and soon found out Professor Smith, together with his large canine friend, Bolt, was not on the premise.

“They were lured away? Or?”

As the thought lingered in his heart, Kieran ordered b.l.o.o.d.y Mary to step back.

Kieran had no idea what had just happened but it would be best for him to not meddle around with an already complicated situation.

Why fish in muddy waters?

b.l.o.o.d.y Mary also reported that the unusual aroma was gone, so Kieran did not plan to test the waters.

That fact proved Kieran’s choice was the right one.

Less than a minute after b.l.o.o.d.y Mary left the research lab, multiple powerful presence appeared, and through Kieran’s Advanced Ranks Intuition, the lowest level sensed was entry level Advance Rank, while some even reached rank III. Kieran was sure what he sensed wasn’t all.

Due to the distance, even Advanced Ranks Intuition became unstable, therefore special skills could directly affect the perception of Intuition.

“The higher power of Theorate? Seems like things are much more complicated than I thought,” Kieran touched his chin with one hand.

If what Oliford Ryde said was true, that the research lab was being watched by Princ.i.p.al Romuse, should something happen to the research lab, the higher power of Theorate would surely deliver the final thunderous blow, but now the higher power of Theorate appeared slightly out of expectation, hence there were only two explanations left.

First, the higher power of Theorate was a lot stronger than Kieran had expected. However, given their power level and the fact that they were still unable to control the entire school, it seemed like the hidden power in respective research lab or family and sects were even more powerful than the school.

Second, these higher powers came from the whole of Theorate. They were neither the from the school or research lab and only appeared because Smith’s research lab was under attacked.

Regardless of the former or latter, it wasn’t anything good for Kieran, especially the former, which would truly affect his upcoming plan.

The latter?

Kieran must seize the chance to retreat because if things continued like this, his plans would eventually be affected.

Kieran was pondering upon the question as he walked, trying to fill in all possible holes in his plan.

Of course, he still hadn’t forgetten the tutorial cla.s.s from the upper years.

It wasn’t just any food, it was Fast Food cla.s.s food!

…

Leanna suddenly shuddered as she walked.

The 3rd year student, who had been through multiple hunts in the Mystic State, held her katana tight, looking left and right in an attempt to locate the source of danger, but everything was fine.

It was just a normal street in E Block and she was around her schoolmates, who would be partic.i.p.ating in the tutorial cla.s.s.

“What’s wrong, Lele?”

Joey, in her signature jersey, noticed her friend’s unusual reaction since she was walking beside her.

“I don’t know. I felt cold just now, it’s like something is watching me, but… I think I might be overthinking.”

Leanna ultimately shook her head and looked at her friend with a smile, “You seem to be looking forward to tutoring the freshmen later?”

“Of course! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time! That b.a.s.t.a.r.d slapped me unconscious and threw me on the ground, how can I not take revenge for that? Whenever I think about that a.s.s, my cheek still hurts.”

Joey clenched her fist tightly and said between gnas.h.i.+ng teeth. She unconsciously looked at Leanna’s nose, although it has fully recovered and hadn’t left a scar on her face, Joey had heard how badly hurt Leanna was back then. Her nose didn’t ust bleed like a river, her nose bridge had been fractured.

“Don’t look at me like that. It took me quite some time to get fully healed.”

Leanna tapped her friend out of embarra.s.sment.

“You don’t hate that a.s.s?” Joey asked out of curiosity.

“Yes, but based on what I know, he is very powerful.”

The strong and decisive tone expressed how a lady deeply cared about her looks, but what she said later showed worries instead.

“Powerful? It may be just some falsely circulated rumours, who really knows what that a.s.s is capable off? He is just a freshman First Seat!”

Disdainful words sounded beside the two girls.

Pegis looked rather handsome in his 4th year uniform and badge but his frivolous ways weren’t likeable. When he got close to Leanna, she subtly moved away.

Pegis was pus.h.i.+ng his luck but when he saw Leanna hold her katana, he stopped.

“I don’t think our relations.h.i.+p should be this stiff!” Pegis said with a pretended sigh.

“This is exactly what our relations.h.i.+p should be!” Leanna emphasized.

Joey was also looking at him with disgust.

Pegis’ name in the female circle of the upper year was very ugly. He cheated other girls’ feelings, body, money and even food and he did it more than once. If hadn’t possessed a decent level strength himself, he would have disappeared 10 times over.

“Joey, Joey, Joey, your eyes are really attractive… How about a date with me if I teach the freshman First Seat a lesson?”

Pegis looked at Joey with perverted eyes, especially when he saw the voluptuous body underneath her jersey, his eyes s.h.i.+ning with l.u.s.t.

“Teach him a lesson? He might be hateful but you should be the one getting schooled! I really don’t know why the h.e.l.l the First Seat of 4th year sends you to tutor the freshmen, she should have seen your disgusting goals clearly!” Joey grunted coldly, as if she was looking at a c.o.c.kroach.

“It is because of my outstanding abilities.” Pegis said and ended the conversation. In the deeper parts of his eyes, a slight sense of fear flashed over.

After Pegis joined their line, Leanna and Joey lost interest in talking, the three of them entering into an awkward silence but dozens of upper year students behind them were discussing fiercely.

The topic of discussion: Kieran.

“Are those stories real?”

“It can’t be!”

“Soloed 50 men at once and persuaded the Dark Eater?”

“I’ve heard the freshman First Seat is good in using poison.”

“That can’t be right either! Unless it is some natural-formed poison, no poison can collapse 50 person at once.”

“That must be it!”

“Let’s just wait and tease him!”

…

The tutorial cla.s.s required only 3 representatives from the upper years but observers were unlimited. However, most of the upper year students weren’t interested in partic.i.p.ating in the tutorial cla.s.s.

The upper year students were concerned more about their academic scores, not watching some fights with the freshmen.

Those who came to watch were either students who had an abundance of academic scores or students who could no longer get any.

It was hard for these students to graduate even if they made it to 5th year, because when they reached their 3rd year and were required to take the trials in the Mystic State, they would be eliminated through natural selection.

Those who were eliminated from the trials would die!

The latter was the majority among these observers. Most of them gave up on themselves after knowing they would never graduate easily and their biggest goal in watching the tutorial was to vent their misfortune on the freshmen, scare them, laugh at them, and make them feel miserable.

There was no lack of such despicable seniors in all the upper years and they were glad to be such lousy seniors.

Once the freshmen advanced to the upper year and understood the harshness of Theorate, they would join the line and the cycle would continue.

They had forgotten the initial pain and suffering, or rather, they would only forget their pain when they saw others suffer.

The despicable side of humanity was perfectly translated in their actions.

When all the upper year students arrived at the field of E Block and saw the freshmen, they all showed their bad side.

Formless malicious intents converged, it was as pressuring as a towering mountain and it was crus.h.i.+ng the freshmen, who hadn’t yet experienced true cruelty.

Although the freshmen tried to oppose the pressure and display their capabilities, the weaker ones faltered, especially those who knew the truth behind the tutorial lesson; they swallowed their saliva nervously.

Standler was one of those who knew the truth but as Kieran’s aide, he had to step up to the challenge.

“I am…”

“Let’s fight!”

Before Standler even said anything, Maica interrupted him.

Maica, who was also Kieran’s aide, wasn’t as worried as Standler because in his mind, this tutorial lesson was a good opportunity to test and grind his strength.

Even if he failed, he would know what is he lacking, but if he won?

He would set his target to an even higher position.

“He is just the aide of the First Seat, why is he so arrogant?”

“If we observers were allowed to strike first, I would have taught him a lesson!”

“I know, right!”

…

Disdainful words sounded ceaselessly from the upper year students.

Other than the three representatives, the observers were forbidden to strike first without an official challenge; it was the rule of the tutorial lesson.

Likewise, the freshmen wouldn’t risk their safety by challenging an upper year observer.

That was during a normal situation though. Maica was obviously a special one.

“I want to challenge you!” Maica pointed at the upper year observer who spoke first.

“Are you sure about that?” The student was stunned for a moment before he smiled ferociously.

“I am sure,” Maica didn’t even care about Standler holding him back, stepping up to the challenge.

“Very well, I’ll teach you regret!” said the upper year student loudly.

The observer crowd then cheered loudly.

Perhaps the bunch of observers ranked last within their respective year but against a freshman, they possessed absolute confidence.

It wasn’t just because of experience, it was also because upper year students ate more food with cla.s.ses and learned corresponding battle techniques to further boost their skills.

A freshman?

Before the anniversary, a freshman would not have the chance to eat something that will match their talent, neither had they learned any battle techniques. Such target was a complete straw bag in the eyes of the upper years, who thought they could easily crush the freshmen.

Leanna frowned a little, wanting to stop the challenge but ultimately nothing came out from her mouth. The challenge was an official one, acknowledged by both sides, so her hands were tied.

“A bunch of losers,” Joey pouted and said in dissatisfaction. She wasn’t used to the upper year’s tradition but she was also helpless against it.

Pegis didn’t even care about the challenge happening, he was looking for beautiful girls in the crowd as if he was locating his prey.

However, Pegis’ eyes were soon captivated because Maica was on par with the upper year observer, despite the observer being just a 2nd year student.

“Garbage!” Pegis grunted coldly.

All the upper year observers, who were looking with antic.i.p.ation to the challenge just a moment ago, started to look ugly, none of them daring to argue with Pegis’ comment. All they did was stare at Maica the freshman with the most vicious gaze.

“Take him out!”

“Yeah, take him out quickly!”

“Stop playing, take him out!”

The bunch of upper year observers were chanting one after another, but the one who was challenged by Maica was sweating like a storm, his eyes were utterly shocked.

Strength, speed and stamina, nothing about Maica felt like a freshman! And that battle technique and unyielding willpower!

The upper year student had tried his best to paralyze Maica’s body but his attacks were useless.

‘How is this possible?’

The upper year student was astonished, starting to slow down, which gave Maica a chance to counterattack!

After dodging another punch, Maica moved forward in a flash and landed a knee kick on the upper year student’s abdomen.

Bang!

The upper year student faltered backward before he felt down.

The scene instantly went quiet.

Then…

“Well done!”

“Maica, you are awesome!”

The freshmen started to cheer and the upper year students looked as ugly as ghosts.

Their ugly expressions were soon replaced by doubt because Maica was looking at them with utmost battle intents.

‘He still wants to challenge!?’

The thought rose in everyone’s head and Maica did exactly that.

“I want to challenge you!”

Maica pointed at the upper year student who spoke second earlier.

The challenged student’s face twitched a little before stepping up.

Under the excited gaze of the freshmen and the upper year students, a second fight was happening but Leanna, Joey and Pegis were focused on the surroundings instead.

A formless, strange aura started to enveloped the field.

In the eyes of the three representatives, everything them started to lose color.

Then, an irritating laugh entered everyone’s ears, causing pain to the eardrums and dizziness to the head.

Before the three representatives could react to the situation, a man appeared before the weakened Leanna and grabbed her.

“What a beautiful body, you must be tasty!”

The man opened his mouth to an outrageous width, the saliva a few times stickier than glue and drooling off the corner of his mouth.

The man wanted to bite Leanna.

No!

Leanna saw the wide-opened mouth, unable to break free from the dizziness, and fell into despair right away, instinctively closing her eyes.

BUT!

The expected pain did not arrive, her body falling to the ground instead.

Leanna opened her eyes as she landed on the cold hard ground.

The utmost familiar figure appeared before her eyes once again and it jolted her.

The hatred for the familiar figure in the past had turned into grat.i.tude at this instant, the pain on her nose starting to fade, but…

“What are you doing to my Bento?”

The cold voice entered Leanna’s ears.

‘B-Bento? I am a Bento?’

The grat.i.tude in Leanna’s eyes was replaced by dullness. She seemed to have fallen into the abyss of despair.

Her nose started to hurt her again.