490 Those who seek fame

Nick and Clair looked at each other and said at the same time, “Let’s tell our family first.”

When Nick and Clair smiled after speaking in synch, Kazumi commented how a new family with both wealth and knowledge could potentially be born now because of their help.

Kazumi was also planning for the future. She hoped Nick and Clair could become powerful allies and maybe accept Vincent’s origins of being from another world.

Later that day, not much happened. Nick and Clair sent their parents a letter and stayed in the kitchen cooking like a pair of lovebirds.

Only Lupa was in a sour mood because her new sparring partner asked to begin the next day. Nick’s attention was somewhere else for the day.

*Day 143 – 29 October – Thursday*

Thursday arrived. It was the day of the ranking team matches.

Interested to see how the ranking matches were going to work out, the five of them came to an agreement. They teleport to the academy in the hopes of checking out how different the arrival hall is going to be.

The arrival hall was too big for its current use as an arrival hub. Not to mention the guarded door at the back of the hall.

.....

Now it was different. The arrival hall was crowded with students. A handful of holograms on the walls displayed two teams already participating early in the morning.

Vincent and Kazumi couldn’t believe the existence of a live broadcasting gemstone embedded somewhere in the walls. Additionally, there was sound, but it was a mystery if it was all the work of one or multiple gemstones.

The few available displays captured different angles of what was happening as if a counterpart was linked to them. However, there were so few displays that it made Vincent and Kazumi realize how rare the gemstones possible are.

There were many students gathered cheering in front of the screens. Other students stayed in groups as if they were preparing to compete next.

However, certain groups shouted and looked aggressive with one another as if they were about to fight in the arrival hall. Yet it was strange as it didn’t make many interested in checking out what was happening.

In a corner was also the student from the betting family taking bets. But there weren’t many students after losing a lot of money from Vincent vs Demel food-eating contest.

The arrival hall was loud, causing Lilith the become anxious. She grabbed Vincent’s hand and stayed beside him.

“Can I stay like this for a while?” She whispered. Vincent agreed and held her hand reassuringly.

“Why is everyone so spirited to compete today?” Questioned Nick.

“Yeah. I am of the same thought. Weren’t this month’s ranking matches going to be unranked matches?” Vincent questioned.

In front of their eyes were dozens upon dozens of excited students.

Bets, honor, pride, and even arranged marriages could be on the line for some students. Some sought fame to garner the attention of the opposite gender and have a better future ahead of them. Some even used the ranking matches to settle a feud.

Regardless of their personal reasons, matches were also agreed upon through threatening or bullying.

Even if they can be considered fixed matches, the match would be considered legitimate if the victims do not make a report, or it would be obvious to give a free win. Only students who allow these types of people to remain arrogant will know the truth.

However, the ranking matches were rooted more profound than most students would think of.

Usually, each of the five academic years had between two to five classes each. It was very rare to have only one class of fifty students, and it only happened a few times.

The homeroom teachers seeking fame would sometimes help the best team in their class win. Other times they would offer suggestions on what currently bad team they can pick up on for an easy win. That way, the homeroom teachers could represent the winning team and participate in the grand alliance tournament as their coach.

Not to mention how the ranking matches, which sound harmless, were also used for political means. Some would brag, while others would judge if the heir of a noble family had a future or not.

Everyone had an agenda, and a ten-minute match was more than meets the eye. What was created to teach sportsmanship and learn not to be overconfident changed to fulfill many needs other than why this even was created for.

Soon they heard a man shouting, standing in front of the guarded door. He was wearing an elegant royal soldier outfit and on his hip was a sword decorated as if it was jewelry.

Standing behind the royal soldier were the same door guards as before. The only difference today was a rolled rope attached to their hip. It was apparent it was to tie students up if a situation escalated.

“Don’t push and form a line! Only the leaders should be here to register for an official match. The rest can leave, or I might not feel like registering your team today.”

Out of the thirty students, only six students remained after forcing the royal soldier to cause a commotion. After following the rules, six teams registered to participate.

[A grassy plain with a few areas filled with trees and an area with a long slope. There is also a slope in the distance and a cave. I think I can see a small river as well.]

[I can assume this isn’t Paradise Island. The distance appears to be somewhat similar to our team ten island.]

Kazumi said, fascinated with the arena island. There was a bit of everything, between clusters of trees, uneven ground, and open plains, to a wide shallow river. The area island was perfect to meet most of the conditions one can encounter.

Nick grew up hearing many stories from slaves and their previous lands. He fantasized about exploring the lands one day. The arena island met many conditions to the tales he heard, and it made him recall those adventurous memories.

“Wow! It must be an island of its own, yet it feels like many places combined into one!” Nick exclaimed with excitement.

A student near him let out a sly grin and shoved his shoulder at Nick. “First years know nothing.” He said to the fallen Nick.

“That’s rude!” Clara exclaimed while helping Nick get up.

The arrogant student frowned and looked pretty pissed. He suddenly raised his hand, but it stopped moving. The hand trembled, showing the owner was intimidated.

“Do you have a problem with us?” Said Vincent while glaring and emitting intimidating intent.

Four other male students arrived for the arrogant student’s aid as if this was planned.

“Did you touch our teammate? Huh?”

“You first years should learn some manners before attempting to challenge us.”

However, Vincent could only smirk at the attempt to bully them into accepting a ranking match.

[What a weak way to intimidate us. And they believe we will cower in fear and agree to a ranked match to leave us alone.]

[Sigh... I give these pathetic trash one out of ten points for their effort to act.]

Jun Ye Rim was initially intimidated, but after hearing Kazumi mention how this was all an act to gain a free win, she felt disgusted by their actions.

“Huh?” Jun Ye Rim was suddenly tasked with holding Lilith’s trembling hand.

Vincent approached the five arrogant students and glared at them. “Begone noble trash while I’m feeling generous.” He warned with a stern voice.

“Noble trash?” One of the arrogant students said. “Do you know who my family is...”

“Lord Trash, right?” Vincent interrupted.

The five students became infuriated. They glared at Vincent as they couldn’t start a fight in the arrival hall. They had to hold back as only accidents and an occasional “I tried to slap a fly” would work.”

[Vincent. Tell them this. I want to see their reactions.]

“Don’t tell me you want to beat us because the infamous Nikolai Graymoon is on my team? Perhaps you guys are trying to score some points with you girls?” Vincent repeated what Kazumi perceived to be happening.

Vincent, Lilith, Nick, Clair, Jun Ye Rim, and Kazumi witnessed the hesitation to deny the accusations. It became crystal clear Vincent’s team might have some problems every Thursday because there might be many students who would try to seek fame by beating Nick.

[So it is as I have guessed. Then how about we make a deal with these pretentious noble students?]

-What kind of deal is on your mind?-

[Hmm... how about giving us a win in a ranked match if we win? This month’s match doesn’t count, but the next one will.]

[Having a free win in the victor’s track record sounds like a great reward for this deal.]

“You dare insult us?”

historical

“We challenge you to a match!”

Vincent smirked. “Sounds good to me if you would agree to my conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“First condition. Female opponents must not be harmed. Second condition. Our team will only agree to compete if the loser accepts to give the winner another win in the next month’s ranking matches.”

The negotiator, Vincent, smirked and summoned a magic contract and a magic pen. “What do you five say?” He asked with a sly smirk.

The five arrogant students were so full of themselves that they agreed immediately. They believed it was going to be an obvious win as it was going to be five vs two.

The ten of them went to an empty corner and signed the magic contract. It made Vincent appreciate Elias’s mother, Bessy, for the magic contract scrolls.

“Anyone of you wants to be the leader?” Vincent asked his teammates.

“No.” The four of them answered after each other.