A Side Villain…

“Officer Laura?” He called out to her after everyone left.

 

“Yes?” She asked while taking a seat.

 

“Umm why am I in the SIT again?” He asked.

 

“It’s my decision.”

 

“You do know that it is my choice whether I want to be part of the SIT or not right?” He said and for the first time she looked at him with serious eyes.

 

“Have you read the rulebook?” 

 

“Of Course I have and you do know what’s written there right?” She did not expect him to read the rulebook so it came as a surprise for her.

 

“Yes it’s true that I can’t force you to join it but can you at least tell me why you don’t want to join the SIT?” Laura then continued,

 

“I don’t understand why someone would not join such a flagship program? This is what everybody has in mind when they come to the academy and here you are kicking this opportunity.” 

 

Akira sighed and thought in mind, ‘Yeah I get into that program of yours and unconsciously affect the future events which would be cataclysmic. So yeah count me out of that and let the story proceed as it was supposed to.’

 

“I have already told you, I am not worth it.” He lied.

 

“Yeah? Someone who alone found a treasure and kept it with himself for the rest of the time in that situation is not worth it? Or that someone who despite being a commoner and in E class scored such high marks in the theory marks is not worth it? Come on.”

 

“Officer Laura we can talk about it all day but my answer will remain the same and I just don’t understand why are you interested in someone like me?” He was having a hard time convincing her to let him go.

 

“Very well Akira you can go if that’s your choice.” Laura accepted.

 

“Eh?” He was expecting this to be more difficult than this but..

 

“Hmm? You can go, isn’t that what you wanted?” 

 

“Ah yes thank you.”

 

Like that he left the room without getting any answer as to why she would force him to join the SIT when there were better people available. Still it didn’t matter as he got what he wanted so it was all good, was it though?

 

After he left Laura also left her work and started thinking about the child who had just wasted an opportunity of lifetime and as to why she was forcing him was due to his potential. 

 

Just how many years had she been in this academy and how many students she had seen but was there anyone in the E section who had managed to get such scores?

 

‘Sigh’

 

“I need to focus on the next candidate.”

 

Akira who had come out of the place was in a happy mood as he has managed to get himself out of the SIT which in turn would allow no changes to the plotline and the future will mostly remain the same as usual giving him less things to worry about. As he came outside everyone else was standing there.

 

Shin came forward and said,

 

“Congratulations on getting into the SIT.”

 

“Thank you.” Akira replied stoically. 

 

“Now we are going to work together so why don’t you join us?” Shin asked while smiling.

 

Richard’s face on the other hand was not good. He was having trouble understanding as to why Drake would do it and when he looked over to him he was smirking at this situation.

 

“You want me in your group?” Akira asked.

 

“Of course, you have already proved yourself and having someone from the E section would also be a motivation for the others in the lower sections.”

 

Akira had to say that, ‘Wow! This is unbelievable. I gotta say that Drake truly lives upto to his character who will do anything to annoy and belittle Ricahrd and here he is trying to recruit me into his group. Well only he and Aurora could do that in the first year.’

 

“I could have but I just quit the SIT.” Akira dropped another bomb.

 

Even Shin who was great at masking his expressions could not help but show surprise at this and everyone else was looking at him like what in the world he just said? Did someone of their own violation quit the SIT? That’s hilarious as it is the dream of students to get into this and here he was quitting this.

 

“Did I hear it right? Akira, did you really quit the SIT?” Shin asked to confirm the thing.

 

“Yeah, now if you would excuse me.” He excused himself from there. Nobody stopped him as him being in the SIT was the only reason they were ready to include him in their group but that he was not there.

 

While everyone was talking amongst themselves Lily asked Richard,

 

“Why do you think he quit the SIT?”

 

“I don’t know but he sure knows how to surprise everyone.”

 

“Hmm.” Richard missed the slight turbulence in her eyes.

 

Aurora too had complicated expressions on her face being the most intelligent she thought that she was good at reading people but here she was totally blank. Well there was one possibility in her mind and it made sense when she thought more about it.

 

She looked towards Lily who was looking somewhere else and instantly it clicked into her mind as to why he would quit, it was all because of their past and also that he was ignoring her.

 

Akira on the other hand was on his way to the dungeon which he truly missed.

 

That’s why he went to the same place in the back of the jungle and activated the dungeon's profile to get teleported inside it. His teleportation again caused some disturbances in the mana atmosphere which picked up the figures in the western border of the empire.

 

The old man sitting inside the tent who picked up the spatial disturbances was the fifth and last war general of the Romanov empire situated in the west of the Von Astrom empire and currently he was incharge of the entire army marching upon the Von Astrom empire.

 

This battle was part of the annual war that occurs between the two empires for the ownership of the town Serres currently under the control of the Astrom empire. Serres has always been a bone of contention between the two empires and for every major war that occured between them this town was the main reason.

 

But why was this border town so coveted? The answer was multidimensional, in geographical manner this town was an excellent outpost for the Astrom empire and this was the only major point from which they could be successfully invaded as from two sides there was ocean and on one side it was high mountains.

 

Economically this town was situated in the heart of trade routes passing to and fro from the other empires hence giving a rich tax to the one who controlled it and there was a dungeon located here too which only meant more profit to the state.

 

There was also a religious angle that the God of Light was first seen here and it was also the place where he fought against the God of Darkness and defeated him. Hence a lot of followers gather here to pay their respects to him. So whoever commanded this piece of land was automatically given a high position in the religion’s hierarchy.

 

Moreover the public's emotion was also attached to this and both the empires did their best to maintain it. The Astrom empire has successfully managed to hold it for the last one hundred years as no major war had broken out and only some minor clashes like these were prevalent making it easier for them to hold out.

 

But things were changing due to the new prince of the Romanov empire who, unlike his predecessors, was hell bent on expansion and ‘reclaiming’ what was theirs. 

 

“Old man, did you find out who it was?” Igor Romanov, the prince and heir to the throne of the Romanov empire, asked his war general.

 

“No My prince, we have not.” The old man Dmitri Petrovich replied.

 

“What about our spies there? They must have got something.” 

 

“Negative and from their reports it seems like even the royal family doesn’t know about it which means that it must be a hidden person who had just broken through.” Dmitri concluded his report.

 

“A hidden person? Increase our spies and get them more resources, this new person should not be allowed to grow any further.” Igor commanded and despite the same age as Akira his temperament was much different.

 

“As you wish, my prince.”

 

“And what about my sister there in the Origin academy? Is she alright?” Igor's tough voice softened at the mention of his sister.

 

“Princess Kiara and her attendants are given the best treatment so there is nothing to worry about.”

 

“Are the cultists wiped out or not?” Igor asked angrily.

 

“We are working on that.” 

 

“I don’t care what you have to do but those who attack my sister should not be left to see another day. I want them executed.”

 

“What about the current War we are prepping for, my prince?” Dmitri asked.

 

“Stop this stupid war and retreat. Until the Astrom’s heir and I complete our course in the Academy we are allowed to cause only little skirmishes which to me are useless and unnecessary loss of men and money.”

 

“But my prince, it was the Emperor's command to attack Serres.” Dmitri said panickly as disobeying the Emperor’s command was the highest degree of crime.

 

“I am not afraid of the Emperor and it’s high time that he understands what his annual wars are.”

 

“Moreover I have been waiting for the day Astrom’s heir finishes his days at the safe haven of the academy and comes to the battlefield because that is the day he dies.” Igor claimed loudly which caused the soldiers outside to shout in passion and reverence.

 

The treaty made by the Obsidian Dragon does not permit any major war to occur when the heir of the empire is in the academy and that was the reason decided not to follow his father’s order of attacking Serres.

 

And as for why he was not in the Origin academy despite being the prince of an empire? Because that academy was in Von Astrom’s territory which for him was enemy’s territory so he decided to stay back in Romanov Academy which was ranked second in the continent. As for his sister he couldn’t do anything when she got serious.

 

Back with Akira he was currently in the fourth floor of the dungeon and this floor was the exact opposite of the third floor. This floor didn’t have the gloomy vibes or stagnated water bodies of the third floor but clear and mighty rivers flowing inside of a dense evergreen jungle and if he had to compare then this floor was somewhat like the Amazon rainforest back on Earth.

 

He could hear the chirping of the birds, the flow of the river, monsters fighting with each other and with other adventures and all of this was getting his adrenaline pumped up. He absolutely loved this life much more than the one back on the Earth, that was normal and bland but this here was what he always wanted.

 

“Let’s go.” 

 

The moment he stepped inside the jungle his senses picked up a monster coming at him so he stopped and brought out his sword from the storage ring and prepared to welcome the monster.

 

And it didn’t disappoint him as a big Snake like monster with intricate blue patterns on its body and two big ruby eyes gazing at him appeared in front of him hissing at his prey.

 

Akira was not afraid of him or for that matter any monster of this floor as he had the true fire with him and fire was your worst enemy in an environment with abundant forage to be burnt. 

 

The snake-like monster first hissed at him then using his agility and speed came crashing at him, he used the mana to increase his speed and quickly stepped backwards but the snake followed by opening his mouth and shooting two streams of venom through its fangs.

 

“Shit, Water shield.” He used his spell to create a shield made out of water and when the venom striked the shield it almost burnt a hole in the shield due to its high toxicity.

 

He poured crazy amounts of mana to keep up the shield and after a few moments the stream of venom stopped but it created fog in the vicinity which now blinded him.

 

He was still keeping the shield as not only his sight was taken but the fog was also interfering with the mana sense, so now the snake had its heat vision to attack him while he had to rely on his ears.

 

The snake hissed seeing that its prey was now essentially blind so it used the special skill which not only hardened its body but also increased the speed. It locked onto Akira who was still inside his shield and launched itself like a torpedo.

 

Akira sensed the snake coming but was slow to react due to which first his shield was broken then he crashed into the walls of the dungeon making a loud thud sound. And from the severity of the crash several of his bones must be broken and blood was dripping from several places.

 

The snake was beyond ecstatic as this was going to be his first meal in a week and it was very hungry, so hungry that it didn’t see the blue fire taking form in his hands. The snake crawled it’s way towards him, not able to wait any longer for the meal but when it got near him it got afraid.

 

Snakes rely on heat vision to track its prey and that was the reason he was able to pinpoint Akira in the fog but now that it came near him he was getting afraid and trying to get back as his heat vision was showing him the hottest flames he has ever encountered.

 

But how could Akira let go of him? So he channeled mana in his hands and formed a very beautiful bow unlike his first try, blood was still dripping from his head but he didn’t mind that and shot a big fat arrow towards the monster, the arrows bifurcated into three on it’s way and each of them hit different parts of snake making it flail in pain and agony.

 

“If it wasn’t for the Ror my shoulder would have a permanent injury thanks to this cheeky monster.”

 

He came forward and picked up the big mana core of the monster which was going to fetch him some good money.

 

“This can surely go up for a few silver coins but far from the money I require for that event.”

 

“Well let’s keep farming.”

 

Four hours later

 

It was almost four hours later that he took some rest and if not for Ror he would not have the strength or stamina to continue for this long.

 

“Ror is my most prized possession, thanks to me for that thing I did in the past.”

“Finally, just one more step and I will be in the 4th tier.”

 

He was resting on the top of a tree playing with his watch which showed that it was almost time to go home and there was the thing about random teleportation which you can’t prepare about so it was better to leave now then getting late.

 

And it was because of this fact that the majority of adventurers were also leaving the dungeon, staying in night was allowed but the monsters spawn rate and their strength becomes double so it’s advised to newbies that don’t stay at night.

 

At that very moment he saw someone killing the same snake creature he fought in 4 blows, four clean and precise sword slashes each to different parts of its body, the poor creature didn’t even know that he was dead until the moment he tried to attack the assailant.

 

Akira knew that it was possible but to do that you need some good strength, so he decided to check out the one going on rampage. It was then he remembered that his mana was on the edge of being emptied and even with the Ror his body needed actual rest.

 

“I know this is a bad idea but curiosity is killing me.”

 

“Aahh… why do I have to do this? Whatever, let's just see if it’s someone I know and if they are a stranger then we will leave.”

 

“Concealment.”

Concealment was a shadow spell meaning that its primary focus was to keep the user hidden and since it was created by the God of Darkness it was kept in the shadow category. It not only masks the user's presence but also creates alternate mana flow for them so that even if someone catches your mana flow they can’t really pinpoint you, well they could if they are extremely stronger than you but it happened rarely so it was a tried and tested spell.

 

Now concealed he started following the figure who was cutting and slashing through the monsters like they were vegetables and when he saw who it was he stopped.

 

“What the fuck are you doing here Alexandria?”

 

“She is definitely someone who trains and pushes herself beyond limits but isn’t this too much? Like I totally get it that you want to become stronger and show the world that Amazonians are the best but maybe this isn’t the best way?”

 

Alexandra, who was walking forward with a sword and shield in her hand, stopped and looked backward. She had definitely heard someone take her name but there was nobody here even her mana sense was picking up nothing so was it a misunderstanding?

 

Maybe it was so she left that place and marched forwards. 

 

Today has been quite frustrating for her, for the first time in her life she has been outmatched by a man. First, Richard got a better score than her in the treasure hunt, yes he had a team but that was not an excuse for her, then he again toppled her to get the first overall rank.

 

She was mad, mad at her inability to become what everybody back in Amazon had dreamt of. She was carrying the hopes and wishes of everyone and yet she had failed them once but never again. She will double no triple her current training, spend more time in the library for theory exams and everything else to become not only the number one in First year but in the entire Origin Academy.

 

It was then that she was so engrossed in thinking all this that one of the monsters came dangerously close to her but before it could attack her she just waved her sword and it instantly fried it. Her sword was the best among the amazons, a living legend made for the best among them.

 

Akira who was watching all this thought that it was going the same as the plot where she would first hate the protagonist then grow closer to her.

 

But it was then that in her clouded thinking she stumbled upon a pack of mana beast wolves who were several times larger than normal wolves and also had one horn on their head, the alpha had two horns. It was the perfect way for her to release the pent up stress or so she thought.

 

The wolves attacked her all at once giving her no chance to think anything else and concentrate on attacking and defending at the same time which was not working as several cuts and bruises were forming on her body. In five minutes she had already killed hundreds of them but they didn’t stop coming.

 

Akira knew about this situation as this was an infinite monster spawn in the game where if you don’t kill the alpha the subordinates would keep coming at you.

 

“But to think that even this is present here.. Phew I was lucky enough to not encounter them but she doesn’t look good.”

 

Alexandra was mercilessly killing the seemingly infinite number of subordinate wolves coming at her but in the process she was also getting hurt and tired. Then it clicked in her mind that the alpha hadn't attacked her and was only watching from afar meaning that she needed to kill him to end all this.

 

But how? On one hand she was attacking and on the other defending and her entire focus was right here so if she tried to do anything else the monster wolves would tear her down.

 

Akira was thinking what the fuck was going on? There was nothing like this in the game, no event where she was attacked by the wolves, yes there was an event later but it was entirely different from this. So what the fuck has changed? And at this rate she wouldn’t be able to endure it.

 

“Ah fuck this it my fault in the first place for coming here and now I gotta help her.” He could have left her and she may have survived but deep down was he that kind of a person to not help someone when he could?

 

“I got one shot so please work.”

 

Alexandria on other hand was trying to move closer to the alpha while fighting her subordinates she knew that it was getting dangerous and somewhere in heart she hoped that someone would save her but right now at night time how many people come here? 

 

She had an ultimate attack which would guarantee her victory but the cost was huge and she wasn’t ready to do that so inch by inch she tried to get closer to the alpha who by his face was smirking at her.

 

“Spell combination.” Akira muttered.

 

“I know.”

 

“I could shoot him with my fire bow but given the meager amount of mana I have it’s not gonna affect him much so let’s combine Raijin with the fire bow and put my mana cores into hyperdrive.”

“If only I had some more mana potions with me then this wouldn't be required at all.”

 

He took aim at the alpha wolf standing near one of the bushes and the fire bow started forming into his hand, despite his mana cores into hyperdrive the size was much smaller than usual but due to the infusion of Raijin in it there was lighting coming out of the bow.

 

The destructive capability of the true fire coupled with superspeed of Raijin was a true marvel and the moment the arrow let loose from his hand the surroundings changed from clear sky to dark clouds which were producing thunder.

 

The alpha wolf who was still laughing couldn’t even see or react to the incoming attack which on contact not only vapourised him but also the entire vicinity around him.The moment their alpha was killed every subordinate of it was also killed.

 

Akira didn’t miss one second and teleported out of the dungeon cursing himself for trying to be a hero.

 

This time he was teleported in a warehouse outside the city where he shouted loud aside,

 

“Ahhhhh.. Fuck me for trying to be a hero.”

 

His mana cores were as if they had been put on hot burning inferno and his entire body was writhing in pain, Ror was working but it would take some time.

 

“I swear that this is the last time I am helping anyone, where the fuck is that protagonist when you need him.” He then closed his eyes and rested there.

 

Back inside the dungeon Alexandria couldn't believe what she saw, when she was thinking on how to kill the alpha an attack came and obliterated him in one shot. The attack was so fast that if she was not in 3rd tier then it would have been invisible for her.

 

She tried to find the one who used the attack but there wasn’t anyone, she had memorized the mana flow but presently they had gone. The mana core of the wolf was lying there which she picked up and put into her storage ring.

 

“Just who was here?”