Chapter 79: Meeting With The Leader Of The Star Auction Auditorium, Who Needs Help More?
MidnightFire read through the latest trending server forum with a surprise coursing through her.
She reread them repeatedly and verified their authenticity several times to ensure that she had stumbled onto a make-belief forum.
However, it was true.
Yet, she found it hard to believe that it was.
How could the worst-performing students among those with noble backgrounds, the scorn of the Zahara Clan, single-handedly defeat five descendants of the Windcrest Clan, a prestigious Clan of the Magical Swordsman Path?
Was it because of the descendants of the Zahara Clan schemes that he realised that he couldn't hide his strength any longer and decided to reveal it?
There was a missing link that she couldn't figure out.
Despite his current circumstances, Ezekiel was still a direct heir of the Zahara Clan. Otherwise, the other descendants wouldn't go through such lengths trying to eliminate him.
As long as she played her cards, not only could she obtain a potential heir if he did survive the descendants of the Zahara Clan's schemes in her camp, but her future would be boundless.
"This has turn to become more interesting than I had thought it would be," MidnightFire chuckled.
Suddenly, a knock came through the door.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, revealing a young man in his early twenties. He wore a waiter's uniform, a white shirt, dark trousers, and a black apron tied neatly around his waist.
He bowed slightly at the door with his hand stretched into the room.
A young man dressed in the Grand Avalon Academy uniform stepped into the room.
His face bore no resemblance to that of the Worst One.
A custom avatar?
MidnightFire didn't find it surprising that he hadn't used his actual avatar to meet her.
She would have also created a new avatar to prevent the risk of their meeting being discovered by others if she hadn't needed to gain his trust.
The room was lined with cushioned seats pressed against the walls, with a round table at the centre. Beyond the seating area stretched an open space, ending with a door that now stood ajar.
The room resembled a place for a simple gathering of friends rather than being fit for a professional environment.
MidnightFire had been intentional about the meeting setting and made an effort to make it his way. She was well-versed in negotiations and understood how powerful a setting could influence people's thoughts.
Although there was a high chance that this might not affect an individual like Ezekiel, who had gone through tumultuous ups and downs, there was also a chance that this was why it would be effective.
"I was worried that you wouldn't come. Please, have a seat," MidnightFire said, stretching her hand to the seats beside her.
The Worst One sat on one of the seats.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am MidnightFire, the Leader of the Star Auction Auditorium. And my true identity is Chioma Okoye, a Berserker of Class Two, Berserker Department."
"Judging from your silence, it seems that you already know about my true identity," MidnightFire said, looking at him with a smile.
The Worst One nodded.
MidnightFire sighed internally.
She wasn't surprised that he already knew her true identity. Her true identity was only known to a select few. To others, she was merely an NPC. To some, her identity was obfuscated.
She realised that the Worst One had connections of his own.
Yet she was glad. It meant that despite knowing who she was, he chose to meet with her.
She realised that this meeting was going to be smoother than she had initially assumed.
"What do you want?" The Worst One asked, his tone firm and rigid.
"I'll go straight to the point then," MidnightFire responded.
"I heard about the issue regarding you and Ivory. I'm certain that the entire academy has already heard about it at this point. However, unlike the others, I've done my research to uncover the real truth of what had transpired, and I learnt that you had been framed."
"You hadn't assaulted Ivory. She had been the one to force herself on you, leading up to the point you were discovered by Instructor Fredric and the rest of your classmates" She paused, then asked, "Am I correct?"
"Yes," the Worst One nodded.
MidnightFire continued, "I've managed to uncover that this entire thing was a ploy orchestrated by the descendants of the Zahara Clan. Although you might also be a descendant of the Zahara Clan. However, you can't go toe to toe with them at your current level due to the immense power they possess."
"I'm already aware of all of this," the Worst One said, "I'm sure that you didn't go out of your way to have this meeting to recite to me all of what I'm already aware of."
"Tell me what it is you want? Otherwise, I'll understand that coming here was just a waste of my time."
"You are just as impatient as I heard," MidnightFire shook her head and sighed loudly. "If you had allowed me to finish, you would understand where this conversation was headed."
Seeing as he remained silent, she continued, "My instructor, Sarafina, was unknowingly pulled into the descendants of the Zahara Clan's schemes, and her reputation has greatly suffered because of it."
"When she reported the matter to the Instructor Committee, it had been branded as a little squabble among students. Instructor Fredric has promised her that he would take care of the matter, but there's been no improvement for more than two weeks."
"If she were to confront the descendants of the Zahara Clan, she would also be confronting the Beastmaster Department Instructors. Doing so would break the rules of the academy, which strictly forbade instructors from fighting against each other or students."
"So, she's currently incapable of doing anything except sending a message to the higher-ups to handle the matter. But due to the current state of the academy, they are busier than usual and don't have the time to handle such affairs. This means that the issue can only be solved by us students."
"As a student under the Instructor Sarafina, I decided to take it upon myself to aid her in maintaining her reputation. This was why I asked to meet you. Doing this would also help clear your name. So what do you think about both of us cooperating with one another?"
"Aren't you afraid that the descendants of the Zahara Clan will do whatever it takes to ruin you after realising that you're aiding me?" The Worst One asked.
"Humph! The descendants of the Zahara Clan may be strong, but even they understand that it's reckless to make enemies when they could make allies. If they come for me, then I'll make certain they remember the strength of the Okoye Clan and its allies." MidnightFire responded boldly.
With the descendants of the Okoye's Clan and several allied clans behind her, she knew even the Zahara Clan's descendants understood their limits.
"If that's the case, then when are you going to retaliate?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" MidnightFire asked, her tone tinged with confusion.
"Oh, it seems that you aren't aware," the Worst One chuckled.
For the first time since the meeting began, MidnightFire disliked the tone of his voice. She was more interested in what his question meant.
"I'll explain then. Your current situation was also a result of the descendants of the Zahara Clan scheming. Not only have they pulled it out without your knowledge, but if this meeting had never happened, you might have never realised this," the Worst One responded.
"So, I'll repeat myself. Now that the Zahara Clan's Descendants have schemed against you. How do you plan on retaliating?"
MidnightFire froze, as though struck by lightning.
Her fist tightened in real life as her mind raced.
Although she was going through a serious situation which had severely impacted her and caused her Instructor to sacrifice an immense amount of merit points for her sake, she had never thought that this was all the doing of the descendants of the Zahara Clan.
Most of all, she was astonished that the Worst One knew this information.
"How are you certain that… what's happening to me was done by them?" MidnightFire asked.
Still, she was sceptical. She couldn't simply that take his words for it.
"I don't know how to make you believe me. But if you research your current crisis as you had researched mine, then I can assure you that you would also arrive at the same conclusion," the Worst One responded.
"In any case, it seems that you need help much more than I, as you aren't even aware of your current situation. I suggest we postpone this meeting for another time."
He stood up from his seat.
Just as he was about to log out, MidnightFire's voice cut through the air, "Wait! If you want me to believe that the descendants of the Zahara Clan are truly responsible for my current predicament, then at least give me a clue; something that I can use to begin my investigation."