"How does it feel being so popular?

"

"I have always been popular, so you should have asked me this question years ago.

"

"Have you always been a narcissist too?

"

"You didn't know?

"

"So, are all of your plans executed perfectly? Did everything play out in this tournament to your benefit?

"

"Yeah, everything. My work here is almost done.

"

"I am looking forward to seeing you deal with the Thor Academy though. I bet it will be fun to watch.

"

"Do you want to take a glimpse?

"

Sam asked with a cheeky smile. Noah smiled and replied.

"Of course. This banquet is so boring. It wouldn't hurt to add some excitement.

"

"Wait and watch.

"

Sam walked out of the banquet hall without alerting anyone. At the same time, Dove who is socializing with her peers noticed the Grade 4 seniors of the Thor Academy walking to her.

"Isn't this the high and mighty Dove of the Gambler Academy.

"

One of the women in the group spoke up attracting Dove's attention. She looked at them all and frowned.

"What do you want?

"

"You boasted about all that fairness, justice and judiciary procedures. However I heard that your boy keeled and licked our feet at the sight of some chump change? I was flustered unnecessarily. I shouldn't have been worried when you came barking to me.

I should have understood that you are begging for some money in exchange for silence. What a disgrace.

"

The leader of the group lamented.

Dove didn't like this. It is apparent with her facial expressions.

Looking at her frown, the crowd felt good. Dove cannot create a commotion in such a formal occasion, and since they were pressured by her and felt humiliated, they wanted to take some frustration out on her.

Dove looked at them up and down. Sizing them up.

"It was you Dean who came crawling and asking for a deal to save the ass of your youngest Elder in the history of the Academy realm. Get your fact straights before you try to rub it in someone's face. Don't show your ugly mugs one more trying to spew this ** in front me.

If you do that… Fuck this deal, I will blow the whole **ing matter up in front of your faces. Let's see what will your Dean do at that time when he knows you are the ones that caused this **.

"

Her threat worked. The seniors immediately backed down. They seemed to be way too confident in these under the table agreements. Maybe they got too used to them and believed the non-existent sense of honor they have along with their fellow crooks.

Dove, however couldn't care less about it.

Seeing their silence, Dove stepped forward and whispered so only they could hear it.

"And don't think that this is over. We might have skilled the judicial hearings, but that doesn't mean, we are not going to retaliate. You will see what happens when you mess with the Gambler Academy.

"

As soon as she spoke, everyone's attention was gathered by a huge flash of bright blue light that came from somewhere in the campus. Everyone including the Dean Olaf looked in that particular direction.

Clouds glowing with that electric blue light are brewing in the sky.

"Isn't that from the Tower?

"

Olaf asked an Elder. The Elder In charge of the tower immediately came running to him.

"Dean, the tower. It is glowing. One of the students on the duty just reported. It seems ancient runes appeared on the tower and the patterns are glowing. The clouds are a reaction to it.

"

"What happened? Did anyone enter the tower? Did someone mess with a core formation?

" Dean asked as he made his way towards the tower.

"No, sir. No one messed with any formations. The tower didn't show the usual alerts. However, someone did enter the tower a few minutes ago.

"

"Who is it?

" Dean asked. He already in the air flying to the tower and the Elder tried his best to keep up with the Dean's speed.

"Its the Gambler Academy's student. Sam.

"

Olaf stopped in his tracks.

"What did you say?

"

"It is the Sam. He entered the tower a few minutes ago. He said, he will be finishing off what he started a long time ago, before he entered.

"

Olaf went to the entrance of the tower.

*RUBMLE*

The lightning roared in the sky and after a few minutes, Sam came out of the tower. The tower stopped glowing and it returned to its normal state.

He stood in front of Olaf.

"You are waiting for me?

"

"What happened? What did you do?

" Olaf asked in anticipation. The Elder already went ahead to check the tower's condition. However, it looked normal.

"I didn't do anything. I just finished the hundredth floor. By the way, that the last floor. The rumors are true.

"

"What happened when you cleared it?

"

"Now, that's where I stop answering the questions. If you want to know ask your students to clear and obtain that knowledge.

"

Sam was about to leave. Olaf extended his hand and stopped him.

"Answer me while I am still asking you nicely. What happened after you cleared the tower? What is the cause of that phenomenon?

"

His voice is somber and he is serious. At this moment, the people that were originally in the banquet already made their way here. They heard Sam's words and also Olaf's reply for those words.

"What if I don't want to answer you?

"

Sam asked cheekily.

"You ARE going to answer me. You WILL answer me. This is the prestige of the Thor Academy. Don't you dare play with me now and answer me obediently.

"

"I am sorry, I cannot. All I can tell you is this. 'I have been blessed by the Mighty Thor'.

"What the hell does that mean?

"

Olaf came close to Sam and was about to place his hand on him, but at this moment, Chrous appeared out of nowhere and blocked it.

"Now, now, Olaf. You are getting out of hand here.

"

"Get lost, Chorus. This matter is way too serious for me to tolerate your disrespect to my position. I am not in the mood for this.

"

"It seems like you are forgetting the rules here Olaf. Any candidate who entered the tower has a right to refrain from saying anything related to their experience in the tower, that includes clearing as well.

I get it.

You are embarrassed because the first tower that was cleared in the Academy Realm's history is yours, it should have been a prideful moment, but instead of your own student, an external student that too the one who is kind on the opposite side of your Academy cleared it.

That too on such a prestigious day.

I understand your frustration. However, rules are rules. If you don't back down now, I am going to call the enforcers.

"

"Is that all you can do? Constantly begging for attention from the enforcers?

"

"Come on now, you know better than to provoke me with those remarks. The only reason I am calling the enforcers is because it's the right thing to do.

You of all people should know what will happen when I take things in to my own hands. It seems like a decade is too long and caused you some memory loss.

"

Olaf didn't budge, he tried to move his hand forcefully forward. Chorus held it tightly in place. Both the auras clashed. After three minutes of that stalemate, an elder stepped forward and whispered something in Olaf's ear.

Olaf sighed and finally released his grip.

"The banquet is over. Get out everyone.

"

He went towards his office.

Chorus looked at Sam and said.

"You are making me work too hard. Can you stir up less trouble while we are here? I don't want to deal with these assholes.

"

"I am sorry. But I cannot promise you that, yet. There is still another stop and we can go back to Gambler Academy.

"

"What are you trying to do?

" Chorus asked with a frown.

One hour later.

The Sky above Hel Academy is rumbling with black flaming clouds. The tower is glowing with those black flames that looked like they came out of straight from hell. The dean of Hel academy looked at Sam who came out of the tower.

She just witnessed a similar scene in the Thor Academy. She couldn't help but snicker in her mind when she saw how upset Olaf was. However, now she had to experience the same feeling herself.

Sam walked to Chorus and said.

"Now, we are all done. We can leave.

"

"We are not leaving now. The Thor Academy didn't grant us the Space gate access. We are last on the list.

"

"Why, do they not want us to leave this place?

"

"They just wanted to screw around with us.

" They went to the Paradise inn where Ivar was waiting for Sam.

Both of them met in a meeting room.

"So, everything went well?

" Ivar asked Sam.

"Not too bad. Results are all within my expectations. I am pretty sure you are satisfied as well. You got what you wanted out of this.

"

"Yeah, chopping off that hand sure is exciting. I didn't expect you actually trigger such response from the Zeus academy elder.

How are you so precise with it though? What if the Elder didn't step forward? What if that kid White is not actually that strong?

"

"No, my calculations regarding people are rarely wrong. They are way too predictable once you know them enough.

"

"Its great that it worked out. However, are you sure that this is enough to cause the effect that you wanted?

"

"It is more than enough. You will see the result soon enough. With how prideful those Zeus academy people act, do you really think they will just sit back and let this go?

"

"I hope they don't. So, what's next?

"

"After I leave here, within a week the construction will start. Just assist the construction team to the best of your abilities. Also, inform your friends in other regions about the situation.

Tell them to spread the information of the top ten candidates in their regions. I need as much attention as possible.

"

"Sure, I will do as you say. Let's hope everything goes well.

"

"Of course, it will.

"

The meeting ended. The next morning they went back to the Gambler Academy.

Usually, there is a separate banquet and celebration back at the academy to welcome the rankers from the tournament, but Sam skipped it this time. He went to meet Stone. The final stage of surgery needs to be finished. He heated up the metal long enough, it is time to beat it into the shape.