Athanasia: My Hacker System

Hearing Luke’s words, John instantly snapped back to reality.

The tent was already filled with a crowd, the atmosphere thick with a sense of déjà vu so strong it felt like time had rewound itself. Seeing the grand stage and the expectant audience made John feel a mixture of awkwardness and suspicion.

"What’s going on, teacher?" John asked. He approached with the calm, respectful demeanour he used to mask his true feelings. "Is there a big competition happening today that we weren’t told about?"

"All this is for your sparring matches," the teacher smiled, though there was a hint of apology in his eyes. It was clear this was a theatrical production designed specifically to target John and the other four.

"The Headmaster arranged this himself. He even went ahead and invited representatives from several Paragon-affiliated families. He said..."

The teacher paused, leaning in toward John as his tone dropped to a hushed, conspiratorial whisper. "If the five of you truly fought against such harsh adversaries as you claimed, then it’s only logical for the academy to give you support.

We want to introduce you to the right families serving the official Paragons so they can sponsor you from now on. After all, there is a delicate fine detail regarding the upcoming fighting matches that you still don’t know, and I won’t be the one to tell you, per the Headmaster’s strict orders."

’That damn old man!’

John heard what the teacher said, and the rest of his friends caught the implication as well. For a brief, flickering moment, John’s control slipped. He issued a surge of bloodlust, an aura honed in the trenches of the pocket trial, that startled the teacher.

The veteran instructor, a man who took immense pride in never retreating from a fight, was met with a sensation he rarely experienced: a presence so threatening it made his instincts scream.

He eyed John warily, trying to recall the fleeting feeling that had vanished the very instant it appeared. He knew exactly what he had felt, and instead of fear, it made him inwardly smile. He began to look forward to the upcoming spar with a newfound curiosity.

"We should have taken the advice of our beloved teacher back then," Ricky leaned over toward John, whispering in a voice that only the five of them could possibly hear.

"It’s too late for that now," John replied. He was thinking the same thing. It seemed the Headmaster was still deeply suspicious of their carefully crafted story. Since he had been kept in the dark by their half-truths, the old man had decided to thrust them into the limelight instead, repaying their kindness in double.

Even though John was seething at the manipulation, he still couldn’t bring himself to view the Headmaster as a true enemy. Based on Nikolas’s assessment, the man was a potentially powerful recruit. He was simply impatient for the truth and had decided to strike the iron while it was still hot to see what sparks flew.

"What shall we do now?" Elena asked, looking around nervously. The bald teacher had delivered them to two instructors they didn’t recognise, who were now leading them toward a small, private tent at the side of the massive stage. "Shall we just forfeit and stay under the radar?"

"No," John said firmly. He knew the most logical action for someone trying to hide would be to lose their fights quickly and convincingly. And yet, his gut told him that if he didn’t show his strength today, the Headmaster’s suspicion would only grow into something more intrusive.

He needed to show the Headmaster a glimpse of their true strength, so he would start believing in their story.

"Luke, Elena, I need you to do something for me," John said, turning toward the two. He whispered a task to them that made everyone’s eyes widen. It was a weird request, yet after a heartbeat of realisation, Luke and Elena nodded and darted away into the crowd without a moment’s delay.

"As for you," he turned to Ricky, motioning his head toward the sprawling audience seats. "I need you to roam the crowd. Check the seating arrangements. See who is sitting closest to the representatives of the Paragon-affiliated families."

"Leave it to me," Ricky said. He didn’t need a detailed explanation; he already grasped John’s intent. If there were a teacher or student with a secret relationship or an ambition to join the Paragons, they would be hovering as close to those representatives as possible to curry favour.

Conversely, the neutral faculty and students would likely pick spots as far from those families as possible. Since Ricky was far more familiar with the nuances of Paragon high society than Luke and Elena combined, he was the best choice for this intelligence-gathering mission.

John watched him blend into the audience, hoping for a detailed list of their enemies and potential recruits by the time the matches were over.

"Are they going to make it?" Cissel asked softly. Her eyes were fixed on the stage where their bald teacher had just stepped up to announce the proceedings.

She was referring to Luke and Elena. John honestly didn’t know if they had enough time to fulfil his request. But just as he was racking his brain to find a way to delay the start of this unexpected spectacle, a gift came from the most unlikely source: the Headmaster himself.

"The Headmaster is going to say a few words first before the matches begin!" the teacher announced in a booming voice that echoed through the tent.

The old man began to descend from his high seat in the audience slowly. He moved with a deliberate, theatrical slowness, taking his sweet time to head toward the stage.

’That bastard! Is he going to repeat everything we told him in public?’ John realised the Headmaster was buying them time, but it was a gift with a heavy price. By announcing their heroic deeds to the public, he was pinning them to the wall.

John’s eyes met the old man’s across the arena. A tinge of an evil smile played at the corners of the Headmaster’s lips. He moved his lips silently, shaping the words without making a sound: "Show me what you are truly made of."

John clenched both fists. Instead of showing worry, he offered a calm, cold smile back. If the old man wanted to throw him into a theatre of war, John was more than pleased to oblige. If this display pushed things too far, he wouldn’t hesitate to activate Plan B and take over the entire academy by force.