Chapter 33: His name is...
"Nobody said you must necessarily be a Low level Knight or Mage to be admitted. Anyone can pass if they pass the academy tests. Being a Low level Knight or Mage is a bonus. Nero proved himself through hardship and wit. You must be an idiot not to see his potential. Just think about it: someone who is not even a Low level Knight passed the academy tests and became the second best. Imagine what he can accomplish and how strong he will be once he becomes capable of using a Law."
Barak’s eyes bulged, veins popping; being called an idiot was far from pleasant. To make matters worse, Elreth was chuckling, clearly amused by the insult, while Azalea wore a grin as well. Being labeled an idiot made him lose face—how could this happen? The original story was supposed to be about Nero getting mocked and harassed, making his life at school miserable. Barak hadn’t anticipated that his little scheme would backfire; not only did he fail to achieve his goal, but he found himself ridiculed instead.
This left him seething, and his hatred for Nero grew dangerously. If he hadn’t considered Nero a threat before, that had completely changed.
"It was a miscalculation on my part. I underestimated you, letting my emotions get the better of me and acting like an idiot. Heh! Don’t worry, I won’t underestimate you anymore." Barak, having managed to calm down, glanced at Nero. Although his eyes betrayed a clear dislike for his half-brother, he buried his hatred deep down.
’Eh! Will you look at this? He seems to have changed somehow. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what kind of scheme he cooks up next, but just in case, I must stay on guard. Never underestimate him.’ Tonight, he resolved to do everything he could to unseal the first star. Being able to use a Law and primordial energy was essential and would greatly assist him. Nero decided he would achieve his goal tonight. Although he could control his emotions, it didn’t mean he couldn’t feel them, and being looked down upon was really unpleasant. He couldn’t help but grin at the thought of their shocked expressions when they discovered he could use primordial energy and a Law.
Balrog observed each of his students’ reactions in silence. He knew they must be processing his earlier words; his response had likely put pressure on most of them. After all, despite being unable to use primordial energy and a Law, Nero had still managed to achieve impressive results and become a member of the Elite classroom. This must have made them realize that his success wasn’t a fluke—he was genuinely talented. From their teacher’s words, it was clear that Nero would eventually be able to use primordial energy and a Law, which would only make him more powerful. This realization was what weighed heavily on them.
There had been someone like him in the past, a cadet who entered the academy just as Nero had—without any blessings—and later awakened his inherent Law, sweeping through everything in his path. It was this very reason that made it unnecessary to be a Low level Knight or Mage to enroll in the academy.