At a certain evening time in the recreational hub of the enormously vast school compound, where students hung out, conversed, and enjoyed themselves, Derek Dricks walked alongside two beautiful girls clinging to both of his sides. He wore a prideful expression on his face as they came from the school’s most exclusive café.
He had a nice fruit juice in his grip, made from a special variant of fruit that had appeared ever since Mana came to reign over the world. The fruit was considered a luxury and was exclusively costly, but that wasn’t a problem for Derek.
The girls giggled softly at every one of his jokes as they moved along the footpath, ready to head toward another interesting place. Many onlookers, bystanders, and passersby stared, gaped, and openly admired Derek’s fortune. The girls were certainly alluring and striking, from their curvy body shapes and captivating eyes to their graceful legs.
Many envied him with enough jealousy to consider going after him and snatching away his fortune, but they knew better than to entertain such an intrusive thought when it came to him. Derek Dricks, as one of the prominent students of Amstral High, wasn’t someone to be played with, joked about, or underestimated.
In this world, only those with great privileges were lucky enough to live with a sort of free and active life, doing whatever they desired without constantly worrying about the consequences.
They said that he was prominent for his bold confidence, strength, and power over the entire student body, almost like one of those figures who possessed authority within a king’s domain.
Even though the King’s Domain held absolute power and influence over the school, Derek was considered talented enough to be placed among their league, perhaps at number four, if not even within the top three positions of the high-ranked students.
Yet he remained something of an external body to their circle, which many people considered a form of isolation and unfairness in the King’s placement of his members.
Nobody truly knew why Derek had never been brought into their inner circle, but many believed that he deserved a rightful place among the top students because of his unwavering feats and potential achievements across numerous contests, competitions, and real-life courses.
Only a small handful of powerful seniors and perhaps two juniors could stand against his thriving feats in combat and other goals. Derek was capable enough to corner even some of the strongest students in the school. There were even rumors that, without the aid of his summon most of the time, he still ranked among the school’s rising stars and could match many of the high-numbered students.
Due to his limited use of his summon, relying mostly on the Echo and Symbiosis abilities connected to it, he still managed to accomplish remarkable things within the school zone.
The place was seemingly a wild and chaotic environment because of the students’ rigid and sometimes brutal attitude toward rules and laws. While most students freely harnessed the full power of their summons without a second thought, Derek deliberately held back.
That made him mysterious and odd among his peers.
It had also earned him the dangerous yet respected title of the Veiled Summoner. The name reflected his unpredictable nature and the fact that nobody could truly tell how much power he was concealing. That reputation had greatly boosted his respect and presence within the school.
It was one of the reasons he enjoyed such fortunate privileges with the girls, including whichever ones he wanted to spend time with. He never stayed with any of them for too long, though. Derek enjoyed their company, but he was never the type to become overly attached.
He also had other privileges outside the school as a self-made, honored man when it came to devious businesses and lucrative corporations that almost no one within the school knew anything about.
"Hi, your body frame looks so good. Have you been going to the gym... without me, your baby?" the brunette-haired girl asked with pouted lips.
Her hair was styled into a sharp bun, while a pair of glasses rested on her face, making her appearance look even hotter and sassier. She clung to his left side, hugging his muscular arm like a needy fox.
Derek smirked proudly as he sipped his fruit juice with his right hand.
"This is the evidence of long-lasting endurance, passion, and consistency that both of you can’t even try to match," he teased.
The other girl, walking on his right side, had rainbow-colored hair. She frowned slightly at his remark.
Derek found the expression cute.
He loved seeing the annoyed and firm faces of his girls. Somehow, their irritation only pushed their allure higher in his eyes.
"Don’t say that again, sweetie. At least compensate for your girls," the one with glasses said.
She playfully nibbled at the defined shape of his firm muscular arm. Even though it was somewhat lean in appearance, it still did its job of enchanting his girls.
"What till you check out my new improved ride!" Derek said confidently, his smirk never seeming to leave his face. "It’s a custom seventies American muscle car with highly sophisticated Mana-tech, advanced features, and super engines. It’s a naturally aspirated masterpiece with the kind of high-revving scream you’d expect from something like the Lamborghini Aventador. It barks better and can rival even the Bugatti Chiron!"
His confidence practically radiated from every word.
"We can hang out with it during long breaks, holidays, and close vacations after school. It’s in a modest garage that I saved specifically to make it something special."
Derek continued speaking as his left hand rested over the perky rear of the girl wearing glasses, causing her to give a soft reaction. The touch was warm and tempting to them both.
"Thank you so much. You’re the best ever."
Both girls chirped brightly at the same time.
Their pearly white teeth flashed as they smiled, another sight that caught Derek’s attention.
Just then, while Derek was laughing with his companions, his eyes lifted toward the person standing in his path. His steps slowed, eventually coming to a stop as the sight of the approaching figure made him pause from heading toward his next destination.
His expression changed into something else.
His girls noticed immediately.
They looked uncertain at his reaction, but when they looked forward themselves, they were shocked.
A young man with an adequate body build was approaching them.
He had long yellow hair with black roots that reached his shoulders. Three red tattoo-like marks resembling totemic signs ran from his temple toward his eyes. His lips curved into a smile that revealed sharp canines, while his eyes gleamed with a distinctly predatory light.
Normally, Derek wouldn’t have reacted much to his presence.
But the way Lionel took each stride toward him made Derek slow down.
This was none other than one of the King’s most direct men whenever cases involving serious violence were concerned.
His presence drew the attention of most people around the recreational hub. Many glanced in his direction but quickly looked away, careful not to stare directly into his eyes.
Derek felt something was wrong.
There was something unsettling about the Mana radiation emanating from Lionel’s very presence.
Lionel was regularly the messenger of the King and Queen, the brutal school courier sent to certain people who had business with the King’s Domain. However, occasionally, or perhaps more often than people realized, he was sent as a weapon to handle violent situations involving retribution, rivalry, and other conflicts that couldn’t be settled peacefully.
A sense of foreboding weighed heavily against Derek’s chest, but he ignored it.
Lionel eventually stopped several meters away.
Their eyes met directly.
At first glance, the exchange looked ordinary.
But Derek could see the depth hidden within those predatory eyes.
He felt the bodies of his girls go rigid and tense beneath Lionel’s presence and stare. They clung tightly to him as though his body itself could serve as a shield against the danger standing before them.
Derek noticed their fear.
Waving his free hand, he looked at the girls with concern.
"I think there’s something I need to deal with involving him, so go without me. Stay safe until I’m back. Here, take this."
Derek reached into his pocket and brought out a bundle of cash, handing it to them.
The girls accepted it before quickly scampering away, driven by the sheer feeling of danger surrounding Lionel.
"What a fun breaker," Derek sighed.
He turned his attention back toward Lionel, who remained standing there and observing him with steady eyes.
"So what brings you here?" Derek asked. "Is it about time that I’m finally handed my rightful position among the high-numbered?"
He raised an eyebrow.
Lionel suddenly chuckled.
The low sound was unnerving and creepy enough to make Derek’s expression harden.
"That’s what you’re thinking about?" Lionel asked.
His smile widened slightly.
"If anything, it’s the other way around."
"Stop messing with me. Skip the prologue and get straight to the point." Derek folded his arms.
He studied Lionel carefully.
"I thought you always came with your other brothers on occasions like this. What’s wrong today?"
A smile slowly crept across Lionel’s face.
He licked his lips before shoving both hands into his pockets. Then he moved forward with the steady casualness of a predator approaching prey.
Derek’s eyes followed every movement.
"You know I’ve always been delighted at the thought of facing you for your glory," Lionel stated in a low voice that carried an unsettling edge. "I’ve been craving it for a long time, but I’ve had to wait until now for the opportunity to finally land before me."
Derek remained silent.
"The deeds of your work without your summon were outstanding and unbelievable," Lionel continued. "But today will be different."
Derek’s eyes narrowed considerably.
He didn’t like people trying to trigger him or play games with him.
Not even a little.
Everyone who knew Derek was aware of that fact.
Yet Lionel apparently didn’t care.
"So why are you here, then?" Derek asked defensively.
He didn’t care who the person standing before him thought he was simply because he served the school’s King. That was a role Derek would never willingly accept, even if he somehow became one of the high-numbered students.
He hated being under someone else’s grasp.
"Oh?" Lionel smirked briefly before stopping his slow movement around the junior.
"Just one thing for your safety." His predatory eyes remained fixed on Derek. "Get that summon of yours and stop hiding him to conceal your weakness."
"Don’t you dare," Derek said. His eyes gleamed faintly. "Just why exactly are you here?"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter
