Chapter 5: Ruiner
Over the past couple of days, Cillian didn’t do anything other than stay in his room and understand the basic knowledge he needed to consume.
Starting from history books, newspapers, and articles, to the latest updates on what is needed to know.
He was cooped up in his room for that sole reason, giving himself information that might be of use for his future.
And now, he was finally done.
’This is good. Though I think these books are still lacking in terms of information, that doesn’t mean it has all gone to waste. Hmm, in the end, I guess I can discover some of them myself... just like a true adventurer! Heh, this childish thought of mine...’
Cillian shook his head and stretched his hand while sitting on a chair. He was tired of understanding the information that he had just read and excited that he had finished it, and proceeded to make a foundation for his plan.
The plan’s first step is to become a Ruiner, a person who ’gains’ a Piece from any Runic Gates that spawned from the world.
’The main character is a Ruiner, holder of the Piece [Five Swords Of Chaos], a very powerful piece even for me.’
Since the main character was adept at using a sword, he was the only student of the academy who didn’t put much work into studying Sorcery, since his sword skills already made up for it.
That’s why Fergus got destroyed, even though the main character only showed one out of five of his swords.
’People might already expect he was a Ruiner and will try to take him under their tutelage, but I didn’t care. He could be my role model for being a Ruiner. Not only are the powers one will receive great if someone knew about the Piece, but also the mysteries hidden underneath them are amazing on their own. Just like how I envisioned my character...’
When Cillian got into this trash book, he knew that picking the path of Ruiner was great.
Half of these Ruiners, however, are downright evil. Unofficial Ruiners are rampant, and most of these unregistered folks are evil ruiners who might cause calamities and harm to people.
He understood the risk of being a Ruiner since they would always be in constant danger, not only to the Pieces themselves but also to the people who would likely set their eyes upon everyone who had a powerful Piece.
Yet Cillian was thinking differently, as it would make his character more of a hidden manipulator in the shadow beneath the whole mysterious persona.
A strong manipulator as a matter of fact.
"Ah shit, stop smiling me."
Cillian barely even contained his smile that the only way to stop himself from smiling was to touch his lips from curling upwards
After a few seconds of relaxing, he focused on the task at hand.
"Being Ruiner has its pros and cons. Mostly, if utilized properly, it will likely have many pros. But those who have zero knowledge of it will likely fail or downgrade, leaving them regretting their choices in the future. I wouldn’t want that to happen."
Proper Ruiners have a set of rules to follow.
First, the rule always starts with the Piece that has the Runic Language of One... well, that’s what everyone who didn’t know the rule would choose because there’s a hidden knowledge that wasn’t known to the public.
’According to the Main Character, there’s a Ruiner sequence behind [One], and that is getting the Piece that contains the Runic Language [Zero].’
This was something hidden from the public because those who possess it didn’t want everyone to know that there was much more to it.
When a Ruiner realized this information, it was already too late to go back, as one had to proceed to the Runic Language that pertains to the upper sequence, which are Two, Three, Four, Five, and above.
As of now, the strongest Ruiner had at least six Pieces, with no [Zero] since the person didn’t know that there was one until he was informed by this certain person.
This certain person is no other than the main character, who had close ties with the strongest Ruiner.
It was mentioned in passing in the novel.
’But the name remained hidden! Anyone could guess it was a freaking foreshadowing!’
The author might’ve intended to only reveal it in later Chapters of the novel it was written, but Cillian didn’t have time to think such things when he was already occupied with this matter.
’The main character is a Ruiner [Three] and has [Zero] absorbed, leaving him with four powers with diverse abilities at his disposal. This guy is busted as hell at the start of the story, which is one of the reasons why I’m criticizing his novel... and the author dared stab me..."
No, not dared.
"He indeed stabbed me...’
Setting aside the Fool’s face while being struck by the knife that dampened his mood, Cillian began to recount his thoughts, remembering something from the plot that the author had made.
It’s also one of the reasons why Cillian wanted to become a Ruiner.
’There’s a [Zero] Piece just idly being displayed at that ’place’... I don’t know what it contained or the power that it holds, but this is the only Piece I could get right now since pretty much every Piece I knew is being held by every family or people I don’t know.’
Besides, after the main character had taken a peek at this particular Piece, he described it as unbelievable, fascinating, and mysterious.
There was a problem Cillian had to face when acquiring the said Piece, but there was also another problem that followed after he gained it.
’Yes, I need to hide the fact that I’m a Ruiner. Because of that, studying Sorcery might work. I can just spam one spell that can become my trademark, which is a way to cover myself being a Ruiner. After setting this up, I can finally start doing god’s work. I can finally have fun... Yes. But first, I really had to be patient.’
He racked his brain for a plan of acquiring this Piece in the place where the main character had seen it.
If he had to do it, he had to do it once.
Cillian knew where it was, how it was positioned, and everything else he needed to know since the main character had been there.
’Main character, main character. I guess I have to thank you.’
Cillian came up with different ideas in his head.
Cillian glanced to the side where Fred’s bed was placed.
Since they were roommates, it was only natural that they would talk. Moreover, they were underlings of Fergus.
But now that Fergus was gone, he found himself alone throughout the time he was reading his books.
’He’s probably being scouted by other factions... Oh, wait, maybe I could use that?’
After countless trials and errors while thinking about the effects of the ploy he was going to make, he came up with a brilliant idea.
’Yes... yes! It clearly aligns with what I was thinking!’
After standing up from his chair and doing yet another stretch, Cillian decided to attend the classes today.
His mind wasn’t moving around the class itself but towards the act that he was about to do.
’An extra can lose control a bit, no?’
Cillian finds it entertaining while letting out an amused smile.
...
Chatter—!
After the class ended, strange whispers were occurring from the classroom itself, which didn’t die down after Cillian left the room.
It was all filled with malicious comments pertaining to their Brotherhood and how it would disband soon enough.
Cillian, listening to those comments, finds it entertaining as he could learn a lot more about what was happening by their gossip alone.
’Hmm, I’ll try to focus on these rumors once I’m done with my part.’
Oh right, the main character seemed to be put in the detention center by the disciplinary committee after he had beaten Fergus into a pulp.
As of now, the moment he gets back from the academy grounds, he will most likely garner the attention of everyone.
’Isn’t it like where the situation starts when the main character shows his power and starts getting the attention of almost everyone, whether it is good or bad?’
Cillian had read countless novels that he could practically predict how it was going to happen.
Though these were only assumptions and not hypotheses, at this point, a person can conclude an end plot one way or another.
’That’s something I wouldn’t like to be put in, to be honest. I pretty much prefer moving in the dark, hehe... Though, I guess what I’ll be doing right now is pretty much out of my character,’
Cillian mused inwardly while letting out a self-mocking laugh.
Chatter—!
Cillian, who seemed to be just walking aimlessly through the academy’s hallways, suddenly turned right.
He entered the cafeteria of the academy, which is as big as a gigantic complex already, stretching kilometers away.
"Oh, I already see my target..."
Cillian gazed at Fred eating alone at a single table while the nearby tables were emptied. No one dared eat with him or near him, not after knowing that he and Cillian were accomplices to Fergus’ plans.
Cillian didn’t even deny this motion since he could remember these plans that were really designed to harm the main character. In fact, their histories stretch before even entering the academy!
Right now, their Brotherhood was falling apart.
Glancing in his direction, Cillian headed straight to the counter to pick the food that suited the plan forming in his head.
’Oily, greasy, and that could stain someone’s clothes...’
He handpicked those things carefully until he proceeded to walk towards Fred’s table, garnering the attention of the nearby people.
Just the way they are looking, one might even think another trouble will be about to commence.
And they were right.
"Can I sit here?"
Cillian expressed with a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
