Chapter 82: Chaos In The South (2)
Jovian kept his gaze fixed on the headmaster’s back as the man exited the medical wing.
There were plenty of things he appreciated about the Academy and its headmaster: the peace and safety it offered, the unmatched resources, and the opportunities it provided.
Without the special chambers where he spent most of his time cultivating, he was certain he wouldn’t be nearly as strong as he was now.
On top of that, he had met a handful of companions he genuinely liked—Melissa and Jack among them.
Still, for all the good, Jovian despised being dragged into matters he had no interest in, and he especially hated being told he couldn’t do what he wanted.
He didn’t mind stirring up a little chaos for the Academy or helping them reach their goals in the final competition—he considered that the gentlemanly thing to do, given how much they’d done for him.
But he had just mentioned wanting to meet Lord Dream, and now he was being told not to?
That didn’t sit well with him at all.
"Bastard..." Jovian muttered under his breath as he slowly stood up from the zafu cushion.
Melissa stood up along with him, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.
She already knew exactly how he was feeling about the Headmaster’s comment.
"Such a decision may not be entirely bad, you know," she said in her usual noble, graceful tone.
"The man wiped out an entire dragon clan in a single night. Even you have to admit that’s impressive."
She tilted her head slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Or do you think you could do the same thing?"
Jovian’s lip twitched, a flicker of irritation crossing his face.
"That’s not the point," he replied, brushing dust off his robes. "The point is he’s trying to control my actions. I can’t stand that."
They began walking toward the exit of the medical wing together, their footsteps echoing softly down the quiet corridor.
Melissa nodded in understanding, her expression turning more thoughtful.
"You’re right. But for now... we should just focus on the task at hand. Who knows what will happen?"
Jovian didn’t respond immediately.
He simply stared ahead, his usual carefree smile absent for once.
-----
Four days later, Jovian, Melissa, and Jack arrived on the Southern Continent.
The trio sat comfortably on a luxurious flying carpet high in the skies, the wind gently brushing past them as they overlooked the vast landscape below.
The carpet shimmered with faint golden runes, keeping them stable as they discussed their next moves.
"So," Melissa began, crossing her legs elegantly, "we have four main targets.
The Blood Moon Pack — those blood werewolves who are currently at odds with the Ash Walking Clan, the Flame Giants.
Those two have been fighting over territory ever since the Nova Dragons fell.
Then we have the two Human Kingdoms — Kingdom Black and Kingdom White. However, they seem relatively peaceful with each other for now."
Jack nodded, his expression serious.
"The werewolves and giants are already on edge. It shouldn’t be too hard to push them into full-scale war. The human kingdoms might need a bit more... creativity."
Jovian leaned back on his hands, staring at the clouds with a casual, almost bored expression. Internally, however, his mind was elsewhere.
’Hmm.... If the Academy of Veils really is connected to Lord Dream... why not take all the chaos straight to them?’ He thought to himself as despite the warning he was given.
There was absolutely no way he would come to the territory of one of the top four in his generation and not at least get a good look at the guy.
He suddenly spoke up, his tone light but decisive.
"Alright... you two focus on werewolves and the Flame Giants first. Manipulate their fates — draw all that tension directly toward the Academy of Veils.
Make it look like the Academy is supporting one side over the other. While you two handle that... I’ll take care of the two human kingdoms."
Melissa arched an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at her lips.
"You just can’t take advice, can you?"
Jovian smirked, giving a nonchalant shrug.
"What can I say? I’m the Fatebreaker... I can’t stand being tied down."
----
[Fate Affinity]
Jovian and the other two had already separated.
He now floated high above the borders between the Kingdom of White and Kingdom of Black, the wind gently tugging at his long white hair.
With a small, casual motion, his pure white blindfold slipped from his face, drifting downward like a falling petal.
His eyes — glowing with pure white irises ringed in molten gold — opened slowly.
HUMMMMM!!!!
In that moment, he envisioned himself as the unseen center of focus around the two kingdoms.
Thin, golden threads of fate began to appear in his vision, stretching across the lands like a vast, invisible web.
He didn’t force anything major yet — only entangled himself faintly into their threads, just enough to make future manipulations effortless.
A faint, amused smile played across his lips.
"With the status of the Kings and Queens still unknown... as long as I stay off the Ancestor’s radar... I should be fine," he muttered.
At Tier 16, his rank was high enough that no one in either Kingdom—aside from maybe a few of their Ancestors—could hope to challenge him.
----
Meanwhile, inside the royal palace of the Kingdom of White, Princess Tia, sat at the head of a long oak table, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
She had only been thrust into this position a year ago after her father’s sudden disappearance, and the weight of leadership still felt crushing.
Ever since that time, every meeting had been a whirlwind of chaos, and this one was no exception.
Her top officials were once again locked in a heated debate, voices overlapping as they argued passionately across the table.
"The agreement with Kingdom Black is crumbling," one general said, slamming his fist down. "With all the Kings and Queens vanishing, every major faction is in shambles. We can’t afford to wait any longer!"
Another official shook his head.
"But the Academy of Veils has been too quiet. We don’t know what they’re planning. If we move too rashly—"
The Princess rubbed her temples, feeling overwhelmed.
The pressure was mounting from all sides. She was only twenty-three, and the responsibility of an entire kingdom suddenly resting on her shoulders was becoming unbearable.
Just then, one of the officials—a typically reserved minister—suddenly reached into his robe and pulled out a golden sheet, his eyes widening as if a memory had just struck him.
"Look at this!" he shouted, tossing the document onto the center of the table. "Proof! The Academy of Veils isn’t quiet at all. They’re meeting with Kingdom Black in two days
The room instantly buzzed with murmurs as the officials leaned in, scanning the paper with mounting excitement.
One of the generals stood up, his voice rising.
"Your Highness, we no longer need to wait! If the Academy of Veils is backing Kingdom Black, then it’s time to fully sever ties with this continent and leave with a bang!"
It went without saying that every faction outside the so-called civilization pit of the Academy of Veils was far from loyal to its rule.
Some had even gone so far as to quietly plot their escape from the continent entirely.
Now, with Jovian’s subtle manipulations at play, it was simply more fuel poured onto an already raging fire.
The Princess stared down at the sheet of golden paper, her thoughts spinning wildly.
The weight of it all — the pressure, the fear, the gnawing uncertainty — crashed over her in one suffocating wave.
She drew in a shaky breath before finally giving a small, resolute nod.
"...Do it. Mobilize the kingdom’s entire force."
At once, the officials’ eyes blazed with determination, and the chamber shifted into a flurry of voices and movements as the meeting transformed into the first steps toward war.
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