Tenebrous Wolf-Chapter 40: Mysterious Number One

From a young age, Klaus had never believed in coincidences, but this was too ridiculous. What were the odds that the girl he had randomly seen at the mall would turn out to be an Awakened? And not just any Awakened, one powerful enough to claim First Place.

The surrounding Seekers were shocked and stood frozen in shock, momentarily speechless. Then, as if a dam had burst, the murmurs and questions began pouring in like a wave.

"Seraphim? What kind of name is that?"

"The unique kind, I guess?"

"Is she a Vestige?"

"I don't think so. The name 'Seraphim' doesn't sound like an Imperial Clan name."

"Is that so? Then... where did she come from?"

The murmurs of speculation only grew louder as more Seekers gathered around the ranking board. Some wore expressions of awe, others of curiosity, and a few of barely concealed wariness. To suddenly have an unknown individual claim the top spot was bound to stir up reactions.

More interestingly, instead of questioning her abilities, everyone seemed more concerned with her origins.

Klaus remained silent, his gaze lingering on Seraphim's portrait.

The more he looked at it, the stranger it felt. He had only caught a brief glimpse of her at the mall, but now that he was seeing her again, there was something about her he couldn't quite pinpoint.

Speaking of which, if she's on the ranking list, then she should be here, right?

Following that thought, Klaus proceeded to sweep his gaze around the crowded cafeteria, but he didn't seem to find his target.

"Hey, Klaus."

Adrian's voice pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced over to see his friend still eating, unfazed.

"Don't bother wasting your time. That person isn't here. At least, she hadn't come to the cafeteria yet."

"How did you know I was looking for her?"

"A wild hunch. But really, it isn't that hard to guess considering the current circumstances."

That makes sense.

Klaus asked,

"Do you have any idea who she is?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Why do you ask?"

"You could say I'm just curious. After all, an unknown person appearing at the top of the ranking list would naturally spark curiosity, no?"

"Hmm... I suppose that's true."

He paused for a moment, as if pondering, before continuing:

"Even if you ask me, I'm just as clueless as everyone else. If I remember correctly, there isn't an Imperial Clan with the name Seraphim, so the possibility of her being a Vestige is pretty much nonexistent. I'd like to believe she's someone who managed to survive on her own until now."

Is that even possible? Klaus thought skeptically.

Like Adrian said, there was a slim chance she had made it this far without any help, but she didn't seem like someone from Undertown. She lacked the aura and the scent of someone raised in that wretched place.

He had sensed an air of nobility about her back then, whereas Undertown was anything but noble.

It was merciless, ruthless, and, more importantly, wicked.

As a former resident of that world, Klaus could easily identify someone from Undertown, and he could say with full certainty that Seraphim was not from there.

Could she have come from outside?

By 'the outside,' he meant beyond the Sanctuary. The Imperial City wasn't the only human settlement, there were still nations like America, Russia, China, and Japan. However, it was rare for the Sanctuary to receive visitors.

In fact, the Sanctuary fundamentally disliked outsiders.

That was why the city was built in the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by a giant dome, and monitored by three satellites at all times. Even mainland supply drivers needed exclusive IDs to be granted entry.

With all this security, it was impossible for illegal immigrants to sneak in, unless the satellites had been destroyed.

But that was impossible, right? According to his information, there wasn't a single Saint capable of launching an attack that could reach outer space.

In other words, the idea that Seraphim was an illegal immigrant was completely illogical.

Suddenly, Adrian asked:

"By the way, I forgot to ask, but which courses are you taking?"

"Oh, that..." Klaus thought about it carefully. "Well, I was planning on taking the combat class, obviously, then survival tactics, and perhaps lessons of hollows."

"Three courses at once, huh? You're really going all out."

Klaus shrugged.

"Might as well. It's not like we're here to slack off."

"That's certainly true, but taking three courses at once might be too much, even for you. Most people take only two at best. The time we have left until the emergence of the Shadow Realm is limited, so we have to prepare accordingly. I'm only taking the combat class since that's the area I need to improve and I'm quite knowledgeable in runes so there's no need to study that. I'm not saying you can't handle three courses, everyone's different after all. But I'd advise you to stick to at least two so you can balance them out properly."

"Thank you. I'll think about it."

Hearing Adrian's advice, Klaus could only nod in appreciation. His words were insightful, and Klaus might have to rethink his schedule.

A few seconds later, Adrian finally finished his mountain of food and stood up with a satisfied expression.

"Man, I'm so full. I feel like I could run around the academy five times!"

"Please don't. I don't want my precious neighbor ending up in the infirmary on his first day."

"C'mon, you know I was just joking."

Ignoring that, Klaus finished his plate as well and stood up.

"So, what are you going to do now? Are you heading to the combat class or the survival class?"

"I think I'll head to the survival class first, then combat later or tomorrow."

"Sounds like a solid plan. I can't wait to see what you can do."

"Don't set your expectations too high, or else you'll be disappointed. I'm the last on the ranking, after all."

"Ha! I doubt that. Anyway, I'll see you later, Klaus."

"You too."

Upon leaving the cafeteria and saying their goodbyes, Adrian made his way to the combat class while Klaus headed to the survival class. There were a lot of things on his mind, but there was only such little time...

Perhaps he was just unlucky.

† †

The Tactical Survival classroom was definitely different from what Klaus had expected. The space was tastefully decorated, though nothing too grand, and more noticeably, it was incredibly spacious yet completely empty.

Just as he had predicted, most students had prioritized other courses over Tactical Survival, despite its undeniable importance in the mysterious and unpredictable Shadow Realm.

He wasn't too worried about his lack of close-combat skills. If he couldn't win a fight, he would simply run away or, if things got really bad, use the backup Glock he had on him.

Some might call him a coward, but they definitely wouldn't call him a dead man.

Ah, this gives me an idea for my combat style.

His Echo was only effective at close range, which meant he needed an alternative weapon to disguise this weakness.

Thinking this, Klaus's slight grin turned into a mischievous smile.

As he stepped further into the room, his gaze landed on a bulky man kneeling on the floor.

The man appeared to be... meditating?

Is that some kind of secret mental technique? Klaus wondered, his curiosity piqued.

As if sensing his presence, the man slowly opened his eyes and looked up at him.

"Oh, a rookie? Are you here for the Tactical Survival class?"

"Yes sir."

"That's good! That's good! Come and take a seat."

Take a seat where? The floor?

Realising the man's intent, Klaus nodded and obediently sad down.

He was a burly middle-aged man with bushy black hair, thick eyebrows, and sloppy facial hair. Instead of Instructor's uniform, he was wearing a dobok.

If he hadn't known better, he would have started questioning if he had entered the wrong room.

"My name is Lancer Rex, but please call me Instructor Rex. I am the teacher of the Tactical Survival class. Aspirant, what's yours?"

"I'm Klaus."

Instructor Rex chuckled. His deep voice reverberated throughout the entire empty room.

He sure was energetic. Klaus thought silently.

"That's a very good and manly name. I like it! You must be one of those determined ones to pick Tactical Survival over other courses on your first day."

"Something like that."

Instructor Rex smiled.

"Smart choice. Too many youngsters these days think being strong is all about how well you can swing a sword or blast energy out of your hands. But survival is the real key to strength."

The man then leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. Despite the casual posture, his posture still radiated great experience.

"Say, young man. Let me ask you something. Do you know what the biggest difference is between a survivor and a warrior?

Klaus thought for a moment before he answered:

"A survivor prioritizes staying alive. A warrior prioritizes winning. Is that correct, sir?"

Rex grinned, clearly satisfied.

"Exactly. And the moment you step into the Shadow Realm, survival comes first, always. You won't always win your fights, but you sure as hell can live to fight another day."

He gestured toward the painfully empty room.

"That's why this class is different. No fancy weapons, no sparring, no flashy techniques. Just you, your instincts, and the knowledge to use whatever you have to stay alive and breathing."

Klaus remained silent as he listened to the instructor's words, while Instructor Rex cracked his knuckles and stood up.

"Alright, since you're the only one here, we'll skip the usual orientation crap. Let's start with the basics. Show me what you got, kid."

"Show you what?"

"How would you survive if I decided to attack you right now?"

"Excuse me?"

Klaus blinked, thinking he had misheard, but before he could react—

A flash of light.

The instructor lunged forward at incredible speed and swung his thick arm toward Klaus's throat like a steel whip.

Shit—!

Disregarding thought entirely, Klaus reacted on instinct, rolling to the side just in time to avoid the strike. But before he could recover, Rex had already pivoted, sweeping a powerful kick toward his legs.

Klaus barely managed to jump back in time, his heart pounding. The man was much faster than his bulky frame suggested.

Rex grinned.

"You have good instincts, but it's not good enough."

Without pause, he feinted with his right hand, his left shooting forward in a straight line toward Klaus's ribs.

Of course, Klaus dodged, his wolf-like instincts made sure of that, but the problem was that Rex never stopped attacking. A relentless barrage of blows followed, forcing him onto the defensive.

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Klaus clenched his jaw as he sidestepped another strike. If he kept dodging, he'd never get a chance to counterattack.

At that moment, something clicked.

Instead of retreating, he stepped in. Ducking under the feint, he twisted his body to the side and shot his hand toward Rex's wrist, attempting to redirect the incoming blow.

But the moment he made contact—

Boom!

A sudden explosion of force sent him stumbling backward.

Klaus barely kept his footing, his forearm stinging from the impact. What the hell was that?! He thought, gritting his teeth. It felt like he had just been hit by a baseball bat. If not for his instincts making him block at the last second, something inside him might have shattered.

Seemingly pleased with his performance, Instructor Rex stepped forward, grinning even wider.

"Excellent work, young man! You think fast, and your reaction speed is superb, far better than any Aspirant I've seen. But remember, instincts alone won't always save you."

"Thank you for the education, sir," Klaus muttered as he rubbed his throbbing forearm.

He thought he was here to learn survival tactics, not fight for his life!

If he had known there would be a practical aspect, he would have prepared himself accordingly. Surely, this had to be child abuse!

Disregarding Klaus's inner complaints, Instructor Rex rolled his shoulders. His eyes gleamed with something dangerous, and before he realized it, Klaus had already taken an involuntary step back.

Rex grinned.

"Aspirant Klaus, you've got a ton of potential! This is wonderful! This is truly wonderful! You're such an amazing young man! Don't worry—"

The instructor's voice turned strangely passionate.

"I promise you, from this day forward, I will make you an incredible Ascendant!"