Windstrum's Crazy

I and the boys showered one after the other immediately we got to the dorm. Then they fell on their bed and dozed off pretty quickly. For young mages, sleep was the best way to fill their MP. 

Bruce was the last among them to sleep off, and he started snoring, so now I can't sleep.

The night is still young, so I have plans to analyse and get familiar with the new system update a bit further.

But,

[Quest : A Goodnight Rest]

[Requirements : None]

[Description : Your body and brain need proper rest to function properly during the day]

[Objective : Sleep for at least 7hrs]

[Duration : 8hrs]

[Rewards : +10 EXP]

[Failure : Death]

Tch! This system is becoming a burden. I can't do what I want because I might just die if I don't comply with it.

'Ttri-ting'

[System message to User Danton]

["There is no room for leniency"]

'What the hell? Does the system have sentience?'

'Nah, it's just me,' A bulge grows on my head as I hear the familiar voice.

'Garmi! How the hell can you send messages as the system?' I try to calm myself as I ask but my fury still portrays through my voice.

A calm and mysterious killing intent that makes my body tremble in fear washes over me and I even find it hard to breathe. A deathly aura reverberates through Garmi's voice as he chides, 'I am not obligated to answer that. I am not your pet.'

'I-I-I'm so sorry!' The amount of fear and dread I feel can't be worded. It was a mistake on my part to take the Deathgod of Cursed magic lightly. I should never mess with Garmi from now on.

The deathly aura and killing intent calms down and the feeling of relief fills my body.

'Anyway, I wanna show you something,' I was about to ask what it was, but then I see a small thick-black hooded robe and the face of a skull with two tiny blue slits of fire in the eye sockets of the skull face.

The being's limbs can't be seen as it floats. Right behind it, a sharp weapon that is long and curved with a long straight cylindrical part I assume is the part one holds. The sharp blade of the weapon thinned out as it curves.

The creature feels so dark and evil to the extent that one can believe it to destroy the whole world without remorse and without breaking a sweat. 

I reflexively want to just destroy it and was about to summon Excalibur, but I look at it with keen interest to notice that the feel it gives isn't the look it gives. It looks so 'cute', if that is the best way to label it.

"Are you that surprised?" Its skeletal mouth moves to match the words like they were lips.

"Garmi, is that you?" I just have to ask because believing my eyes is becoming harder nowadays when we're moving to the age of magitech.

"It's cool right?" The black-robed being, Garmi, floating on air turns around, back and forth as he checks himself out.

"Nice. It's cool." It is fascinating but the excitement doesn't last long since something bugs me, "It's better talking to you this way but I just have to know how you sent that a message as the system."

"Sheesh, you're still on about that?" Garmi sees I wasn't joking then sighs, "The system has what is called 'moderators' and I am one of them."

"Wait! So there are others that can control the system like you and that blurred-face man?" A million thoughts run through my head from the realization of the fact that my life is at the mercy of people countless people I don't even know.

"I don't know the others or that so-called blurred-face man you're talking about, but the percentage we can all control varies... I think." Garmi replies and is still checking himself out.

It annoys me to see him take this matter lightly, and I want to question him further, but I won't. The system has made it a must to sleep for seven hours, and made the time limit eight hours. So I have an hour of free time and I have to sleep between that free time.

...

Garmi pestered me with questions like my type of girl or who I like better between Arleore and Elise, in other words, useless questions.

I stopped answering him and faces the other way so I could sleep. He left after muttering some words about how he, the Deathgod of Cursed magic who destroyed mountains with a slight move of his wrist was being ignored by a twelve-year-old kid.

***

I woke up first, early in the morning by 4 a.m., exactly seven hours enough to complete the quest and the rest were still sleeping.

I didn't bother to wake them up since there was still enough time before classes started.

I received the reward from the quest and washed up. I was about to dress up, but it quickly dawned on me that I didn't have a school uniform anymore.

I started feeling frustrated because I didn't know what to do, then I heard a knock on the door of the dorm I and the boys stay in.

I was wondering just who will knock on our door this early and reluctantly opened it slightly.

"Danton Stonehead."

I hear Grandmaster Windstrum's voice and see part of his face. I quickly open the door.

"Good morning! Grandmaster Windstrum," I courtly bow and gestured for him to enter the room.

"Stop that foolish act! I already know your true colours." Says Windstrum, disgruntedly and doesn't move from the door.

What he said catches me unaware, but I just smile at the old man's wisdom.

"Fine then. Windstrum." I said, like my usual arrogant self. Windstrum doesn't react and grabs my shoulder.

Poof! We teleported from the dorm room to what I presume was his office.

I looked rather modern for an old man. The office was large and bookshelves filled with books covered the walls at the left and right side of the office. The room was decorated with plants in large pots. Behind the large slightly curved desk is a large glass pane, showing the whole school's beauty in its full glory.

At the side, in front of one of the bookshelves on the right side could be called a mini-parlour. The two sofas faced each other and a short glass table with a large chessboard on it that had a few chessmen on it.

Windstrum walks forward and puts his left hand on the left one of the two chairs in front of the desk, then faces me.

"Are you done with the site seeing?" Windstrum asks but doesn't wait for me to reply before continuing, "I am taking Ben Gray as my disciple and I granted Elise Venorth the one wish, but she said you deserve it, not her."

Awe-struck by what Windstrum just said, I can't find a reply.

Elise. What a kind soul. I was nearly pushed to tears at the thought of her.

"I rewarded her for her humility and kindness by assigning her the best wizard that specializes in water-type magic and gave her full rights to utilize the school's resources," Windstrum adds.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask. I know it is not the best choice of words, but I have no idea on what to say here.

"Sincerely, I was against her decision. That stunt you pulled, the forest fire you started, was too reckless and dangerous! What if the students got hurt before I arrived! The next time you pull such a stunt you will get expelled!" Windstrum doesn't shout, but his fury accentuates through his tone of speaking.

This old geezer probably doesn't realize I was on the brink of death. He wouldn't even have had a split second to save me. He let that spear stab me but yet I'm the one getting scolded. 

I take in a deep breath and speak calmly, "You, Grandmaster Windstrum, initiated the so-called battle royale to satiate your psychotic desires, and you want to blame for 'what would have been' the outcome? I will do whatever I want and can to get to my goal with my teammates intact. So if you want to blame someone... just... don't blame me, because I did what I had to get what I wanted, which was your favour. But if this is how you act and blame me for everything then your favour can rot in hell for all I care."

I keep a serious face and look at Windstrum dead in the eye.

"Huhuhuhuhuhu!" Windstrum bursts out laughing.

"Eh?!"

What the hell is happening?

"Danton my boy! I like your style, it's funny. Huhuhuhuhu."

He laughs some more and walks over to the bookshelf on the right side of the office and brings out a short book with medium size thickness.

"I won't grant you any goddamn wish," I frown as Windstrum says that, "but in exchange, I will give you..." he stops for a bit of suspense.

"You will give me?" My eyes glitter in excitement as I repeat Windstrum's last words.

"My friendship!"

Windstrum turns around to show his back to make him look like some type of badass.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with the friendship of an old geezer?!" I feel so pissed. It is clear that this old man definitely has some screws loose.

"Huhuhuhuhu!

"And,

"This." I catch the book he took out from the bookshelf as he throws it to me.

I read the title of the book, and it says, "How To Play Chess (for dummies)."