Factions

The cafeteria was situated in the surroundings of the main building, a couple of hundred meters away. And it was surprising.

A vast hall with a floor made of magically clean wood. There were no walls, leaving the spIske open to the surroundings. A massive ceiling floated magically, supported by a colossal tree at the center. The tree's thick branches held the ceiling, creating the illusion of holding up the sky.

Around the tree was a large counter that wrapped all the way around. Three women worked there as both chefs and waitresses, preparing meals and serving them to customers. The kitchen was concealed inside the tree, with a door leading directly into it. Smoke could be seen rising from the top of the tree if one looked up from outside.

It's as nice as in the game!

I sat alone on a single table and looked at the extensive menu from the restaurant, everything was for free, so I chose what seemed the most expensive item of the menu, something so out of my world that I couldn't even properly read it.

Then, as I waited for my food, I looked around.

Countless tables and seats had different colors and symbols, which were occupied by the students. Each color represents a different faction.

Factions are basically small organizations, and a few times a family. 

Despite only being able to have a single Conqueror for every path, the same can't be applied to Challengers, who exist numerous.

For example the Fafnir Path, the most common path controlled by the Council, and heads of Santo, they have at six individuals in the seven Trial of that path, all of them with the same amount of power, and instead of challenging the last Trial and conquering the path, they are more focused on growing their influence.

So they created the factions, and its influence spread to Santo as well.

Because of that, all the students are divided in many factions within the academy, and choosing one of them is an essential part of your social life if you want to live in Santo.

That's the worst part about this school.

In the distance, I saw a group led by Lin Dukian and Mikhail approaching the cafeteria, and I wondered how they managed to clean the arena so fast.

Maybe Axel is not that cold at all.

However, I sighed weary as I watched another person approaching their group.I didn't recognize the person, but I instantly recognized the scene that was about to unfold.

He's a first year, a random envoy of one of the factions, and he wants to recruit both Lin and Mikhail.

He approached them with a friendly face and a polite smile. 

"Hello, Mikhail and Lin Dukian, it's a pleasure getting to acquaint you both, I'm here in the name of Prince, leader of the Blues faction."

But, their response stunned the envoy. 

"Sorry, I don't know who that is," Mikhail said with an embarrassed smile and continued walking.

While Lin simply passed by him, completely uninterested and offered him no response.

That attitude caused laughs to erupt from everyone in the cafeteria, from first years to all the factions in the third, everyone but the Blue faction and its participants.

Embarrassed and enraged by the humiliation, the envoy grabbed Lin by his shoulder. 

That was his mistake .

If the envoy had chosen Mikhail instead of Lin, everything would be easier, but he grabbed Lin's shoulder, right after his duel with Mikhail, his mood was already bad.

Lin glanced back and barked, "Fuck off"

Which only enraged the envoy even more, who promptly attacked Lin. However Lin was not just anyone, he saw the attack coming and easily deflected it, and at the same instant, struck his throat, and his legs, making him fall out of breath on the floor.

At that moment, I regretted not ordering popcorn.

Lin looked at the second year on the floor and said with a disgusted expression, "Pathetic"

However, as soon as he was about to continue walking toward a seat, he was stopped by countless students surrounding him, from the Blue faction, gathering around him, in consequence Mikhail as well.

Leading them was two first years, top ranked just like Mikhail and Lin. 

One of them was a slender, pale young man with sharp gray eyes and short, slicked-back dark hair, exuding an air of arrogance.

Beside him stood an imposing figure—a towering young man so massive it was hard to believe he was a student at all. His spiky brown hair and dark eyes, showing an excited smile.

Those are Milo Nerdecez and Boreas, two antagonists of the game.

Lin due to his background was already acquainted with both of them, and was even more displeased now, he was ready to fight both of them. But Mikhail tried to appease everyone.

"Calm down everyone, that guy attacked first, he just defended himself"

"It doesn't look like that at all" Milo said calmly as he looked at the guy unconscious on the floor. "Are you sure he just defended himself?"

Mikhail nodded firmly, "Of course, you can ask anyone here" He said gesturing to the surroundings, to everyone paying attention to their argument.

Boreas' smile widened as he looked around and asked, "Has anyone seen what happened here?"

All the laughing and mockery ceased the moment he spoke. Every student of the first year knew very well they shouldn't enrage the factions, not for just a moment. So everyone remained silent.

No one spoke for Mikhail and Lin.

Milo nodded with a satisfied smile, "As you can see, you attacked one of our own indiscriminately, as organization we must punish you"

"But…" Mikhail tried saying.

But was interrupted by Lin, "Fuck off you too"

Mikhail looked at him offended and said, "Dude, I'm trying to help you"

"I don't need it"

I chuckled low watching from the distance, knowing that it was already too late for anything to be said, the factions are that petty, and this is the best place for them, because of one of the rules within Santo.

Any type of conflict as long as the other party is able to fight back is allowed outside the main building.

Yeah, the perfect school, that let the students beat each other to a pulp.

Also, the perfect justification these guys will use to assault both Mikhail and Lin. 

That would happen of course, if not of Emily and Chloe's intervention.

"Stop!"

Both girls appeared in the middle, between them.

Emily took the lead and said, "Although conflicts are permitted, assaults are not, back off"

Boreas smiled maliciously, "They attacked one of ours first, we have right to fight back"

"Are you willing to make enemies of our families for this?" Chloe said.

Milo laughed, "Your families have no say in Babel, much less Santo, here what reigns is the Council, and in Santo the factions, we're not afraid of you"

Yeah, despite each of them, except Mikhail coming from a noble family, they are from other Spheres, and have little influence in Babel, much less in Santo.

Here, either you enter a faction, or you'll live the worst three years of your life, no matter who you are, and where you came from.

"Then let's decide this on the faction battle in three months" Emily said.

Confusion spread across everyone's faces, including Chloe, Lin, and Mikhail, who all looked equally puzzled. 

"Are you four already part of a faction?" Milo asked.

Emily shook her head, "No, but we'll create one"

Hearing her words, both Milo and Boreas together with their friends around them began to laugh.

"You guys will create a faction?"

"There's no rule saying that we can,t create one, but there is a rule saying that factions can only battle in the faction battle, so you can't attack us"

Milo's laugh subsided as he nodded, "Yeah, but I bet you don't know, that to form a faction, you need a supporter, and you don't have one"

A supporter, basically a high rank Challenger that will fund the faction, the Blues are funded by one of the Challengers at the seventh trial of Fafnir, one the most powerful Challengers there is.

Only a few equal them in the question of supporters.

But… They are the main characters.

"I'll support them" Lehrina announced as she came calmly walking toward them, "And thus, allow the creation of their faction, so let's stop this madness, alright?"

Everyone was surprised to see Lehrina stepping in, since she was known to be neutral in the faction's battle. 

Milo's eyes widened briefly before he quickly regained his composure. With practiced elegance, he asked, "Are you certain, Professor Lehrina?

I admire you, but isn't this a rather hasty decision? Are you implying that your master, Kalil, will support them as well? That would be quite the contradiction, considering the headmaster is forbidden from interfering with faction affairs."

Professor Lehrina shook her head, "No, this just mine decision alone, the headmaster has no involvement in it"

Lehrina despised conflict and had always kept her distance from the factions' power struggles. She never took an interest in their battles—until now. I didn't know what had changed or why she suddenly chose to step in, but she did.

However despite her good intentions, because she hates seeing the faction battles, she couldn't know about the other rule.

"Ok, professor Lehrina, but aren't you forgetting the other rule? The faction needs to have at least five members to be created"

Chloe smiled confidently, her beauty shining through as she said, "That's easy" Then she turned to all students in the cafeteria and said, "Anyone here willing to join our faction?"

There was silence.

Not a single student accepted, the offer was more directed toward the first years, because all second and third years are already part of a faction, thus not able to join another.

Most of the first years are already part of factions as well, but there should be some without one, but none willing to join a faction that just made enemies of the blues. No one wants to suffer for three years.

Upon seeing the scene, all five of them, including Professor Lehrina, tensed with concern. Their expressions hardened as they exchanged uncertain glances, searching for an answer.

While I just sighed weary.

I really hoped that some random dude would raise their courageous hand and accept it. 

In the game Anastasia Illiade was with them, that's why this part never existed in the game, however because of her absence, the four of them are in need of someone.

And the factions battle is something I'll need in the future.

So in the end, I raised my hand and said, "I'll join you"