Badump!

Badump!

Badump!

Now that the moment was close at hand Kano felt the anxiety coil around him like a snake, his heart was beating like a drum, and he had begun sweating profusely. Those gruesome penalties he would be burdened with if he was caught were bounced back up from his sea of thoughts by the anxiety.

Skinned alive, a thousand cuts with cockroach salt rubbed in, 100 whips that have been coated with dead tongue chameleon saliva, impregnated by a female corrupted hallow octopus giving birth to babies through the back door...there was a long list of torture methods he could face and as the most recent serf, not even a commoner, who dared to defy the noble law that even nobility had to follow, he would be made a glaring red example so there was no telling which suite of 'benefits' he would receive. The unknown has always been scary especially if said unknown is certain to cause you great suffering and pain.

If they were feeling ‘generous’ death might not even be the end of his pain, with the methods they had available.

Kano's eyes moved around as he took his position in his janitor outfit.

His heart beat faster whenever he saw those luxuriously dressed middle-aged men and women, particularly those dressed in high rank city guard uniform. Just one sneeze from any of them could kill him. I don't know if any of them has an ability than can hinder me effectively from afar so the plan definitely should keep to its roots to avoid them.

As for the root of his plan? It could be summarized with just one word.

Speed!

Speed!!

Speed!!!

Cross over before they even knew what happened.

The murmuring of the crowd had grown from the buzzing sounds of bees to thunderous sounds of hearty teenagers.

"Silence!" A figure clad in a purple and blue gown rose a few feet into the air. His blue hair was wildly kept save for his elegantly combed beard. The lines carved in his face reflected the decades he had been alive, but most students were attracted to one of the four badges on his fluttering robe. A golden ship with the sky above and seas below. Encrested by a pair of wings.

The badge of the pioneer.

After the first generation, those worthy of such a badge across the centuries are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Even many of the 108 dukes inherited a lot from relatives who were the actual pioneers. So, the badge was more than just a show of status. A mark of remarkable feats for humanity.

I think his feat was related to knowledge, something about evil gods. It's nothing of my concern anyways.

Kano had no respect for this man but that didn't prevent him from being grateful. Although he was the leader of a corrupt shitty school, he helped him calm his nerves near the moment of truth.

"I expect you all to be quite excited at your prospects now, truth be told even I am envious of you young ones. Such opportunities are worthy of the saying 'once in a lifetime'. Although you've heard these enough till your ears are callused, I must repeat, you children have been under the protection of the city afterall. Newborn calves are not afraid of Tigers. So, never sail at night especially on a night of blood moon, don't answer to your name being called in weird spaces and even on the seas at night, don't underestimate the natives, the mirror of wisdom is not omnipotent, don't let greed crowd your judgement; you need to be alive to enjoy any treasures you might obtain and lastly, evil is rampant in uncharted waters even the strongest of humanity don't sail without fear in them so you lads must not get cocky no matter what you obtain in these 3 months. I wish you all good luck, perhaps the next Duke is standing right before me so I shall give your lordship a bow!" The old man heartily laughed, and his voice was more thunderous than all 1000 students combined. Before leaving he glanced a few times at several students and then he vanished like he never existed.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Woooooooo!!!!!!!!"

Immediately the crowd of students felt their blood boil after the short and sweet speech by the principal. While those shouting were just a few, everyone was infected by the atmosphere except one of course.

Next duke? Once in a lifetime? Isn't this a three year thing? Is that old goat off his meds or something? Let the head teachers and his vice principal run the school so he just gives a causal short speech and dips?

Speaking of,

"Silence students. Silence!" A bark echoed several times until a mysterious energy was infused into the voice and the crowd when quiet with displeased looks. They didn't dare to do so in front of the principal, but they were hot blooded teenagers who were heirs and sons and daughters of barons, earls, viscounts and even some collateral lines of dukes and marquesses. While they wouldn't outright disrespect him by continuing shouting, as he was still brother of a viscount, faint bubbles of murmurs were birthed in the crowd despite the vice principal's prescence.

"First up let’s review the types of lethal weird below fourth order you are likely to encounter. Water ghosts, ghouls, flying zombies, riders...." As he gave his speech hardly anyone listened, they had been learning this quite literally all their lives so why bother. Instead, they all spoke among themselves in low whispers.

"Did you hear that? A new duke among us! and he looked at Rebecca, Selene, Weiss, and Beethoven"

"Are you surprised, their families must be supporting them strongly and even then, despite still being nonprofessionals they have already trained with equipment a few grades higher than the school’s free equipment and are fully capable of beating professionals head to head. They all have SS-rated scores and their talents are likely going to be at least A level through genetics alone."

"Beethoven in particular is one to watch out for, he might just be the first-born son of the duke's 71st wife but he's still kind of a first born. They might give him a Heroic Glaze item matching the heirs to earls."

"Forget that, think of the heir of the duke whoever it is, they definitely have at least one starry legend item!"

"Your eyes are too high, Rebecca's silver hair shows she's inherited her grandmother the Divine Thunder Shield Maiden's blood, she definitely isn't to be underestimated. Selene and Weiss are also direct heirs to viscount families that are hundreds of years old, having several Glory Gold items to invest isn't out of the question."

"Must hug their thighs! Even being a spare fleet member is good or mopping the deck of their ships!"

"You wish, even in normal times strong heirs have a lot of requirements for their fleet members, now it's even more impossible."

Many gazes gathered at different points in the crowd, a beautiful silver haired young lady with blue eyes and an indifferent expression, another beautiful blonde young lady dressed in purple and smiling, a cocky green haired young man surrounded by a large crowd of lackeys, and a lone scar faced young man who looked a lot older than he was. They all stood out from the crowd even if they weren't intentionally doing so.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

A few hours later after several speakers followed the vice principal, the drained students finally made it to the finale of the passage ceremony, crossing the gate.

"Line up in an orderly fashion, groups will be done alphabetically according to the name of the leader. Now Aele Wordsworth, Julie Passely..."

At that prompt groups that had already formed converted to straight lines and located themselves accordingly.

Kano whose nerves had calmed felt a gaze upon him.

Turning he met Charles pleading eyes, begging for a chance to not see this though but he coldly glared and looked away.

Sorry ol buddy ol pal, actually I did set the release for tomorrow...and I won't be here to stop it either way you're screwed.

Thinking of this Kano felt a little joy despite the circumstances.

"Charles Crossmark? Crossmark? Odd, Chowder Willington? Yes..."

Charles looked over again in worry, seeing his name being called yet he was still far away, perhaps in ordinary times classmates would notice him missing but they were too excited now and the whole 3rd year block was here, so he was lost.

Only the homeroom teacher noticed this nearby in the teacher’s area, but it didn't raise a large alarm as Charles wasn't exactly a shining star in the class and was not even the heir to his baron household.

Sometime later.

"Name?...Wasn't your name called already? and you're alone? fine hurry up and go, don't waste the others time."

Kano's eyes focused on his trigger person. He moved as close as he could to the altar without raising flags.

Charles felt his bladder close to bursting from holding everything in. Far from the plan, he just wanted the sweet release of his junior that was held captive, when he arrived at the spot he didn't even have to think, and his body moved. Urine came gushing out like a spring.

"What the hell? Student what are you?!!"

"Hey he's.."

"The fuck?"

Most were flabbergasted that something like this was happening, now and here of all places and times.

"Well? someone come clean this up!!"

Seeing the polluted green and yellow puddle evacuated by Charles, as Kano expected the nobles were too high up to lower themselves to instantly clean it with their abilities.

"Yes m'lords!" He shouted briskly as he'd rehearsed, with a slight shake in his voice.

In 30 secs he made it to the puddle, the moment his mop hit the ground and splashed a loud explosion happened in the nearby crowd.

Now!

Kano made a break for it and dashed up the altar.

Shit! These steps are kind of slippery!

Almost there!

Their attention is still on the explosion and Charles right?

Should I? No, I can’t look back.

I've...

I've made it!

Kano felt his adrenaline power through his body like a vigorous current. The time seemed to pass slowly yet quickly at the same time.

"Insolent!!!!"

With a loud roar, the air shook in the plaza before the altar.

"A lowly servant dares?!"

A red-haired man with flaring nostrils like an angry bull and a large bow on his back locked onto Kano like a bird of prey.

Kano only felt half his body pass through the blue vortex and then a pulling force on his arm and a paralyzing force on his leg kept him from crossing compeltely.

I can't! No, not when I’m so close! so close! even death is better than what they'll do to me if they ever catch me. Fortunately, I don't have a family especially female relatives. Here and now! This is it!

"Lowly like that cunt of a mother of yours you fugly piece of rotten fishbait!!!!!!!!" Kano roared.

“…”

“…”

“…” The boy who had unknowingly set of the explosion for Kano finally came to his senses as well. What the hell? Wasn’t this a gift from Marianne for good luck? Finally moved by my good looks. Why did it split into two and explode with smoke? And what’s going on over there?

"Junior you dare!!!!!" A vein bulged in the red-haired man's forehead like a python grabbing his skull.

It's loose!

Kano felt the forces grabbing him slacken and immediately pivoted on his feet on both sides to get into the portal.

Yes! Success!...

"You shouldn't let yourself be provoked by a lowly ant Flairwrym, it's unbecoming."

An elegant black-haired women spoke while holding up a finger which Kano felt to be the source of a pulling force on his arm.

The harder he pulled the more painful it got!

"I'll handle this criminal runt, imprison those other two boys who are his accomplices. Huh?"

At some moment the woman saw that only a bloody arm was left before the vortex and her power had hold of nothing else.

Just a thin bloody mangled arm...

***

A flood of messages were transmitted to a certain tower in the city.

"My lord this is!"

"I know. That kid sure picked an opportune moment to rebel, had it been before, our allies in the other world would help hunt him down and he would be brought back for public execution in less than a week but now, it’s that time over there and here as well."

"My lord what should we do?"

"Contact all the Enforcer families, the Assassins guilds, Noble Seafarer Alliance, Military families, everyone you can get in touch with. Tell them and have them spread the word. I want that kid alive and brought back to Blue Marsh City. 5, no 30 million should be enough to get mercenaries, bounty hunters and commoners going after him. As for the nobles 30 plus a Glory Gold Grade Healing Medicine, that's enough for most people to get onboard outside of those with Crusader beliefs. Also, all the direct heirs of the noble families, pass them the message. They are the only ones who can likely get to him in 3 months anyways so up the stakes, a Glory Gold crewmember who used to be Heroic Glaze."

"High Commander is all this really necessary we-"

"It is lieutenant. The Revolutionary Wave Army has resurfaced, despite our efforts they have seized control over dozens of portals in this sensitive time and rumor has it that several apostles yet live. We can't afford any affront to the nobility in these times. It’s just a mere serf yes but he could be used by them as the spark of another uprising. Under my family's rule there has been 0 uprisings in 150 years in Blue Marsh, I shall not have it end with me."

Tullz Perseus...is this your doing? What hope could you have of sending an ordinary boy into the endless sea world? Even if that was the goal, serfs are allowed to enter under contract and there are several high level ways to break the low level contract he would have been offered. So why?

Was it just luck and mere coincidence or was something at play here?

"Send me everything we have on the boy and I want an investigative report of every step he took in the past month until today, within the hour." The High Commander of Blue Marsh's High City Guard seemed to have a misunderstanding, but it was this that caused Kano a lot more trouble than he bargained for. But how could he not, the simplest answer was often deceptive to those too smart. A desperate boy had escaped freely into the other world with no help, just the will for greatness and freedom. The problem was he did so under the eyes of many where security was higher than usual, and several strongmen were in the vicinity.

"Yes, my lord"

At the pinnacle of the 5th largest tower in Blue Marsh City, flagged with the red and white crest of two swordfish piercing a bloody chalice, two figures discussed the source of the turbulent waves that were now rocking the entire city like the assault of a tsunami!

A serf not only violated article 46 by entering the gate by himself, but also had several infractions such as cursing a three star battalion commander, blackmailing two nobles, plotting a conspiracy, infringing on the private property of several nobles by entering the school's portal, while not a student and along with several other infractions, most notably, the newly passed martial law of the '48' where viscounts and those lower had to sign a tax contract with their territory's duke and vassals before being allowed to enter any gates within the jurisdiction! Their Blue Marsh Duke of Wadering Thorns was also one of the 48 that drafted the martial law! The rumor grew wings and became distorted, in just a few days kano had become a notorious cutthroat who broke dozens of laws and had a bounty on his head.