"I suppose we do owe you an explanation now," said Headmaster Mong Hao Han as he shot a dark look at the spear man, Territ Mond.

Territ, the Mystic Spear Academy headmaster ground the butt of his spear into the ground. "The truth is, I wasn't expecting to go this far, Max, but you just kept surprising me! I needed to use more and more power until eventually..." He held his arm up, wincing. "This really hurts, you know." He turned to follow Mong Hao. "I need to go to the healer now."

"Seriously?" asked Mong Hao.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you?"

Mong Hao sighed and raised a hand. There was a change in light around the area, and Max turned his gaze away from the two headmasters, opening his third eye as he observed his surroundings to try understanding what was happening. The truth of the matter was immediately obvious after that. He turned off his third eye before looking back at the two older men standing across from him.

"So you really were protecting this place, Headmaster?"

"Yes. Territ insisted on seeing you first and testing you himself. To avoid him getting too excited and blowing the building away, I had one of my spirits oversee protecting the facilities. Little did I know that you would be joining in with Territ, trying to destroy everything. And of course, then Territ tried even harder." He glared at the other man again.

Max shook his head, staring at the two men past his sword blade. He still hadn't let his guard down. "Okay, that's interesting and all, so when are you going to tell me what the hell is going on? I was expecting to be ambushed by a bunch of arrogant, sociopathic Lifers."

The two headmasters gave each other a look. Territ Mond shrugged, and Mon Hao Han turned. The Summoner headmaster said, "I suppose it should come from me." He gestured at Max's sword. "You can put that away now. I assure you that you are in no immediate danger."

"Do you swear it? Swear by your position in the Quartet."

Mon Hao frowned for a half second and sighed. "Very well, I swear by my title as Headmaster of the Summoner Academy that you, Max Cunningham, from a newly besieged world, are in no immediate danger."

Max nodded stiffly. Then, as a subtle show of his displeasure, he sent a request to Lavinia. A moment later, the ectoplasmic armor on his body wavered before constructing a chair similar to the plastic seat he'd been using back on Earth. He sat, put his chin on his fist and said, "I'm listening."

Mong Hao’s eyes went to the sword that was still in Max's hand, and he sighed again. "Very well. I suppose after everything you've been through, it would be more surprising if you were not suspicious and guarded. But I've been helping you behind the scenes ever since you began having troubles in the Quartet."

Max had to bite his tongue from saying he had no real proof that Mong Hao had been helping him, at least not in significant ways. Instead, he gave a slight nod for the headmaster to continue.

Mong Hao said, "Ever since the tensions between you and some Mystic Spear Academy students culminated in your rampage, my political headaches have multiplied. While your spirits were not weak and are even stronger now, there are some spirits that specialize in reconnaissance. In stealth, being invisible, even to other spirits. I have lived a long time; I have contracted a wide variety of spirits. Suffice to say, even though the alerts I specifically requested at the Quartet-level–requested reports of your wanderings–stayed silent for rather obvious reasons now, I was still aware within hours that you had gone into a dungeon.

“After that, as a matter of curiosity, I looked into which dungeon you had chosen. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Max Cunningham, a first year, had entered a tier five dungeon. A dungeon that was unpopular and hadn't been challenged in many, many years due to its difficulty. After that, it also wasn't very difficult to get a confession and find out who ordered such a thing–bribed for it. I'm sure that you could hazard your own guesses as to who that was."

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Max nodded grimly.

Mong Hao continued, "All of this was at least as serious as the allegations and eventual proof that some students had been intentionally killing others as they resurrected, maliciously, just to prevent them from actually being alive in the quartet for any amount of time. After all, our role here is to prepare warriors to defend and hopefully take back their worlds. It is why we largely turn a blind eye to student-on-student violence unless a large enough group is the perpetrator, or it crosses certain lines.

“Discovering that some students with resources had all but condemned another student to be returned to their world without any of the fruits of their labor was absolutely unacceptable. I approached Territ Mond here with these allegations, and he agreed with me that it must be addressed. However, just like me, despite being headmaster, he does not necessarily have the power to do whatever he wants in his own academy. But, also just like me, he has certain knowledge that others do not possess, and we are sworn to secrecy about.

“One of those pieces of knowledge that, no, I will not share with you, is why it is so important for a Challenger from our Quartet to have a good showing at the next inter-Quartet competition. You see, Max, I have high hopes for you because not only have you demonstrated a certain talent for your Summoner Path, but it was very obvious to anybody who'd actually seen Blade Sorcerers fight that you were a dual path challenger already."

Mong Hao Han looked up in the air and made a face. "Actually, I think everybody had to know that you were a dual Path Challenger; otherwise, there was no possible way that you would have beaten Mystic Spear Path students with a sword in your first year! But, I do not think that many people, could have recognized just how special your combination was.

“So when I approached Territ, I told him everything I knew. You see, it was a calculated risk. I decided there were two options: one, you would die in the dungeon and on your scheduled time to return, you would be a no-show. In that case, telling Territ any of your secrets would not have mattered. In fact, it would probably motivate him to punish his own students even harsher than he already currently has. However, if you did return, regardless of how long you actually spent in the dungeon, it would prove your credentials. Then we could support your growth as this Quartet's greatest hope."

"So you're saying that it's not just about the individual Path academies? That the Quartet as a whole competes too?"

"That's correct," said Territ Mond. He glanced at the Summoner Headmaster. "But unfortunately, most other staff don't know what we know, so they don't understand just how important that fact is. And the other two Academy Headmasters in this Quartet have no spine, or take too long to make decisions. Mong Hao Han is not my friend. We have mutual respect, that is all. But it is awfully rich the other headmasters belittle Summoners and especially the Summoner Headmaster when none of them are willing to take any risks at all."

Max nodded. He could hear the conviction in the Mystic Spear Path Headmaster's voice.

Mong Hao said, "I think Territ explained it well. So you can perhaps imagine our shock when not only do you return, not only do you show astonishing, perhaps unbelievable growth, but you also, rather obviously, are a three-Path challenger now."

Max's heart sank. He knew that it had been a long shot, hoping that the headmasters in the Quartet wouldn't notice he was on three Paths. He briefly even entertained the thought of trying to convince them that he still only had two Paths. But the absolute certainty in Mong Hao Han's words let him know there was no hope of fooling them.

Max began to wonder just how long these men had been alive. After all, he had decades, centuries of memories, but he still felt like he was talking to two old men at the moment.

"Okay, so what does all this mean for me?" asked Max.

"Well, it's going to be very fortunate for you," said Mong Hao. "After all, I was willing to help you before when you were just a potential talent, but now that you are likely the most talented Challenger in the entire Quartet, and this powerful before mid-semester in your first year, you are irreplaceable. I don't think it will be that difficult to get more of the staff on my side. And what that means is that you will be sponsored."

"Sponsored?" asked Max.

"Yes, sponsored. Basically, supported by at least these two," he moved his finger between himself and Terrid Mond, "academies in this Quartet.”

“Indeed. What Meng Hao Han said. What do you think?" asked Territ. He grinned and put his broken arm across his chest.

Max frowned. "I think I'm interested, but I want to hear some more particulars, and I also have some conditions first."

"Conditions?" asked Mong Hao, "Like what?"

Max stood, and he let his killing intent leak. "For starters, I want the head of the man who sent me to the Cradle of the Gods."

Territ Mond frowned. "But he's Quartet-born, and staff. If you kill him, he'll really die. He’s really here."

"That's kind of the idea," said Max, his eyes narrowed. "Bring him here or bring me to him. I want that fucker dead."

The two headmasters shared a glance before they both turned back. Now they seemed to look at Max somewhat differently. Max crossed his arms. "Until that bastard's dead, I'm not playing along with any of this."