Planning, Rewarding & Talks

The spokesperson leading student stepped forth until she was in front of Ciemnosc, her nose just a few centimeters away from his chest as she lifted her chin slightly and looked up at him, her eyes twinkled while she looked into his own and at his face. Ciemnosc took her head from behind and though he didn't move her upwards any further, his lips fell on her forehead and she smacked them after touching her skin with the skin of his lips.

"Uumfh..." Her eyes closed unhurriedly as soon as she felt his lips, her heart fluttered calmly, and she felt so at ease that she felt like she was back home in the academy and turned into a little girl once again. Leaning over his chest, her right ear against his left chest, the young woman heaved out a relaxed sigh and took his torso as her pillow.

“Enough, let’s go.” Ciemnosc’s voice went out of his mouth and right into her brain and soul as she looked up, her arms still down, and in them was a light that could only speak of willing subservience. With a little nod and an ‘mn’, she turned around and headed out of his private bedroom. Never once did she care about his body being naked with her, for all that mattered was that it was him and that he was just her all in those moments.

She blushed and reconsidered, but only when she stepped outside the large tent before moving on to the main tent and taking her spot to wait for the Chief to get ready. But she still, in any way possible, seemed not to mind the previous scene where she just hugged a ‘man’ naked and with even his parts touching her clothes. What if her clothes smelled now? Her head was fuzzy…

“...” On the other hand, Ciemnosc was silent right where he was left alone, bare, and with fresh air coming his way. It didn’t seem as if snow was going to stop falling anytime soon anyway. Dressing up, he thought of the scene just now as well, but he did so differently as she did.

He didn’t know the ‘whys’ but he did feel some things that only he could somewhat comprehend after studying pure energy and the strange waters of the Little Lake. While Ciemnosc didn’t want to put much thought into it, he already knew that it was once again all about his that ‘something’ which has been a mystery ever since his breakthrough into the Spirit Gathering realm and a scary one at that.

Rustle, step- tap step step.

Coming out of his tent, Ciemnosc was already donned in his humble clothes, he didn’t take much time as not even a couple of minutes passed since that young woman re-entered the main tent before Ciemnosc went inside it as well.

Coming into view were the faces of his teammates and that of his spokespeople leading students, who were all ready to salute him but didn’t in the end, it was the Chief’s orders to not be so ‘meh’ when it came to these little meetings of sorts. But, if anything, Ciemnosc felt like he did well in the past when trying to make his direct subordinates go into meetings like these.

“Start speaking, then.” Ciemnosc took his seat, everyone was silent during the entire time, but even an idiot or 2 would be able to see how anxious and worried these people were. Not giving any more tension to the matter, Ciemnosc’s words made everyone a bit relaxed, and after having sent one of them to notice the Chief, they have also sobered up in one way or another,

“Chief, Genius Ciemnosc.” One of the spokespersons of the leading students commenced, his voice and face normal but his strength already in the Conflagrate realm 3rd stage. It was as if everyone in his base could advance in cultivation, mostly stages, faster than even in the richer and more knowledgeable Rocaloi Academy with the sensations that they were given with Ciemnosc’s ‘regiment’ and ‘teachings’ here and there every day.

“Chief,” but as soon as that spokesperson made a pause, the young woman from before that entered Ciemnosc’s private bedroom interjected, letting the other spokespeople around the room turn their heads to her and look at her in surprise; to say the least.

“This letter arrived early in the morning, the armored car of the scout was even faster than you said it would be, Chief.” The young woman showed the letter that has been with her since she called out for him outside the large tent, her voice not small as she continued. “In it, it is told that the victory from the battle 2 days ago was incredible and that they couldn’t expect anything less from the Genius of the academy!”

The young woman said at first, her tone turning pride and quite a bit loud while her wrists and forearms were behind her bum, overlapped onto each other. Her tone changed, however, when she continued as a tiny frown formed at her eyebrows. “But then, this is read, Chief.”

“Basically, the Rocaloi Academy wants to see the results of the base, to analyze it so that the academy can make sure we can hold off more than one point in the future.” She said, her hands showing him and everyone else that more or less had Ciemnosc’s perspective on the letter’s contents. “And that you should return there so that your rewards and new title may be given to you.”

“Chief, may I speak boldly?” The young woman stopped talking about the letter and looked straight at Ciemnosc’s face, the latter looked at her for 3 seconds without saying anything before turning a side eye to the male spokesperson from before that was interrupted. Seeing that the male spokesperson had nothing to add, he simply returned his eyes to the young woman and nodded.

“Chief in Command, the academy wants to know the base’s secrets and tactics, not just how we work and what things we can do. They are simply trying to take over and see if they can convince some of us to go back into the academy to do as they wish. That cannot happen, for one we are more understanding of what even the respected teachers of the academy aren’t, war and death coming into our lives and hands as much and as simple as air through our lungs.”

“The academy has seen our worth, and our capabilities to face off a strong enemy, even more so when we are at a disadvantage in war experience and technology.” Up to here, the young woman was clear-headed and speaking with tranquility, but her next word was spoken with a fist against the table, and her little, cute face scrunched up with an insulted frown.

“But they are not seeing that it is us who made this all happen, both the ones commanding, leading, and having everything in his order. That it is thanks to the Chief we are all capable of this much, should the academy have sent anyone else other than the Genius, I’m not even sure if we would get the reinforcements from before and get wiped out before even making a move. Or even finishing up building a base.”

“...” Ciemnosc was silent, attentively listening to her, but the crowd around her was very silent too. Not one of them could help but notice the change in her, and slightly questioning glances were given to Ciemnosc, but he was all innocent and had nothing to do with her current emboldened state. Only a little bit; at most.

“So, Chief. I would like to ask if they want to know, see and learn things. What should we do?” The young woman said, ending her words and sitting back down calmly, cutely too.

“...” Ciemnosc remained seated, only moving on his seat to accommodate his bum to sit in full relaxation. His right leg over the other, he was mostly seated with his left bum with his right elbow against the armrest of his chair. “If they want to see, just let them see whatever they can. But things that are the base’s important matter, like some of my teachings are, will not be allowed for anyone else other than those selected within the base.”

“The armored cars are not for sale unless they are willing to pay with 15 Supreme Powerful Stones each, without cannons. But even then, we can only sell a few. The base has to prioritize strengthening its force first and dealing with the academy’s greed second.” Ciemnosc’s voice was calm as always, his tone not so loud but everyone could hear it.

“No cannons will be for sale, and record the names of those who ask around. The array of formations I teach, and the things I will personally teach in the future are private as I just said, so if anyone is interested in them still after knowing this or attempts to gain something extra, you know what to do.” Ciemnosc finalized with these words. His eyes glancing over everyone, he saw a few who grabbed their collars to get some more air, despite both being cultivators and in a snowy climate that could just kill unsuspecting ordinary people on a ‘whim’.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Leen,” Ciemnosc called out. And Leen who was watching and hearing him attentively like the rest of those in the main tent, stood up right away and answered with a light call of her own. “Yes?!”

“Are the targets for tonight ready?” Ciemnosc asked without missing a heartbeat, his peaceful and calm countenance instilling some fear into the spokespeople, though he also managed to startle his teammates.

“Yes, Chief in Command.” Leen nodded and made a little salute for the sake of just showing a little respect before beginning to debrief him. “The few new students that are mostly doing not much after and before their training are all noted down. Everything is ready and the volunteers have been confirmed to not be silly traitors. All of them are from the veterans who have fought in all battles up to today.”

“Good. Make sure to let them know that if they keep this up, their future armored cars will be getting an extra cannon, perhaps.” Ciemnosc nodded, saying out loud and even catching a couple of spokespersons make little fists with their hands and silently congratulate themselves for having such hard-working troops among their troops.

“Now, Gallah. In less than a week, you must make sure to have the armored cars distributed equally to the accorded leading students’ troops. It’s of vital importance to let them know of their responsibilities once every few teams share an armored car, I’ll leave that for you, and you only. Understood?”

“Understood!” Without waiting for any other word or glance from Ciemnosc, Gallah stood up and said out loud, almost screaming and making the other 3 teammates chuckle in a choking demeanor.

“They are mostly ready, some will need extra maintenance to have their cannons installed. But now, Fatima and Missa, this next task is for you, and is not going to be any easy.” Ciemnosc said, his words immediately catching everyone’s attention as he continued.

“The moment I go back to the academy, you will begin the construction of this…” Ciemnosc took out a few papers, documents… and blueprints as he spoke. This was going to be a long meeting up until just before the evening.

. . .

It was now late at night of the same day, and Ciemnosc was lying with his back against the ground, accompanied by an orange-haired beauty with her arms and legs sprawled a little on the ground.

As always, there were no stars, and only complete emptiness could be seen from below. The skies were dark and of a deep, powerful blue color without a moon. Below it was the bodies of the boy and young man as they did some sky-gazing.

While there were no stars, their eyes seemed lost in the image of nothingness; of a bluish nothingness.

“Sometimes…” Missa spoke out, stopping herself right after in a hesitating manner. Ciemnosc questioningly looked at her and she looked back at him, her head tilted upwards, and she met his gaze before starting to move her body to lie closer to his. When she finished, her ching was just pressing down on his left shoulder, and her darkened eyes by the night itself looked at him silently before speaking quietly.

“You were really scary today. And you have been more so for the past few days. It was just that.”

Ciemnosc looked into her eyes silently and gave no comments, for he had none. Simply looking into her eyes to the point she felt bare and violated by him, he spoke at last with his tone being so calm and quiet. “I have gotten to know a few things, here and there. I don’t… see the same anymore. Why, are you scared?”

“Hmmmph~.” Missa had a sudden grin on her face, her pretty lips that he has tasted quite, and especially so after cleaning them with his unique dark Power Energy were looking to have that little ‘scary’ too… as she spoke softly. “If you are evil now, we just have to be evil too. You stuck with us, boy.”

“...” Ciemnosc shook his head while still on the ground, which ended up with their noses kissing and Missa relaxed her eyes, closing them and letting her calmness and security take over her at these moments.

“What if it really comes to it?” Missa asked out of nowhere, nestling on his chest and hugging his left leg with both of her own. Ciemnosc didn’t respond immediately, caressing the back of her head a little, before finally speaking his answer.

“Aren’t we already preparing for it? Mm?” When he finished saying these words, Ciemnosc noticed that Missa was almost falling asleep. And if it wasn’t because him speaking, his voice taking all of her attention and longing, she would’ve fallen asleep comfortably right then and there.

“Oh well, it’s alright. I can deal with it all by myself.” Ciemnosc said out loud, but Missa refused to become clear-headed once again. Still, he looked up and gazed at the sky, a thing he would do at all times and a thing he would never get tired of, especially when considering that feeling, that sensation at his chest, that always grants him authentic thoughts and all sorts of emotions.

. . .

Days went by further, and the 5th month since the start of the war had arrived, but so did the rewards to a few selected troops among the base were given their armored cars. Other students continued training, mining training, learning, and creating.

When the day of giving the selected troops their reward, the entire first half of the day was given to the students as free time, all but celebrations would rage on in the base until the evening came and training would resume; as well as studying and cultivation within the base.

More than 35,000 students were given their respective armored cars, a total of 1,000 armored cars distributed between 3 spokespeople leading students, a few thousand teams had to become closer to one another or were already closer to one another for the sake of sharing their armored car. They were too large and wide to allow 35 people in, and that was with items of more or less a large scale stored within all at the same time.

It was the same feature that those major organizations have, but the quality was definitely not the same. Even one single armored car with a cannon from the base could beat at least 3 enemy armored cars from the major organizations. And at least 10 armored cars from the base would be able to face 500 armored cars without cannons from the enemy’s side and about 50 with cannons, one cannon per armored car that is.

And so on, though that wasn’t just because of the base’s armored car qualities, the tactics and methods to deal with armored cars with or without an armored car to face it was a major player that the academy had over the major organizations. Or at least it was for those students under Ciemnosc who were taught by himself.

Though, naturally, he didn’t have to always be the one to teach after a few more weeks from when he had first started. The students weren’t much better than in the major organizations for no reason, their learning, comprehension, and adaptation abilities were really good in Ciemnosc’s head and point of view.

When the celebration was ongoing, the event of rewarding armored cars was undoubtedly going to be one of the primary reasons why the students of the base would start working harder in the very, very near future. And whenever one group of students saw another group of students get their reward instead of themselves, that was bound to fuel the carless students even more!

It was a rather simple method that anyone could use for moralizing the shit up of one’s forces, and for the infant Rocaloi Academy to the world, it was more than enough to even get the academy itself to become jealous. Let alone the students who would be working their asses off to get those very same incredible armored cars.

It wasn’t just through battling that one could get their armored car, so to speak. And due to the mines of today that are producing more than a million and a half Inferior grade Powerful Stones, the productivity of armored cars could be even up to a couple hundred each month. And with the last couple of months, plus the 350 armored cars that were not scrapped back into raw material for making cannons, by the time that the first awarded armored cars were granted to the students, more than a hundred armored cars remained in storage.

All that remained, which Ciemnosc had already finished designing several blueprints for, was for an even larger parking system of the armored cars underneath the earth and the south center of the base to be built as the base for both Ciemnosc, his team, and the few spokespeople leading students.

It was too much for those large and main tents already. Besides, hearing Missa, Fatima, and Leen’s moans— sometimes even 2 of them or the 3 of them at the same time —in Gallah’s private bedroom was making it difficult for Ciemnosc to remain a virgin. Not that he was trying to keep himself pure out of vanity, or that he suddenly decided to become a saint; it wasn’t really ‘his choice’. But still.

Though for others it may not be clear, despite Leen and Gallah being quite the free spirits among his team, Fatima and Missa could be seen by Ciemnosc to be… pretty much together. With only Gallah and him being the ones they play with, and sometimes, Ciemnosc wondered if they were already married or were going to get married anytime soon. They were so lovey-dovey when they thought Ciemnosc wasn’t seeing them.

But that was all for them to worry about. Currently, all Ciemnosc was concentrating on was a piece of paper on top of his desk, from which he sat in front and was completely blank; both the piece of paper and Ciemnosc’s mind.

Scribble, scribble.

In the end, Ciemnosc did write something off at last…

And it read: ‘Vocón Link’. It had a few drawings of long, slightly thick but really, damn, long ‘tentacles’ all running amok, whereas it was in actuality just one tentacle in specific. And, rather than a tentacle… it looked more to be a… whip!

…