The first week the students arrived at camp was chaotic.
The demon incident had erupted before they even finished their first day of classes. Everything was canceled. Students were locked in their dorms, unsure of what had just begun.
This second week? It was essentially the true start of their school life.
But for Vahn, Han, Carla, Dante, and Darla, that first week had been anything but rest. They had spent it strategizing how to save the world. No time for trivial school affairs.
Dante had begun his preparations. The rest were growing stronger. Vahn, meanwhile, now had a schedule to meet with Jarred to learn more about space and had also gained a swordsmanship mentor.
In a way, this was the first time Vahn could breathe and take a look around, actually see the school and its students. Yet, despite being here, he knew next to nothing about the place. He had been so focused on his goals, he'd never bothered to pay attention to the background noise.
That needed to change.
He considered asking Dante, but decided against it. Dante had his hands full. Besides, if anyone knew the inner workings of the school… it would be the bullies. No one gathered more gossip than the cocky and the cruel.
...
"Information?" Barion blinked at him.
"Yes," Vahn said simply. "I don't know much about what's going on in this school. So tell me."
Barion glanced around. Piet was still nursing his hand, the cafeteria was still dead silent, and Vahn? He was eating like it was just another lunch break.
"Now?"
"Yes. But first, get your food. All of you."
...
It was an odd scene.
Barion and Piet sat across from Vahn, while the rest of their group clustered nervously at another table nearby, eyes locked on the interaction. Blood still stained the table, and Vahn calmly began eating their food.
"Start," he ordered between bites.
"O-Okay," Barion began. "First… there's been a change in leadership. The head of our camp—"
"The Major-General?" Vahn cut in.
Barion nodded. "Yeah. Apparently, he stepped down or was removed. Someone else has taken over."
'So that's what spread,' Vahn thought. He already knew the Major-General had been involved in creating the demons. And based on the morphing ability of the two-winged demons he'd seen… he wouldn't be surprised if the Major himself had been one.
"Go on."
"There's a rumor that the daughter of a Supreme is here at the camp."
'Surprising, but not as surprising as one of them dying,' Vahn mused, giving a subtle wave for him to continue.
"After the demon attack, everything changed. Students started forming factions, and many of them are receiving backing from outside groups, powerful ones. Some are even known organizations."
Barion continued for nearly two hours, laying out the new school hierarchy. the shifting power dynamics and the changes that had taken root almost overnight.
And one thing stood out the most—no one knew about his sister or the dragon's appearance.
Vahn was sure of it now. His sister must've appeared during the incident… and wiped everyone's memory clean. Han had hinted as much, and now the silence surrounding the event confirmed it.
Another point he derived was, basically, that the alliance was no longer as secretive and authoritative as they hoped to be. With the attack from the demons and the reveal that the demons were now human-created, the various organizations demanded a lax operation, under the guise of immediately helping them when another demon attack occurs.
Though the alliance understood the implications, they couldn't do anything about it and could only agree, and the consequences of that were the infiltration of outsiders into the alliance.
To fool the alliance's technology, a lot of work had to be put into it, and it happened.
Before one knew it, the students began forming factions and were receiving backing from them. Not even a few days later, they didn't bother to hide their names again, so the students the factions were backing began to use their names, though some still remained hidden.
Even Barion and Piet had faction backing.
It also explained how Barion could bully people so openly without consequences. The alliance's grip was slipping.
'So the alliance is being manipulated… or undermined. Could a Supreme be involved?' Vahn pulled out his phone and checked the forum. However, no new updates.
'Maybe I really do need to speak to Dante.'
The escalation didn't scare him. If anything, it accelerated his plans. But one thing lingered in the back of his mind, Marco.
If things were this bad here, how was Marco doing?
'And we'll have to join a faction,' Vahn realized. He couldn't afford to be stubborn. Without a backing, he'd be caught in the middle of chaos, far from his true focus. Still, it wouldn't be Barion's faction. No way. Sooner or later, even Barion would be absorbed by a larger faction.
"Alright," Vahn stood, wiping his hands. "Consider your debt paid. And don't fuck with me again. I'll really devour you… or make you my slave."
He left the table.
Maybe it was the way he said it. Or maybe it was how much food he'd eaten. Either way, they took "devour" literally and shivered at the thought.
Barion's information had just given him another mission. And right now, that meant one thing.
Time to visit Dante.
...
As soon as he stepped out of the cafeteria and made his way toward Dante's dorm—
"What a surprise."
"Huh?" Vahn's head snapped to the right.
Dante was already waiting. Somehow, and unsurprisingly, he knew.
It was the first time Vahn had seen him since the awkward tension of the day before. But there was no hesitation now.
No time for pride.
Dante didn't let him speak.
"I know what you want to ask. Follow me."
Vahn didn't hesitate. Like a sheep, he followed him toward his room.
A/N: No homo.