Chapter 196: Great Speech

"You are just new here, that's all," Mark sighed, "you didn't see the real shamelessness that would happen at the outer battlefield. There you won't follow any academy rules."

"B- But first grade only will be sent, right?"

"This…" Mark took a deep breath, "leave it for later, let's focus on this expedition first."

Jim felt there were hidden things, bad things that Mark decided not to share.

'The man is right,' the old man said, 'Don't ask about things before the right time.'

'Sigh, I just wanted to get a glimpse of that next expedition.'

'Finish this one safely and brilliantly before thinking about the next one.'

Jim knew the old man's point of view towards this issue. He tried many times to know the real story behind the old man but every time he got the same answer.

Just like what Mark did now.

"Gather around," Mark stood at the central stage before adding, "as you already heard, the expedition time was pushed to less than an hour from now."

His words created a ruckus around. Jim stood surrounded by his own team, and they glanced at him in doubt and he nodded but said nothing.

"I want you to be mentally prepared for what is to come. From this moment onward, only those higher than you with one stage can accompany you there. Older disciples know the risks of violating such a rule of thumb, so please don't think highly of yourselves and value your precious lives."

His words  made everyone silent while the shocking news crushed their dreams.

"We will emerge victorious out of this," suddenly Hector moved, and along the way he grabbed Jim under his arm. "We will help each other. As master Mark said we will play in small teams, but we must stay close to each other."

He and Jim ascended the stage before Hector pushed him slightly to the front while saying, "I'm part of the highest grade in the academy, so I'll act as a joker. Will help anyone in distress and those of ninth grade can do the same. And now let's hear it from our brave leader… let's give him the credit he deserved."

Jim turned to Hector while the disciples whistled in a low tone, something similar to what he received back at the stadium. But this time the cheering wasn't grand or magical like before, it looked so pale to him.

"Go and give them some hope," Hector whispered, "they need it… we all need it."

Jim got the message and nodded. He turned to face the disciples and saw the happy and excited faces from before looking so gloomy and dark.

Like candles that were about to be extinguished they were, and he felt he was the one holding the explosive oil that could bring these flickering flames back to life.

"When I first thought about creating this group, I knew harder times are awaiting for all of us," Jim started his words saying that, "but that didn't affect me, didn't make me hesitate or even doubt the importance of our group.

See, without being together we would have fallen one after another. It's not necessarily in this expedition; I admit that. However it will be over the years we stay here.

I didn't come here to die, and I doubt anyone here came for that. I also didn't come here to be enslaved by someone who had his bloodline higher than mine.

I won't pay what I didn't commit because of my birth origin, and I won't stand silent watching others suppressing me without a fight.

Even if this fight ended up putting my life on the line!

I won't ask anything from you, and I won't say you shouldn't be worried. In fact I'm more terrified than anyone standing here… so what?

Should I be paralyzed by fear? It's not me! Even if I'm welcoming my death I won't piss myself, instead I'll make sure my enemy does!"

His words flipped the table over and the dark dejected faces all around changed and beamed with determination.

"So let's go all out, raising our heads high… let's enter that forest and send a clear message to everyone… Wanna kill us? You should know my flesh is so bitter to chew."

"Yeah!"

"We aren't pushovers!"

"We'll show them how strong we are!"

"They got slaves? We also got many as well!"

"I won't let anyone come near my life without paying the price."

More and more shouts started to ring all over the hall while Jim silently watched them in content.

And the two masters standing behind glanced in admiration.

"You did great," Hector patted his shoulders, "let's move out and make sure not to be late."

Jim moved at once and opened the exit door to the outside world. He waited until everyone vanished and only his team remained.

"Will we follow them?" Rick asked as he felt his boss wanted to say something.

"We will play according to our own rules," Jim turned around before adding, "as Hector intended to do, we also will do that."

The team glanced at him in shock while Lan hurriedly said:

"B- But we are still in first grade."

"More reason for us to act like that," Jim said before adding, "they won't expect us coming and even if they noticed us, they won't put us in their eyes."

"You didn't see how those disciples in seventh and higher grades are," Kro tried to persuade him.

"I saw enough," Jim nodded, "and I'm not stupid to throw ourselves all over the place without proper plan. Just follow my lead and do exactly what I say, and I promise you this expedition won't end before we kill a handful of those higher arrogant core disciples."

Despite his firm words, his team was hesitant and couldn't accept his logic. Yet he didn't leave any space for them to argue, "move now, let's not delay much further than others."

And he watched his team passing through the door while the old man laughed happily.

'This is the fairy king of ancient times, brave, brutal, and most of the time unpredictable.... hahaha.'