Chapter 954: News spreads Chapter 954: News spreads From MC’s Perspective: Without wasting time, I decided to take a cold bath.
I made my way to the bathroom, the pristine tiles and the faint scent of eucalyptus promising some comfort.
I let the water run, watching as it filled the tub, cool and inviting.
As I submerged myself, the cold water immediately sent a shock through my body, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
It was exactly what I needed.
For the next twenty minutes, I let the chill seep into my skin, washing away not just the grime, but also the tension that had settled into my bones.
Afterward, I wrapped myself in a fresh towel, feeling the soft fabric against my skin.
I changed into clean, comfortable clothes, appreciating how they felt after such a refreshing bath.
The room felt calmer now, more familiar, but I knew I couldn’t relax just yet.
There was still so much to understand.
With a sigh, I pulled out my device, scrolling through the information Elder Clinton had given me earlier.
As the text loaded on the screen, a heavy feeling settled in my chest.
The more I read, the more the reality of my situation began to sink in.
My heart raced, a mixture of anxiety and unease creeping in.
The competition here was cutthroat.
It wasn’t just about skill or strength, but survival of the fittest in the most brutal sense.
Even those who had the privilege of being taken in by the warrior factions were not safe from the pressure.
And the warriors outside of those factions?
I couldn’t even begin to imagine the nightmare they must be facing every single day.
I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away as I continued reading.
Twenty-five minutes later, I finally allowed myself to collapse onto the massive sofa in the corner of the room.
The ceiling above me seemed to stretch endlessly as I stared at it, trying to process everything I had just read.
The factions there were so many.
But only a select few mattered.
I learned that only Elders at the Purple Mark Peak Stage were capable of forming a faction, and they had to pass a grueling test from the Dean of the University.
Those tests had to be difficult beyond imagination.
Becoming a Faction Leader wasn’t just about raw power, it was about having the right inheritance, the right backing.
And from what I could tell, few were as formidable as Elder Clifford.
The most shocking part?
Among all the factions, there were ten that stood above the rest.
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These were the ones to watch, the ones that could pose a real threat.
The Thunderflame Faction, the one I was now tied to, was among them.
The leaders of these powerful factions were half-step Red Mark Warriors an unimaginable level of strength.
There were a hundred other factions, but they barely registered in my mind.
They weren’t the ones I had to worry about.
I knew I had to memorize everything about these factions.
Who their leaders were, what kind of warriors they attracted, and how they could threaten me or the Thunderflame Faction.
Besides the factions, there was the matter of the university itself.
The system here was strange.
Warriors were expected to do a lot of self-study, which wasn’t a problem in itself.
But to get what they needed, they had to earn merit points.
Merit points could only be earned through completing tasks.
So far, nothing too out of the ordinary.
But when I delved deeper, I came across something unsettling.
There were two types of hunting tasks.
The first, monster hunting, was straightforward and familiar to me.
But the second?
Foreign Creatures Destroying Task.
That was new.
The idea sent a ripple of discomfort through me.
I furrowed my brow, the same confusion washing over me that I had felt when I first transitioned from the outer regions to the inner post.
Everything felt foreign, confusing.
There was so much I still didn’t understand.
I’d have to ask the elders tomorrow.
…
Meanwhile, the news of a new recruit joining the Thunderflame Faction spread through the university like wildfire.
Whispers and rumors circulated in every corner, from the training grounds to the study halls.
It wasn’t just any recruit, joining one of the top 10 Warrior Factions at Star University was a rare feat, and the mere mention of it stirred excitement and curiosity.
These elite factions were known for their stringent selection processes, recruiting only those who demonstrated exceptional talent.
To even be considered, a warrior had to possess the ability to fight across small ranks, a baseline requirement that most warriors could only dream of meeting.
Those who couldn’t manage this feat were dismissed as moderate warriors, a label that marked them as unremarkable in the university’s fiercely competitive environment.
So, when a new warrior managed to break into the ranks of a top-tier faction, it was a significant event.
News like this didn’t just stay confined within the university walls; it rippled outwards, reaching the ears of powerful organizations across the entire Tier-4 Region.
At that moment, the name on everyone’s lips was Zack Lockwood.
Students across campus were buzzing about him, especially those in the medium-sized factions, who saw the top 10 factions as untouchable powerhouses.
For them, a new recruit in the Thunderflame Faction wasn’t just an addition; it was a mystery to be unraveled.
Who was this Zack Lockwood?
What kind of warrior was he?
Even the elders of these factions took note.
Thunderflame wasn’t just any faction; it had a reputation for recruiting only the most gifted warriors, specifically those aligned with three elemental forces-Thunder, Fire, Healing, and their variants.
This unique specialization made the faction highly selective, and it fueled the speculation about Zack’s abilities.
Was he a thunder-wielder?
A fire-manipulator?
Or perhaps he had some rare variant of healing power?
It didn’t take long for the other top 10 factions to take notice either.
Rivalry among these elite groups was intense, and every new warrior added to a faction’s roster could potentially tip the balance of power.
Each faction kept a close eye on the others, and the arrival of a new recruit was seen as a strategic development, not just an addition.
Leaders of the top factions began issuing quiet orders to their subordinates: find out everything there was to know about Zack Lockwood.
In a place where strength meant everything, intelligence was the most valuable currency.
As Zack’s name continued to spread, so did the efforts to learn more about him-his skills, his background, and what he might bring to the battlefield.
For the warriors who lived by the sword, knowledge of an opponent, or even a potential ally, could be the difference between victory and defeat.
And right now, everyone wanted to know who Zack Lockwood truly was.
On the other hand, Elder Clinton couldn’t help but notice the growing buzz around him.
The ripple effect of Zack Lockwood’s addition to the Thunderflame Faction was evident in the way people reacted, hushed conversations, sidelong glances, and the subtle curiosity lingering in every hallway.
Even within the faction itself, the murmurs had begun.
It wasn’t just the students talking.
Elders from within the Thunderflame Faction were reaching out to Clinton, their inquiries thinly veiled behind casual conversation.
Clinton, however, remained unflustered.
He had been in this game long enough to know when to stay silent, and the order from the faction leader was as clear as crystal: no one outside their inner circle was to know about Zack Lockwood, not even their own faction members for now.
The reasoning was straightforward, but the execution was delicate.
In a place as politically charged as Star University, information was power, and discretion could make or break alliances.
Revealing Zack’s presence prematurely could bring unwanted attention or even spark dangerous rivalries.
So when the elders came to him, their questions laced with curiosity and thinly disguised concern, Clinton played his part perfectly.
“I don’t know much about it,” he’d say with a nonchalant shrug, his tone giving nothing away.
Inside, though, he could sense the growing tension.
The elders weren’t easily fooled.
They had spent years honing their instincts, and while they might not push too hard, Clinton knew they would be watching, waiting for any slip-up.
The same went for Sally.
As one of the faction’s key figures, she too was privy to Zack’s arrival, but like Clinton, she understood the importance of keeping her lips sealed.
Whenever someone asked about Zack, whether casually or with a hint of intrigue Sally remained tight-lipped.
She’d perfected the art of deflection, offering vague responses or redirecting conversations skillfully.
It wasn’t easy.
People were naturally curious, especially in a place like Thunderflame where the recruitment of a new warrior was an event in itself.
Sally could sense the whispers following her, the questions that loomed just out of reach.
But she was careful, knowing that any slip of information could unravel the delicate strategy set in place by the faction leader.
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