Alric was not happy with Leo's decision to leave Rodova early. Not even a little.
And for the next hour, the old man tried everything in his arsenal—logic, persuasion, guilt, even mild threats— to explain why the path Leo was considering was, in his words, "borderline idiotic."
He started with the most obvious point.
"If you leave now, you won't graduate as a Rodova alumnus," Alric said, pacing behind his desk, his tone clipped and irritated. "That means no access to the alumni network, no future recruitment invites, no automatic clearance into universal army think tanks, and you'll receive a provisional certificate—not a full degree."
Leo stood straight, unflinching, arms behind his back as if he were in a military parade and not in the principal's office, as he said, "I understand, sir."
But Alric only scoffed in response, as he replied "You understand nothing."
And he didn't stop just there.
"There are entire branches of combat theory, infiltration training, and tactical command that Rodova only teaches in the second year,"
"We structure the curriculum that way because first-years don't have the experience to absorb it properly. You're throwing that all away."
Leo didn't respond.
Which only agitated Alric further.
"You want to join the Black Serpents? Fine. Let's talk about that," he said, narrowing his eyes. "Yes, they're elite. Yes, they're powerful. But they don't invest in you. They don't train you. The guild operates on meritocracy— if you bring results, you're rewarded. But that's it."
He leaned forward over his desk.
"You think a Grandmaster Talent and a Monarch Talent are treated differently there? They're not. You do the job, you get paid. You fail, you die.
They won't shape you, polish you, or care whether you succeed beyond the mission. And most importantly— they will not help you grow. Do you understand boy?" Alric asked, as he gazed straight into Leo's eyes expectantly, however, Leo's response only made him pinch his nose in anger.
"I don't need someone to help me grow, sir. I just need them to stay out of my way." Leo replied, as Alric froze for a beat.
*Sigh*
Exhaling sharply, Alric gripped the edge of his desk as if restraining himself from tossing the trophy still gleaming beside him.
"If you're so determined to leave Rodova, then at least consider joining the Universal Army," he said, his voice quieter now, almost tired.
"They'll give you structure. Resources. Protection. You'll be nurtured within the system and still have the freedom to pursue missions that matter."
But Leo simply shook his head. "I owe a debt of honor to Darnell Nuna. And I intend to repay it."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Alric didn't say anything for a full ten seconds.
Then he turned away, muttering something under his breath that sounded distinctly like "damn fool of a boy."
When he finally looked back, his expression was sour, but resigned.
"Alright," he said curtly. "Let me talk to your sponsor—the Horizon Dominion Group—and see what they think about your plan."
Leo gave a respectful salute. "Understood, sir."
And without another word, he turned and exited the room, leaving Alric to rub his forehead in frustration.
"Debt of honor," he muttered bitterly to himself. "The boy's got more muscle than brains."
He didn't mean it.
But he also wasn't entirely wrong.
—----------
With the Circuits behind him and final exams fast approaching, Leo had already resolved to leave Rodova once the first academic year came to a close.
Knowing his days at the academy were numbered, he intended to make the most of every remaining opportunity, having firmly decided to join the Black Serpents once the semester ended.
There were three things, in particular, he wanted to secure before his departure:
1. A Transcendent-grade meditation manual.
2. As many high-grade skills as he was permitted to take.
3. His fifth and final Genetic Awakening Shot.
As he understood the immense value of these assets in the real world— and knew that acquiring them through Rodova's internal systems was nothing short of a blessing.
Since the final exams were only a month away, Leo knew that he had very little time to make his decisions and get started on learning his new skills, as once he exited the academy, Leo knew that he wouldn't be allowed to carry the holographic scrolls anymore, losing access to them permanently.
—-------------
(Meanwhile within the Rodova mess hall)
Su Yang, Mu Shen and Mu Ryan waited eagerly for Leo to return from his visit to the principal's office in the mess hall, completely unaware of his decision to leave the academy at the end of the semester.
"What's taking him so long? Did Alric start painting him on a canvas or something?" Mu Shen asked, growing impatient as his stomach growled in hunger.
"Well, I couldn't even properly congratulate him on his return…. Big brother was surrounded by so many people…. I just wanna tell him congratulations—" Mu Ryan complained as she pouted innocently.
"Just wait patiently…. Alric has probably called him to tell him he's the Captain for next year. Let Skyshard have his moment–" Su Yang said, smiling joyfully, as he seemed genuinely happy that Leo was about to be made Captain.
"Skyshard is Captain? Over you? And you're fine with it?" Mu Shen asked in shock, as Su Yang shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance.
"I'll be Vice Captain, also…. Since you're both selected for the summer camp, you better start practicing calling him Captain Skyshard, and not Leo—" Su Yang said without a hint of jealousy in his voice, as Mu Shen nodded in agreement.
"Next year we beat Geneva 5-0 to win the cup! With the four of us in the team, we will be unstoppable!" Mu Shen declared, as Su Yang and Mu Ryan grinned from ear to ear.
All of them felt very confident in Rodova's odds to win next year, however, little did they know that the future they were so excited to build had already lost its cornerstone.