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00:00Channel Red Novel, Chapter 371, Your Background, Part 2, having overheard the conversation from
00:14before, Gary was about to explain what he had just seen, but someone else was one step ahead
00:20of him. It was a trade, Izzy answered. What we saw earlier at the canteen must have been
00:26them agreeing to the terms, and this was the transaction itself. I thought it was strange
00:31what the professor said, but now it's clear. People inside here are definitely using their
00:36position and connection on the outside to get certain benefits. It's not just a question of
00:42who is the strongest. Thinking one step further, this means that if you cross the wrong person in
00:48here, or get on their bad side, you might not end up as the only one suffering. Worst case scenario,
00:55it might be your whole family. Izzy gulped. If that was true, this begged the question,
01:02what position those in the top ten held for them to be treated like some type of gods.
01:07Others would constantly approach them, seemingly trying to curry favor. For the one that had just
01:13traded away his position, he probably thought it was better to help out his family than himself.
01:18On closer inspection, it didn't seem as bad as Gary had anticipated either, since the losing
01:24student's badge had gone from 47 to 48. Meanwhile, the winner's badge was now showing 47, indicating
01:32that all those whose rank had been in between the one had theirs adjusted by one. Eventually,
01:37Izzy asked for another meeting, inviting the others. Ian and Gary agreed immediately, while
01:43number just followed behind and leaned up against the wall, not saying anything.
01:47After that little demonstration, it should be safe to say that this place here is more
01:53complicated than what we were told by the professors. It's in our best interest to find out more
01:58information about who is who, like who is from what city and what their backing is. It might
02:04be for the better to avoid fighting those from the same city or town as you, or those in your
02:09surrounding. As a start, how about we properly introduce ourselves. I'm from Pompano, a tier 3 town.
02:18My family owns a few restaurants, and we've also branched out to the surrounding towns in recent
02:23years. Ian was the next one to introduce himself. I also come from Pompano. Izzy and I are childhood
02:32friends. My family operates an IT servicing company there and is helping out some prominent companies from
02:38tier 2 and tier 1 cities. Both our families are doing quite well financially, but in terms of
02:45influence, it's not really worth mentioning. They pretty much invested into us becoming altered to
02:51help with that, but first, we'll need to get into the AFA of course. Izzy explained. No doubt there will
02:59be someone from Pompano that has a connection to the gangs, or the mayor or something. If we come across
03:05them, it would be hard for us to touch them. However, if we work together then someone like
03:11you from another town or city, can. Izzy seemed excited about this idea and plan she had.
03:18Thinking about what Izzy had said, Gary realized that there shouldn't be anyone in here he needed
03:22to really worry about then. The Howlers were now the biggest gang in SLU. At the same time,
03:29he couldn't think of anyone other than XIN that wasn't altered there.
03:33And what if they're from a tier 1 city? Number asked. Now I'm not saying that those
03:39guys will bother with someone who comes from a lower tier town or city, but in the off chance
03:44they do, and they're close with their parents or something, it could be the end of our families.
03:50Gritting her teeth, Izzy felt a little embarrassed, but she did have an answer for this situation.
03:55In that case, the best approach would be to wait.
03:59I'm sure that there are people who are too big that no one wants to touch them.
04:04However, if that's the case, they should easily get a top 10 position, and after a week they can
04:10leave. There will always be an opportunity at some point. There are only so many cities,
04:16and so many altered out there. My guess is that those types should have already gone through.
04:22This system creates a stalemate in the top 10, as you are allowed to challenge them.
04:28Remember, you have to keep your position for a whole week. This gets rid of all of those that
04:34everyone is afraid to touch, and leaves the ones constantly challenging them. We can get through
04:39this, we just need to know more about everyone and each other. Izzy seemed to be a scheming type of
04:45person. Always coming up with ideas and ways to push herself to the top. Number agreed with her
04:52rationale, and he even suspected that her being the one who had planned Gary's downfall might have
04:57played into her getting the invitation with the rest of them. Although the goat altered didn't trust
05:02her, he also wasn't sure how far he could get with his own backing. I was adopted. Number eventually
05:09revealed. I was adopted by a tier 3 electronics company due to my potential. My position is pretty
05:17much the same as the two of you, the company is currently looking to expand, preferably into a
05:22tier 2 city, and they want me to be their public face. Finally, Gary had been given an answer to why
05:29Number had felt different from the rest and it was because, like him, he hadn't been born into this
05:34position. Why are you smiling at me? Number asked, taking a step back. Man, you're seriously weird.
05:44Sorry, I'm just happy to find someone in a similar position as me, you know? Gary admitted, though his
05:50sheepish smile remained on his face. Does that mean you were picked up by someone as well? Ian asked.
05:58To be honest, Izzy and Ian were holding out for Gary's answer. With how strong the werewolf had
06:04proven and with the type of talent that had made the professors consider admitting him straight
06:08into the AFA, they were hoping that he was at least from a tier 2 city. If he was, surely he would
06:15form a family with a strong backing. Most likely, he was just someone who the scouts happened to miss.
06:22Which seemed like a probable thing. Um, I mean I guess you could say I was picked up, Gary replied,
06:29scratching the back of his head. I'm from a tier 3 town called Slew, not sure if you've heard of it.
06:36There was an instant disappointment on all of their faces because given their backing it meant
06:41that none of them had the power to bully themselves into a better position like they had just seen.
06:46As for Slew, other than Kirk and a few news reports that had come out from it recently,
06:51it was pretty much an unknown place. Even then, Kirk had only been the rookie champion,
06:56so only people who really followed the AFC would know of him. I guess I shouldn't tell them the
07:02whole truth. Otherwise, it would be a bit weird. Gary thought. In my case, I'm being sponsored by a
07:11gang called the Howlers. Immediately, everyone's eyes opened wide when they heard that they were next
07:17to a gang member. Crazy Gary had already received this type of reaction before from others, but at
07:28least he understood why the others were doing that, but now he felt like it made no sense.
07:34The only reason he could think of for them to act like this was because of the words that had just
07:38come out of his mouth. What's wrong? Gary eventually asked, a little puzzled by the situation.
07:45Is it really that surprising to hear that I'm being sponsored by my gang?
07:50I thought it would be fine to mention that in a place like this. I mean, it's not like I'm the
07:56only one, nor are the Howlers active in any of your towns. None of the three really answered his
08:02question, so the green-haired teenager looked towards Izzy who had been the most talkative up
08:06until now. This awkward silence continued for a few moments, but Gary's gaze alone continued to put
08:13pressure on the teenage girl until she eventually said something. Look, it's nothing against you
08:19personally, but, well, you should understand that the relationship between gangs and businesses is
08:25complicated, to say the least. They pretty much control everything nowadays, what businesses are
08:32allowed to operate in their area, how high the protection fee is, and other things that only ever
08:38really benefits one side. I'm sure you understand why we feel like we have to be wary of gang members,
08:44since one wrong action could spell disaster for us and our families. The sad reality is that all
08:51they've built up until now could crumble at the word of a gang member. Gary stayed silent since he
08:56agreed with what Izzy was saying. In fact, it was a major part of the reason why he disliked gangs so much,
09:03and why he had made sure that the Howlers would do things differently from Olivia or Damien.
09:09Admittedly, they weren't completely in the right, either. The property which used to belong to the
09:14underdogs was now in Kai's possession, though following Gary's will, they had leased those
09:19places back to the original owners as far as it was possible. The Howlers also charged protection fees,
09:26yet their rate was far more reasonable than that of the other gangs, and the contracts even included
09:31clauses that would allow business owners to postpone payments in case business had been bad in a given
09:36month. Those were unfortunately a necessary evil to ensure that the gang members stayed loyal and
09:42could support their own families. Gary could try to explain that the Howlers were better than most,
09:48but he doubted Izzy and the others would just take his word for it. There's more than just that.
09:54Izzy continued. Gang members are just. Different, usually vicious, people who don't give a damn
10:02about who they hurt, and I bet that includes the ones in here. If we're lucky, we might meet someone
10:08who is prideful and won't ask for help from their family. The problem is that just because one gang
10:14member might be reasonable, that doesn't mean others in his gang are the same. Let's say I beat a low
10:19ranking gang member, there's a chance that because I wronged one of theirs, the whole gang will go
10:24against me. Even if they're facing another gang that is clearly bigger than theirs, those who are
10:30deftly loyal will still risk their lives. Now that we know that you're in a gang, it certainly explains
10:36how you were able to do those things before so, easily. Gary understood that she was referring to,
10:43how he had broken Ian's leg and clawed at the others. There had been next to no hesitation in the
10:48werewolf strikes, and it was because he had already fought with his life on the line multiple times.
10:54As for the others, yes they were altered, but their fighting experience had been far more limited
10:59and curated. Should I keep it to myself, then? Gary asked. If other people ask me what my background is,
11:08I mean. Should I just lie and tell them that some business is behind me? This was something the
11:14green-haired teenager wasn't so sure about, because the whole point of coming here had been to become
11:19a famous altered, one that the howlers could actively support. No, it's best if you're honest
11:26about that. Izzy shook her head. I'm sure there will be those in here who have a way to gather
11:32information on us somehow. Besides, your backing is actually advantageous for you. None of those from
11:39tier 3 towns will bother to mess with you unless they're from a gang themselves. Heck, even those
11:45from tier 2 cities will probably want to avoid getting into trouble with you, unless they have
11:50big connections. Don't rely on my analysis, though. There is so much we don't know, that there still
11:57be some who will challenge you, maybe just see what you're like or what type you are. After all,
12:03you might be a gang's altered, but it's not like that automatically means that your gang will
12:07protect you from anything in here. It's not like you're the leader who can declare a gang war on
12:13the howlers' behalf. Gary scratched his chin at this comment. Right. He wasn't the type of person
12:21to do something like that in the first place, and besides the gang was busy doing their own thing.
12:27It had been a while since the group had all traveled together, but today was an important day for the
12:32howlers. They had been planning this for a while now, and they couldn't help themselves but be excited
12:38in the car on the way to their destination. Freaking hell, I never thought I would ever get to step foot
12:44into a tier 1 city, and now we're traveling by limo. Inu exclaimed. Of course, we have to travel in
12:52style. Kai replied. And with more of us, it was important we upgraded the vehicle. Otherwise, we would be
13:01squashed. While most of them seemed to be excited, there was one with her hands slumped on her chin,
13:07staring out the window. What's wrong, my? White asked. It's nothing. I just wish Gary was here.
13:16I know he's busy and all, and he's living his dream, but it would be nice if we could enjoy this
13:22together. Mai replied. Don't beat yourself up too much. Think about the surprise on his face when
13:30he returns. Gary won't have to feel so alone anymore. Kai answered as the limo passed the sign
13:37stating they were entering, Morfran. The city was mostly controlled by a group of people,
13:43known as the Dark Guild.
13:49Chapter 373. The high rankers the first day passed without any major problems for the green-haired
13:55altered. Surprisingly, nobody had challenged any of the newcomers. Due to the lack of decent food,
14:02Gary had felt hungrier than usual, but since there had been no need for him to act, it had been tolerable.
14:08As intended, Gary had simply spent his time observing those who had been here for a longer
14:13period of time, and the werewolf continued doing so on the second and third days. His energy reserve
14:20had fallen to 178, but he had at least learned a lot in the meantime. For one, those public fights in
14:27the center had been a daily occurrence. However, the green-haired teenager had discovered that the
14:32fights held there were mostly the ones following some secret agreement between both parties.
14:38Far more interesting were the seemingly spontaneous fights that had happened elsewhere.
14:43As it turned out, fights could take place practically anywhere and at any time during their free time,
14:49so outside of meals and bedtime.
14:52Interestingly, even if it was an awkward place that was relatively small, the teachers would come out to clear
14:57the area, making sure the other students wouldn't get hurt. These fights were mostly issued by those
15:04who ranked highly, who didn't seem inclined to show off necessarily. The training facility was one of the
15:10places where fighting was prohibited. Gary had visited it, and he had to admit that it was filled
15:15with some seriously advanced stuff. At the time, around a dozen low-ranking students had been using it,
15:22all seemingly striving to get better. Of course, since he had no access to the higher-ranking
15:28training facilities, Gary couldn't compare the two, though most of the high-rankers preferred to
15:33chill in the main area as far as he had observed. At the same time, the werewolf had kept an eye on
15:39those that had joined together with him. Izzy had taken a far more active approach than him,
15:45and whenever he had spotted her, it had been with a different set of students.
15:49She was obviously gathering information for her next move, but only a few had been willing to
15:54actually talk with her. Using his hearing, Gary could tell that she was being looked down on,
16:00simply because she hadn't been scouted. Unsurprisingly, this wasn't limited to her.
16:06Gary, Number, and Ian all were being discriminated against since they had entered through the assessment.
16:12Things changed on the second day after Ian had challenged a boy ranked at 105.
16:17Gary wasn't sure whether Ian's altered was one that had great regenerative properties or the AFA had
16:23used some means to heal him up that well, but the teenage boy had been able to fight as if he had
16:28never been injured. What's more, despite being unable to transform, he had easily won.
16:35After that, there were those that had gathered and started to talk to Ian a bit more.
16:40Asking about his background and such. From the sound of it, there were even those that asked if they
16:46could do business with him.
16:48I guess it's not all negative, then. If you can prove yourself here, you can even make connections
16:54for your gang, you don't just have to be afraid of others.
16:57Gary thought. This morning, Number had fought a girl ranked 98, and he had won his fight without
17:04too much trouble, allowing him to upgrade from the chicken soup that Izzy and Gary were being served
17:09once more. Don't get your hopes up just because they won. The teenage girl warned, sitting next to
17:16Gary. She had taken an interest in the werewolf, and given his strength, she was surprised he hadn't
17:22acted yet. What do you mean? The green-haired teenager asked after slurping his soup, recovering
17:29his energy to 180. Haven't you noticed how those ranked closest to us are on the older side?
17:35It's because a lot of them are like us, those who came in here after passing the assessments
17:40and have just remained here for a while. They all still seem to be hoping that they can get
17:46out of this place at some point. From my calculations, we are a long way off in strength compared to the
17:52others. I'm speaking just about the three of us, of course. You, Gary, are a different story,
17:59and honestly, I'm looking forward to what happens once you stir this place up. The werewolf had a
18:06grin on his face, their relationship might have started off on the wrong foot, but after getting
18:10to know her a bit he had somewhat forgiven Izzy for what she had done. He didn't want to hold a
18:16grudge forever, after all, she had just been using whatever she could to get through the test and in
18:21the worst case, he would have lost the opportunity to attend the AFA, not his life. After their meal,
18:27everyone automatically went to the main area, but something was going on. A circle had formed,
18:34and a certain student started to clap. It was loud and was itching around the halls.
18:40It was a lean student who had four others following him, all of them under the 50 number rank,
18:45and as for himself, why he had gotten the attention of the others was due to the number four on his
18:50batch. Congratulations on your fight this morning. Now I think you and I should have a little talk.
18:56The rank four said, pointing at number. The goat altered looked straight at the person and
19:02eventually walked off. He wanted to pass him and head to his new room, but as he did,
19:08the others started to follow. A lot of people thought a fight was going to start, and were
19:13about to follow after to have a look, but strangely a few others came to stop them from advancing.
19:18Everyone, it's best if you just mind your own business and stay out of it.
19:24Their leader with informed them. The students were quick to listen as they walked away doing
19:30their own thing, as for the reason why they had listened. It was due to the number on their badges.
19:36Number 8, 6, and 5. Just then, Gary started to walk towards where number was,
19:43as he was interested in what they had to say. At the same time he owed number a favor so if
19:49anything was going on, Gary wanted to help, but after just a few steps he felt someone grab him by
19:54the arm. What do you think you're doing? I know I said I was excited to see what you were going to
20:00do, but even crazy should have its limits. Izzy whispered as she pulled Gary Indiana.
20:05You don't understand what's going on, but I do. You remember what I said before, about how staying
20:13in the top 10 for a week would be difficult. From what I've gathered, we came at a strange time.
20:20The current top 10 have all come to an agreement. They publicly announced that they would back up
20:25each other if one of them were challenged and to not fight each other for a week.
20:30Apparently, it's been hard for students to pass at the moment because of that rule,
20:34and that's why those high-ranking students just jumped in just there.
20:39Once these 10 are through, there's always a large free for all that goes on for the next top 10
20:44positions. That's going to be our best chance, and yours, if you want to get to the real academy.
20:51Holding onto Gary's sleeve tightly, she could still feel that the green-haired teenager was going to
20:56pull away, despite the warning. As I thought, gang members are crazy.
21:01Izzy pulled on his shirt again, trying to convince him. Whatever they're planning to do to number it
21:07won't be bad. They have nothing to gain from him. He's from a small town, and he's a low rank,
21:14so don't worry. Gary pulled his arm away with just a bit extra force to the point where Izzy
21:20could do nothing. Worrying is what I do. Maybe it's because I've worried about my mother and sister
21:27for so long, but I just don't like seeing this stuff. If it's nothing, then you won't have to
21:32worry about me either. Gary said as he walked over to where the three high-ranking members were.
21:38Stop. The rank 8 shouted and placed his hand out in front of the werewolf.
21:44Thanks for watching and subscribe my channel channel Red Novel, chapter 374, the top of the
21:51top a second ago, everyone had been about to leave and do their own thing, worried that staying there
21:56might get them in trouble with the top rankers. However, when they heard Gary being shouted at,
22:02they couldn't help to turn around to satisfy their own curiosity.
22:06You think that guy has a death wish? One of the students murmured to the one standing next to him.
22:12When's the last time someone dared to go up against anyone in the top 10?
22:17I don't know about that death wish part, but that fresh blood stay is destined to be miserable now.
22:23The poor idiot probably doesn't even have an idea what kind of mistake he just committed.
22:28Another replied. I feel bad for him. He's going to get killed if someone doesn't pull him out.
22:36A third one chimed in. You're a cat altered, aren't you?
22:40If you want to play the good Samaritan, go sacrifice one of your nine lives to save him.
22:46I'll make sure to pray for the both of you after they've sent you to the other side.
22:51Another one ridiculed the notion.
22:53At the same time, watching from the third floor, there was a trio of students that were watching
22:58things unravel from above. Because if something did occur then in the end they would probably have
23:04to step in. Hey, Snow, Apollo, did Stai tell any of you that he would be doing this?
23:11A topless student questioned. Scratching his short hard hair, at an incredible speed,
23:17one would think he was trying to start a fire or had knits. Even while talking he seemed to be doing
23:22this action. His jacket was tied around his waist, and the badge that all the students wore was pinned
23:29on it, showing the number three. This student was called Wu Chen, and there were many that knew his
23:35name, as he was the most often seen top ranker. Spending most of his time training in the standard
23:41training rooms that anyone could use. Wu was scowling since he was in the middle of training
23:46when he had been called. Didn't we all agree to sit still for one week? Ha, didn't you guys even bet
23:53that I would be the first one to break the pact? Looks like you'll have to treat me once we're in
23:58the AFA. No, he didn't warn any of us, Wu. He better have a good explanation why he did that.
24:07Otherwise, I say, we should punish him by reducing his rank. The tallest student among them replied.
24:14Seeing the scene in front of them, his hands tightened around the bar, and he was starting to
24:19grind his teeth. Seeing how Snow Light, the currently second strongest student, reacted like that,
24:26the person to his left handed him a carrot. Not even looking up, Snow grabbed the treat and started
24:32chomping down on it aggressively, his overly long ears whipping up and down while all the tension in
24:37his body began to disappear. Seeing this sight, Wu couldn't help but pull a face. I don't think you
24:44should be saying anything, Snow. With enough carrots, he could easily bribe you into pretending
24:49like you hadn't seen anything. I don't mind him taking action, to be honest. There are already rumors
24:56going around that those in the top 20 intended to challenge us all on the last day to stop us from
25:01advancing. I'm not sure how reliable those rumors are, but given that their background isn't too far off
25:08from ours, we can't just ignore that possibility. Besides, I'm sure our actions have caused us to
25:14make some enemies inside here. He let out a big sigh, almost tired of the situation. I was the one
25:22that proposed the idea of no fighting, so I guess I will also need to be the one that enforces the
25:27rules. Stopping there, the student began to stare at the green-haired student. I prefer honest
25:34people like that guy. At least you know what to expect from his type since they expressed their
25:39feelings openly. Apollo Zorian was looking at Gary specifically when saying these words.
25:46Underneath his dark clothes was a chest bigger than anyone else's in the facility.
25:51What also stood out was his incredibly pale skin that looked like it would be burnt just from the
25:56lights in the room alone. On top of that, there were visible scars on his knuckles and a few on his
26:02chin as well. Usually just seeing such a person most would avoid them. For altered there weren't
26:08many with scars, because their bodies would heal them. This meant, at first glance, it was obvious
26:15that he wasn't someone unfamiliar with the world of fighting, as he was someone who had fought before
26:20he was an altered even at this age. Yet in here there was another reason to avoid him. He was the one
26:27whose badge showed the number one right now. I wonder what type of surprises the rest of this one week
26:33still holds for us. He thought to himself with a mild grin. On the first floor, Gary continued walking
26:40toward the high-ranking individuals. He showed no fear and others had already coined him a dead man
26:46walking, though they were also looking forward to witnessing a one-sided beating. It was then that the two
26:52high-rankers looked at each other as well wondering what to do, or perhaps suggest which one would fight
26:57the person in front of them because at the moment, Gary's number indicated he was one of the weakest
27:02people in this place. That was until Gary stopped around 30 centimeters away from the student's hand
27:08that was still up in the air. You don't have a problem with me just standing here. Don't worry,
27:14I won't interrupt you guys. Gary said. I have no idea what he's thinking. Izzy shook her head in
27:22disbelief. Does he plan to annoy them into attacking him first? Or is he just hoping that if he shows
27:29off his confidence that they might not attack him, fearing the kind of backing he might have?
27:34In the end, the two high-rankers simply nodded, unwilling to call the werewolf's bluff.
27:39They didn't wish to act before they were sure about who this newcomer was, and as long as he
27:45behaved they were willing to tolerate his antics. As for the reason why Gary had stopped just short
27:50of them, it was simple. From that position, he was able to hear everything happening to number.
27:57A normal person wouldn't have been able to hear from this distance, but then again,
28:02the green-haired teenager was anything but normal. Inside his newly earned room,
28:07number sat down while surrounded by a bunch of uninvited guests. What do you want?
28:13Given her ranking, I doubt the one I defeated was a friend of yours, so you shouldn't be here
28:18for revenge. The goat altered came right to the point. Oh that? No, you're correct, I don't know
28:26who she is and she is nowhere near my type. I'm not focused on that aspect for now. As I've said,
28:33I've just come here to talk to you. Stye, the number four student answered. You see,
28:40I heard that TS Services plans to expand. They're the ones backing you, correct? Hearing this name,
28:47number's attitude changed from nonchalance to actual interest. Even a smidgen of respect could
28:53be found on his face. You see, your father, or I guess adoptive father, recently came over to my
29:00family asking to do business with us. I thought since the two of us are the ones who will represent
29:05our companies in the future it would be in our mutual interest to get to know each other.
29:10Besides, I have some influence in here, so I can make sure that your stay will be more comfortable
29:15sooner rather than later. Stye smiled. Number thought about it for some while, because his number
29:22one rule was not to trust people, and he didn't understand what exactly Stye would get out of all of
29:28this. What's exactly in it for you? For the time being, I have nothing to give you, least of all
29:35in this place. My rank is far below yours, not to mention, you will soon be leaving this place as
29:41well. Number replied. That's where you're wrong. There is one thing you have in here that I desire,
29:48yourself. I'm always in need of loyal people. I wish to build up my own group, you see, and what
29:55better place than the AFA. Agree and will tell my folks to treat yours nicely. All you need to do is
30:03do as I say. A short while later and the conversation ended. Stye was leaving the room, followed by his
30:10goons, and eventually number. The goal altered looked unhurt, which led the onlookers to speculate
30:17as to what they might have been talking about. Stye headed to the other high-ranking members and
30:22that's when he saw Gary standing there. What are you looking at? He asked the green-haired teenager.
30:29Gary looked him up and down, before smiling. Nothing, I just didn't know shit could stack so high.
30:36Thanks for watching and subscribe my channel channel Red Novel, Chapter 375, a personal pet saying those
30:44words, Gary simply turned away, though not before seeing Stye's face turn completely beat red.
30:51Before the top ranker had a chance to say anything, the werewolf had run off. Not because he was scared
30:57or anything like that, but because he knew this would be far more annoying to someone high and mighty.
31:02In the end, Gary arrived in his room to think about what he had heard just now.
31:08The reason he had insulted Stye was because those had been his real feelings towards the guy.
31:14Just listening to him talk for a bit, he was convinced that the top ranker was someone who
31:18abused his power and position. It reminded him a lot of how the underdogs used to participate and
31:24how Damien used to act. In a place like this, there were lots of little Damien's all over the place,
31:31it was taking a mental toll out of the werewolf to avoid following his gut instincts to outright
31:36punch them in the face during his time observing them. Still, he understood that he had to bide his
31:42time, so he kept his feeling buried inside. Just from watching how others acted and used their
31:47position to abuse others, Gary was actually learning a lot. He might not like it, but he knew that what he
31:54was seeing inside this place was the unfortunate reality of how these types of people truly acted.
31:59It was something that Kai had a lot of knowledge about, but for Gary, whose social standing had
32:05been at the bottom before obtaining his system, he knew nothing about it. Perhaps there would be a
32:11day when Gary's input would benefit the group and be a better suggestion than what Kai could come up
32:16with. Who was that? Stye questioned, barely holding himself together, his cheek still a bit red and
32:23filled with anger. We're not really sure. The guy's rank suggests he is one of the newcomers,
32:30so it might be for the best to just ignore him for now. It's not really worth our time fighting someone
32:36like that. Remember, we all agreed to try to avoid fighting for this week. The rank 8 reminded him.
32:44Hearing this, Stye took a deep breath. Before he had reached the top 10, he had often been linked to
32:50stirring up trouble through fighting in this place. He couldn't help it, as he found it exhilarating to
32:56see how hopeless the other altered looked once he defeated them. Still, he had agreed with the other
33:02top rankers that he would lie low for one week until they were allowed to advance. Since Apollo had been
33:08the one to suggest the idea, it was a given that he would be the one to enforce it. Stye knew he was
33:15strong, but he knew better that the top 3 were more powerful than he was. As such, even someone
33:21of his position could be kicked out of the top 10, replaced with someone else. In the end, he made
33:27up his mind to let it go, at least in here. If he saw Gary in the AFA, that would be another story.
33:35Two more days passed, and Gary had still not challenged anyone. According to the rules,
33:41an assessment would take place soon, which was another opportunity for people to change their
33:46rank. However, the green-haired teenager didn't care too much about the assessment.
33:52From what Izzy had told him during yesterday's lunch, most of those inside shared his sentiment.
33:57The main way to rise in the ranks was through fighting. Ian had participated in two fights just
34:03this morning, winning both of them and obtaining rank 77. The altered had stopped there, claiming it was a
34:10lucky number for him. It was quite impressive considering how he was unable to transform into
34:16his altered form. However, he hadn't been the only one who had fought. For the first time,
34:22Izzy had shown off her skills. Granted, the teenage girl had only fought against the student with the
34:28next higher ranking, but that fight had looked like a carefully prepared choreography.
34:32Without suffering a single injury, she had continued to fight two more times, eventually reaching rank
34:39101. After doing so much research into what other people's altered forms were, and their fighting
34:46styles, she had set her goal to to reach the double digits. Unfortunately, against rank 99,
34:53she had also suffered her first loss. Izzy's head had ended up swollen, her ribs bruised,
34:59all of that due to one single mistake. Whether she had overestimated herself after consecutive wins
35:05or underestimated her opponent, she didn't know. However, the loss had been a devastating one,
35:12the difference in skill had been obvious. Fortunately, the medical care in this place
35:17was top-notch, so Izzy was back on her feet for lunch. Ian had earned the privilege to sit at yet
35:23another new table, but he had decided to come over to where Gary was, probably because Izzy had done
35:29the same. Although the newcomers had been told on the first day that they should sit according to
35:34the numbers on the table, nobody was actually enforcing that rule. Guys, you have got to get
35:40out of the hundreds as soon as possible. Ian said. They have meat. I admit, those are merely pieces of
35:48meat, but it's way better than that soup, I tell you. By now, Izzy had gotten used to eating the soup,
35:54but after her loss she had shown no appetite, playing with her food before handing it over
35:59to Gary. Don't worry too much, you did well. You had four fights in a row, and we have plenty of
36:06time to help you rank up. Ian tried to cheer up his childhood friend. My problem is, I don't see how.
36:15Izzy eventually mumbled listlessly. I know my body better than anyone, and I just don't see a way for
36:21me to beat rank 99. Not with my current skill set even if I had been at 100%. My only chance might be
36:29to unlock my altered form, but who knows how long that will take. Gary didn't say anything, focusing
36:36on gulping down the soup. Sadly, there was no input he could give her. After all, he wasn't an altered
36:43in the first place. His system was what allowed him to get stronger, and he wasn't the best when it
36:49came to techniques either. One of his good points was his ability to analyze, but Izzy didn't seem
36:55to have a problem in that department. Just then, though, they saw Number enter the canteen.
37:02The group didn't really have many friends in the place, so they had silently agreed to sit together
37:06and talk to each other most of the time. I guess he's doing it again, huh? Ian said.
37:12That's when they saw Number head to the table with the top rankers, stopping next to Stye.
37:19After a while, the gul altered left, before he came back with a meal meant for the rank 4 student.
37:25Not only that, but while Stye was enjoying his steak and soda, Number was giving him a back massage.
37:32Essentially, the lower-ranked teenager fulfilled all whims of the top ranker, starting with the evening
37:38after their talk. The trio of newcomers found it an odd sight to behold, because although they hadn't
37:44known Number for long, his current attitude was a clear contrast to his initial prideful self.
37:50They might be from the same city or they're blackmailing him in some other WI.
37:55Izzy guessed. There's not much we can do about it. I know it's sad, but it's unfortunate that one of the
38:02top rankers has picked Number to be his lackey. Anyway, without any incidents, he will only have
38:08to endure that for a few more days, and then he will be able to do what he wants again, I imagine
38:14that's why he is putting up with it for now. At that moment, a bit of food dropped on Number's shirt,
38:20and the others began to laugh. It was then that Gary stood up from his seat and began to walk over
38:25to where the others were. Damn it, why does he always move so fast? I don't even have time to
38:32grab that stupid moss head. Izzy cursed, slapping her forehead. Walking across the canteen, Gary
38:40eventually reached the top ranker's table. The werewolf stood by the side of the table,
38:45looking at the goal altered in his handler. Stye, who had already forgotten their encounter,
38:51just looked at him. He looked familiar, but he just couldn't put a finger on who it was.
38:57Oh, isn't this the same person from the other day? Apollo thought as he recognized who it was.
39:04The rest of the top three, including Snow who continued to munch on his small pile of prepared
39:09carrots also instantly recognized the person, though none of them stopped enjoying their meal.
39:15Number, I don't know how you can do this. I don't know if you're scared or what,
39:20but I just can't watch you act like this. Is it really worth it? Can't your family make a deal
39:26with another company or something? Anyway, if you're that scared, remember I still owe you a favor,
39:33so I will happily beat this person up for you if you want.
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