307 Decision
The biggest problem to Osbert's plans right now was Zephyr.
An unknown factor that appeared out of nowhere and managed to injure so many SSS Rank Hunters with his plan.
It was not a small issue for the High Council at all.
The amount of power and control the World Association had ensured that if such a person with capabilities appeared, they would take care of that person and bring them under the World Association.
That was how normal students were sent to the World Academy.
Even before the World Academy, there was a program called Hunter Training, which was mandatory for all people that managed to create a mana core before 15.
This surveillance program was initially created to avoid talented individuals slipping off the World Association's radar, thereby becoming a problem later.
But right now, a person with the ability to outsmart Dexter Wright's rune and control monsters appeared. Many people were sure that this individual had backup, possibly someone within the High Council or of similarly high status supporting them.
However, there were no leads to trace Zephyr, as all investigators couldn't find a single clue that could help them trace Zephyr's tracks.
That's why Osbert was contemplating whether to address the situation with his pawns that were taken from him or to deal with Zephyr, whom he had no clue about.
Then, there was another problem: Nathaniel Greville.
'It should have been mine,' Osbert thought, his murderous intent beginning to emerge.
The preparations were perfect, and Osbert was confident he would win the Auction at Kalvas Gala, as the funds the World Association had were greater than what a single family could amass.
The World Association was just as old as the Greville Family, but it had always been operated by three powerful hunters, who were trained within the World Association and rose slowly through its ranks.
The World Association had its own resources reserved for their Chairman and Vice Chairman. With Declan's support, who wanted the Mana Gem for himself, Osbert had the majority of votes to use those funds.
Recalling the moment when he had to forfeit the Mana Gem, Osbert's anger surged but quickly subsided.
Soon after, Osbert collected himself, sensing that something was amiss with the events around him and in the world.
It wasn't just Osbert's strength that aided him in taking the Chairman's position in the World Association.
Osbert Tarvian was a shrewd individual, and his instincts told him that something was off.
He couldn't pinpoint the problem, however.
Everything had gone according to his plans for decades, but now, during the final and most critical phase, everything was falling apart.
Osbert retrieved his private communication device and accessed the contacts, where only a few names were listed.
One of them was Wagxon.At the World Academy,
There was another wave of shock, as the fact that Asher Greville had reached C- Rank was spreading around the World Academy.
It was shocking for a First Year to achieve such a feat, and it also troubled some people.
And one of them was Jayden Hargrave who, including the other Fourth Years Student were present in the World Academy.
Due to the gravity of the situation that was happening outside, for the security of the students, all the Fourth Year students were summoned back to the World Academy.
Some of them were still inside dungeons completing their assignments and missions but as soon as they were finished they were sent back to the World Academy.
"What a monster," A fourth year said within his group.
He was a B Rank Hunter himself, but knowing that a First Year had achieved C- Rank was shocking to them.
They had spent four years learning, and training themselves while fighting monsters and going through multiple duels, but not even all of them had reached A- Rank yet.
Most fourth years student were in the B Rank category, with a few higher rankings ones near B+ Rank.
It was due to the artifact in World Academy, that increased the mana density of the Floating Island that they were able to increase their strength so quickly.
But after B Rank, that mana wasn't enough, and Mana Gems became a requirement as only through a huge amount of mana they could push through their thresholds.
Currently, some of them were in the Fourth Year Duel Area, watching people duel with each other.
It wasn't common for Fourth Year student to be in World Academy at this time.
And right now, some of the Top 50 students were requesting spars with Jayden Hargrave, the Rank 1 student among the Fourth Year.
But as expected, no one was able to push him back as Jayden stood there like a immovable mountain.
Hargrave had the traditions to make the strongest among the family the heir, and Jayden was the strongest Hargrave of his generation.
It was obvious that his strength was far above his peers due to the amount of resources he had access to due to his status.
Jayden was both the source of envy and admiration for people in the Fourth Year.
"You got even more stronger than our last spar," The student told as he braced his legs on the floor to reduce the impact of Jayden's strike.
"Don't lose focus now," Jayden said as kept striking without giving any chance to his opponent.
Many instructors were present, but none of them were worried about any person injuring each other.
These students were the one that had faced dungeons, monsters and even criminals and they knew when to stop.
Unlike the First and Second or even Third Year students, the Fourth Year were completely different.
At this point, all of them knew what they wanted to do after they got out of World Academy, so the competition among the ranks reduced and only people still competing were the Top 100.While the spar was going on, Reece Williams with a couple of his friends entered the Duel Hall and atmosphere changed as people knew that Jayden and Reece would always compete with each other.
Reece was the Rank 2 Student, and their overall scores were pretty close to each other, so even Jayden didn't underestimated Reece.
For Jayden, maintaining Rank 1 was a necessity to root his Heir position in the Hargrave Family.
*Bam*
Jayden striked with sword created a wave to due to the clash of the sword.
"I give up," The Student muttered as he used all his strength to block Jayden's sword.
The instructor raised the card towards Jayden who removed his sword and went back to his bench.
His eyes looked at Reece who was sitting a bit far from his position.
But Jayden ignored him, as Reece was not the issue right now.
"Did you contact him?" Jayden asked.
"I tried to, but it's very hard to contact him," The Fourth Year student replied,
"Keep trying, he might be busy stabilizing his mana right now," Jayden said as he looked forward where a new duel had began.
'It's better for him to join me,' Jayden thought in his head.
But there was one big issue that stopped Jayden from using this approach.
It was his aunt, Casie Hargrave.
He still remembered the look on Casie's face, and even he got scared and maintained his distance from her.
But Jayden needed Casie's support and he needed to follow her orders.
"By the way did you got any news from you Grandfather?" A girl asked Jayden.
"That's something I can't say," Jayden replied with a smile.
"Aww come on, give us something at least," Another girl chimed in.
"Don't worry too much about it, those people will be soon taken care of," Jayden replied confidently.
"I knew it, I will tell all my friends about it," The girl said with a smile on her face.
Jayden was a credible source of news for them, as he was the Heir of the Hargrave Family, and with all the information that was being concealed about Zephyr, they knew that Jayden would know about it.
Meanwhile, in the Great Forest, the very same masked man that they were talking about was killing one monster after another.
But Asher stopped as he faced an issue.
"No monster here either," Asher said as he looked around.
Due to the recent increase in his strength, Asher's aura became more powerful and his presence became sharper.
And due to him constantly fighting in the Great Forest, his killing intent was leaking.
He was in control of his madness, but the it couldn't suppress his killing intent, and it was making the monsters avoid the vicinity of Asher.