The Over-Break System

“Indeed I am. What is the point of blazing past my party members and leaving them in the dust? I am keener to lean towards the balance of power in the group. Would that not cause a potential rift or jealousy if I was quick to hyper-accelerate past them? Instead, we as a party should grind for more points to purchase what we need from the Academy Store. In the long run, this is healthier for our party, which I one day hope to advance to the level of a full-blown Reaver Guild.”

Cynrik nodded as if it was a matter of fact. To him, it was no different if resources were split between all the members of his party or not. But, at least in his mind, what’s his, was his, and what’s theirs was still his. Eventually, how these resources would be used was still his decision, to begin with, so who received what none of Cynrik’s concern was.

However, Headmaster Rivia saw things differently. He saw a young boy choosing friendship and the overall growth of his party over his own selfish needs and gains. While, to some extent, he was pleased and even slightly proud, the overarching feeling the Headmaster felt was this boy was outstanding sly.

COUGH

Headmaster Rivia was pulled out of his daydream at the next moment since Cynrik cleared his throat.

“There are still three things I would like added to the contract.” Cynrik’s mouth twitched slightly when he realized Headmaster Rivia believed the negotiations were complete.

“There’s more?” Raising an eyebrow in confusion, the man double-checked the document he was drafting only to find every benefit had already been listed.

“Indeed, these next few bits are things I felt needed to be added to the initial contracts. Essentially, at its core, this binding document leaves no wiggle room for future changes; as such, I would like to add a clause stating we can come back to the table and re-evaluate the terms at the end of each School year.” Cynrik drummed his fingers on the table in a repetitive pattern as he spoke.

“This adjustment period would allow both parties to re-negotiate the benefits, allowing for any subsequent changes. Since I suspect our party will flourish on the hallowed grounds of VSFA, I believe this will open the door for both parties so long as we the members of MyrkLys prove ourselves worthy of added benefits.”

“Your idea is just as acceptable as it is suspicious.” Then, with narrowed eyes that seemed to look through Cynrik and the party behind him, Headmaster Rivia tried to gauge the potential of these children.

Once you break through Tier-4, your ability to judge a person’s power and potential skyrockets, especially in the case of lower Tiered beings, this was the case for all the six Headmasters. Their innate ability to seek out potential powerhouses was so uncanny that it earned them the right to have their positions.

“Interesting, we can come back to this topic; let me hear these other clauses you have in mind before we circle back around and talk further.” Be it curiosity about what the boy had in mind or the fact he could tell just how outstanding all five children were, Headmaster Rivia danced around the topic of a re-adjustment period and steered the conversation away.

“Of course, not a problem. However, this next topic may be a little challenging to get passed. I am requesting we, as a party, have access to information in either the Academies database or school library an entire Tier above our present one.”

This time Headmaster Rivia wasn’t so inviting and understanding. Instead, his face sank into a solemn expression as he looked long and hard at Cynrik.

“Do you understand what you just asked?” he said in a tone that was neither passive nor aggressive.

“Mm, I do; I am well aware of the government’s knowledge restrictions on all data as per Law 00188-27DL, which states that any and all information about higher strength levels will only be passed down to beings of equal or greater power. However, let me ask you this, what happens when the being in question can skip Tiers?” Cynrik stated while smirking.

“What?” The wide-eyed Headmaster quickly glanced at all five children incredulously. Skipping Tiers was preposterous.

Figuring it was time to lay some of his cards on the table, Cynrik began enlightening the Headmaster on some of their accolades.

“At the age of seven and six years old, my brother and I took down an entire organization of Tier-1 beings; at the time, we were both only Tier-0 level five.”

“In the early days of MyrkLys, we entered a strange and mysterious Instance Dungeon after diving into our first Alpha Egress. Under my leadership, we quickly made our way through several intense challenges, of which we were forced to fight against hundreds of beings who had us outmatched in both strength and Tier.”

“Once cleared, said Egress, A-G-22097 subsequently collapsed, leaving only the higher officials of the Government, Reaver Association, and us in the know. As a result, each of us earned several outstanding rewards.”

Finishing up the story, Cynrik motioned for the members of MyrkLys to follow his lead. Seconds later, a massive Killing Intent pressure bore down on Headmaster Rivia, exerting an impressive 12g making the Tier-5 man’s entire body quiver under strain.

“Again, I ask, is there not some wiggle room for outstanding children who are clearly able to fight above their Tier? Should some exceptions not be made for prodigal geniuses?” Just as quickly as he used it, the massive pressure vanished, allowing Headmaster Rivia to breathe easier.

“Fuck…how much shit have you little guys seen. Never have I been put in such a position by someone four Tiers below me.” Wiping the sweat from his brow, Headmaster Rivia quickly scribbled the knowledge allowance into his new contract version.

Although Headmaster Rivia, an experienced combat veteran, had over 20g of Gravitational Resistance, he couldn’t help but be shocked. He wasn’t pressured by MyrkLys’s outburst of Killing Intent so much as he was flabbergasted by it.

“I can allow this clause, but there will be some restrictions on specified forbidden data, as well as each of you will need to pass a particular test showing that you can obtain this knowledge. Then, we can move on to your final clause.” Placing his pen down and clenching his shaking right hand under the table, Headmaster Rivia waved at Cynrik to continue.

“That shouldn’t be an issue; testing us is fine. However, the final provision is something out of the ordinary, so I would like you to keep an open mind.”

Hearing this, the Headmaster rolled his eyes and thought, ‘as if this whole contract wasn’t out of the fucking ordinary, kid.’

“Lastly, I would like to request your assistance in something. When the time comes, I will ask VSFA to be our sponsor when we take the initial Reaver Exams. This will allow us to streamline registering as an official party and eventually an officially recognized guild.” With the final term in the open, Cynrik interlocked his fingers and placed his hands on the table, waiting for a response.

Compared to the calm and mature aura Cynrik was emitting, Headmaster Rivia was screaming internally and only a single step away from tearing at his hair.

‘WHAT IN THE FUCK DID I GET MYSELF INTO? I JUST WANTED TO FIND SOME GOOD APPLICANTS TO BOLSTER MY ROSTER!’ looking away from the drafted contract to Cynrik and the kids standing obediently behind him, Headmaster Rivia felt an ache in his heart.

From start to finish, the boy had utterly dominated the direction of these negotiations, not allowing him to intercede except for a handful of times. Looking through each of the benefit clauses listed on paper, Headmaster Rivia could already hear the aggrieved screams of his accountant. Still, in the end, being left with no other choice, Headmaster Rivia finalized the draft after adding the re-adjustment portion.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the new contract to Cynrik, who quickly scanned it and nodded in contentment.

“It looks good to me; once you have it notarized by your legal department, I have no issue signing this document, along with my party.” Relieved the negotiations had gone successfully, Cynrik waved over his party, and they all took a seat at the table in unison.

Meanwhile, the Headmaster scanned the completed document and presented five copies to the children after a brief interlude and a lot of one-sided arguing through his Watcet.

What followed next was each member rereading the document, and after they were all sure that everything was in order and precisely as Cynrik had wanted, all five members of MyrkLys signed the contract and stamped it with a bit of blood from their thumbs.

Once everything was in order, and the furniture was stowed away, Headmaster Rivia stood up and shook their hands. By the time he got to Cynrik, he had looked down at the boy standing an entire foot and a half below him and extended his hand.

“You are quite the little businessman; if you hadn’t robbed me blind, I would compliment you on your savvy negotiation skills.” Then, smiling with a clearly disheartened expression, Headmaster Rivia kicked the privacy device into the air and stored it away.

“You jest Headmaster, I only did what was best for my party. However, I am happy we were able to come to a decent proposal and am even more delighted to be part of VSFA officially.”

“Un, now then, it’s time to enter the wolves’ den. Don’t worry; you are currently under my protection as my Academy students; none of these old bastards will even consider attacking you this time around.” Glancing out over Zone A-1, Headmaster Rivia met the eyes of Viktor Opurn and Lithlen Jetlensr, breaking into a sinister grin showing his ill intentions.

Standing beside the behemoth of a man, Cynrik snickered at the ugly faces of the two other men and, using his new Headmaster as a meatshield, again flipped the bird at the two adults.

[FOR FUCK SAKE, CYNRIK, STOP ANTAGONIZING PEOPLE WHO CAN OBLITERATE US WITH A SNEEZE!]

[BAH, we’ve got an OP bodyguard now; what’s the harm?]

-This series is exclusively published on Web if you are reading it anywhere else…You Wrong Fam. PS Check out the Discord, https://discord.gg/dcxKNJEMwg