Chapter 233: Other Red Princes
Kai had prevailed against seniors who dwell in the Second Sky.
He most certainly has what it takes to prevail against Barbara and Chester—but the stakes are too high for him to take the Dragon Ring tournament lightly. Until the day of the tournament, he needed to keep getting stronger.
Find more ways to lower his chance of losing. Find more ways to guarantee his victory.
Becoming the Red Prince is what he needed to stay alive.
Mining the required weekly quota for a Lesser Angel is not sustainable in the long run, and it would also be his constant point of weakness that could be used by anyone to kill him. Now— it became even more important, as losing would mean execution.
Helping Layra came at a cost.
And it was now his head on the chopping block.
For those reasons, he simply can’t afford to lose the Dragon Ring tournament.
Not if he wanted to survive and keep his promise to his sister.
Keep his promise to live, become strong֫—and have as many children as he could to continue his bloodline. His experiences from being a Lesser Angel, enduring the stroke of death several times, had taught him one thing.
As long as he wanted, he could do it.
"I believe in you. After the Blood Rite, it would be very weird for me not to believe in you." Professor Hera squeezed his shoulder, as if transferring her strength into him. "Just know that I’m on your side. It may not seem like the case, but I am still helping you."
"Know that I am also grateful. At least, for now." Kai nodded.
He can’t guarantee the future, but for now, he was grateful for her many helps.
Professor Hera smiled behind the mask.
Unlike back then in the Blood Rite, he was no longer naïve.
Most people are enemies or allies because of a reason, and when that reason no longer exists, then the relationship would also cease to exist. Right now, both of them might be standing on the same side, but when their goals differed, then they would also part ways.
Even so, this alliance and fragile trust are more than enough.
"Come on." Professor Hera let go of his shoulder and walked towards the exit.
"Professor." Kai’s voice stopped her mid-stride, drawing her gaze back to him. "Can I stay for a little longer?"
"It’s open for students, so it won’t be a problem. Do you need a moment?"
"Yes. And you don’t have to wait for me."
Professor Hera paused, reading Kai’s eyes, and eventually nodded.
He needed time for himself, and she respected it.
"Just don’t wander around after you’re done. Go straight back to the other side."
"Yes, I will."
Once Professor Hera had gone, leaving the door ajar behind her—Kai turned back to face the mantle. The Eventide Mantle of Lifeblood. Salvation, hanging just a yard away, separated only by a thin pane of glass.
And yet, in that moment, it felt farther from him than anything ever had.
Just the thought of wearing the mantle gave him goosebumps.
It was a garment that would wash away his inferior status and elevate him to a higher class.
Kai reached out his hand and placed it against the glass.
"The moment I lay my hands on it—I’ve won. My first out of many victories against the cursed system that has choked the sky for countless years. For once, it will be wrong." His eyes blazed with quiet determination. "And when I wear this mantle, sister—know that I did this for you. My first offering."
No matter what happened.
He would win the Dragon Ring tournament and wear the Eventide Mantle of Lifeblood.
"Marvelous and grand, isn’t it?"
"Hm?"
Kai snapped his gaze over his shoulder when an unfamiliar voice reached his ears.
And he was surprised to find a few people were already inside the hall with him.
There were three people, to be exact, and based on their intricate masks, they must be seniors.
One among them stopped right beside Kai, but his gaze remained utterly fixed on the Eventide Mantle of Lifeblood within the egg-shaped glass. He clasped his hands behind his back. "The original. Forged from the skin of a Calamity-rank Star Beast that retained its fire affinity. Every mantle made after this one is merely an imitation. Lesser materials trying to mimic the original one. Shame."
Kai didn’t quite pay attention to what the senior had to say.
His eyes were fixated on the mantle that draped over one side of this senior’s frame.
It looked exactly the same as the mantle inside the glass.
And it also emanated heat that brushed against his skin.
"Are you...?"
"Yes, I won the Dragon Ring tournament—and became the Red Prince. But that was like four years ago."
Kai sucked in a cold breath.
He was not expecting to encounter others who had already achieved what he was setting out to achieve. These three seniors were all students who bore the Red Prince title. It was made very clear with the crimson mantle they were wearing.
Students who dominated their year were now standing near him, and it was nerve-wracking.
I can tell that these three are strong. Far stronger than Asher and his squad.
None of them were emanating any mana, but that only made it worse.
How strong are they that he couldn’t sense their mana?
Seniors from the Second Sky were already far stronger than anyone in the First Sky—but these three stood even higher. Kai couldn’t gauge their exact strength, yet instinct told him they had already reached the Aspirant Supernal rank.
Perhaps already deep into that rank.
He quickly shook his head, snapping from his trance.
"You already graduated?"
"We’ve all graduated. Just stopped by to file some reports—and thought we would reminisce and visit this place while we were here." He paused; his gaze lingered on the mantle. "When a student becomes a Red Prince, they’re given an imitation to keep. But during the ceremony, the academy uses the original. And that ceremony is held right outside where the dragon was, to honour those who came before us."
"It’s quite a big deal." Another senior chimed in from behind.
He, too, is wearing the same mantle.
"Quite a big deal? It’s the biggest deal during our years in the First Sky." The third senior said with a loud snort; there was pride in his tone. "Nothing even came close to the ceremony held to appoint a new Red Prince."
"Are you a participant in your year’s Dragon Ring tournament?" the senior beside him asked.
"Y-Yes." Kai nodded nervously. "I am."
"I see. Good luck to you, then. It’s really a big deal to become a Red Prince, so do your best."
"May I ask what the good things about being a Red Prince are?"
"First, the dessert. You get a dessert for every meal." The senior answered without hesitation, almost like that was the one privilege he wanted the most. "Other than that, you won’t need to mine again and would get allocated legal mana ores per week."
"Chicks dig you instantly, too." The second senior nodded repeatedly.
"Come on, man. You’re making us look bad." The third senior tugged the third with his elbow.
"Am I wrong, though? I can practically toss a legal mana ore to a chick—and they’ll open their legs for me."
"That’s not true. Don’t listen to him, kid. Don’t let him infect you with his perversion."
"Not true? Okay, then. It’s not true."
Kai smiled sheepishly.
He thought the students who became Red Princes were dangerous and cold—but he forgot that they were also normal people, too. They shared the same fixation to grow stronger; that’s how they won.
But other than that, they are different people.
"Enough banter," the senior beside Kai cast a faint nod to him—and turned. "We have things to do. I only said that we can only look for a minute, and it’s not already more than a minute."
The seniors headed out after two of them grumbled.
Complaining that they didn’t need to be in a rush, but they followed the first senior anyway.
They advanced shoulder-to-shoulder with the first senior striding slightly ahead of the other two—who were still grumbling under their breaths. Their crimson mantles rippled in elegant waves, flowing with the precise, disciplined movements of their battle-hardened bodies.
Kai could tell instantly.
He might have faced death multiple times already, but these three had faced death tens, if not hundreds, of times already. And now, they were walking swords that were unbreakable even in the most dangerous situation.
Just as they reached the exit, Kai called out to them.
"I have one question!"
All three stopped and turned at the same time, waiting for the question.
Kai paused for a moment, arranging the question inside his mind, before he spoke again.
"How do I guarantee my victory in the Dragon Ring tournament? What do I need to prepare before the tournament day?"
Hearing the question made the seniors laugh; even the first senior, who looked calm and kind from the start, couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. The three of them seemed to be reminded of something in their past.
Perhaps they remembered how they were back then, similar to Kai.
"That depends entirely on your strength, kid."
"Maybe pray to the Gods for help."
Two seniors continued out of the hall, leaving only the first senior.
He stared at Kai for a long moment before finally opening his mouth. "If you still believe that victory is decided on the day of the tournament, then you have already lost. Right now, in this moment, the tournament already started."
Slowly—he turned away and pointed at his own eyes with his index finger. "You just have to be able to see it."
Once he said that, he turned and left.
His frame disappeared from the entrance, leaving Kai alone with his thoughts.
The tournament... already started?
Moments later.
Even after contemplating what the senior said, Kai still didn’t know what it meant.
Kai decided that his mind would probably be more refreshed when he was mining or hunting, so he saved it for later. After encountering the seniors, he returned to his room for the first time in months.
He was going to shower before meeting up with the others and visit Talitha.
Not coming home for months made him feel a little bit guilty.
Talitha must’ve felt really lonely and also worried about him, as he never did this before.
As he walked down the staircase, Talitha gradually came into view.
She was standing in the middle of the room, eyes widening to finally see him again.
Just as he reached the bottom and was about to open his mouth, a knock came from the door.