Chains Of Pride

"My S-Class seat? Are you mad!?"

Kia's words were like a bucket of cold water to the face. Ab'hig Eediatt even forgot about the glove that Kia slapped him in the face with.

"No, I'm perfectly sane, and I am also a gentleman."

Eediatt roared in anger, "Your mother is a gentleman!!"

"Uhm, thank you?"

"Do you think it's so easy to become an S-Class Digium!? That you can create a good Armis and voilà, instant A-Class!? How naïve!" He sneered.

"Let me tell you something, child!" Eediatt continued. "The journey from A-Class to S-Class is harder than crawling from D-Class to A-Class ten times over!"

Kia remained unperturbed. His calm demeanour and lack of response only served to enrage Eediatt more.

However, Eediatt's reaction to this was completely justified. Just becoming a B-Class Digium alone at Cendo Academy is enough to grant you tremendous amounts of respect wherever one went.

That level of achievement is so highly sought after because it meant you were standing at the front of the advancement of the world.

This alone showed the difference between the classes of Digiums, and it was even more apparent in a Novare institution as distinguished as Cendo.

An A-Class Digium from Cendo Academy could meet with small country leaders on demand, while S-Class Digiums were not existences that even large country leaders could meet that easily.

That was the kind of existence that Kia was looking down on right now. It didn't even seem that he was being arrogant while he was doing it, it just seemed completely natural, as if it was meant to be.

"Fine, then how about this, you and I we can have a bet!"

"A bet?" Kia asked, slightly curious.

"That's right! Once you fail to become an S-Class Digium after the creation of your Armis, you will join my group being completely under my command."

It was Kia's turn to raise an eyebrow, "and if I do…"

"Pfft," Eediatt scoffed at Kia's confidence. No one knew how much blood, sweat and tears he had shed to become an S-Class Digium.

He was well aware that under the civilised guise of Cendo Academy, these seemingly serene digiums were all cutthroats and blood thirsty dogs!

Even his so-called inner circle of followers and the magnitude of digiums that apparently worshipped him would step atop his bones if they ever got the chance.

So it was no surprise that he didn't believe that Kia had the mettle "Tell you what, if you win, I will be your followe-"

"And I'm gonna stop you right there, I don't want you as a follower. There is no need for me to bestow that kind of honour upon you. If I win, just disappear for me. Never see me, if you espy me on the right side of the road, cross to the left. When I'm walking high, crawl low and we'll be good," Kia said with nary a change in his expression.

"Good, good, good!" He said good three times, his features twisted with rage. "If you are so capable, then do it. I want to see what kind of Armis you can produce that will allow the Academy to choose you over me! Let's see who they appreciate more!"

As he spoke, he remembered something else, "Also, connections don't count, so don't go saying that just because you found some company with a surplus of Divinus Plasma that it counts for anything!" With those last words, he stormed off in a huff.

Few people knew that Kia not only perfected the creation of Divinus Plasma. He even created a mini generator for the thing so that it could lace the blade that God's Code used.

"Big brother?" Haru looked up at his brother with a hint of worry.

The woman who followed Haru stared at Eediatt's retreating figure for a long time before she directed her gaze at Kia, "Don't you think that was a bit rash, accepting a bet like that?"

"Don't worry, I don't make decisions at the moment's heat. In the beginning, I was going to give that Magenai Tamashi an okay Armis, but now I have to bust out the big guns."

He looked down at his little brother, "Haru, can you give me a few more days to-"

"Big brother you promised you'd hang out with Haru! Did Haru do anything to make big brother not want to hang out with him?" Though Haru was only eleven years old, one could see the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

Kia rapped his knuckles atop his little brother's head causing the little one to look down, "Hmph, don't try to push out those crocodile tears in front of me, you little brat. I'm sure you don't want your brother to be l.i.c.k.i.n.g anyone's boot heel now do you?"

He heard nothing as his little brother continued looking down.

Kia smiled and asked again, "Do you?"

"No…" Haru reluctantly replied.

"Good little brother," Kia said, ruffling Haru's hair. He looked to the same woman, who came with Haru, "I'll have to trouble you to look after this one."

"It's of no trouble to me, I'll treat him like I would my own little brother," she said as she dotingly looked upon Haru.

"You have siblings?" Kia asked, curious about her choice of words.

When she heard this, she only smiled and said nothing in response. Seeing that was she not willing to say more, Kia left it as is.

Eventually, the carrier's engine came to life as it summoned up a gentle gust of wind.

Kia saw the carrier off with his eyes before he let loose a sigh in contemplation. He only came back to when he heard the rhythmic cadence of footsteps faintly echoing behind him.

He turned his head to see Gero heading upstairs, back into the Creation facility. "Where are you going?"

"What the hell are you asking!? Would you get your a.s.s up here so we can finish this thing!" Saying this, Gero continued climbing the stairs before he disappeared into the shadows of the facility.

Kia himself didn't know why he asked Gero this, he knew the latter wouldn't have left him. Thinking of this, he only smiled bitterly to himself before he himself went inside to create something that could only shock and awe.

…

"You know, I don't know where you get your drive from?"

"What kind of thinking is that? You should be thankful that you're the only man that can get my motor running."

Takeshi could only sigh in relief when he heard her reply. They were pretty busy for the whole of yesterday and today as well.

They were enjoying the night as it painted the Academy in an aphotic countenance.

Even now, they were not at the mansion but were returning there after clearing up some variables that could make the day of the sequence tricker than it had to be.

They were now walking through one of the many forests that dotted the Academy.

Of course, Taliums at their levels didn't need to walk, but there was always something about nature that drew them in. Compelled them to slow down and enjoy the journey, whatever it may be.

Takeshi was explaining their strategy since they received critical information from the Organization, yet, before the Shepherd knew it, Vizio had deftly steered the discussion towards a different kind of strategy, hence the above conversation.

Vizio cutely pouted as she continued, "C'mon, seriously you're so stiff sometimes and not in a good way."

"Good God, woman! We're not even at the mansion yet! Control yourse-"

Suddenly, Takeshi stopped as his head whipped in a particular direction.

Seeing his abrupt and queer behaviour, Vizio couldn't help putting her guard up.

"What is it, what do you see- eeep!"

Takeshi suddenly grabbed Vizio by the hand, drawing a squeal from the latter.

Blindingly being led wasn't Vizio's style, but seeing Takeshi's determined gaze… well, more than normal determined gaze, she decided to say nothing.

After walking for over 5 minutes, the two high-ranking members of the Organization stepped to where the foliage and trees no longer flanked them as much as before.

As soon as Takeshi cleared away the last bit of greenery that blocked his view. He came upon what would be the most breathtaking scene.

If the heavens could create something, it would be the location before them. It was a grotto, but it was so stunning that it robbed the words defining beauty from the mouth of any soul.

This grotto exuded a sacred atmosphere as if they meant it for the celestials above. The limpid pools of crystal blue radiated a dim otherworldly glow that epitomised serenity.

There were flowers and plants that cropped up beyond the rocks that hosted the small pool, appearing like stars surrounding the moon.

To top it all off, above the pool the roof of the cave was an opening that was not too large nor too small. It featured a view of the night sky and all the brilliance it could offer, magnificent was the only way to describe it.

The cave mouth before them was the only way to reach the grotto, and its beauty stunned Vizio into wordlessness while Takeshi stared at it with a rarely seen warmth.

The appreciation that he held for this place was not small, and Vizio in particular was about to know this.

"T-Takeshi, wha-what is this pla-"

"You wanted me to take you right? Then let this be the place where I take you."