stakes - gambling with gods.

Chapter 8 Unveiling The Dark Cycle

Elsie's curiosity prompted her to inquire, "What would happen if someone were to attempt using more than 52 cards? Surely, there must have been numerous individuals who have made such an attempt."

Professor Devon nodded and responded, "Indeed, Elsie. There have been numerous cases of individuals daring to surpass the allotted 52 cards. However, those who ventured beyond this limit mysteriously vanished without a trace. Initially, these disappearances went largely unnoticed, given the vast population. However, fortune-or perhaps misfortune-smiled upon us when one of the most prominent figures attempted to utilize the elusive 53rd card in front of a sizable audience. This triggered a massive empire-wide search effort, spanning continents, with the goal of locating the missing individual and ensuring justice."

Curiosity piqued, I interjected, "Who was this person, Professor?"

"The individual in question was none other than the third emperor, the son of the second emperor, and the only human to have come close to rivalling the second emperor's power. Following his mysterious disappearance, no one has dared to tread upon the forbidden territory of the 53rd card. If even the mightiest of deck users cannot venture into its realm, then the rule of limiting oneself to 52 cards for a lifetime stands firm."

"Next are bloodliners, often referred to as half-bloods. These individuals possess a unique ability to harness the power of different races through the infusion of their blood. However, it's important to note that bloodliners can only align themselves with a single race throughout their lifetime, similar to deck users. The process they undergo is relatively straightforward. They initially utilize the blood of the desired race with the lowest possible purity. As they age, their bloodline naturally refines itself, or they can employ various methods to expedite the refinement process, ultimately aiming for the highest purity level attainable. Interestingly, bloodliners with maximum purity often surpass the power of their original race counterparts. Paradoxically, the lower the purity of the blood, the more potent the individual becomes. While bloodliners, as a group, do not possess any visible weaknesses, they inherit the same weaknesses as their chosen race, making it unique for each bloodliner."

"You mentioned that one of our groupmates is a bloodliner and magician. Who are they? Is it that arrogant brat bloodliner and Charlotte the magician?" Elsie asked, her tone sharp.

"Maybe, or maybe not. Who knows?" Devon replied nonchalantly.

"So, it's just as I suspected," she muttered under her breath.

"How did she figure that out without knowing them or asking them?" Robbie asked me silently.

"No idea," I whispered back the response.

"Alright, enough with the speculations. We have one class left to cover: ability users. This class is as unique as bloodliners and deck users, but they possess an ability instead of relying on cards or blood. This particular class is commonly referred to as the "rule-breakers" because its members do not adhere to conventional rules and norms. Unlike other classes, they possess unique qualities and abilities that allow them to operate outside the boundaries of traditional regulations. These abilities are often vague, which means their application is equally unclear. Each ability is easy to comprehend but challenging to grasp its limits. Let me give you an example: my ability is simply paper creation. It's a vague concept, yet easy to understand. However, the true extent of this ability remains unknown. Allow me to demonstrate." Devon rose from his seat and revealed a square-shaped, green-colored object.

"As of now, I can only create this much of it. Do you know what it is? Of course not. This is 'opsite,' the third hardest metal known to us. It has the incredible capability of draining mana from any spell. Just a small piece like this can effectively block spells from a tier-5 magician. This piece is just a paper, paper made from opsite metal instead of normal tree. Do you realise how powerful this class is. However, the drawback of this class is that we can't learn from others or take shortcuts. Abilities have no repetition or duplication, ever. Do you have any questions about what we've covered so far? You only get one question, so make it count," Devon announced while settling back down.

I raised my hand and asked, "What about those who are not humans? We were taught that there are many non-human individuals living among us. Are there a large number of them in the army?"

Devon chuckled before responding, "Ah, yes, the non-humans. It's nearly impossible to have non-humans serving under you. There are specific rules and regulations regarding their involvement, which you'll learn outside of the academy, we can't teach every basic thing here, right? But in rare cases, treat them similarly to bloodliners, just two stars weaker. Is that explanation clear to you?" I nodded in understanding.

Elsie, determined as ever, interrupted with a weighty question, "Is this related to the past massacre? Are non-humans being enslaved and used by the royal family or nobles? Or has their population decreased to the point where it's unlikely to encounter them in our ranks?"

Devon locked eyes with Elsie, as if trying to intimidate her. However, she stood her ground, unfazed. After a moment, he broke the eye contact and shifted his gaze between me and Robbie. "She's quite fiery, isn't she? And why do you ask such challenging questions that are difficult to answer?"

Before Elsie could respond, Devon continued, "But I will fulfil my promise and provide an answer. Yes, it is directly related to the massacre. And yes, the slaves used by nobles and royals are mostly non-humans. But those slaves are people who attempted to rebel against the empire. And again yes, their numbers have indeed dwindled due to a lack of younger individuals. You won't find many tier-1 or 2 non-humans. Any questions, Robbie?" Devon swiftly redirected the conversation to Robbie, likely to avoid further inquiries from Elsie.

Robbie hesitated before speaking, "Not for now, they already asked what I wanted to know. Can I carry this question over to the next part and ask two questions instead of one?"

"No, you must ask one now," Devon firmly replied.

Robbie finally posed his question, "Who are we fighting against? If I recall correctly, the continents are far apart, and you mentioned that most of the fights over the sea have concluded and are now used for training purposes. So, what is this training for? The royal family should already be powerful enough to handle rebels, so it can't be them. And what is the purpose of the army and the frontline that Professor Reed mentioned? Essentially, who will be our enemies?"

Robbie's question left me slightly shocked, and Elsie appeared visibly sceptical. Devon, however, closed his eyes and smiled.

"You're all quite perceptive. You two have a knack for picking up hints, and you," he paused briefly, leaving me uncertain of his meaning, "well, we'll see. There was really no need to ask this question since I planned to explain it after instructing you on a few things. But since it has been brought up, let's skip ahead in our discussion."

"When the first group of people arrived in this land, they discovered that they were not alone. The world was already inhabited by numerous beasts. The initial groups made continuous efforts to establish habitable settlements and cities. However, every time they reached a certain level of progress, they would be viciously attacked by these beasts. To make matters worse, every time the beasts would devour members of the first group, they would absorb their essence and power, growing stronger with each consumption. It was a disturbing cycle where the beasts thrived on the strength and life force of the humans who dared to settle in their territory. This relentless feeding allowed the beasts to evolve and adapt, becoming formidable adversaries for the human settlers. It seemed that consuming the members of the first group fuelled their growth. The phenomenon perplexed the early explorers and added to the challenges they faced in establishing stable communities in this new world. This pattern repeated itself on all three continents, except for the northern continent, where such occurrences were absent."

"However, among the vast number of beasts, there were seven creatures that stood out from the rest. They were soon able to gain intelligence. With the beasts gaining intelligence, a significant turning point occurred in our struggle. As they developed their own organized groups, it inadvertently bought us precious time to establish ourselves and create a sanctuary of safety. In the midst of this crisis, all races present banded together, united by the common goal of survival. Cooperation prevailed as we fought against the looming threat. However, as a semblance of peace settled, a sinister shift occurred. Betrayal and conflict consumed the races, leading to internal strife, chaos, and widespread destruction. "

"Seizing the opportune moment, the beasts launched a relentless, all-out assault, capitalizing on the vulnerability of divided factions. Tragically, the resulting carnage claimed the lives of every individual caught in the devastating onslaught. Repeatedly, the same tragic sequence unfolded. Unaware of the atrocities that had occurred before, each incoming group fell into the cunningly devised trap laid by the seven beasts. Ignorant of the history of relentless attacks and subsequent annihilation, the newcomers unwittingly played their part in the creatures' sinister scheme. The beasts, with their calculated strategies and predatory instincts, capitalized on the ignorance of the unsuspecting arrivals, ensnaring them in a cycle of destruction and despair. The vicious cycle perpetuated, claiming the lives of countless victims who unknowingly walked into the waiting jaws of their ruthless adversaries. "

The three students were taken aback by the revelation, their faces displaying a mix of surprise and disbelief.

"Wait a minute. If these beasts were continuously killing every incoming group, how do you possess this knowledge? Furthermore, in our history class, it was mentioned that the second emperor successfully conquered all non-human races, implying that they were already settled and had established cities of their own. If these beasts were relentlessly attacking, how were the non-human races able to create cities and ensure their safety? It stands to reason that over time, the beasts would have grown stronger and more intelligent," Elsie inquired, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"An excellent question, Elsie. You're not leaving any stone unturned. After a certain period, the attacks from the beasts subsided. They became less aggressive and purposeless, almost mindless in their actions. This changes coincided with the rise of the second emperor, who pushed the beasts back towards the current frontline. However, that's the extent of what I can share with you for now. To delve deeper into the subject, I encourage you to attend the geography class," Devon replied.

"As for your initial question, Elsie, we didn't uncover the details of what transpired in the past. It is largely speculative and based on the accounts provided by the Northern Empire. The beasts were solely not wreaking havoc in the Northern Empire; their presence was widespread. The initial group that arrived in the Northern Empire comprised extraordinary beings of immense power, including dragons and angels. These individuals possessed remarkable abilities and strength, making them a force to be reckoned with. They managed to eliminate every beast on their continent. Through their firsthand experiences and knowledge, they provided us with information regarding the strength of these creatures, their potential for growth, and how they gained intelligence. It was through this information, coupled with our understanding of magic, that we were able to piece together the puzzle and arrive at our current understanding," Devon explained, shedding light on the origins of their knowledge.