CHAPTER 205: START OF AN ALLIANCE.

"Because the Path Resonator isn’t just some random building," Nicholas explained, his voice taking on the tone of someone revealing a carefully guarded secret.

"It’s where they keep the advanced magical devices that can accelerate path comprehension drastically. It is an extremely valuable building that can only be constructed by a Tier 1 organization!

"Regular seniors get maybe two hours of supervised access per week during scheduled sessions as long as they had enough merits.

"But someone with after-hours access? They could spend entire nights in there, advancing their paths at double or triple the normal rate."

Creed’s expression shifted as the implications became clear.

"So while everyone else is limited to basic training schedules, someone with that kind of access could be developing advanced techniques and combat experience that would normally take months or years to acquire."

"Exactly," Nicholas confirmed. "And Marcus got that position not because he earned it through merit or exceptional ability, but because his family made a sizable donation to the academy’s scholarship fund and specifically requested that their son be given some kind of leadership role for his resume.

"He’s not particularly strong, not particularly clever, just well-connected and comfortable in his privileged position. Even with the extra access to this building, he is barely able to keep up with his peers."

"Which makes him a perfect target," Creed said, beginning to see the shape of Nicholas’s plan.

"Precisely. But here’s where the strategy gets really interesting," Nicholas continued, leaning forward with growing enthusiasm.

"We don’t just beat him up and take his lunch money like some common thugs.

"We orchestrate a situation where we can provoke him into attacking us first, document the entire encounter including both his aggression and our response, and then use that evidence as leverage to force him into a position where he has to share those privileges with us."

Creed was quiet for a moment, processing the complexity of what Nicholas was proposing.

"Walk me through the specifics. How exactly do we provoke someone into attacking us in a way that gives us the moral and legal high ground?"

Nicholas pulled out another tablet, this one showing what appeared to be architectural plans.

"Marcus has a routine. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, he visits the Path Resonator building alone to run private training sessions. He’s predictable, creatures of habit always are.

We position ourselves along his usual route, maybe engage in some loud conversation about how certain students don’t deserve their positions.

About how some people only have access to special privileges because of their family connections rather than actual merit."

"Bait him into responding," Creed said, nodding slowly.

"Right. But here’s the crucial part, we don’t just insult him randomly. We make very specific comments about the Academy Student Union Secretary position, about how it’s a waste of resources to give building access to someone who barely uses it effectively.

"Make it clear we know exactly what privileges he has and suggest that more deserving students should have that access instead."

Creed was beginning to see the elegant cruelty of the approach.

"So when he responds aggressively, it looks like he’s attacking students who were simply discussing academy resource allocation policies. Completely defensible on our part."

"Exactly. And here’s where it gets beautiful," Nicholas said, his smile taking on a predatory quality.

"We don’t just record him attacking us. We document the entire sequence—his aggression, our initial attempts to de-escalate, and then our defensive response that leaves him thoroughly beaten and humiliated.

"The recording shows a senior student abusing his position to attack underclassmen who were engaging in legitimate policy discussion, followed by those same underclassmen defending themselves with skill and restraint."

"Which creates leverage," Creed said, understanding dawning in his eyes.

"Massive leverage," Nicholas confirmed. "Because Marcus isn’t just risking his reputation if this gets out, he’s risking his position, his access to the Path Resonator, and potentially his standing with his family who specifically arranged for him to have a leadership role.

"The embarrassment of being beaten by freshmen would be bad enough, but losing his special privileges because of it? That’s the kind of failure that has consequences beyond just academy social politics."

Creed leaned back, impressed despite himself by the thoroughness of the plan.

"So instead of just threatening to release embarrassing footage, we’re threatening to expose abuse of institutional position and misuse of academy resources."

"Right. Which means when we approach him afterward, we’re not just common blackmailers.

"We’re concerned students who witnessed a senior abusing his authority and are willing to keep the incident private in exchange for mentorship and guidance in proper resource utilization,"

Nicholas said, his tone taking on mock sincerity that would have been convincing to anyone who didn’t know better.

"Mentorship that just happens to include access to the same privileges he’s been enjoying," Creed added with growing appreciation for the scheme’s elegance.

"Exactly. He makes us his official assistants for Student Union activities, which gives us legitimate access to the Path Resonator building and its training facilities.

"From the outside, it looks like a senior student taking promising underclassmen under his wing and providing them with valuable learning opportunities.

Completely above board and actually commendable from an institutional perspective. This way, we also get automatically exempted from the initiation since we are now part of the academy student authorities. Which means we have to act fast."

Creed was quiet for several minutes, turning the plan over in his mind like a jeweler examining a precious stone from multiple angles.

The beauty of it was in its completeness; it didn’t just solve the immediate problem of senior harassment, it turned that problem into an opportunity for advancement that would have lasting benefits throughout their academy careers.

"There’s one thing I want to understand," Creed said finally. "Why bring me into this? You could execute this plan solo and keep all the benefits for yourself.

"Why share the advantages with someone who might end up being your main competition for class rankings?"

Nicholas’s smile didn’t waver, but this time it came with a sharp edge that suggested deeper currents beneath the surface charm.

He paused, looking around the villa again with its floating furniture and crystalline decorations, then back at Creed with calculating eyes.

"There’s a bigger game going on here than just academy rankings and class captain positions.

"This place is designed to produce the next generation of leaders for the Hope Alliance—people who will command armies, govern territories, and make decisions that affect entire civilizations.

"The connections and alliances we form here, the reputation we build, the skills we develop? That’s what really matters in the long term."

Nicholas leaned forward, his voice taking on an intensity that made it clear this was more than just casual academy politics.

"I’m not interested in being just another successful graduate who gets a comfortable position in some Tier 2 DMA branch.

"I want to be someone who shapes the direction of entire bastions, who influences the course of history itself. And for that kind of ambition, I need allies who share that vision and have the capability to help make it reality."

Creed stared at him for a long moment, recognizing something of his own ruthless ambition reflected in Nicholas’s words.

There was danger in allying with someone who thought on such a scale, but there was also opportunity.

The kind of opportunity that only came from working with people who refused to accept limitations or settle for mediocrity.

Besides, he had his own plans as well...

Nicholas wasn’t the only one that could scheme. He would make sure his own interests were very secured.

At least, till their trust reached a certain level, he had to remain alert. Still, this was a huge opportunity.

Creed wasn’t a saint so he didn’t mind manipulating his target. Especially when such target also comes at him with nefarious intentions.

It was fair game.

Step one: Allow Nicholas believe he was the brain.

"Alright," Creed said finally, his decision crystallizing with the certainty of steel being forged.

He leaned back, a smile playing at his own lips now as he contemplated the possibilities. "When do we start?"

"Marcus follows his routine religiously," Nicholas said, consulting his tablet again.

"This Thursday evening, around eight o’clock, he’ll be making his usual walk to the Path Resonator building.

"We position ourselves along the route, have our conversation about resource allocation and merit-based access, and see how he responds to some pointed observations about his qualifications for his current position."

"And if he’s smarter than you think and doesn’t take the bait?"

Nicholas shrugged with casual confidence. "Then we try a different approach. Maybe we arrange for him to overhear us discussing how unfair it is that family connections can buy access to advanced training facilities.

"Or we make sure he sees us being turned away from the Path Resonator during regular hours while commenting loudly about how certain students get special privileges they don’t deserve."

"Multiple vectors of provocation," Creed said approvingly. "Good. It’s always better to have backup plans when you’re trying to manipulate someone into making a mistake."

"I’ve learned that the key to successful manipulation is making people think they’re choosing to do exactly what you want them to do," Nicholas said with the tone of someone sharing hard-won wisdom.

"Marcus will think he’s defending his honor and his position when he confronts us. He won’t realize he’s walking directly into a trap that will cost him everything he thinks he’s protecting."

The room fell into comfortable silence as both young men contemplated the elegant cruelty of what they were planning.

In the background, Lilith had finished sharpening her nails and was now examining them with professional satisfaction.

Tierra had moved on to a catalog of defensive magical items, and Meredith had somehow managed to balance not just an orange but also an apple on her hex while attempting to add a small crystal sphere to the arrangement.

"You know," Creed said finally, breaking the contemplative quiet, "I think this is going to be the start of a very interesting academic career."

Nicholas raised an imaginary glass in a mock toast. "To systematic institutional manipulation disguised as legitimate educational advancement."

"And to making sure that when we graduate from this place, we’re not just another batch of well-trained magical practitioners," Creed replied, matching the gesture.

"But the kind of people who understand how to acquire and wield real power."

"Now that," Nicholas said with genuine satisfaction, "is exactly the kind of ambition this academy is supposed to produce. They just don’t expect their students to be quite so creative about the methods."