"You did a good job, Bel. I think you are redefining what historians can or can't do for our generation. Hehe."
Becky praised her team's historian. The group was going to have a meal together before setting off in their respective directions. Despite their wishes to hang out together, all of them were busy with their work. So compulsory ranking battles like these also became their respite to meet and greet each other.
"Hehe. I just followed Eren's advice and started conjuring apparitions every time I had some free time. Well, my roommate complained because he started hearing ghost noises.
In the end, she… she left me alone before cursing me. Saying that I would marry a ghost. I… I guess it was all worth it now."
Bel scratched the back of his head and adjusted his specs while he said that. Becky and Renita looked at each other and sighed after they heard Bel's roommate had left him. They knew that the guy had started developing a crush on her. And yet, he didn't stop his practice of conjuring even at her behest.
Some sacrifices were necessary to walk steadfastly on the rankers' path. Bel had his sacrifices. So did others who had tasted the fruits of success.
"Bel, my man. Don't wowwy about that hoe. I'll hook you up with this big boobs chick I know. She'd be the pewfect match fow you."
Ramy Richards chimed in after hearing Bel's story. Becky scrunched her nose and Renita coughed when they overheard the loudmouth speak some derogatory words. Becky was about to reprimand Ramy once again. And Bel was about to register his willingness to embark on such a blind date with Ramy's contact in a low voice. Just then, they heard a familiar voice.
"Yo. I heard you had a ranking battle today. So I came by to say hello."
Someone had used mana to make their voice travel long distances without getting loud. White Raven members turned at 3 O'clock to the source of the voice and saw a huge boar strolling in their direction. Someone was sleeping on that huge boar's back while drinking from the wine pot.
Boar Rush.
In the next moment, the boar that was away from them came within a few meters of distance from them and stopped walking. It blew its nose and let its master know that they had arrived at their intended spot.
Steve jumped from his demon beast and landed in front of his friends with a broad grin on his face. Ramy was the first one to reach, seeing his team's fabled berserker.
Steve's demon beast was a ferocious-looking boar who acted tamed when he was surrounded by his teammates. He had a mix of orange, white, and dark brown fur, as well as two huge tusks. His eyes were red and menacing. Add to the fact that he was 3 meters tall and some four meters long. Intimidating was the only word the first-year students could describe Steve's demon beast with.
Despite his wild looks, the demon beast had received a cute name from Steve. Wilbur. Wilber received pats from Renita and the rest before going away a bit to eat fresh green grass that was growing not too far from the group's rendezvous point.
"Hahaha. Steve, let's fight. I want to see how much I impwoued. A knight versus a bewsewkew. I was looking fow you anyway.
A wowthy opponent. Ouw battle will be legen…"
Steve had creases on his forehead as he listened to Ramy's naked challenge. The creases increased each time he spoke words that had R in them.
"DARY.!"
Steve spoke the last part of legendary himself so that he wouldn't have to listen to Ramy's version. Then he sighed and let the matter go. He had heard Ramy speak even worse words with his speech impediment after all.
The rest of the White Raven greeted Steve with almost equal enthusiasm as Ramy. The guy had become an overnight sensation when he successfully bound himself to a demon beast.
Steve had gotten his hands on a beast contract spell in the first year. After the battle against the boar horde, he decided to sign a contract with one of the mana beasts.
He needed a suitable mana beast to sign the beast contract with. Therefore, he had decided to visit the same place where his team had fought the boar horde in the past.
When Steve reached the place, his luck peaked. He was able to bind with a demon beast who was trying to evolve into the Adept rank. Of course, he had to take some risks in achieving this feat. And he was heavily injured because of having to penetrate deep into the woods surrounded by mana beasts. The demon beast kept these animals there as perimeter detail so he could go through his evolution in silence.
But at the end of his ordeal, Steve had gotten his hands on the demon beast who was a whole rank ahead of him. Add to the fact that the demon beast was a deviant of its race, which enabled Steve to boost his body stats as his tamer.
The demon beast was an apt fit for a berserker like Steve. It also had its unique powers that allowed Steve to dominate the battlefield spectacularly even without getting his demon beast directly involved in fights.
It was not that Steve depended heavily on his status as a demon beast tamer. He had also worked hard to earn the title given to him. The guy had made an impression on everyone who saw him fight with his tireless efforts and his luck.
Several first-year students followed Steve's actions since he was thrust into the limelight. Somehow they had come to know that Steve liked eating burgers and fries before going off on missions.
Steve's followers had somehow convinced themselves that this "warrior diet" was one of the key ingredients behind his success. So they started eating mortal food too.
But then, most of them started gaining weight despite being rankers because of the sheer quantity of the food they ate. In summary, Steve's followers determined that the diet only suited Steve.
Steve had already fought his battles. He was scheduled for his on-field assignment too. Eren was very particular about White Raven members getting real-life battle experiences. Steve was sure that the guy would have forced them to take on-field assignments one way or the other if any of them showed disinterest.
The White Raven members decided to change their meeting location since the first-year students had started to gather around Steve. The life of a celebrity wasn't something Steve was comfortable with.
***
"So guys, when are you leaving?"
Steve asked his team members while having a burger and fries. The members had gotten used to legend Steve's not-so-legendary eating habits at this point.
"I'll be leaving in 3 days. Lufthansa Duchy."
As Renita ate her fill, she said. Her assignment was there. Others reported their respective timeframes and locations. None of them had been appointed at Nightshade Duchy because other duchies had been prioritized by the kingdom at this point.
"That scheming bastard left early. I don't know how many people he must have swindled by now in the Nightshade duchy."
Steve chuckled when he remembered Eren. Renita had a frown on her face when she heard Steve talk about Eren in a derogatory way. Steve saw her face and commented.
"It's fine, Renita. It's how we address each other. Err... Just don't tell Eren I called him that maybe."
Steve said and chuckled. Becky comforted Renita too by rubbing her arms and adding on.
"Don't worry. We will all be able to see each other by the end of the second year. "That" event is coming. We better be prepared.
Otherwise, the ones Eren will be scheming against will be us. Hehehe"
Renita chuckled when she heard Becky's remark. She knew that Becky had said this thing in passing. But there was some truth to it too. One had to be extremely diligent in their ranking progress to stay with a driven man like that "scheming bastard".
'I must catch up with him.'
Unbeknownst to them, the White Raven members present and absent at the scene had the same thought at this instant while doing whatever they could to progress in their respective ranking journeys. Progressing at their own pace.
