Chapter 4: LEVERAGE

A month before the entrance exams to universities, students visited their schools to gain access to dungeons to gain experience on how to handle monsters as well as better understanding of their talent and skills. Aaron went to school, not to queue for some F grade or E grade dungeons, that will be too insulting to him. He only went there to get his awakened ID card from the school so he could go for some real dungeon. His crimson eyes glinted, his blood humming at the thought of crushing high-tier beasts with his blood manipulation.

Skyhold School buzzed with mana, the air thick with the scent of rune-forged gear and teenage bravado, the halls alive with students prepping for dungeon runs. Aaron strode in, his vampire aura turning heads, whispers trailing him like a boss mob’s aggro, his boots echoing on the mana-charged floor.

"Wow. You really came to school today. You know, there is really no need to come to school," Leo held Aaron by the shoulder, shoving him playfully, his grin wide under the school’s mana-lit ceiling.

"Why won’t I? Today is the day we get our awakeners ID card," Aaron stared at Leo like a complete moron, his crimson eyes glinting with mock annoyance.

Leo on the other hand was speechless. "That’s the reason you came? You have no talent bro! No one’s going to give you an ID card!" Leo said bluntly, his voice echoing in the crowded hall.

That’s how he and Aaron rolled, give the other the truth. If the other is pissed, well shove a middle finger on his face without care. Aaron grinned, loving the raw honesty of their bro dynamic, his vampire composure steady as stone.

"Tsk, and I thought you were smart. Without the ID card I can’t enroll for a university, plus I can’t even visit the dungeon!" Aaron shot back, his tone sharp but playful.

"Obviously! You are talentless dude! That’s how it ought to be!" Leo laughed, shaking his head.

"Lol! Not for me. Watch and see, I will be getting an ID card today!" Aaron said, his confidence unshaken, his blood thrumming with power.

"Tsk. Let’s see then...by the way, why do you look more good looking! You know girls won’t accept you just from look alone, strength matters bro!" Leo teased, nudging him.

"Says the ugly gorilla that has nothing but a mediocre strength as his only hope of finding true love," Aaron countered, claiming the victory of the round, his smirk wide as Leo laughed, conceding defeat.

Aaron and Leo sat beside each other, waiting for their turn to receive their ID card, the hall buzzing with students’ whispers and the hum of mana-charged walls.

"What’s Aaron doing here? Baka! He just wants to disgrace himself!" a student sneered, voice carrying over the crowd.

"Tell me about it! I never knew he was so thick skinned!" another added, smirking.

"Let’s watch him disgrace himself!" a third chimed in, their chatter growing louder.

The teacher in charge of distributing the ID card said with coldly to Aaron, "Aaron, what are you doing here? You are not qualified to receive a card from us. You have no talent!" Daniel’s Lionheart clan badge gleamed, his sneer fueled by Aaron’s takedown of Lily, his clan’s princess.

One perk of being a vampire Primogenitor was the ability to perfectly control his emotions. Aaron’s crimson eyes stayed cool, unshaken. "Why would I be here teacher? I want an ID card as well. Where’s mine?" he asked composed, his voice steady.

"You have no ID card, leave at once!" The teacher yelled at Aaron, his face twisting with disdain.

He saw the current situation as an opportunity to embarrass Aaron and get even for his clan princess. "Be careful who you yell to, your Job is on the line," Aaron warned coldly, his eyes narrowing with a predatory glint.

"Yeah, a talentless bastard like you will scare me. How classic," the teacher bit back, his smirk venomous.

"I want to talk to the principal! I have decided to withdraw the financial support my parent had placed on Skyhold school!" Aaron yelled at the top of his voice, his words heard by everyone, the hall falling silent as mana seemed to still in the air.

Everyone froze on Aaron’s words, the teachers, the students and staff all around, their faces pale under the mana-lit ceiling.

"Oi, is Aaron serious? I mean does he have such power?" A student seriously asked, sweat forming at the back of his neck, his voice trembling.

"I mean it’s his parent money. Just a little jab on the media and the government will have no choice than to accept Aaron’s decision. It’s his parent’s money after all and they are still very well respected by the world," another student explained, glancing nervously at Aaron.

"Let’s go Leo. I need to have a word with the state governor on how my parent’s money should be spent," Aaron stood to his feet, prepared to move, his boots echoing on the mana-charged floor.

"What now? Why block my path teacher?" Aaron asked, narrowing his eyes and feigning weakness, his voice loud. "Perhaps, you plan to hit me badly till I faint? If only my parent didn’t choose to save humanity and sacrifice theirself in that dungeon I wouldn’t be subjected to this much humiliation. They should have just allowed humanity die!"

"That’s not my intention," the teacher said, stepping backwards, his face paling. He couldn’t afford to touch Aaron, especially when Aaron pulled that card. It wasn’t just his life, but he life of his clan that would be in danger if he pushed further.

As a seasoned business man, Aaron got to know of his parent’s achievement and fame along their wealth from Leo’s intel yesterday. He knew very well the act of leveraging on an influential beings name. It had always been one of the way to catapult yourself to greatness as a business man. *Like flipping a corporate deal back on Earth,* he thought, his vampire composure hiding a sly grin.

Leo stared at Aaron with pride welling up within him. He couldn’t believe his friend was standing for himself, and so easily, his respect growing under the hall’s glowing runes.

Boom! The door to the hall was swinged open forcefully by the principal, his face drenched in sweat, the mana in the air crackling with his urgency. The principal scanned the hall worriedly, his impatient and fidgeting behavior made it obvious the reason for his entrance.

"Young master Aaron!" The principal called sharply after spotting Aaron, his 180° change in the way he addressed drawing cold breaths from everyone present. Skyhold’s survival hinged on Aaron’s parents’ funds—80% of its budget, fueling scholarships, elite awakener teachers, and mana-forged gear. Losing that would collapse the school, leaving students without perks and staff without paychecks.

"Principal? Good day sir. The trash and shame of your school wishes to leave, thank you very much," Aaron said curtly, walking towards the exit, his jacket catching the light of the mana-lit hall.

"Trash? What nonsense are you talking about? You are our most prized student!" The principal sweet talk Aaron, his voice desperate.

"Principal it was you that called him trash few days ago_" a honest student was forced to keep his mouth shut from a single glare by the principal, the air tensing.

"Oh? Is that so? But your most prized student isn’t worthy to receive an awakening ID card," Aaron said with a smile on his face. His words on the otherhand was icy cold.

"What?! Who dares?! Daniel! Give Aaron an ID card now! Register him at once!" the principal yelled, his face red with panic.

"But sir, he isn’t an awakened, I don’t think_"

"Do you not hear me?! Give it to him now!" The principal yelled, his voice echoing.

"Yes sir. Wait for a moment Aaron, I will need some minutes to register you on the database_"

"Oh? Principal, did you hear him? He called me Aaron, but you called me young master. By chance is Daniel higher ranked than you or was the young master you said bullshit?" Aaron said, his voice sharp.

"Daniel! How dare you address the young master so rudely! Apologize and address him properly!" The principal yelled at Daniel, his panic palpable.

Daniel was about to explode in anger, but forced himself against it. "I’m sorry young master. Please give me a minute so I can register you on the database," Daniel bowed lightly amidst the humiliation, his face red.

"Alright, don’t waste my time. I don’t have all day," Aaron didn’t hold back in humiliating Daniel, his crimson eyes glinting. He wasn’t one to pick on others, a very gentle soul while on earth. But when you stepped on him, he doesn’t hold back in his payback.

"So young master concerning your decision?" the principal asked, sweat dripping.

"What decision? Principal I was merely joking! I obviously wouldn’t do such a thing! My parent decided to support the institution financially. It was all for the future, I’m not a selfish man," Aaron said jovially, taking his seat like he hadn’t just caused an uproar.

Few minutes later he was handed his ID card alongside Leo, the mana-etched plastic glinting in his hand, its runes pulsing faintly.

"Young master if you will wait behind for the starters support _"

"Come now teacher. It’s my parent’s money that’s making the support possible. I definitely don’t need such low quality support," Aaron clapped back, taking his leave with Leo, the hall’s mana hum fading as they stepped into Skyfall City’s neon-lit streets.

"Woah. Aaron seems to have changed. Was he ever that bold and confident?" A student asked, as he stared at Aaron’s departing back, the city’s neon glow framing his silhouette.

"Nope. He was always scared and frightened by every little thing. In the end the son of a god will always be a god huh?" Another replied, shaking his head under the hall’s mana-lit ceiling.

"That aside, Am I the only one who has noticed that Aaron looks even more handsome?" A female student couldn’t hold herself back, blushing as her friends nodded, staring.

Lily watched the whole ordeal, her face unreadable. Aaron had changed, she could tell better than anyone and it seemed to happen after his failed awakening. *Hmph! I will show him!* She said angrily, recalling Aaron’s insulting words thrown at her. Her face slowly softened, she couldn’t deny it, she didn’t hate the current bold, confident and witty Aaron, and his handsome face that made him look so cool today.... Her thoughts drifted, picturing his crimson eyes, her heart skipping a beat.

"Damn bastard! I hope he last till the University enrollment test! I swear I’m going to deal with him so badly!" Dan said coldly, clutching his hands tightly, his knuckles whitening in the mana-lit hall, his rage simmering like a dungeon beast’s.

"Wow, Aaron that was so cool! Why haven’t you used your parents’ name all these while?" Leo asked, his face lit up with respect as they walked through Skyfall’s neon streets, the city’s mana-charged air buzzing around them.

Aaron refrained from saying anything, planning his next course of action for the future. With his lucky spin system, growing till he was unrivaled was set in stone, all he needed was time, and to get as much time as possible, he would have leverage with his parents’ name which remained potent despite their demise. I will investigate the course of your death when I’m strong enough, he thought to himself, believing at least that much was necessary of him if he was to repay them for using their name. His Earth businessman instincts sensed a conspiracy behind that SSS-grade dungeon, a secret buried in Blue Star’s shadows.