Chapter 71: Ancient Demon of Gluttony Consumes
The Commander gathered the Blood Knights in a circle again but this time they were standing.
He swept his gaze and realized some of the first-years lacked sleep.
He grinned and said, "I’m pretty sure the Captain already briefed you about the life of a knight cadet, right?"
The first-years nodded.
The Commander was enraged by their behavior. He shouted. "Answer me!"
""Yes Commander!!""
Myles and others’ shouted simultaneously.
The Commander nodded. "However, every week, you must learn about the four courses first. Hence, for the next week, you must learn about the Crown Combat Doctrine. Your lifestyle for the next six months will be entirely different from your seniors. The daily life of the knight cadet is actually their daily life, too.
Except, third year and above could take missions outside of the Royal Academy."
Myles was surprised. He did not expect he would actually be able to leave the Royal Academy after sometime.
The Commander continued. "Now, we’ll go outside and gather in the Crown Crucible Arenas. Second-years and above, you can accompany us or do your own thing."
The Commander turned around and left the dormitory in silence, followed by the first-years while some knight sergeant and the knight captain.
...
They soon arrived in the Crown Crucible Arenas.
Myles saw it was not a single arena, but a cluster of modular combat arenas, each aligned to a specific crown.
There was also a cross-crown ring, where knights fight with unfamiliar doctrine.
As they proceeded on the Velvet Dominion Arena, the Commander said, "The knights do not train here to win. They train here to fight correctly."
The Commander stood in the arena beside the Commander of the Shadowbind Knights and Eidolon Sentinels.
Myles and other Blood Knights stood in formation beside the Eidolon Sentinels, with the Shadowbind Knight on the other end.
Myles was able to glance closely at the Eidolon Sentinels beside him. They were ethereal humanoids with glowing hair and translucent pupils. The more he stared at them, the more he felt he was slowly entering an illusion they exuded.
Myles quickly faced forward and clucked his tongue in annoyance.
He thought. My resistance against mental attacks sucks.
As he was drowned by his thoughts, the Eidolon Sentinels’ Commander said, "Welcome first-years. Today, we’ll teach you about the Crown Combat Doctrine?
So, what is this course about? It’s the study of how authority fights.
Every Crown in Nhar’zorath produces knights who fight according to its law, philosophy, and method of control. Thus, this course trains to fight within the Crown’s doctrine, survive against other Crown doctrines and adapt when doctrines clash or override one another.
Hence, fighting against the other knight races is inevitable.
That will happen in a week from now on. For now, let’s study the doctrine of the Crown of Velvet."
...
For the next hours, Myles learned that the Blood Knight must develop resistance against charm, so they wouldn’t get affected as soon as their master, the succubus, fights.
This was exactly why the Blood Knight was a perfect knight for the succubus.
After the lesson, the velvet knights—knights considering the Shadowbind Knights, Blood Knights, and Eidolon Sentinels—decided that the Blood Knights would train in the arena first.
The core doctrine for the Blood Knight was to develop charm resistance. It was not to rebel against their master, but to be strong enough to stand side by side with them.
All the Blood Knights, from the knight cadet until the knight captain, stood in the middle of the arena.
The arena’s stones glowed a faint light, wrapping the whole arena and the Blood Knights with the Law of Charm.
Myles possessing the affinity with the Law of Charm barely took an effect on him but as time went by, as the other Blood Knight lost their mind—falling to the floor, convulsing, Myles slowly felt the same as them.
As he was barely holding on, the Ancient Demon of Gluttony suddenly cleared his mind, by consuming and devouring the Law of Charm.
Myles was currently closing his eyes, so he was not aware that at this point, only he was standing still.
While the rest was already convulsing on the floor, suffering from the immense assault of the demonic energy of the Law of Charm.
It caused a widespread shock among the velvet knights, especially the Commanders.
"W-What is he doing?" The Commander of Eidolon Sentinels asked. He turned towards the Commander of the Blood Knights and asked, "Did you not tell him that the arena would only deactivate if it did not sense any resistance? If he continues to resist, while your other students are suffering, the consequence will be heavy."
The Commander of the Shadowbind Knight asked, "In the first place, how is he still holding on? Isn’t he a first-year? He endured longer than your sixth-year."
Some of the six-years were currently on a mission, and the current only six-year of the Blood Knights was also assigned to his juniors.
Nevertheless, for him to reach the sixth-year without getting an expulsion was an achievement... that any first-year should not be able to achieve yet.
However, Myles easily surpassed the six-year Blood Knight easily, by standing still for more than a minute already.
The Commander of the Blood Knight hesitated, not knowing what to do.
He swept his gaze and observed the convulsing Blood Knights.
He slowly began to realize... it was actually not bad for them.
He mumbled, "Not many of us developed a resistance higher than the supposed standard since we were unable to last long and the arena would instantly deactivate. However, now, an irregular Blood Knight appeared, he lasted longer to the point he might jeopardize the life of his fellow Blood Knights."
He paused for a while before continuing. "But, I’m not worried. This might actually be an opportunity for others to develop a resistance that would help their master instead of holding their master back."
The other Commanders were silent.
They gazed intently at Myles and the Eidolon Sentinel Commander said, "It’s strange. He’s wearing an artifact, so he can’t be a real Blood Knight. He is not a succubus either, because the Law of Charm were barely resonating with him.
But instead, they’re as if being devoured by him..."