"So the military is interested in recruiting ? That seems optimistic considering I’ve been systematically killing people and building a criminal empire."
"They don’t care about the criminal empire aspect as much as you’d think. From their perspective, you’re demonstrating exactly the kind of strategic thinking, ruthless efficiency, and leadership ability they value in special operations commanders."
Seraphina’s expression grew more serious.
"But it’s not just the military. The SFD has also been monitoring you very closely. They’re sending a specialized team here specifically to keep tabs on your activities. They moved Officer Brian Oleaf, your forr therapist, to a different assignnt because his reports on you beca increasingly... problematic from their perspective."
Damian’s interest visibly increased at the ntion of Brian.
"Problematic how?"
"He refused to provide them with the justification they wanted to take action against you. Every report he filed emphasized that you were stable, rational and not a threat to public safety despite your unusual background and capabilities.
He actively defended you in internal etings and pushed back against supervisors who wanted to classify you as a potential security risk."
Seraphina shook her head with sothing like disbelief.
"Brian Oleaf has been a loyal SFD officer for over fifteen years. Decorated multiple tis. Considered one of their most reliable psychological evaluators. And sohow, in just a few weeks of therapy sessions with you, he beca so invested in protecting you that he damaged his own career by refusing to cooperate with his superiors."
She looked at Damian with genuine curiosity.
"How did you manage that? How did you turn a veteran law enforcent officer into soone willing to sacrifice his professional standing to defend a student he was supposed to be evaluating objectively?"
"I just talked with him honestly, treated him like a person instead of an obstacle and showed him respect when he deserved it."
Damian’s tone was casual.
"People respond to that, especially people who’ve spent their entire careers being treated as tools by superiors who don’t value them as individuals."
"That’s terrifyingly simple and terrifyingly effective."
Seraphina’s voice carried a note of warning.
"Your ability to manipulate people, to identify what they need and provide it in ways that build genuine loyalty, that’s potentially more dangerous than your combat abilities or your strategic mind.
Everything suggests that your real weapon isn’t violence. It’s the way you think, the way you understand people, the way you build systems that make others want to follow you."
She pushed off from the wall and walked closer.
"Which brings to why I’m actually here beyond just having the ’don’t beco a monster’ conversation. I have a ssage for you from Professor Nathan Greaves."
Damian’s expression shifted to genuine surprise.
Nathan Greaves was the horoom professor for first-year Section C. A commoner who’d risen through talent alone to beco a professor at the Academy despite facing massive discrimination. Known for being brilliant in theoretical applications of Aura and skill developnt.
"What does Professor Greaves want with ?"
"He wants to help you learn. Specifically, he thinks you should seek guidance from Professor Admond Ashford on theoretical concepts, skill creation, weapon art developnt, and advanced Aura applications."
The na made Damian pause.
"Professor Ashford is from the Ashford Imperial Family. The sa family whose heir, Leonard, I’ve beaten twice now and publicly humiliated. Why would he possibly help ?"
"Because Nathan asked him to, and Ashford owes Nathan a significant favor from years ago. Nathan is calling in that debt specifically to get you access to Ashford’s expertise."
Seraphina’s voice carried weight.
"With the Imperial families actively suppressing you, with professors being pressured not to teach you, you’re not going to be able to learn new arts and skills through normal channels anymore.
But what you can do is learn the theoretical foundations and principles, then create your own techniques based on that understanding."
Understanding dawned in Damian’s eyes.
"Ashford is considered the best theoretical instructor in the entire Academy.
He doesn’t just teach techniques, he teaches the underlying concepts that allow students to develop their own unique applications."
"Exactly. And Nathan is willing to leverage his relationship with Ashford to get you access to that knowledge despite the political pressure against you."
"Why would Nathan do that? We’ve never even spoken. He has no reason to risk his position by helping ."
Seraphina smiled slightly.
"Nathan has been watching you very carefully all sester. He sees what you’re building, what you represent to commoner students.
You’re proving that talent and determination can overco systematic oppression, that commoners don’t need to accept subordinate positions just because the system expects it."
She walked toward the exit, then paused with her hand on the door.
"Nathan was like you once. Angry at injustice. Determined to change things. But the system ground him down over decades until he beca just another cog, teaching students while watching them get exploited by Nobles.
I think seeing you refuse to be ground down, refuse to accept limitations, refuse to compromise on your vision, it’s reminded him of who he used to be."
"So he wants to help succeed where he failed?"
"Sothing like that. Or maybe he just wants to see what happens when soone with your abilities and mindset gets access to knowledge that could make you even more dangerous."
Seraphina opened the door.
"Go find Nathan. Let him make the introduction to Ashford. Learn everything you can from them. Because the suppression from the Imperial families is only going to get worse as you continue disrupting their control, and you’ll need every advantage you can get."
She started to leave, then looked back one more ti.
"And Damian? Thank you for trusting enough to hand that gun. It ans sothing that you were willing to give the choice, even knowing I might actually pull the trigger. I know you aren’t the type of person to trust anyone."
"You deserve that trust, Professor. You’ve earned it through your actions, not just your words."
Seraphina nodded once and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
Damian stood alone in the training room, his mind working through everything she’d told him.
The military was interested in him. The SFD was monitoring him closely. Brian had protected him at cost to his own career and Nathan wanted to help him learn... Ashford was willing to teach him despite political pressure.
All these new pieces were moving, shifting and creating new opportunities and new threats.
"What do you think, Kuro? Are we ready for what’s coming next?"
The raven cawed softly from his shoulder, red eyes gleaming with hunger and anticipation.
Damian smiled.
"Yeah. too. Let’s go find Professor Nathan and see what kind of knowledge we can acquire."
He walked out of the training room, his mind already planning the next steps, the next moves and the next phase of building his empire.
The ga was accelerating.
And he intended to stay several moves ahead of everyone trying to stop him.
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