"Come on... just do it."

Dean looked to his side with visible contempt. Before shaking his head. Olsen had been asking for Ash since they left the workshop about thirty minutes ago.

He closed his eyes and immediately Ash materialised on his left shoulder.

The slime immediately began rubbing itself on Dean, neck and head. Obviously happy he was summoned and Dean could have swore, it purred as he rubbed its head.

Olsen on the other hand had stars in his eyes. "Isn’t it so beautiful," he said as he touched Ash, who allowed him.

"I guess so..." Dean said while shrugging as they walked under the evening lights.

At this time, the campus had transformed. Especially in the dormitory areas.

The mixing between the species was more evident now. Vampires walked more comfortably with humans.

Werewolves laughing with them. Females wearing less and less clothes with bodies that had him turning his head more than once.

He had to admit. He’d misjudged vampires just from being Around Astrea. Not all of them were as petite as her.

Others were also good looking with bodies like Hour glass. Their chest and asses were firm and goddamn sexy.

Yeah, things sure did come alive in the night time in this world.

Everything seemed in the open. Flirtatious touches. Sounds of laughter and freedom. It was like humanity decided in the night, that there was more to survival than just dragons and copying slimes.

"It’s weird," Dean blurted.

Olsen looked away from Ash for a second. "What is?"

"This," Dean gestured at a vampire girl leaning into a human guy. Her hand on his chest. His arm cupped her ass as she giggled. "Three species just... mixing like this."

"It’s Franseint, mate." Olsen said. "Isn’t integration their whole selling point?"

Dean turned to his side to see Olsen and Ash locked in a no blinking contest as the boy spoke again.

"It’s better than Vermith academy."

"I know... but-" Dean couldn’t even finish before he heard moaning sounds coming from a dark spot between buildings.

"That.." Dean pointed. Even for someone like him. This was way too bold and chaotic.

But it wasn’t the same for Olsen. The boy chuckled, like he was used to it.

"C’mon mate.. how do you think, Zhrea’s population is being maintained after all the fighting?"

Dean frowned. The logic did check out. This was humanity’s last city. They needed the numbers if there was ever going to be a chance to expand.

"Wait. Wait." Dean recalled something as he turned, bringing the staring contest to an abrupt end.

"You went to Vermith?"

Olsen simply nodded. "I transferred here from there... couldn’t take it anymore."

"Take what? Bullying?"

"Yeah...let’s just say I had a target on my back anytime I wasn’t in the workshop."

Dean nodded in understanding. Franseint allowed mix, which in turn allowed more ground to interact with whoever.

Somewhere like Vermith. If you didn’t fit into the human faction. Which in Olsen’s case was a mismatch. He didn’t have a summon. That was a bullying free pass.

They were just veering around a corner to get to the dorm when Dean heard a familiar voice.

"...told you, I’ll handle it."

Dean stopped mid step, grabbed Olsen’s hand and slowly moved to a corner.

Never was he going to forget that voice. It was the person that punched him earlier when he was jumped.

Peering around the corner, he saw three guys. That looked down with bandages and visible scars on the body.

While the other two looked clean and uninjured.

The familiar voice belonged to one of the uninjured ones. He was tall with a lean athlete build and pure cocky energy.

He held a girl’s face up as she stared back.

’Vanessa?’ Dean thought. The face was familiar but the name wasn’t.

It definitely could be her. After all, what could he handle if not pulling four other bastards to jump him and then running from Ymir.

Dean thought about confronting them then he looked back to see only Ash and Olsen.

’Damn,’ he thought. He was already at a disadvantage. There were six of them including the girl. Vanessa or not.

And all he had was Ash and Olsen. Yeah, his chances could only rise if he was willing to risk another punch at probation.

He sighed.. live to fight another day then. But one thing was certain, he had all their faces in memory and sure as hell, he was going to get back at all of them.

Dean turned to leave, even as the girl and the guy were kissing and touching, giving the other wimps a tragic case of blue balls.

<><><>

Trying to keep to his new path of being early to class. Dean had told Olsen to wake him up early and right now, he regretted more than anything else.

Making their way into the hall. Dean looked like he didn’t get up to an hour’s worth of sleep.

Shaking his head to get a good bearing. Dean noticed as students clustered around a projection on the walls. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Some students were laughing, others looked smug while some were visibly worried.

Dean ignored it all or tried to. He didn’t need to look. He knew the deal he made with the devil so there was no need.

"You’re not going to check?" Olsen suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Umm.. No!" Dean replied flatly. "I already know what’s there."

"Come on, mate. Let’s just see," Olsen insisted.

"Ohh...my...G-" Dean snarled. As he pushed through the crowd.

The board glowed slightly as it showed names and number of points.

The list read:

#1: Louis Saint - 230 points

Of course. Dean didn’t expect anything less. He was the golden boy after all.

He continued down where he saw Andre but not Astrea.

He didn’t look further before he found her at.

#4: Von Vermith Astrea - 150 points

It was obvious why she wasn’t higher. She came a day after the punching event at the registration hall.

Dean’s eyes kept scrolling. He went past the 100s. Past the 200s. Past the 400s.

And finally, there he was in all his majesty.

#512: Dean Gray - 6 points

He was in the reverse top ten, out of 521 students.

Dean stared at the number. He could feel the eyes behind him. The whispers of mockery.

"That’s him?"

"Yeah...almost killed Marcus."

"But why is he that low?"

"Probation penalty. Duh."

"Serves him right."

Dean looked at Olsen almost like, are you satisfied now?

Olsen scratched the back of his head. He was at number 9. Guess those days at the workshop didn’t go unnoticed.

Walking out of the crowd, Dean made his way towards World history class as Olsen followed behind him.

"I didn’t know mate!" Olsen sounded apologetic.

Though Dean didn’t understand what he was apologising for. This was his cross to carry.

Making the turn, he saw Rogue leaning against the wall. A wide grin on his face.

’What’s this fool smiling about,’ Dean thought.

"How useless can you get gray, huh?"

Rogue laughed as the rest of his crew stayed beside him.

"I guess only you can turn a victory into.a loss."

"Such a failure," David added.

And that was when Dean stopped. He turned directly towards David.

His eyes carried that violet glint that made it seem like he was about to devour the boy.

David froze in place as he began looking at his fingers, as if his courage was hidden there.

The others went quiet as well except Rogue who acted confused by the sudden silence.

Dean snarled in disgust, Rogue he could allow, for the sake of banter. Not complete scum like David.