The pressure this time felt like the blade was on his neck, but Severin didn't turn or flinch as he stared at the door.
Derrick flinched. He made a low noise between a growl and a painful moan, and he moved closer to Severin.
For his part, Severin ignored him and everything else in the room, and focused on the door.
The door was placed there in a way that whoever wanted to open it would need to turn their back to the room. In the middle of the simple wooden door was a small formation, the runes in it dull.
The door led to the WireRats gang leader.
Normally, nobody would have access to the door unless they were the highest of the VIP and directly knew the combination to it.
And that single fact was the only thing that was still saving Severin's life. The gang members didn't act because they wanted to see if he would open it or not.
But they had little hope. How would a weakling like them have access to something even most of them had no access to?
Severin stared at the door some more, which made the members anxious, waiting for the signal to attack. The tension was so high and tight the breaking point could be tasted like rusted metal on the tongue.
Then Severin reached out and tapped the runes in a very random and careless way. Each rune he touched lit up with a dull glow, and at the end of it there was a small click and the door opened.
The WireRats gang members couldn't believe their eyes. They stared and stared as the door closed behind the two weaklings with a soft click.
Severin found himself in a well-lit hallway.
Derrick was shuddering beside him. He took several rough breaths. "What the actual fuck, Severin! They were ready to kill! Where the hell is this place? Shit, their bloodlust felt like a blade on my skin."
Severin's hands were in his pocket as he said casually, "Why would they kill us? I opened the door."
But in fact, his hands were trembling in his pockets. The combination to open the door was a puzzle he had to clear in the game, collecting the runes and then using them in the correct order. But that was in the game. This was reality.
He hadn't been sure it would work, and he was already thinking of other ways to get out of the situation. There weren't other ways. Maybe he could have used Derrick as a shield. But fortunately, it worked.
Derrick scowled. "And just what is this place? Why does the academy allow something like this in the school? It's as if they don't care about the students!"
"If they cared, you'd have been put down already." Severin began to walk. He had composed himself again and was ready to face the next step of the challenge.
The hallway was covered in a rich carpet, the walls set with luxury paintings. And the hallway only led to one place: the door at the end.
Severin raised his hand, but the door opened before his fist landed.
A man stood on the other side. He wore a stainless steel mask and gestured for him to come in.
Severin entered.
The room was more than an office. One part was made of full couch, and the other was where the study table stood. Another man sat behind it. His hair was short, and his eyes were a steady brown.
"You can have your seat."
Severin drew out a chair and sat down. Derrick followed his example and sat as well.
The table was covered in neatly arranged papers.
The man's eyes drilled into Severin for a long time before he spoke. "I am the gang leader of the WireRats, and it's a great surprise indeed to find the two of you here indeed."
"Oh? And why would it be a surprise?" Severin asked.
"You are the trash, Severin Reignhart. That's the name everyone calls you, but that's only if they ever remember that you existed at all. And you, Derrick Vance. You are at least known for your violent behavior.
"Now I ask again. What is the two of you, who are nothing, doing here?"
Mourne leaned forward, and his presence swelled in the room. His steady eyes turned sharp, trying to peel skin to see what lies beneath.
"Isn't this the WireRats gang? I am here to buy information." Severin was unaffected by what the man was doing.
When Mourne saw that his subtle threat had no effect, he leaned back on his seat and just stared right at him. At the abnormality that was sitting down in front of him.
Severin smirked. "Let me guess what is happening. Normally, you have a file on me, but it's dusty. Understandably so, because who seeks after a weakling? And it should be like that until I'm dead. It's what has happened again and again. It's what should happen.
"But here I am, sitting in front of you after I opened a door that shouldn't be opened by the likes of me, because you could count the amount of people who have the rune combination, and they won't have anything to do with me ever.
"And before I came in here, you must have sent your people out to seek more information about me. Is it that you missed something? Is it my background? What is going on? How is it possible?"
He spread his hands. "Am I right?"
Mourne chuckled awkwardly. "Of course, of course. You are right."
But just as suddenly as he smiled, his expression changed, and something else flashed in his brown eyes. He didn't make any outward moves, but suddenly the man earlier was behind them.
Derrick stiffened as the man with the steel mask lifted a sword to the level of their heads behind them.
But it was exactly then that Severin actually relaxed. He spread out his legs and threw his head back on the chair. His eyes met Mourne's own.
Blue against brown.
He smiled casually. "Why don't you just call off the bluff? You can't kill me. Not yet. You still want to know what I know. What I am capable of."