Insect Tamer's Ascension Chapter 538. Are you challenging your professor?

"You need a 2-day break?" Velra asked in front of a lot of cages that had beasts staying inside them.

Theo’s gaze went to one of the cages where the whole family of the jackals they had kidnapped were staying inside. The adult ones were looking at Theo and Velra without blinking as if analyzing all their movements.

"Yes, professor. Family emergency," Theo spoke after looking at the professor again.

Velra snorted and looked at Theo with very judging eyes.

"Don’t you understand what you are training for, student? It’s the Kingdom Games and you are just going to skip 2 days of training? Do you hear yourself and this ridiculousness or are you too stuck up in your own mind?" The professor went on with his harsh words like usual which did not even faze Theo.

It was time to say what he was going to say anyway.

"Professor Velra, you and I both know that this team is lacking without my help. So every single team member has decided to do these trainings without my lead or help. It has been happening for a few days now."

"You have seen my performance in the Arena Records and my last fight is going to be with the one that wins their battle." Theo said with a serious look on his face. "Even if I don’t win that, as the one that got 2nd place in the whole Arena Record, I think I have what it takes to be in this team, professor."

Velra’s left eye twitched when he heard that and he closed in to look deep into Theo’s eyes.

"You don’t know that. I might just replace you from the team for even thinking about a 2-day break, student," Velra spoke.

’Sigh... this is getting annoying.’

"Professor, with all due respect, you know I am one of the best candidates to be in this team. I have been doing every single training on my own since the start."

Theo said and decided to drop the one comment he thought to be a little overconfident.

’It’s worth a try...’

"I can take care of any academy-level challenge you can give me, professor."

It was at that point that Velra felt like he was going to snap at any moment. He was staring daggers into Theo’s eyes.

"You have got guts, Theo Merrick. To come and say that in front of me."

Velra stepped back a little to look at his face properly and not just his eyes.

"Did you know I will make you uphold this claim that you just made?"

"The first phase of the Kingdom Games is going to start soon. I was training you all for that. But do you know what will happen after it? Shall I show you a glimpse of what it truly is that you are in for?"

Theo got curious about that for a moment yet didn’t let it show on his face. He knew the Kingdom Games after three weeks were going to be for choosing which team would represent the kingdom in the games. It was not the main games themselves.

"Just give me these 2 days, professor. It’s important to me. And I know I won’t disappoint you with my performance," Theo spoke just one more time.

’If you don’t give me these 2 days, I will get them from you no matter what. If not you, it will be the headmaster, but it will happen,’ Theo thought to himself.

He felt a little something in the back of his head telling him that what he was doing was a little arrogant, but for Theo, it didn’t matter.

All he wanted was to get the ant queen the message as soon as possible.

Doing it later would only make the results become farther away than needed.

"Only if you abide by what you claimed, Theo Merrick. Right now, complete a challenge I give you. If you can really do that, I will know you don’t need training, only your teammates do," Velra spoke.

He whistled once, making some workers look at him.

Velra made a hand sign that meant danger and then moved the other hand to show the number three.

Theo could understand the hand signs and the horrified expressions on the workers, and also the grin that came across Velra’s face.

Something in Theo told him that there was going to be danger soon and just the mere thought of that made his spine tingle.

It was not a tingle of fear, but that of excitement.

It had been a while since Theo felt danger.

The workers all fled away and Velra looked at Theo with that same grin.

"Go to that hut, wear the armor in the right corner and come back."

Velra said while nudging his head toward the hut.

Theo nodded and made his way there.

He opened the hut only to see a space where many armors were kept.

He hadn’t been in this place before and all this came as a surprise.

He went ahead and looked at all the armors of different colors and designs.

But one thing was clear, all of them were strong.

When he reached the end and looked at the right corner, there was only one black armor there.

Theo went closer and saw the pitch-black color of the armor.

It was almost as if he was looking into darkness.

The polish was done so well.

’I wonder where these armors were made, I only ever got this "out of my league" vibe from Father’s armor. Hmm...’

Theo went and picked it up only to be even more surprised.

The armor was very light.

He dug his fingers into the side to see if it was even strong and no matter how much power he put into it, Theo could not make anything budge.

He wore the armor in a matter of minutes and went to the gate of the hut to exit.

And when he opened the gate even by a little, his hands stopped.

His gaze widened and he felt a shiver run down his spine.

This time, the shiver was not from excitement, but from fear.

A flash of light came from his forehead and the mantis got out too as if there was a need to hurry.

The gate opened fully because of the mantis’s body and Theo got pulled outside to witness what had just entered his spatial senses.