Nik woke up with a loud yawn. Gazing at the simple, unadorned room, Nik couldn't help but yawn once again and stretch his arms outwards. After his staking out the Holy Orchid Institute, Nik had gone on a shopping spree. He had enough money to sustain himself for years if he does not dabble in the spiritual cultivation present in this world. So, buying multiple pairs of outfits for possible occasions was not a reluctant purchase for Nik.

At least, he could now graduate from his form as a brute. 

Nik stood up from the bed and commenced the stretching exercise. This time, under the effects of a 100% increase in gravity. Due to the increment of vitality, Nik's internal structure could afford to be pressurized by a 100% increase in gravity daily. This pushed Nik to enhance his control over the strands of gravitational force by another 20, bringing him to a total of 40 strands. Not to mention the fact that this increase had pushed his Gravity Manipulation by another level, allowing Nik to truly leave the task of manipulating the strands of gravitational force to the subconscious part of his mind. Of course, Nik was grateful that the gravity of all the worlds he had traveled wasn't extremely different from each other.

The joints within his body released popping sounds as he commenced his stretching exercise. With the limits of the stats reached, Nik now focused on control of various energies his body had an affinity with. Not to mention the obvious change in his martial arts due to the daily meditation on the [Tome of Battle]. In essence, Nik had become a sex hermit during his stay within his homeworld. He followed the routine of waking up 3 in the morning and stretching and exploring the [Tome of Battle] for two hours before bringing the girls to the Silverman Gym. Next, he would drop Kurumi and sometimes accompany Sayako to her college and enjoy the scenery with Souko during the days she had the first half of the day free.

All this time, Nik's body would remain pressurized by heightened force of gravity. After that, he would meet up with Yuuko and sell the books. It was a routine that made Nik social and happy. There was no stress in that world. But in this world, Nik finally felt tense. A feeling that his body should never forget. Ray had no obligations to carry him into the Holy Orchid Insititute. They both were friends, not father and son. 

Since Ray had decided to use his talents as the leverage to achieve the mission, Nik decided to opt for a slightly similar route. He will expose his martial talents instead of spiritual ones. This way, they both will have a wide-angle at which they can continue this adventure. Last night, Ray had already lied through his teeth regarding his true age and had it not been for the fact that Ray looked like a kid, he would have gone through a round of inspection.

Of course, nobody in the family raised their eyebrows when they found that Ye Hong was seen sitting across the table with a girl younger than him. He might be a philanderer, but he was a loveable one in the family.

Nik, of course, would not say that he was a 15-year-old kid. If he truly had his way, he would already have kids around the same age calling him dad... if that was physically possible.

After he completed his stretching exercise, Nik returned to his mattress and sat cross-legged while pondering on the [Tome of Battle]. He was already on the part where different energies are used to direct martial skills. This part, of course, broadened Nik's horizon and his skill marginally. Even though his [Battle Arts] was still at level 2, he could easily defeat his self during his second adventure without any weapons. Even though his [Battle Arts] did not improve, it did not mean that his true skills weren't improved.

Nik then continued to play around with his [Elemental Manipulation] for a few minutes before standing out from his mattress and taking out a change of clothes. He was intrigued by this world's sense of fashion. There were multiple layers in clothing. From undergarments to an inner tunic and outer robes. Of course, Nik bypassed the inner tunic and donned a light-blue loose robe with dark blue sweatpants and a white belt tied around his waist right onto the waist of his pants.

After adjusting his hair slightly, Nik finally slipped into his calf-length boots and walked out of the single-bedroom accommodation of the inn. On the way, the maid of the inn failed to identify Nik for a moment before averting her gaze.

Nik looked too bright and refined!

The inn also hosted a bar alongside the reception where the customers could order their meals. Yes, Nik liked the tradition where the people of this world could drink in the broad daylight. He bet that Souko would have loved it, too... not that the daylight has ever stopped herself from succumbing to her addictions. Cock and beer... that's the way Souko rolled.

"Three plates of horned sheep and a bottle of Mint Orchid."

Nik occupied an empty table and ordered the meal. With this plane open-ranked, Nik was fortunate enough to meal on highly nutritious food that would have been quite costly for him in his homeworld. Paying 5 demon spirit coins stashed within his pockets, Nik only had to wait for a couple of minutes. Unlike the fiction he delved into, nobody in this bar spoke loudly and exchanged common information. In fact, all of the guests kept to themselves and just kept a cautious gaze.

His order arrived shortly. Each of the horned sheep chopped to prepare a plate of order could provide enough nutrition to a commoner to work for more than a day. But the thrice of this amount could barely conclude Nik's breakfast. The alcohol percentage in the Mint Orchid brew was quite low, so it packed a gentle punch that breakfasts should have.

Finally, Nik paid his dues to the inn owner. He wasn't planning on staying in a single inn daily. While Ray found himself quite a backing that might temporarily fend off the other hosts just by its might, Nik still had to find a similar footing. So staying in different places could at least throw off a few potential opponents.

The inn Nik ha chosen was more than an hour's distance away from the Holy Orchid Society. Nik already knew that in less than a week, the classes within the school would resume once again and he was determined to become a teacher. He had many things he could offer to teach. Martial Arts, Etiquettes, and the way of debauched enlightenment to the truly talented ones.

***

Nik stood amidst the clattering citizens as they buzzed past him. His ears picked up multiple sources of conversations that were centered around him. Still, he stood in front of the piece of architecture that could easily outshine the important sites of historical significance in Nik's homeworld.

Thick walls marked the perimeter of the Holy Orchid Institute while decorative eastern dragons perched atop the two ends of the gate that led a paved pathway into the frontage of the institute. With a deep breath, Nik walked into the gate and let his gaze linger on the visual treat the whole frontage was. Pavements crisscrossed around multiple structures that entitled to the Holy Orchid Institute as a whole while lamp outposts were constructed at the various edges of the path. The institute was barely populated. Gardeners tended the yellow-leaf trees planted alongside the perimeter wall of the institute and there were a few sweepers working on the pavements on the other side of the main, teacher's block constructed right in front of the main gate of the institute.

The building was flanked with two open grounds that the pavements traced around before leading to the other buildings. The left ground hosted a large crystal supported by an equally large, cylindrical tripod and many figures could be seen in the area. This was where recruitment was happening. Pulling his game face on, Nik took a deep breath and made his way towards the area.

"Hey, another guy came. Looks like a young master from one of the aristocrats."

A plain-faced youth remarked while his companion nodded in agreement, "Probably someone cultivated by the middle-level aristocrats." Admittedly, even his reasoning was affected by Nik's looks. There was a high possibility that Nik could be someone from the lower-level aristocrats or even be a commoner. But Nik's bearings made the youth's companion opt for the theory that could reason with his own belief. This is what Nik wanted to achieve. His mere appearance altering the thought process of those around him in his favor.

Even without his Pheromones as a trigger, Nik was now more than capable to pull a careless mortal into a dazed trance. The moment Nik stepped into the open ground, he decided to lay layers of triggers around him that would, in return, force the changes to be favorable to his situation. His Pheromones were the foundation. His appearance the ground floor and finally, his speech being the arrow that should, at the very least, assure his entrance into the Institute.

The reason that the duo picked the institute was due to its strategic presence. With the only source of education, this place was bound to be at the crisscross of politics of the various aristocrats while also being the only institute as a whole that wouldn't be affected by the politics. So, joining the most probable neutral option was the decision that the duo came to.

"State your name."

Before Nik could join the long line that led to the large crystal measuring the spiritual level of the aspiring teachers, an elderly sitting next to them with a table set-up covered with parchments interrupted Nik's gait and inquired calmly.

"Nik Faran," Nik smiled gently and bent his waist slightly.

"Nik... Faran? What kind of name is that? Are you a commoner?" The old man asked with a tinge of curiosity tainting his aged voice.

Nik smiled. Even though he wished for others to think of him as nobility, it was a virtual certainty. He would never parade in such a manner without actually having the backing of nobility, of course. Nik had chosen a mid-level aristocracy as his background in this world and Nik had come to know that he was an exiled youngster of the Mid-level Aristocracy— Gin Family. 

The Gin Family comprised of Vintners and they were the source of many popular wines and recreational drinks within the Glory City.

{A/N: There are a total of seven mid-level aristocracies in canon tdg—Huyan, Hong Yue, Chu, Ao Cloud, Feng Ming, and Winged Dragon. There is supposed to be a seventh family but the author never identified it. so this is where I put my not-so-creative talents to use, producing a whole new family— Gin Family, professional winemakers aka vintners.}

"No, sir. I hail from the mighty Gin Family. Faran is the name of my... loyal companion who sacrificed his life for me.

I am no longer a part of my family. I left it to pursue my own talents."

Nik remarked politely.

"Get in the line. Your name has been added."

Nik nodded and joined the line. Since the culture of this world emphasizes traditions, Nik's words made a few of the elderly frown but managed to impact the better half of the listeners. Traditions are often bound to morals and values and what better way to claim the worth of your morals than to proclaim your surname belonging to someone who probably sacrificed his life to save Nik's.

The line moved quickly and Nik finally observed the true nature of this test. The examiner not only confirmed the spirit rank of the examinee but also checked the attributes of the spirit. This made Nik think of a new plan that would force the hands of the decision-makers to employ him no matter what.

"Psst, hey," A youth tapped Nik's shoulders. Turning his head, Nik nailed his gaze onto a rotund youth with short stature and oily hair slicked back, "Do you remember me, Nik? We used to play together. Man, you really left us in the dumps once you left the family."

The youth snickered. The System's background was thorough enough to align Nik's personality with the supposed person fused into the mind of the Gin Family. Instead of winemaking, Nik was interested in battles. So, as a kid, he would beat up other's kids... a lot, actually. This caused others a lot of headaches. As Nik grew, the problem grew worse until he ran away from the family right before the spirit opening ceremony. Of course, Nik in this world was orphaned early. Maybe, at the age of two or three.

The youth behind Nik was supposed to be one of the kids he beat up. But once again, the system proved itself to be meticulous. Usually, a bully does not recognize its target after a few years of parting and Nik also wasn't supposed to remember this fatty.

"Sorry, man. I can't remember anything from back in the time with the family."

Nik focused on the line once again while the fatty called Nik once again.

"Really? I guess even a bully has times when he is fed up with his dirty actions."

The fatty wished to elicit a reaction from Nik based on his previous violent temper. Alas, a reaction from Nik was something only the female-kind and the occasional fem-boys could induce. Turning his head back, Nik smiled brightly.

"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry if I hurt you too bad back then."