"Stoneborn?" Hearing the voice’s introduction of itself, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a quizzical look being shot at Malachi, the monkey merely grinned.

Seems I’d really underestimated my monkey’s identity...

....

THUD!!!

THUD!!!

THUD!!!

The sounds of multiple bodies falling from the skies filled the entire space as the mad rush that’d just broken out came to a screeching halt..

"What?"

"What’s happening???"

"I can’t fly.. goddamit, something is preventing our flight!"

A cacophony of people complaining followed soon after..

"Hmm? What’s that?" I couldn’t help muttering, catching onto their complaints..

"Can’t fly?"

"What do they mean they can’t fly?" Malachi asked, just as curious as I was.

"Bullshit!"

"Let’s see what they’re complaining about." Saying so, he took to the skies, well he tried to.

WHAM!!!

"Pft...."

"Don’t you dare.. Dante you bastard don’t you..."

"Bahahahahahahahahahha....."

I laughed, hard.

Seeing the monkey face plant so marvelously whilst he was trying to show off? I couldn’t stop myself even if I wanted too..

"Idiot!" Even Leo shook his head in exasperation as he leveled a plain look at the embarrassed monkey...

"Humph, there’s obviously something going on, otherwise I would’ve made it." The monkey huffed, trying to defend himself.

"Of course there’s something going on, you just heard people complain about it, but your monkey brain is still stuck on bananas."

"Hey!! That’s a very stereotypical thing to say!"

"So you aren’t thinking about bananas?"

"I am, but that’s besides the point."

"Idiot!"

"Why you stupid...."

"Alright, enough.. enough.. Leo, stop picking on the monkey." I interrupted the fight, trying to compose myself..

"Any way, Leo, you sound like you know something.." I asked..

"Indeed.. I think we’ve been caught within an array."

"Array?" I couldn’t help asking..

"Yes. Array. Gods, what have you been doing since arriving at the academy?"

"Important stuff."

"Like what? Sleeping with women? Or let me guess, looking for more ways to be destructive because you can’t think of anything else that isn’t women, torturing demons, or more women."

"Hey! Correction! I only think about MY! Women, don’t make me sound like a man whore."

"But you are a man whore though." Malachi just had to butt in.

BANG...

A solid punch sent the monkey flying,

"Shut it monkey!"

That’ll teach you to involve yourself in conversations that don’t concern you..

Turning my focus back towards Leo, I asked.

"So, we’re in an array, but what does it do?"

"Look down.."

I did as instructed, and my eyes widened as I saw them.

Intricate carvings etched into the very earth that glowed with a golden light, they traveled in a circuit like manner, each extending towards the the statue at the center..

[Chaotic comprehension activating...]

My mind expanded as foreign knowledge drilled itself into my brain, arrays, their functions, the type of array I was currently looking at, what runes made it up, structural arrangements, everything...

[Ding!]

[You have comprehended the Four Fold Restrictions Array..]

"Four fold restrictions array.." I whispered softly, the effects of the array being made clear in my mind..

"Yes, the four fold.... Wait! How do you know that?" Leo froze mid explanation.

"I thought you didn’t have any knowledge on arrays?"

"I didn’t."

"Then how the fuck did you know about the name of this array?"

"I just figured it out now."

"Bullshit!!"

"Believe what you want, I’m just built different.." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

...

The chicken-cat eventually gave up..

"Suit yourself, humph." Seems I ruined the guy’s chance to show off...

"Let’s see, so, all attempts at flying are nullified or restricted huh? Quite the simple usage indeed, though I wonder..." before I could even finish the thought, the wind stirred as an air current lifted me off the ground, my figure rising up as I came to float stably at height of about fifty meters above ground..

"Thought so.." I hadn’t even willed it yet, but it seems my suspicions were right, the atmosphere was indeed acting on its own, and this array was unable to restrict the atmosphere itself..

"Show off.." I dropped back Down to a grumbling Malachi, as he stared at me with discontent..

"Hey, I’m not the one that made you kiss the floor so intimately, so don’t give me that look." I shrugged...

"How did you do that?"

"Like I said, I’m built different.."

Now, let’s see if the array could really restrict flight, after all, barring the atmosphere, I still had my wings that didn’t rely on any expenditures..

I tried calling them out, no response..

"Huh. Seems the thing really can.." before I could complete that thought..

[Chaotict adaptation activating...]

Both my adaptive and comprehensive ability activating back to back? I laughed...

[Successfully adapted to the four fold restrictions array..]

The moment the system’s notifications rang out, FWOOOSHHH!!!!

My wings sprouted with a flourish, all fifteen feet width on display, their black feathered appearance and golden edges giving them a majestic look, I smiled..

"Tsk... show off."

I retracted my wings, finally turning towards sorin and Malachi, "so, what’re you guys going to do now? There’s no flying allowed, and I don’t think your machines will have any effects here.."

Malachi grinned, "what are we going to do?" He muttered, walking forward slowly, form growing until he had reached an impressive ten feet, "we do what monkeys do best, CLIMB.." a daunting and confident aura spread out of him as he cut a very powerful figure.

I could see Sorin blushing heavily behind him, times like these, even I had to admit, the monkey really does look the part.

"Alright then, we’ll climb." I nodded, "the others seem to have already come to that conclusion too." I added as I noticed the other heirs already bounding upwards, their figures vanishing.

"But before that," I paused, "how about letting the others retreat first." I suggested..

"Human, watch your words." Sorin immediately flared, "my clansmen are coming with me." She made her stance clear.

I ignored her, unwilling to waste any breath on her, "the pressure they feel now will only get worse the higher they go, so if you don’t wish to see your followers explode into a gory blood mist, I suggest you have them retreat." I said to Malachi, voice serious.

The monkey looked at me, and then, "everyone else shall wait behind, only me and Sorin shall continue on."

"You have no authority to.."

BOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!

An explosion sounded out as the monkey that had begun speaking up was launched like a rocket, his armor shattered completely, life or death unknown...

....

....

A tense silence filled the area as I couldn’t help easing an eyebrow at Malachi’s current expression..

The monkey’s usual smiling and goofy expression had vanished, his face hardened, an indomitable and dominant aura spreading out of him.

For once, I could finally see the shadow of someone that truly deserved to be called Monkey King..

"I shall not repeat myself, if you wish to head to your deaths, then allow me to grant you such a painless one right here, right now."

"Malachi..."

"Sorin. I am serious."

...

...

"Everyone, stand down..."

"But young lady..."

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

The other apes went quiet as slowly, they each retreated, not without shooting hateful glares at the still stoic Malachi.

He ignored them, turning towards me, "alright then, shall we?" The monkey finally grinned, a battle lusted expression coloring his just now stoic face.

I could feel his blood boiling even from beside him..

"Heh! Excited aren’t we?"

"I’m about to claim my rightful fucking place, of course I’m excited! Now, shut up and CLIMB!!"

Boooommmmm!!!!!

A massive dust cloud rose up as the monkey bounded upwards in pure thrill, Sorin bounding after him..

"Heh.. time to go crown a monkey king." I smirked, wings unfurling as I took off as well...

The race to the crown had finally entered its last stretch...

************

A/N: all hail monkey supremacy...

************

Thanks for reading..