I can't believe my eyes. Gentarō just slammed Baki into the ground like it was nothing, without even using his booster ability. "Just what kind of training did he do in that dojo on top of The Sufmiota Mountains?" I think to myself.
Baki growls and looks up and Gentarō furiously. "You did not just fucking do that you goddamn booster..."
"Which part? I'm pretty sure I definitely just did all of that. How could I not have done it? It literally just happened to you!" Gentarō laughs.
"I'm gonna break you like a twig!" Baki roars and jumps up, throwing a punch at Gentarō. Just as his fist is about to connect, the third bell rings and a wall of royal blue cubes appears between the two, not budging even a little from the force of Baki's punch.
"You know the rules Baki, once the third bell rings, class is in session, and there is no fighting during class." The one who stops Baki is none other than Sana Kei, one of Acolyte High School's smartest, coolest, and most popular guys at this school. He's a Cube Acolyte, and he's so good with his power that all of the cubes he summons are always the same exact shape and size, not to mention he's one of the top candidates for student council president. I highly respect him, except for the fact that he hates boosters with a passion, and no one really knows why.
"Consider yourself lucky you little bastard..." Baki scoffs and goes to his seat. Sana waves his hand, his blue cubes vanishing, and as they do his glowing blue hair fades back to black, and his royal blue eyes stop glowing, but don't change color. Another myth about acolytes is that if their hair or eye color matches the color of their acolyte power, then they're also destined for greatness.
"Hey, thanks for the save man. Not that I needed it, but much appreciated." Gentarō goes to slap Sana on the back, but a chibi blue fox with blue eyes, a white undercoat, four black socks, and white-tipped tail unwraps itself from around Sana's neck and snaps at Gentarō's hand, growling at him. Gentarō quickly pulls his hand away, staring back at the adorable, yet fierce creature. Of course someone like Sana would also have a lyte.
"I didn't help you out of generosity, I did it to uphold the rules. And don't put your hands on me, booster." Sana says before looking back at me and glaring. "I especially don't want you or any other boosters like you getting the wrong idea, Genta Tsukioka." Sana then takes his seat in the front row right next to the window, his lyte wrapping back around his neck like a scarf. I don't say a word back to him. That guy wouldn't help anyone he saw beneath him, much less a booster like me or anyone else. If he would, then I wouldn't have to go through this every single day at this school.
"Geez, you try to be nice..." Gentarō huffs.
"If we're done rough housing, can we all take our seats please? Except for you Gentarō, you'll stay up front and I'll introduce you." The history teacher, Mr. Morrison, a non-acolyte says from his desk, and he's a bit on the older side. All the teachers in the school are regular humans, since using your acolyte powers on a human with the intention of harming them is illegal and will instantly get you put in jail. Unfortunately, many criminal acolytes still do it.
I weakly stand up and start walking to my seat, Gentarō walking over and lending me his shoulder. "G-Gentarō, I-I can make it myself, it's okay..."
"It's fine, I've got you buddy." He grins at me and helps me sit at my desk. The entire class is separated by their acolyte type, so I'm seated beside the other two boosters in the back.
"Thanks..." I smile half-heartedly.
"Anytime." He pats my back.
"I believe I asked you to wait at the front of the class Gentarō." The teacher says.
"Yes sir!" Gentarō happily stands in front of the whiteboard, front and center.
"Everyone, this is Gentarō. He is a transfer student, starting here sophomore year because of special circumstances that we have been told not to reveal." Mr. Morrison explains.
"Been told not to reveal huh..?" I hear Baki scoff under his breath from a couple desks away, his row directly in front of mine.
"I just wanna let everyone in this class know something." Gentarō says suddenly, grabbing everyone's attention, including my own. "Feel free to attack me when we're not in class, but don't expect me to just sit there and take it. Trust me, I love a good fight!" He grins before taking the empty seat beside me. "Is this seat alright Mr. Morrison?"
"You and Genta seem to be acquainted, so that's fine with me. He can help you throughout the day." Mr. Morrison replies.
"Sweet!" He grins at me and I smile back awkwardly.
"Since there is no need for introductions from the rest of you, I'll explain what you'll be doing in the class..." Mr. Morrison began explaining. There was no need for introductions since all of us already know each other. All 500 freshmen are introduced during orientation when we first join Acolyte High School, before we even get knowledge of our acolyte powers, so we all already know each other.
Mr. Morrison explains that we'll be learning about the history of Sufmiota, the city we all live in. Last year, we all learned the history of acolytes, so it only makes sense we'll be learning about the city most popular for acolytes. Sufmiota has a 95 : 5 ratio of acolytes to humans. The reason for that is because of the Acolyte High School I'm currently attending, the Acolyte Research Institute on the other end of the city, and it's also a popular tourist attraction because of The Sufmiota Mountains.
As Mr. Morrison explains all of this, there's a heavy tension in the air. I can see Baki whispering to somebody in front of him, a male Force Acolyte, and then that acolyte whispers to the one in front of him, another male, but a Beast Acolyte. The three of them chuckle quietly and I quickly get a bad feeling, thinking to myself, "Those three...are they going to jump Gentarō the second the bell rings..?" It feels like no time at all has passed when the bell does ring, and my prediction instantly becomes a reality.
The Force Acolyte's hair and eyes change and glow yellow, and he jumps out of his seat and stands beside his desk, pressing his palm against it and it instantly comes flying at me and Gentarō. I jump and quickly duck under my own desk with my hands over my head, and my fellow boosters do the same thing, all except for Gentarō. Under the desk, I can see Baki and the Beast Acolyte dashing toward Gentarō with their own powers activated, Baki's skin hardening, and the Beast Acolytes hair and eyes turning and glowing purple, his pupils slitting, teeth turning into fangs, and nails turning into claws.
BMeanwhile, Gentarō is just sitting there while the desk and the two Acolytes come barreling toward him. It feels like time is going in slow motion in the next few seconds. I feel an intense presence beside me, looking up to see it's Gentarō activating his power. Without a hint of dismay on his face, he jumps out of his chair, spins in mid air, and kicks the desk, breaking it into two pieces and it crashes into the wall behind all of us. Not only does his strength and speed shock everyone, but it distracts the three acolytes who attacked momentarily, but that's all Gentarō needs. Before anyone can even blink, Gentarō lands in front of Baki and palms his chest, making him slam into the Beast Acolyte with a grunt and both of them fly right into the Force Acolyte, all three of them groaning on the floor in pain.
"Just because you harden your skin doesn't mean my attacks are gonna hurt you any less." Gentarō chuckles and waves his right hand a bit, the hand he used to palm Baki a second ago. I'm amazed at the sight I've just seen, and the rest of the students, and even Mr. Morrison, don't say a word. I can't see him clearly from under my desk, but I think even Sana looks somewhat impressed by Gentarō's performance. "Sorry about your desk Mr. Morrison." Gentarō says nervously.
"Don't worry about it my boy, property damage is common here."
"Really? Wow, people just fight a lot here." Gentarō kneels, looking at me and the other boosters. "Are you guys alright?"
Everyone just stares at him in shock, but I manage to spit out a reply. "Y-Yeah...we're fine... Are you okay..?"
"Yeah, I'm all good." He snickers.
"So then, ready to go to our next class, Genta?" He smiles at me. I just stare at him in shock before slowly nodding my head. "Let's go then!" He pulls me out from under my desk and laughs as we exit the classroom.
"Did that really just happen..?" I think to myself as Gentarō pulls me along.