I woke up in the middle of the night to sounds in the hallway. As I got up and crept closer to the door of my room, I peered out into the hallway to see Tomashi and his butler Henry speaking.
"Sir, are you sure you trust that he is not a shikari?"
"Yes, I'm sure. If he was, he has missed so many assassination attempts on me. Anyways isn't that your job to protect me? So if he tries to kill me, it's your role to guard me."
"Sir, it is, but."
"No buts, I'm tired. It's the middle of the night, so let's sleep."
Tomashi began to open the door to our room, so I sprinted as silently as I could to my bed to try and rest. The door opened silently, and he slowly walked to his bed directly adjacent to mine.
The next day, I was woken up to my shoulder shaking. I looked up in my soporific state to Tomashi holding my uniform and bag, the academy tailored for me after the test results were posted. I rose from my bed, putting on my uniform before walking to the bottom floor of the house. Henry sat breakfast on the table where the three of us ate before riding to the campus.
"I have a question, Tomashi. Why did you pick me up on the side of the road when you didn't know who I am, nor I, you?"
"It's easy. I thought you needed a ride. Also, I never was able to make friends, so I thought I could make you into one."
"Is that seriously all?"
"Yup, I'm not that bright."
"HAHA, I would have never guessed, considering you placed first in the whole academy."
The carriage halted next to the academy's gates, and Henry opened the carriage's door for us to get out. So we walked along the well-kept path lined with red flowers to the steps of the academy. We started looking for our classrooms mine was room 21. Walking in, I took my seat in the far back right of the class, then took out a notebook to take notes on the course.
"Good morning, class. My name is Levi cyphera. I am your teacher till you graduate. Now let's begin with a class introduction before. Beginning today's lessons. Everyone state your name and abilities."
Everyone in the classroom began to speak, and soon it became my turn.
"Hello, my name is Philip, and my family's ability is water."
"What type of style?"
A student shouted from the class.
"I didn't know they had styles."
I thought to myself.
"I… don't really know."
Scratching my head with a smile.
"Well then, we will find out and teach you how to master it. Next student, please."
Every student spoke, and soon introductions were over, and class began.
"Through these next four years, you will undergo intense training to cover these nine curricula. Introduction to being an adventary, literacy, survival skills, strategy, weapon mastery, martial arts, ability mastery, and ability skill. Last but not least, I will teach you all to unlock your aura. So let us begin with the introduction to being an adventary."
He taught us the use of the guild and its history. It was created to defend against the torrentials from their expansion into the anthropic territories and kingdoms. The guild was the only group that collected enough strong warriors to defend against them. Over time the group expanded from a group of mercenaries into a group that does quests, adventuring, freelance jobs, and so much more.
Once our teacher explained our guild learning how to read and write. We are being taught in Nital, Rusan, and Candi. Luckily I could read and write in them with the same literacy lever from my previous life. These three languages are the main supported languages in the guild, so I would need them to get jobs.
The teacher announced that this would be the last lesson before we took half an hour's rest outside, and I got excited. For this lesson, we went over strategy and, subsequently, the world's rules. I would need it because I don't know much about this world and our powers' laws.
*vwoom* A flame lit from his right hand *plop*and from his left hand, a bubble of water. He manipulated the water to rise from his left hand and envelop the fire.
"Does anyone know what happened?"
"The water put out the fire."
All the students yelled, including me.
"Wrong, the water surrounded the fire cutting off the oxygen supply which fueled the fire. It's slower but more thorough in killing the fire. If you were to splash the fire in water doesn't guarantee the fire to go out. That is a type of strategy that can help save lives. Now let's talk about your abilities to style and what each one does."
He explained how each physical ability, regardless of strength, depends on the person, creativity, and proficiency in power. Their powers are only limited to their creativity and the styles they master. There are three types of classes, kaly, cheirago, and otac. Kaly is where I can embody my powers. Cheirago is where I can manipulate my forces, which are the most common and easiest to master. Otac, the last style, enables a person to cover an object with their ability. Although each style is different, every person can use them, but it would take a master's to be proficient in all classes.
"My previous example showed my proficiency in cheirago, but just like every teacher in this academy, we are skilled in every style."
*vwoom* Suddenly, his whole body was surrounded by fire. He then picked up his sword *sss*. The sword turned into water, steam began rising from the flame, and waters conjoined.
"These abilities can complement your team and yourself to grow your team's strength."
He began to explain to us the number of abilities in the world and how you can add them to growing one's strength. He explained, Just because you are a jack of multiple abilities doesn't mean you are a master any, but frequently it's better than the master of one.
"Hope you all enjoy the rest of your first day. It's time to transition with the next class, so half an hour break, then go outside."
As I walked out into the hallway, I was engulfed in a tsunami of students. Walking through the hallways, students were showing off their powers, and growing crowds of students were enamored by the complexity of their abilities.
*tap* *tap* I felt someone tapping on my shoulder, so I turned around
"Hey, Philip, right?"
"Yea, who are you?"
"My name is Halona, daughter of the Adhamor clan leader, Quinnett. You sit behind me in class, and I wanted to introduce myself, mostly because I don't know many people. So I'm looking for friends."
"Why don't you know anyone?"
"Well, the nation I'm from is pretty far away. I'm from the nation of Gestric."
She said, scratching her wrist with a smile.
"What brings you here?"
"Well, our nation went through another civil war, and our clan sided with the current king. So my father sent me here while he and my brother fought. I wanted to attend the Caeruleum academy in the nation of Ecta, where my friends are, but my father said, "I know one of the academy teachers at the Cervene academy, so you will attend there," and now I'm here."
"I see. Well, I'm off to see my friend. Wanna come, new friend?"
We walked through the crowded hallway into the courtyard, where we saw Tomashi eating his lu.ch on a bench.
"Is that Tomashi the one who topped the school's test grades?"
"Yea, how do you know him?"
"Well, there is so much gossip from around the school. They say he cheated, and I don't believe that. It's not like they have proof. So where is your friend?"
"That's him, Tomashi. Come on, let's say hi."
We ran to Tomashi's side, sitting down with our lunches before beginning to eat.
"Who is this, Philip?"
Before I could tell him who she was, she began to speak.
"I am Halona, daughter to the adhamor clan leader, Quinnett."
"Nice to meet you, Halona."
I explained to Tomashi that I knew he didn't have many friends, so I thought she could join our group. He accepted the idea of a new friend with open arms, and they hit it off quickly, talking about their families. Turns out her family's ability is light manipulation and style cheirago. While they were speaking, they were interrupted by Akira and his entourage.
"Oh hey, who is this cutie sitting next to, Tomashi."
Akira said, picking Halona up by her jaw, with a sneering smile as he looked into her eyes.
"Let her down, Akira"
Tomashi and I yelled as we stood up.
"You are beautiful, with your long blond hair, green eyes, and red lips. You are So beautiful."
Kicking and squirming, Akira sat her down softly, pushing her away gently. Tomashi ran over to Halona, checking on her as she was coughing.
"She is ok. I wouldn't hurt a beauty like her."
I walked up to Akira, putting my finger on his chest as we looked at eye level.
"Hey, now you look here. I don't care about the quarrels you and tomashi are having. That doesn't mean you should pick on people unrelated to your clan's quarrels."
Akira lifted his hand slowly, grabbing my arm.
*AHHH* "You burned my arm! Why did you do that!?"
I fell to the ground as my arm blistered and burned. I yelled For the pain was beyond anything I had ever felt. Amongst my screams, a crowd started to form.
"Don't touch me again."
Tomashi stood up and stared at Akira, who stared back. They started walking toward each other, and a single teacher suddenly appeared. He stood between them, a palm on their chests.
"That's enough of that, don't try moving. You won't be able to."
"Hey, release me."
"If I release you two, will both of you apologize and return to class?"
"Sure, release me, and I won't beat him up for hurting my friend."
"I don't care. I could take him on any time."
The teacher released his hold on them, and Tomashi and Akira mumbled, saying sorry. Akira turned around and left with his entourage in tow.
"Are you three ok?"
"I'm ok, but my friend Philip, I think he is badly hurt."
The teacher walked over to me with a kind smile. He asked how I was doing and offered to accompany me to the nurse's office with Halona. I gladly accepted, knowing I couldn't do any activities using my dominant right hand. Sitting in the office, the teacher sat next to me. Where I learned, he was the teacher of my next class, named Ki. After learning that my injury could heal, even if my bones were injured from the heat, he left. There I sat next to Halona as my wounds healed, and with a lustful smile, she exclaimed.
"Did you see that Philip Akira called me beautiful? I officially want him. No, I need him. I want to marry him and bear his children."
"He almost hurt you, though."
"No, he wouldn't. He said I was too beautiful to hurt."
"It's official, Philip. Would you help me, please?"
"With getting him?"
"Yea, I love him. Thanks for agreeing, cya later. "
Suddenly she ran out of the nurse's office, and I sat alone while the nurse was out. Alone With my thoughts, I wondered what I had learned for today that could bring me closer to figuring out the killer.
"Teacher cyphera said that the adventary guild had the strongest warriors to defend against the torrientals, so maybe one of them. That's it. My next goal is to become the greatest adventary and find someone there who wants to kill the deity and kill them first."