"My name is Asahi, a second-year student in the Shaman department, and you are my partner. I'll be conducting your assessment. And I will tell you whether you are in the lowest or the highest rank. The highest grades will receive a huge amount of money every mission, and the lowest will be kicked out of the school; that depends if you walk home alive after each mission. I'm saying that you will be in a low rank, but what I am saying is a fact. I suggest you pack your bags and go home," Asahi told Kaede. "It's not too late to back out."
Kaede just stared at this guy. His words are so tempting; however, he has a mission. And that mission is to know the reason behind his sister's death. He took a sip of coffee from his cup and smiled at the older boy.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but no. I won't back out. I went there for a reason, and I won't be intimidated by your words," Kaede answered Azahi before he wiped his mouth using tissue paper and took his empty tray back to the old lady.
He returns to where Asahi is sitting, about to finish his meal.
"Alright," he said after eating. "Don't say I didn't warn you, freshman," he said before both of them left the dining hall.
A man in a black suit opened the car door for them.
"Get it. We need to pick you a weapon," Asahi told Kaede before slightly pushing towards the car, and he followed when Kaede was inside. "Take us first to the school weaponry; we need to pick some for this new guy," he told the driver.
Kaede was fascinated when he saw the school. His previous school was big, but this school is much bigger.
"Do you also have classes like a normal school?" Kaede can't help but ask Asahi.
"No," he answered. This school is the place for the graduated and official Ryōshin members either Exorcist or Shaman. I will be your partner for the time being. And when your assessment is done, you will be paired with an exorcist student," he answered while unlocking the padlock of the weaponry.
"So what exactly is this 'class and lessons' meant to be?"
"Your mission. Every mission you have serves as your lesson as long as you survive. You will learn a lot. And you know that this kind of school is different from the normal school you attended," he said, and finally, he opened the locked door. "Come on in. Find something you think will help you."
Kaede stepped in and tried to find the weapon he thought he knew how to wield a bit. He searches, but no one catches his eyes in the rows of weapons in front of him. He was about to turn around and leave when his eyes saw one particular weapon hiding behind a couple of axes. And if he's not wrong, it is a polearm, a weapon he used to play back then. He smiled and walked to where the weapon was. He saw the weapon once with her sister when she came home from work.
"Oh, you wanted that?" Asahi asked when he saw the polearm instead of a Staff that most shaman students pick.
Asahi, remember Minami, was the previous owner of that polearm.
"Yes. I want this," Kaede answered him with a smile on his face.
"Perfect choice. That polearm was used to wield by your sister," he casually told Kaede, which made the boy stop on his track.
He then carefully studied the polearm he was holding. The shaft was made of green stone, a jade stone, and the primary weapon at the tip of the rod was a double blade. Each side of it is made of metal which Kaede didn't know. The end of the shaft and the blade were fused to the point that you would think they were one.
"That's why it was so familiar," Kaede said.
"Okay. Now that you have chosen your weapon, it's time for us to go to our test location," Asahi said.
Kaede hopped inside the car as he held the polearm with care. He knew it. Her sister owned this once, and he will handle it with care.
"You know what, freshman, your smile is creepy," Asahi commented on what he saw.
"Don't mind me. I'm just happy that I got my hands on my sister's weapon," Kaede answered him.
Asahi heaved a sigh.
"That polearm name is Deathmatch," Asahi told him.
"What an ugly name for such a beauty," Kaede said, disagreeing.
"It's because all its previous owners end up being dead. And I hope you will break the curse of that weapon."
Kaede looked at Asahi, unbelievable.
"I won't. You'll see."
"Whatever."
Kaede shut his mouth. Asahi is impossible to talk to. He has this attitude like one of his classmates back in his regular school. The air around him screams rich. He probably came from a wealthy family. Unlike him, he's just a commoner, and the reason why he attended that exclusive school was because of his talent when it came to soccer. He excelled in that game and won for the school numerous times.
The car stops. Asahi is the first to get out of the car, and Kaede follows.
"You can go. Come back after one or two hours," he instructed the driver.
The driver obeyed Azahi and left.
"What is this place?" Kaede asked Asahi.
"A forest known as Suicide Forest," Asahi answered him.
Kaede felt heavy in the forest where he and Asahi were still standing. It creeps him, and even in broad daylight, he can see the shady walk away from the forest. The trees' thick leaves and branches may block the sun's light. That's why it's shady. Kaede feels like it's gloomy inside.
"Let's go," Asahi told him and stepped in first.
Kaede followed suit.
When Kaede entered the forest floor, a heavy feeling wrapped around him, it was as if it wanted him to feel depressed.
"Don't listen to anything you will hear or the feeling that this forest is emitting. Focus on yourself," Asahi reminded him.
"Why are we here?" Kaede asked.
"This is the place where your assessment will happen. Inside this forest, there are some onryos with the lower class. You have to fight them the moment they will see you. If you don't, they will suck your life force. If you can cleanse this forest, then you will pass," Asahi told him, stopping a few meters away from Kaede when they reached the range where low-class onryos resided.
"Okay, but all I have to do is fight them, right?" Kaede asked him.
"Seal them so that they will never roam this forest again."
Kaede looked at Asahi and then smiled.
But his smile suddenly changed when he saw Azahi's panicked face and that he was looking behind him.
"Kaede! Run!" was all he heard from him before suddenly, the forest floor changed into something beyond Kaede's imagination.