A tall young man with black hair and a scrawny body stood before a building that looked like it had been abandoned centuries ago. His backpack looked so engorged with clothes and toiletries that it behaved as though it would burst open any moment. ''Damnation, I am now regretting selling the dimensional bracelet to that shop... I ended up obtaining only 40 credits for it, which was enough to only last me a month.''
Lucas gave the worn out-looking building a more scrutinizing look. He sighed and berated himself internally. "To think I would forget that student credits determine everything in the academy... Just what is this hellhole I'm moving into?"
The Oslon City Academy awards student credits to students based on various situations. For instance, one could visit the missions floor of the awakening center of the academy to pick up missions and embark on them. Upon completing the missions and based on the difficulty rank of the mission, one would be awarded a certain number of student credits. Another way to earn student credits was to engage in official duels with others. The winner of the duel automatically earns half of the student credits of the loser of the duel. If the duel is, however, a duel to the death, the winner automatically obtains all the student credits of the other person.
The non-awakened obtain student credits by also embarking on missions such as helping out with projects in the areas of the sciences.
However, there was an underhanded method of obtaining student credits without having to go through any of the above-mentioned technicalities, and that was forcing someone to transfer their student credits to you. This could be accomplished mostly through bullying, and this is how Lucas Grimstone had no student credits at the moment. His credits had been ostracized from him through consistent bullying so much in the past that at some point he gave up embarking on the missions associated with the non-awakened of the Oslon City academy. After all, what was the point in embarking on missions when others would be waiting to bully him for his student credits at the end of the day?
The student credits obtained could be used to gain access to higher quality accessories in the academy such as accommodations, access to training and gravity rooms, affinity related fighting techniques, and even the purchasing of clothes in the academy. These student credits however, could not be used outside the academy. If students therefore wanted to make purchases outside of the academy, they had to make use of the normal credits used by the general public.
Lucas made up his mind ''It seems that I will have to revisit some of the bullies from the past for some credits they owe me. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. However, those credits would definitely not be enough to help me increase in strength. I will have to engage in missions, and lure some arrogant young masters and jade beauties into having duels with me so that I can obtain their student credits. Based on what I have observed from the experiences I had earlier today at the hallway and at the cafeteria concerning my affinity, I can at least conclude that my permanent mirroring affinity can permanently allow me to copy the affinity and the learnt skills of the person I use it on. That means that if the person has a limited number of skills for that particular affinity, I would definitely have the same limited number of skills for that affinity. It means that I would have to obtain student credits to train, and improve on the skills of the affinities I inherit from others, and if possible learn more skills in addition to the already existing ones. All these require student credits. So stressful...urrghh... I am sure that the higher ups are keeping a more intriguing note of me after the bullying incident. Very soon, they will have no option but to make direct contact with me and give me a more secured backing against those from prominent families I stand my ground against... and to make that possible, I have to be strong, what a vicious cycle...''
As Lucas stood in one place for a while lost in his habit of musing to himself, a short boy approached him from behind without his notice '' Errrr, excuse me, please could it be that you are lost?... Not many students approach this place''
Lucas came out of his thoughts to find the owner of the timid voice that managed to reach his ears from behind him. He saw a short boy which chestnut hair and brown eyes who seemed to be fidgeting with his hand in a nervous manner even as Lucas observed him ''Strange fashion sense, not that I am one to speak'' Lucas mused inwardly then decided to reply the timid looking boy '' Oh, thanks, this is dorm 56 right?... The academy map directed me here so I do not think I am lost''
The short boy's eyes widened themselves in shock. This time, his timid look was under-toned by a surprised texture in his voice ''You mean you are a new resident of dorm 56, the dorm of the weak of the weak?''
Lucas shrugged his shoulders, and showed no surprised reaction at the boy's words, as he was already aware of the fact that only those who were weak enough to not have any credits would be sent to live here. ''Pretty much...yeah''
The short boy replied with a sigh that did not fail to highlight how much doomed he felt Lucas would be ''Welcome to hell''
''Is it that bad here?'' Lucas followed the short boy towards the worn out looking building.
''Well, everyone living here is.... practically depressed from getting bullied and... ostracized everyday. (sighs) Someone commits suicide here almost every month. There are other demeaning features but, you get used to it'' The short boy timidly sighed.
''Suicide?... They could actually go through with it?... ... '' Lucas blurted out with sincere surprise. He had struggled uncountable times to end his life only to fail at it, yet someone actually had the courage to end their life, or should he say, they were rather cowards who did not want to face the harsh realities of life and therefore decided to end it before it got worse? Who was he to call them cowards, when he tried to go through with ending his own life tsk...This was a cruel world and he couldn't really blame everyone for not having the courage to go through with life when they hit rock bottom.
The short boy timidly spoke to Lucas again, but this time, there was a tinge of annoyance in his voice. .."It sucks that the academy really does allows these things to happen.. "
At this point, the short boy pushed the door to the worn out looking building open, the sequel, a creak sound.
The interior of the building presented itself, just then, Lucas turned around and walked out of the dorm with his backpack... ''The hell?... how am I supposed to live in a place like that...nope ... I don't mean to impolite little guy, but based on my current plans, living here won't help me...let's exchange contacts,call me when you need help with anything okay... It's time to visit some old friends to give them a taste of their own medicine. It's time for Santa to pay what he he owes. I am moving to a new dorm before nightfall''
After exchanging contacts with the skinny boy called Arnold, Lucas left the apartment.