Leon's excitement reached its peak this Monday. For the first time in a while, he woke up at 7 a.m. on a Monday with a genuine smile. Such scenes were rare, considering he used to go to great lengths to take even a day's absence.
Yet, that was back in primary and middle school. Now he was embarking on his high school journey.
There was a vast difference between middle and high schools, not just in the sense of higher education level.
This change was the root of why people are living longer compared to a century ago, why some can't get sick while others are getting sick if they are talentless or, for some other reason than viruses.
As it was Monday, the first half of the day typically meant a half-holiday for workplaces, with a few exceptions. Today was the day for schools to open; for that reason, to kids, second half of the day was a holiday. Special days come with special privileges, so to say.
This Monday was designated for the school-wide pilgrimage. Every child had to follow their class to the pilgrimage site unless they had a compelling reason. That explained why Leon was putting extra effort into his appearance.
Leon wasn't usually concerned about his looks. He was the kind of kid who would look in the mirror with a grin and say, "I'm as handsome as always, huh?"
"Yes, you are, honey, but it's already 8 a.m."
"Means I've one more hour."
"Means you have to start eating in a short while. Cough! Cough!"
"Yet to take your pill?"
"I'll take it in a- Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Unlike last time, dashed at his mother with his saddest expression, Leon.
Her snow white skin, triggering the gates of anxiousness, made his fingers tremble as he put utmost effort into cushioning a white lotus about to wither away.
"Mother!"
Took a deep breath, Mary, while her hands were on the table.
"Can't you see I'm doing well?"
"Do I look like born yesterday?"
"Not yesterday, but it wasn't so far away in the past. Haha."
"Just take your pill already."
As always, a gentle pat on the head followed.
"I will. You don't have to worry about me."
Seeing his mother's gentle and determined eyes, he could have nothing to do but keep one eye on her, checking whether she was taking the pill. As always, his entire breakfast passed like that, and he finished it when Mary took the medicine.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, prayer time was 11 a.m., which is why kids were supposed to go to school this afternoon at 1 p.m.
However, today was the first day of a new semester or new school life for some. That is why, they had to be in school at 9:30 a.m. to get acquainted with their new friends since the Gods were blessing them with new bonds.
"Alright, it's 9 now."
"I know, I know."
"Be careful, alright? Don't do anything unnecessary. Don't swear at others and be in the center of trouble."
"When did you see me swearing?"
"Like almost every time you play games?"
Dumbfounded for a second, yet, kept his cool. Realizing he was caught, he attempted to change the direction of the conversation.
"Were you listening to me?"
"Weren't you sleeping on the next door?"
"You are prohibiting my privacy, you know that, right?"
"Yeah, sure," let out a slight cough, "But I have to give you, sometimes you are being quite creative."
"What do you mean?"
"I'd sacrifice your mother to the demons, motherfu," then stopped, "Wanna finish the sentence?"
Slowly, coolly, looked at his watch, "Seems like I have to go."
"Be careful, and don't forget to avoid fights today. You have to join the school pilgrimage."
"I won't, I won't. And you will be coming with Aunt Jane, right?"
"Seems like she has things to do. So, I'll go there alone."
Downed his eyes for a second, "I'll—"
"It's okay. I'll just go there and come back here. Same as always."
"I'll be here right after the pilgrimage."
"Do whatever you want. Now, go, go."
After a quick kiss on the cheek, made his way to meet up with Maria.
The autumn breeze rustled through the air, gently tousling Leon's short, neatly trimmed hair. The mighty sun was shining as always but not meddling with both the cold air and the cold, killing gazes Leon facing right now.
The pressure was so intense that he could only offer a gentle smile, hoping to ease the heart of the girl who changed her head from him to her watch every now and then.
"I was about to die from waiting."
A forceful smile on his handsome face, "It shouldn't have taken that long."
"You made me wait for five minutes! Five!"
"Sorry."
"Is that it?"
"If I kiss you, would you forgive me?"
First dumbfounded, then became a fidgeting tomato, Maria.
"W-We are not children anymore!"
"I know, right? Time flies."
"S-Shut up, and let's go! We can't be late!"
"I know, I know."
They had to be at school at 10 a.m., but it wasn't like they had to take a bus or something to get there. Home to school was about fifteen minutes by foot, a little bit ahead of the shopping district.
School was massive enough to spur out from all those peaks of buildings, spanning through all the way eyes can see. There weren't any tiny football, soccer, or basketball courts in it for kids to play, but five black-gray buildings equal in size to them.
Standing in front of the massive black door, Leon and Maria. Eyes up in the heavens, trying to beat the feeling of being in the presence of something mighty, trying to challenge it.
Maria heard a deep breath, then a sigh, and changed her direction to the sharp-eyed boy.
"So, this will be our battlefield for the next four years, huh?"
"Stop being dramatic, and let's go."
"Do you know our class, though?"
"Literally 9-A."
"Useful information."
"Right? Idiot."
To their left, a 3-meter-long, 2-meter-wide space accommodated kids and teachers coming and going.
After entering from there, they immediately turned to the left, where two God's Guards were waiting in front of a desk that was no different from the one on the prayer site.
Having their God's Watch scanned was the regular procedure someone has to follow when entering a legal building.
Class 9-A was on the first-floor right side, literally the first door of the entire building that filled with every kid from every race out there, while Aqrabians stood out of the crowd with their natural enormous body size.
And now one of them was on his way towards them with a Tayirian alongside from a few hundred meters away.
A 1.80-meter boy, the regular size of a 14-year-old Aqrabian, made the ground create a sound with every step he took towards them. His purple tail was already above him, swinging slightly but powerfully.
If Aqrabians weren't just ordinary people they've grown up with, they may have been terrified now.
The boy's vertical reptile eyes, along with purple pupils, were stunning on his bronze skin. Though, with that body and tail, he was gushing out the aura of someone far from being a beauty.
In fact, compared to him, the eagle-type Tayirian was much more of a beauty with his pure white eagle head and pale yellow pupils.
They slowed down in front of Leon and Maria, prompting curiosity about their intentions.
"What's up, beauty?"
Maria, realizing he was addressing her, responded with a gracious smile, "Well, thank you for calling me a beauty, since that's the fact. But I have to reject you, sorry."
Kindly rejected him without even thinking for a tiny second. Then, put her already wide smile to the brim while slipping a glance at Leon.
"Ah, no, I wasn't talking about you."
""…""
It took a moment for them to comprehend the situation.
"What the f*ck!?"
It was his first time getting this kind of compliment from a boy; his surprise was in his voice.
"What do you mean by not me!? I'm the beauty here!"
The few seconds Maria granted to Leon was more than enough for him to cool his head. In fact, if one were to give him more time, he would have started questioning why men hadn't proposed to him so far.
"Sorry, man, I don't swing that way."
"Do you know who I am?"
"It literally isn't the case of fame, you know?"
"I'm Ahrab Shak from the Shak Clan."
"And I'm Estero Ea from the Ea Clan."
"Shit."
It was an understandable reaction to suddenly encounter the children of two clans that held significant influence in Harbinger City. Their families were people up in the heavens for him, people who almost controlled the entire city.
Grin appeared on Ahrab's face, "Seems like you know the situation now."
Still, he didn't change his nonchalant attitude, "Well, it doesn't matter whether you are from a clan or not."
This response triggered fury in Ahrab. This was precisely why people typically avoided getting into heated conversations with Aqrabians. If you want to have a walking volcano beside you, then go take an Aqrabian. They may erupt at any moment, and you wouldn't know it coming.
"Huh? What did you say?"
The moment he raised his hand, someone's voice echoed in the corridor.
The voice was akin to that of a child, "Hmm, hmm… I've sensed trouble and saw the Leon the Curse Master."
The first one to almost scream with joy was Maria.
"Zennava!"
"Long time no see, huh?"
"Long time no see my a*s, it's just been three months."
"I see you are doing well even in front of someone who apparently wants to take your that place you literally said just now."
"I see you still can rap," pointed at others. They all had blank faces, looking either to the air or to empty ground, "Look, they are still trying to comprehend what you said."
"A-And who the hell are you?"
Estero, meticulous even about the smallest things, leaned closer to Ahrab and whispered, "Ahrab, you just stuttered."
Reply came in a whisper, "Shut up a bit, alright?"
"Sure."
"The name is Zennava, Zennava Xorna."
The Zeta with a pink hat on, Zennava, proudly stated who she was and made the two flinch for a second. Her gray skin, without even a single hair on it, was just one part highlighting her race.
Her night sky eyes, with tiny stars on them, were indeed a beauty of skies. Yet, her 1.40-meter height was only making her cute, even though she has a little bit of chest as if trying to state she was a female.
She was one of their friends since primary school.
"Well, that's a bit—"
"So what if you are a Xorna? Do you think you can beat me?"
Not even a second passed, "I can't."
"Then, why the he—"
"But I can the moment I become a Level 1 in Universal Energy Arts."
"Hmph, when you become a Level 1, I'll be one too, idiot."
"But, unlike us, you won't have adequate spiritual energy until Level 3, idiot."
Once again, a frown appeared on his face, and this was usually the limit of younger Aqrabians, "But your spiritual energy won't save you from this!"
Bum!