"Before we start sir, I understand it might be out of kindness but, why are you helping me?" Shun Li wasn't related to him in anyway, he wasn't his instructor, he wasn't an acquaintance so why?
A bright smile lit up the finely chiseled jawline of Shun Li. "Because much like you Daichi, I was once a failure who everyone looked down on. And unlike you, I had no one else to support me. But that was the past!"
He could feel his blood pumping, not only was he a passionate individual, he had a specific ideology.
"The new generations shouldn't have to suffer like the old ones did to achieve their goals, that's the purpose of the previous generation! To guide and create a smoother path for the young ones to come, that's the only way we old folks can uphold the climax of our youth!"
A bright, radiant smile appeared on Daichi's face, Shun Li wasn't doing this just for Daichi, he was also doing it for himself, that was his way of contributing to society.
"That's enough talking, it's time to take action!"
[Several hours later]
[8:10AM]
Morning approached swiftly, unlike earth the flow of time here was twice as fast. Ren, Mei, Mizuko and Yui were yet to regain consciousness.
The stipulated time to depart for the Soul Academy was set at 9:00AM sharp, only the two boys who were lucky to escape with less casualties were awake, seated in the office of Hana while awaiting the arrival of the principal.
"What happened to your hands?" Rentaro questioned, he couldn't overlook the number of bandages that was wrapped around Daichi's hands.
"Oh this? It's nothing serious, I did some late night workouts and sustained some minor injuries." He replied, getting his daily morning routine done. It consisted of three sets of handstand push-ups, regular pushups and some stretches.
[Ding!]
[Your first daily quests has been selected!]
[2×20 Diamond pushups]
[3×10 situps]
[20km run]
[Failure to complete will result in a penalty quest]
'For real!?' He thought, although he was in a rather good shape, he wasn't one to exercise making this current quest a nightmare for him.
'I anticipated this might be a level Up kind of system, I guess I have no choice.' He sighed, knowing how nasty a penalty quest could be after all his experience reading system novels in his former life. He expected a quest soon but not as soon as he woke up.
He immediately joined Daichi in his morning routine in the principals office, though he didn't engage in any diabolical training like Daichi.
"Ohhh, I didn't know you work out Rentaro." With an strenuous breath, Daichi increased the pace of his handstand push-ups.
"Well it's not like I have much of a choice." He answered, struggling to complete the two sets of diamond pushups. Luckily for him, just after completing the second quest of the day and sitting back down, the principal came into her office.
"What is this!?" She howled, her office taking the scent of two sweaty boys.
"Good morning principal Hana, we're just getting our glutes in." With a respectful tone, Daichi greeted, increasing the pace of his handstand push-ups.
A vein popped out on Hana's forehead, not once has her office smelled as foul as it did today thanks to these boys.
"Sit the hell down, you damned brat!" Despite her professional courtesy and behavior, Hana had a foul and disturbing side of her that she hid.
Respecting her instructions immediately, he pushed himself back up to his feet and sat down quickly.
"Kids these days." She sighed, shutting the door behind her.
She approached her desk slowly, staring at the two kids who had dared released such foul stench in her office.
"Why did you want to see us principal Hana?" Rentaro asked.
"Shut Up!" She bellowed in response, obviously still upset at them for ruining the radiant atmosphere of her mini paradise.
She took a deep breath, taking her seat behind the desk before glancing at the two boys.
"Yesterday I said that Rentaro has been chosen as a recommendation to enroll into the Soul Academy, as you both know, it remains a total of three months for your final academy session to come to an end before graduating. Those last three months for you will be spent in the Soul Academy, despite regular academic activities you'll also be taught how to harness and control your Soul-Energy."
She spoke quickly, attempting to deliver the news to them before the odor could get in her mouth.
"Rentaro Mizuno, further investigations have led us to believe that you've had a second awakening. We don't know what your Soul-Type is yet but we do know one thing, your Soul-Energy is equivalent to that of the D-rank Soul-Type, electrokinesis."
"And as for you, Daichi Ryuu, early this morning I met Shun Li at the gate. After a few appeals, he assured me that he'll be able train you to control your Soul-Energy. I had my doubts at first, but coming from Shun Li who understands your situation, well I had no choice."
Daichi gasped softly, a glimmer of hope present in his eyes as Shun Li seemed to have kept his words.
"Not only have you qualified to take the screening exams, you've been placed under recommendations by the A-rank Soul-Hunter, Shun Li."
"Alright!" Daichi exclaimed, jumping to his feet, overjoyed by the chance Shun Li had given him to turn his life around.
"Sit down!" Still upset about her paradise, Hana howled, forcing Daichi to maintain his composure and sit back down quietly.
"Good grief, you kids are a pain in the neck." With a gentle sigh, she pulled her drawer open and pulled out a canister spray filled with an orange scented liquid, an air freshener.
"It's a pleasure to have been part of your upbringing, I'm confident you'll remain obedient and kind students as you've always been." As she praised them, she got to her feet and began spraying the freshener around her office.
"Principal Hana." Rentaro called out to her, coughing slightly as the amount she sprayed was a bit too much.
"You might not be aware given how young you still are, but the main purpose of the three month program of the Soul Academy is to prepare you all that had been chosen for the Soul-Hunter exams that's exactly four to five months from now." She said, ignoring Rentaro's call.
COUGH! COUGH!
A harsh sound burst from the two boys lips, raw and ragged, as if something was lodged deep inside their throats.
"Principal Hana." This time, Daichi called out to her but received no response as well.
"You'll depart at 9:00AM sharp with the proctor, due to the unconscious state of the remaining four, I'll personally bring them to the academy myself."
Unable to hold their breath anymore, the two boys ran out of the office, leaving a faint smile on the principal's face.
"And take a bath you dirty pigs!"