"Your Soul-Energy is fluctuating in a pattern we have never witnessed before, until we can figure out why, I'm sorry. I don't think you should ever use your Soul-Energy ever again."
There are two ways to get into the Soul Academy, by recommendation or by the screening exams. Recommendations were extremely rare, why? Because the requirements to get in by recommendations were hardly ever met.
To get recommended is either with one's rank or their abilities. As it stood, Mizuko and Miyuki were automatically recommended, awakening one of the most powerful Soul-Types in Mysthaven and possibly the whole world.
Although her rank is lower than the two aforementioned, Yui also met the requirements after awakening the unique ability, Psychic Telepath.
"I see, understood." With a bold voice, Daichi replied, squeezing the sheets of the bed that covered his lower body in his hands.
The principal let out a soft sigh, she understood the feeling of having your dreams crushed. But it was for his own benefit, speculations arose regarding the unusual stability of Daichi's Soul-Energy.
They refused to accept such speculations, because if that was truly the case, it will result in his permanent end.
They all left the infirmary, leaving the boys to rest up before the fateful day that laid ahead of them.
"Are you alright?" Rentaro asked, his voice hinting with slight concerns.
It wasn't difficult to see that Daichi wasn't happy with what he was told, his hands trembled with rage, not because of what Hana said, but at his own weakness.
"I'm fine." He replied, retaining his usual composure and smile.
"I need some fresh air." He added, leaving his bed as well as the infirmary.
[Xen Reef High]
[19:00]
[Backyard]
THUD
THUD
Late in the evening, a faint sound resonated through the school's backyard, followed by the rustling of loose leaves in the wind.
It was Daichi.
Punching and kicking the tree in sync in front of him, a deep and resonant thud echoed through the school's backyard. Each strike produced a dull crunch, the bark splintering slightly, followed by a soft rustle of leaves.
He kept this up for at least thirty minutes.
"Damn.." He muttered, increasing the force behind every strike each passing second. He was so lost in his disappointment he had no idea his hands were bleeding from the repeated impact on his fists.
Finally, he sent his right fist into the tree, summoning every ounce of energy he had left. The tree couldn't stand it anymore, as a result the lower root of the tree broke from his final blow and the whole tree tipped over.
"Why?" He stuttered, his voice hinting the pain and resentment he harbored in his heart.
"Why is it always me?"
Daichi's life was simple but tragic, much like Rentaro he was talentless. Academically he performed even below expectations, socially he also lacked even though his efforts were admired by few. In other words, he was a complete failure for a talentless kid who didn't have nearly enough Soul-Energy to beat him in the selection process.
He slumped to his knees, tears flowing down from his eyes. He didn't know how he was going to face his mother, she viewed him as a failure more than others. The selection process was his only chance to prove her otherwise, but he failed even at that.
"Ma was right, I am a failure."
"No, I'd say your a failure who has surpassed a complete failure."
A voice spoke, startling Daichi who got to his feet immediately, wiping off the tears that dripped from his eyes.
"You're one of the individuals the proctor brought along, who are you?"
The man stepped forward, wearing a huge smile on his face before spinning several times. With a passionate grin, he pointed his thumbs to his face.
"I am, Shun Li, A-rank Soul-Hunter." He replied.
"You're a Soul-Hunter as well?"
"Oh shit!" Shun Li exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head with his palm.
"It's not something you should know by now, but it doesn't matter. What matters now is that you're not a failure, rather I'd say you're a prodigy." He added.
"A prodigy? I think you have me confused with Mizuko, a talentless failure who couldn't even awaken a Soul-Type despite his high Soul-Energy. If that's not a failure I don't know what is."
Daichi replied looking down at the ground, his gaze casting a shadow over his features, the weight of unspoken thoughts evident in the slight furrow of his eye brows. He hunched his shoulders slightly, conveying a sense of introspection or burden.
Shun Li smiled softly, placing his right hand on Daichi's shoulder.
"Failure is not the end of an individual, it is merely the stepping stone to success. Just like me, each talented individual encounters failure, the more consistent the failure is the more lessons life offers. You're not a failure, you're just a prodigy who is yet to rise."
After admitting the kids into the infirmary, they found numerous scars and scar tissues on Daichi's body. Stipulating self harm due to trauma of his past, however Shun Li quickly realized that those scars could only be achieved by gruesome training.
"At the end of the day, even a failure will surpass a genius. Daichi, what if I told you that there's a way that you could still qualify for the Soul Academy?"
A glimmer of hope reflected in his eyes, though it seemed like his dreams had been dashed. The heavens heard his pleas.
"Really!?"
"That's right, but following this path will not be easy, it requires self sacrifice and consistency in order to achieve. However there's a single condition when following this path."
"I don't care." Daichi said bluntly, causing Shun Li's lips to expand gradually. "I've already been through hell and back, if this is the only way then so be it. I'll do whatever it takes to achieve the title of a Soul-Hunter!"
'I like this kid, with the motivation he has now he might just end up becoming one of the strongest Soul-Hunters.' Shun Li thought.
"Alright then, we have till tomorrow so your training starts right now!"
"Alright!"