The hard knocking on the door jolted Kael awake, pulling him out of his slumber. He sat up abruptly, yawning as he tried to shake off the grogginess of his forceful awakening.
'Oh, I fell asleep in the living room,' he realized, glancing around as he grabbed the beast Grimoire from his lap and placed it on the couch beside him.
The knocking came again, louder this time, a firm reminder of why he'd woken up in the first place.
"Who could that be?" he muttered, puzzled, though he approached the door less cautiously than he should have.
Upon opening the door, Kael was met with the sight of two individuals standing on his doorstep.
"Hello, Kael Auron. We are agents from the Soul Academy," one of them announced, holding up an identity card for Kael to inspect.
Kael barely glanced at the card. His eyes instead caught the man's necklace, which displayed a grade of three—a plain, unmistakable three. That alone told Kael how he should address the man before him—with all the respect necessary to avoid offending him.
"Please, could you explain what you mean by 'Soul Academy'?" Kael asked cautiously.
The agent lowered his card, letting it rest against his chest, and began to explain.
"The academy is a recruitment center for students who have discovered their abilities. It trains them to use these abilities effectively. To put it simply, think of it as the university you were attending before the Wave. We want you to return to class and study alongside your former classmates."
'My classmates?'
Kael froze, the words striking a chord deep within him. The man was offering him a chance to return to his class, to study beside his peers. It was everything Kael desired—a chance he had longed for, especially after his thoughts about Elsa. But as tempting as it was, obstacles loomed in his mind.
"I'd love to, but I don't have the funds to pay for it," Kael admitted, his tone tinged with resignation.
The man at the door shook his head, and his partner stepped forward to address Kael.
"There's no need to worry about that. For now, it's free education. The government requires all students of your age to receive training to prepare for the challenges brought by the Wave."
'Free education?'
Kael struggled to believe it. This had to be some kind of joke or, worse, a government conspiracy. Yet the sheer eagerness to see Elsa again overpowered his doubts.
"Wow, that's amazing! A chance to be with my friends again," he said, clenching his teeth as if to mask his excitement.
"If you're interested, we'll give you an invitation card. Since you don't know where the academy is, we can also arrange transport to take you there tomorrow. So, what do you say, Kael?"
Kael weighed their words carefully, considering the possibilities over and over until a sense of satisfaction coursed through him.
"I'd love to join the academy again, as long as accommodations and meals are covered," he finally replied.
For a moment, the agent's expression faltered, but it quickly reformed into something neutral.
"Those benefits come with acceptance into the academy. However, before you're admitted, we'd like to conduct a test to ensure you're truly fit for the program."
Kael's smile faded.
"A test? I haven't studied in a while. I'm not as brilliant as I used to be," he said nervously.
Both agents burst into laughter.
"No, no, it's not that kind of test. This is a physical test," one of them clarified.
'A physical test?'
Kael had never heard of an entrance exam involving physical challenges.
"May we come inside? The test needs to be conducted indoors," the agent added.
Kael hesitated but eventually stepped aside, allowing the men to enter before closing the door behind them.
He led them to the living room, where they settled on his couch. The sight of the two men made Kael uneasy, particularly the large backpack one of them carried. The bag had been on the man's back the entire time, and now it rested on his lap.
The uneasiness in Kael's chest grew stronger.
{It seems your natural instincts are kicking in.}
'Natural instincts? What do you mean? Is there something wrong with me?'
{Since you haven't leveled up the system, my information is limited. But I'll say this: be wary of the two men.}
Kael's suspicions were confirmed as the man with the backpack slowly unzipped it. From inside, he retrieved a transparent cylinder and held it up for all to see.
Inside the cylinder was a creature unlike anything Kael had ever encountered. It had antennae, stood on all eights, and sported an exoskeleton-like body. Its monstrous appearance was vaguely reminiscent of a cockroach, though its twisted body hinted at something far more sinister.
Kael staggered backward until his back hit the wall.
"What the hell is that?" he exclaimed, panic evident in his voice.
The two men laughed, seemingly amused by his reaction.
"This little guy is a mutant roach," the agent holding the cylinder explained. "It eats human flesh and targets the weakest link in any group."
He shook the cylinder slightly, agitating the mutant roach inside.
'What are they planning? Are they trying to kill me?'
Kael's mind raced as he berated himself for letting two strangers into his home. Their claims could have been lies, and now he might pay the price for his foolishness.
"This is the academy's entrance test," the man continued. "If you pass, you'll receive a scholarship and admission. If you fail... well, it's death for you, my boy."
Kael's heart sank as the agent began unscrewing the cylinder's lid, teasing the mutant roach inside.
"Good luck, Mr. Kael," he said, removing the lid entirely.