In the heart of a kingdom called Nabuarth stood the Bounty Hunter Academy—grand in reputation, if not exactly in height. Its stone towers leaned slightly to the left, and the main gate squeaked no matter how many times the blacksmiths tried to fix it. Still, it was the pride of the kingdom, known for producing the finest knights, hunters, and occasionally pastry chefs (don't ask).
Each year, waves of ambitious students entered its gates, dreaming of glory and a fancy title to slap on their résumés. Most left with scars, stories, and debts from the school store's overpriced magical gear. Among these students were a rare few who excelled beyond all expectations. These prodigies were placed into the prestigious Star Section—the school's elite class, reserved for the strongest, smartest, and occasionally the luckiest.
Of course, not everyone cared for the rigorous training or the Star Section's glittering prestige. Every academy needs its misfits, rebels, and professional procrastinators. From the student who turned every essay into a ten-page excuse letter to the one who thought nap time was a sport, the Academy had no shortage of characters.
And this year, the Star Section had its fair share of… let's say, unique individuals.
Lian, as usual, didn't quite care for the details of training or academics. Somehow, though, he always managed to pull off decent—or sometimes high—scores, usually by the skin of his teeth. And even worse, he got praised for it. This did wonders for his ego, which was already a little too inflated for comfort.
But today, his pride got the best of him. When it came time for the Projectile Throwing test, Lian thought he could wing it. After all, what's the point of practicing with anything other than his beloved dual axes? He hurled them at the target with all the flair and confidence of a man who'd never truly failed—except this time, he didn't hit the right target.
"Lian," Sun sighed from the sidelines, clearly annoyed. He wasn't surprised. "If you'd just used my extra bow, you wouldn't have to redo this."
"Ah, boring," Lian smirked, tossing his axes back over his shoulder. "You think too much inside the box, Sun. I'm all about thinking outside the box. Besides, bows are for weaklings, and I'm not using one outside of school."
Kristan raised an eyebrow, watching Lian in disbelief. "Huh?"
Lian turned to him with a grin. "No offense, God Kristan, please don't smite me."
Fall approached, arms crossed, his usual smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
"What on earth are you wearing? Your axe is gonna rip right through that cloak."
Lian tossed a casual glance at Fall's own outfit. "Your fits suck, brother," he retorted. "But I gotta focus now. I'm gonna ace this next one, and no, Sun, I won't use your bow."
Sun rolled his eyes, but it was clear he wasn't expecting anything different. With Lian, it was always a circus. But somehow, despite his chaotic methods, he always managed to make things work in the end.
After Lian worked his "magicals" in his retake, the group made their way back to their old hangout. It used to be under the cool shade of bamboo trees, a spot that offered some peace and quiet. But lately, they'd found themselves either hanging out at an abandoned house or wandering aimlessly around the academy, judging everyone else's mistakes for fun.
Sun glanced around, his expression shifting nervously. "I'm lowkey getting anxious, y'all. Wanna go back? I don't wanna miss the next training, you know?"
Sun was one of those rare people who was an academic powerhouse—a nerd, really—but his attention span was about as long as a squirrel's. People in his class praised him for excelling, but he hated the attention. He'd much rather hang with his friends because they were way more entertaining. Still, the thought of his grades taking a hit made him twitch. He'd promised himself he'd top the leaderboard on the first day, but it seemed less likely now. Focus? Nah. Recitation? Forget it. But somehow, the Captains always commended him, even though they didn't always appreciate his antics.
"Nah, chill out," Fall said, leaning against a wall with his usual bored expression. "There's no class today, apparently. But there's some random bum in there."
"What do you mean, 'random bum'?" Sun asked, narrowing his eyes.
Fall shrugged nonchalantly. "There's an announcement about some tournament we're required to attend. Not too worried, though. Our adviser will tell us again anyway."
"I'm going back," Sun said, turning on his heel.
"You fcki-" Fall began, narrowing his eyes in mock frustration, clearly trying to intimidate. "You're a coward, I swear."
Fall, of course, was a different breed. He excelled both academically and in training, but the truth was his parents had conditioned him to be perfect. People adored him, despite his tendency to insult them constantly, brushing it off as "just mean jokes." He saw everyone as a subject to control, and his superiority complex ran deep. If someone else made a simple mistake? He'd get irritated, often belittling them for it. But when it came to his own mistakes? He always had a reason. Always.
Sun shot Fall a look. "I'm not a coward. I just don't want to waste time."
Fall raised an eyebrow. "Right. Sure. Just like you don't 'waste time' with your grades." He leaned closer, smirking. "You'll probably end up top 10 anyway, so no worries, nerd."
Lian, who had been enjoying the banter from the sidelines, clapped Sun on the back. "Don't listen to him, man. If anything, you're just gonna ace the tournament."
But even Lian's carefree attitude couldn't fully calm Sun's nerves.
"I'm going back too, everyone," Kristan suddenly said, his usual calmness returning. "I'm curious, hmm."
Lian shot him a surprised look. "Imma be honest, you've been too quiet. I thought we forgot about you." He dramatically bowed. "I apologize for my misdeeds, oh Great God Kristan."
Kristan raised a finger to his lips, signaling his ninja-like silence, before walking off with Sun. Both of them headed back to their barracks, while Lian and Fall followed, not wanting to be left behind.
As they reached the central square, they saw a man standing on a podium. He was dressed in Heavy Knight's armor, and his posture alone suggested he was of high rank, likely from a neighboring kingdom. He held a scroll, reading it with a stern, almost robotic tone.
"To the graduating students of the Kingdom of Nabuarth," the man began, his voice booming over the crowd, "Congratulations on your last year, and may all of you excel in your respective fields, whether as knights, bounty hunters, or blacksmiths. This final year, all of you are required to attend a tournament—a test of your powers that will challenge your academic skills, combat abilities, and improvisation in the field."
The crowd murmured as the man continued. "This contest will have three distinct challenges, and in each one, you will be divided into groups. Do whatever it takes to survive, and if you're fortunate enough, you may be able to fight in the final challenge, where only one will take the spot of No. 1. Note that this will NOT affect your grades, but it will certainly affect your individual resumes and the opinions of the companies that will be attending."
The man paused, his tone shifting slightly. "Any questions regarding the tournament will be answered the day of the tournament itself, so as not to leak the rules or the challenges in advance. Thank you for your time." He stepped away from the podium, and the crowd fell silent, processing the weight of his words. Some looked worried, others confused, and a few were excited and curious.
"OH MY GOD!" Sun panicked, his voice squeaking. "Yeah, I'm definitely not gonna go far."
Fall, however, seemed intrigued. "Wow… I might actually enjoy this."
Lian, ever the showman, mimicked Fall's voice in a mockingly deep tone. "I might enjoy this…" He straightened up, grinning. "Shut up! I'm gonna be No. 1! RAHHH!"
Kristan, standing silently nearby, smiled. "Guess I'm gonna have to grind... haha."