Back in the time when Asaga first encountered Komodo.
As the class of 1-A settled into their seats, the middle-aged teacher stood at the podium, ready to impart his knowledge. He began his lecture with eagerness, and the students all focused intently on the words he spoke. Time passed quickly as the teacher held their attention with his engaging words and relatable anecdotes.
However, amongst the attentive students, there was one who could not resist the temptation of sleep. His head drooped down and lulled into slumber by the monotony of the lecture.
Surprisingly, the session ended in just an hour and a half, instead of the usual two to three hours it would take to cover the same amount of material.
The teacher breathed a sigh of relief as the bell for break time rang out, signalling the end of the lesson. The students filed out of the room, chatting excitedly about what they had learned, and the teacher felt a sense of pride at having accomplished his goal for the day.
"Finally, I thought we going to lose a few more sessions to complete this."
If the momentum was maintained and the students quickly got the ideas of the lesson like this, he may consider creating more conditions for them to have more leisure time as well as study other subjects in his class.
“Time to go.”
The teacher, poised with his briefcase in hand, paused at the door of the classroom. He cast a glance back at his students, who stood up from their seats and respectfully bowed in farewell. With a subtle nod, he acknowledged their gesture before turning to make his way out.
However, as he stepped into the hall, he was struck by a sudden thought. He realized that he had one more important point to share with the class, something that was relevant to the lesson but not critical for their understanding. He was not in a rush to leave just yet, so he decided to remind the students before he completely forgot.
With deliberate steps, he made his way back to the podium, surveying the room with a discerning gaze. Clearing his throat with a resounding "Ahem!".
The teacher's efforts to grab the students' attention had fallen on deaf ears, and the students continued to chat amongst themselves, paying little mind to the teacher's presence. The teacher sighed, acknowledging the loss of the class's attention.
Decided not to disrupt the students' break, the teacher made a note to himself instead. He retrieved a pen from his pocket and jotted down a reminder on his wrist.
"Remind class 1-A during next history class..." he muttered to himself.
As the teacher left the classroom, the students scattered, forming small groups for conversation and enjoying their break. However, the number of students who took the time to review the lesson was disappointingly low.
At Uchire Academy, students were allotted a 45-minute break time. Some students used this time to participate in physical activities on the sports field, while others went for a walk in the kingdom markets with friends. Others may choose to spend their break time pursuing individual interests, such as reading or studying in the library. Regardless of how they spent their break, the students were free to come and go as they pleased. For that, all students left the classroom.
But, there were only two students left in the classroom, Asaga and another girl who was intently reading a book at the first seat line.
The girl's eyes were a brilliant shade of blue, shining like a precious jewel. Her golden hair flowed down her back, reflecting the light and giving off the appearance of sunshine. Her skin was smooth and white, white like the snowflakes of a marvellous mountain in the winter. and her face was perfectly oval-shaped.
Unfortunately, the book she was reading obscured her lips and nose, but as she slowly placed the book down, her cute nose and luscious rosy lips were revealed. She cautiously turned around, causing her cheeks to flush red, though the reason for this remained a mystery.
The girl noticed Asaga as he slept with his arms folded on the table, his face buried in his arms. His peaceful slumber was a sight to behold, his mind seemingly untouched by the chaos and turmoil of the world around him. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of such innocence.
However, the reality of the situation was far from tranquil. Asaga was caught in another dimension, battling against the forces of the Replord Empire, specifically their brutal leader, Komodo.
The young girl, clutching her book tightly, made her way down the aisle of the empty classroom. She cautiously took a seat next to Asaga, placing the book in front of her as a shield, in case he stirred from his slumber.
Her eyes darted toward the sleeping figure, taking in his peaceful demeanour. She hoped that her presence would go unnoticed, allowing her to continue feigning interest in her book, as she kept a watchful eye on her crush.
The full name of this blonde princess was Angel Fourmier.
She was a blonde beauty who had captivated the hearts of many boys with her stunning appearance and abilities. Countless people had tried to win her over with gifts, public confessions of love, and love letters, but to no avail. Despite their efforts, Angel remained unresponsive and refused their advances with ease.
Angel had a seemingly gentle appearance belied a steely emotional reserve, making it difficult for anyone to truly capture her heart.
Everything changed when she first met Asaga Uchire. Her first expression about him was his reputation as the loneliest and coldest person at Uchire Academy, even though he did look handsome, for her to be specific.
Angel felt a burning flame in her heart the moment their eyes met. Her cheeks blushed brighter than ever before. Every time she looked at Asaga's delicate features, it gave her a familiar feeling that she had long forgotten.
Within mere seconds of meeting Asaga, Angel felt something stirring within her. She had developed a crush on that boy. Could this be what they called "love at first sight"? The thought of it sent her heart racing and her cheeks blushing a rosy hue.
This newfound feeling was overwhelming, yet exhilarating at the same time. It was as if an electric current was flowing through her veins, making her heart pound, her limbs tremble, and her body sweat with excitement.
Angel struggled with her emotions, torn between confessing to Asaga and risking rejection or keeping her feelings locked away and only secretly crushing him from a distance. The fear of having her heart broken was too much for her to bear, and she lacked the bravery to lay it all on the line. Instead, she contented herself with observing him from afar, stealing glimpses of him in between classes and during academy activities.
Not really, she had to study and took part in the academy's activities. For that, she only followed him in her spare time.
Her mind was floated by thoughts of him, even as she went through the motions of her daily life. She was hesitant to act, but she simply couldn't ignore the flutter in her chest whenever she saw him, the feeling of excitement that seemed to pulse through her veins. She was experiencing what many young girls do, the dizzying whirlwind of a crush.
Angel observed Asaga's serene sleep as she looked at him. She wanted to get nearer to him but was scared to disturb his sleep. She preferred to content herself with only viewing him from a distance.
Her heart rejoiced at the sight of his dark blue hair, somewhat tousled, swinging in the breeze. Being close to him couldn't help but make her feel secure and comfortable. Against her worries, she found herself pulled to him and captivated by this enigmatic person.
“Asaga...”
“Gah! You bastard!”
Asaga awoke with a scream, causing Angel to leap out of her seat in shock. He gave out another cry before falling asleep again. The room returned to its previous state of silence.
As Angel took a long breath to calm herself, she really cannot help but wonder what had triggered Asaga's reaction. She suspected he had been bothered by a nightmare.
Fortunately, her fear that Asaga had noticed her staring at him was misplaced. She let out a relieved sigh as she prepared to return to her chair, but his words boomed through the room once again.
Suddenly, a mysterious voice called out to her. "Angel Fourmier! I need your help!"
Startled, Angel turned around but found no one but Asaga. Had she simply misheard? She shook her head and returned to her seat. Then, the voice sounded again, this time with a hint of pleading.
"Angel! Please, come closer to Asaga and listen to me!"
This time, it was clear that the voice was coming from Asaga himself. She quickly left her book on the table and approached him, asking, "Who are you? How do you know my name?"
Angel was bewildered. She had never encountered such a voice before and couldn't believe what she was hearing. Despite the strange circumstances, the voice mentioned that Asaga was in danger and she felt a sense of urgency to help. Though she was unsure of who or what was speaking to her, she felt compelled to answer its call.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Very well," she said hesitantly. "What can I do to help Asaga?"
"Bring Asaga to the infirmary room of the academy. Time is running out. I count on you and make sure..."
The mysterious voice spoke once again, urging Angel to act quickly. Then, suddenly, it fell silent, and Angel felt a palpable aura of darkness emanating from Asaga. It was a power she had never encountered before, filled with negative emotions like hatred and anger.
“Could it be...?”
Angel was at a loss, but she knew she had to act fast. She saw Asaga tumble out of his chair, shouting in pain, and she knew she could not waste any more time, even a split second.
"I'll get him to the infirmary, hold on!" she exclaimed.
Observing him sustain such pain, she could not stand it. Angel hastily went to the middle of the class and closed her eyes, reciting the SoulEquiqment summoning spell.
“The symbol of spring warmth, freshness, and happiness. A new beginning in life. One joy, one pride. Give me your strength!”
[Golden Roses]
When she had just finished the summoning, a series of green roots emerged from where Angel stood, forming a large cocoon. After that, it dried, peeled out its arid roots, and flashed a blinding flash of light, revealing a shining sabre, a type of sword you would see in fencing.
Such a flawless weapon! The blade was so sparkling and sharp that even the nobles who forged weapons had to crave it. Creation carved the hilt into a pattern of thorny branches of a yellow rose.
With a firm grip on her shining sabre, Angel stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Asaga's prone form. She raised the weapon and a yellow magic circle appeared, with gentle green branches curling around the young man and lifting him up into the air.
Angel cautiously peeked her head out the classroom door, scanning the empty hallway for any signs of life. With the coast clear, she guided the branches to move Asaga toward the academy's infirmary, moving swiftly and silently.
It was strange, she thought, that the entire academy seemed to be devoid of students. Usually, at least a few students were wandering the halls at any given time. Perhaps some large event was taking place outside, drawing everyone's attention. Regardless, Angel was grateful for the opportunity to get Asaga to the infirmary without being seen.
Angel's heart was hammering as she dashed into the infirmary, making sure the door was securely locked behind her. She took a deep breath and looked around the room for any signs of danger. But, to her relief, she saw that the room was vacant, with no one in sight.
However, she couldn't shake the sensation of confusion. Why had the infirmary been abandoned? This was often a bustling location, with students arriving and departing for a variety of reasons. But it was strangely quiet today.
Angel pushed these thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. She kept her sword pointed towards the bed, where Asaga lay. With gentle movements, the green branches cradled him and placed him down on the bed, ensuring that he was comfortable and secure.
The blonde beauty, seated at the chair by the window, gazed at the picturesque view outside as she patiently waited for Asaga to regain consciousness. Despite the lack of information from that mysterious voice, she had to be content with only caring for Asaga. With her guard up, she watched over the fainted boy.
Angel's sight shifted from Asaga to the window. She rose from her seat and approached the window, drawn by the commotion she heard outside. Poking her head out, she was greeted by the sight of a throng of students, mostly second and third-year students, congregated in front of the academy.
The source of the commotion became evident as she spotted two practitioners at the centre of the crowd, their disagreement on the verge of boiling over into violence. The teacher who had recently taught her history class stood between them, a female student and a large male practitioner.
Angel pieced together the events happening outside. "So, this is why I see no one in the academy," she realized, as she continued to observe the situation from the safety of the infirmary. Despite her curiosity, her foremost priority was to keep watch over Asaga, so she refrained from venturing outside.
The girl, a second-year student, stood with a fierce expression, facing off against the large third-year practitioner. The difference in their year was indicated by the colour of their uniforms - blue for the second year, white for the first year, and red for the third year.
The big guy, with a challenging demeanour, clenched his fist as he spoke with a provocative tone.
"Second-year students like you are a bunch of sassy to your seniors. What a waste of money and wealth to feed trashes like you guys."
"What did you just say!?"
As she squared up against the massive male practitioner, the female student was enraged. Her eyes were flaming with rage, and her voice was resentful as she shouted at him. Meanwhile, the instructor was urgently attempting to interfere, attempting to prevent the two from engaging in a violent conflict.
"Listen, both of you," the teacher implored, "we are members of the Uchire family. How can we be fighting like this? And how can you even insult each other in this manner? Why are you... Never mind, I think it's best if you two stop before the principal..."
"Who cares about the principal?" snarled the massive male student. "We're sick of his useless moral lessons. Let's get things settled right away!"
"This is unacceptable behaviour," the teacher reprimanded. "You should not be airing your grievances in such a public manner. If you hate him, whisper that to yourself."
Ignoring the teacher's attempts, the third-year student continued to incite the crowd to rally behind him and his acts. The girl was frustrated and angry as she watched, but the teacher gently drew her aside and murmured, "This isn't the right time or place. We need to get to class since the principal is coming shortly and we don't want to get caught in the middle of this, gather many students as you can and get out of here quick!"
She nodded and reported it to the rest of the second-year students, just like the teacher had just said. Not wanting to get in trouble, they rushed each other into the building and left the rest of them laughing in the middle of the schoolyard.
Third-year students continued to cheer, their voices echoing through the halls, but Angel remained at the window, watching and wondering what was to become of these students who seemed to be headed down a dangerous path.
"I wonder how does the principal look like?"
In spite of never having the opportunity to meet him in person, Angel had heard a multitude of rumours about this man.
He was known to be an incredibly strict and serious teacher, with a teaching style that was said to be unbearable for many students. Some even claimed that after only one week of being taught directly by him, they could no longer handle the pressure and begged to leave the academy.
There were also stories circulating that the principal was one of the most powerful Soul Warriors in the world. Angel was filled with a sense of wonder at the prospect of finally getting to see this elusive figure. Perhaps this would be her chance to catch a glimpse of the legend.
Suddenly, the lively atmosphere changed to an eerie silence. The only student who was still laughing, unaware of the situation, continued to make noise. But everyone else remained quiet, gripped with fear as they sensed the presence of an ominous person.
The student continued to shout, "Why are you all so weak? How can you be exhausted so easily?"
The sky, previously blue and clear, turned dark and ominous. Suddenly, a powerful dark magic circle appeared in front of the student, emitting a dangerous energy that forced everyone to take a step back, creating a large space between them.
A gigantic eyeball erupted from within the black magic portal moments after it appeared. Its gaze travelled across the third-year students, who were taken aback by the apparition's presence. "I heard someone criticizing my teaching approach, didn't I?" said a deep, sinister voice from the eyeball.
Undaunted by the intimidating size, the huge practitioner proceeded to argue vehemently.
"Well, it's better than being a coward like you, old guy... am I right?"
The massive eyeball fixed itself calmly on the practitioner, its gaze unblinking and steady. The young guy chuckled in return, but his joy was short-lived as he was abruptly confronted by the complete embodiment of the Lizardwar great tyrant known as the Nightmare Terror.
The massive, haunting dark holograph of the Nightmare Terror loomed over the fallen student, eliciting gasps of fear from the surrounding third-year practitioners. Their expressions were a mixture of terror and remorse as they fell to their knees, begging for forgiveness.
"Please forgive us! We are deeply sorry for our actions," they implored.
But the principal, with his stern and unyielding gaze, was not easily swayed. The eyeball fixed its piercing look on the haughty student, radiating an aura of utter authority and dominance.
"Ha! Do not speak of cowardice when you cannot even stand before Nightmare Terror. I will not tolerate any corruption of the thought in this academy. By the end of the break, those present here will undergo re-education in the Disciplinary Room."
The absolute certainty and power in the principal's voice left no room for argument, striking fear into the hearts of the repentant students. They trembled in fear, knowing that they would not soon forget the stern punishment that awaited them.
The eyeball, otherwise known as the principal, locked its attention on Goldson Thomas' trembling form. As the principal resumed his severe speech, the pupils present held their breath, afraid to make a sound.
"You, Goldson Thomas, have brought dishonour to the Goldson family with your unacceptable behaviour. You are nothing compared to your sisters. Your actions are not fitting of a Soul Warrior, and thus, you are no longer welcome here at Uchire Academy. Pack your belongings and leave immediately."
Thomas hung his head in shame, realizing the gravity of his actions. The third-year students, who held Thomas in high regard, hesitated to speak out in his defence. But before they could even gather the courage to do so, the principal turned his stare upon them, silencing them with a stern warning.
"Let this be a lesson to all of you. Uchire Academy only accepts the finest of Soul Warriors, those who are true to their training and possess unwavering determination. If you wish to follow in Thomas' footsteps, then so be it. But remember, as long as I am the principal of this academy, I will not tolerate any behaviour that goes against the values and principles of a Soul Warrior."
"Security! Take this spoiled boy out of the academy for me! I will have some words with his parents later." The voice boomed through the courtyard, causing Thomas to tremble in fear.
The security rushed towards him, ready to follow the principal's orders. Thomas had no choice but to be dragged out of the academy, a place he had once considered his pride.
"Please forgive me, principal! I won't do it again, I promise!" Thomas pleaded, but his words were ignored. The principal's tough attitude was known throughout the academy, and nobody dared to cross him.
As Thomas was being taken away, the students who witnessed the whole scene couldn't help but feel a shiver run down their spine. They had never seen the principal this angry before and couldn't help but think that the next time they made a mistake, they might not be so lucky. They had a newfound respect for the principal and knew that the academy was in good hands.
"Remember to go inside the Disciplinary Room not your class!"
Angel was left shaken by the confrontation she had just witnessed. The principal was far more intimidating in person than she had ever imagined.
"No, stop it!"
She quickly composed herself, pushed the thoughts of the principal aside, and focused on her next task at hand.
She turned back to Asaga but was surprised to find the situation had taken a turn for the worse. The room was now bathed in a crimson hue, with the light bulbs struggling to emit any light as they were being consumed by a dark aura emanating from Asaga.
Angel felt a pang of guilt, realizing that she had been so caught up in the events outside that she had completely forgotten about Asaga. She scolded herself for neglecting her duty, and quickly set to work, determined to help him.
"Asaga!"