-Chapter 1-
In a house on the far edge of the city, the crackling of flames and the roar of fire echo, filling the air with an ominous intensity. Within, anguished voices resonate, painting a grim picture of betrayal.
"B-Brother.. why?" stammers a young Ren as he gazes at his elder brother, poised to commit the unspeakable act of murdering their parents.
"Because I serve myself.. and myself only," retorts the elder brother with a venomous tone, dripping with hatred and disdain.
Without remorse, the elder brother proceeds to behead their parents, shrouding Ren's vision in a sudden abyss of darkness.
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Ren awakens from a nightmare, haunted by the images of his parents' demise and his brother's treachery. Still reeling from the shock, Ren scans the room, attempting to restore calm to his troubled mind.
Glancing at the clock, Ren's eyes widen as he realizes the hand has surpassed 9. A moment of realization strikes, "Shit, I'm going to be late for the entrance ceremony!" he exclaims in a panicked voice.
Swiftly changing into his uniform, Ren dashes out the door, urgency propelling him to reach the ceremony on time.
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Arriving at the academy gates, Ren wears an expression of exhaustion. Ironically, the academy lies only a few meters from the inn he lodged at.
"Thank goodness, I made it in time," Ren exhales in relief.
Surveying his surroundings, Ren takes a deep breath. Stepping onto the academy grounds, he marvels at the intricate architecture and the natural beauty, far surpassing the simplicity of his hometown. The noble ambiance envelops him.
"Huh, this place truly lives up to its reputation," he remarks, impressed.
However, the fleeting amusement gives way to an announcement.
"Attention! All students, please proceed to the 1st arena; the ceremony is about to commence," a resonant female voice declares.
"Guess they employ magic for sound transmission too," Ren muses.
"Well, guess I'll have to hasten to the arena," he says, stretching his arms.
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Entering the arena, Ren is taken aback by the colossal number of students filling the colosseum-styled space, nearly reaching ten thousand. Despite the crowd, Ren manages to secure a seat.
"Attention!" a man calls, directing the audience's focus to the arena center.
"Please direct your attention to the Headmaster of the academy," he adds.
A noble-clad figure takes the stage, initiating a speech.
"Good morning, young students. I am Kawerik Montagra, the Headmaster of this academy. And I welcome you to The Academy of Etica!" The words elicit applause and cheers from the audience, excluding one person—Ren. In reality, Kawerik is Ren's elder brother and the prime target of his vengeance.
Kawerik proceeds with a lengthy discourse on the academy's rules and events. He emphasizes the main attraction—the tournaments. Etica, divided into ten regions, each housing ten thousand students, competes for supremacy. The top student of a region is granted a wish of their choosing.
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Concluding his speech, Kawerik instructs the new students, including Ren, to relocate to the training grounds for their entrance exams.
Subsequently, the students depart the arena en route to the training grounds.
On the way, Ren notices a silver-haired girl being coerced by some shady students. Despite reluctance, Ren chooses to shadow the group to unravel the situation.
After a while, the students enter a confined alley, and Ren continues his covert pursuit.
"You really don't want to do this to me," warns a female voice, threatening the students attempting to restrain her.
"Come on now, little missy, don't resist, and we promise it won't hurt," a student taunts.
The girl hesitates but decides to unsheath her stigmata. Before she can act, a figure with grey hair materializes near the alley entrance.
"Yo, the guy with the Einstein hair. Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Ren provokes in a challenging tone.
Surprised to see a fellow student, the girl cautions, "Wait! You shouldn't be here; it's better for you to leave. Even I can handle these idiots!"
Ignoring the girl's advice, Ren stares down the student. "What the hell did you just say to me, you little prick?" the student retorts, visibly provoked.
"You heard what I said; now step away from the girl, and I might even spare you an ass-beating," Ren retorts, disregarding the girl's warning.
The student chuckles at Ren's words. "Hmm, guess I'll have to shut that mouth of yours!"
Subsequently, he conjures a crossbow with magic, intoning, "Marksman of Death! Spawn forth in my hands!"
"Ahh, you even gave your stigmata an edgy name. I'm truly afraid," Ren mocks.
Enraged, the student pulls the trigger, firing an arrow aimed at Ren's head.
" *Sigh* Guess I can't go easy on you now." Ren readies his stigmata. His hands spark, and the surrounding temperature drops. "Infinita, my friend, I request your aid." Uttering these words, he unsheathes a sword glowing with ethereal light.
Facing the arrow, Ren tilts his head while keeping his body sideways. As the arrow nears him, time appears to freeze. After a while...
(*WHISH*)
The arrow, seemingly bound for Ren, embeds itself into the nearby wall with such force that it creates a visible crack.
"W-Wha.. he.. blocked that??" one of the students gasps, shocked.
"Why are you surprised? That move was merely... elementary," Ren grins confidently.
The other students ready their stigmatas, intending to confront Ren. One by one, they charge towards him, driven by the intent to eliminate him.
"I can't believe you still want to fight me after seeing that.. Hpmh.. fine by me." Ren assumes a defensive stance. However, time is short, as one student is already swinging an axe toward Ren's skull.
Dodging with ease, Ren delivers a powerful punch, rendering the student unconscious. Simultaneously, an arrow is launched toward Ren, who adeptly evades it. In the process, the arrow finds its unintended target—the eye of a student planning to stab Ren from behind.
"Whoops! Guess you still don't know about friendly fire, huh?" Ren quips, his tone cocky.
Seizing the opportunity, a student attempts to decapitate Ren with a sword, but Ren effortlessly blocks it using his stigmata.
"Did you not learn to wait until a character finished their dialogue?" Ren expresses disappointment at the student's impatience.
Disarming the student and delivering a swift kick to the jaw, Ren leaves the alley in silence, with only one student remaining.
"You're the only one left, huh?" Ren observes.
"You really are a son of a bitch.. let's see if you can still talk cocky after this." The remaining student declares, preparing for a final assault.
"INESCAPABLE ARROW!!" The student fires an arrow with incredible speed, almost breaking the sound barrier.
Ren chuckles, dodging the arrow while closing the distance between them. Within a second, Ren appears point-blank in front of the student. "Don't give shitty moves such fancy names if they're that pitiful." Slamming his knee into the student's abdomen, Ren renders him unconscious.
The alley falls silent, with the fight concluded. Ren sheathes his sword, making it disappear.
"Are you okay?" Ren inquires of the silver-haired girl.
"Uh, I guess so?" The girl responds, still bewildered.
"What am I supposed to make out of that?" Ren queries, perplexed.
The girl chuckles. "You were quite cool there, huh? What's your name?"
Ren, slightly embarrassed, blushes. "Uh.. Ren. My name is Ren."
"Ren, huh? I haven't heard that name around here. Are you perhaps a new student?"
"Y-Yeah, I am.." Ren pauses, realizing he forgot something crucial. After a brief mental lapse, he remembers.
"Ah! I forgot I had the entrance exam!" Ren panics.
"I'm sorry; I have to go now, but before I do, can I ask for your name?" Ren inquires.
She chuckles. "Sure, I'm Eri, pleased to meet you, Ren."
"Thank you; I hope we meet again, Eri." Ren rushes out of the alley.
Eri chuckles. "What a strange guy, huh."
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After a frantic run, Ren arrives at the training grounds, only to discover the entrance exam has concluded. "Damn it! I didn't make it in time," Ren laments.
A female teacher approaches him. "Are you Ren?"
"Uhh.. Y-yes, Ma'am," Ren responds nervously.
"Come with me; we have something serious to talk about."
-Chapter End-