Royal Steel Academy

3 hours later

Jirael woke up to the sounds of children around him. They were chattering about him and speculating where he came from. Before he could get his head together, he felt a sharp kick to his stomach. The boy who kicked him spoke.

"Get out of here you impoverished bastard. The Royal Steel Academy isn't for poor trash like yo-"

Jirael didn't give him time to finish before he punched him. He sent him flying and he followed up again with a furious series of combos. He didn't let up as he beat him mercilessly. He managed to crack a few of his ribs before a teacher seperated them. She looked at Jirael.

"I don't recall having a student this strong in this school. Who are you."

"So you're going to leave the bastard who started everything and immediately reprimand me?"

"..."

Jirael pulled his hand from her grasp. He didn't want to fight with her yet.

"Don't mind me then. I was just leaving."

Before Jirael could walk away, a huge man with silver-white hair came in.

"Stop right there young man. You're from the Southern Continent right?"

"..."

"Fine keep quiet then. I feel incredibly strong vitality from you so let's have a friendly spar."

Jirael paused for a moment and then spoke.

"What do I gain from this exactly?"

"Well it's simple."

The man charged.

"You get to live!!!"

The sounds of bone cracking was heard as Jirael blocked the punch.

"Wow! Normally people would've had their arms flying off or atleast bent. You also have strong legs. I like how you barely moved but, letting yourself get blown away can ease the pain and siphon off some of the blow."

Jirael coughed and wiped the blood from his lips.

"But letting yourself get blown away allows for the opponent to launch a follow up if they're fast enough."

The man paused...and then laughed.

"KYAHAHAHAHA! I love this kid!"

He extended his hand.

"My name is Rojin. Interested in studying here? I'll personally teach you after school and you won't have to worry about a place to live or about the school fees. I'll take you in."

The students started murmuring. There were even some from higher grades who had come to see the spectacle however, most were angry at how Jirael who wasn't even enrolled for a single day managed to win over the principal. Jirael was visibly confused but...

"I'm sorry. I decline."

"May I ask wh-"

"No. It's my own decision and I have my reasons. I'll take my leave now."

Jirael vanished as he jumped over the walls at super speeds. Rojin looked around and shouted.

"GET BACK TO YOUR CLASSES YOU USELESS FLAPS OF FAT!"

The female teacher walked over to Rojin.

"Sir. Why are you so interested in that boy?"

"You're at the 3rd Gate right Rina?"

"Yes"

"Well that child would be able to beat you or atleast fight you to a draw."

Rina was shocked.

"I don't believe that!!! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE A BRAT WHO HASN'T LIVED LONG ENOUGH AFTER HIS CORD WAS CUT TO BE ABLE TO BEAT ME!!!"

"All right all right calm down. You'll grow wrinkles if you frown too much."

"I'M STILL 21!"

"And he's 5. He put more work than you in five years than you did in twenty one. Remember Rina. There's a lot of hidden monsters in this world and this little monster is one you want to forge good favour with because once he grows, he'll break the heavens. Besides, he easily beat the top student in your class.l without breaking a sweat "

Rojin walked away with a smug smile on his face. Rina returned to her class continue teaching. Rojin thought to himself.

"That brat's still here huh. He's interesting. Teaching him might turn out to be fun."

Jirael was spying from a tree.

Later that day

Jirael waited for several hours for Rojin to be finally alone. He had some questions. When all the students left, he entered Rojin's class. Rojin spoke.

"I was wondering when you'd come back. Have a seat."

"No thanks. I just want to know how you know about a few things."

Rojin sighed.

"You're awfully tenacious aren't you? It's just some minor information that shouldn't affect you."

"...I still want to know how you got that minor information because they way you talked looked like you knew me."

"It's quite a rare to see a phoenix drop someone in the middle of the night."

Jirael didn't waste time and vanished. He ran away. He knew what would happen if word got out that he knew a sentient demon beast, nevermind a phoenix.

"Damn you Jikarin!!! I'll rip off those wings of yours once I find you!!!"

From what Kristina told him, he'd be targetted by the whole of the Eastern Continent because they would want the name of the phoenix for themselves. He ran as fast as he could, leaping from building to building.

" I can't stay in the Eastern Continent anymore. I have to find a way to get to the Wes-"

He felt a hand grab him from behind.

"Calm down ya bastard. I'm not that type of guy who'd sell you out. However, only if you enrol in this school and become my student will it guarantee my silence."

"Fine"

Jirael knew there was no escaping. Even if he could say it's impossible for him to have met a phoenix and survived, there would be some curious people who would probe him for information. Besides, he's not really suffering from this deal. His teacher is a 5th Gate expert.

2 weeks later

He's suffering. He can hardly stay wake in class because of the intense training he does after school. Rojin would make Jirael equip bracers on his hands and feet that weighed a ton when put together and made him run through the entire 20km track on the training field. If he didn't finish the track in an hour, 10kg would be added for every second missed.

"That man is horrible. I'll just sleep for...a...while..."

He passed out on his desk. He slept through multiple classes until it was recess. One of the male students with green hair came. It was the one who Jirael had broke his ribs.

"HEY YOU FUCKER. DON'T THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THAT PRINCIPA-"

Jirael punched him thrice in the face super fast. The boy fainted. Jirael looked around at the cluster of students around him.

"I don't care who you are. I sincerely ask you don't disturb my rest. I am tired. Take this trash with you before you."

With that said, he flopped down to his seat and fell asleep. It wasn't long before Jirael felt another person come. He was about to hit Jirael on the head when he grabbed his fist. He got up and twisted it. It was the green haired boy.

"I wonder how you healed your face this fast. Looks like I'm growing soft."

He broke his arm and covered his mouth to prevent any screams from escaping.

"We wouldn't want any teachers interrupting our little session now do we? I need to teach you clearly that I am not your friend or your dog. When I want to sleep, I don't want to be disturbed."

He knocked him out by hitting the back of his head. He picked him up and threw him from the third floor.

"If he's worth anything, he should survive that fall or else he'd truly be trash."

Jirael looked around him. The students were terrified of him.

"Good. No one should disturb me now."

He once again, sat down and slept on his desk. That's what it looked like to other people but the truth is, Jirael was absorbing chi from the air and using it as a film to protect his body and harden his skin. He couldn't direct it into his chi veins because that would cause problems. He already has his own chi that he generates from the food he eats. It's like photosynthesis. He generates high quality chi and that gets stored in his core. The by-product, which is the black chi circulates his veins and that is the chi he uses for combat. The chi from the surroundings gets absorbed in his skin and is used as a form of barrier. It was subtle but anyone with keen eyes could see wisps and steams of chi constantly entering Jirael. That was what the girl sitting opposite from Jirael could see, until he suddenly vanished.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Jirael was directly behind her, breathing down her neck. She squirmed but answered.

"Um-I uh...please forgive me."

"Forgive you for what? I'm just wondering why you kept looking at me since earlier during the day."

Jirael paused for a bit as the girl mumbled something incoherent. He soon walked away.

"As long as their is no malice, I won't take action. Anyway let me find that old geezer Rojin. It might be more fun to be with him than here with these ki-"

He stopped as he felt malice coming from behind him. He turned around to see a female teacher standing there and watching him. It was Rina.

"Jirael. You're Jirael aren't you? Come with me."

Jirael stood his ground.

"Atleast explain to me why I must come."

Rina fastened her hair into a pony tail and took of her jacket.

"I think you understand now right?"

Jirael smiled. His fighting instincts flared up.

"Lead the way."

...

They were on the rooftop.

"It would look bad if I, as a teacher was to be seen fighting you but that Rojin spoke so much about you that I just have to check for myself..."

She took a stance as chi surrounded her.

"...whether you're the real deal."

Jirael took his hands out of his pockets and took a stance also.

"Then I'll make sure not to disappoint."