The beautiful girl in the stands

Vesper found the classroom easily enough. There were three buildings, one for each year. The first years' building was in the east side, not the longest walk from the gate. It was a three story building with the homerooms on the first story. Vesper saw the notice taped to the door before he stepped in.

All first years were to assemble in the second auditorium.

Vesper saw the confusion on the faces of his classmates and other first years, but there was no hesitation. They were all starting for the auditorium. Vesper dropped his backpack on an empty desk near the back, and followed.

Along the way, Vesper kept his ears peeled. There was much to be gained from eavesdropping. The second auditorium was dedicated to physical training, which was essentially training of martial arts. Today was for the first years to display their talent, and for the teachers to pick. The students would follow the teacher who picked them through all of high school. Even after high school, the teacher would have a big role to play in their lives.

Vesper was intrigued. The physical training that was being discussed, was it the same as what he was thinking about?

— Yes, it is. Physical training is actually divided into two; martial arts of the body, and cultivation of inner energy. I think, the teachers picking their students refers to the inner cultivation. Every teacher represents a school of cultivation, which is what makes it so important. Wasn't all of this in the school's webpage?

Vesper scoffed. Why would he pay attention to such insignificant things.

The conversation was paused as they arrived at the auditorium. The auditorium was a massive building that was plain looking. Four tall walls supporting a cylindrical roof. The inside was surprisingly bigger than it seemed from the outside. The stands were on the two longer sides, able to seat a few thousand. The field was big enough to host every sport played on the planet. Today, the few hundred first years gathered on the field, according to their classes. Teachers and some seniors were sitting on the stands, observing the first years. The homeroom teachers stood with their classes. They were helping the director of physical training conduct the program.

The homeroom teacher of class 1A was a middle aged woman with a pretty face and a warm bearing. She wore a pale green full skirt, and a creamy white full hand blouse. Her shoes were flats, but not the slightest suited for physical training. None of her belonged in the auditorium, yet here she was. She had no words of advice to offer. Only a smile, which was enough to ease the tension of her students.

— She's pretty. And nice.

Vesper agreed. Smiling relaxedly, he looked at the stands. There were a few old men, some more middled aged men and women, and many more students, clearly the seniors and beloved students of the teachers. His gaze froze on a girl who was dazzling like a fairy. Long hair black as night, skin fair as milk, wide black eyes that seemed to see everything, big inviting lips, an hourglass body that couldn't be hidden even while sitting, and most importantly, a magnetic aura. He wouldn't look away.

Feeling his gaze, her eyes found him. He continued staring unabashedly. She frowned, and he kept looking. She snorted, and turned away.

— So beautiful.

Vesper didn't rein in his admiration. Beautiful girls were a treat to the eyes. And he intended to enjoy all joys to the fullest.

Just then, the director stepped up to the front. He cleared his throat softly, but everyone heard him. Some of the first years were surprised, others impressed. Vesper allowed his eyes to fall upon the man who looked much younger than he actually was. He was chubby, still seemed fit. He was tall, had a disciplined aura, and made no effort at hiding his strength. If he meant to affect the young students, he succeeded. He clapped, and a few seniors brought two tables to the director's side, and went away. A few other seniors stood targets at the end of the auditorium, and left. On the table were projectile handguns, ranging from six chamber heavy revolvers and compact pistols to explosively powerful semi-automatic handguns. And lastly, there was one pump action shotgun.

"Good morning," the director said in a booming voice that shook the roof and made the ground tremble. He was pleased with the shock on the young faces. "Today isn't exactly training. You'll all be putting on a display of your ability. The rest of us will be enjoying the show. As for what you'll be doing, it's easy. Grab a gun. Shoot at the targets. They're all condensed energy cartridges, so none of us will be hurt. You, unfortunately, will be hurt if shot at. It'll hurt like hell. Probably send you crashing to the ground in tears. That'll be something you won't forget through high school. Maybe the rest of your life. So, don't shoot at yourselves. Alright. We'll start with 1A, and proceed onward. Oh yeah, you can call me director Gaon. Or simply, Mr Gaon."

Vesper was amused. Mr Gaon was being funny, and Vesper saw no reason to hold back. It wasn't funny enough for a laugh. Vesper smiled wide, without a trace of nerves on his face. Was probably why he caught the eyes of almost everyone in the stands as well as those of his homeroom teacher and Mr Gaon.

"Well," Mr Gaon boomed. "We've got a comedian. Come on over, you with the smile. Don't be shy."

Vesper looked around confused. His classmates weren't as amused as the other boys and girls, because their class wasn't going to be embarrassed.

"He means you," the boy next to Vesper whispered.

"Me?" Vesper asked in his normal voice, pointing at himself. "But I'm no comedian. He can't mean me."

Vesper looked at Mr Gaon who had a strange look. Clearly, the director heard Vesper.

"Do you mean me?" Vesper asked.

Mr Gaon cleared his throat sharply and answered.

"Yes, I mean you. See anyone else with a smile?"

"Oh, so you're a comedian too. Must be a nice title then. Comedian."

In the auditorium that went silent, Vesper's normal voice was loud enough to reach the far ends. He walked over to Mr Gaon's side amidst muted snickers on the field and silenced laughs from the stands. Mr Gaon looked ready to pop a vein as he glared at the nonchalant Vesper.

"Let's see if you can shoot the guns as well as you shoot your mouth."

Mr Gaon grinned with malice. And Vesper only looked back with curiosity.

"I don't understand," Vesper said.

"Don't understand what," Mr Gaon asked, looking confused too.

"What you said. I don't understand."

"I said shoot."

"Oh, okay."

Vesper reached for a large revolver whose barrel was as tall as his arm, pointed it up at the roof and pulled the trigger in one smooth motion. The bang echoed through the stunned auditorium. Vesper wasn't impressed. He looked questioningly at the director who was still as a statue of stone.

"I shot," Vesper said.

Vesper's voice broke everyone out of their reverie. The teachers in the stands looked at each other, none able to completely hide away their astonishment. It wasn't just the fact that Vesper shot successfully in the first attempt, but the way he did it. The ease, the smooth flow, it was more than what could be achieved with great practice. The recoil of condensed energy cartridges was worse than that of traditional metal cartridges. A first year student without training inner cultivation firing a condensed energy cartridge with such ease was evidence of immeasurable talent. The old masters saw the same excitement and greed in all their eyes. They all wanted Vesper.

Mr Gaon was stunned too. And also angered. He was certain Vesper was deliberate in his actions.

"I said shoot at the targets," Mr Gaon roared.

Vesper was stunned, and his surprise looked true.

"Sorry," he said embarrassedly. "I forgot."

He pulled up the revolver, aiming it at the targets, but was stopped before he pulled the trigger.

"Try another gun," Mr Gaon said.

This, Vesper understood perfectly. The director was asking him to take a more powerful gun.

"Any?" Vesper asked, just to make sure.

Mr Gaon nodded. Vesper grinned toothily. He returned the revolver to the table, walked to the end and reached for the shotgun. Once again, the astonishment was widespread. In the same smooth motion, he pumped the shotgun, aimed at the target and pulled the trigger. This time, he pushed a strand of his energy into the cartridge, so the bang was nothing short of an explosion of a bomb. Everyone trembled visibly. And a target exploded, ripped into tiny shreds. There was no one sitting in the entire auditorium.

The bang of the gun lingered in the ears long after the short was fired. The only sound in the silence was Vesper's voice.

"Can I shoot again?"

The excitement was clear in his voice.

"No," Mr Gaon said without hesitation. "You're done. Stand to the side."

Vesper nodded reluctantly. He caressed the shotgun lovingly before returning it to the table and walking to the opposite end of the field. He smiled at his homeroom teacher who was smiling at him fondly, and turned toward the stands. He found the beautiful girl and stared unblinkingly, while being entirely blind to the naked greed in all the eyes from the stands staring at him.