Evaluation - Part 1

The next day...

Creak. Click.

"Hmm, so he finally left, huh?" Rin muttered as he opened his eyes and sat up with a groan after keeping his body in a state of constant alert throughout the night. 

Due to the stunt, Kyrie pulled yesterday at the training hall after lunch.

'Surely, you didn't expect the kid to assassinate you, while you were sleeping?' Ezekiel asked doubtfully.

'To be honest, I thought he would take the chance, considering the way he was acting yesterday. But I worried for nothing sigh, so much for preparing to end up in agony and frustration. Also, didn't someone say I wasn't supposed to talk to them until the full moon? ' Rin complained as he stared at the ceiling in a daze.

'Don't make me laugh Rin, what preparations could you have made? Other than harming your body by acting like an utter fool, truly school could not have made you this forgetful... as while your cultivation may be suppressed to Lower God. You still have the perception of a full-fledged True God. Dipshit!' Ezekiel exclaimed as he shook his head in disbelief, 'Also, I said you couldn't talk to me, kid so just shut up and ask your questions.' 

'Ay, relax on me, okay it's only 7:40 a.m. so cut me some slack, Ezekiel.' Rin replied with an innocent smile as he scratched his head after taking a glance at the clock on his wall.

'Hmm...' Ezekiel could only reply before turning his attention to the dim reddish orb in Rin's soul palace, which was about to merge with him in a matter of time completely.

"Tsk, as always no sympathy for the weary, not even a good morning or at least a hello," Rin muttered before proceeding to stretch a bit followed by a 10-minute meditation. Afterward, he walked to the bathroom to freshen up, which consisted of brushing his teeth and taking a quick but soothing cold shower.

15 minutes later...

'So, Ezekiel since it's a new day and you want to be so hospitable, would you mind telling me what a cultivator with an ancient soul is?'

'Tsk, well to clarify an ancient soul is the spirit of a deceased nigh immortal being who has embarked on the path of either becoming an Empyrean or Creator. Who has succeeded in establishing a Patterned Star Crown, however, considering your current situation Rin I would advise you to not piss off such a being. As while they may not be Heaven's favorite, they can still tape into its power to alter reality and establish a miniature throne.'

'So, if what you are saying is true then I have met other ancient souls before, right? So how come I am still fine; also, what is a throne?' Rin asked as he was still a bit confused about the true extent of a cultivator with an ancient soul.

'Sigh… while most ancient souls are chill, the nefarious ones tend to be eccentric, but that's a story for another time, so to answer your question a throne is like a domain. That has been tempered and refined to the Universal level but with authority over one or more Cosmic Laws and that is about all you need to know.'

Ezekiel said after recalling everything he remembered about thrones and their unique position on the Cosmic level.

"Damn... and here I thought I might hold a candle against one; well that was insightful yet why do I still feel as if there is still so much to learn and experience," Rin muttered as he changed into his school uniform, a blue and red collared blazer with the school's emblem of a goldish-black cursive F & B intertwined. 

Along with a white buttoned t-shirt underneath, a matching red and blue crisscrossed tie, black slacks, and dress shoes.

'Because there is... hopeful, one day I'll be able to share them with you,' Ezekiel muttered to himself, 'Don't you look spiffy, kid?' He complimented as Rin stood before the mirror inspecting himself.

'I know right, yet this day is bound to be hectic,' Rin commented with a sigh as this evaluation will surely cause a storm as if it has not already, but only to those aware of what Rin accomplished and the repercussions of his achievement truly know the extent of his actions and the implications it can have on the world.

'And why's that, kiddo?' Ezekiel asked curiously.

'You'll see later, but for now just keep the questions to yourself, pal.'

'Touché...'

***

Meanwhile in the cafeteria…

"So did you complete the assignment, Kyrie?" Christina asked as she sat across from Kyrie after they got their breakfast.

"Somewhat," Kyrie replied with his head lowered after taking a bite of his breakfast wrap.

"What do you mean by somewhat? I thought I was pretty straightforward with my request, yesterday." Christina questioned as she glared at Kyrie.

"Well, for starters... while he knows we are going to fight a month from now, he doesn't yet know it will be in the Arena of Life and Death. But I promise after a month he will be as good as gone, my love," Kyrie started in between bites while taking a few sips of his orange juice.

"Hmm, you better, or else this might just be the end of your journey," Christina said as she glanced at Kyrie one last time before digging into her food.

'Sigh, now with Rin attaining a portion of the legacy before the appointed time, it is now boiled down to a battle of speed and wits to see who will attain the key first and unlock the courtyard. Yet, just how long are those old fossils willing to wait?' Christina wondered with a headache as this was not how things were supposed to be proceeding, especially not with the senior and junior classes entering the mix along with the various fractions and clans behind them.

However, while it may look like she was in the lead, she knew of the danger lurking in the shadows awaiting her downfall. Once she made a wrong move and overstepped her boundaries.

"Sigh, I'm sorry Kyrie it's just that... a lot's been going on lately and I need to act immediately before the seniors return or else this will all be for naught. I'm sure you can understand my position, considering your... forget it." Christina tried to say before just shutting up, picking up her food, and leaving.

"But wait I... sigh, just what did I do wrong now.?" Kyrie muttered as he finished the rest of his orange juice and breakfast wrap. Before getting up and leaving as well.

{I know a lot is going on right now, but just know in time everything will make sense.}

***

A couple of hours later...

After, going over the videos of everyone's performance in the Tower of Shadows…

"So, after much consideration and review... I've come to realize that y'all are utter dog shit." Niko smiled menacingly, "However, isn't this why I'm here, so to fix this issue we'll be taking a short trip to Hawaii to meet an old friend of mine. That will help you all hone your instincts and techniques and with that class is now dismissed!"

"But sir, I thought you were only being evaluated on how fast we managed to climb the Tower to the 25th floor in the designated time frame?" Nathan asked curiously as he thought he did well. Considering he managed to reach the 25th floor in 24 minutes and 15 seconds.

"Oh, well on that point, yes most of you outright performed better than the freshmen class from last year and a few sophomore classes. However, while this class may consist entirely of first-year students, we are not a first-year class so being able to perform better than a bunch of insects is atrocious. So, on that note by the time we return from our field trip, that's when the true evaluation will occur."

Niko stated as he left the classroom before another student could ask him a question as he made his way toward the principal's office to get the field trip approved.