Chapter 21: Rules
"You have an injury on your head," Sasha muttered as she applied medicine to the wound.
"What were you running from, a ghost or something?" Tashe asked, her worried expression deepening as she checked for other injuries on her brother.
She had been quite concerned when she saw him anxiously running as if he were fleeing from a serial killer.
"N-No, it wasn't... It was nothing. I was just trying to test my agility... My agility and stamina stats even went up a point," Sam said, smiling slightly.
He didn't want to admit that he had been chased by a ghost, especially when he wasn't even sure if it was a real ghost.
"We thought you were in danger. Don't scare us like that again, you understand?" Sasha pinched his arm, though it obviously didn't hurt him one bit.
"I won't do it again, I promise," Sam replied, smiling.
Using the skills he had gained from the Charm, he was able to hide and control his emotions, so no one suspected he might be lying.
Still, Grandpa Jin didn't seem to completely buy his explanation.
He didn't say anything, though.
Since Sam wasn't talking about it, he wouldn't ask. He didn't even think much about it.
Time passed, and soon the sun was high in the sky.
Then a huge, mountainous shadow slowly appeared, blocking the sun.
When everyone looked up, they saw a majestic ship hovering above.
"It's a Nimbus Cruiser," one of the Awakeners muttered in awe.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Agor smirked, seeing how the students were in awe of the ship they were about to board for the Academy.
...
The sun shone brightly, casting a golden hue over the landscape, while the wind whispered through the trees as the Awakners rode the Nimbus Cruiser about two hundred feet above the ground.
"Here we are, one of the oldest institutes of our world," Ragnar announced as they came to a stop at a particular spot within the forest.
"Where is the academy?" the Awakners peered down, but all they could see below were dense trees, lush greenery, and thick vegetation.
Some of the Awakners couldn't fathom what they were searching for in this seemingly random part of the forest.
"The Academy is concealed by an ancient formation. No matter how much you look, from the outside, it appears as nothing more than a normal forest," one of the Awakners from a noble household explained.
"That's correct. The formation hides the academy and creates an illusion of a forest," the Vice Principal, Ragnar, confirmed as the Cruiser began its descent to the ground.
Once they landed, they followed the Principal and Vice Principal, watching as they seemingly vanished within a few steps.
Following suit, the Awakners entered the invisible veil.
The first thing Sam beheld was a towering wall, standing at least thirty feet high and seven feet thick forming a barrier around the Academy.
Passing through the arched entrance, a sprawling complex greeted his eyes.
It resembled a miniature city, with various buildings of different shapes and sizes dotting the landscape.
Students clad in martial robes bustled about, while academy staff could be seen going about their duties.
Among them stood a group of students, Sam's future seniors, positioned as if awaiting their arrival.
"From this point onward, your seniors will guide you and acquaint you with the rules. If you have any doubts, clarify them with them," Principal Agor announced, gesturing towards the senior students.
"We value rules greatly here. Breaking them leads to severe consequences. So, if anyone here struggles to abide by them, now is your chance to reconsider," Agor added, scanning their faces for any reaction before nodding to himself.
"Headmaster, you have a meeting to attend," the Vice Principal whispered to Agor with a grave expression.
Agor glanced at him briefly before they departed.
Sam watched them leave, his gaze narrowed.
He sensed their concern, yet couldn't discern its source.
"First years, follow me," one of the seniors, a large-built second-year student named Karen Rudolf, said with a neutral expression.
"We will explain the rules as we take you to your dormitories."
"The first and most important rule is no killing. If anyone is found guilty of causing a death, there will be severe consequences, ranging from the death penalty to crippling, as the headmaster stated."
Some of the newcomers couldn't help but gulp at hearing this.
"What if I kill someone in self-defense or accidentally?" Sam asked, raising his hand.
"In such cases, there will be a trial conducted by the student committee. The decision regarding the incident will be made anonymously by the trainers and academy officials," said another second-year student beside Karen. She was a girl with short black hair and dark eyes.
"Lucy here is a member of the student committee," Karen introduced.
"Any conflicts between students will be handled by them. They are the strongest group inside the academy."
"So the student committee is an official gang that keeps the unofficial gangs in check," Sam thought to himself.
"Continuing, the second rule is that if you have conflicts with another student, regardless of year difference, you can resolve it with a duel," Karen said as they arrived before a colossal structure.
"Speaking of duels, any official or unofficial duels will be conducted inside this arena. That doesn't mean you can't duel outside; it just means that if you cause any damage outside, you will be responsible for it," Karen continued as they resumed their walk.
"The third rule isn't much of a rule. It's about currency. You can't use ordinary money inside the academy. We use a credit system."
"If you want to buy something from the consumer street, you need credits," Karen said, pointing at a large area where most of the students were roaming.
"Credits can be earned in many ways. The most popular method is through duels."
"You can challenge each other and bet credits, and the academy will also award you credits for each of your wins," Lucy, the second-year martial artist, added.
"You can also earn credits by completing quests assigned by the academy. These tasks can range from cleaning toilets to killing bandits."
...
In the headmaster's chamber:
"Did you find anything?" Agor asked, scrutinizing the men standing before him.
They were the individuals responsible for the behind-the-scenes work at the academy, taking orders solely from the principal.
"We found the kids, but they're not waking up from the shock," one of the men reported.
"It's as if their souls have been sucked out of their bodies. They're not responding to anything," another added.
Agor closed his eyes, pondering for a moment. "Tell Roman to keep the kids under intensive care until they've recovered."
The men nodded and vanished from the room.
"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to conduct the test in that part of the forest," Ragnar mused.
"No, that part of the forest wasn't as dangerous, but not anymore. It's been spreading. From the area where we found these kids, I can confidently say it's beginning to encroach on other areas," Agor replied gravely.
"We have to do something about it. We have to eradicate it before it can cause serious damage," Ragnar asserted with a solemn expression.
"How do we do that when we can't even see it unless it wants us to? We can sense it, but we have no means to stop it, let alone kill it, unless we have soul-related techniques," Agor remarked, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
"Soul powers and attacks... only the progenitors have those abilities," Ragnar murmured, shaking his head.
"There was someone else, a hero who possessed a technique that could target souls," Agor said, gazing out the window.
"Ryuga Tachibana."
"Well, he's dead, and he took those techniques with him. His bloodline ended with him," Ragnar replied, his expression one of dissatisfaction.
"Actually, there is a descendant he left behind," Agor revealed.
"Who is it?"
"Sam Tatsuya," Agor disclosed.
"That abnormal kid?"
"Yes, his maternal grandmother is Ryuga Tachibana's granddaughter."
"No wonder the boy possesses such formidable strength at his age, hailing from the esteemed Tatsuya and Tachibana lineages," Ragnar murmured in realization.
"The hunt... there has never been an Awakener who has performed as remarkably as he has. He's truly exceptional. I still can't fathom the sheer number of beasts he's single-handedly hunted. He's beyond extraordinary," Ragnar mused.
Agor cast a knowing glance at Ragnar, a peculiar smile playing at his lips.
"Oh, Ragnar, if only you knew the extent of his capabilities."