Obei learned very quickly that the Initiative had a loose definition of "simple" tasks.
The first job he took was Parcel Delivery, which sounded harmless enough. well It wasn't.
The campus was enormous way bigger then the bracelets map made it seem. The campus had multiple multi-tiered buildings, connecting Walkways, Elevators, and the female dorm wing was on the opposite side of the school, which on average would take twenty minutes. He spent the first day wandering from door to door delivering packages, sweating under the afternoon sun while his bracelet repeated navigation instructions that always felt just slightly delayed. at least he earned 15 Credits.
But it was barely a drop in the bucket.
The next day, he took Grounds Maintenance.
Which he also thought would be easy.
Instead he found himself pushing a cart loaded with tools he didn't recognize and doing work he'd never done before, trimming hedge-lines, sweeping walkways coated in dirt and mud, trimming the edges of the walkway. The students weren't much of a help most decided to create more of mess the more he cleaned. on the bright side he earned 25 Credits, and two splinters.
Day three, he signed up for Library Sorting.
This one was actually as peaceful as he expected.
He'd place a heavy tome labeled Chimeric Foundations Vol. 2 on the correct shelf, move on, and do the same. although it wasn't very eventful the library staff was very welcoming, even allowing for him to take time to study some of the books. Not many students took advantage, yet he did notice that the short purple haired girl Celine would come in more then once in a day. He earned 10 Credits it wasn't anything crazy but for how easy it was, it was one of his more favorable jobs.
Day four, curiosity nudged him toward Cafeteria Duties.
This was the most chaotic yet. The lunch rush was a controlled riot, and no one warned him about the "adaptive lines" that would form over specific food items or the constant fights that turned up almost as soon as the doors opened. more then his last job he earned 20 Credits and dibs towards the food he wanted beforehand.
Obei collapsed into bed afterward, smelling faintly of soup and fear.
The last day, he sank even lower.
Restroom Duties as if he hadn't learned his lesson from cafeteria duties he decided to try it out. most the time he tried not to think too hard about it. But some messes looked like they were created by biology he didn't want to contemplate. And whenever he thought he was done someone would barge in and create a new type of monstrosity. at least it paid better earning him 50 Credits.
Slowly, painfully, steadily his Campus Credits ticked upward. By the end of the week, he opened his bracelet one night in the dim dorm lighting.
Campus Credits: 165
It was barely one-tenth of what he needed but he was making progress. slow progress but progress none the less.
Sunday night he sat on in his dorm room his body was physically drained, yet he didn't think that he had wasted his first week. He was happy to have gotten a better understanding of the campus, the staff, and the students.
Most of the staff was hard working, kind, and honest. While the students were quite the opposite unruly, deceitful, and mischievous. Everyone was doing their own thing school work, extra curricular activities, even exercising.
---
The start of the next day wasn't as nerve-racking as Obei had expected the night before.
He'd braced himself for something intense, chaotic, maybe even dangerous. Instead, Monday morning began with the hum of students shuffling into the General Education hall, half awake and dragging their bags behind them.
The start of the next day wasn't as nerve-racking as Obei had expected the night before.
He'd braced himself for something intense, chaotic, maybe even dangerous. Instead, Monday morning began with the hum of students shuffling into the General Education hall, half awake and dragging their bags behind them.
Professor Kaleb stood at the front.
A well-built man with broad shoulders, thick arms, and a jaw that looked like it had broken more than one nose in its time. His uniform sleeves were rolled up, not in a stylish choice but because they clearly couldn't comfortably fit around his biceps. The man looked like he belonged in a sparring ring, not lecturing behind a podium and that impression proved accurate.
The topics were all recaps of basics: history, math, science, literature material anyone could teach from a book material Kaleb very clearly did not enjoy teaching.
Obei watched the man struggle.
Kaleb wrote formulas with the same energy one might use to drag a boulder uphill. He explained historical dates like someone reading from a list of chores. And by hour three, he looked like he was actively questioning every choice in his life that led to this room.
He taught for four hours straight, no breaks, no assistance, Just him.
Obei felt a pang of sympathy. The academy was huge, but the staff? Apparently stretched too thin to rotate instructors like a normal school.
By the end of the block, Kaleb's voice was hoarse, and his expression had slid into a look of tired resignation like he had accepted that the universe personally disliked him.
When the bell finally rang, the man dismissed the class with all the energy of a person crumbling internally.
Unfortunately for Kaleb PE was also led by the him although the tone had shifted the moment they stepped outside. Kaleb looked lighter. Like someone had finally taken the weights off his shoulders.
"Laps," he said. "Ten. Pace yourselves." His voice actually had life again.
Obei wasn't a slacker, he'd always maintained his physical health. And after a week of hauling deliveries, pushing maintenance carts, and scrubbing horrors in restrooms, he was conditioned better than he realized. The running didn't kill him. In fact, he was one of the few who didn't end the laps wheezing.
as he worked his students down with each activity Kaleb seemed... faintly satisfied.
Those two hours went by faster than expected.
By the time they made it to the last class of the day a wide, matted training hall with racks of weaponry Kaleb looked exhausted again.
"Rows of ten, please," he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
Students shuffled into formation.
Kaleb cleared his throat, drawing himself up.
"This month will be spent on weapons and how to handle them," he said, voice flat but carrying. "You all have unique abilities, and I was graced the night before" he said this part with the tone of a man forced into a terrible responsibility "with the task of finding the most suitable weapon for each of you."
A sigh left him. Deep and heavy.
"I will be sending each of you a number. There is a weapon assigned to that number. Find it, then return to your rows." A chime rippled through the bracelets as the numbers came in.
Across the room, students murmured, some excited, others confused. Weapons lined the walls swords, spears, staves, bows, shields, strange metal gauntlets, implements Obei didn't recognize at all. Some glowed faintly. Some hummed. Some looked like they were meant to have never existed.
Obei glanced at his bracelet a single number flashed across the display.
17