Mission: Prevent the perpetrator from annihilating the Haven Academy.
Possible enemy: A sin demon.
Euna informed everyone that they were up against a creature that had never been defeated. Even Froilan, the legendary SSS-rank Demon Hunter, had failed to eliminate the Lust demon during the greatest battle in history. The seven sin demons possess unfathomable power, making this mission perilous to the greatest extent.
Hayden opposed this mission, not because battling a sin demon could wipe them all out, but because the mission would be lengthy, and the prospect of being a teacher would drive him insane. However, upon discovering that Demon Hunter instructors receive a generous hourly wage, he decided to go along with it.
Also, there's still the lingering fact in Hayden's head that there's a chance that the opponent isn't a sin demon as Euna's intel was flawed at one time. In any case, the intel she relayed in this particular mission says that the sin demon is taking the form of a student.
Becoming a DH teacher requires a license that took years to obtain, but Franklin got all the agents covered as his good friend is actually the Dean of the academy—Froilan. It makes sense for the strongest DH to lead the most prestigious academy in the country. With his position, he can sneak the agents in, illegitimately making them instructors despite lacking a license. This also explains why Froilan's portrait was included in the images Euna had shown them.
Cat had one problem, though. He doesn't have a name which is a requirement to become a teacher. He can't be called Cat since that would straight up expose his identity. After little to no thoughts whatsoever, Cat named himself for the first time. Pou, which quite ironically, sounded like 'paw'.
The mission will play as Euna's devised plan; the four agents, Wolf, Kangaroo, Cat, and Bear will work in pairs. Kangaroo and Bear will be together, Vash will be the one teaching the student's as he insisted, and Kayne will be the spectator, only stepping in when Vash attempts to kill a student. This pairing was necessary because, although Vash is a good instructor, he was raised in a gang and is guaranteed to pick a fight with someone.
Obviously, the other pair will be Wolf and Cat. Euna suggested that Hayden will be the instructor while Pou's role will be similar to Kayne. Although Hayden wasn't raised in a gang like Vash, his anger issues need to be regulated and Cat is the perfect suit for that job.
While the four of them would be pretending to be professional professors, their real objective is to protect the students in case of an attack, better yet, distinguish the sin demon among the thousands of students and eliminate it using Vash's blessing to avoid massive destruction.
That's the plan Euna thoughtfully devised.
A couple days slipped by, and before long, the mission was set into motion.
~~~~~~~~~~
Haven Academy, the country's largest, is renowned globally for producing top-tier Demon Hunters. Spanning 700 hectares, its modern campus blends seamlessly with natural beauty, offering state-of-the-art facilities, beautiful walkways made of intricately patterned marble, expansive training ground, and extensive collections in its libraries. With a rich history and a focus on excellence, Haven stands as a beacon for aspiring hunters worldwide.
Inside one building, the students of class 1C were anticipating a typical class session as they gathered in their assigned room, awaiting the arrival of their instructor. The layout of the classroom was auditorium-style, with seats arranged in tiered rows, much like the bleachers in a sports stadium. Each row is slightly elevated above the one in front of it, providing clear lines of sight for the back-row seats. In front is a wooden platform with a podium on it and a whiteboard perched on the wall as every lecture hall had.
Students have the freedom to select their seat, often opting to sit with their close friends. This camaraderie leads to soft murmurs of conversation until new faces enter the room, drawing everyone's attention.
It was two people in casual attire, and they were chatting casually.
"This place is huge," Hayden said. "Getting in this room felt like running a marathon."
"I'm totally with you," Pou replied, catching his breath.
The students were expecting their Demon Hunting professor, but when these two newcomers arrived, the students assumed they were substitute instructors. Despite their unfamiliar faces, given the academy's vast size, the students speculated that the two men at the front were from another department.
Hayden glanced at the seats, scanning the baffled faces of the students. He then fixed the collar of his polo shirt before proceeding at the platform with Pou.
Hayden may be new to this, but as with every mission, he diligently conducted his research.
"Good morning, everyone," Pou greeted. "Starting today, we'll be your new instructors."
Immediately, they receive a question from one of the students, "Did something happen with our previous professor?"
Hayden confidently answered, asserting dominance, "Nothing… To put it simply, we're better instructors than him." That was obviously a lie. Hayden is the worst teacher one could ever ask for. However, the way he coldly spoke makes up for it, implying a first impression that he should be feared, and every student inside that room is inferior to him.
He then went towards the whiteboard, grabbing the marker in the tray before writing his name 'Hayden' in a humongous size that covers half of the whiteboard.
"Refer to me as 'Master Hayden,' for I do not tolerate disrespect. Strength is gleaned from learning from the strongest," Hayden remarked, inferring that he's the strongest.
Pou's eyes glittered with excitement upon hearing Hayden's confident introduction. Inspired by Hayden's decisiveness, Pou was eager to showcase the premeditated introduction of his own.
He swiftly took the marker from Hayden's hand and inscribed his name, 'Pou,' beneath Hayden's. Unlike Hayden's bold display, Pou's name was written in a standard size, large enough for the students to read.
"I'm Pou, but feel free to call me whatever you prefer," he announced with a warm smile, conveying genuine enthusiasm. "While both of us are your instructors, my role here is a bit different. You see... Master Hayden has a habit of unaliving people."
At Pou's mention of 'unaliving people,' a wave of apprehension swept through the students, their expressions turning anxious.
"But don't worry," Pou reassured them quickly. "In case things escalate, I'll be here as your guardian angel. I can assure that you will not die, but to guarantee that you'll come out with four limbs intact is impossible."
Instead of alleviating the situation, Pou's words only heightened their anxiety.
"It could be avoided by just following my fucking instructions," Hayden slowly said as if it was a warning. "Is that understood?"
Due to the terror Hayden embedded in the students head, they struggled to answer orally and instead just nodded in fear.
"Good…" his voice sounded like a manipulative villain.
Hayden crossed his arms and declared, "Since this our first meeting, I'd like to gauge the capacity of your discipline. Therefore, until the class ends, no one is permitted to speak. Those who let out a voice, will end up screaming for a severe reason."
Hayden scanned his eyes along the seat to see if there's an uncooperative individual. Thankfully, class 1C is a collection of chickens. Their expressions resembled toddlers who had lost their moms in a crowded mall; wide-eyed and on the verge of panic.
Hayden arrogantly smirked, about to crack in laughter for how hilariously well his display is playing. Of course, the meaning behind gauging the students' discipline is merely to cover his listlessness. Teaching wasn't his plan; earning passive income while doing nothing is.
There's a teacher's desk in the platform, and Hayden occupied it after scaring his students.
"Does the no-talking policy apply to me as well?" Pou asked.
"As long as you are not loud, you may speak," Hayden answered. "Now go fetch us some snacks."
"Alrighty!"
As Pou made his way out, water began seeping into the room through a tiny gap under the door. He jumped back, taking distance from the spilling water. Hayden stood up, confused.
The weather is in a good mood, so where the water is coming from makes no sense. And even if there was a thunderstorm, flooding still seems unreal as the academy is well-constructed and flooding has never been an issue before.
A commotion also resounded from the outside, and although it sounded barely audible, it still hints to them that something happened. This anomaly raised worries among the students. Even the instructors have their guards up.
The water is streaming at a rapid rate, paddling towards their feets. Pou bravely went to the door, and upon sliding it open to investigate, Pou was met by a powerful surge of a wave. It was on the waist level, blasting through the door drenching Pou's lower body. Despite the strong current, Pou wasn't swept away as he managed to stand firm.
The wave then flowed into the room with a gentle, sweeping motion. As the water settled, the level gradually receded until it reached their ankles.
A message resonated through the speaker mounted on the hallway walls. "ATTENTION: Due to an unexpected flooding in Block 1, Building 4, all classes in this building may take an early break. Classes will resume after the lunch break."
Their curiosity was answered, and upon hearing the announcement, the students burst out in celebration—even their new instructors.
~~~~~~~~~~
"You've only been instructors for a couple of hours and I already received multiple complaints!" Euna scolded. She has a blazer over her shoulder and she's in a knee-length skirt, the standard dress code in the counseling department.
She's furious, chastising the agents for their poor performance. Euna is typically silent and aloof, but her composed demeanor vanishes when she's angry.
They were in the lounge, Hayden, Pou, and Vash is having their lunch on the couch as Euna lost her appetite after taking responsibility for their errors.
Euna was even more pressed as none of them listens to her. The three assholes just munched on their food.
"Vash!" she called out loudly, demanding his attention. Finally, Vash acknowledged her, though his mouth was still full. "The class was suspended because of your actions! Your altercation with a student caused the flooding."
"You had beef with your student?" Pou asked Vash. "Wow… that's baddass, Kang-gy."
"Well, hypothetically, it was Kayne who caused the flood," Vash blamed Bear.
"That could be avoided if you didn't attacked a student," Euna said. "Kayne had to use his blessing and freeze up the place to prevent you from beating up that kid." Her head lowered, rubbing her fingers on her temple. "This is the reason why I put you in pairs."
"Think about it, Euna. Kayne is the who shitted that ice, and when he defrosted the place, flood came in, making him responsible for the flood," Vash refuses to be on the wrong. "Save your breath and scold Kayne instead of me."
"Where even is Kayne?"Euna asked after not seeing him with them.
"It's 10am, he's probably in a quiet place, relapsing," Hayden teased, accidentally hitting the bulls eye as Kayne is in fact having a relapse.
"You too, Hayden," Euna switched targets. "The entire population of class 1C is terrified of you, could you not give them death threats and go lighter on them. Also, make them do something reasonable than slacking off on your job."
"Copy, ma'am," Hayden affirmed. "Could you let us eat peacefully now?"
"Yeah, grab your lunch too, Euna" Vash chimed in. "I don't want you getting hungry."
Euna rolled her eyes, walking out the lounge and closing the door with a thud.
Right after she's gone, Vash tapped Hayden by the knee. "Get the joke, bro? Hungry—Angry."
"So what's the name?" Hayden asked in serious tone, referring to a different topic. "The student you had beef with."
"The shit is from 1A. Schedule says that's your 1pm class, huh? His shitty name is—"
~~~~~~~~~~
Soon, the bell rang, signalling the afternoon classes.
The flood in Building 4 rapidly receded and was dried by the janitors, resuming the classes.
The moment Hayden and Pou entered the room of class 1A, someone from the seats yelled.
"Hayden?!"
Hayden's eyes darted in that direction.
The girl was located somewhere in the middle section, seated next to several of her female friends. The way she called out that name carries the tone of disbelief. She has peach red hair and a face as if she just saw a ghost.
"Excuse me?" Hayden responded, his eyes squinting slightly. "Do I know you?"