Next morning, as the sun shone brightly and the blue sky was beautiful, a bell rang, signaling everyone to get dressed. In room 170, Aster's dorm room, Aster was already dressed in his Hunter's uniform. "I guess I have decided to go early than the previous day," Aster thought, his mind processing his actions without emotional inflection.
Aster unlocked and opened the door, stepped out, and locked it behind him. As he walked down the corridor, he saw Kaliyah coming from upstairs, heading downstairs in front of him.
"So, her dorm is around here, huh. I'm just hoping she doesn't get the wrong idea and starts complaining much," Aster thought, his mental tone neutral.
Kaliyah noticed Aster and was surprised for a second. "What's going on? Is his dorm around this corridor? If so, then he's closer to me, because mine is just above. Who's doing this anyway? I need to keep things normal here and pretend like this isn't happening," Kaliyah thought, composing herself.
"You are proceeding to class, are you not? You appear to be arriving somewhat earlier than you did on the preceding day," Kaliyah said, acting normal and calming herself down.
"It appears to be the case. You are also proceeding to the class," Aster responded back, his tone flat.
"That is correct. You are welcome to accompany me, though I must clarify that my intention is merely to exhibit courtesy this morning, and I request that you do not misconstrue my actions," Kaliyah responded calmly but with a hint of warning.
"If you say so," Aster said, walking downstairs with Kaliyah. They headed to the Class C's compound, as other hunters in their uniforms were going to their respective compounds based on their rank.
At the Class C's compound, Aster and Kaliyah walked towards their class, Class C2. As they walked, they spotted three people far in front of them: Asare walking with Althea and Bianca, all talking to each other. Asare was confidently talking to Bianca and Althea, while Bianca listened and talked back with a friendly personality. Althea had her head down, listening to them, fidgeting with her fingers due to her shyness.
Kaliyah and Aster walked together in silence, deciding not to interfere with the group in front of them. Then, they heard a shout from behind them.
"Hey, y'all wait up for me, now!! Hold up, I'm comin'!" Eryndor said, running towards Aster and Kaliyah. Eryndor's yell caught Asare, Althea, and Bianca's attention.
Eryndor ran up to Aster and Kaliyah, tapping Aster's and Kaliyah's shoulders. The running made him start breathing heavily. "Yo, I'm straight up happy I ran into y'all here, man! Catchin' you guys is a blessing, for real!" Eryndor said.
"What is it?" Kaliyah asked sternly, getting annoyed.
"Y'know, I ain't got nothin' to say, I just wanted to link up with y'all, that's all!" Eryndor replied, despite knowing what he was saying was silly.
"Are you here to provoke me further, or is there another motivation at play?" Kaliyah said.
Asare then gave a confident laugh. "Y'all are definitely some of the most hilarious and entertaining folks I know, ain't nobody got nothin' on you!"
Asare looked at Aster and Kaliyah. "By the way, I gotta say, I'm not surprised Aster's vibin' with you, Kaliyah. Y'all were definitely lookin' like you were on the same wavelength, walkin' together like that. You got a way with people, that's for sho."
"I must clarify that the situation is not as you perceive it. Moreover, it should be apparent that I do not particularly relish forming associations with others," Kaliyah said.
"Oh, you think you're cool, huh? Sure, whatever, playin' it like that!" Asare teased, not believing her.
Eryndor then rushed to where Althea and Bianca were. "Good mornin', Althea! How you doin', girl? Hope you're startin' the day off right and feelin' fabulous!" Eryndor politely said to Althea, his smile gentle as ever and calm.
"O-oh, good morning..." Althea replied, surprised by the greeting, getting a bit flustered. "I'm-I'm doin' okay, th-thank you for askin'..." Then she looked away slightly, smiling softly.
"Good morning, sweetheart! Rise and shine, Eryndor! Hope you're havin' an awesome day already!" Bianca said to Eryndor in a friendly tone.
"Aww, yeah, it's a killer morning to you too, Bianca! You look like you're ready to slay the day!" Eryndor replied to Bianca in an energetic tone. Bianca smiled, appreciating his words.
Eryndor then turned to where Aster, Kaliyah, and Asare were. "I'm headed to class, y'all! My class is way up ahead of yours, gotta bounce before I'm runnin' super late! Peace out!" Eryndor energetically said and rushed to his class, which was Class C3.
As Eryndor left, Kaliyah found it somewhat annoying due to Eryndor's behavior. "He is quite an irksome individual, a rather tryin' and vexin' young person, to say the least," Kaliyah thought.
Then, they continued to their class, which was just in front of them. Asare opened the door and let everyone enter before he entered. Kaliyah, Bianca, Althea, and Aster entered, and Asare entered lastly, closing the door behind them.
As they were inside, they all saw Professor Abigail sitting, reading a textbook quietly and all alone. Professor Abigail had already noticed them, and as she continued reading what was in the note, she said, "Welcome, everyone! I'm absolutely delighted to see so many familiar faces here today! Please, take a seat and let's get started!" Professor Abigail's warm and inviting smile conveyed a mix of calm enthusiasm and anticipation.
"Aw, man, whatcha readin' so serious like that for? You gotta chill; we ain't got nothin' but a little somethin' comin' up, gonna slay that test, no sweat!" Asare said, getting skeptical because he didn't like tests.
"Yeah, Asare, we are gonna have a big test coming up. That's why I'm seriously reading what I taught you yesterday, so I can pick out questions. So, if you guys are wise enough, I suggest you go and learn," Professor Abigail calmly and seriously said, but with a hint of excitement.
Asare then felt disappointed because having a test wasn't his specialty. "Dang, that felt hard. Why a test today, when I didn't learn anything in my head last night," he said.
"My bad, but use this chance to learn, because there's no way I'm changing my mind. The test is gonna be hard, and if you didn't learn, it's gonna be very hard," Professor Abigail advised them.
"That won't be a problem for me. I've studied and I'm prepared," Kaliyah said confidently.
Professor Abigail clapped for her and said, "Nice one. Keep up the good work, Kaliyah."
"I-I will try my best to pass and do better than last time," Althea also said, joining in, giving a nervous smile, her confidence coming, as it was throwing her shyness.
"You're not alone, Althea. We will all pass together, as a team," Bianca said, joining in.
"Since y'all ladies are on fire and believin' in yourselves, then I'm gonna bring my A-game too! I'm talkin' 'bout givin' it my all, gonna show out and show up, 'cause when you got confidence, you got everything," Asare said, also agreeing, his confidence always remained.
As for Aster, he thought, "I don't need to learn, since I memorize exactly everything that was being taught. Glad I had this talent since I was young when I was a non-magic user."
Then, a door opened, and Xarath stood there, coming inside. "What's going on, guys? I heard something, and Asare sayin' he will try his best," Xarath said, but with a hint of pride.
"Glad you came early today, Xarath. We were just talkin' about the big test comin' up," Professor Abigail explained, her tone conveying a sense of excitement.
"Oh, really. Then I shouldn't even bother myself, because I remember what was bein' taught and learnt it once, and it's still in my head. So, I will pass," Xarath proudly said.
"We'll see about that. I'm going to be first place," Kaliyah said sternly.
"That's what you always say, but end up bein' second place while I'm always the first, despite you learnin' every single day," Xarath responded, his tone proud and his actions too.
Kaliyah was about to respond, but before she could say anything, Professor Abigail chimed in. "No quarreling. You guys should just settle it during the test and see," Professor Abigail said sternly.
Xarath and Kaliyah agreed, as Kaliyah turned and went to sit down at her place. Everyone else also went, and Aster started to go and sit, and Xarath went to him and said, "You know, Valtira, Kaliyah's sister, is quite intrigued by you; I've spoken highly of your potential to her, and she's definitely curious – think it's a good sign, could lead to some interesting developments and maybe even some fruitful interactions," Xarath said to Aster.
Aster listened and faced him and replied, "Is that so? What does she want from me?" Aster calmly said.
"I dunno, but I reckon it's a perfect opportunity to work on some new skills together. We can fit in some extra practice after school, sounds like a plan? What do you think?" Xarath asked.
"I don't need your help. I can handle things on my own," Aster replied.
"Well, if that's what you want, and I'm not forcin'. I'm still supportin' you, but you've missed an opportunity by me," Xarath said.
"I have my reasons," Aster replied back calmly.
Xarath then laughed and said, "Good to hear." Xarath then went to his sitting position. Then, Aster followed, going to his sitting position, which was beside Kaliyah.
As time continued to pass, everyone was now in the class, their papers with the questions printed on them untouched. No one had touched the paper; they all took their new designed pens.
"Let's see how much you've learned so far. This should be interestin'," Professor Abigail said in front of the class with a bright smile, and then looked at Aster and said, "Aster, this is your first time writing your test in this Hunter Academy. I wish you good luck."
"Now, begin!" Professor Abigail yelled, her tone stern yet calm and excited. Everyone then flipped their papers and looked at them, some were pissed off about the questions, some were finding it difficult to understand, while some were happy like Xarath, some acted it was nothing to them like Kaliyah as they all saw their questions individually.
"Alright, no cheating, got it – we're gonna nail this test fair and square! I'm feeling pretty pumped about our chances, and with your help, I think we're gonna do awesome, let's do this!" Professor Abigail warned.
Aster looked at the questions. "There are over a thousand ways I can do to pass this test, but that's not what I'm aiming for," he thought. "Getting a perfect score or a low score isn't necessarily my objective; the aim is to balance it for specific advantages, so a middle score would be appropriate. The approach will be to select the desired score without employing any form of cheating, maintaining a straightforward and neutral stance."
With that, Aster started writing his test. Then time passed, as they were all writing their test, after an hour and thirty minutes, Professor Abigail watched the whole classroom, going around the class quickly.
"It's time to proceed; please raise your hands as instructed so there's clarity and transparency in the process; failure to comply with this request will result in not meeting the test's requirements, understood," Professor Abigail said in a serious tone.
Then Professor Abigail went from desk to desk, taking all the papers as everyone raised their hands. "I put in the work, gave it my all, and I'm feelin' like I brought my A-game; gotta trust I did my best, homie. Now, failure ain't no option I'm stressin' 'bout, 'cause I know I gave it a shot, and that's what counts, gonna own whatever comes next," Asare thought, his confidence shining as Professor Abigail took his paper.
"The test was both hard and easy; I struggled with some parts... I tried my best; I really hope it was enough. I don't know whether I will pass or not, and it's really worrying me," Althea thought, fidgeting her fingers, her belief loosening.
After taking everyone else's paper, Professor Abigail then walked to Aster and Kaliyah and took their papers. Kaliyah was totally confident in herself. "The test was too easy. I'm wondering if Professor Abigail was taking it easy on us. Either way, I'm perfectly sure I will get a perfect score," she thought.
"Well done, everyone – I appreciate the effort you've put forth, and I'm pleased to acknowledge your endeavours," Professor Abigail said, then went straight to her table and placed the papers on it.
When she placed the papers on her table, she turned to them and said, "It appears appropriate now for us to proceed and engage in a collaborative training exercise. On this occasion, however, our destination will not be the designated training area; instead, we shall all convene at Class C's dungeon with the objective of combating the monsters inhabiting that locale."
Everyone got up, stressed out because of the test, as they all went out of the classroom. When they went out and all lined up, they saw a group of people behind them, coming their way. It was the entire Class C3 group, coming towards them.
As they reached beside them, someone pushed Eryndor in front of them. Eryndor looked injured. Everyone in Class C2 got surprised, seeing Eryndor injured.
"Oh dear, I really hope he's not hurt too badly," Althea thought.
"We don't need a useless tool. Since he likes training with you guys, he should go with you," the male Professor of Class C3 said and went.
Asare watching it made a move, ready to fight, but Aster interfered. "Try not to escalate things further," he said calmly.
Asare stopped and replied, "I'm not angry, but I have to help him."
Then, Professor Abigail watched the scene and said, "If you repeat such action towards him, I assure you will depart from this position in a compromised physical state; consequences will be severe." She said her tone serious.
The Professor saw the fire in her eyes and said, as shivers ran through his spine but tried to compose himself, "Whatever you say." He said and left.
Professor Abigail then brought her hand to help Eryndor stand straight, and Eryndor gladly accepted it and stood up. "You can join us, Eryndor. Don't mind those idiots," Professor Abigail said politely.
Eryndor looked sad but smiled with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Thanks a bunch," he said, feeling grateful.
Xarath then came to him and cast a spell to heal him, as the bruises and injuries went from his body. "Join us, let's move – I'm eager to unleash a bit of my capability, hoping those creatures prove suitably formidable to serve as a worthy gauge of my strength," Xarath said proudly.
Eryndor then stood in the line at the back, where Aster was, and everyone went, going to the dungeon to make themselves stronger and better.
As they walked, Eryndor stood beside Aster, who had his left hand casually tucked into his pocket. "So, is this how you get treated all the time in that class?" Aster asked Eryndor in a calm tone.
Eryndor responded with a mix of determination and a hint of sadness, "Something like that, yeah. But I got used to it, you know? Ain't like this my first time getting bullied, homie. I suffered way worse than that, but I been stood strong, kept my head up."
Aster's expression was understanding as he said, "I see. You've really gone through a lot, huh." Eryndor nodded in agreement. They continued on their way to the dungeon located near the Class C compound, an area equipped with various training facilities including gyms, dungeons, and specialized training areas. Class C2 was heading to the dungeon for their training session.
Upon arrival, they found the dungeon to be a large, expansive cave with an eerie and dark interior. Professor Abigail greeted them with energetic enthusiasm, "You've seen a lot of dungeons recently, but is this your first time being inside one?"
Aster replied, "I have been inside a dungeon once," his thoughts quietly pondering, I could have simply declined, but Kaliyah was present during my initial dungeon expedition; consequently, she may disclose the truth if I express disagreement or potentially harbour reservations regarding my account, as she might surmise I possess a motivation to be untruthful.
Professor Abigail responded warmly, "Oh, that's lovely! Then it makes it so much simpler for me to share what's on my mind. I'll go straight to the heart of it, shall I?" She held up three fingers. "I think it would be wonderful if you could organise yourselves into three groups, with Kaliyah, Xarath, and Asare leading each one; they would be able to ensure everyone's safety, given the creatures do tend to become more formidable as we progress. Shall we try to conclude our task as swiftly as possible, please?"
The students quickly formed their groups, resulting in eight members per group, except for Xarath's team which had nine including Eryndor, a student from a different class. Aster joined Xarath's group. Kaliyah's group predominantly consisted of female students like Beldon and Althea, Asare's group was mostly male, while Xarath's group had a mix of both genders.
Asare thought confidently, "Time to let 'em see what I'm workin' with, show 'em my strength, got my own way of gettin' things done."
Professor Abigail's voice rang out, "Begin. Let's see who completes this first," and the groups dispersed into the dungeon. Xarath's group moved at a measured pace, largely due to Xarath's own tempo.
Xarath declared with pride, "You guys should work as a team while I do things alone; you got that. I'm strong after all." His teammates nodded in agreement, familiar with Xarath's capabilities. One member said, "Yeah, we got your back, Xarath. We'll work together as a team."
With that, the groups ventured into the dungeon as Professor Abigail waited at the entrance, anticipating their completion of the task.
As the afternoon wore on, the three groups emerged from the dungeon, all unscathed. Xarath's team led the way, followed closely by Kaliyah's and Asare's groups.
Professor Abigail sat on a chair, waiting for her students with enthusiasm. "Ah, you're all back at last! I'm quite eager to hear about your experience inside the dungeon," she asked excitedly.
"Bruh, the monsters were too easy. Man, they weren't even puttin' up a fight worth my time. I was way too strong for 'em," Asare said with a confident smile, as his group members nodded in agreement.
"You're exactly right. If I had known, I would have gone to a B-rank dungeon," Kaliyah said, agreeing with Asare. Her tone with a hint of disappointment.
"I reckon I can handle most dungeons on my own, no problem; the monsters don't stand a chance against me, I'd say," Xarath proudly said, his smile showcasing his confidence.
"I see, huh. I guess sending you to an easy Class C dungeon was easy, despite the dungeon being long. My bad," Professor Abigail said, her smile signifying how proud she was of her students.
"In any case, it's time for lunch now, so I think it would be lovely if you all made your way to the eatery. I shall join you there a bit later, if I may," Professor Abigail said, dismissing them.
Eryndor's eyes lit up at the mention of food. "Man, finally, food time! I'm starvin' like crazy, like I gotta get me some grub. I got my stomach growlin' like a beast!" he exclaimed.
The students began to walk towards the eatery, with Xarath's team in the lead. Aster walked at a calm, normal pace, despite the others rushing to get their food.
Asare's group was also in front, beside Xarath's group. Kaliyah's group trailed behind, with Kaliyah slowing them down. "Why are they rushing? We'll all get our food. It's pathetic how both Xarath and Asare are," she thought.
As they walked, a folded paper flew towards Kaliyah at lightning speed, aiming straight for her face. Without flinching, Kaliyah caught the paper quickly with her fingers and hid it so no one would notice and unfolded it.
"What's this, and who threw it?" she thought, her expression annoyed.
The paper had a bold message written on it: "YOUR SISTER WANTS TO TALK TO U. AFTER LESSONS ARE OVER, COME TO THE CLASS C'S COMPOUND AT THIS PLACE AND ALONE."
Kaliyah read the message and wondered, "This might be a case of miscommunication or perhaps something else entirely. My sister wishes to see me, but I'm uncertain as to the purpose behind her desire."
As the evening descended, Kaliyah stood beside the dungeon, waiting for someone. The darkness was illuminated only by the faint moonlight, casting an eerie glow over the area. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking calmly and beautifully towards Kaliyah.
Kaliyah, not knowing who the person was, prepared herself for any eventuality. As the figure stepped into the light, Kaliyah's eyes widened in surprise. It was Valtira, her twin identical sister, walking with boast and pride, her smile radiating confidence.
"You didn't expect to see me here, huh. I'll just get straight to the point," Valtira said boastfully, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let's have a battle with me to test how far you've come," she continued, holding Kaliyah's chin.
Kaliyah's skepticism was evident in her tone. "Why do you want to spar when you say I'll never beat you no matter how much I train?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Valtira's response was laced with a hint of insincerity. "I say all that to encourage you to train even more to reach my level of power," she said, her smile never wavering.
Kaliyah knew her sister was lying, and she wasn't having it. "I'm leaving; I thought you'd have something reasonable to say," she said boldly, turning to leave.
Valtira's words stopped her in her tracks. "So you still want to be in the dust. Just think of using me as a tool when battling to boost your power," she said, her tone dripping with confidence.
Kaliyah's determination kicked in, and she agreed to the deal. "Don't think you've manipulated me. I'm just agreeing to it for my own personal and selfish reasons," she said, her voice firm.
Valtira smiled, seemingly pleased with the arrangement. "Alright, meet me tomorrow at the Class A compound during lunch. Let's have some fun," she said, her tone polite.
Kaliyah's response was curt. "Whatever," she said, turning to leave.
Just as Kaliyah was about to walk away, Valtira's next words caught her attention. "Bring along someone from your class with you. Of course, without letting them know what's going on," she said, her voice low and mysterious.
Kaliyah froze, her mind racing with possibilities. "This is just between us, so why involve someone else... I'll go along and see her intentions," she thought.
"Who exactly do you want to bring?" Kaliyah asked, her curiosity piqued.
Valtira leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper. She whispered something in Kaliyah's ear, and Kaliyah's eyes widened in surprise.
The question on everyone's mind was: who was the person Valtira wanted Kaliyah to bring, and what were her true intentions?