"Today we will talk about Guardians," Miss Joanne said as the screen behind her lit up.
The image of a statue striking a heroic pose appeared on the screen, and I rolled my eyes.
"Tell me, what makes a person a Guardian?" Joanne asked, and countless hands flew up instantly.
Her eyes scanned through the entire classroom before settling on a blue-haired girl with an annoying bowl-cut hairstyle.
"Miss Snow, tell us," Joanne said with a kind smile.
"Abilities," she blurted out without hesitation, but Miss Joanne shook her head while maintaining her fake friendly smile.
The entire class fell silent as glances were exchanged in shock. Clearly, they all had the same response in mind.
"Anyone else?" Miss Joanne asked, but no hands were raised.
For a few seconds, her eyes brushed past every face in the classroom.
"Aether cells."
Heads snapped in the direction of the voice, and to my surprise, it was Silver.
"Special abilities are not the only indicator of Guardian potential." Silver glanced at Snow with cold eyes. "Once a human develops supercharged aether cells, even without powers he can walk the path of a martial artist."
Instantly, my gaze fell on Alex Briggs, who was seated like a statue with his eyes closed.
'Is he meditating in class?' I tilted my head to the left slightly, confused.
Pa!
Miss Joanne clapped and nodded at Silver's words while the words "Aether cells" appeared on the screen.
"Successful mutated humans, or Guardians as many call them, are a mass of energy, from which our abilities…" Miss Joanne looked at me briefly before shifting her glance to Alex. "…And martial spirits draw energy from."
She walked down the podium and began moving up the auditorium stairs demarcating the seats while speaking.
"That is why normal soldiers, slaves, and civil servants cannot manifest their powers or practice martial arts. People like you and I are the chosen ones destined to change this country and the world."
At the last statement, I rolled my eyes but said nothing. Now it made sense why even kids looked down on slaves—this academy is breeding terrorists.
"Now, how many of you have manifested your abilities so much, it made your head hurt and made you feel dizzy?" Joanne asked, and several hands flew up in response.
"Good." She smiled. "Casting abilities draw energy from your aether cells, and when near depletion, Guardians suffer dizzy spells, headaches, and sometimes even pass out. So make sure not to push yourself too much when using your powers."
'Is this a thing?' I was stunned.
It never crossed my mind that Guardians have some sort of limit. I thought we could use our powers indefinitely.
[Yes. You just haven't been in a situation capable of pushing you to your limit,] Lyxor confirmed.
Suddenly, a kid raised his hand. Tracing the hand, my eyebrows rose at the sight of a bald head.
'How can a kid my age be bald—or is this a hairstyle of choice?' I couldn't help but wonder.
However, the kid was different. Even with a baggy shirt on, I could see the outline of his bulging chest. His bare hands were riddled with veins and muscles. This left me wondering if this kid was fitness-crazy or if his build had something to do with his ability.
"Ahhh, Master Armstrong!" Miss Joanne smiled sheepishly. "What is it?"
Armstrong rose to his feet and glanced around a bit before speaking.
"I understand what you are saying. But I have noticed some tire out before others. What's the reason for that?" Armstrong asked, and everyone began to whisper amongst themselves.
It seemed this question was one shared by the entire class and not just an individual.
"Good question." Miss Joanne nodded. "Humans are not born equal. Some people's aether cell reserves are much larger than others. But there are also some abilities that consume more energy than others. So the first reason is not always the case."
More questions flew in left and right, and I just listened silently. While I hated this place, I couldn't help but admit there was a lot to learn here.
By 12 p.m., the class ended, and I quickly left before everyone else.
[What's the plan?] Lyxor asked. [Library or martial arts class?]
'I plan to check on the martial arts class,' I responded with a nod. 'While I hate to admit it, Miss Joanne teaches pretty well. I believe I will learn all I need to know from her class, so there is no need to waste time in the library now.'
[True. Attaining martial skills should be your priority. It's not like you will be leaving the academy any time soon,] Lyxor seemed to agree.
"Hey!" A familiar voice rang out behind me, and I frowned.
I stopped in my tracks and looked over my shoulder only to see Ralph running in my direction. It felt like the kid was expending all his energy just to run.
Considering the way he was breathing, I believed he would collapse before reaching me. Students were also pouring out of the hall as well, but I paid little attention to them.
Seconds later, Ralph reached me. Using his knees to support his palms, I watched his chest heave back and forth while sweat ran down his face as if he had just run a marathon—but in reality, he had only covered a few meters.
"Pathetic." I didn't hide my disappointment, but Ralph didn't seem to care.
Sigh!
"Can I be your sidekick?!" Ralph blurted out with all the strength he could muster, and students emerging from the class froze while Miss Joanne's head popped out from the room with a deep frown.
In normal circumstances, I would absolutely say no without hesitation. However, Miss Joanne's interference and resistance made me more inclined to say yes to this fat kid.
"That won't be possible." A cold voice tore through the crowd, and I instinctively frowned. "Because he will be my sidekick."
Buzz!
A cold shiver ran through my spine as I wondered if I heard right. Me, an S-rated potential student, becomes someone's sidekick?
A sinister smile bloomed on my lips, and I raised my head to see the cocky brat who dared to make such thoughtless proclamations.