The city of Velryun was awake, the morning sheen of the sun sparkling in every corner of the broken city. The fragmented streets barely held together painted a dire picture of what was once a marvellous and shining spectacle of a city.
The sun meant the dawn of the day had arrived. Workers came; some walked as if strolling in a park, while others had grim and tired looks in the corners of their eyes.
Kai walked through the streets, effortlessly sidestepping wherever the ground had broken apart. He didn't want cement stuck to his shoes. His mind, which had previously run in circles about the credibility of the conspiracy book he had just read, now focused right on the men and women in his field of view.
Workers, he noted, his tired eyes glancing once at their attire: bright orange clothing, a vest that was meant to protect from any mishappenings, and similarly disgusting orange-coloured pants. It was as if their entire presence screamed—Look at me.
Yet Kai knew… they aren't wearing this hideous outfit out of choice. He ruffled his messy black hair, a habit he had gotten used to ever since he stopped taking care of it.
It was exhausting… and pointless.
It seems it's true that the workers in Velryun had seen a sharp uptake in the previous week. He could sense the grim mood around some… after all, he had the same grim mood, albeit much hidden.
They must have lost their family members as well… With no way to provide… This profession is very well within their limits to join. Kai shook his head. A sharp phantom pain echoed in his heart. He didn't want to think of this, not right now.
Some other day. Picking up his pace, he quickly moved towards his school.
After about twenty minutes of dodging concrete and broken streetlights—the fragmented pieces of luminous copper being the worst with their small size—he finally reached his destination.
His eyes wandered upwards, staring at the only untouched building in perhaps the entire city, especially for its size. The School of Velryun Martial Arts wasn't just a school, it was the very backbone of the empire.
Smooth brown bricks made up three buildings, each grander than the former. Kai could already hear it—the faint chatter of students, their voices loud and far too boisterous for his mood.
Shaking his head, he entered through the front gates—thick black metal doors that hung in a wide arc, as if meant for the mansion of a beast-bonded martial artist and not a school for mere civilians.
The guards merely glanced at him once—the familiar face and the proper school uniform enough reason for them not to disturb Kai.
Inside the gates, the atmosphere was completely different. Gone was the gloomy air of Velryun. Instead, boys and girls stood in multiple groups, laughing about various topics.
Kai weaved through the crowd, his ears picking up the boisterous laugh of the first years, the obvious talk about the usage of Ki. Right… It must be new for them to control. Of course, they would talk about it in such amazement. His eyes scanned through the crowd, his robe barely shifting at his side as he ignored the white-robed group—the first years.
Moving across the first building, he was soon near the second. The chatter had changed topics from the discovery of Ki to something mundane. Making fun of teachers, huh? I used to do that too in my second year. He noted their complete black robes, which made it clear which year they belonged to.
Not to mention I am near the second building… If I didn't know this much, I would have just admitted I am an idiot. His lips tugged a bit upwards.
He finally exhaled when he reached the third building. This time, the students had similar robes as him—the unique blend of white and black. The third building was the tallest, with pristine architecture, fountains ranging across the area, and the path decorated by high-end tiles—ones that would be quite costly for any institution.
Bright lights, made of luminous silver, graced the path, offering a mystic and unique glow to the school… as if it was magical.
Yet in a world where Ki existed—magic was the mundane.
"Kai, my friend… what are you doing there sulking?" A high-pitched and boyish voice interrupted the monologue Kai was focused on. His neck twisted, his eyes landing on the familiar figure of Minsek. The boy was similarly dressed, with long green hair framing his face. He had his iconic smirk tugged at his lips.
A sigh escaped Kai's lips. "Hello there, Minsek…" His voice betrayed the exhaustion; Kai was quite sleep-deprived after all.
Minsek's face paused, his eyes softening a bit before he called him again. "C'mon now… the group's waiting for you." He gripped onto Kai's hand, dragging him to the so-called group.
Two boys and three girls were standing together, talking casually. Their hands flew in animated gestures while small bursts of laughter echoed around them.
Minsek suddenly pushed through, nearly smacking the boys. "Who missed me?" His voice was high-pitched and sharp, something that brought out a groan of frustration from them.
"How many times have we told you not to push us like this? It hurts, you bastard." Their voices in unison made it clear they had repeated these lines far too many times.
Minsek just sheepishly scratched the back of his head. It took him a second before he realised why he had come. Turning behind, he pointed his fingers right at Kai. "Look who graced us with his presence." His voice was chirpy.
Kai, looking at the fool in front of him and merely sighed. His hands raised in quiet surrender. "Hello guys—long time no see." His voice was monotone. They weren't a part of his group, so seeing them there was a surprise. His legs twitched, while a sinking feeling appeared in his gut. I don't want to be here.
Yet breaking him out of his reverie were the two girls. "Kai, have you prepared the homework that Mr Kalin had given us?" Her eyes stared straight into his own.
"Yeah, it was this big project, remember? Don't tell me you haven't completed it?" the other girl joined in, their expressions contorted into faces of worry.
What? Kai nearly doubled down when he heard them. Homework?… No questions about personal stuff… no difficult conversations? He nearly rooted himself to his place, his expression must have given it away as Minsek was now waving a hand in front of his face.
"Earth to Kai?" His voice was mixed with worry and amusement.
Kai blinked, clearing away the haze. "Test? What test?" He clearly remembered no test. That too of Mr Kalin. That man was a slave driver through and through.
The girl Mira paused, her mouth agape in shock. "You—You forgot his test?" Her mouth trembled.
The other girl, Suka, joined in. "You are doomed, Kai… All you can do now is apologise to him." Their hands shifted into a prayer stance.
Kai's eyebrows nearly twitched. I am not going to die, alright? Plus I am in his good graces… Ki control is something I am good at anyways. He won't be that harsh… Right?
Kai merely raised his hand to his head, shaking away the panicked thoughts. "We will see about it in class, alright? He has the first lecture, right?" His voice was normal and gruff, as if the previous monotone had disappeared.
Mira and Suka merely smiled before the other two boys joined in, talking about the upcoming exams—specifically the practical one.
Kai merely shook his head, occasionally joining in, adding dry remarks and teasing them from time to time.
Time passed as if sand had just slipped past his hand. The dreaded first lecture was upon them.
Kai, being the student that he was, habitually sat at the front seat, his friends taking their seats around him, with Minsek clearly trying to go as far back as possible.
Being a merchant is good and all… but he should really focus on Ki… Especially considering his father is in the second stage. Kai noted, before his eyes darted towards the incoming figure of Mr Kalin. The man was dressed in his usual attire: a simple buttoned shirt with a huge black overcoat, perhaps made out of some beast's leather. His hair, neat and tidy, was slicked back. His sharp eyes were covered behind plain-looking glasses.
As he entered, his eyes scanned through each of the students, lingering a tad bit longer on Kai—something that escaped the boy's notice, as he was seemingly too focused on thinking about how to apologise.
His steps were a testament to the discipline he had inculcated in his class. Even the most playful students, like Minsek, kept their focus on him as he stood before his desk.
He paused for a second before his lips parted. "Before we start, does anyone wish to say something? No excuses will be tolerated afterwards." His voice, direct and deep, cut through the students, the pressure making them sweat.
The whole class was covered in silence—not long before one student raised his hand: Kai.
Kalin nodded, signalling Kai to speak. The boy stood up, his eyes focused on the Ki control teacher. "Sir… I have forgotten to complete the homework." His voice was a tad bit shaky and underconfident.
His hands gripped the table beneath him, calming his nerves. Kai remembered the kind of punishments Kalin gave. There was a time he asked a boy to do the Ki circulation exercise for twenty minutes straight… in their first year—First year!
Kai knew not to take the teacher lightly. His sweat pooled in anticipation.
It didn't take long for Kalin to speak. His face, still stoic, merely declared, "I haven't assigned any homework, Student Kai. Take your seat and do not disturb the class." His voice carried like a dagger through the air.
Kai nearly sweatdropped. Turning behind, he looked at the faces of his friends, only to see them barely covering their faces, somehow stopping themselves from giggling.
These demons… He stared at them aggressively before sitting down in a huff.
Kalin, the ever-stoic teacher, merely brushed the incident aside. "What I meant was… today I will be taking a simple Ki exercising test at the end of the class." He stared at the students before turning behind, looking at the board.
"As the exams are coming, a bit of revision should be in course. Tell me, why are Ki control exercises important?"
A few students raised their hands. Kalin nodded towards one of them, who stood up. "Ki control is a massive factor for any martial artist. It is one of the most important aspects in all stages. Martial arts techniques, as they progress, require high Ki control to perform better techniques."
Kalin nodded. "A good answer." His voice brought an obvious display of relief to the student. "For a first year." His next words nearly made the student trip. "For a third year of this institution, this isn't even acceptable… pathetic. Sit down."
Kalin turned around, addressing the whole class, his voice direct and clear. "Ki control is fundamental to martial arts. It's not just about having a large amount of Ki—it's about how well you can use it." He flicked his glasses before continuing. "In the early stages, beginners learn how to sense and move Ki within their bodies. But as they advance, techniques become more complex. A small mistake in control can cause an entire technique to fail, backfire, or harm the user.
Think of Ki like water and your body like a pipe. The more powerful the technique, the more pressure you're trying to channel. If your control isn't refined, the pipe bursts."
His eyes scanned through the crowd before landing on one student… a student that Kai knew clearly. No—everybody in the whole school knew her.
Kalin's next words were direct, and even appreciative. "This is why even prodigies with enormous Ki reserves are often surpassed by those with precise control. Ultimately, Ki control determines not just how strong your technique is, but whether you can use it at all."
Kai paused. From the way Kalin was looking at her, it was clear the last sentence was meant for her. But why?
After all, Sera Kazama isn't just a normal student… she is a prodigy beyond worth.
......