"Anderson, please, this is the last time. Just keep watch for us." Zeladin pleaded.
"Oh, when you want to ask for a favor you don't hesitate to call me by my name."
Zeladin's usually bright green eyes looked at the young man rolling his dark eyes before him.
"What do the two of you enjoy in this… love relationship thi—" Anderson had just started when Zeladin—a head taller and all lanky limbs—clamped a hand over his mouth, shoving him against the door.
"Shhh! Don't say stuff like that Andy! Are you trying to get us expelled three months before graduation!?" Zeladin's whisper was frantic. His thick blonde hair brushed against Andy's forehead.
If you don't want to be expelled then stop sneaking around breaking the rules of the academy! Andy thought. Sheesh! Since he started that… kissing thing, he's been insufferable.
He responded by sinking his teeth into Zeladin's hand.
"Ouch!"
"I'll keep watch," Andy relented, rubbing a hand over his short, black hair. "But, only for five minutes. Any more than that and I'm out of here."
Zeladin sighed and smiled, clearly relieved. "Thank you, Andy. You're the best friend a man wishes for." He gave Andy's shoulder a grateful tap. "For a lazy runner, you bite like a feral cat." Zeladin pushed Andy to the side, opened the door, and ran into the room.
He quickly closed the door, not giving Andy a chance to respond to his comment.
"Honestly, what's the rave about kissing a girl? It's just lips touching and exchanging saliva… disgusting." Andy scoffed.
But a part of him was truly curious. Unconsciously, he glanced at the midsection of his lower body. I'm definitely not dead down there… right?
As though Zeladin could hear his thoughts from behind the door, Andy heard the young man's laugh, as well as a giggle from a familiar person.
Selena.
A younger classman, she was also one of the prettiest girls in the academy, ranked second to none when it came to looks out of a population of over three thousand females. Many guys had secretly crushed on her, and some had even sent her love letters, yet she had had her eyes on Zeladin since the day she was brought to the academy.
And much like her, Zeladin was also considered one of the most attractive males in the academy, just a few ranks above Andy. However, there were other factors that made the young man more attractive than the latter.
The most important one was currently gathering as a faint blue light in Andy's own palm.
Mana.
A primal force and energy that permeates everything in the world. When it came to cultivating Mana, Andy wasn't ranked high.
In fact, in the entire Naver Academy, he ranked closer to the bottom in this aspect, and this was a formal, official ranking. But Zeladin, he was an absolute talent, already a Third Rank Mage at the age of seventeen.
Currently, he was close to breaking the record of the best graduating student in the history of the academy.
Though Selena was an underclassman, she was also a Third Rank Mage, rivalling Zeladin.
Andy sighed and closed his palm, dispelling the gathering Mana. "Almost a First Rank Mage now. Will I be able to get a good job after graduation?" His gaze travelled to the window and the corner of the attic.
Life after the academy was said to be bleak and hard if one didn't graduate with good grades. The teachers and matrons of the academy made sure to imbue this in their heads.
They were runts from a world that didn't want them.
The Naver Academy wasn't simply a school, it was a mega orphanage that took in children, educated them, equipped them with survival and battle skills, before letting them go after graduation.
There were almost seven thousand orphans in this institution, and all of them were surnamed Naver. The academy was a respected one, and students who graduated from here were all highly sought after by corporations outside.
A prestigious school that only accepted parentless children.
Even if they were orphans, they were given this privilege by the patron of the academy. Because of this kindness, there were some rules of the academy that they were warned not to break.
Andy looked at the door Zeladin had gone through and shook his head.
One of those rules is what his best friend was breaking.
It wasn't that love wasn't allowed, in fact, it was encouraged that they date. However, physical touch exceeding the boundaries of holding hands with the opposite sex could warrant serious punishment.
For Zeladin, if he were caught, regardless of his ranking, he would be expelled. But would that even matter?
Who am I kidding? His success isn't dependent on his graduation anymore. With that horny boy's strength, he could still decide to make a living by becoming a Hunter.
And boy is he a good one.
Andy recalled the last class they had about Beast Hunting, one of the few times they were allowed outside of the academy's premises. Zeladine had performed well against a Grade-2 Beast on his own, which was outstanding for a Third Rank Mage. Not only was his talent for Mana high, but his combat sense was also superb.
"Compared to that, I'm pretty much basic." Andy chuckled. Am I having depressing thoughts again? Maybe because graduation is fast approaching, my mind can't help but ruminate about these types of things.
Heck, if I can't get a good job, I'll just ride horny boy's coattails and live a good silent life. What are best friends for?
Just as Andy was comforting himself, he heard a few items from the other room fall to the ground.
Are those two going that far!? His brows rose in shock and worry. Can't they just wait until after graduation?
Andy began walking away from the door when he heard the sound of glass breaking, followed by the scent of blood. He stopped in his tracks, wondering if his nose was playing tricks on him.
This was blood he was smelling.
Virgin blood?
He couldn't say, however, he was certain that his friend wasn't dumb enough to make so much commotion lest he attract the attention of the matrons patrolling the academy.
Taking a few quiet steps back, he silently opened the door, making sure that it didn't make a clicking sound. I just want to confirm that they're okay… I'm not a pervert or anything like that. He mused to himself.
Pushing the door open a bit, Andy was greeted by the sight of bright red, blood, pooling, even flowing towards the door.
His eyes flared open with worry, wanting to rush into the room, however, something at the back of his mind stopped him from charging in.
The grating sound of bones being crushed echoed and reached his ears. Andy's eyes followed this sound and his gaze fell upon the figure of a grotesque being, bent over.
Dark purple skin that glowed eerily, tentacles that looked like vines, holding on to the limp corpse that looked strikingly like Zeladin.
His pupils were open, even staring back at Andy. However, it was like staring into an empty house. Zeladin's bright green eyes were lifeless.
The tentacles carrying his corpse swung his body around, almost playfully, while the creature that owned the tentacle continued to munch on the other corpse which was no other than Selena.
"Ah… such pure vitality. I haven't tasted brilliance like this in decades." The creature's deep voice sounded, still unaware of Andy's presence.
Covering his mouth with his hands, Andy slowly stepped back from the door. His mind was still trying to process what he had just seen.
His body began shaking uncontrollably, to the point where his knees felt weak, almost sending him to the ground.
But he held on.
The nauseating urge to vomit hit him, but he swallowed it back, causing himself a hiccup.
"Hic!"
Andy let out unintentionally.
It was loud enough for the creature in the room to take notice of it. The creature paused its indulgence and turned around, staring at the closed door.
It took a step forward and the loud thud of its approaching figure could be heard from the other side of the door.
Move… Andy thought to himself.
He had seen beasts before, several times, and yet, none of them compared to what he just saw in the room.
That was no Beast.
Move, you idiot! Move!
His mind screamed at his body, however, the latter was petrified by fear. This is why you're still a weakling! Move Goddammit or die!
Tears even began to pool at the corners of his eyes, rapidly getting overwhelmed by many emotions, and that was when it happened.
[Initializing…]