Luciel and Su-Yun sat inside of the Dean's Office while waiting patiently for Kaguya to finish registering them as professors for St. Goken Institution, Luciel reading through a few articles about my actions in Dong-ga with a pleased smile on her face. Su-Yun leaned over on her seat, peeking at Luciel's screen to see what she was smiling at.
She watched a recorded video of me battling against the Salamander, recognizing the perfect similarities between my combat ability and Luciel's. Her cat tail swayed as she watched me fight and listened to my words, her curiosity for me growing slightly.
"Is that your Spiritual Husband that you praise all the time? I can see where you learned all of your stuff from," Su-Yun said, impress filling her tone as she sat back up in her seat.
Luciel nodded at Su-Yun, letting out a soft sigh and set her phone down between her lap with a warm, cozy smile on her face. "Mhm, that's Nox!~ He's great once you meet him, but he's on the other side of Seolhart right now."
"In Bulan correct?" Kaguya chimed in while typing on her keyboard, her eyes never leaving the monitor. "Leonidas told me about his arrival, I'm surprised he didn't show up with you here. Not that there's any grave danger in the Academy.."
"Well...We are on a spiritual journey at the moment. Usually we are always together like two peas in a pod. It's been like that since we were kids..~ But, he's on a mission to save Asceans while I've been brought here for the Aetherians," Luciel explained, lifting her gaze to look at Kaguya.
"I see..." Kaguya said, finishing the registration and printing out Luciel and Su-Yun's badges and tags then turned to face the two girls. "Sa Nu Rim, Luciel, welcome to St. Goken Institution officially as Professors. I will have you two teaching Class 12-A, the senior class holding the future of our Heroes and Valkyrias."
Luciel grabbed her badge from Kaguya and inspected it, a cute ornate badge in the shape of a Hound, Kaguya's favorite animal. "I think the Hisumi line might be a little obsessed with dogs..~"
Su-Yun stared at her badge blandly, glancing back up at Kaguya with a light twitch in her left eye. She held the badge in front of Kaguya with disapproval. "Hey. First, why is my badge a dog? Second...you put me as C-Rank?"
Kaguya shrugged her shoulders and sat back in her seat with a smile, crossing one leg over the other. "Sa Nu Rim is dead physically, her DNA is gone. Her blood type was AB, yours is O+, it read Lee Su-Yun's DNA, not Sa Nu Rim's."
"Mwoyo? Wait, are you saying—" Su-Yun began, letting out a heavy sigh of relief and slouched in her seat.
"What? What's the revelation here?" Luciel asked confused, glancing between Kaguya and Su-Yun.
"Su-Yun's transformation only physically changes her into Sa Nu Rim, but her Essence and genetic making is still the same. She's still Su-Yun, but now with an S Rank Balkiria Abilities due to the Vow of Night and Day, but only during the Day," Kaguya explained, glancing over at Luciel with a light hum.
"I'm sure you've visited Aetherpoint? The shopkeeper there knows a lot about Stigmata. Legend says he's timeless. Ahh yes, the Legend of Woo Jinyoung, the Seolhart's best Stigmata Wielder, even surpassing me and I have one of the best Stigmata, God willing," Kaguya said with a light laugh, patting the arm of her seat lightly.
Luciel let out an awkward chuckle along with Kaguya, rubbing the back of her head then heard the chime for the next class ringing throughout the building. "I suppose we shall be going."
"Of course, also, make sure to check the staff office for your agenda and lesson plans. We gotta be sure to make this generation keeps up the Fruits of God, and their integrity, which is why I have you two here," Kaguya said, watching the two get up from their seats.
Su-Yun bowed respectfully toward Kaguya with a smile. "We will be sure to make you proud, Lady Kaguya."
Luciel bowed as well, closing her eyes with a grateful smile. "I am also grateful for this chance to teach St. Goken's children. We will be sure to have them uphold the core values of the Heroic and Valkyrian faith."
Kaguya nodded at the two, watching the two leave her office then went back to looking at her monitor, clicking on the article pertaining to me and watched the video. "Lord Nox...you have yet to make yourself known to this side. I'll be as patient as you need, but soon you will have to show."
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Students of Grushia High School wandered through the halls to and from their classes, some walking with small groups of friends while others with large crowds and some loners wandering the halls alone. Do Song Boon stood in the halls, monitoring the halls with a smile on her face and waving to each of the students.
Hyeon Bae made her way up the stairs with her two friends, holding the straps of her backpack and smiling brightly as she conversed with them. Soon, Hyeon Bae split from her group to head toward her class, Class 12-A, and let out a sigh as she walked down the long halls alone, looking out the various windows.
"Ahh, Hyeon Bae!" A voice called out from behind Hyeon Bae, causing her to stop in her tracks.
Hyeon curled her lips lightly and closed her eyes before turning around to face Class 12-A's high rankings, Ha-Rin, Woo-Yi and, Li-Na. She put a smile on her face and waved at Ha-Rin. "Joeun achim, Ha-Rin. It's nice to see you today."
"Of course it's an honor to see the Rank A Valkyria of Grushia High School, didn't your mother teach you any manners? You bow to your superiors," Woo-Yi chimed in with a taunting smirk, taking her lollipop out of her mouth and placed a hand upon her hip.
"No, it's quite alright, Woo-Yi. Hyeon Bae doesn't have to bow if she doesn't want to. We're all friends in Class 12-A aren't we?" Ha-Rin said, looking over at Woo-Yi with a disarmingly sweet smile.
"O-Oh right, yeah," Woo-Yi agreed hesitantly, nodding her head then quickly composed herself and cleared her throat, fixing her light brown hair and light blue skirt. "Of course we're all friends here~ It's just that you still need to show respect to you friends. Right, Li-Na?"
Li-Na pushed up her glasses, closing her eyes as she made her way toward the classroom. "We're gonna be late and your attendance affects your Rank as a Hero and Valkyria."
Ha-Rin watched as Li-Na walked off with a smile on her face, turning back toward Hyeon Bae and politely waved at her before walking off. "She's right, let's all get to class."
Woo-Yi exhaled through her nose, flipping her hair and walking by Hyeon Bae without acknowledging her. Hyeon Bae turned to look at the three girls, her hands gripping the straps of her bag tightly as she knew she was being looked down upon.
As she walked into class, a girl stepped in front of her, causing Hyeon Bae to purposely bump into her and fall onto the ground. Hyeon Bae grunted as she hit the floor, wincing lightly and looking up to see a girl staring down at her mockingly.
"Ohhh, mianhae, Hyeon Gae! I totally didn't see yoh there," She sneered, looking down at Hyeon Bae on the floor then held her hand out toward her.
"It's... alright," Hyeon Bae forgave, reaching her hand out to accept the assistance, but before she could grab the girl's hand, the bully withdrew her hand and allowed Hyeon Bae to fall again.
"Pffft! No way this trick fell for it! Oh, you're just like a cute doggy. So eager to accept any help from anyone, awh~" The girl teased, reaching down to ruffle Hyeon Bae's hair.
"Hey, Kim Eun! That's enough, haven't you done enough bullying last year? You barely made the scores to get to this level," A short haired girl called out from the front of the class, getting up from her desk.
"Mwo? Did I just hear a tomboy speak to me? Hey, In Mi-yong!" Kim Eun began, turning around to face In Mi-yong with an annoyed expression on her face. "Dwijillae? Huh?"
"That's quite enough," A voice rang out, an authoritarian tone that caused all actions in the class to cease.
Hyeon Bae got off the ground and looked at the front of the class, gasping softly as she noticed Luciel and Su-Yun entering the class, her heart filled with a hint of relief. "Luciel and Sa Nu Rim..."
Luciel stepped in front of the class holding her binder in her arms then set down her books upon the podium in front of her. She glanced around at the class, her eyes locking upon Ha-Rin's and the two stared at each other for a moment.
"Tch, I'm guessing you two are the new teachers huh? The last ones barely could keep up with us, you'll be out of here in seven days tops and we'll be freelances once again," Kim Eun scoffed, sitting down at her desk and leaned back in her seat with her hands in her blazer pockets.
Su-Yun crossed her arms and looked at Kim Eun with a smirk, her cat tail swaying from side to side at the thrill of a challenge. "Is that so? Open your eyes and see who you're in the face of!"
The class turned their gazes toward Su-Yun, each of them seeing Sa Nu Rim standing before then in the flesh, none but Hyeon Bae believing that Su-Yun was actually Sa Nu Rim. Hyeon Bae lowered her head and sighed softly, wondering why Su-Yun thought her boast would work.
"You're literally cosplaying as a dead woman, a traitor at that!" Kim Eun scoffed, leaning her head back with a groan. "Let's just get this day over with..."
Ha-Rin smiled at Luciel and Su-Yun, her eyes never leaving from Luciel's out of pure curiosity for her. She stood up from her seat, giving Luciel a bow. "Joeun achim, Professor. I am the Class President of Class 12-A, Yon Ha-Rin. It's nice to meet you."
"Everyone, stand and greet the new professors," Li-Na ordered, standing up from her seat.
The rest of the class began to stand and at Li-Na's command everyone bowed toward Luciel and Su-Yun, all except Kim Eun, who remained seated. Luciel's focus was now upon Kim Eun, a young woman with a hardened, angry soul, a thoughtful hum playing in her throat.
"Thank you, everyone, it is also great to meet you all as well. Now a little bit about ourselves before we begin. My name is Luciel Winters, I am rather young, I am 20 years old," Luciel began, pausing at the sound of the surprised whispers amongst the class.
Su-Yun even gave Luciel a surprised side glance, rubbing the back of her neck and moved her lips to the side slightly. 'She's only 20? She's the youngest staff this institution has ever seen in this academy's history...'
"I know, I know. You're all surprised, but please still treat me as your friend and your mentor," Luciel said, pointing at her badge upon her blazer, the rank reading S Rank.
Ha-Rin's eyes slightly widened, a smile still remaining on her face though she was internally surprised by Luciel's high ranking. "Excuse me, Miss Winters...I don't mean to sound rude, but I have never heard of you before. How did you become an S Rank Valkyria?"
"Do you believe your rank is solely based on your scores and your missions?" Luciel asked, glancing over at Ha-Rin with an equally courteous smile.
"Yes," Ha-Rin answered bluntly, holding her hands in front of her and looked past Luciel at the large screen behind Luciel. "Everything we do is scored. As the elites of this school, we are always monitored. Even popularity affects one's rank, which is why there's a hierarchy here."
"I see, so let's think about it like this. Do you believe faith without works is dead? Do you believe that you can just earn salvation?" Luciel asked, scanning the entire class for an answer, using her discernment to pick out the sheep amongst goats.
"I don't," One girl answered from the back of the class, her hand raised.
Everyone turned to the back of the class to look at the one young woman who was brave enough to speak out, the young woman glancing around the class and lowering her hand. Luciel stared at her for a moment, really studying her features until she noticed a faint Stigmata inside her right eye.
"What is your name?" Luciel asked, pointing at the girl in the back.
The young woman stood up from her seat, holding her hands at her side as she began to greet herself. "My name is Sang So-Yi, and I am a F Rank Valkyria, just like Hyeon Bae and a few other guys and girls here..."
'F Rank in a top ranking class like this one? It shouldn't be possible...' Luciel thought to herself, glancing over at Su-Yun.
"They definitely use some form of rating system for these rankings, just like they do outside these prestigious walls. Yet, it feels strange. Something isn't sitting right," Su-Yun said, crossing her arms and letting out a soft cat sound as she began to think.
"It's because the grading and rankings are confided to this class only. Because we are such high ranking Valkyria and Heroes, we are held to a much higher standard so we follow a special grading system," Ha-Rin answered, seemingly answering Luciel's brewing question before she asked it.
Luciel's gaze met Ha-Rin's once more, her explanation sounding just, yet corrupt at the same time. Her mind began grow tight as she tried to discern Ha-Rin's words, unable to find any faults. Ha-Rin's veil seemed perfect, almost as if she were perfect hence why she was A Rank and Class President.
"Tell me something, Ha-Rin...how does this class grade and rank? What are the merits?" Luciel asked curiously, leaning forward against the podium.
"We are ranked every week and it goes off by our average grading upon different merits such as Missions, combat skill, academic grades, popularity inside and outside the institution, and your status," Ha-Rin answered, her words coming out articulate and smooth as if she's answered the question a thousand times.
"Is that so..." Luciel said, glancing over at Su-Yun with a raised brow.
"It's the same rules in the Institution and work force, yet my kitty senses are just buzzing really hard, nya... Something just isn't sounding right to me," Su-Yun said, tapping her foot upon the ground, trying her hardest to make sense out of Ha-Rin's words.
'If Su-Yun is this bent out of shape by these rules, something has to be off about this grading. Sang So-Yi and Hyeon Bae are F Rank, and it seems like they've been like this for awhile... something definitely is off,' Luciel said, looking at her watch and noticing it was Thursday.
"You all get ranked tomorrow right? Who does the grading? I'm assuming I do?" Luciel asked, looking up at Ha-Rin.
"Nope! It's done automatically through an app called Go-Goken, an app that keeps track of all our progress for the week," Woo-Yi answered, waving her phone in the air with a soft giggle.
Su-Yun gasped as it finally clicked, but Sa Nu Rim's spirit caused her to keep herself quiet. She turned toward Luciel, who also seemed to have figured it all out as well, the two glancing at each other and meeting eye to eye.
'Finally, you're starting to really use your discernment, Lee Su-Yun. This entire class is filled with System Wielders, each of them who uses Go-Goken are knowingly or unknowingly following the Mojisolan Faith,' Luciel said mentally, turning her gaze back to the front of the class, her gaze becoming more sharp as if she could see into the souls of every student.
'System Wielders! I knew it! That's why I've been failing for seven years to find a job, it's all works based!' Su-Yun screamed mentally, looking around at each student then stressfully ran her hand through her hair.
"Heh, it seems like your partner is already stressing. You all wouldn't last with us, so quit while you're ahead!" Kim Eun laughed, watching Su-Yun stress out internally over her inner revelation.
Luciel smirked at Kim Eun's taunt, standing up straight then shook her head. "This isn't stress, we simply figured out the process of this class. You've replaced one equation with an even harder one, but both equations lead to the same answer."
"Your ranking...you think that gives you worth? Then we will see if those fruits can taste better than those that grow upon the branches of Eyica," Luciel continued, pushing her podium to the side and walked forward.
"Your rank wholly gives you worth! What's the point of it if it didn't?" Kim Eun scoffed, rolling her eyes at Luciel and turning away from her.
"I agree with Kim Eun as much of a skank she is sometimes. Your rank proves how reliable and trustworthy you are for the people. Everyone wants to be ensured safety," In Mi-yong chimed in, raising her hand to intercede.
"And yet Ha-Rin said you all are friends here? If you're all friends, how could you treat a fellow sistren like she's nothing more than dirt?" Luciel asked, turning her gaze toward Kim Eun. "And the rest of you sat idly by and did nothing to stop it...is it because Hyeon Bae is F Rank?"
"That's exactly the reason. This class glorifies Ranking more than anything else, however...there is one rule they won't tell you. The ones in F Rank are the punching bags of the class, free game as Eun says," So-Yi said, looking over at Kim Eun with disdain.
Ha-Rin hummed softly at Sang So-Yi's statement, closing her eyes with a light smile. "And I do what I can to stop the senseless bullying, but there are too many heads to keep track of. It's very tiring trying to keep track of everyone alone."
'Right...' Luciel and Su-Yun both said mentally, neither of them trusting Ha-Rin but kept their faces neutral to keep suspicions low.
Luciel let out a soft exhale as her gaze shifted toward So-Yi and Hyeon Bae, wondering how she could help them from their current situation then hatched an idea. "What did your last teacher teach you all?"
"The basics about works and helping the people. Your usual heroism," A guy answered from the back of the class, balancing a pencil between his nose and upper lip.
"There's nothing you can teach truly us that we already don't know. This shit is over with already, and it's already a bust!" Kim Eun said dismissively, stretching and cracking her back along the back of her seat.
"Ahh, is that so?" Luciel asked with a smirk then manifested a single Warden Butterfly in front of the class, listening to the soft gasps across the class. "I can guarantee you that not a single person here possesses a Butterfly, even a simple Gray Swallowtail."
"Butterflies? Tch, what could a lonely butterfly do for us when Beasts like dragons and horned pythons roam the planet? Even the worst tamer here can beat your fragile insect," Kim Eun scoffed, rolling her eyes at Luciel's butterfly.
"And that's why you're still a small caterpillar eating from the fallen leaves of a Fig Tree that bears no fruit and woes are still upon your very Spirit," Luciel said, holding her hands behind her in a militant manner and began pacing left and right.
"You all honor your ranks, which is fine. Take pride in your accomplishments, but do not forget the One who gave you the talents, the blessings, and the grace to perform!" Luciel taught, turning her gaze toward Ha-Rin and Woo-Yi.
"Ha! We know that the Lord has given us the strength to complete our tasks, and that's why our works matter! Our works is what will bring us to glory, it is what will save our planet from the false Messiah known as Noxius Exzodia!" Woo-Yi declared, standing up from her seat and met Luciel's gaze firmly.
"Is that so? You believe Nox is the false Messiah? Based on what? The week long news broadcasting at St. Meishi, or the seeds that were planted in you by your own little crafted image of the Messiah?" Luciel asked, crossing her arms with confidence, raising a brow if curiosity.
"You say your works matter, yet you hold little faith in the Truth. You all seem to have it all backwards when you read, 'faith by itself, if not accompanied by works, is dead'. Your works is evidence of your faith and that is what you're not grasping because you don't believe in the True Living God," Luciel said in a challenging tone, seeing a few feathers ruffle and watched Kim Eun stand up.
"Who are you to tell us who we and who we don't believe in! We believe in Yuvah, Yesha, and Ascea just like everyone else!" Kim Eun argued, standing her ground in her faith.
"Great! Even demons believe and know of the Most High, even The Devil knows the name of the Lord. But do you really know Him? Do you have the works proving that?" Luciel asked, faint iridescent energy flowing around her body as her Spirit began to ignite with passion.
Kim Eun grunted softly, clutching her hands into fists against her desk and glared at Luciel. The entire class fell silent in the presence of Luciel's wisdom, even Su-Yun could do nothing but stand beside her and nod, also taken aback by her wisdom. The more Su-Yun listened to Luciel, the more she began to sound exactly like me.
"You speak highly intelligent for someone of your age, taken you are two or maybe three years older than us...however there is one thing you're forgetting, Ms. Winters," Ha-Rin began, standing up from her seat and making her way to stand in front of Luciel.
"You can't beat The System, or take it away. It's ingrained into everyday life, it's modern society now. This is how we differentiate the weak from the strong, the dependable ones from the independent. Everything is watched by Go-Goken, even you," Ha-Rin said, crossing her arms and meeting Luciel's gaze, her smile slightly faltering into a condescending one.
Luciel hummed softly at Ha-Rin's statement and closed her eyes, lowering her head with a light chuckle. "Can't beat The System? Is this System supposed to be a god? Does it know all your personal information, even down to your favorite traits?"
One girl glanced up from her laptop as Luciel began to perfectly describe the features of the System, glancing at her friend next to her. "Mwoyo..? How does she know that..?"
Sang So-Yi stared at Luciel with impress, glancing down at her phone at the Info Page of the Go-Goken app and seeing all of her personal information, even down to libido levels. "It is probing to look at..."
"I'm guessing it also ranks by your Talent. Mmm, maybe your Flirtation and Charisma? Maybe Passion and Romance? A little bit of Luck and Empathy? Or the big ones...Lust and Ambition?" Luciel questioned, listing off each of the Nine Aspects of Humanity that The System offered.
Ha-Rin couldn't keep up her smile as Luciel continued to speak, staring at her with a bland expression, masking her inner frustrations with a doe look. "How do you know this? Who exactly are you..?"
"What? I thought I told you already, I am Luciel Winters, a village girl born in Morgan in the Ophiuchus Kingdom. You know, before I came here...there was a man Nox fought named Claudio Mojisola, currently the strongest System Wielder," Luciel answered, walking past Ha-Rin and made her way toward Kim Eun.
"You all follow the Mojisola Faith, admiring your own humanity over the glory of God. You do know god...a false one. Nigoku. I could be wrong, and if I am please cast that stone. However, there are no stones to cast when the evidence of your works and faith is before your very eyes," Luciel said, staring at Kim Eun and keeping her hands behind her.
Kim Eun grit her teeth, her body visibly heating up at Luciel's truths, her lack of self-control making her lash out at Luciel with a slugging punch aimed at Luciel's face. Luciel caught Kim Eun's fist effortlessly, pressing down upon a pressure point upon Kim Eun's hand and bending her arm backwards.
Kim Eun groaned as she began to lower to the ground, holding her wrist and hissing loudly in pain. "Ow! Ow! Let me go!"
"You're B- Rank, barely even staying out of the line of sight of becoming...I guess what we would say today, Mid. Jack of all trades, yet your arrogance leaves you as a fool. Master of zero," Luciel scoffed, letting go of Kim Eun and glanced over at Ha-Rin and Woo-Yi.
"Today, the course of the class will change. You all are the one of the 99 I am searching for and I will shepard you back into the arms of your Father. You want to use a System, let's use a System that shows your Fruits and your love for God," Luciel declared, glancing around the class with a stern expression.