Theodore stood right in front of the grand, solid, and luxurious gates of the academy. He could feel the faint trace of natural energy flowing from it. Just by looking, he already knew the gates were made from a special stone that protected the academy from monsters.
> "A clever tactic," he muttered, then took his first step inside.
He observed the lively scene within the academy grounds — students bustling about with various activities. The place had a vast green courtyard, a three-story main building, and several other facilities Theodore had yet to learn about.
"Are you Theodore?"
A young woman approached him with a friendly smile. Theodore simply nodded.
"Oh, great! I'm Beryl, the vice president of the student council. I've been waiting for you. Come on, I'll take you to the principal's office," she said, leading him through the corridors.
Theodore followed a few steps behind as Beryl explained the school rules, the buildings, and general information about the academy.
Eventually, they entered an office located in a separate building. An elderly man with a long white beard sat behind a desk piled high with documents, glasses perched on his nose.
"Good afternoon, sir," greeted Theodore politely.
"Oh, the new student! Come closer, boy!" the man said warmly. Theodore stepped forward as the principal handed him a card and a bronze key.
"I am Yaba, headmaster of Hunter Academy. Welcome, Theodore. I hope you'll learn well here. This is your student card and the key to your dorm room in the west dormitory. Beryl will show you the way," the principal said clearly before dismissing them.
Afterward, Beryl accompanied Theodore to the boys' dormitory but stopped at the entrance, letting him go in on his own.
"Alright, thank you for showing me the way," said Theodore as he stepped inside.
The dormitory had a large courtyard where some boys were playing ball, others were training, relaxing, or fiddling with their gadgets.
"Oh, a new kid!"
Theodore's arrival instantly drew everyone's attention. Dozens of eyes turned toward him with sharp, judgmental gazes.
"Ha! He's really poor! Must've gotten in through a scholarship!"
"Hahaha! Look at his level — he's so weak!"
Their tone was anything but friendly. But Theodore didn't care. He ignored them and kept walking.
Unfortunately, that only provoked them further. A few of the students shouted insults and even attacked him, showing off their abilities as if it were a game. Theodore stood still, letting their attacks graze his body. He could've easily dodged, created a shield, or retaliated — but they were just children, unworthy of his power.
"Hey, new kid! Hurts, doesn't it? That's what you get for disrespecting your seniors!" one of them shouted.
Theodore let out a quiet sigh. He was exhausted, his energy still drained from using his ice field to save Shiny. He gave them a sharp glance before walking away without another word.
"Tch! Arrogant newbie. I'll teach him a lesson later!" one boy spat angrily.
Theodore entered one of the gray-painted dorm buildings — the shabbiest of the three male dorms.
> "So, there's a caste system even here. I thought the world had changed after hundreds of thousands of years," he murmured wryly.
A boy about his age appeared, smiling kindly.
"You're the new guy, right? I'm Sasaki. Let me show you to your room," the boy said cheerfully. Theodore nodded — he didn't mind receiving help.
"I'm sorry I didn't stop them earlier. You're new here, and they targeted you on your first day… I feel bad just watching," Sasaki said, looking guilty.
"I'm Theodore. And you did the right thing. They're just kids — let them have their fun. I suppose that was their idea of a 'warm welcome,'" Theodore replied calmly.
He didn't seem bothered by the wounds at all, which made Sasaki wince slightly. There was something strangely composed — almost ancient — about this newcomer.
"This is your room. Mine's at the end of the hall. You can visit me anytime if you have questions or need help," Sasaki said kindly before leaving him to rest.
Theodore inserted his bronze key and opened the door. The room was simple but spacious — far better than his small room back home. He placed his bag on the desk and sat cross-legged on the bed.
Nearly drained of energy, Theodore began gathering natural energy around him, restoring what he had lost. At the moment, he had only recovered about 40% of his strength. There was still much to regain.
Before he knew it, morning had come. Theodore opened his eyes, stretched his arms, and opened the window to breathe in the fresh air.
It was his first official day at the academy.
He washed his face, put on his new uniform, and grabbed his hologram watch.
A flick of his wrist brought up the latest news — about Shiny.
The girl had followed his request: she didn't reveal that Theodore had saved her, only saying she was rescued by a hunter who wished to remain anonymous. The kidnappers were revealed to be part of a rival corporation long at odds with her father's company. Those who had been frozen were now safely thawed and imprisoned.
> "She handled it well," Theodore murmured, smiling faintly.
As he stepped out of his room, he was met by Sasaki waiting at the door.
"I was just about to call you," Sasaki said, surprised to see him up early. "You must be hungry — come on, let's grab breakfast."
They went down to the main hall, which was filled with rows of tables and chairs. Students lined up to get their morning meals.
Theodore and Sasaki joined the line and sat down together afterward.
Theodore glanced around. Despite the crowded hall, no one greeted Sasaki — even though he should've known many of them. No one seemed to care about the new student either.
"I'm glad you're eating with me," Sasaki said suddenly, making Theodore frown slightly.
"Why?" he asked.
"Students here rarely talk to each other. Everyone only cares about strength — power dominates the weak. Those of us who are weak simply follow the strong. Most of them belong to cliques from the Silver or Gold dorms." Sasaki paused to take a sip of his drink.
"This academy is divided into three classes," he continued. "The Gold Dorm is for the rich kids or children of hunters — they pay monthly tuition. Below them is the Silver Dorm. And we're in the Bronze Dorm — the lowest tier. It's for scholarship students from other schools or kids from poor families. You probably already know — tuition here is insanely expensive for us."
"I understand. Thank you," Theodore said quietly. "But why does no one approach you?"
Sasaki sighed.
"I'm dirt poor. I only got here through sheer luck. No one wants to be friends with someone like me. Honestly, I approached you because I wanted a friend — even if the first time I saw you, you were being bullied. It made me feel guilty not to help."
Theodore looked at him sincerely.
"Sasaki, you're a good person. I'm as poor as you are — and I know this world is never fair. It never gives happiness willingly. All humans can do is keep walking without rejecting what comes their way. But I hate that truth," he said, standing up after finishing his meal.
"Anyway, it's time for class. I'm curious about what lessons they teach here."
Sasaki smiled faintly and followed beside him, explaining the schedule — including mandatory training in martial arts and magic, which every student had to attend.
"Oh, that sounds interesting," Theodore murmured.
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