Emperor's Reckoning

The sun rose from the horizon as the night gradually dawned. The vibrant blue of the sky complemented the thick white clouds above. The birds flapped their wings and hovered above the main courtyard of the Nirvana School before wafting away.

"They flew away," muttered a teenage boy as his eyes drifted into the scenery of the window in one of the classes. "Just like our future in six months."

The boy had distinctive bangs above his eyebrows that were parted in the middle while the rest of his hair draped around his shoulder. His figure was lean and his eyes barely opened. He sighed with his hand supporting his chin.

"Rayus, that's really grim," said another boy with a hot-blooded voice. "We must fill ourselves with vigor and dignity."

His jawline was striking and he was the tallest and most slender among the two. His chocolate hair was tied up in a ponytail with a few baby hair covering his hair.

"We filled that, but what do we get in return? Did you forget, Reinhard?" said the last boy in the room. His figure was as tall as Rayus. His dark hair was slicked back and reached his back.

"Don't be so negative," Reinhard crossed his arms before sitting down.

"You should be the one that needs to stop being so positive," said Rayus with a lazy tone. "Noah is right, the last time only ends in more depression."

"But!" Reinhard glared.

"How many times, Reinhard? How many teachers have abandoned us? You saw it yourself! They bribe them! And every single one of those assholes couldn't resist! They opened their hands with grins on their faces!" said Noah.

"We even caught them red-handed, Reinhard," said Rayus. "And we could do nothing but swallow our own failures."

Reinhard clenched his fists before slamming them down against the desk. "Hah!"

"No need to exhaust your energy for rage," said Rayus with his gaze still looking at the window. "It's predetermined, we were never made to be great, even with the great chance."

Noah leaned back with a sigh, "The class before us all dropped out, I guess now we know why."

"Isn't there something that we can do?" Reinhard asked.

"If there is, we would do it," said Rayus. "We are common-born, and our talents belong to the worst end of the spectrum."

"But!"

"Reinhard, you got beat up too many times, did they finally mess with your head?" asked Noah. "We never did win despite our best efforts, because our teachers love Mana Essence more than their disciples, heh, if they even ever consider us that."

"Then what now?" Reinhard asked as he stood up, "We're just going to do nothing in the next six months? Readily gave our neck and lose?"

"Everyone is trying to be in their best shape," said Rayus, "Just give up after the match started and we would be fine."

"That's the mind of a coward!" said Reinhard.

"That is called wise!" said Noah. "Damn it, Reinhard! We can't win alright! The system is rigged against us from the beginning! I'm here as a clown! With you two, we made the circus! For them! Why can't you realize that?!"

Reinhard glared, "I'm not a clown! I refuse to go down!"

He left the classroom in a fit of rage.

Noah sighed, "That knucklehead, why can't he understand?"

"Let him, be," Rayus answered. "However, I wonder."

"Wonder what?"

"Are we a good friend or a bad friend?"

Noah raised his brows, "Where did that come from?"

"In our eyes, we try to stop him from trying and do more harm to himself on the behalf of his safety and ours, however, we are punching down his spirit to defy the odds at the same time," said Rayus.

"That's..." Noah sighed before he slumped down. "If only we could..."

Meanwhile outside the classroom. Reinhard was walking with a sour look. He looked at the empty courtyard before he paused. His brows furrowed before he looked at his palm ( What elite school, what chances, Noah's right... ) he kicked a little rock on the floor.

"Well, well, well, if it is not Reinhard himself," an obnoxious voice rang from a peer making him twitch his ears.

"Tch!" Reinhard clicked his tongue before walking away.

"Hey, hey, hey, where are you going? Don't want to greet me? You from the loser class are always impolite," said the peer. "And here I am trying to give you a piece of information you three might be interested in."

"Shut up, Jasper! Why don't you go cultivate like the rest and stop being a dick?" said Reinhard.

"Hahahaha!" the laugh only got more obnoxious. "Hey! Don't walk away, what if I tell you, that you get another teacher?"

Reinhard immediately paused.

"Heh," Jasper smirked before seeing Reinhard turn around.

What was in front of Reinhard was a peer of him with blonde long hair and a symmetrical face. His eyes were black as onyx and his build was slightly more muscular than Reinhard's despite having the same height. He crossed his arms with his chin raised.

"Jasper, where did you get that information?" asked Reinhard with furrowed brows.

"Oh? Looks like the loser is beaming with hope now," Jasper smirked. "You want to know how did I get that information? I simply do."

"I'm not in the mood for jest," said Reinhard with a glare.

"Hahaha, did I hit the nail?" Jasper shrugged. "It's not like commoners like you would know anyway."

"Hmph! If you don't want to tell me, then don't waste my time," said Reinhard. "I have better things to do."

"Hahaha! That's a good joke," Jasper laughed heartily. "Have you ever considered being a comedian? I would hire you, and of course, your friends as a common courtesy."

"Kh!" Reinhard furrowed his brows with his fists clenched.

"What? Do you want to fight? Here? You would lose, and I will go unpunished for making you roll around pathetically on the floor with your belly clutched," Jasper laughed.

Reinhard turned around with a snort and walked away.

"Heh," Jasper smirked before turning around and leaving the courtyard.

Reinhard sighed as he made his way to his class, "A new teacher huh... Noah, that fool... but then again..." he shook his head. ( What should I do... What do I want to do... ).

"Oh? You're here? Good!" a familiar voice was heard before Reinhard raised his head and opened his eyes wide, "Vice principal?"

Judsah nodded, "Good morning to you too, can you inform your class to gather in the courtyard?"

"My class? W-What's going on?" asked Reinhard.

"You got a new teacher," said Judsah.

( Just like Jasper said! ) thought Reinhard before he remembered the gazes his friends give him. He lowered his shoulder, "What's the use..."

Judsah frowned, "What?"

"What's the use, vice principal?" asked Reinhard. "In six month time, we will lose anyway, and we need to win the entire thing of the upcoming event to cross that threshold point of graduation. It's impossible," he shook his head. "Why are we even here? To be laughed at?"

Judsah was at a loss. He couldn't say that he knew the feeling since he didn't. He could only sigh, "Well, as long as you don't give up and gave it your all."

( What a basic answer ) thought Reinhard.

"Reinhard, there you are!"

"Noah?" Reinhard raised his brow before noticing him coming down.

"Oh great!" Judsah smiled, "Now there is only one left of you."

"Huh? Vice principal? What's going on?" asked Noah.

"We got a new teacher!" Reinhard grinned.

"Heh, another soon-to-be traitor?" Noah rolled his eyes.

"Watch your tongue!" Judsah said harshly, "Nobody has any proof that your previous teachers were taking bribes."

Noah and Reinhard looked down before the former muttered, "But... the last one almost got Rayus killed, and now he is permanently impaired. His meridians..."

"That was an accident," Judsah sighed.

"That was not an accident! He didn't save him..." Noah said. "Rayus was not the same anymore since then..."

Judsah was taken aback by the rebuttal words but refuse to say anymore. He sighed once more before he muttered, "I need a day off from this stress-inducing event, yesterday I almost died."

"S-Sorry," Noah apologized with his head bowed. Perspiration had adorned his face in anticipation of a strong reprimand.

"It's fine," Judsah waved his hand. "Tell Rayus to come to the courtyard, drag him if you have to, all the class and teachers will welcome the new teacher."

"I-I understand," Noah nodded before excusing himself and running back to the class.

Judsah turned, "I don't know how it would make you feel, but... this new teacher is.. different from the others."

"Huh?" Reinhard raised his brows, "What do you mean?"

"He uh... he is a vulgar man and appear not that way older than you," said Judsah before he muttered, "Perhaps, he is what they need... ah, I have no idea... I'm going to take a quick brunch, I haven't slept a wink last night."

"What...?" Reinhard was left speechless.