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2024-10-29 19:42:56Each year the Academy accepted new entrants, depending on the number of spaces available.
Registration normally took place on the 15th day of the first month when the Tower was at its hottest, Eos.
From then till the 25th, candidates would show up with hopes of getting accepted in the institution.
Each day a different age group was accepted…
And today being the 15th, my age group which was 18-20 were the ones being tested.
The red haired guy looked 30, especially with his muscular physique and… wait, he already has a beard?
So, lucky… Ahem, I digress.
I shook my head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts when the military man suddenly spoke.
“Well, well, it seems the maggots accepted this time are much better than last year’s set. Quite impressive. I’ll enjoy breaking you lot.” His tone of speech sounded quite sinister.
But what was he talking about?
He continued after a quick scan. “I’m sure you are wondering what just happened. Well, in short form, you all just passed the first academy test and what’s more, in flying colors.”
Even though it was supposed to be something worth celebrating, I had a gut feeling he was mocking us.
As though trying to let us understand how pathetic we were.
“Those that fainted first will unfortunately have to return home as you are unfit for the academy. The only ones that will be accepted are those still standing right now and those that fainted at the peak of the test.”
Glancing at the pale girl, he added. “I must say that I am quite impressed that you managed to remain calm despite everything.
“You as well.” He turned to the red head. “Both of you are just the type of candidates I enjoy working with.”
He flashed a toothy grin, causing my stomach to churn.
To be honest, I had half the mind to question the bastard on what exactly was the point of such a disgusting test but I had a feeling something like that might land me in trouble.
Thus, like a good lad, I kept shut.
Bottom line was that I passed and I could live with that… of course, I don’t think I’d be able to eat anything for a couple of days, but who cares?
Darn it!
“Now then, those that are still awake should come with me for your medical exams.” The man said as he turned and walked with a steady gait.
“Sir.” Suddenly, the pale girl spoke up.
The man paused as he turned to face her. “Yes?”
“What about the others?”
“Those maggots?... Someone else will handle them. I don’t work well with weaklings.” He didn’t spare her another glance as he turned and kept on walking.
Asshole!
Was there a need to be so rude?... Hmmph.
Shrugging off the fatigue I felt, I got to my feet and followed alongside seven others that were still standing.
As I walked past, I noticed the thin boy from earlier.
He had his hands over his head as he curled his body into a ball. Occasionally he twitched while mumbling something incomprehensible.
Beside him, a pool of saliva and… is that vomit?... I couldn’t tell but it was indeed not easy on the eye with it’s greenish appearance.
“Uhmm, sir… there’s someone else awake.” I pointed out instinctively.
The man grunted angrily as he turned back. “I saw only eight candidates.”
“But there’s one more… he may be lying down but he’s still awake.”
The man was about to say something when the pale girl moved to the aid of the thin guy, tapping him gently.
After a few seconds, he stopped twitching as he opened his eyes. “…Where am I?”
I turned to the man expecting him to back down but he only gazed at me harshly before moving on.
Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed?... What’s his deal?
Tch.
“Thank you.” The brown haired teen remarked after getting a brief breakdown of our situation from the pale girl.
She’s quite nice for someone that had the appearance of an icy beauty.
I wonder if I can befriend her later?
With that, we quickly move on to a waiting area with a door ahead with the sign, “Clinic”, printed boldly.
The man gestured. “Go in one at a time. Once you are done, you will officially become a member of the Academy after which you will receive orientation.”
He quickly left after the rough explanation, going through another door on the left.
Good riddance!
After picking a random order, we went in one after the other with the pale girl entering fourth and the brown haired kid entering eight.
I decided to enter last for one reason… I hate doctors.
Don’t ask me why except you want to hear a long winded backstory… trust me, it’s not worth it.
Tch!
The door made a creak as I entered into a room that was just about big enough to fit eight people of average size.
On the other side of the room, lay yet another door which I presumed led to the orientation hall.
“Welcome, please sit down so we may begin.” The doctor on seat smilingly said.
You can’t fool me!
I took a deep breath and grabbed a chair before sitting down, replying the doctor’s smile in kind.
She looked quite pretty in her white coat with black hair and red lipstick.
If only she weren’t a doctor, I’d have appreciated her looks.
“Name?” she asked, jolting me from my unwarranted evaluation.
“Jeremy Walker.”
The Doctor’s eyes flickered noticeably underneath her glasses as she paused just as she was about to write it down. “Walker?... Any relation with Timothy Walker?”
Sighing heavily, I respond. “Yeah… he’s my father.”
“… I see.”
Hmm… not exactly the response I was expecting.
Something along the lines of… oh my gosh, he’s your dad?... I’m like his biggest fan… yeah, that would do.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter, saves me from the cringe and fake smiles.
After all, if they really loved him… they wouldn’t have been so casual about what was clearly a murder.
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At World's End Entry 10
Hah, it’s fine I guess.Can’t keep on hating every doctor I came across, it’s too much work.Taking a deep breath, I retained my composure.With that, the doctor blitzed through the checkup, going as far as to ask about my medical history and if I had any problems up there.“No.” I answered bluntly.She nodded as she penned down something.After that, she took my blood and urine for some more tests before coming back out with a smile on her face.“You are quite healthy, Jeremy.”“...I try my best.”“Here you go.” She handed over an ID card with my face and basic details on it. “Welcome to the Academy for the Gifted.”“Thank you.”“I hope you enjoy your stay.”“I hope so too.”After I took possession of the ID card, she allowed me pass the door behind her which led me to yet another hallway, even though this one was shorter than the previous one.I walk down the hall until I got to a split.Following her direction, I took the left split and walked down till I got to another door.Ugh,
At World's End Entry 11
I couldn’t answer his question.Even though I answered a variant of said question yesterday, I hesitated.Leila had asked and now this rude bastard asked me again.It was at a level where I had to step back to reevaluate what I understood.I bit my lower lip to keep calm. Recalling what I read in dad’s journal, I pondered on what I’d do if faced with those situations.Even though the outside world was a beautiful place, right now it was crawling with Otherworldly, creatures residing in the Fog with only two goals.Death and destruction.They were part of the reasons why humanity had to abandon that world and live within a Tower.And even now, their existence threatened ours.Would I be able to handle it?I couldn’t be sure any longer.Fear slowly crept into my heart and the crazy captain seemed to notice as he cracked a mocking smile upon seeing my expression.He must think of me as an impulsive teen with only big dreams and no idea on how to fulfill them.Meeting his gaze aggravated
At World's End Entry 12
“Keep running, you maggots. Any one of you stop and that’s three more laps, try me.” Captain Rodgers spoke authoritatively while sitting on a chair, enjoying a beverage.Ugh, what the hell is this?How could he subject us to such labor?... This wasn’t exercise, the bastard was being an asshole by punishing everyone for the mistakes of a few.As I dragged my legs across the track, I felt like dying.I was dehydrated, and worst of all… I was freaking tired!Shit, why didn’t I try to get some sleep last night?Hah, you might be wondering what’s going on right now. Well, to understand, I’d have to backtrack to just after we were ushered into the academy grounds by the captain.It was a pretty cool sight with dormitories set on the East side, separated into the male and female quarters and then the lecture halls as well as training ground, meditation center, clinic, cafeteria and weaponry hall on the West side.What divided both sides being the large track field that spanned several meters
At World's End Entry 13
“Today being an introductory class, we will be discussing basic information about Explorers, who they are, why they are important to the Tower and what mindset to have as a candidate.”A middle aged man wearing a dirt brown suit with glasses and a weird moustache, stood at the podium, addressing us.He looked familiar with his slightly large build and chubby cheeks, maybe because I had seen him quite a few times in Dad’s lab.He was one of his fellow Explorer buddies that was more inclined to seeking knowledge than fighting monsters.Anyway, his name was Professor Charles Webber and he completely disappeared after my dad’s death.Just like several others that acted friendly when he was alive and left the moment his death was deemed as suicide.What Leila said was right that Dad’s death had something to do with the Twelve since no-one had the guts to step up to refute the claims of Dad committing suicide.The problem though was which of them did it?If I remembered correctly, most were
At World's End Entry 14
I wasn’t comfortable eating in a crowded table so I looked around for a place to sit.As my search reached a climax, luck shone upon me as I find an empty table… that is if I don’t count the pale girl currently occupying it.Shit, how come she’s here?Wait, it’s lunchtime, stupid… as I tapped my head, she noticed my presence as she looked up and momentarily, our eyes met.Oh no… I instinctively gulped as I recalled the vomit incident.Sure she said it was okay but it’s not like that makes it okay, right?I mean that’s a terrible first impression.Hah, wait, she doesn’t seem disgusted to see me.I said this because her expression was quite normal. But what if that’s her angry face?Shit, now that eye contact has gone on for so long, do I have to say something?Ugh, I really don’t understand how this works.Don’t judge me for not knowing what to do!...it’s really hard to think right now.“Are you looking for a place to sit?” she suddenly asked.Do I respond with a yes or a no?... Would
At World's End Entry 15
Darkness yet again… this should be my second time in this state.I feel the same thing… like I’m an extension of it.It’s weird to experience the same thing since last time was so random.This time, it wasn’t like I intended to come here again but I ended up here regardless.But the instructor said something about feeling peaceful.I followed the meditation technique to the letter so why am I here instead?Not a world of beautiful flowers or a world with a clear blue sky… just darkness.Was it a sign of something to come?... I’d rather not think too deeply about it.I should stay calm…there’s no reason why I should feel scared.The darkness might be suffocating, but that’s only because I’m not used to it.If I accept it as an extension, wouldn’t that mean that the discomfort would disappear as well?Take a deep breath… that’s better.Hmm, this meditation thing isn’t so bad after all.Just then, I felt a light tap on my shoulder, dragging me out from the reverie I felt.As I opened my
At World's End Entry 16
Two weeks, ( 18 days ), have passed since the first weapon mastery class and I dare say that it would have been a reason to celebrate if I wasn’t currently standing in front of the Academy library or as some weirdos put it, the Hall of knowledge.Yeah, I know… cringe.Anyway, I would be happy to be here since it meant that I was ready to pick out a meditation technique and martial art to practice with.Unfortunately, the circumstances pertaining to how I ended up here… well, how do I put this?... It’s embarrassing.“So are you ready?” Leah asked while standing right next to me.In case you are wondering, yeah, the circumstances have to do with Leah.“Do we really have to do this?”“Of course. That was the bet.”“…”“Come along.” She said while walking up the stairs.I have half a mind to run but I am a man of my word… I can’t run away from my responsibilities.Now that I think back, what the hell was i thinking accepting the bet?Ugh, all because of Roberts, not only do I have to list
At World's End Entry 17
To understand the dilemma I’m currently in, here is a quick rundown of meditation techniques ranks.Platinum, Bronze, Silver and Gold.Platinum is the lowest rank which could substitute for beginners tier while Gold rank is the highest, substitute for expert tier.According to Robert, there are two methods to practicing meditation techniques.The easy route and the hard route.The easy route involves starting from the beginners tier and progressively making your way up the ladder the better you get at meditation.Now this part is considered easy because starting from the basics is the best way to build up a good foundation and then it becomes easier to build a defined structure.Of course, most people that follow this route end up spending the entire 3 year allowed period in the Academy.In case you’re wondering, yeah, each candidate is allowed only 3 years to graduate within the academy.Now I don’t really know what is the criteria for graduation but it’s possible to graduate within
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Entry 173
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Entry 172
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Entry 171
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Entry 170
The Otherworldly were graded according to a system created by mankind after constant bouts with them.From E, it ascended thusly; E, D, C, B, A, S, SS and lastly Godspawn.Two things were used in the grading process.One was the destructive capabilities of said monster while the second was the utility of their ability.Which meant a flame monster could be lesser than a monster that can’t be seen simply because the monster that can’t be seen won’t be easily beat.For the flame monster, there would surely be ways to counter since it’s seen but the other… the first step would be to see it no?Other criteria was put into consideration as well, like how hard was it to kill one or like how fast were their regenerative capabilities.Of course this applied to most Otherworldly.Yes, most.The SS and Godspawn were different.They were a class that defied natural laws and created conundrums that defied everything humanity had come to understand.The difference between an SS and a Godspawn was t
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Entry 169
It was a simple plan with a simple purpose in mind.Reginald, Veronica and Jeremy.These three had abandoned the pain and suffering from that time during the newbie massacre to come together for a singular reason.What was the reason you might ask?... It was purely revenge.Revenge for their fallen comrades that had died unjustly at the hands of scheming bastards that hid within the shadows.The fact that they had found out whom the perpetrators were made it all the more better.At least they wouldn’t move like headless flies.Now they could move with the desire to kill the one that caused them the grievance they were still suffering even as they sat in Jeremy’s room, talking with smiled on their faces.Leah hadn’t been fooled when she saw them smile and laugh so energetically.It was most likely because they didn’t want her to worry.Unfortunately, she no longer had eyes that could be deceived.Leah only listened to the hearts of those she communicated with and currently, as she list
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Entry 168
Veronica sighed as she rose from her bed and walked over to the door to open it only to find her father standing outside.“Dad, you?” Veronica said.Her father nodded. “Were you sleeping?”“No… not yet.” Veronica shook her head in response.“I thought as much. Alright, let me come in first.” With that said, he casually entered without giving Veronica much of a choice to refuse or anything of that sort.She watched on as he sat on her bed and made himself comfortable before tapping on the bed.“Come sit.”Veronica pursed her lips before letting out a sigh. “still as intrusive as ever.”Sitting beside her father, she waited for him to talk.He pondered for a bit before he spoke. “how are you feeling?”“Fine.” Veronica replied.Her father glanced at her and after a bit of scrutiny, shook his head. “that’s a lie.”“If you already know, then why ask?”“To know if you are willing to tell yourself the truth.”“…The truth is too painful to accept.”Her father stared at her solemn face and aft
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Entry 167
It all happened so suddenly.One moment, the thugs were trying to take down Jeremy and Marcus to take away their belongings and the next moment, they were writhing on the floor like worms that had salt poured in them.As they groaned and gasped for air, Jeremy looked on with an expressionless look on his face.Meanwhile, Marcus was somewhat terrified.Just what power had Jeremy used?He couldn’t even begin to fathom it.But then he wondered. If he had such an ability… wouldn’t Ria still be alive now?Wouldn’t he have been able to save Ria and ensure nothing happens to her?As that thought came, Marcus found himself pondering on it more and more until he could hardly think of anything else.Then he heard Jeremy’s voice. “This not power you should hope for.”His voice snapped Marcus out of his reverie, causing him to realize that he had Ben staring off into nothingness for a bit too long.Then he glanced at Jeremy who was staring intently at him.“how did you do that!” Marcus immediatel
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Entry 166
“You heard about the fire?” Jeremy inquired with a raised brow.Reginald nodded. “It was a dangerous affair after all. It’s one of the few times when an entire floor was threatened. If anything had gone wrong, we would have seen casualties in the thousands.”“I agree. And that was just a side effect.”“A side effect, you say?” Reginald raised a brow.Jeremy replied. “Yeah. Apparently, Marcus only had to kill some mafia leader that had his hands on the black market on that floor, engaging in unsavory activities including drugs, prostitution and slavery.”“that… wait, you said the orb is a Vestige?” Reginald asked.Jeremy nodded. “it is.”“so how did he use it?... Aren’t Vestiges objects that only react to variance?... So how did he activate it?”“I have no idea.” Replied Jeremy in all honesty.He was also quite curious to figure out how it happened.It was a known fact that even ordinary Explorers could not use Vestiges because of their lack of variance.But Marcus managed to do so des
