Chapter 3: 2 - The Ultimate Decision
My father took me into our living room. On the table in the center of the room were 3 hats, each decorated with a different school logo on them. The Yushu School---Eritoakademi---Azayaka Institute... those were the three options you had in my area.
We lived on the outskirts of a place known as City X, which is one of the twenty-six major cities in Minerva. City X was a particularly quiet place, away from a lot of unusual activity, but when unusuals struck, they struck hard...
My father temporarily retreated to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of morning coffee. He couldn't imagine working without it. I myself wasn't interested in coffee. Perhaps I hadn't acquired a taste for it yet. The scent however was delightful. My father stepped back into the room and set his mug down on the table, staining the newspaper on accident, but he didn't mind.
The newspaper headline read "Sasaki Auto reaches an estimated Net Worth of $180B, Goichi Sasaki officially ranked 4th richest man in the world." I wondered how on Earth someone could become that wealthy, and who the 3 people richer than Goichi were. My father then began to speak.
"Hachirō, as you know, because you're turning 16 today, you are now eligible to attend one of these three training academies for Extraordinary Individuals..."
"If it were up to me, I would try to protect you and keep you away from this mess...but your powers cannot go unnoticed, and we cannot ignore the problem at hand."
"Before you on this table are three decorated training academies, each of them highly recognized for their elite students, and contributions toward Minerva."
"The Yushu School, known for their elite strategist complex, training students to become master planners and strategists in order to help those on the front lines."
"Eritoakademi, arguably the most elite training academy in Minerva, period. They bring the best out of their students and deploy them on the front lines to directly battle the Unusuals. However, it is also the most dangerous..."
"Azayaka Institute, a well-rounded school focused on experimental techniques and weapon development. They're one of the lesser-known academies, I would personally not recommend training there, as I myself don't know much about them."
Gazing at the three hats, I took note of each school's logo. Yushu was represented by an Owl, Erito was represented by a Honey Badger, and Azayaka was represented by a Snake. I could infer the styles of these academies purely based on their logo. The Owl represented intelligence and strategy, the Honeybadger represented fearlessness and valor, but the Snake...what did it represent?
"You should take your time and think about your decision, I'm going to turn on the news, okay?" said my father. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was hoping I'd pick the right place, as making the wrong decision could get me killed...
"Alright, dad. I'll think hard on it, and let you know my decision when I'm ready."
He turned the TV on and switched over to the news channel, where a breaking news story had just begun. I read the headline to myself... [BREAKING NEWS] - Hundreds killed in Unusual sweep across North City X, Eritoakademi Kanpeki called to action.
I glanced back down at Eritoakademi's hat. I knew that if I chose to attend that school, I would be putting my life at risk...but at the same time, the thought of becoming powerful intrigued me greatly. The people I'd meet, the masters I'd study under, the unusuals I'd slay, it sounded like too much to pass up on.
*sigh*
I looked at my father, his hand resting on his forehead. He looked at the ground, deep in thought. I gazed at the TV screen, the aftermath of the event lingering in the background. He lifted his head and began to speak~
"Reading headlines like this make me worry for your safety, Hachirō. I understand that you've been ready to fight for years, but I want you to realize just how dangerous of an occupation you're stepping into..."
"Dad, I'm not stepping into this job, I was born into it, and so were you. I'm going to have kids my age and older there to help me and protect me. Wasn't that how it was when you attended a training academy?"
My father turned to look at me. He had been through this exact process before and wanted to make sure I was as safe as possible. I was his son, and he had an obligation to protect me. He lifted his cup of coffee and took a sip from it before speaking again.
"Listen, son. This won't be your everyday education like your average high school. This will mix in a whole new element that you've never experienced before. I was almost killed on numerous occasions myself, I barely made it out alive."
"But weren't you one of the most powerful students in your day? How did someone like you, who managed to slay 50 unusuals single-handedly, barely make it out alive?" *gasp*
I put my hands over my mouth, and my father glared at me. I had overstepped the line and broken the most important rule in the household. Never mention the day my mother was killed. I was about to be severely reprimanded for my choice of words...
"Hachirō..."
...or so I thought. Instead of yelling at me and punishing me, my father instead took a deep breath, stood up, and put his hands on my shoulders.
"...I don't want to lose any more family members. I lost your mother that day, and it would kill me and your sister if we lost you too."
I could see the pain in his eyes. It was piercing his heart, as he recalled the tragic events of that day, nearly 16 years ago...he assumed a soulless expression.
"Dad, snap out of it!" I said, shaking him until the thoughts of the past left his mind. He simply turned around, and sat back down in his chair, continuing to watch the news.
"Wherever you choose, please promise me you'll be safe."
"...I promise, dad."
Suddenly, the news broadcaster began to speak. My father and I listened intently as they spoke.
"We're just now receiving word that Eritoakademi student Tsukasa Mizuto has a few words he'd like to say to the public regarding last night's event in the city. Tsukasa, if you may?"
Then, a boy walked onto the screen. Immediately, I could tell he was strong. He had sky blue hair, blue eyes, and wore a blue and white haori. He was wielding what appeared to be a katana, sheathed on his hip. When he spoke, his words carried great strength.
"Attention citizens of City X, I, along with the other members of this year's Kanpeki have eliminated the threats. Please be cautious as you traverse the city. I send my deepest prayers to those who have lost loved ones in this...brutal attack..."
Tsukasa kneeled and began to pray. Suddenly, those stationed behind him began to pray as well. Twelve other people armed with weapons were behind the boy. I took note of their appearances. They all had a badge that resembled the letter "K" on their jackets.
"Dad, who are those people?"
My father looked up at me in confusion. Perhaps it came as a surprise to him that I was unaware of who those fighters were.
"So it seems you haven't read up on any of those three schools, now have you?"
It was true. Instead of researching different training academies, I had been spending my time training and refining my craft. Perhaps I should have read into these schools a bit more, considering I had to make a decision today.
*sigh*
"You should be more prepared, Hachirō. Those are the Kanpeki, an elite group of fighters who represent Eritoakademi. They put their lives at risk every day to fight against high-level unusuals. They're the ones taking on the real heavy hitters."
"I see..."
Tsukasa, still on the screen, rose to his feet and began to speak once more. However this time, he spoke with apprehension. He seemed troubled...
"Furthermore, the onslaught of the Unusuals is worsening by the day. I am asking for anyone's help at this point. If you are 16 years of age or older, and have not enrolled in a training academy, then please consider~"
...it hit me...like a speeding train. Before Tsukasa could finish his words, I gazed at the 3 hats and pushed two of them to the side... I knew where it was that I wanted to train. The only school that ever made the news, the place where everyone else went who wanted to fight...
"~~Eritoakademi..." said Tsukasa, as I put the baseball cap on my head.
"Father, turn around."
As I said this, my father clenched his teeth. He knew that I had just made my decision, and was worried that I had made the wrong choice. However, when he turned around, his face lit up.
"Ah...just as I had expected. Hachirō, it seems you'll be going to the same training academy that I attended when I was your age..."
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