Chapter 2: Another Main Character?
I had a good sleep...not! I just died 100 times! I may be used to it but my first 3 deaths give me PTSD! Ugh, the memory of myself being crushed, burned and suffocating. I died, and died, and died...Anyway!
I got up with excitement as I still haven't forgotten what I wanted to do in this world. Enjoy! Fun! Entertainment!
"Ahhh! It's such a beautiful day~!"
I slide open the curtains.
"The sun's shining in a beautiful way~!"
I enter the bathroom.
"Gonna take a shower, brush my teeth~, and-!"
I smash my head against the wall. I then look at my reflection in the mirror.
"Life is ultimately meaningless."
I sigh. This is too much forced enthusiasm. I should just focus on my problems first until I feel like I'm in the mood for some fun. I enter the shower.
There was something very suspicious yesterday. I only disregarded it cause I just wanted some well-deserved sleep but now that I have rested I should definitely solve its mystery.
The nutrition drink that I was given was poisoned because it expired. The school could have easily replaced that bottle but instead, it wasn't. The drink after the first wasn't rotten actually very fresh so I could say that the first was the only poisoned bottle because someone must have changed the drinks recently.
Yesterday was the first day of school so it would be normal for the nutritional drinks to be refreshed. Someone placed that drink there...for who though? A student definitely is the target, someone who would surely be slightly injured on the first day and then poisoned.
The poison wouldn't be for me since I haven't offended anyone with high background. Mac wouldn't have thought of poisoning the drink since he was so sure of beating me. I also got poisoned even if I avoided Mac.
I still do remember the faces of those who entered the nurse's office so I'll go check on them. I also have to question the nurse if she knows something. She is not likely working with the culprit since she carelessly gave me that specific drink when I asked for it.
Yes, I did specifically ask for that poisoned drink cause it was tastier than the others.
Because of time constraints, I won't be able to learn all of the subjects of this academy so I'll have to abuse my return by death to attend all the classes. Speaking of my power, I also have to check the time for the limitations of my power.
I got off the shower and wore the student's uniform. We can wear any clothes we want in school or outside but if we were in a situation where we are representing the school then we will have to wear them.
I look at my figure in the mirror, I once had snow-like white hair and turquoise eyes but for some reason, my hair now looks dead and grayer...no... bluish. At least I still have my ahoge and lazy turquoise eyes intact. Oh, I also have very pale skin and shadows below my eyes because of my power.
I get out of my room and straight to the nurse's office. The victim can wait since he may not even be aware that someone tried to poison him yesterday. I open the door to find the nurse inside.
...What do I do now? how the hell do you interrogate someone about their crime? I immediately tried winging it and being straightforward.
"Ms. Agatha, the drink you gave me expired"
Agatha Bushida, the nurse, was shocked and picked the drink to smell it.
"Its smell is sweeter than normal. The [Mago Drink] is now [Mago's Poison]."
Agatha returned the drink to me.
"Let's go to the headmaster's office. The drinks were refreshed just yesterday, someone purposely placed the poison among them."
So you saying there was a poison amogu-*cough*. I should take things seriously. Ms. Agatha led me to the office.
I was going to ask her if she had something to do with it but she immediately led the investigation. Well, her job is on the line after all.
She knocks on the door and enter the room, I went in after. What I saw was a Grey-haired man who looks young quite young.
Black hair, Grey eyes, Innocent smile, friendly demeanor... this is definitely a template of a headmaster that wants you to keep your guard down.
Although he looks friendly, he has an aura that makes me feel pressured... or maybe it's just cause he is the headmaster. Mana and Qi do keep people looking young so I wasn't surprised.
After Agatha explained the situation. the headmaster, Hideo Histugi, furrows his brows.
"Ms. Agatha was the one to refresh the drinks. To think someone actually dared to frame you to cover the crime.", Hideo is amused, much to my surprise.
"The perpetrator is most likely a student in their second or third year. The teachers wouldn't dare offend me. Their gonna pay dearly for messing up my first day of work.", says Agatha as she frowned.
I thought about it, the teachers would most likely be aware of who Agatha is and wouldn't plot this. the first three year students are separated from the latter three on another planet.
The first years couldn't be the perpetrator since they haven't been offended yet. The possible victim is probably also not a first-year since they had to offend the suspect.
"Shinji, if I remember you are the first-year student who made quite a ruckus for trying to bite off more lessons than you can chew. Do even know what you're doing?", the headmaster questions me.
"I am well aware of what I'm doing sir. Is it ok for me to keep this drink for alchemy research?", I say as I show the bottle.
Hideo glances at Agatha, who nods, and he said, "It may be dangerous but we stand here as witnesses. you wouldn't do anything bad, would you?"
He is releasing mana that makes me tremble.
"No sir. I am just quite curious."
Hideo nodded and then said, "I'll deal with the investigations. you can now go back to your classes."
That was easier than I thought. It's great that the headmaster was friendly. My tension around important people and my social anxiety really need to be fixed.
I was raised in my household without being let out to play so my only friends were the inventions I made along the way.
They were quite useless like mini-mechs the size of toys and plasma engines. I know what you're saying, Isn't plasma engines useful? well, I need a license to make them so I can only scrap them once I'm done.
The good news is that I now have full rights in making them now as I am a student of the Academy. I can even sell the finished products.
In the span of 3 months, I made different ideas in my mind. Some are for combat while some are just for my shenanigans.
It's time to go and talk to every potential victim. This is gonna take a few cycles as I also want to attend the classes.
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[A number of deaths later]
[Pov Change: Lin von Shiraki]
Why is this happening? Why can't I rank up?
I am Lin von Shiraki, the third son of the King, Qing von Shiraki. The king rules the Zilch Kingdom, one of the 2 mid-class kingdoms of the Gala Empire.
If the name Shiraki rings any bells then you must also have heard of my sister, Dongmei von Shiraki. She is the only daughter of the king.
Dongmei is a genius with a 5-star [Qi Cultivation Talent] and a 4-star [Sword Talent]. She used her talent to comprehend the sword intent of the [Winter Plum Sword] in our kingdom's treasury.
Paired with the [Winter Forest Cultivation Technique] and the [Winter Blizzard Sword Technique] taken from the academy's library, she was able to leave her peers in the dust.
Because of her looks and strength, many men tried to court her. When she rejected all of them, some of them tried challenging her out of anger. They were courting death.
Dongmei beat them down mercilessly. Because of what she has done and her somewhat cold demeanor, they called her the [Winter's Sword] as a title.
As for me, I am known as the worthless prince. When my talent was tested, I had a 5-star talent in [Qi Cultivation] and a 5-star [Spear Talent]. I was quite happy to one day become someone great.
But something happened, my cultivation was stuck. I couldn't leave Rank 2. Something was blocking me from reaching the next rank.
Because of my stagnating cultivation, everyone who once supported me now looks at me in disdain. Some say I'm a waste of such great talent while some even say I faked my talent's result.
The headmaster approved of me getting into the academy in the hopes of my stagnation's change but it didn't change one bit. He gave me one last year in consideration of my sister's request.
Yesterday was the worst. I got beaten up by Vasco Petrov, the 20th son of Commander Horacio Petrov. A commander is both a strategist and the frontline of the empire's military forces.
Horacio gets to mobilize fleets of spaceships against the empire's enemies. Of course, restrictions are made so that the commander doesn't abuse this power but you get how prestigious his status is.
Vasco is a prick, beating me up even though I couldn't even put up a fight. At least I put in a few punches for my pride. Though, It doesn't change that I'm still worthless.
The students of the academy whisper around a rumor that a worthless prince like me is hugging the thigh of my sister just to be in this school. they are not wrong but it hurts for them to put it like that.
I had to stay in the nurse's office for a while but the new nurse's face surprised me as I haven't seen her in the previous year.
I'm not complaining though since I get to see such a beautiful lady everything I get beat up. At least that is my only consolation till I get kicked out of this academy.
I will not give up, I will find the cause of why I can't break through and prove to those who looked down on me that I am not worthless. Maybe then will my sister not have to worry about me anymore.
As I was thinking of continuing my search of the library, I noticed someone approaching me. A guy with white hair and pale skin and a look that seems done with life came in front of me.
"Hello, are you Lin von Shiraki?"
Is he another lackey of Vasco? trying to make trouble for me...
"Yes, do you need something?"
I questioned the guy expecting him to act arrogantly.
"I am Shinji Backpfeifengesicht but you can call me Shinji because of my inconveniently long last name. I came here to ask if you know any good water cultivation techniques?"
I raised my eyebrow in confusion. Is this another way of bullying? trying to look down on my knowledge cause I'm very weak? Wait... I think I heard of the name Shinji before.
"Yes I do know some good cultivation techniques but why are you asking me? I'm sure you've heard of me from the other students in school."
Shinji smiled as he explained to me his reasoning, "I came to you because of your title of the worthless prince. Unlike what others say about you, you are here in the library trying to scour the books. You were aware of your uselessness and tried to gather knowledge in erasing it."
"Your knowledge is of use to me so I would like to ask my senior. Please don't misunderstand, I am also in the same situation as you. I am the only 3-star talent in this academy. Any other student like me who qualified to join the academy didn't go through with their plans for fear of the rumors of the academy."
I finally realized. is this is Shinji Backfacengeist? well, whatever that last name was I heard of the rumors of this guy.
He, a 3-star, went to different classes acting as if he could understand the subjects and use them effectively. There is a reason why we only concentrate on either Magic or Cultivation.
Mana is foreign energy that we have to control like an arm and the same goes for Qi. To utilize mana, you have to learn intricate spells that have to be stored in your memory.
You also have to concentrate on directing your qi to utilize techniques that not only have to be memorized but also be ingrained in your muscle memory.
When you fight, you have to strategize on what to do and how to move. not only do you have to concentrate on creating spells but you also have to concentrate on precise movements.
It's like trying to be ambidextrous with 4 arms by 2 of them were sewed into your system... that was a disgusting analogy but you get it.
What Shinji was doing was absurd but I saw it with my own sense of Qi. He has a [Qi Core] though it was Rank 1.
I assume he has a [Mana Heart] since he looks so lanky like all those magicians with their spells... I was crushed by their spells when they thought they could beat a worthless prince. Bastards.
It is true that he would be a target of bullying if he did such an outrageous act. I guess I'll introduce him to my knowledge since I'm his senior after all.
"There are a lot of 2-star cultivation manuals here with but there are a few of them that are a notch above the rest. The [Tranquil Wasser Cultivation Technique] has a unique effect of keeping one calm and improving the concentration of performing water element martial arts."
"The [Rain Storm Cultivation Technique] can help in speed-related water element martial arts while [Splash Impact Cultivation Technique] can improve in comprehending water element fist techniques."
I talked about the various water cultivation techniques and gave recommendations for some 3-star techniques.
Cultivation techniques help in not only increasing cultivation but also prolonging cultivation in a certain cultivation technique giving the body unique effects.
The grades of the cultivation technique can be seen by their number of stars. A 1-star cultivation technique can help you break through from Rank 1 to Rank 2 then it becomes useless to use for cultivation.
A 2-star cultivation technique can help you break through until Rank 4 then its cultivation speed becomes negligible. This pattern goes on to the upper levels.
Although a higher star cultivation technique can speed up cultivation than a lower one, it is best to not pick a cultivation technique that is too high up to comprehend. A rank 1 trying to comprehend a 4-star cultivation technique is laughable.
What is weird though is that while I was explaining this to Shinji, He was playing what seems to be a rolling ball. Although his eyes seem disinterested in the topic, as if he already knew what I taught him, he kept staring at me so I was reassured that he was listening.
After giving my ideas, I couldn't hold my curiosity so I ask him, "What is that thing that you're pulling up and down with a string?"
He replies, "This is a yoyo, one of the things I thought of making today."
I am intrigued.
"You also do engineering?"
He answers me, "Engineering is my forte and also the reason I got admitted to this school."
I see that his curiosity for knowledge got him here and is guiding him to learn the different subjects in this school.
"Shinji, don't you feel bothered that some students may target you for what your doing?"
He smiles wider as he spins the yoyo around. The yoyo spins as a circle made of light is made. That looks neat.
"I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without being sure of my decision Lin. Thanks for your suggestions though."
Shinji takes out a [Mago Drink] and hands it to me. It smelled super sweet. I actually noticed he had that in his pocket a while ago because of its strong smell.
"Here, you can drink it if you want. It is the sweetest out of all the [Mago Drinks] in the Nurse's office. I'm sure it's very familiar to you since I heard you go there often."
"Thanks"
I drank the whole bottle. I didn't worry about it being poisoned since there are cameras in the library and he wouldn't dare try killing me since I AM a prince after all.
Shinji starts talking after I finished the drink, "There was an incident yesterday where some student mixed in a bottle full of [Mago's Poison] among the drinks. They should be a second or third year targeting to poison another second or third year to death."
I reply, "The victim should be a second-year since a third year's cultivation could easily dispel [Mago's Poison]. I feel very sorry for whoever had to drink that-"
I widen my eyes. I panic and try to get a hold of Shinji.
Shinji immediately said, "Calm down, check your body's condition if you don't trust me."
I furrow my brows but follow anyway since I have to assess the poison in my body to slow its effects. I looked inside my body to find no poison within it. It's strange but I feel like something locked in my body started clicking open.
I have seen this in a book before. It is a [Physique Awakening]. I sit cross-legged and concentrate on breaking the lock with Qi.
The Qi would do little on its own but with my hidden physique that started actively breaking the lock, the Qi found its way and led the physique to integrate with my body.
[3 hours later]
I awakened my bloodline, [Poison Sea King]. Not only does it make me immune to a lot of poisons but it also eats the poison to improve my cultivation. It improves anything I practice that is related to poison and water.
This physique is quite unique because it requires the practice of 2 cultivation techniques, 1 is poison and the other is water. This is also the reason why I can't seem to advance in ranks.
I see Shinji enter the library and walk towards me.
"How was your awakening?"
"You could at least have told me that it would be beneficial."
"Now what sane person would trust their junior and drink the poison?"
"Touche."
I thought back to what Shinji told me about the incident.
"Shinji, you're telling me that someone tried to purposely injure me yesterday. and that same person may also be the culprit who placed the poison in the nurse's office."
"Oh, so you catch on quickly."
The most likely culprit is Vasco. He would kill me through poisoning and then let the blame fall to the nurse.
"How did you know I wouldn't be affected by the poison?" This is something I was confused about.
"Let's just say it was a hunch."
"Don't say it like that! My life was on the line!"
"I would be punished by the school for killing a student in broad daylight so don't think I did this without precautions."
Whatever his intention was, he solved my lifelong problem. although I would have still awakened it without his help.
"Shinji, I owe you a favor. Let's be friends.", I raised my hand for a handshake.
"I would be gladly amused to see grow.", He grabbed it and shook it.
Hm? I didn't notice since I was distracted but isn't that my sister? what was she doing with Shinji?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Black_Light9949
Black_Light9949 I definitely thought of how strict a number 1 academy is. there is no way I just added a poison drink in the last chapter just to make it a hundred deaths. And this chapter is definitely not a way for me to avoid a plot hole. anyway, new characters!!
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