My father took me into our living room. On the table in the center of the room were 5 hats, each decorated with a different school logo. The Yushu School, Eritoakademi, Azayaka Institute, Saporena Academy, or Ichisekai Academy. Those were the five best options you had in my area. Each of those schools was incredible in its own right, but Eritoakademi and Azayaka Institute in particular were both Top 5 schools.
We lived on the outskirts of a place known as City X, 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...just last night there was an attack somewhere nearby...
My father retreated to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of morning coffee. He couldn't imagine working without it. I 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, leaving a ring of condensation on the newspaper. I walked over and examined it, curious as to its contents.
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. In a country such as Minerva, acquiring immense wealth was something you either did through inheritance or by getting unfathomably lucky. Perhaps there was a bit of insider trading happening, as is typical of most countries in this day and age.
"Hachiro, as you know, because you're turning 16 today, you are now eligible to attend one of these five training academies for Extraordinary Individuals..."
"Now, 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. Your future is yours to mold, so I am trusting you to make the right decision on your own. You're almost an adult, after all, you must start thinking about your future."
"Before you on this table are five incredibly decorated training academies, each of them highly recognized for their elite students and contributions toward Minerva."
"The Yushu School, known for its elite strategist complex, trains students to become master planners and coordinators, helping those on the front lines. They specialize in preparing students to work in logistics, coming up with battle plans and survey routes, as well as working to classify Unusual threat levels. However, they do not focus on direct combat."
"Eritoakademi, famously called "The Elite Academy", is a Top 5 institution, and arguably the most prestigious 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. They specialize in all things combat, training students in different fighting techniques. While it is the most popular choice, it is also the most dangerous..."
"Azayaka Institute, another Top 5 school with a well-rounded focus on fighting and strategy. They specialize in using experimental techniques and newly founded tactics to keep the Unusuals on their toes. Because of this, they regularly produce some of the most innovative and dangerous fighters on the planet, as their fighting styles are difficult to read. Many of the nation's top fighters are graduates of this institution."
"Saporena Academy, known for its team-building atmosphere, trains students to lead platoons and work together in squads to take down high-level threats. Their focus on fighting in numbers has allowed them to produce some of the finest military leaders, captains, and instructors. They are also one of the only schools to have multiple satellite buildings throughout Minerva, rather than a single campus in The Cityscape."
"Ichisekai Academy, known for its top-notch survey programs, trains students to become master scouts and Unusual classifiers. The Yushu School also has a nationally recognized biological and chemical research program but focuses solely on the classification, categorization, and containment of Unusuals. They, unfortunately, have the weakest fighters as a result. I wouldn't recommend going here if you wish to fight."
Gazing at the five hats, I took note of each school's logo. The Yushu School was represented by an Owl, Eritoakademi was represented by a Honey Badger, Azayaka Institute was represented by a Serpent, Saporena Academy was represented by a Wolf, and Ichisekai Academy was represented by a Mouse. I could infer the styles of these academies based on their logos.
The Owl represented intelligence and strategy, the Honeybadger represented fearlessness and valor, the Serpent represented cunning and unpredictability, the Wolf represented fighting together as a pack, and the Mouse represented containment and research. There was so much to think about now...
"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 about it and let you know my decision when I'm ready."
He turned the TV on and switched to the news channel, where a breaking news story had just begun. I read the headline to myself... [BREAKING NEWS] - Dozens 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 demons I'd slay, the abilities I'd acquire, all 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 events lingering in the background. He lifted his head and began to speak~
"Reading headlines like this makes me worry for your safety, Hachirō. I understand you've been ready to fight for years, but I want you to realize just how dangerous of an occupation you're stepping into..."
"There are so many dangerous monsters out there, millions of demons, of varying power levels. It's an endless battle which the likes of humanity can never put a stop to..." he said.
"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 process before and wanted to ensure 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 before speaking again.
"Listen, son. This won't be your average run-of-the-mill education like a normal high school. This will mix in a whole new element that you've never experienced before. I was almost killed on numerous occasions myself, and I barely made it out alive," he said.
"But weren't you one of the most powerful students in your day? How did someone like you, who managed to slay 20 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...
"Hachiro..."
...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. The events of that day left him with perpetual trauma that he was unable to eradicate... it would remain with him for the rest of his life...
"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 Eisaku Fujioka has a few words he'd like to say to the public regarding last night's event in the city. Eisaku, if you may?"
Then, a boy walked onto the screen. Immediately, I could tell he was strong. He had fire-orange hair and eyes and wore an orange and black kimono to match. 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..."
Eisaku kneeled and began to pray. Suddenly, those stationed behind him began to pray as well. Six 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 five schools, now have you?"
It was true. Instead of researching different training academies, I spent 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're the academy's top students, representing everything the academy stands for. You'll want to be like them; they're the ones taking on the real heavy hitters."
"I see..."
Eisaku, 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 Eisaku could finish his words, I gazed at the 5 hats and pushed four of them to the side... I knew where it was that I wanted to train. The only school that ever made the news, the only school that regularly produced world-class fighters, the place everyone dreams of attending...
"...Eritoakademi..." said Eisaku 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.
He stood from his chair and slowly made his way over to where I stood. As he walked, I could tell a tremendous amount of pressure was leaving his body, as if a thousand-pound weight was lifted from his shoulders.
He stopped in front of me and put his hand on my shoulder before speaking to me once more with a smile on his face.
"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..."