Reuni sebuah SMA berubah menjadi petaka kala satu per satu bencana datang, mampukah 5 sahabat lama menyelamatkan diri dari kejaran sadis potongan dosa masa lalu mereka?

What would you do to have your wish granted?

Hayato Adashi is bullied, teased, and abused from the moment to he steps into college, Aoigiri Private College. He doesn't have anything to make up for this bullying. He isn't strong or good at any sport at all. His grades make you wonder how he passed highschool.

Then one dark and rainy night, a man with a cloak made his life change forever. For the better or the worst is what Hayato is still trying to figure out. 

He ends up on a Chronicle List that grants him the power to see and manipulate future events. It's all thanks to this little God that goes by Oculus.

Hayato begins to believe that his sad life is turning around. That is until he learns the truth about the Chronicle List. He isn't the only one who's on it.

Apparently, Oculus has made a grave error and allowed too many people on the list. There isn't enough power for everyone who is on it. There are about 12 people on the list in total and now only 2 people must be on it. Which means 10 people must die.

No one knows who is on the list expect Oculus so the stakes are high. Hayato knows that he can't sit with his thumb up his ass or else it will be game over. Will he prevail or end up with a regretful death?

The magnetic male voice and straightforward worry made both Donnie and the fatty felt slightly startled. When they turned around, they saw that Karl was watching the tower that was on fire with his good-looking eyebrows curved in a frown, which made Donnie and the fatty want to iron them out.
The fatty did not know the reason behind it, but Donnie clearly knew that such a beautiful "girl" who could catch people's attention at any time was, in fact, the one who caused this whole accident. He weighed his words a bit and said, "Karl, the college won't punish you as long as you are sure that you stuck to the rules. Did you break any?"
"No, I didn't." Karl shook his head hard and then lowered it. "I thought the senior-rank magic tower would prevent this from happening. The college would know it was me for sure…"
Donnie released a sigh of relief. At least, Karl never broke any rules.
He could use this to comfort Karl, although he was not sure if the college was going to kick Karl out or not. 
"So what? You did nothing wrong, and… Ummm… they wouldn't dare to treat you unfairly…" Donnie was being quite ambiguous. He was referring to Karl's powerful background. Kicking such a student out without a proper reason would bring great pressure to Heidler Magic College.
Although Donnie could not identify the magic items that Karl was wearing, he could sense the horrible power within them. Donnie believed that even some major nobles or senior-rank sorcerers could not afford them.
Karl nodded slightly as Donnie's comforting words more or less worked. He said to himself, "Lu Xiaoen taught me so many lessons; one more isn't a big deal…"
Lu Xiaoen? That was a very strange name that went against the grammar of the common tongue. Donnie wondered if Lu Xiaoen was Karl's father or elder brother.
"You did it?!" the fatty asked in great surprise. He was just listening to their conversation like he was invisible.
Karl took a glance at the fatty, and his silver-purple eyes suddenly became sharp. Donnie wasn't affected, but the fatty felt the great pressure as there was already sweat on his forehead.
He dared not to ask anymore.
At this time, Shirley from the Duchy of Orvarit walked to them and smiled as she just survived a disaster.
"Donnie, thanks to you, we're all saved!"
"I was… was lucky…" Donnie suddenly stammered when facing such a compliment from a girl.
Karl murmured in a low voice, "I'd also remind you all if he hadn't seen it…"
Shirley did not hear him because of the lightning and thunder. She smiled at Donnie and said, "Yes, you were lucky that you saw it. But you helped us get out. Compared to how you look now, you looked very different when you were giving commands."
Donnie's face flushed slightly. Like Sammy, he scratched his head a bit and said, "I was also saving myself."
Suddenly, the deafening clap of thunder was cut off, and everything had fallen into a great silence.
The apprentices all looked up and saw the gray fog pouring out from the sky, which had taken away all the horrible power from the dark clouds.
"They used mythal… Finally…" said the fatty thoughtfully.
As for what the mythal was in Heidler Magic College, the apprentices did not have a clear clue. They heard that it had something to do with some necromancy circles, including the one named Miranda 12 Circles.
Shirley took a strange glance at the fatty, having no idea of when he arrived, but she also didn't care.
"It's safe now. I have to go find my roommate," Shirley said to Donnie.
After Shirley left, Donnie turned around and found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes. 
"What're you looking at?" Donnie was a bit startled. 
The fatty said with a bit of jealousy, "I think the girl likes you…"
"We did not even know each other until an hour ago!" Donnie hurriedly explained.
"That's right. It only took you an hour… Ummm…" The fatty sighed.
Donnie was a bit pissed but also feeling rather shy. "I didn't mean it. We're just classmates!"
The fatty looked away. "You will know her roommates. Don't forget me."
Donnie was totally speechless. He didn't even know the fatty!
"So, both of you are completely inexperienced, right?" said Karl, who had already forgotten about his worries. "I can tell."
His left arm supported his right arm, and his right hand was rubbing his chin.
"I…" Donnie tried to disagree, but he somehow could not lie.
The fatty was surprised. "How do you know?"
Karl smiled gently and said, "When the girl was thanking Donnie, Donnie was acting like a brand new baby in a relationship. He should've asked the girl to buy him lunch so that he could buy it back next time. Back and forth like this, and one day, grabbing the girl's hand won't be difficult."
"Ask the girl to buy him lunch?" the fatty asked sincerely.
Karl said proudly, "For sure! Do not feel afraid to lose your face. My father once told me a story of a farmer waiting beside a tree trunk day after day for a dead rabbit. The result is just like how you imagine it to be. To win love, you have to take the initiative. Are you telling me that you're going to wait for a girl to run into your arms?"
Donnie felt that it was a beautiful girl in front of him who was lecturing him on how to pursue a girl, and he did not feel very comfortable with it. He hurriedly cut Karl off, "So, you're… experienced?"
Karl looked up at the sky and said, "Of course!"
He paused a bit when no one said anything, "You want me to show you?"
The fatty nodded excitedly, but they were stopped by the fatty. "No, no. An accident just happened. We'd better behave ourselves before a decision is made on this."
"Yeah…" Karl looked upset again, as he lowered his head.
The fatty also recalled his mission. "I'll send out the news report first, and we'll continue after going back to the dorm…"
"Which dorm are you in? What's your name?" Donnie asked confusedly.
The fatty did not know what to say.
Finally, he released a loud sigh. "Never mind… Before this problem is solved, I won't have a chance…"
......
In the Allyn magic tower in the City in the Sky.
Heidi looked pretty much the same as twenty years ago. She still had the same round face, a few freckles, and long, linen-color hair. The only difference was that she was now wearing an eight-star arcana badge and a ninth-circle magic badge. Also, she was wearing a few dazzling rings. There was one from the Holm Crown Prize and one from Evans Prize in Arcana. She found or made the rest of the rings herself.
"Madam, today's Allyn Impression is available. You want to have a look?"
It was the ring on her left little finger that talked. 
Heidi sipped her black tea and said, "Sure."
The ring then lit up with red light, and a light beam projected an illusionary pile of newspaper in front of Heidi.
Heidi held the teacup with her left hand and touched the light screen to turn the pages with her right hand.
When Heidi saw the title, "Horrible! The Most Severe Accident in Twenty-One Years; Pain! Consequences of Heidler College's Negligence", she was amused and quickly turned to the corresponding page.
After reading the news, she was laughing too hard to sit up straight.
Fortunately, she had always been developing Lu Xiaoxi's interest in body structure and genetics on purpose, or Lu Xiaoxi would now be studying at the Atom Institution. Her teacher should be thankful because of it!
......
In the main magic tower of Heidler Magic College.
Schokola, the president, picked up a gold speaker and said in the typical cold and hoarse voice of a lich, "We've decided to discontinue Brades' study in the college. He brings dangers to other students."
The calm and serious male voice came out of the speaker, "I do not agree."
Schokola paused a bit and said, "This is the most terrible accident ever since the establishment of the college."
The male voice remained the same tone as he said, "Before this, didn't I ever tell you all about Brades' situation? Didn't I ever tell you all that a senior-rank sorcerer must be there to supervise him?"
"But they were in a senior-rank magic tower," Schokola explained.
"It's your problem," said the male voice.
"So you're showing your attitude?" Schokola's voice became even colder. As an archmage, he felt very disrespected by the young man in the speaker.
The male voice sounded a bit amused, but it then became serious again. "Yes, this is my attitude. Of course, I'll be responsible for the college's loss. But it is impossible if you want to expel Brades."
"I'll do a quote list," Schokola said. He had to stop insisting. After all, the man in the speaker had made his compromise.
"Alright. Send the list to Brades," said the male voice, which sounded slightly annoyed.
......
"This much?!" Karl looked at the list and almost burst out into tears.
Schokola said gloomily, "Yes, you pay or you leave. Up to you. Of course, your elder brother will pay for it first. He asked me to tell you that the money will come from your own treasury from your future fiefs. This is the first step to grow up, and it's called 'take your responsibility'."
Karl's voice trembled as he said, "I… I'll pay…"
Karl kept his head very low as he walked back to his dorm, as if the world was going to collapse. He went directly to bed without saying anything, which made Donnie and Sammy quite unused to it.
But they were also glad that the college was not kicking Karl out.
"Get some sleep. We have Mr. Felipe's open class tomorrow," Donnie said excitedly to Sammy.
Sammy nodded. Recently, he was getting more and more dispirited.
......
Dark red eyes, the air of death…
Donnie sprang up in his bed and gasped very hard. It was this nightmare again!
Suddenly, he felt something not right. He turned to look at the window, and he saw Sammy standing there with his eyes tightly closed. The specter behind his back had completely overlapped with his body.
Sammy started walking out in a creepy manner. 
Donnie was about to stop him, but his mouth was suddenly covered. 
"Don't wake him up, or Sammy's soul will perhaps disappear forever. Let's go and follow him," Karl said in a very low voice.
Donnie was startled, but he could tell from Karl's voice that he was excited.


"A falling star has brought the chaos. The throne of fate has lost its master. The nonbeliever who walks in light and darkness will make his debut."
In this magic world, knowledge is power.

Ow, that really did a number on me, well quite frankly that isn't the worse death I've had so far. And I have had quite a lot. I stared up at the ceiling of my room feeling slight pinches of pain from the impact of the Jeep. I jumped out of bed and made it up, then I saw my luggage, crap. I'm supposed to move into the dorm in a week and I was supposed to have left thirty minutes ago, well I haven't really given thought to college nor to when I am supposed to go. Ah, well this life I'll try to live normally, luckily this is my first time going to this certain college. Might as well give it a go. I packed extra things in and ran down, how could I forget this means I won't need to worry about my parents or my grades, and I mean that in a good way. I ran into the kitchen. My parents were arguing about what they wanted to give me as my going away present. Like always, but I knew what they wanted to give me. I kissed my father's cheek startling him, then I hugged my mother's form from behind her, she whirled around and nearly hooked me with the knife she used for cutting the bread. Wow, been there already done that so no thanks! I ducked back and fell on perpase.
"Oof! Mom, watch out!" The words tasted fiergn in my mouth but I said them nonetheless. My mother placed her hands in front of her mouth.
" I am so sorry, Ly, I thought...." She began but smiled as I got back onto my feet. I smiled right back and kissed her cheek.
" Mom, since you guys are done arguing can I have some more art supplies please, mine are up." I casually said as I took my car keys from the key hanger.
"Oh, of course we'll send some to your dorm room for you, love." My father said smiling superiorly at mother making her stick her tongue out.
" Thank you, guys love ya see you in the holidays again!" I said as quickly kissed them again and took my perse from the coffee table. I threw my jacket on and picked up my luggage after opening the door. After I had placed all of my belongings into the trunk I got into my car and ignited the engine. I wonder if I'd be lucky enough to be left alone. Nope focus or there will be another car accident in my list of death. Which would certainly be a lot of car accidents, what is it with people and car accidents? Ah no, no, no, focus. It took me a while but eventually, which is four days and thirty six minutes later I arrived at the dorm ground of the Evangeline University of Maryland.

Sport School, President's office.
Principal Lü did not look happy. He was dissatisfied with the results of the qualifying test.
40% of students from the sports school training program had passed the test, compared to the 30% passing rate of other high schools. Such results indicated that the sports school had a more advanced training system than the other schools. However, this "advantage" was only data. It didn't help much with the fierce college entrance competition.
In Yuzhou City, there were about one thousand graduates per high school every year. Out of these one thousand students, only thirty or forty were qualified as sports talent. Therefore, the 10% increase of the passing rate meant three or four more students would pass the qualifying test, and be offered with some advantages during the college entrance exam. But the increase of these three or four more students out of one thousand wouldn't make much of a difference in improving the college acceptance rate of the school.
The crucial factor was not the 10% passing rate, but the two admissions for independent recruitment. Sports talent students with this admission could be regarded as having a test-free entrance to college. This advertisement sounded way better than the "high attainment rate."
Consider this: a special secondary school has cultivated test-free college students. Isn't that nice? Even though getting college admissions sounded like a vanity project, it could polish Principal Lü's resume. He had only held the position for two years, and was really in need of some achievements to consolidate his power and enhance his reputation. According to Lü's original estimate, the school could have at least gotten one admission, maybe even two of them, but the cruel fact was that they had gotten none. In other words, Principal Lü hadn't achieved anything.
Feeling defeated, Principal Lü inquired into who had received those two admissions. The answer was a bitter pill to swallow. The two admissions were taken by a coach's two students, and that coach, Dai Li, was once an assistant coach in Lü's sport school, but was later fired.
If Dai Li had quit his job, Lü could find an excuse for himself that Dai Li looked down upon the sports school. But Li had been fired. It looked like the sports school had created a strong opponent themselves. They had shot themselves in the foot.
Principal Lü was unhappy. He immediately called the Personnel Sectional Chief into his office for the ins and outs. Standing in front of the president, the man looked aggrieved.
"Principal Lü, it was not my idea to fire Dai Li," the Personnel Sectional Chief tried to explain.
"It wasn't you? Then tell me, who else could do that? YOU are the chief of personnel!" Principal Lü sounded even more serious.
The chief hesitated. He noticed that Principal Lü was about to flare up. To keep himself safe, he told the truth. "It was Director Zhao from the training department who wanted to fire Dai Li. He said that Dai Li was too good to be in our school. That was why he fired Li."
Lü looked forbidding. What a bad excuse Zhao had found! Even a child would not have believed that. Lü could sense that there might be some private resentment between Zhao and Li. Zhao was using his power to satisfy a personal grudge. Principal Lü could bear Zhao's abuse of his own power, but what he couldn't stand at all was Zhao's damage to the school, let alone the huge loss of his achievements.
Lü then said with a cold voice, "You are in charge of personnel. If there is anything wrong, you report it directly to me. Don't follow other people's commands."
"Principal Lü, people had been saying that Director Zhao would take our retired vice-president's position and would be the future vice-president. That's why I listened to Zhao's command, I did not want to reject him." The chief shifted all the responsibilities of the decision to Director Zhao in order to keep himself free from punishment.
"He wants to be the new vice-president? Humph!" Principal Lü ended the conversation with a snort.
The chief shrunk. It looked like Director Zhao had just lost his superior's support. Zhao was going to have a hard time.
...
While the conversation between the chief and Principal Lü was taking place, Dai Li was on a train to Qingcheng City.
Haiyang Chen, Qingliang Xu, and all the other students were still on his training list, but once they couldn't receive Li's continuous training, they would automatically be cleaned out from the System. This meant that they would not be able to enjoy the benefits of the explosive force halo anymore, but Li didn't care. The students' training goal was to obtain a second-level athlete qualifying certificate, and now all of them had gotten it. Li had finished his job. He got paid to train them, and without further payment, they shouldn't expect him to help them forever.
If one was not aiming to be a professional athlete, the explosive force halo was not very useful. People who chose to be sports talent students were actually looking for an easier way to enter college rather than dreaming of being professional athletes. The certificate they had just gotten could speed up the process and help them pass the big, life-determining exam.
As for the special test the students were required to take before they got admitted to college, as long as they passed the fractional line they would be recruited. Li believed in his students. They could make it even without the halo.
Between Haiyang Chen and Qingliang Xu, one had C+ level talent, while the other had C level. Those two had the potential to become professional sprinters. But to become a qualified athlete, what they really needed was a combination of their talents and a lot of effort rather than a halo. In fact, soon after they finished the qualifying test, Li was no longer their coach. They were passerbys in each other's life. It was time to say goodbye.
...
Qingcheng City was not only a capital city, but a port city as well. Due to its resource advantages, Qingcheng City was economically developed. It was a leading city among second-tier cities, and was about to be in the first-tier. 
As a big city, Qingcheng City had a well-developed sports industry. For physical education, in addition to the Provincial Sport University and the sports school, it had a special ping-pong training school, a basketball training school, and a soccer school, which was rarely seen elsewhere. As for commercial sports, it had a professional basketball team, which was eligible for A-level league matches; it also owned two professional soccer teams for domestic super league matches and First Division.
This city provided a nice opportunity for a coach's future development, but for a newbie like Dai Li, working experience was more important. At the end of the one-month probation after signing a one-year contract, Dai Li became a permanent employee in the Provincial Sport University.
Qingcheng City had a higher living standard than Yuzhou City, but it also offered a higher income. Dai Li spent most of his time on campus. He usually ate at the school canteen, which served cheaper food than the food in off-campus restaurants. He also lived in a 4-bed postgraduate dorm. It was way better than the dorm he lived in when he was in college. As an employee under contract, he was not qualified to live in a single room dormitory like the teachers, but he was satisfied. Dai Li had only left college a few months ago, yet he felt like he had time traveled back to his college days, living in a dorm, eating at a canteen, in and out of classes on time, and playing computer games or chatting with his roommates in his spare time.
As an assistant coach, Li's job was simple. Coach Chen would give him weekly training plans beforehand, then Li was the one who actually trained the athletes. Things like guiding stretch exercises and strength training was also Li's work. Coach Chen was too busy to take care of every athlete, so he only offered crucial guidance occasionally.
Dai Li owned the training System, so it was no wonder why his training was more effective than the other assistant coaches. As time went by, Coach Chen approved of his training, and Chen was willing to offer Li more training tasks.
Dai Li was eager to participate in training as much as possible. In the Provincial Sport University he was able to train some professional athletes who could bring him much more empirical value than high school students. Thanks to these professionals, Li's empirical value had been increasing rapidly. Within only three months, he had obtained the 3,000 points of experience he needed.
Finally, Dai Li had reached the senior phase of third-rate coach.


How could a poor graduate student without any background or connections become successful? With a coaching system? An upgrade? This is not a computer game, but real life we’re talking about!
 
This will be a fantasy based on reality. Dai Li will fight back against all those who would mock and humiliate him with his astonishing and awe-inspiring training skills. From a nobody he’ll try to become the most illustrious coach in the sports world, so join him in proving to everyone who’s the real master here!

.
.
 
"Hmm, Irvine Lang is it...?" The university student in front of him took the invitation letter and ID card that Irvine had prepared beforehand as she tried to input his data to the computer.
 
When she'd heard his name the first time, the female student had felt that it was slightly familiar, a feeling that had caused her to space out a little at the start.
 
"Is there a problem?"
 
Seeing the unusual reaction, the senior male student next to her also came to approach and check on the situation.
 
"Nn, Not really, I just found his name somewhat familiar." She whispered in a lower voice so Irvine who was standing in front of them couldn't hear.
 
"Maybe he's a famous athlete, ours is a reputed university in many fields, there's bound to be a few well-known people coming here every year."
 
"Not that! You know me, I don't follow any kinds of sports."
 
"Well, still. Just process him first alright?"
 
"Right."
 
.
.
 
"...There, it's done! And with that, I officially welcome you to Ravenville, freshman!"
 
"Thank you."
 
"Is it all over? Or is there still something else I should do?" Irvine thanked his would be seniors for their services before asking what to do next.
 
"You're welcome! We've assigned you to Building-19 for your dorm this year, all you need to do now is just to connect your student ID with the building and your room, the building manager on the first floor can help you with this."
 
"You see, the student ID is used for pretty much everything here in campus. They double as a key card to many of the accessible facilities, and you can also put money in it to pay for most things." The male student added a little more explanation on the ID's function.
 
"Oh, and here it is. Your student ID card." At the end, he took out a plate of plastic card fresh from the printer with Irvine's photo, name, year, and student number on it.
 
"You can take it to your dorm first. You need to put away your luggage before doing anything else right?"
 
"Yes. Once again, thanks very much for this." Irvine gave a light nod to his two seniors.
 
"No problem. We're already schoolmates here so good luck!"
 
Irvine promptly proceeded to walk away from the counter after receiving the card and the documents back.
 
As advised, he was planning to go check out his dorm room and walk around the campus for a while before going to the prearranged meeting with the Battle Arena team in the afternoon.
 
'My first destination is the dorm building. Where is it again, Building-19...'
 
Irvine took out a brochure-shaped map of the campus ground from his pocket. An indispensable item for any new students unfamiliar with the school.
 
'Hm, it's not that far... I could just run there from here--'
 
"AH!"
 
However, before he had the time to walk outside of the administration building, a loud yell was heard from the direction behind him.
 
At first, he thought it was from the senior student back at the counter. But when he turned around, he saw that a moustached man in a suit was looking at him anxiously.
 
Following the shout, the man walked quickly to his side as he put out his hand for a shake.
 
"Mister Lang! Very sorry I'm late, I'm supposed to be showing you around the campus after you've finished the registration!"
 
"Ah, don't worry about it. I don't think there's any need to--"
 
"No no! I insist! This is the least we could do since you've decided to come to our humble university. Hahaha!"
 
"Well--"
 
"The name's Robert, but you can just call me Bob! No need for honorifics, I'm one of the university's staff in charge of handling the student athletes here in Ravenville."
 
"...Nice to meet you Bob."
 
"Now, let me take you to your dorm first before we go around the rest of the campus. I'll introduce you to all the important facilities until the afternoon when you're supposed to have your gathering with the team. Shall we go with my car?"
 
The whole time, Irvine hadn't been able to get a word in edgewise with the man. He ended up getting dragged outside by him following Bob's own pace.
 
After the moustached man, Bob, successfully pushed Irvine out the glass door, he gave a quick sharp glance back at the direction of the two university students who had processed Irvine's registration previously.
 
The glint in his eyes gave chills to the female student at the counter.
 
"...Oh no!" She suddenly shouted.
 
"What was that?"
 
"I-I think I remembered where I've heard the name... During the briefing yesterday, the teachers have given me a list of people to notify them about if and when any of them come to register."
 
"...And that Irvine Lang just now is on the list?"
 
*nod*
 
"I was supposed to share the list with you too, but the morning turned out to be rather hectic and-- Oh god..."
 
"..."
 
"W, why don't we first make sure that there's no other people on the list from the ones we have processed!"
 
"I'm dead... I hope the school won't take away my extra credits for this."
 
.
.
 
Just as the map had shown him, Irvine's drive with Bob to his dormitory building was relatively short from the administration hall.
 
Instead of partitioning the dorm based on the students' status, Ravenville University put the students of the same faculty or major in the same area block. This had been the way ever since the school's establishment.
 
For Irvine himself, it meant that unless there were other Arena student athletes with the same major as him. It was not very likely to meet another invited players around at least during this period of time.
 
All the rooms in Ravenville were 2-person bedrooms with shared indoor bathroom space and a small cozy living area with a compact dining table at its center.
 
All in all, the design was actually quite luxurious if compared to other colleges that had up to 4 people crammed together in a room.
 
*beep* *click*
 
In front of a room with his name on the plate, Irvine swiped his student card on the sensor lock, making the light on the door handle to turn green allowing him access inside.
 
"Wow."
 
"What do you think?" Bob stood behind him on the hallway and asked with a smile.
 
"Very spacious for a 2-person dorm, I think I'll like it here." Irvine replied politely to the question.
 
"You say that now, but you probably won't be here past your 1st year Mister Lang."
 
"Hm, why is that?"
 
"I've pointed out to you our Arena training field and stadium just now right? The one we drove by?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Did you see the mansion-like building on the side of the stadium too? The one that looked like a private villa?"
 
"..." Irvine seemed to vaguely remember the building that Bob was describing,
 
"Are you saying the Arena team members get to live there?"
 
"Haha, no of course not. Though it looks like that, the place is our Ravenville Illusions athletic facility. The interior was filled with cutting edge technology to both train and maintain one's health." He explained,
 
"From restoration pods, to cryo chambers and saunas, the place have everything an Arena athlete would need."
 
"Like a gym then, so why did you say I won't live here past my freshman year?"
 
"Well it's not JUST training facilities. The building provides many entertainments such as game room, snack bars, and cafeteria. Most importantly, all the 1st string players in the roster are allowed to spend the night and live there during the season. Which is what usually happens."
 
"And considering your title as a Starseed Mister Lang, I just think that by this time next year or even next semester, you'll most likely be part of that same list of players!"
 
'Next year?'
 
"I'm planning to play in the Warrior Crown this year though..." He replied honestly.
 
"..." Bob turned silent for a while at his statement.
 
Not only was Irvine planning to become a 1st string, he's also planning to enter the Crown Tournament as a starter.
 
"Hoho, that'd be something! I guess you can try that too, but."
 
"...I think you'll find that our 1st string players are not so easily replaceable by the freshmen even if it's someone who already got their genes modified like you Mister Lang."
 
What he'd said was not mere provocation because it's true that there're a lot of sophomores who had gone through Gene Mod but stayed in the 2nd string.
 
Even though Bob was not someone who's specifically in charge of Battle Arena student athletes, with how Ravenville was most well-known for that one sport, the entirety of the university paid much attention to the Arena team's development.
 
The staffs, teachers, and even many of the students here were all fans of the Ravenville Illusions just like the citizens of Zeta City were more likely to be fans of the Zeta Androids.
 
"Of course I'd expect nothing less from the top players in college Arena, but. As a player, I should also aim high for myself, shouldn't I?"
 
"...That's true!" Bob laughed at Irvine's answer,
 
"Then I truly look forward to the time where I can see you on the field with our official uniform on. Hopefully bringing victories our way!"
 
"That's the plan. I'll try my best to live up to it."
 
.
 
Irvine's room was on the 4th floor of Building-19.
 
Since there're rarely anyone else on campus who'd been back this early for the new academic year, after inspecting the room a little more and putting away his luggage on his preferred bed, Irvine also left the room to continue the rest of his tour with Bob.
 
From classroom buildings to stores and parks, he drove together in the car seeing the whole area of the campus instead of just the Arena's training field like the last time he'd come by himself.
 
The guided explanation that came with being driven around the many different green scenery of the prestigious university was a very enjoyable experience for Irvine.
 
Plus, there's also the fact that with Bob around, he had covered more ground in a short amount of time that he wouldn't be able to if he was walking around by himself.
 
The area that covered the whole of Ravenville University was huge, to the point that there were free campus buses that circled the premises regularly for students without any means of transport inside.
 
Irvine himself personally thought that he'd rather get a bike after saving some money so that he could get a little exercise in between commutes.
 
.
.
.
 
Closing in on the afternoon.
 
Inside a wide and futuristic-looking locker room with warm lighting, various parts of black, white, and grey exosuits were hung on each of the racks that were a part of the private lockers.
 
Each locker consisted of an equipment rack that took up a large part of the mid-section, the drawers on the left-right and top side of it, and the low seat on the bottom for the player to sit and prepare during briefings.
 
Aside from the locker attached to the room walls, the center area of the room was also filled with rows of padded benches stacked together.
 
Inside this wide empty room, presently there were a few people sitting around and watching a certain video on the wall-mounted large screen TV on one side of the wall.
 
*BUZZ*
 
The hustles and bustles from inside the television were spreading outwardly, filling the whole room with many different topics and discussions.
 
"Goddamn, Adrian Crowe is freaking crazy!" A man with a pair of sharp and slanted eyes commented while munching on snacks in his mouth as he kept watching the match on TV.
 
Currently it was showing the replay of a last-minute saving play performed by the Sigma Conqueror's Ace Fielder.
 
"You know, there're some rumours before that he's coming to play for the Androids." One of the people beside him responded with his own news that he'd heard from somewhere else.
 
"Ah, I heard that too. But the trades and transfers season's over now, if he's coming it could only happen next year."
 
"Hng..." The guy with slanted eyes let out a little groan in response before speaking his own thoughts to the others,
 
"I don't think he's ever going to leave the Conquerors."
 
"Oh, why's that?"
 
"Just my own analysis... If he really does leave by himself, he might not be as great as he is now." He answered.
 
"Well, if you're the one saying it, Clint..."
 
"By the way, where's the captain? Is he registering?"
 
"Old students like us register online idiot."
 
*CLICK*
 
Their casual bicker quickly ended when they heard the door to their locker room being turned open from the outside.
 
*swing*
 
Two silhouettes came in through the open door.
 
As they walked, the two people were instantly noticed by the rest of the players in the room.
 
"Oho, here comes our 2 new star players!" The guy with the sharp and slanted eyes called Clint greeted the oncoming figures from his seat.
 
"It's the pre-season, you guys coming up to the 1st string right...?"
 
"Wallace, Clayton."
 
On the back, the dark-skinned Derrick and bulky Greg slowly walked forward to approach their seniors.
 
"I'm planning to. These 2 weeks will be the final sprint for that." Derrick replied honestly.
 
"How's your new Ability? Adapting well?" Clint grinned.
 
"Yes."
 
"What about you fatty?"
 
"Where do you even see fat in this magnificent body of mine?" Greg felt offended at his remark and showed his bulging muscles even more.
 
"Uwah... Please don't say or do stuff like that, I think I'm gonna hurl."
 
"What are you watching?" Derrick changed the subject with a wry smile.
 
"It's the OPL pre-season friendly match." One of the guys in the room answered.
 
"Oh! The all-star match!"
 
The OPL pre-season match were widely known as the all-star match, where all the notable pro players from the previous season were called out to play against each other.
 
The players invited were all coming from different teams, so the friendly match was hosted using the random draw format between each position to create an impromptu team of all-star players facing each other.
 
It was less of a serious match and more like a service for the fans.
 
"But what about the new recruits? They're coming in shortly and the 3rd years are in charge right?" 
 
"Yeap. We'll take care of them just like how the Captain and the others took care of you guys last year."
 
"..."
 
"By the way Wallace, do you know someone named Irvine Lang from the License Exam?"
 
"Hm? Of course! He's the--"
 
"4th Starseed. I know."
 
"But why are you asking suddenly--" Before he could complete his sentence, an idea started to form inside Derrick's head,
 
"D, don't tell me..."
 
Clint's smile got even wider at this point with his eyes turned into a slit, "Hmhmm, It won't be long before our Ravenville could take the Silver Crown that's for sure."
 
Clint had already seen Irvine's video on the License Exam and were very interested in his playstyle.
 
'That guy's coming to Ravenville!? ...Such coincidence.' Derrick could still remember his performance during the Practical Exam a couple months back.
 
Of course, he knew that the coincidence was only from his point of view because Irvine was one of the very few people titled as a Starseed this year.
 
The other side was probably choosing a college in Zeta City for his own personal reason.

Inspired by the previous era's Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games, a new Sport was born!

As humanity reached the age of space exploration and [Genetic Modification], the sport of competitive team fighting experience known simply as "Battle Arena" rose to prominence!

Irvine Lang was an older and retired pro player of Battle Arena.

Being a mediocre player throughout his whole career, his retirement life was tinged with regrets over many things.

Lost matches.

Broken relationships.

Unreachable top.

With the hope of entering the pro scene for one last chance at glory, he decided to volunteer for a genetic experimental drug trial that's been said to be able to rejuvenate the recipients to their peak state.

Unexpectedly, the trial ended up giving him more than just a simple rejuvenation as it brought him back to his teenage years!

"This...!"

Follow Irvine as he relived his youth to erase his past regrets and become a top player in Battle Arena!

Even if four years had passed, he still didn't have the courage to recollect the words she said that night.
But even so, he could clearly feel his raw heart start to ache at the thought of what happened that night.
Did you know?
In the passing years, only once have I loved a person deeply.
Unbeknownst to her, I have quietly, quietly come to her side.
-
Maybe it was because she was at He Jichen's house for too long that she ended up sleeping again when she got back to the dorm. The next day, Ji Yi was awake before it was even light out.
She was afraid to wake the others up in the dorm, so she laid in bed and played on her phone. Ji Yi opened Weibo, but before she could read the headlines, an older article grabbed her attention. It read, "Casting for director Liang Wenxin's new movie has officially started".
Ji Yi couldn't resist clenching her fingers tightly as her mind involuntarily wandered to the events of four years ago.
...
Four years ago, she returned a lot sooner to Beijing from Sucheng than planned because of He Jichen. Some good came from this as she bumped into a talent scout in the airport the very same day she arrived in Beijing.
At first, she thought he was a con artist, but one week later, the scout actually called her to invite her to a screen test.
She didn't have much to do that summer after college entrance exams, and since she liked to act so much that she wrote that she aspired to go to B-film on her college application, she didn't hesitate to agree to the screen test over the phone.
After the screen test ended, Ji Yi went home. The next day, she got a call from the production team, telling her that she was chosen by the director for the role as the supporting actress for Infinite Grace.
And so, she spent the first month of the semester on the production set.
Infinite Grace was released around the country in November. Well-known directors, and the A-list male and female celebrity from this movie quickly became popular all over China.
Of course, it was surprising for the supporting female actress to also gain fame.
Someone once said that her outstanding looks only came once every ten years. Another said that a natural talent for acting was in her bones, and every frown and smile of hers could be considered acting. The next screen queen of the entertainment industry was going to be the legendary Ji Yi.
In short, she became an overnight sensation. By the end of November, she was invited to be the female lead for a big production historical drama titled TheQueens.
In April of the second year, The Queens became a popular show. As the female lead, she became the focus of millions of people's attention. Commercials, endorsements, television dramas... the offers came pouring in one after the other. She was even approached by investment companies who wanted to invest in an office for her...
At the time, her future really was limitless, her name was honourable, and her career was a success.
But just as she finished negotiations for an office of her own, finally established a name for herself and signed on to a new film, she suddenly got into a car accident, which made her slip into a three-year-long coma.
At the time, although she was still hot on the scene, she had only just entered the entertainment industry and hadn't quite found her feet. What's more, the industry was not short of newcomers.
So, the unbound glory of her past disappeared without a trace, like dispersed clouds during her deep slumber. Ji Yi, an entertainment industry legend, suddenly vanished off the radar.
After she woke up, the only road she could continue to walk down was the path back to school to continue her years in university.
...
At that thought, Ji Yi blinked gently. In the past half year, she had been waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to make a comeback in the entertainment industry. She thought this might be her chance.
Liang Wenxin was Infinite Grace's director. She had his contact info on her phone, but after three years, he would've probably forgotten about her by now. She was afraid that if she called him out of the blue, he wouldn't even want to talk to her.
Ji Yi was deep in thought for a moment, then she flipped through her timetable and saw that she didn't have any classes in the afternoon. She decided to take a personal trip to Director Liang's office.


Time stopped at eighteen for Ji Yi, and now all she wants to do is pick up from where she left off. Her career depends on it, and on top of that, she has to survive a fake marriage turned real! Some missed opportunities are irreplaceable, and some misunderstandings between them have proven near-fatal, but for He Jichen, he isn’t just a pretty face—he’s an opportunist. They may have lost their prime years together, but He Jichen is more than willing to spend his remaining years with her. If only she would just trust him… Will Ji Yi be able to find true love in this life? Can she outmaneuver all the snakes plotting her downfall? Only time will tell...

Luna is a girl who has the grades and the looks but she never has a boyfriend in high school or in college. She is always obeying her parent's rule of being the best of the best at everything she does, aiming to be a doctor or someone who makes a lot of money, only dating after college, and find someone who really cares for you. Everything in life was planned out for her by her parents.

She never thought that those rules would make her 'supposedly' friends talk behind her back. 

This might be just a coincidence but as she was heading to the classroom during high school she overheard her friends gossiping about her.  

"Luna really has the looks and the grade and can charm any man with just a flick of her hair. Just like a cunning fox!"

"So what about it! Because she has all those things men think she's interesting but the truth is she's just a boring woman! She has an invisible-like wall surrounding her making those that want to woo her stay away… And who would they turn their eyes to... To us who is her 'best' friends."

"Right, right! Without those two things, she's boring as hell! I wouldn't even stick close to her and be her friend. She has no communication skill, no fashion style, and I'm just guessing this..." One of them look around and whispered quietly with a hand hiding her mouth. "But her face must be full of makeup to look that beautiful and underneath she must be as ugly as the ugly hell."

"Hahahahahaa!" they all laugh together.

"This conversation just between us. Don't tell her any of this or she might think that we are talking bad things behind her. I... We still want to take advantage of her good nature and qualities."

What are they talking about? I'm not like that. I worked hard to get to where I am today, studying every day. They don't know what I went through to get to where I am today and I'm only above average looking.

She broke off their relationships and they started rumors about her, how she's a jealous slut wanting men for herself but she didn't care.

In college, she finally understands their meaning. Even if her looks were above average there were men chasing after her every day. She shoos many men away and broken many hearts but there was never a shortage of men coming after her. They are from being rich to being poor, from overseas to attaining the same college as hers. She never wanted a life like this and getting tired of everything.

Those that she is friends with distanced themselves from her, afraid that their boyfriend would be charmed by her. Other's just don't want to get close to her. 

Luna tried many new activities that popular people wouldn't really do. From learning to fight to be a nerd. However, this attracted a different type of men, they are from muscular men to skinny men and even some are nerds or fatties. 

The next step on the list is wearing (different/ugly) makeup and glasses. This next step worked out but only on a short term.

Each time the guys would fight over her for no reason whatsoever, the girls would start to hate her and bully her. Some would go as far as trying to threaten her with her life saying 'because of her they broke up with their boyfriend'. Even at home, her parents could never have peace of mind so she moved to the dorms but things never got better. 

Before moving out of the house, her parents took her to see shamans, exorcist, etc. but they all say it's due to a curse, a spell, your daughter has charming skills, or that it's tied to your families history. The one Luna think is the most realistic is about in her past life, she didn't receive anything love and now in this life, she is getting all the love she should have. In her next life, she'll be just fine and live just like a normal girl... but she would bring a bad ending to people she loves.

As she was walking back to her dorm from attaining her college course, she keeps having this kin feeling in the back of her head that someone was following her. As she was reaching the dorm she spotted a shadow waiting by the streetlight. 

Luna was scared but she still walks forward not knowing that something dreadful would befall her. 

Before she could make out her situation, the shadow drives a knife straight into her stomach. She could only hear a female shaking voice shouting, "This is all your fault! Because of you… Because of you, he won't love me anymore and want to break up! He was the only one for me…" 

After she couldn't hear any more of the female's voice but the sensation of being stab still linger in her fingertips.

I'm guessing tomorrow's headlight would be [A female college student majoring in medical science and technology was stabbed to death by a crazy stalker!]

She wanted to laugh at her own stupid death but her voice was stuck in her throat. Her consciousness was fading out, making her remember her youth. 

As a child, she was someone that has a hard time voicing out her thoughts. She can only find comfort in reading books and princess's tales are her favorites. There was always a prince charming or knight in shining armor saving the day. The princess and her knight live happily ever after. One of her favorite fairy-tale is Cinderella. She was abused by her stepmother but she still remains kind-hearted and at the end, she lived happily ever after with her prince.

She realized everything is just a fantasy and far-fetched dream. There was no prince charming or knight in shining armor coming to her rescue. There were only beasts wanting a taste of her and throwing her out as she has seen from people dating. Real life is only full of hardship and there is no happy ending. Making her remember her mother's words before she left to live in the dorms. 

"Why! Just why! Do I have to go through this suffering! Those none stop knocking and threaten letters, what did you do! Did you not listen to your mother at all! Because of a cursed child like your father left, being unable to take this heavy atmosphere longer. I too… no because of you… you… a child who shouldn't be born!" she came back from her senses after she uttered those words. "…I'm sorry, Luna. Leave your mother alone for now." Her mother was shedding tears as she said her last sentence. 

Both her parents are just ordinary citizens with ordinary looks but as their daughter she was different. She doesn't have their appearances but her looks are from her great grandmother's appearance when she was young. 

"No… I'm the one… who should be… sorry…" were her last words before she took her last breath.

Like every girl, Luna wanted a prince charming or a knight in shining armor to save her and live happily ever after. As she becomes an adult she realizes that this is just a far fetch dream. Real life is full of hardship and never have a happy ending.

On the way from medical school, Luna was killed in cold blood not knowing the reason why. She was immediately reincarnated into a different world. She soon realizes this world is Cinderella's world but never thought that she would be Cinderella's stepsister.

"In the Grimm Brother's book, Cinderella's step-sisters got their feet cut just to fit the glass slipper. Just the thought of having your feet skinned bit by bit by your mother just to fit on a glass slipper is a nightmare. And afterward having to wear a high heel that is like two feet tall without first-aid or bandage...argh," Luna shudders with goosebumps at the thought of it.

"...Wait, this world is totally different from what she knows!!" were her thoughts as a child.


***On Hold*** Need to change somethings with the plot

"Mila," a girl's voice says, shaking me as I slap the hand that was on my shoulder away. 

"Five more minutes," I say.

"You said that ten minutes ago," the girl's voice replied, ripping my blanket away from me. 

The morning chill hit my legs immediately trailing up my body until it reached my sleep hazed brain and I immediately sat up, making a grab for my blanket. 

Elizabeth Saunders stood smug in front of me, with my blanket in her hands. I made an attempt to grab it but to no avail, she kept my warm and comfy blanket a foot away from me. "Time to get up, we gotta head to school," she said with a teasing smile on her face. 

I pouted at her, extending my hand and she shakes her head. "Go change first and then I'll think about handing your blanket back," she says, walking out of my room with my prized possession within her grasp. 

I frown, making a face at the closed door. Sliding off the bed, I head to the blanket and grab a random set of clothing with me. I quickly do my business and change into the shirt and shorts I grabbed. The white shirt with the dark blue cut off shorts weren't a terrible pick. Next, I tie my hair into a sloppy bun and swipe some random moisturizing lip balm on my lips. 

I headed downstairs, slapping a fake smile on my face to give off the appearance that I was fully awake, but internally I was ready to pass out at any moment now. "Ah, here is the most exhausting girl in the world," Elizabeth says, tossing my blanket at me. She resumed cooking breakfast as I took a seat, and folded my blanket before placing it on a chair next to me. 

I let out an absent minded yawn, "What are you making?"

"Pancakes," she says, twirling the spatula in her hand, "With some blueberry- peach compote. A side of apple chicken sausage, turkey bacon, and some orange cream scones."

I blink, trying to take in all the exoctic and unfamiliar sounding food items after 'pancakes.' 

"That sounds great," I say, as she starts putting plates on the table. 

The sight of the finished pancakes activated my mouth-watering skill, which always irritates Elizabeth. Wiping my mouth, I help her set the rest of the plates. Elizabeth, unlike me, knew what she wanted to do with her life. As one could tell, she was a culinary food major while I was still undecided. Being a freshman in college, it wasn't that terrible and unfortunate to have no declared major, but it will be challenging to have no major by junior year. 

"This smells seriously good," I compliment as I take a whiff of all the food together, "Thank you for breakfast."

She nods, "Of course, as long as you keep your promise to stay away from cooking in the kitchen, I'll provide us with some decent food."

My smile slightly wavers as a hint of irritation takes over. Okay, so what if I couldn't cook. So what if the last time I tried to make us a meal, I broke the oven and blew up the microwave. I didn't know you were supposed to take aluminum foil off the plate I was trying to heat up. And it wasn't my fault that nobody told me you had to dry a whole turkey before sticking it in the oven. From that point on, we made a pact or rather Elizabeth forced me to promise to never touch the kitchen. In her own words, I "deflowered" the innocent kitchen and left a huge mess behind. 

I grab about everything I see onto my plate and begin to shove my face with food. Elizabeth cleared her throat, visibly disgusted at my eating style, "Are you excited for school?" 

I nearly choked and grab the nearby mango juice to help wash my food down, "Excited? Nope, I'm never excited about school." 

"A shame, since you actually do well academically," she comments, elegantly eating her food in contrast to my barbaric eating style. 

"Only because I feel like I've learned about everything the professors taught already, so it's like muscle memory," I say, shrugging.

"Or because it's because you have a photographic memory. Do you know how lucky you are to have that?" Elizabeth says sighing, "While I'm barely passing my classes, the only one I haven't failed is Culinary History which I actually am interested in." 

"I could always tutor you if you want," I suggest, eating another pancake. 

"No way!" she says, "Last time you so called tutored me, you threw out a kitchen utensil for every answer I got wrong. Half the kitchen was in the garbage by the time we were done."

I try to remember that day, "Oh yeah. I forgot about that."

"Anywho, we have a speaker in class today. So that means no homework, thank goodness," Elizabeth says thankful, and takes a sip of her tea. 

"Yay," I say indifferently, eating another scone. Elizabeth checks her stainless steel watch for the time.

"We should probably leave now, or we'll miss the campus bus," Elizabeth says, standing up.

If someone looked upon our relationship, they would probably have no idea why we were roommates. Elizabeth dressed to impress with her fancy silk shirt, medium length skirt, and matching blazer. She was a green-eyed and blonde beauty (at least that's what the guys who've liked her called her). In contrast, I had unmanageable brown hair, that looked slightly copper if it's in the sun too long and dull brown eyes. I wore a shirt and shorts, and barely looked like a proper college student in comparison to Elizabeth. 

However, our friendship stemmed from middle school where both of us joined the school's astronomy club, and the rest was history. 

"Earth to Mila, are you done with your plate?" Elizabeth points to my plate and I silently hand it to her and she dumps our plates in the sink. I help wrap up the rest of the food. 

We both slip our bags on and Elizabeth links arms with me, "I have a feeling today is gonna be a good day."

I nod, giving her a tortured smile as she pulls me to the direction of the bus stop. The campus bus was always prompt, which was surprising because city buses usually never took the time in consideration. Right on the dot, the campus bus pulled in at 8am, and the students including Elizabeth and I got on. A simple ID check was our "metrocard" to get admission to the bus; it had after all one stop which was our college campus. 

The thirty minute ride was always pretty peaceful as the student stayed silent and did their homework or continued to sleep. I was part of the sleep group and I knocked out once the bus doors closed, so the ride was extremely uneventful. Once the bus pulled into our campus, I was jolted awake as Elizabeth nudged me awake. River College was pretty prestigious itself with a big campus that was in the center of a thriving metropolis, and was basically the only thing out of place in the neighborhood. There were many houses that were close to the college, so a lot of local people applied to the college. However, the school is pretty selective and only 40 people of the 500 that applied got in. 

"Mila, look at that," Elizabeth points to the left of me. 

I look to where her finger was pointed and was surprised at the amount of students gathered around the school's study hall. Like literally, people's faces were pressed against the glass wall separating the inside and outside. 

"Weird," I remarked, as I headed toward my first class of the day.

"Do you think we should check it out?" Elizabeth asks. 

"Nah, I think it might be some sale on some food thing. You know how the sale for ramen ended that one time," I say, waving my hand in dismissal. 

"Okay," she says, and we head to our first class. 

Being one of the early people, we take our seats. Our freshman schedule was pretty much identical to each other, since the schedules were mandatory and blocked. 

"What do you think the guest speaker is going to talk about?" Elizabeth asks, curious. 

"Dunno, possible majors or internships?" I say. 

"Maybe, I hope they bring up a culinary scholarship or something. I would totally sign up for that," she says excited. 

More people started to trickle in, and the conversation among them seemed more livelier than usual. "Did you see them?" a girl whispered.

"Yeah, I did. They are so hot," another girl gushes. 

"I like the one with the multicolored eyes, that's so rare," another girl joins in.

Is there a new K-pop group or something?

"They seem to be the same age as us," the first girl says.

"I hope they are transfer or maybe exchange students," the second girl answered. Then the three girls laughed and started to talk more about these mysterious guys that were "hot." 

"Did you hear that?" Elizabeth whispered to me. 

I nod, "New possible K-pop, transfer or exchange students."

"Oh my gosh, wouldn't that be exciting to have new students. There hasn't been a transfer student in ages," she comments, just as our wonderful professor strolled in. 

Despite his nice appearance, and the brand name coffee in his hand, his face contradicted his appearance. A permanent scowl was implanted on his face, and his sturdy yet bulky briefcase was basically thrown on his desk. He set his coffee down delicately before turning his back to us, and wrote something on the board in a quick fashion that allowed everyone to hear the exasperated squeaking of the tormented chalk piece. 

"Peasants, err I mean students please welcome our presenters, Malcolm something and Erik forgot-his-last-name who have come to talk to you about something important," the professor says disinterested as he settled in his seat, and placed a textbook in front of him. However, we all knew he was just going to be on his phone the entire time to try his infinite time on some adult dating app. 

Two guys came in and immediately a lot of the girls were chattering among themselves and giving each other knowing glances. I looked at their weird behavior, and eyed Elizabeth who was in awe. "Good morning, my name's Malcolm. I'm from the internship program at Nightingale Academy," Malcolm introduces himself with a wave. Malcolm looked like an easy going guy with green eyes and dark hair, his clothes wasn't so fancy but just a light shirt and matching jeans. In all, he wasn't that unfortunate looking.

"Good morning to you all, my name is Erik. It's a pleasure to meet you all," Erik says, "My associate, Malcolm will be passing around some flyers for our internship. We are excited for interested members to help better the society and be a participant in doing so. Please look at the requirements thoroughly." Unlike Malcolm which gave off friendly guy vibes, Erik was the complete opposite and it seemed to know it. But at the same time, he didn't seem to give a damn. His hair was gelled yet his presence seemed to emit a dangerous vibe which interested many of the girl who held to each word that he spoke. His dark eyes matched his equally dark hair. He wore all black attire, and he seemed too pale for a city boy. 

Chatter began again, but with more noise and the professor seemed to get more agitated by the second. "Shaddup losers," he yells and the classroom goes dead silent. Malcolm, with a war smile, clears his throat and begins to talk again, "Well, our internship as can be seen is for the rest of your college years. This means you have to balance the expected mandatory requirements of River College along the expectation of Nightingale Academy."

"Of course, accepted students will get the chance to stay in out dorms in the majestic setting of the forest and the infamous Elder Library. This program does require commitment and to do so pays as well. For students on board and committed, involving participation, they will be paid for their hard work," he continues, "For every day a student actively participates in the program, they will be paid $500 per day, excluding weekends. Now, Erik will explain the requirements and the objectives of the internship."

"The requirements of the internship are quite simple. You need to be an active student, attend River College, College freshman, 3.0 GPA, and have a lively or unique personality," Erik says with a charming smile, "In addition, it is mandatory to attend the group interviews so the rest of our scout group can get to know you. Questions?"

A girl raised her hand, "Umm will we be seeing you two if we get accepted?" 

Erik smirks, "Of course, dear, we are after all teacher assistants. If you're new at the academy, you'll have to take one of our mandatory starter classes."

A guy raises his hand, "Do you accept guys?"

Malcolm chuckles, "Everyone is welcome as long as they abide by the requirements."

"Hey, Mila, ask them what's the scout group?" Elizabeth whispers to me.

"Why? I'm not interested in applying though," I whisper back.

"Please," she pleads, "I'll do the chores for three months."

"Deal," I say, quickly raising my hand.

Erik nods for me to speak, a smile forming on his face. "What's the scout group? You mentioned it before," I asked plainly. 

"Well, aren't you inquisitive, my dear. It simply means that there select students who are internship that exceed the standards that was placed on us and thus, we also take on the responsibility to find others who want to join the internship," he responds, "Are you planning to apply, my dear?"

I shake my head firmly, "Nope, just asking for a friend."

Some girls to look at me disapprovingly, but I shrug, "I think I might be too busy to take on the internship." 

"Well, that's too bad," Erik says, "You would probably make an exceptional candidate."

"Any other questions before I explain the goals on the internship?" Malcolm cuts in, sending a quick frown at Erik who keeps smiling my way. Talk about creep. 

Nobody raises their hand, so Malcolm continues to talk, "Our goal is to basically help society through various experimentation and understanding of all kinds of things, whether it be a myth or reality. For instance, one of our popular classes is if Santa Claus is a real person or just a myth personified."

"We strive for hard workers who are curious and willing to understand things before jumping to conclusions," Malcolm concludes, "And so I hope, those curious students apply and hope for the best. We would enjoy having new recruits."
Someone in the class began to clap which prompted the rest of the class to start clapping as well. Erik and Malcolm grin at the class, as they do a dramatic bow. They thank the professor before exiting the classroom. Thankful, the creepy Erik doesn't do anything creepy when he leaves. 

Elizabeth grabs onto my arm, "I think I'm gonna apply."

"What? Don't you think the whole thing is a bit shady?" I say, "I mean, their objectives were a bit vague in my opinion."

"Don't be so sour, it seems like a really cool internship. It might be one of the easier ones for students who attend a specific school," Elizabeth comments, "And you get paid to be there, basically."

"To participate," I corrected her.

"Right, which can be as simple as raising your hand once in each of their classes and poof, participation is checked off," she says simply, "Come on, it might be fun. And we both get accepted, we can dorm together."

I frown, unconvinced. 

"If I get accepted, I won't be able to dorm with you and we'll our college years at different places, you don't want that do you?" she says with a doe eyed look.

"And if you get in and I don't that outcome will still happen," I grumbled.

"But the point is, we can increase the chances of both of us getting in, and then we can both experience something new," she argues, "I mean we basically get paid to stay in a really cool place that has an infamous library by the way and we get to see those two hot guys on campus."

"They do have the Elder Library," I say, slightly swayed, "That would be cool to be able to visit that."

"And they might even have more exotic food," she adds, "I can pull up a list of what they serve in their cafeteria. One sec."

She pulls out her phone, and quickly hides it from sight from the professor who was teaching. Or rather the professor was basically reading his lecture straight from Chapter 4 of the textbook. "See, check it out," she gives me her phone which was open to a menu page.

I skim the list, seeing the usual food until I get to the really interesting food names. Nutella hot chocolate. Milk tea with condensed milk. Earl grey muffins. Pesto and garlic chicken wings. Handmade ramen with pork and chive dumplings. Spaghetti with egg and scallions. Curry rice with soy sauce chicken. My mouth watered as I read down the list of foods that were not served in our cafeteria. "They sound delicious," I tell her, slightly drooling. 

"Right? So can we both try to apply?" she asks, eyes pleading.

I sigh, "If I must." 

I really wanted to try the Nutella hot chocolate.

Mila Ellis and her longtime best friend, Elizabeth Saunders are given the opportunity of a lifetime to an internship at Nightingale Academy. Nightingale Academy is a prestigious school that is hidden within the fantastical landscape of rural land and it's ideas revolve around helping, if possibly even saving the world from itself. On the brink of a new life and beginning for Mila and Elizabeth, they learn of a devasting secret that resides within the academy-- the academy is for the supernatural!

Can they survive their new life at the academy or is the call to going back to ordinary life much more persuasive? And what happens when Mila runs in with an especially handsome student, who under unknown circumstances, just can't keep away?

*Credits to Google for the cover image & Canva*

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