Chapter 10: Chapter 8: Mystery Sniper

John's sudden shift in the conversation caught Dark Blood off guard. "What's going on?" it asked. "Weren't you just about to wake Angel up?"

John shook his head, his focus solely on the question he needed to ask. "That can wait," he said. "Right now, I want to know one thing."

Dark Blood lifted its head out of the shadows, its tone inquisitive. "What is it you wish to know?"

"Do you remember the moment you first awoke inside Asaga's body?" John asked, his curiosity evident. "It doesn't matter if you don't remember every detail. Just tell me what you can."

Dark Blood took a deep breath, struggling to recall the vague memories. "It's a difficult thing to describe," it began. "The feeling of awakening from a long slumber was overwhelming. All I wanted was peace. But there was one person I would never forget."

John leaned in, his interest piqued. "Who was this person? Did he, or she, have any distinct characteristics?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in anticipation.

Dark Blood furrowed its brow as it tried to remember more details. "The only distinct feature I recall is a Lizardwar with five horns on the back of his neck, dressed in a green military uniform," it said.

John's expression became serious as the pieces began to fall into place. The identity of the person pulling the strings behind Asaga's suffering was becoming clearer. But despite his assumptions, the truth was still shrouded in mystery.

"So, Komodo didn't lead the attack on the Heroic Village," John mused. "Who could it have been then? One of his generals, perhaps?"

A multitude of questions filled in the principal's mind. John was surprised by the complexity of the mystery surrounding Asaga. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he turned to Dark Blood.

"Dark Blood, I need you to tell me everything you can remember, from the moment you woke up until now," John said firmly. "I need to know all the details so that I can help Asaga. As Divine Duo's only friend, I must do everything I can to help their son overcome this nightmare."

Dark Blood felt a twinge of discomfort at the thought of reliving its past, but it knew that this was for Asaga's sake. The black shadow was determined to help its friend overcome his struggles.

“Very well. The story starts like this.”

While Dark Blood shared the details of Asaga Uchire's past with John, a couple was strolling through the third-year hallway, close to the medical room. The students of this academy rarely ventured outside without permission from their subject teacher, but the couple seemed to be the exception.

The boy had a striking and well-proportioned face, with a pair of glasses that gave him an air of intellectualism. He was dressed in a red uniform, which indicated that he was a third-year student. But what set him apart from the others was the magnificent heraldry emblazoned on his chest, featuring two crossed swords.

The young man briskly walked down the hall towards the conference room, accompanied by the small girl with striking red eyes, reminiscent of precious gems. She was a petite figure with an oval face and hair as deep blue as the ocean, cascading down to her shoulders. Her beauty was beyond reproach and radiated an ethereal quality.

His steps echoed through the silent corridor, a testament to the gravity of the situation that had arisen. As the President of the Uchire Student Council, he was tasked with overseeing the administration of the academy and ensuring its smooth operation.

In his hand, he carried a file containing all the information related to the recent scuffle, a matter so serious that it had compelled the principal to take personal action. The student council, with its privileged position and recognized authority within the school, held a responsibility to keep the various clubs and activities in check and facilitate cultural exchange with other academies.

He felt a deep sense of shame for the student council and himself. The scuffle had occurred during his absence, leaving him powerless to prevent it. The most powerful person in the school had to step in and take control, a situation that left him feeling embarrassed and inadequate.

"President Sazubu!" The girl's voice caught his attention, and he turned to face her. But before he could respond, she spoke up again. "Is that the principal?"

Sazubu felt frustrated at being disrupted in his thoughts, but he forced himself to respond politely. "Alice, you have two positions, both as the vice president and the secretary. Please, keep- Wait, the principal?"

However, her words piqued his interest, and he followed her gaze toward the window next to them. Behind the glass was the principal, deep in conversation with someone. Sazubu and Alice wondered why the principal was in the infirmary, and what could be so important for him to be there.

"It seems like the principal has something important to attend to at the infirmary," Sazubu said, his tone thoughtful. "We should hurry to the conference room, Alice. We don't want to keep the others waiting."

“Huh?” Alice turned around. “Ah! Wait for me, president!”.

Sazabu left her alone, so she hurriedly ran after him.

“Can you at least tell me sooner? Leaving a girl alone behind you is not a thing that a man should do, president!” She puffed her cheeks.

“Stop acting like a child! By the way, I think I just saw that loser.”

Alice's demeanour changed instantly, her once cheerful expression now replaced with one of disdain. "That person is nothing but trash," she spat out with vehemence. "I can't comprehend why my lovely Angel would ever choose to be with someone like him. He's ranked at the bottom of the academy in terms of both entrance scores and academic performance. I want to get him out of here so that I can get her back."

Sazabu intrigued. "I heard that he's in Class 1-A," he mused. "That class is for students with the highest entrance exam scores. I'm surprised that he's managed to get in there. It's quite a shame for the academy to let that happen. But there's something strange about him, I can feel it."

"That loser?" Alice scoffed.

Sazabu nodded, "Yes, I recall. During the opening speech for that semester, I noticed that he was the only one not paying attention. But there was something peculiar about his gaze that I couldn't quite put my finger on."

He shook his head, trying to shake off the haunting, tragic scream that echoed in his mind.

"President! Are you okay?" Alice's concerned voice brought him back to reality.

"I'm sorry, I was distracted. But what I'm trying to say is, there must be something extraordinary about Asaga that allowed him to enter Class 1-A despite having such low admission test results. I can't help but feel there's more to him than meets the eye."

His secretary agreed to him as the two stepped slowly down the hallway.

“You are right, but I still can’t accept this. No way, my Angel... Ah!”

“Stop that nonsense!”

Sazabu tapped Alice on the head, causing her to stoop down. She rubbed it lightly on the swelling, pouting.

“You are so mean. But still, I will make him leave this academy once and for all!”

Unexpectedly, a figure of a male student materialized before them, making his way in their direction. The Vice President of the Uchire Student Council, Alice, was quick to react, pointing towards the figure and demanding, “Who are you? Show me your teacher's permission slip or I'll have to escort you to the proper authorities.”

As the student got closer, Alice's expression twisted in frustration as she recognized the person she despised the most, Asaga Uchire. He stopped in his tracks and turned at them, his eyes cold and unreadable.

As Asaga approached them, Alice felt a chill run down her spine, freezing her to the spot. His dark energy was palpable and seemed to squeeze the air out of her lungs, making it difficult for her to even utter a word. Sazabu, noticing her discomfort, stepped forward and spoke in a stern voice on behalf of the secretary.

"You, young man, show us your teacher's release permit or make your way back to class posthaste. If you don't comply, I will personally escort you back to where you belong."

Asaga merely gave a nod, his piercing gaze locking onto the two before he slowly turned on his heel and disappeared from view. Alice fell to her knees, gasping for air, feeling as though she had just escaped a dangerous predator. She had never felt so intimidated by anyone before, and the memory of Asaga's dark aura stayed with her, haunting her thoughts.

"Perhaps it would be wise to leave Asaga be for now. You can crush him to bit when the tournament comes. But we seem to be running late for our meeting," Sazabu advised Alice.

Alice let out a sigh of relief when she noticed that they still had five minutes before the meeting began. "Thank goodness! We still have time," she exclaimed.

The two quickly made their way to the conference hall. A shadowy figure standing atop the academy roof, holding two pictures in his hands and examining them closely. The mysterious person appeared to be searching for someone, and the Uchire Student Council president and secretary were his targets.

The figure on the roof pulled out a pre-arranged sniper rifle and positioned himself carefully. He placed the stock near his shoulder, anticipating the recoil, and with a practised hand, loaded a bullet into the chamber. He closed one eye and peered through the scope, his fingers brushing eagerly against the trigger.

"Target acquired. I never expected to find both the Uchire Student Council President and Vice President in one place. After I take them out, my father will have no choice but to show me the respect I deserve. I can hardly wait to see the look on his face." The figure thought to himself with a sinister grin.

As he aimed, the handle of the rifle began to glow with an otherworldly light. Radiant energy swirled around the barrel, magnifying the power of the bullet within. His objective was clear and simple, to bring down two targets with a single shot. With his finger on the trigger, he was just about to pull it, when suddenly...

“You have one message from the Replord Empire!”

You are reading story Soul Warriors at novel35.com

He growled in frustration, his finger hovering over the trigger. But then, a spark of curiosity ignited within him. He hesitated, wondering what could be so important that the Replord Empire would be contacting him now, in the heat of the moment.

"Screw this."

With a frustrated growl, the assassin scanned the area for his quarry but found that they had vanished from sight. In a moment of distraction, he had lost his chance at a clean shot. With a powerful punch, he smashed the roof, leaving a deep crater filled with cracks.

The once fearsome sniper rifle was now reduced to a shimmering gemstone, which he quickly pocketed. Fuming with anger, he retrieved his phone and listened to the previously ignored message from the Replord Empire.

"Report the message!" he growled. The mechanical voice on the other end of the line began to recite the order he had received:

“From General Falreast, a message: ‘My dear girl, as my brother’s daughter, you are privileged, but that does not give you the liberty to act recklessly. Cease the excessive assassinations at once and concentrate on the two targets I assigned to you earlier. Fail to comply, and you shall feel the full extent of my wrath.’”

He let out a string of curses, seething with anger.

“Motherfu- First, the old man. Now, his brother. Lucky for them, I enjoy hanging out with Asaga and Angel, so it’s fine to leave now.” She was still angry about losing two good prey.

She stuck her tongue, put the phone back in her pocket, and looked at the scenery here before quietly leaving.

…

Dark Blood swayed restlessly, drawing the attention of the principal.

"Is everything all right?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yes, yes," replied Dark Blood, attempting to wave off the principal's worries. "I just find it difficult to sit still in one place for extended periods."

The principal raised an eyebrow, "Weren't you just eavesdropping on Sazabu and Alice?"

Dark Blood's expression revealed confusion, "I have no idea whom you're talking about."

John Freak sighed and took it upon himself to provide clarification. "Sazabu and Alice," he explained.

"Allow me to properly introduce you to these students," John spoke as he began to explain. "First, we have Sazabu Mizusune, the revered student council president of Uchire Academy who has held the title for three consecutive years and ranked as one of the top best students. He is known for his serious demeanour, exceptional talent, and strict discipline. In his entrance exams, Sazabu achieved maximum points and caused a stir in the academy. Despite the envy and hatred he garnered from some, I mean a lot, male practitioners, he remains unfazed by their vulgar remarks."

He was the complete opposite of Asaga. Next, Dark Blood needed to know what that Alice was.

“I’m done with Sazabu. Moving on to Alice!”

"Next on the list is Alice Flower, another exceptional student within the academy who, it seems, ranks higher than Angel. She holds two important positions within the student council as both the Vice President and the Secretary. Her entrance exam results left everyone in awe, scoring almost the maximum possible points.”

Dark Blood was taken aback by the strength of these students. It seemed Asaga's desire of becoming the world's strongest Soul Warrior seemed to be a distant one. Despite its internal doubts, a voice of sarcasm emerged from its thoughts.

“Gosh! Get the maximum score on the entrance exam, and hold the top title of the academy... I mean, I’m afraid Asaga’s ability can’t even pass Angel before talking about beating Alice and Sazabu. They are just like a student version of Divine Duo.”

"You mustn't give up hope, my friend. I believe that you and Asaga have far more potential than you realize. After all, just look at what Asaga has already accomplished. He has overcome a traumatic past and become a formidable fighter, able to stand up against even the most notorious tyrant of the Replod Empire. And all this at just the tender age of sixteen! Think about it, how many people in this world can lay claim to such feats?"

John continued, trying to ease Dark Blood's worries.

"It's true, life can be a mix of bitter and sweet experiences. But Asaga's life is a hundred times more challenging. Despite being unable to fully control his powers, he has still managed to... "

However, Angel's soft cooing suddenly cut into their conversation, and John sighed deeply before turning to address Dark Blood once more.

“We will continue this topic in the future. Angel is about to wake up. By the way, remember the plan we both discussed earlier, hurry!” It scrambled into his shadow and stayed there. John sat down on the chair, adjusted his suit, and cleared his throat.

Opening her eyes, Angel saw something like the ceiling.

"Ah, Angel, you're awake!" The principal's voice was filled with relief as he leaned forward in his chair, his hands still pressed together under his chin.

Angel rubbed her temples, feeling the remnants of a headache. "Teacher, what happened? Where's Asaga?" she asked groggily as she struggled to sit up.

"Allow me to ease your worries, my dear Angel. You fainted due to the lingering effects of the Dark Dimension, a place that is not meant for mortals like us. The dark power there can slowly distort and ultimately claim the lives of those who enter. But, thankfully, both you and Asaga managed to escape. Although you did experience some exhaustion, I deemed it best for you to rest here. Rest assured, Asaga has already left and is in good health. I understand that you may still feel uneasy about the monster that nearly attacked you both, but tries not to dwell on it too much. Let's focus on your recovery." The principal spoke with a comforting tone.

She was relieved. However, Angel still felt restless inside, worried about the monster that nearly scratched her while dragging Asaga in.

That was not an ordinary Lizardwar. What kind of pressure was that? Sweat trickled down her face. Angel tried to forget it, but it did not work. It kept tormenting her mind. Angel did not have the heart to tell the principal.

Noticing something was wrong with the female practitioner’s face opposite him, he promptly asked.

 “Are you okay? Your face looks so tense. Probably shocked when came out of Dark Dimension. You and Asaga encountered Lizardwar, right?”

His question stabbed directly into the worry in Angel’s heart, surprising her.

“How did you know?”

“I’m just guessing, who knows that would be true. As you can see, the creature that Asaga and you faced must be one of the Komodo’s generals. Because if it came to Lizardwar, only they could survive in that monstrous place.”

Angel was struck by awe at the thought of the strength of the Replod Empire's generals and the ruler of the Komodo era. Only the Divine Duo had the power to defeat such fearsome creatures. She was grateful that fate had spared her from having to face them.

"You mustn't dwell on these things, my dear. Let's set the record straight: Asaga was pulled into the Dark Dimension during class and still managed to withstand its corrupting power on his own. Can you imagine anyone else doing the same? If you and the Uchire Student Council were to take him on in a straight fight, even with Asaga in an out-of-control state, your chances of victory would be slim."

Angel was in awe of Asaga's power, no longer something that could be considered human.

Meanwhile…

Within the serene halls of the Uchire Student Council office, a sudden loud shout echoed, shattering the peace that had enveloped the room until this moment.

"What?! You want me to pull up the information on that... that... lowlife?" Alice's voice was filled with disbelief and disbelief that someone of importance like Sazabu would be interested in someone like Asaga. Her desk was cluttered with piles of paper and documents, and she turned her head towards Sazabu, who was calmly seated beside her.

"Listen here, Alice," Sazabu replied with a determined tone, as he slammed his hands down on the desk, causing Alice's heart to skip a beat. "I want you to do it now."

Stunned by the sudden outburst, Alice quickly bowed her head in apology and quickly began searching for the information about Asaga.

Despite being highly regarded among the students at the Uchire Academy, Sazabu and Alice were still met with indifference from the principal. Their single-minded pursuit of becoming true Soul Warriors had earned them a reputation as two of the brightest prospects in the academy.

But it seemed that their efforts had yet to garner the recognition they so desperately sought from the academy's most powerful Soul Warriors. They knew that they needed to continue pushing themselves, to make an impact and earn the notice of the higher-ups.

Sazabu stood from his seat, making his way to the window. He gazed out through the glass, taking in the sights of the academy before him. In a voice filled with both determination and anger, he declared:

"You'll never be able to catch up to me in the next three years, Asaga. You've always been trailing behind, unable to see your flaws. Choosing to attend this academy was a mistake on your part, and I will make sure to show you the error of your ways. I'll shatter you and force you to leave here in disgrace."

You can find story with these keywords: Soul Warriors, Read Soul Warriors, Soul Warriors novel, Soul Warriors book, Soul Warriors story, Soul Warriors full, Soul Warriors Latest Chapter