Chapter 169: Chapter 161 : Introductions (Part 1.1)

Gerard’s gaze finished its roam around the room, having made sure to graze every face in passing. All were silent and awaiting his words. After clearing his throat, he started.

“Welcome to the Hunter Academy, new blood. Welcome…and congratulations. There’s no shortage of talents who wish to enrol here and send their applications…and this year was especially brutal,” Gerard paused as he stole a glance at a certain purple-haired beauty, “so even reaching this place, sitting in the seat you are, is something to take pride in. So once again, congratulations.”

These words were akin to honey. Upon making their way to the students, many had their faces break out into sweet and proud smiles.

Gerard joined his hands together, letting the students savour these fuzzy feelings for a few seconds.

“Introductions are needed,” he continued. “My name is Gerard Hunden, your Basic Psi Combat instructor. I’m not big on formality so you can just call me Gerard. Usually, Sigurd, the Headmaster of this Academy would be addressing you right now but…due to an unexpected happening, he is currently away. As such, you’ve fallen into my lap on this fine day,” Gerard said, flashing a toothy smile.

The floating boxes on either side of the instructor lowered to the ground. Gerard then opened them with his telekinesis to reveal small hardcover books. They were simple yet elegant in design, being dark brown in colour and having golden stitching. On them, ‘Student Guidebook’ was written in bold white letters. Gerard floated these books to the students, giving one to each as he placed them neatly on their desks. While doing this, he shut his eyes and let his voice echo out.

“For the next three years, you’ll be in the Academy’s capable hands, moulded by its various tests and challenges until you become the existences known as Hunters. But what is a Hunter?”

Gerard’s question proved rhetorical as he immediately followed up. “There are as many individual definitions as there are Hunters. Hunters are formidable fighters, of course, but that’s the least relevant aspect of the identity. The official definition is this: a Hunter is one who hunts for peace and prosperity and smites all obstacles that impede this goal. That is all. Whether you become a Wild Hunter or an Association Hunter, all Hunters should embody this concept. Hunters exist to maintain order and strive for prosperity. If your heart lies elsewhere, this place is not for you and you are not welcome here.”

Gerard’s eyes slowly opened. By now, everyone had a book before them. “If your heart is in the right place, take hold of that book before you.”

The students did so, well mostly. While some rushed to prove themselves, others, like the grey-eyed youth, didn’t even spare the book a glance. Gerard saw this but didn’t mind - rather, a sneaky smile crept onto his face which he had to stifle with a fake cough.

After doing so, he continued. “This book is filled with all that you need to know while at the Academy: the rules and regulations, the credit system, the curriculum set up, a map of the Academy, and several other vital pieces of information. While not thick enough to block a bullet, the book will surely allow you to dodge a few in your time here. Everyone is to go over the book’s contents, several times if need be.”

Gerard shut the boxes and took a breath.

“This first week will be used as an adjustment period for you all. Everyone should use this time wisely. Get to know the Academy grounds, the facilities, the rules and regulations, your fellow students…everything, for, by next week, ignorance will have a steep cost,” a sharp glint flashed from Gerard’s eye as he ended his words.

Hearts were shaken by the sight and some students immediately dove into the task of reading. Ralf also did so, though not out of any pressure. He traded words with Ray as they went over the topics.

Gerard showed a look of approval. “Usually, we’d go through the book together, but I’ll just skip that. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask your Personal Advisor about it. If you didn’t know already, each student is assigned one at the Academy. Your first meeting will be later today at the student hotel, Prime, at 5 pm. Don’t be late. Okay, with that out of the way, a word of warning and wisdom…” The middle-aged man's aura sharpened and seriousness overcame his expression.

The students tensed up as they endured his steely gaze which moved across the room like a pendulum.

After several seconds of uncomfortable silence, Gerard spoke up. “Keep this in mind: you are students, nothing more and nothing less,” he said slowly, emphasising each word as his eyes moved over the many faces. “Your previous identity and status, whether down in the dirt or high in the skies, none of it matters now. Now, and from this point onward, you’re equals. The sooner you understand this, the better you’ll find your time here.”

His words garnered various reactions, with some nodding in agreement while others scoffed with disdain.

Gerard smiled regardless and clapped his hands. “Okay, that’s all I wanted to say. Now, I’ve spoken quite a bit. As much as I like the sound of my own voice, I’d like to hear yours now. Let’s begin introductions,” he said, the room livening up in response. Most were eager to have their moment in the spotlight and introduce themselves to their peers.

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Gerard’s lips quirked up at the sight. Relishing in the fervour for a few seconds more, he tapped the podium and continued. “Okay, here’s how we’ll do things. Everyone will come up here and do an introduction. There’s no need to give your whole life story. A name, your Psi class, why you decided to enrol, and whatever you believe is worth mentioning will do. Since there are many people to go through, keep your introduction short and sweet, and try not to go over the three-minute mark if you can.”

The middle-aged man moved to the doorway with his now-empty boxes and perched himself against the wall. “Okay,” he clapped again, then shifted his gaze leftward. “We’ll go left to right. Miss in the lovely red hat, please step up and introduce yourself to the world.”

The female in question gulped hard at the request. She was naturally shy so the influx of attention caused her to turtle up and redden. Most found her actions quite adorable, especially one Mimic.

She exited her shell a few seconds later, prompted by a tap from her neighbour, who looked to be her friend. Moving with a shaky posture, she made it to the podium, eventually. Once there, she kept her eyes down and ran through her introduction as quickly as her trembling lips could manage.

“Um ah, my name is E-Emma Quanzil. I’m from Roroga and I’m a Rank 4 Telekinetic…”

One by one, the students introduced themselves to Gerard and their peers. Most kept their introductions short, stating the very basics, while some chose to put on a performance. The grey-eyed youth fell into the former group, simply stating: “I am Anton Valois, second prince of Yeador and a Combat Telepath. I’ve come to learn and conquer…that is all.”

Ralf wasn’t too surprised by the revelation. He could tell that the other was a big cheese, status-wise, so the grey-eyed youth being a royal to one of the Central Region’s top three strongest nations made perfect sense.

Another who fell into this category was Illuya Taneya, whose jingles did most of her talking.

Just as advertised by her extensive jewellery, she too held a prestigious identity. She was the heiress to the Taneya Tribe, a tribe that was once part of the Forty-Nine Tribes of Ifjuk. Having stood the test of time for more than two millennia, her faction was one of the Western Region’s five giants.

Interestingly, she wasn’t as confident as her status or dress sense made one think she would be. She was a shy and timid soul, not too different from Emma. She was jittery throughout the introduction, which only worsened her jingles.

About the irritable young man who accompanied her, his name was Vorusu Emni. From his introduction, Ralf learned that he was from a lesser tribe, whose sole purpose was to protect the Taneya Tribe members and that he was assigned to Illuya’s side from birth. Another thing Ralf learned was how confused the young man was over his feelings for his mistress. It was quite amusing hearing him ramble on for nearly a minute about how great she was while watching her face redden from embarrassment.

Amusing introductions were aplenty. Though, none could top the Noblest Noble, who Ralf came to learn was called Leonard Reeves. The young man didn’t just head to the podium but leapt to it while maintaining a glorious pose. There, he dove into a spirited three-minute-long backstory about himself and his family name and even drew out his sword again. Ralf…and Ray had a blast listening to him go off.

Several other high nobles had already introduced themselves before that point, but that didn’t stop Leonard from boasting as though he and his lineage were in a league of their own.

Eventually, he was shooed to his seat and his neighbour had a turn. Long pale blonde hair, pale skin and equally pale blue eyes; Elena Edmons wore black combat gloves, camo military pants and a black sports bra.

Muscles adorned her compact form and an always-ready light swirled in her eyes. She radiated a quiet strength and when she spoke, that feeling carried through. Helping this feeling along was her Rank 6 Telekinetic aura which coated her figure as a blue membrane. She was one of two Rank 6s among the students, Anton Valois being the other one.

From her brisk introduction, Ralf learned her name and that she came from Luxen, the Radiant Church-run theocracy. Her reason for enrolling had been written on her face the entire time, but she voiced it for the illiterate. Simply put, she wanted to push herself and grow stronger.

Following her introduction, many put her on their watchlist, Ralf and Ray included.

The introductions continued. Every now and then, Gerard would add a comment or ask a question to keep the students engaged. Still, attention waned as the minutes went by. However, when the last six introductions were left, the collective attention spiked back up.

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