With the Vytal Festival just days away, I've been focusing all my free time on preparing food to bring to Levi's house. It was the least I could do for her after our st hangout got ruined by a certain cat girl.

  The pn is simple: today, I'll catch as much fish as possible and buy some vegetables. Then, tomorrow I'll spend the day cooking and mixing all the ingredients. By the day of the Vytal Tournament, everything will be ready to go to her home with a rge banquet. Surprisingly, I still don't know what to call her favorite dish I'm cooking. Levi just calls it fish rolls, while Bke refers to it as Mistralian food.

  This schedule wouldn't have been possible if Bke hadn't left Menagerie for an urgent mission for the White Fang. She seemed worried, but didn't want to eborate. I suggested continuing my training with the other instructors, but she shot down the idea almost immediately.

  Instead, I'm enjoying a mini vacation at my fishing spot, with a basket full of fish. It seems like fate led me to fishing, and who am I to question that?

  I let out a yawn as I check my haul. There's more than enough to feed an entire family, so I can cross that off my mental checklist of things to do.

  My attention shifts towards the pstic bucket filled with sea crabs. It's not like I can pick and choose what I fish from the ocean, but they're still a pleasant bonus. I can sell them at the market for some extra pocket change. The old man there will surely be happy with them. I could cook them, but I'm not in the mood for crustacean meat.

  I quickly cover my mouth with my hand as another yawn threatens to escape, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling into my bones. The other hand rubs my eyes, trying to stave off the overwhelming sleepiness that has taken hold of me. My eyelids droop, heavy and leaden, and my mind wanders, lost in a sea of drowsiness. It's clear that I need a break, a moment to rest and recharge before I can continue with my pns.

  I take a seat on a rock and watch the waves crash against the shore. My mind wanders as I recall yesterday's events and the sudden influx of memories. When I got home, I wrote everything I could understand with little thought.

  Unfortunately, that wasn't much. I only managed to write a short fairytale story about a girl going through a magical nd and meeting quirky new friends. Together, they have a mission to stop the Wicked Witch of the West.

  A very simple story to tell your kids before sleeping.

  Yet there were many more broken words strung together.

  'Eternal… Odd job… shoulders… won… EVERYTHING… it.'

  They have a meaning; I know so.

  Why did that strange looking crystal suddenly give me those visions or memories?

  That I don't know.

  As I pondered my doubts, it seemed like there should be more to the story. A lifelong quest sounded like a lot of work, and the temptation of a nap was almost too strong to resist.

  But right on cue with my thoughts, I almost dozed off on my rocky seat, only to jolt awake again, making me frown.

  It wasn't normal for someone of my age to be so sleepy so early in the day. I had eaten no heavy or dense food, nor had I taken any medication, and I had been yawning incessantly since I arrived at my fishing spot. It was rather strange, considering that I slept early the night before and woke up at a reasonable hour. I wasn't usually the kind of person to tire easily, and the world's standards couldn't measure my stamina.

  As I pondered this strange turn of events, a sense of unease crept over me. It was only logical to assume that something must be wrong with me.

  But what?

  'Status'

  Ma'iq RakhanRace – Feline FaunusAge 17Css: The pugilistLevel – 4 (33%)Mentor – Bke BeldonnaApprentice – NoneHP – 410 [45 regen per minute]MP – 1650 [350 regen per minute]SP – 969/1850 [200 regen per minute]STR – 26END – 33DEX – 30INT – 27WIS – 24CHA – 25LCK – 10

  My heart practically jumps to my throat, almost choking me at the sudden disappearance of half of my stamina. Something or someone has been zapping away at my stamina all this time, and I have been clueless about it.

  Is it a sembnce, gas, or have they drugged me without my knowledge?

  I frantically check my surroundings, my eyes darting in every direction, trying to spot anything or anyone. In all the time I spent here, I have seen no one or anything get close to me. It's just me with my fishing tools at the seawall.

  A new wave of drowsiness assaults my body, sending me into a panic, as whatever is attacking me now knows that I'm aware of it.

  Yet, I still have found no trace of my attacker anywhere in my vicinity!

  In my hopeless situation, I decide to flee the scene.

  Immediately, I drop everything at hand and make a run for it, not caring about my destination as long as there are people nearby who can help me. I want to scream, but just like in those nightmares, my voice produces no sound.

  Then, to my horror, I feel my feet slowing down, my sprint turning into long faltering steps, while an enormous weight sets upon my shoulders, and my eyelids struggle to remain open.

  I can see the streets and the road full of people, but they are still at a considerable distance, and I know I won't make it to them. My legs finally give out, and I drop to the ground, forcing my trembling arms to continue the race by any means necessary. My hands grasp onto the rough surface of the ground, and I slowly drag my body towards the safety of the city. But if my legs couldn't stand against the invisible force, my arms fight in vain.

  I extend my right arm hopelessly, trying to reach for more ground, mentally calling out for help to anyone and nobody comes. The embers of my strength are finally gone. I y on the ground, grasping at anything to keep myself awake, my brain screaming orders to my body, but my body failing to comply.If I close my eyes, it's game over.

  This isn't how my story was supposed to end. I shouldn't have gone fishing.

  But I'm too tired to regret it.

  Too tired…

  -???-After watching her target colpse from exhaustion, she left her hiding pce and let her skin recede back to its original color.

  Slowly approaching the unconscious faunus, she lightly kicked his body to confirm his state and, after getting no response, closed the lid of the barely audible music box in her hand. She still wondered how Ats scientists could develop such a fearsome tool. The only intel they had on the instrument box was that it could imitate the powers of a strange grimm by pying a specific series of notes at a particur frequency.

  If it wasn't for her headset, it would have affected her as well. After a quick check of her surroundings and find the coast clear, she promptly pressed the talk button on the right side. "It's done."

  "Did he resist or discover your presence?" Lady Khan's voice crackled in her ear.

  "He discovered that something was happening to him, but not what or who was causing it," she answered quickly.

  "Good. Continue with the pn. The supply ship is ready to set sail, so hurry up."

  "As you wish, Lady Khan." With no time to waste, she quickly strapped a tempered face mask around his mouth and nose to keep him unconscious before picking him up and dragging him away from the beach.

  She still didn't know the reasons for so much effort or pns for this specific faunus, but she wouldn't question Lady Khan's orders because that's what good soldiers do: follow orders.

  -Ma'iq Rakhan, Unknown time ter-

  "Wake up. Wake up!"

  A person's voice was so damn loud it felt like they were shouting in my face. I struggled to open my eyes, but my vision was all messed up, with a bunch of crap blocking it.

  [Congratutions on finishing the tutorial!][Inventory is now unlocked!][A scroll has been added to your inventory.][50000 lien have been added to your inventory.]?Since I don't have time to actually read them, I only give them a quick gnce before dismissing them as I rub my eyes to help myself wake up faster.

  "Finally awake? Good, get the fuck out then. This is my spot." A raspy voice demands, causing me to scrunch up my face, looking for the source.

  My gaze nds on a badly dressed human, baggy clothes filled with holes and colorful patches, but his long messy bck hair stands out the most as it covers most of his head and face, connecting with an equally messy beard. The little area of his face that isn't hidden by his neglected long hair is covered with soot and dirt.

  "You aren't retarded, are you? I'm only being nice because those guys messed you up pretty good. But I want my spot back." The hobo says with a note of irritation.

  I look away for a moment and notice a rusty metal dumpster right beside me. As I wake up further, I become more aware of the putrid stench emanating from the container, which burns my nostrils and makes my stomach churn.

  "Fine, fine, no need to be an ass." I mutter as I stand up and move away from the garbage dumpster. I look around and realize that instead of the lush green jungle I'm used to, I'm surrounded by a jungle of ill-maintained asphalt and bricks. "Where am I?" I ask.

  "The slums. What other pce looks like this shit?" the hairy guy replies, settling back into the spot where I first woke up and using his long, unkempt hair as a cushion for his head.

  I frown as I take another look at my bleak surroundings. "The slums?" I repeat, trying to process where I am.

  "Ghetto, shithole, hellhole, the hood, take your poison."

  I press on. "Do you remember the people who left me here?"

  He shrugs. "Besides being animals like you? Not a thing."

  I take another look around, trying to absorb as much information as possible. The buildings tower over me, blocking out the sky in every direction. The walls are poorly maintained, and the ground is littered with sinkholes and garbage.

  The street where I'm standing has two exits: one to the right that leads down a set of stairs, and another to the left that connects to another alley.

  I consider the likely pces they could have abandoned me. Mistral and Vacuo are out since Mistral is simir to Kuo Kuana and Vacuo is a dry desert. Ats is also unlikely, given its location high in the sky.

  That leaves Mantle and Vale as the only options.

  "This is Vale City, isn't it?" I ask, dismissing the possibility of Mantle. It's supposed to be a hub of technology and progress, second only to Ats. They'd fill the skies with drones and airships, which isn't the case here.

  The human slowly turns his head and looks at me incredulously. "They really must have fucked up your head if you're asking something that obvious," he says.

  I bite my tongue to hold back any insults and take a deep breath. "Just tell me where the exit of this pce is," I say.

  It's only logical for a beggar to know how to move through the city, after all.

  "HA! Good luck, if the police don't catch you and kick your sorry ass back here."

  "Kill yourself." I snap, no longer holding back my tongue.

  He fshes a sardonic smile instead of biting back. "I already tried. Death is for the rich,"

  I click my tongue in annoyance. There is no point in arguing with a low life in my current situation. I should think rationally and think of a solution instead of barking with that cynical bastard.

  As I look through my pockets and belt, I quickly realize how empty they are. My weapon is gone, but more importantly, my wallet is missing. The wallet I worked so hard to buy, where I saved at least seven thousand lien, sending me back to square one.

  A very dread sense of déjà vu.

  Alone and penniless in Vale, I know all too well that people despise those who are broke. I am the unfortunate soul who has become such a person again.

  I continue to dig into my pockets, hoping to find something that could help me out of this mess. To my surprise, my left pocket contains something. With eager anticipation, I remove the item, only to find a crumpled piece of paper.

  I was tempted to discard it initially, but then I realized that it might be my only lead. After taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down, I carefully unfold the paper to read its contents.

  'You might have the strength but are still too na?ve of the world's grim reality and Beldonna didn't help you in that regard. Instead, kept you inside that bubble of ignorance. Find your way back to us and you will be fully accepted into our ranks.'

  "FUCKING BASTARDS!"

  The White Fang literally kidnapped me to leave me to rot in a different kingdom, just to prove a point. Without a second thought, I tear at the paper with all my strength, my fingers ripping through it as though it were made of tissue paper.

  I don't personally know Sienna besides what Bke told me about her, but now I fucking hate her. How could she do this? She could have just spoken to me. The audacity, the sheer arrogance she exudes in believing I will be thankful, that I will take her stupid test as a pilgrimage to the truth and reach illumination?

  When I get out of this mess, I'll punch her in the throat. That's my promise.

  Does Bke even know about this?

  And Levi…

  Shit, they must be worried sick.

  But I have no idea how to send back a message to any of them, and even if I could, I don't know their scroll numbers. So that door is pretty much closed until further notice. Unless I find members of the White Fang and ask for their help, but that bitch of Sienna must have notified them of my situation or something.

  I just don't know.

  Naturally, my gaze goes down with my mood, and I find a nasty surprise. All my clothes look as if I swam in mud. At least it doesn't smell bad, but hardly a good thing since I look hideous wearing them, "Where I can buy new clothes, I look as shit as you."

  "Over there." He points to the right side with his thumb.

  I look hopefully only to see the same broken dirt alley.

  "There is nothing there but muddy ground."

  "Of course. What did you expect from me?"

  "Fuck you." I spat at him, turning around and leaving toward the stairs, mindful of the holes in the ground so I do not fall in one of them.

  Reaching the stairs, I quickly notice how deep they go. Losing your footing on them can result in quite the nasty injury but thankfully it has a wooden railing, though it had seen better days. It gives the impression that it will fall off if you put a lot of stress on them.

  Since it's quite a walk, I use the time to check the narrow passage. The walls stand out the most, as they are an amalgamation of blocks put on top of each other. One area is made of brick and next to it is cement, stones, and reinforced concrete. The only thing they share is the cracks forming all over the surface and illegible graffiti.

  Except for an obviously painted dick.

  Someone has vandalized it to oblivion, which doesn't surprise me since the pce is isoted. I doubt it's empty just because I happened to arrive.

  After reaching the end, I'm greeted by a new, more spacious street. Yet, the architecture and brutish vibe remain the same, with the exception that groups of people are loitering around. None are well dressed, but not as bad as the homeless guy I first met.

  However, my arrival is quickly noticed by everyone in the vicinity as they all turn together to stare at me with ugly looks before losing interest and returning to their idle chatter. Half of the groups are faunus like me.

  Even if they opt to ignore me, I know it's better to leave the pce as soon as possible. Staying longer than necessary is asking for problems. But that gives me an additional problem: where to go?

  I don't have a map and there are many connections to the streets leading to who knows where, at least where I first woke up. The choice was a simple left or right.

  I check the area one more time before crossing the street and going through an alley on the right side. Unlike the first area, there are doors and windows behind metal bars. But they are finally there, which tells me I am in a residential area. Not like it would help me much, but it gives me a reference to work with.

  Though metal bars show the ck of security, and the gangs I have seen recently are proof enough of how unsafe this pce can get.

  Probably because I am dirty from head to toe and my clothes are ruined, they ignored me. What can they steal from someone who cannot even afford a decent shirt?

  I am a bit mixed in that regard, gd for avoiding a potential problem but angry for such a low opinion of me. And I really want to find new clothes. I don't care if they are secondhand.

  I need anything to remove that shabby appearance from my person. And I easily commit one of the first mistakes when walking through unsavory pces: never ignore your surroundings.

  Without warning, the sound of a reinforced door smming open startles me, and before I can react, it sms into me with great force. The suddenness of the event catches me completely off guard, throwing me off bance and sending me tumbling to the ground. The impact is jarring, and I feel a sharp, shooting pain in my nose, causing me to clutch my face.

  Thank the gods for aura; without it, I would undoubtedly have a broken, bleeding nose by now.

  The pain still sucks, though.

  Not soon after the door sms into me, I hear footsteps approaching from all directions. Within seconds, multiple people emerge from the building and surround me, effectively trapping me in the cramped alleyway.

  With a quick gnce, I take in the hostile group's matching outfits: bck hoodies embzoned with a simple skull logo on the chest, and a pair of jeans. The tallest of the group, a towering figure with a shaved head, slowly approaches me. In his hand, he twirls a metal stick with a pyful yet menacing air, making his intentions all too clear.

  The thug swings his weapon at my head, but I quickly raise my right arm to block it, grunting in pain as the metal collides. In the same motion, my left hand reaches out and wraps around the metal stick, preventing him from pulling it away.

  Realizing his mistake, he attempts to stomp on me, but I use his momentum against him and pull his weapon away with all my weight, causing him to stumble forward.

  Drawing from my training with Bke, I do not hesitate and quickly sweep his legs out from under him, causing him to release his grip on the blunt weapon as he struggles to catch himself from falling.

  With an opening in his pathetic defenses, I quickly push myself off the ground and another deliver a swift kick to his face, sending him reeling in pain as his nose audibly crunches under the impact.

  "Fuck!" he yells, clutching his bleeding nose. He then points at me with murderous anger. "Don't stand there like idiots, do something!"

  With those words spoken, the rest of the little gang snap out of their stupor at seeing their leader swiftly beaten and exchange gnces, demonstrating their doubt to attack me.

  I don't know why they suddenly attacked me, but I refuse to stay down and take a beating. At least now, I have a metal rod in my possession. I may not use it effectively thanks to those weirds restrictions, but a weapon is a weapon nonetheless.

  Despite this, I am still surrounded from all directions. However, I notice that there is an opening above me.

  A lot of windows and metal grids hanging.

  A pn quickly forms in my mind, and I leap towards the wall, using its surface to propel myself forward and nd a spinning kick on one of the baffled cronies' neck. He drops to the ground, clutching his neck in pain as I turn my attention to the others.

  "He has aura!" one of them screams out loud, and the revetion completely shatters their will to fight. They scatter in all directions, running away from me as fast as they can. Even the leader turns tail and tries to escape towards the building, but I am not about to let him get away. I charge forward, grabbing him by the colr of his hoodie before he can reach the door.

  However, he manages to push forward and tears his clothes in the process, desperately trying to get away from me and sm the door shut behind him.

  Only the thug who I struck remains in the scene, whimpering like a dog. I didn't even need the stick to defend myself; just a fshy kick, and they scattered like rats.

  It's a relief that none of them had their aura unlocked, or I would have been in deep trouble. Civilians simply can't hope to match those with aura, and these guys were smart enough to realize their hopeless situation.

  I look at the metal rod in my hand and find nothing special about it, but I can use it to intimidate others.

  Gncing again at the whimpering guy, I take note of his retively clean clothes compared to my own.

  "Give me your clothes," I demand.

  "W-What?" he stutters, gasping for air.

  "I need clothes. Yours will do for now," I state before hitting him on the head with the metal rod.

  To my annoyance, he only cries out in pain instead of falling unconscious. I curse internally for my mistake, but quickly reach for a pressure point on his shoulder, hoping to knock him out.

  However, even this fails to render him unconscious.

  Instead I only got a crying idiot.

  I facepalm, "Goddammit…"

  At this point, I give up. I realize that I'm just torturing the poor guy instead of doing him a favor. I'm sure people are hearing us, but they're too afraid or indifferent to do anything. If I continue, it will attract more attention and get me into more trouble than it's worth.

  With no time to waste, I grab the hoodie by the shoulders and forcefully pull it off. The guy doesn't resist out of fear of what I might do next. I consider taking his jeans as well, but with him still awake and bawling, it would be too awkward. So I settle for just the hoodie.

  I quickly put on the stolen hoodie, feeling its oversized fabric hang off my body. It smells like cigarettes and sweat, but it's better than nothing.

  With my goal partially achieved, I walk away from the scene with quick steps, being mindful of my surroundings to avoid another door smming into my face. Despite my hesitation to carry the blunt weapon with me, I don't want to throw it away just yet.

  But as if in tune with my thoughts, the metal rod disappears from my grip, as if it never existed in the first pce. My breath hitches as I check everywhere around me to make sure it didn't just fall by accident, but it's nowhere to be found.

  It's as if magic took it away.

  I stop my search and take a moment to think. It shouldn't surprise me that the metal rod disappeared. I quickly recall a system notification I received when I first woke up, but I quickly dismissed it since that idiot was being a nuisance. The notification mentioned inventory, a scroll, and something else. Maybe it works like the status window?

  Every gamer has an inventory, which is some sort of dimensional pocket space to store unlimited items. So, by deduction, the mere thought of storing away my weapon has taken it to my inventory.

  There's no harm in trying it out.

  'Inventory?'

  A bluish window appears in front of my eyes in a fsh, but not the big text with numbers; it's a very small paragraph.

  [Ma'iq's Inventory]Scroll (Soul Bound)50000 lienMetal club

  It is a genuine surprise to see a new window that isn't my status or a level increase after all these months, but it is a very welcome surprise that comes with many doubts.

  I do remember the earlier message mentioning something about tutorial completion, so the other two items listed in the inventory are my rewards for finishing it. Thinking about it with more depth, my time in Menagerie was pleasant, and one could even call it joyful. Everyone was willing to give me a helping hand as a starter, and I learned many things about my system. So, it would be correct to call it a tutorial of sorts, but I didn't voluntarily complete it.

  Would it have been considered completed if I left the unrecognized kingdom willingly?

  The first item on my list is a scroll, which is fantastic, as it was my goal to obtain one. However, the parenthesis next to it creates more doubt. What exactly does "soul bound" mean?

  As for the second item, it's money, fifty thousand lien to be exact. More lien than I've ever seen in my life. Losing my wallet with all my savings is no longer a bitter memory, but it still sucks because I worked very hard for it. Nevertheless, I am no longer a beggar, although I'm still dressed like one.

  That money is my ticket out of this hellhole. All I need to do is find the exit and some better clothes before I can settle down in a more respectable pce.

  And the third and final item is the weapon that disappeared on me moments ago by a mere thought. Meaning that in theory, thinking it back should do the trick.

  And surprise, surprise.

  The metal stick materializes in my hand.

  I hit the wall with it a couple of times, causing loud echoes through the narrow passage to test for any possible change before sending it back into my inventory after watching it perform normally.

  Then I summon the soul bound scroll.

  A small white handheld device appears in my hand with a rather wide screen, which looks completely different from Levi's scroll. Hers was more compact in design. I check the back of my new device and find a strange geometric logo - a painted triangle inside a circle with a smaller circle inside the triangle. It seems odd, but I decide not to dwell on the details too much. It could just be a peculiar design; after all, the device appeared out of nowhere.

  I press the power button and watch the screen load quickly, dispying the same logo from the back of the device. This realization causes me to frown; now I know it is not just a random design but a brand logo.

  With the booting complete, I don't waste time and check the date and time at the top right corner. The clock marking 3:21 PM.

  I choke on my own saliva when I see the date marked September Twelve.

  Five whole days I was unconscious before I woke up in this shithole.

  Almost a week unconscious and of my disappearance.

  I had to put my shock aside so I could focus again. While it is shocking to see how much time passed, I cannot let it get me. As there are more important matters to attend to, like finding a pce to sleep.

  And I don't feel hungry or thirsty, somehow.

  Did those assholes force feed me or something?

  I shake my head to dismiss those thoughts, then tap the network icon to open a search bar, which automatically brings up a digital keyboard on the screen.

  My first search is for a map of Vale City. Even if it can't track my location, I can still work with it. I'm sure that following a general direction will be enough to exit this downrotten byrinth.

  To my pleasant surprise, the search results are successful and convenient. The first result is a detailed map of the residential area, which I'm certain is my current location.

  I expand the image and find that there's a small area designated as a "young district," a rather respectful way to refer to a ghetto. This young district borders a river close to the industrial area, so if I can find the river, I only need to follow it downstream to reach the bridge and enter the Industrial District which has many ndmarks to use as a guide.

  It will be quite a walk, but it's doable.

  Now I just need to find the river.

  -Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon-

  "What's the reason for this sudden call? It's outside of our weekly scheduled meeting, my friend." The headmaster of Beacon Academy looked calmly at the screen as he pced his coffee mug aside during the video call.

  "You know why," growled the general.

  "Please tell me, because I'm still in the dark about what you're trying to convey here."

  "Enough games, Ozpin. Did you or did you not leak the war hound location?" James Ironwood snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

  "I never approved the purchase of such a war machine, James. Why would I know anything about it?" He wouldn't betray Ironwood's trust, even with all his faults. However, it pained him that James actually believed he had something to do with such an unfortunate event.

  "That doesn't change the fact that those damn terrorists got their hands on it. I am no longer asking you, but telling you that we will send a recovery team and root them out, even if that means searching and turning every stone in Vale."

  "Your forces' presence in Vale would be… problematic, to say the least. You should put more faith in our police forces to handle these issues." No matter how noble the intentions were, people would assume the worst and reach wrong conclusions if soldiers started walking on the streets, and Ats always had a bad reputation with Vale's citizens.

  "Just like they protected it?"

  He frowned at the hostile remark. "There have been no casualties, just a couple of bruises. I understand your concern, James, but we cannot allow people to grow restless. Your forces will do just that and py right into her hands."

  The mere mention of the biggest enemy of mankind quickly calmed down the general. But only momentarily, as he narrowed his eyes and stared directly at Ozpin.

  "And we cannot allow Ats' enemies to use our technology against us! That warehouse also had our manufactured weapons and vast quantities of dust!"

  "That's... concerning." The reports didn't mention any of that. Ozpin will have to look further into it and check who gave him such cking news. "I can allow a maximum of two airships to patrol Vale's outskirts. And a small team can operate undercover inside my city."

  He needed to bance both sides, so it was the best solution he could come up with at the moment.

  Ironwood wanted to protest; he had the face to speak his mind and try to convince him for more leeway. But instead, his features softened, and he let out a tired sigh. "... Fine."

  Soon after, he ended the call.

  Ozpin leaned back in his chair, holding his forehead with a hand, preparing himself for the oncoming headache. The council hadn't called for him yet, but he knew the first topic of discussion would be the hijacking, and they would try to pin the bme on him for the sole reason of his ck of approval of the purchase.

  He knew how stupid it sounded, and everyone else could tell how stupid it sounded. But that's how politics worked, and he could only face it with a poker face.

  And he needed to talk with the head of the police force to increase the number of patrols. The White Fang would surely use their new weapon soon, and he would rather be prepared than caught with his pants down.

  But that was work for ter as a council member. Right now, he needed to focus on his job as the headmaster of Beacon Academy. Thank the gods for Glynda's unmatched administrative skills and the systems she had implemented to make paperwork easier to digest. This left him with only the task of passing or rejecting applications. With the approaching end of the year, the academy paperwork had increased tenfold due to the sudden influx of applications, just like every year.

  He grabbed the first page from the small pile and started reading the profile of a potential student. However, the hairstyle and face of the girl in the picture looked eerily simir to a specific woman he knew quite well.

  "Yang Xiao Long? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while."