The X Guide Chapter 221: Goal (3)

Chapter 221: Goal (3)

One thing he had confirmed over these years was that the reality was often worse than the expectations. He had experience with espers’ attitudes toward civilians, and now the clan members’ oppressive behavior toward the underprivileged.

This was a world where power reigned supreme.

Khal was just like a speck of dust in that scenario. Hardly someone that was worth mulling over.

He thought things would remain unchanged until he graduated from the academy and officially awakened as an esper, but change happened around two years before graduation when Khal reached 15 years old.

A student from the capital transferred over.

He had a wide grin on his face as he introduced himself; his blonde hair seemed to glitter in the light, and his angelic face sparkled even more.

The moment he set his eyes on him, Khal knew he would be a troublesome guy. And he was right.

"They said you came from a red zone?"

A tone filled with curiosity and intrigue rang in the air, his face almost leaning to Khal’s as though he did not have the concept of space.

Khal was used to this. He only sighed and nodded. He did want to entertain him, but to shut him up, Khal chose to answer.

He expected the other to distance himself immediately after confirming it, or maybe even give a few words of disgust just like the others, but to his surprise, none of that happened.

Instead, the transfer student’s grin widened, eyes glistening in obvious excitement.

Khal was stunned; his blue eyes became fixated on such a handsome face, unable to look away.

"Really? Wow. I’ve always dreamed of visiting a red zone. Once I awaken to be an esper, I want to be dispatched in a red zone!" he fired up words, disregarding Khal’s expression.

"Say, do you always see monsters there? How about dungeons? They said it appeared like crazy even in the middle of the street! Is that true?"

Khal quickly recovered from his astonishment. His expression cooled. Usually, he should have already fallen silent or ignored him to show he did not want to speak with him.

That was all he was doing to survive in a place filled with clan influence. He thought the transfer student was also one, especially as he came from the capital and the clan members seemed to know of him.

Yet, he found himself responding to him. It was probably because of the excitement in his eyes? Khal wanted to dampen that, to pour cold water on that fantasy.

It was not being cruel, but he did not want to continue Green Zone’s pathetic misconception of the red zone.

"It’s dangerous in the red zones, but the city isn’t too different here."

He had already said it before. When he was a kid, he was shouting that red zone cities might not be as grand as green zones, but it was not the sewers they were all making it to be.

They did not eat dirt or monster poop either. Aside from stability and danger, the city was not much different.

"Whatever fantasy you have, it’s all false." Although he wanted to share more, Khal refrained himself. And he sounded more polite than intended as well.

Unless one visited red zones, they could not judge it based on the green zone concept. Of course, no sane person would visit it either.

That much Khal acknowledged.

"Oh," the transfer student lowered his tone.

Khal lowered his gaze, feeling guilty all of a sudden to see that the spark in his eyes had faded slightly.

Then, the transfer student suddenly propped himself up.

"Well, it’s dangerous, right?"

Khal lifted his gaze and met his again, nodding absentmindedly.

The transfer student grinned at that.

"Well, that’s all that matters. Who cares about the city? I’m going there to fight monsters."

Khal still remembered that blooming face, filled with childish innocence but also a spark of wild passion. This must be why this memory was particularly vivid and clear despite the time that passed.

"Devion!" Someone called from the door, causing the transfer student to look there. "Come here!"

The transfer student, Devion, pouted slightly but bid farewell.

"I’ll ask you some details about the red zone soon!" He waved and left, his friend looking at Khal then whispering in Devion’s ears.

Khal hardly cared about what the friend said to him; his eyes only watched Devion’s back.

The transfer student was strange... and then it changed to... Devion was crazy.

Khal’s monotonous life began to change.

The practical and combat training had started last year and would continue until the graduation and the official awakening ceremony.

Knowledge was important, but combat was the crucial part of becoming an esper. This was the moment everyone was waiting for when enrolling in the academy in the first place.

The reason the harassment also stopped recently was because of Khal’s outstanding results in combat. He was an undisputed number one in his grade, even outclassing some of the seniors.

As they grew older, the mana in their bodies became more prominent. At this stage, everyone could be said to have obvious signs of awakening.

Only the ranks were ambiguous.

Khal’s expertise was mana perception and also control, but it was also the same with combat ability.

Devion saw him as a rival. For some reason, it happened like that.

Devion is a battle maniac, always pestering Khal for a spar. However, Khal was busy and did not care about such things. So, whenever they had sparring classes, the other would always choose Khal as his partner.

Between them, Devion was stronger in close combat, but Khal was not far behind. Soon, they dominated the ranks together. The label of a red zone savage remained, but few dared to actually say it in his face.

With how things were going, Khal obviously had a promising future, and awakening as a higher-ranking esper was only a matter of time.

Not only that, Devion spread that in this world, only Khal was his equal, and everyone was inferior. Which obviously garnered the aggro of everyone, and their hatred shifted to Devion.