Days went by quickly.
Oliver robotically moved through life, going to the city perimeter daily to 'experience the battlefield' as they called it. Throughout this time, he silently helped the military butcher mana beast carcasses and even clean up some areas.
The only fun he had was seeing the mechs charging into battle from the sidelines. But that didn't last for long, either.
This time, the beast horde was not that large. There were far too few high-ranked mana beasts for the mechs to actively participate in the battle. After two or three days, the giant 20 to 30 meter tall battle machines were brought back into their silos.
The following weeks were consumed by menial and undesirable tasks. Students were assigned to scrub bloodstains from the city walls and incinerate rotting carcasses. It was, in short, a grueling period.
Oliver did everything that was asked of him because it was his chance to store up on blood and improve the size of his blood sac.
A few more weeks soon went by, and it was time for Oliver to complete his mandatory military service.
"You have completed your mandatory military service." The headmaster stood on a podium and said.
The students were lined up in front of him.
"You are all eighteen years old, possessing superhuman abilities. The purpose of your enrollment in this military academy, under the prerequisite of military service, was to learn the ethical and responsible application of your powers. Today, you have achieved that. I hope you will carry the lessons learned here and become exemplary citizens of the Federation." The headmaster spoke softly.
Thunder Emperor, a man who rarely found himself overcome with emotion. He seldom shows his gentle side while interacting with others. But today, he spoke from his heart.
He belonged to a generation devoid of military academies or codified laws. The Federation, as it existed now, was yet to be formed. The sudden emergence of portals and mana beasts plunged the world's powers into chaos in a desperate struggle for survival.
In that chaos grew heroes that propped up the world on their shoulders. Only by doing so did they achieve the current peace. He wished this generation would follow in their footsteps.
He continued to talk about history, then switched to the present time and painted a grandiose picture about the future of humanity, all while sprinkling in some propaganda.
Oliver stood in an inconspicuous corner, listening with a smirk.
He agreed with half of what he heard. Even the propaganda was bearable, but the grandiose future.
*Scoff*
He couldn't stop himself from letting out a mocking smile.
The future he knew and the future the headmaster was talking about were vastly different.
'If this old man had lived to see what he had seen, how would he react?' He thought.
"And finally, do not forget the responsibility you have as a citizen of the federation. The future of humanity is bright, I wish that all of you would recognise that and walk forward." By saying that, the headmaster ended his long speech.
"As bright as a spark you get by rubbing two rocks," Oliver muttered.
"Hm, did you say anything?" Suddenly, Achara, who was standing nearby, asked.
'Anyway, why are you here?' Oliver asked in his mind, disgruntled. However, he didn't show any emotions outwardly.
Some time ago, Achara had silently come near him.
"Oh, nothing," Oliver replied.
"The headmaster wants to meet you before you leave."
"Why?"
"..."
"Well, it's not like I have a choice."
"..." Achara nodded.
'Well, I didn't want you to nod. I was speaking to myself.' Oliver said in his mind and followed Achara.
Oliver had already packed his belongings, which consisted of a notebook, his uniform, and a few mana beast bone shards he took as a souvenir. His phone was still on the earth base, so it would only be given once he left the planet.
So, he strode off to the headmaster's office while carrying his backpack.
—
The headmaster's office looked as bleak as ever.
Everything inside, the papers, furnitures, was arranged perfectly giving of a neat and clean vibe. But somehow, it looked lifeless and melancholic.
The old man was sitting on the chair, wearing his reading glasses and casually flipping through documents.
For once, he really looked like a headmaster.
When he noticed Oliver and Achara entering the room, he carefully put down the documents and lifted his chin to gaze at them, and spoke.
"Oliver, you are here."
"Yes."
"Did you look at the report card and certificate?"
"Yes."
"Do you have something to say?"
"No, an overall C grade for someone who didn't attend half the classes and showed the least interest in practical work seems good enough," Oliver replied nonchalantly.
During the military service, they were graded based on what they learned and the work they did. Oliver topped the extracurricular activities, for example, mana beast butchering, but in everything else, he was given a low grade.
Well, that was to be expected.
He had forgotten what was taught during his stay his military school in his past life. So, he couldn't perform that well in the test they conducted a few days ago.
The only reason he passed was due to the grade for extracurricular activities.
Still, he was satisfied.
The grade didn't matter in the long run at all.
With a passing grade of C, he could join both the Hunter Association and the Hero Union. The treatment of the individuals was dependent on their ability, rank, and family status. It did not correlate with the grade.
"I thought you would say that."
"Hm. Why did you call me today?"
"I wanted to inform you that the demons are being dealt with, and you don't have anything to worry about."
"Is that it?" Oliver asked.
"No." The headmaster replied and paused. "What I am about to tell you is confidential. Do you agree to hear it and never speak about it?"
Oliver glanced over at Achara, who standing nearby. She was also wearing a serious expression.
'Anyway, let's hear it.'
"Okay." Oliver agreed to their demands.
"We are forming a specialized team to eliminate demons who have infiltrated key governmental positions. I'd like to invite you to join this team. The operation will be hazardous, and I cannot guarantee your safety." The headmaster paused, his gaze settling on Achara.
Achara lowered her eyes, a wave of shame washing over her.
During the previous mission, she had failed to protect Oliver, a task explicitly assigned to her. This time, the headmaster made no assurances of safety.
"Nope."
"I reject the offer."
"Goodbye." Before the headmaster could speak more, Oliver immediately rejected the offer.
There was not even a tinge of hesitation in his voice.
"Why?" The headmaster asked.
He thought Oliver would immediately agree to his demands. After all, he was seemingly interested in killing demons.
"Because I don't want to."
"Your identities will be strictly confidential. This is an undercover assignment. You are tasked solely with confirming if the targets are demons."
"No thanks. I am too young and handsome to die."
"..."
"Goodbye. And thanks for giving me an autograph. I hope we can see each other again soon." Oliver said and slowly inched towards the door.
Seeing that they were not stopping him, he left the room and walked towards the permanent gate. It was time to leave the second. It was time to go home.
–
Meanwhile, the headmaster and Achara looked at each other in confusion.
"We can't force him. Maybe another day." The headmaster said and went to his work.