“I want into the Spirit Wielding Class!”
John’s expression was firm as he spoke plainly. “I’ll give up both the reward for killing the ghost and the one for the assessment—all for this.”
“Spirit Wielding Class?”
Ron blinked, clearly caught off guard. It was an unexpected request, to say the least.
After all, dozens of students had dropped out of the class just a while back. And this kid was willing to forgo all rewards just to get in?
“But you’re just a regular human…”
He hesitated, his tone laced with misgiving. Truth be told, he thought highly of John—
but the core problem remained: the boy was a normal person, a world apart from the Spirit Wielders in the class.
“I walk the talk, and I can kill ghosts too!”
John’s voice was calm, unshakable. “And right now, which Spirit Wielding student can stand against me? Shouldn’t we value strength above everything else?”
Ron was a Grade 1 Spirit Wielder; John knew he’d likely lose to him. But those Spirit Wielding students? He could beat them within an inch of their lives without breaking a sweat.
“You’ve got a point there…”
Ron sighed, his brow furrowed. “But the thing is, a regular human’s potential is just… limited.”
“Instructor Ron, please put in a word for me with the higher-ups.” John’s expression turned solemn, a glimmer of feigned tears in his eyes as he leaned in earnestly. “I just want to do my part for this chaotic world!
Don’t let my pure, earnest heart down.”
“…”
Ron’s eye twitched violently.
The words were noble, righteous even—but coming out of this kid’s mouth, they sounded utterly absurd.
“You’re not plotting anything under the table, are you?”
“C’mon, what kind of plot could this possibly be?”
“I guess you’re right.”
Ron studied John up and down, his gut telling him the boy was definitely up to something, yet he couldn’t pin down what it was.
“I’ll put in the application for you.”
“Thank you, Instructor Ron!”
John’s face lit up at once, his mood soaring.
His real reason for wanting into the Spirit Wielding Class had nothing to do with “doing his part for the world.” He just craved more access to supernatural incidents.
The only way to get into officially sealed supernatural sites was to become a Spirit Wielding student.
For him, Ghost Crystals were meaningless—eating ghosts was the real prize.
Besides, Spirit Wielding students held an exalted status. They not only got to learn all manner of supernatural knowledge, but their benefits were far beyond what any regular person could hope for.
The Intelligence Division let you encounter supernatural stuff too, but it was no comparison to the Spirit Wielding Class.
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…
In the afternoon,
the three classes of Intelligence Division students boarded the bus back to the academy,
all of them with heavy hearts, staring out the windows lost in their own dark thoughts.
This exam had claimed lives, just like the others—
but what scared them wasn’t the deaths themselves. It was the crippling helplessness they’d felt in the face of the supernatural.
To ghosts, regular humans were nothing more than toys.
They’d thought they’d found their courage, but only when facing a vicious ghost head-on did they realize just how deep their fear ran.
They couldn’t even stand to look a ghost in the eye alone; when that ghost had burst out of the bathroom and stood before them all, they’d been so terrified they’d instinctively forgotten how to fight back.
Ethan, sitting at the front of the bus, watched them and let out a quiet sigh.
John was the only one who’d aced this exam; everyone else had failed miserably.
But he didn’t fault them. This was their first time facing a vicious ghost directly, after all.
“It’ll get better with time…”
Ethan stared out the window, murmuring to himself,
“But how many of them will even be alive for that future?”
While the rest of the group wallowed in gloom and despair, John was in high spirits, already mapping out his next moves.
“The Spirit Wielding Class is short on people, the authorities are desperate for more ghost hunters, I’m trading my hard-earned rewards for this chance, and Ron’s backing me up—my odds are pretty much a sure thing…”
John mused to himself. With all these factors in his favor, if he still couldn’t get into the class, he’d just have to chalk it up to terrible luck.
“Once I’m in, I can start taking official missions and get way more chances to eat ghosts…”
According to Ethan, the Spirit Wielding and Intelligence Divisions might be reorganized and merged at some point,
but no one knew when that would happen.
In these turbulent times, the early bird caught the worm—and John had no intention of wasting time waiting around.
“Supernatural incidents have been plaguing the world for years now. The authorities must have high-grade Spirit Wielders on their side, yet even they can’t contain the chaos. That says everything about how powerful these vicious ghosts are…”
John knew his future stage was going to be a massive one.
Before long, the bus pulled up to Blackwater City No.5 Academy, and a faint sense of relief washed over every student on board.
Against all odds, they’d made it back alive.
“Alright, everyone take the next two days off to rest.”
Ethan spoke up, addressing the group. “Reflect on your mistakes, and strive to find real courage for next time.”
“Also, if anyone wants to drop out of the Intelligence Division, come find me later.”
At his words, the students exchanged uneasy glances, each already weighing their options in their hearts.
John paid no mind to the somber mood. He turned and headed for the school gate, ready to go home and rest.
As he reached the entrance, he ran into Ron by chance.
He blinked, grinning. “Thanks, Instructor Ron.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Ron nodded, genuinely intending to follow through on his promise.
In his opinion, having a freak like John in the Spirit Wielding Class would be a perfect motivator for the other students.
After all, if a regular human could be this powerful, they had no excuse to be lazy or complacent.
…
In the evening,
John strolled leisurely along the riverside, a handful of grilled skewers in his hand, his mood utterly relaxed.
“Damn, these are amazing…”
He licked his lips, surprised to find he’d achieved food freedom without even realizing it.
He now had over 200,000 in savings, and he lived alone—this money would last him a long time. He’d never been one for extravagant living, anyway.
“Next up: getting stronger…”
John savored the cool evening breeze, steeling his resolve and muttering to himself,
“To get stronger, I have to work hard… at taking my medicine!”
Just as he was hyping himself up, he spotted a large crowd gathered up ahead, even a few officers from the Local Patrol Bureau standing guard.
“Another supernatural incident?”
His interest piqued, he hurried over without hesitation.
He no longer had to run at the first sign of the supernatural. He had the strength now, and his special “condition” to back him up.
“Sir, what’s going on here?”
He asked a middle-aged man standing at the edge of the crowd.
“Sigh…”
The man let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “Another kid jumped into the river. About your age, too. Such a shame.”
“Is that so?”
John nodded, his tone somber. “With all these supernatural disasters going on, a lot of people just can’t take the pressure anymore.”
Not everyone had the courage to keep going. When people saw their loved ones or strangers killed by ghosts, many broke down completely and chose to end their own lives.
“Yep, this is the nineteenth one this month.”
“Huh?”
John blinked, his eyes widening in surprise. “Sir, it’s only the second of the month.”
It had only been two days since the start of the month.
“Haven’t you seen the news? Thirteen people jumped just yesterday alone.”
The man stared out at the Peaceful River, its surface rippling in the evening wind, and murmured to himself,
“This river hasn’t been peaceful in a long time. Who knows how many bones lie at the bottom…”
