"You can go, but not Uno." Though s.h.i.+vering, Linaw mustered all the courage he has to say those words.

Tala did not pay heed to him. She continued to walk out with Uno. Though Linaw wanted to stop them, he knew for himself that he didn't have the capability to do so.

He stood rooted whilst clenching his fist.

No one dared to stop them.

"I will remember this!" Linaw swore.

"Senior Linaw, what happened?" Itim asked. He was occupied in blocking Uno that's why he did not see what happened.

Linaw looked at him with frustration. He did not say a thing. He flipped his robe and walked out of the room.

...

Uno incredulously looked at Tala.

"Tala, don't you care about your schooling here?" Uno asked worriedly.

Tala just tilted her head in bafflement.

How will it affect her days in school?

"Linaw was the only grandson of the 10th elder. If he reports what happened to him, he will kick you out for sure." Uno said anxiously.

Tala just shrugged her shoulder.

"Don't you care about your future?"

"I don't," her words were neither loud nor soft.

'I care more about the future of the world.' Tala added to herself. She raised her head and looked above the boundless sky.

A minute of silence pa.s.sed by.

Uno didn't know why he felt sorrow out of his words. He lowered his head and distant himself.

Tala jumped in front of him, startling him. Raising his head, he met the deep black eyes of Tala. He seemed like looking at an abyss. He quickly averted his gaze when Tala blinked his eyes.

He continued to walk while Tala continued to follow him.

"Where are you going?" Tala asked, but instead of an answer, Uno replied with a question, "Why are you following me?"

"I don't have anything to do. Let me tag for a moment," Tala pleaded.

He can only sigh in resignation.

He stopped in front of a building. Written on its signboard was "Mission Hall".

A lot of students were walking to and fro. Uno and Tala entered the hall. It was larger in s.p.a.ce compared to the other buildings. Rows of shelves loaded with scrolls greeted their sight.

Uno approached a certain table where a lad in color red robe was sitting seemingly occupied on something. He lightly knocked on the table. The lad gazed at him in a questioning look.

Facing the lad who serves as a clerk, Uno handed over a yellow token indicating that he had accomplished a mission.

Every mission that was accomplished has equivalent points depending on its extremity. To know that they accomplished it, the one who entrusted the mission will be given a token and they only hand it over to those who had accomplished the mission.

The lad placed it in a certain s.p.a.ce on the table where a flatten stone with unfamiliar symbols was.

Ding!

Words appeared in front of him. It was a letter telling that the mission was completed.

The lad stretched his hand seemingly asking for something. Uno know what it means, he quickly handed over a card. It was 4x5 in size with ten seals marked on it in yellow ink.

The lad marked another seal in yellow ink indicating that he completed another C mission.

Missions were color coding. C mission was yellow in token and seal.

B mission was orange while A mission was red.

After all the things were done, Uno asked for another mission.

"Uno, the available mission is an A rank and it required a minimum of six people. The C and B rank missions were already done by the other students." The lad explained.

"Six?" Uno fell into a dilemma. He needed points to exchange it for a certain book. He only knew his cousin. "I will come back again." No other choice, Uno pa.s.sed the mission.

Its the end of the week, so lower missions were completely done by the other students. Only those who have the capabilities will have the courage to accept A mission.

"Why don't you accept it?" Tala asked seeing how downcasted Uno was.

"Six were needed. I only knew my cousin." Uno explained.

"You're short of four. I knew someone. Come on. Let's take the mission."

"No, we can't. They should be here present too." Uno hurriedly cleared. "Just forget it. I can wait for two days. The Mission Hall will have new C missions for sure." They couldn't just write any name. They needed the person presence for authenticity.

Tala and Uno parted away.

...

Inside a room that was comprised of fifty students, Uno sat on the last row beside an open window on the right corner. The chair was long enough to accommodate three students, but because they distance themselves to Uno, Uno always sat by himself.

Whispered and hushed filled up the room as students gossips. Uno can hear some of their boastful topics while others were talking about the young lad who was admitted personally by the 1st elder.

Uno stared the blue sky feeling awe to the young lad.

A green dressed young lady walked in. Her green eyes were sharp, her steps were light and her aura was domineering.

Her lips parted and said, "Everyone, look this way or else, I'll cut your head." Her voice sounded like thunder to every ear of the students knocking their air-headed att.i.tude.

To their fright, the students hurriedly turn their head.

"Good!" The lady in green crept out a smile. "We have a new student. Come in, introduce yourself."

A beautiful boy in a plain long-sleeved black s.h.i.+rt under his sleeveless jacket paired with loose black trouser walked in. His braided black hair rested on his back.

The girls gulped. They couldn't believe that such a boy existed.

The boys' jaw dropped. Though the boy was wearing simple clothing, no one can deny his beautiful face.

Those captivating black eyes, the alluring thin lips, pointed nose, long eyelashes, and perfectly arc brows couldn't be compared to the appearances of any of the students inside the room.

Uno immediately recognized the figure. He wasn't surprised at all but was a little anxious. If they were in the same room and Tala act friendly at him, he will bring trouble to him.

'I just hope he will not be openly friendly to me.' He wanted and like the idea of having a friend, but the circ.u.mstances did not allow it. As such, he distanced himself even with his flesh and blood.

Tala stood up and said, "I'm Tala."

Everyone was eager to hear her next words. Alas! There were no so-called next words that came out to Tala's lips.

"Take your sit." The lady in green ordered.

Tala scanned the room and her eyes locked to the last row of the seat next to an open window. She slowly approached the place ignoring the incredulous looks of the other students. She did not say anything and just sat quietly beside him.

Seeing someone by Uno's side, the students couldn't help to smirk.

Everyone fell their gazes to Tala as if she was doomed for sure.

"I'm Teacher Salina. If you have any inquiry, you can find us on the north side," the teacher reminded.

Tala nodded like an obedient child.

"Today, I will discuss to you the geography of our land." Her sharp gazed landed to every student as she talked.

"There were eight Families under the Butuan Kingdom. The Lakan Family, Alakdan Family, Rosa Family, Kalayo Family, Daku Family, Walo Family, Malayo Family, and Piga Family. Every family has tribes under them which vary in number." She walked around surveying her students.

"Butuan Kingdom was one of the Kingdom under the Celebes Sea Realm. Three weeks from now, a selection across the kingdom will be held to search for the strongest ten. Then, these ten will fight against the selected ten candidates of the neighboring kingdom.

"A lot of rewards will be waiting to this chosen ten, and not only that, they will also be immediately admitted to the Far Eastern Academy, the only Academy under the Celebes Sea Realm.

"The good news about it is that, this selection is open to all students."

A roar broke hearing her last sentence. They seem like celebrating their victory.

Every year, a selection was held to compete to the neighboring kingdom, but only the students at the west side were given the chance to partic.i.p.ate. Now that they were given an opportunity, they needed not to wait till they were transferred to the west side to be able to put up a fight.

"Quiet!" Teacher Salina annoyed voice traveled to their ears. The students immediately shut their mouths.

Salina talked more about the Kingdom before she dismissed the cla.s.s.

Tala gained a lot for she didn't know anything about the place.