I am Just an Average Tamer

[Note: Don't Buy priv on 1st day of the month. Buy it after 2nd or 3rd.]

Yawn...

Kai let out a long, lazy yawn as he blinked his eyes open.

The ceiling stared back at him, dimly lit by the amber hue of the setting sun pouring in through the window.

He rubbed his face and slowly stretched, his arms reaching upward until his joints gave a satisfying pop.

"…Ugh."

His limbs felt heavy, like he'd slept for hours—and he had.

He sat up, blinking the blur from his eyes, and glanced out the window.

The sky outside had turned a deep orange, streaked with shades of crimson and gold.

A gentle breeze pushed the curtains slightly inward.

"Did I sleep that long…?" he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "Doesn't matter."

He stood and slipped on his shoes, then shrugged on his academy blazer, brushing off a bit of dust from the sleeve.

The uniform fit a little loose on his frame, but it was clean. Simple.

With a quiet huff, he walked over to the wooden box at the side of his desk, the one where he had placed the book earlier. Carefully, he opened the lid and pulled it out.

After reading it over for a while longer, Kai leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly.

He'd gone through each course twice, considered the workload, his own skill set… and finally made his decision.

—Intermediate Beast Mastery.

—Toxin Craft.

—Trap Engineering and Counter.

—Dual Weapon Mastery (Intermediate).

He closed the book with a firm thud, feeling a little more grounded now.

He slid it back into the box and stood up.

His boots echoed softly against the dorm floor as he walked out of the room and descended the narrow stairwell.

The scent of food wafted up to meet him before he even reached the ground floor.

His stomach growled.

The canteen was wide and modest, lined with simple wooden tables and benches.

A counter served up meals to students, three times a day for free, anything extra had to be paid for.

Kai moved and accepted his tray with a nod of thanks, and turned around.

That's when he saw him.

Silver hair.

Mismatched eyes, one silver, one grey.

The boy sat alone at one of the tables near the window, calmly eating.

Corrin Duskwood.

Kai walked to his direction.

Sensing someone approaching, Corrin raised his head.

And when he saw Kai, smirk crept his features.

"Well, been a while, pal," Corrin said.

Kai nodded slightly and sat down across from him, setting his tray on the table.

He stabbed a piece of grilled root vegetable and took a bite before answering.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "How've you been?"

Corrin leaned back in his chair, one arm slung over the backrest as he picked lazily at his own plate.

"Better now, after kicking all of your asses, just feeling good."

Kai's lips twitched, "You were lucky my beasts were recovered that time."

Corrin chuckled. "Oh is that so?"

Then he leaned forward a little, tapping his fork on the edge of the tray.

"So, did you finally decide on your subjects?"

Kai nodded, swallowing another mouthful. "Yeah. I picked that I want."

Then he looked up and questioned him back, "What about you?"

Corrin shook his head with a laugh. "Man, those names alone gave me a headache. I was trying to figure out my subjects since noon and I swear they make it confusing on purpose."

Kai gave a low chuckle, barely audible, but the corners of his lips lifted.

"Just pick what you're good at."

"Oh yeah? What if I'm good at sleeping and talking back?" Corrin leaned forward with a grin.

The conversation drifted to small talk after that, nothing too deep, just catching up, occasional jokes.

Eventually, Kai finished the last of his meal, stood up, and picked up his tray.

"I'll head out. Need some air," he said simply.

Corrin gave a lazy wave as he scooped the last bit of rice from his bowl.

"Alright. I'll head back to my room. Let me know if you find anything interesting to blow up."

Kai gave a faint smirk over his shoulder as he walked off.

After stepping out of the dormitory, Kai adjusted the collar of his blazer and turned towards the main campus building.

The pathway was clean and lined with shimmering crystal lanterns, gently glowing as the sun dipped lower into the horizon.

Students passed by in pairs and groups, chatting animatedly, but Kai moved silently, weaving past them with ease.

Eventually, he reached the administration wing, a tall, white-marble structure with floating sigils etched along its surface, humming faintly with arcane energy.

He entered through the wide glass doors and followed the signs toward the Subject Registration Hall.

Inside, it was quieter.

The air felt heavier, filled with the scent of old paper, ink, and faint magical residue.

A staff member behind a runed desk looked up as he approached.

The man wore a robe laced with the academy's crest and glasses .

"Name?" he asked, voice crisp.

"Kai."

"Identification card, please."

Kai reached into his storage bracelet and pulled out a sleek black card, matte-finished with gold etchings forming intricate patterns.

He handed it over without a word.

The man scanned it over a hovering crystal orb.

A soft beep echoed as Kai's profile lit up in mid-air above the desk.

"Subjects?"

Kai listed them calmly, one by one.

"Intermediate Beast Mastery. Toxin Craft. Trap Engineering and Counter. Dual Weapon Mastery—Intermediate."

With a nod, he tapped a few keys into the orb and handed Kai's card back.

"You're registered. Your schedules will sync with your card by morning."

Kai gave a quiet nod, slipped the card back into his storage bracelet, and turned to leave.

The air outside felt cooler now, touched by the coming dusk.

Instead of heading back, he turned toward the academy's side path, where the stone walkway led to the garden.

A soft breeze brushed past him, carrying the faint fragrance of moonflowers and earth.

Kai reached the quiet part of the garden and settled on a wooden bench under a flowering willow tree.

The late evening sun cast long, dappled shadows across the path, and the gentle trickle of a small fountain echoed nearby.

Leaning back, he exhaled softly, letting his eyes slip closed.

A few students walked past now and then, throwing idle glances his way, but he ignored them completely.

Then—

His ears twitched on sound of footsteps.

Slow and deliberate.

He felt the air shift slightly as someone sat beside him.

He opened his eyes with a faint sigh and turned his head.

A silver haired girl, with silver eyes was looking at him, smirking.

"Sitting alone, pretty boy?" Serena said, her tone light, teasing.

Kai blinked once, expression unreadable.

"What do you want?"

Serena gave a soft chuckle, lacing her fingers behind her head as she leaned back lazily on the bench.

"Nothing," she said. "Just bored. Thought I'd kill some time out here."

She glanced sideways. "What about you pretty boy?"

Kai exhaled and tilted his head back, eyes closing again.

"None of your business."

"Oh, come on," she leaned a little closer, voice mock-scolding.

"That's rude. Is that how you talk to ladies?"

Kai cracked one eye open. "Isn't it rude to annoy strangers?"

Serena let out a dramatic gasp, placing a hand to her mouth, before giggling.

"Strangers, are we now?" she asked with mock hurt.

"After our lovely sparring match where I was absolutely kicking your ass? And then, just when I was about to finish it off in style, that little friend of yours interfered. And you just jumped me from behind like a little coward. And now you say I'm annoying you?"

Kai didn't react for a second.

Then he opened both eyes, deadpan.

"I call it tactics."

"Tactics?" She laughed. "I call it cheap."

Kai shrugged. "Well it works though."

Serena shook her head, silver strands shifting over her shoulder.

"Tch. Cowards like you guys…" she muttered, stretching her legs out. "Have no balls to fight head on. Always sneaking, behind when the other guy's not looking. You assholes are just pathetic, really."

Kai's lips twitched, but he said nothing.

She opened her mouth to keep ranting, but paused when a sudden ripple of noise spread across the garden path.

"Hey! Did you hear?! Someone actually challenged the Ace!"

"No way! It hasn't even been a full day!"

"The Aces remain their position for atleast three months who the hell's crazy enough to do that already?"

"I don't know, but it's happening. Now!"

Dozens of voices buzzed with excitement, students rushing toward the main path that led to the arena grounds.

Kai and Serena glanced at each other.

No words were needed.

They both stood at once, movements in sync.

Serena's usual cocky grin had dropped into something more curious, eyes gleaming with interest.

Kai slipped his hands into his pockets and turned toward the path.

"Guess the fun never ends here," Serena said, falling in beside him.

They walked quickly, not quite running, but not wasting time either, slipping into the growing crowd of students all heading in the same direction.

Toward the arena.