The other half of the story

Having all seated Jun took a huge breath of air.

"As I already stated this is a matter concerning Xol. I feel all the persons close to him and the higher ups of the academy needs to know about this matter. Richter can you tell Xol´s version on how we met?" Jun asked raising his hand toward Jun.

"I…will do my best." Richter said with a confused face glancing at Jun.

"Xol told us you two met 3 years ago in Caveshore city in a tavern he worked for. Your party was…" Richter explained the story.

Jun was sat with his arms crossed and his eyes closed as Richter explained the story. Asteria started seeing Jun in a new light as Richter told the story. Principal Zestari was thrilled and proud of the actions of his student and nodded in praise at him.

"That would be how you two met right?" Richter asked as he finished the story Jun.

"Correct, but that´s only half of the story." Jun said opening his eyes, but his arms still crossed, one could see his arms trembling for some reason.

"We had heard of rumor of a kid in a certain tavern that would help any adventurer party have an easier time clearing dungeons by scouting the monsters. You just had to pay a fee and accept the condition to keep him safe inside the dungeon. They also said that if you told some interesting dungeon stories and the kid came hearing them, he would throw a discount as long as you keep telling him interesting stories. Once Xol came to us and offered to help in scouting the dungeons, we planned to meet in the inn he was staying at the next day, from there we would go to the dungeon we had trouble. That next night as we separated from Xol having cleared the dungeon, we all agreed the favor to Xol was too big for helping most of the party get the title out of the dungeon and vowed we would do everything in our power in helping him achieve his dream of entering the Mana Academy." Jun started explaining with a smile, his trembling stopping for a moment then as he focused again, he started tensing again.

"Some days later, my party healer Gus, ran to find me once he saw the suspicious group tailing Xol. At that moment I was level 44 and was on the tavern, when I heard of the news, I quickly dashed following him. He quickly guided me to where he saw the group. Following the route from that spot toward the inn Xol was staying, we soon found an alley where we heard a ruckus, we doubled our speed and the sight we saw was mind disturbing." Jun said with grim look in his face

"All the alley was painted red, most of the group that followed Xol were scattered in the alley, all of them dead. In the middle of the alley was Xol, who was exuding a huge amount of killing intent as he held his spear dripping in blood. Xol´s nametag had changed; same with his HP and MP. As we were shocked by the sight he jumped and stabbed the last member of the group."

"We called him and asked what happened, the moment he turned at us, we felt all the killing intent was getting focused on us and he dashed to attack us. Being suppressed by his killing intent we really had trouble defending. We tried to make him come to his senses but all we tried was in vain, coming to an agreement we did all we could to engage in an attrition battle until he calmed himself. During the whole fight I didn´t felt I was fighting a little kid but a boss monster." Jun said as he glanced toward his left trembling from the memory.

"After some time seeing him exhausted, I unleashed a lightning spell that added to his exhausted state managed to let him unconscious. Seeing his nametag return to normal we carried him to the inn where they guided us toward his room."

Jun exhaled a breath of air.

"I told my healer to cure him and then gather as much information he could on Xol, as I stayed and wait for him to wake up. At the next day, he returned and reported Xol was an orphan that until now had survived being all alone in his life, he had to fight daily to get by and would have to steal food. He usually was beaten pretty badly due the fights or his stealing food." Jun said as he calmed himself.

"One day the tavern owner took piety on him. The owner told him that if he behaved himself and didn´t break anything he could work in his tavern for food. The tavern owner was accustomed to adventurers fighting drunk, so he didn't mind Xol tendencies as long as he controlled himself. After hearing adventurers retelling their adventures in dungeon, some even using magic to show their deeds in the stories, Xol soon started to ask for money instead of food and the owner gave him more work after he heard he wanted to be like those adventurers and enter the Mana academy. Xol even managed to convince an adventurer to teach him the Mana Sonar skill the adventurer boasted, and from then he started helping other adventurer scouting the dungeons for a fee."

"There had being two incidents like the one we saw in the past, but the guards turned a blind eye since in a way Xol took care of the city trash. With Xol´s attitude and way of living the only ones that would suffer that fate would be people that resorted to thievery in obscured alleyways and the likes. I soon understood that those that had preyed upon Xol would wait until he was fully alone in an obscure alley, making so guards didn´t know that Xol would attack anyone near him when he was in that state."

"I used my position as a Guild Leader to announce that whoever dare to with mess with Xol, would be chased by all the guild members. I did this so no one would make him enraged and accidentally kill innocents in the aftermath."

"When he woke up some days later, I asked if he remember anything and shook his head. I further asked if he remembered the other incidents and said there had been times someone stole some money from him and he gave chase but couldn't catch them, apart from that, he didn't remember being in any similar situation."

"I wanted to inform this other self Xol has to you teacher, seeing as Xol has been accepted into the academy, it would be better to take some measures. I´m sorry if this student is causing trouble." Jun kowtowed toward principal Zestari.

The room was filled in silence, Zestari closed her eyes and crossed her arms as she processed the information. Richter was surprised but quickly dispelled the reaction, everyone had their own secrets for example him, he was a reincarnated cultivator and based on his memories from the prior life he didn´t feel Jun did anything wrong, but he didn't know how the principal would react.

"Jun, as your teacher I can said you made me proud." Zestari said as she opened her eyes.

"But as the principal I don´t know how to feel of you leading a level 10 student that can potentially kill level 20 individual when enraged into the academy." Zestari commented with a stern face.

"In a way, recovering all his money and pardoning his life when he attacked attack you, would have being a way of repaying the favor, but seeing you brought him to the academy and judging from Richter description of Xol´s version you two seem pretty close, so I have to ask why didn't you severed ties after returning the money and had to help him enter the academy?." Zestari said without any emotion and an icy tone as he glared at Jun.

"I-I-I" Jun stuttered as he looked at the principal eyes.

"I couldn't bring myself to do it, at first I also wanted to sever the ties as soon as he waked, but when I saw Xol´s happiness and heard him call me big brother I started doubting. I still felt the favor was paid but when I talked with the party, they still felt that they owed a favor to him even when Gus and I helped him. They kept going to the tavern, and when I went with them the owner thanked me saying that he hasn't ever saw Xol so happy in his life. Xol would have a bright smile as he told anyone how I recovered his money. When he saw me, he quickly greeted me asked me to tell him more stories of my adventures. He also asked what he needed to do to in order to enter the Mana Academy." Jun explained himself.

"I started to grow fond of him"— Jun smiled – "I started to help him and encourage him to keep working hard in achieving his dream. I help him change into the apprentice class so he could get the minimum MP required by the academy and when he was relearning his spells I made sure the guild member I appointed to help him would be the best candidates to teach him discipline making he grow more patient and less likely to get angry.

"I have made everything in my power, so he won´t cause any trouble in the academy." Jun said with a solemn face.

"Don't worry Jun, you made good and taken the best course of action in your position. You may go knowing that as your teacher I´ll do everything in my power of principal so that Xol doesn't harm innocents, he seemed as a good kid in the second trial and a patient one. Also, with the many high-level individuals in the academy and with my brother abilities, I can vouch we can stop Xol before he harms someone if he enters that state again." Zestari said with sweet smile toward Jun.

Hearing this words Jun felt all doubts and fear he had been feeling going away. He felt a huge burden being taken off his back hearing his teacher wasn´t mad at him.

"Now Richter are you still interested in taking part of my class?" Zestari glanced at Richter with the same smile

"Un"

"Okay with Jun recommendation and your excellent performance in the second trial you just need to bring me 3 lightning cores of any lightning monster from the academy dungeons. Please abstain from taking any class change until you finish this task. You both may now leave."

Seeing Jun and Richter leave, Asteria quickly glanced toward her mom.

"Mom, if you just were going to tell him he did good, why did you pressure him like that." Asteria asked with a frown.

"I know Jun, he was feeling he´s causing trouble to the academy by bringing Xol to study here. This weight on his mind would start clouding him, impeding his growth, so I had to pressure him first faking anger, once I heard he had taken some measures to stop another incident like that from happening, I just had to reassure him to cleanse his mind of any doubts. " Zestari said glancing at the door.

"I see." Asteria nodded in realization that her mother was looking after her student.

"Now then." Zestari said as she dusted off and stood up.

"I better prepare myself and prepare the ingredients for the Mana Meridians Creation pill for Richter." Zestari said as she stretched and looked at her inventory.

Asteria flinched remembering the pain she had undergone a few moments after eating the pill.

"Does mom want him to become a mana cultivator?"

"Yup, he has a good potential from what I saw as he fought Jin, we would see if he interested in the class once he returns." Zestari said as she closed her inventory.