An issue

General Garry, clad in his customary black suit, sat in his expansive office at the Scavengers Association headquarters, scrutinizing the surveillance feeds depicting the day-to-day activities of the scavengers. He was engrossed in thought when the door abruptly swung open, and a young woman hurried into the room.

Clara, an A-rank, entered with hurried steps. The vastness of the office necessitated a brisk pace to reach the General's desk. She identified herself upon arrival, her voice laced with urgency.

"General Garry, sir, we have a problem."

General Garry swiveled his chair to face the young woman. Clara possessed striking features; her chocolate brown skin served as a perfect canvas for her voluminous, curly hair. Her gentle demeanor, accentuated by her large, round spectacles and soft, golden-brown eyes, lent her an air of a librarian more than a General's aide. Her cybernetic suit accentuated her curvaceous figure, but General Garry remained focused on the matter at hand.

"What seems to be the trouble?" boomed his deep voice, resonating throughout the room.

Clara met his gaze directly, her golden eyes shimmering with worry.

"It's Zain. Here's a recording of the incident at the training grounds in the rainforest."

General Garry watched the recording, his expression a comical mix of amusement and concern.

Clara elaborated, "But that's merely the prelude to the real issue. Zain's little stunt seems to have attracted unwelcome attention... the Hydra Clan."

General Garry's face hardened. The Hydra Clan, a notorious group united by their sadistic pleasure in slaughtering non-humans and selling them on the black market, surfaced in his mind. While they had previously aided in reclaiming major transportation routes, in this instance, they posed a significant threat to Zain, a potential diamond in the rough.

"What's Zain's condition?" inquired the General.

"He remains unconscious, for two days now," she replied, then hesitantly added, "General, forgive me for overstepping, but isn't it clear Zain possesses the power to be a ranked operative, even an A-rank at that? Then why keep him at the Academy?"

General Garry heaved a weighty sigh. His gaze flitted between the surveillance screens and Clara. With an uncharacteristic sincerity, he confessed, "He's still just a boy. It would be unjust to expose him to the horrors of war at such a young age."

Clara acknowledged his words with a nod and a salute before departing.

'So, even the General has a soft spot, huh,' she mused to herself.

----

At the Academy

"Such a shame the boy couldn't have a proper first day. Regardless, we must enhance security measures. His actions might have drawn unwanted attention from the Clans," Principal Benedict spoke over a voice call. 'It's been a month since Zain awoke from exhaustion. The Academy issued him a warning for the incident, but I have faith he'll strive to be a model student.'

Following the events at the training grounds, Zain maintained a physical distance from his fellow students, who reciprocated in kind. Despite this, Zain proved to be a dedicated learner, attentively absorbing the instructors' teachings and relishing the Academy's meals. He embraced his academic life, yet a tinge of loneliness lingered within him.

One day, as Zain strolled down the hallway towards the restroom, a monstrous creature inexplicably crashed through a window, colliding with him. The force of the impact propelled them both through a wall, with Zain bearing the brunt of the blow. The students in the vicinity and nearby classrooms were left in a state of shock. To their utter astonishment, the monstrous intruder wasn't alone. A horde of grotesque, flying creatures resembling griffins, but with razor-sharp beaks teeming with teeth, descended upon the Academy.