Moments Before the Rite (1)

The sight of the campus grounds only his anticipation and excitement.

Students were practicing in the open fields, each display of talent a spectacle to behold.

Flames danced out of nowhere, spiraling into fiery waves.

Ice formed jagged spikes, accelerating with lethal precision.

Roots erupted from the earth, twisting and thrashing as if alive.

It was awe-inspiring, but Ariase's gaze ultimately fell upon students with black hair, those who lacked the fate to awaken an element.

They were called "Mundanes", normal humans in a country brimming with mystic users.

Their envious eyes and forced smiles betrayed their silent struggle to accept their fate.

Before his thoughts spiraled further at what he saw, the murmurs around him snapped him back to reality.

Students whispered as he and Herman walked toward the Don Juan Building.

"Isn't that the department head of the healing department?"

"Mr. Ruiz is so handsome! If only I had awakened a healing element..."

"Wait... Who's the white-haired kid with him? Isn't Mr. Ruiz still single?"

"Don't tell me... Is he a child out of wedlock?"

"..."

Hearing the last gossip, Ariase flinched, silently cursing their wild imaginations.

He glanced at his uncle, whose smirk betrayed his amusement.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Herman teased. "Aren't you proud to have such a popular uncle?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Ariase muttered, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

Despite his uncle's teasing, he couldn't help but think, 'If this were a novel, Uncle might actually be the main character. With his luck and talents, he's practically the embodiment of a protagonist.'

The murmurs continued even as they entered the building, this time from blushing teachers.

Herman, ever the charmer, acknowledged them with a polite smile that only added fuel to their admiration.

Finally, they arrived at Ariase's classroom: Section B - Morning Glory.

It was the same classroom he remembered, and a wave of relief washed over him.

'Kevin, Nichole, and Sarah should still be here. Sigh... but it's really a pity though...' he thought, nostalgia tugging at his heart.

The thought of having to befriend them all over again stung, knowing that the three wouldn't have any recollection of the years they had spent together as friends.

Before he entered, Herman placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Ria, if you need help or face any emergencies, call me right away. And you already know where my office is so don't hesitate to come by. No matter what happens with your awakening later, I'll be there for you. So... good luck today!"

Herman gave him a quick pat on the back before heading off to his class, "I'll see you later at the Awakening Rite."

As Herman disappeared down the hall, Ariase stood frozen for a moment.

Steeling himself, he opened the classroom door and stepped inside.

The room fell silent instantly.

Dozens of pairs of eyes turned to him, their gazes filled with curiosity and disbelief.

His striking white hair and mature features made him stand out starkly among his peers.

"Whoa, who's the new guy? Is he even in our class?" someone whispered.

"His hair and skin... This is my first time seeing an albino person."

"..."

"Ugh, great," someone muttered sourly, "Another guy who's going to steal all the attention."

"..."

It was surreal to see his past classmates like this again, bright-eyed, carefree, and untouched by the burdens of adulthood. 

He scanned the room until his eyes landed on a familiar face, Kevin.

His childhood friend looked confused and puzzled.

Beside him, another student leaned in and whispered, "Kevin, do you know him? He's looking right at you."

"No idea... But, he looks familiar somehow..." Kevin replied, shaking his head.

Ariase strode toward Kevin, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Only familiar, huh?" he said, his voice light but teasing, "That's a bit hurtful, Kev."

Kevin froze. His eyes widened as recognition dawned.

He shot up from his seat, stammering, "Y-You... Ariase, is that you?!"

"B-But what happened to your face? Did... Did you get plastic surge—"

Before he could finish, Ariase brought his hand down in a swift, playful karate chop on Kevin's head, "Are you really serious right now, you jerk?"

Kevin winced, rubbing his head.

"Ow! Okay, okay, I deserved that. But seriously, what's with the glow-up? You're like a totally different person!"

Ariase smirked, his heart swelling with a mix of joy and nostalgia.

"It's a long story, so don't bother asking," he said with a teasing glint in his eyes.

"But it's good to see you, Kev. How come nothing's changed? You're still as ugly as ever~"

Kevin smiled in mock irritation, clenching his fist playfully, "This bastard... Yeah, it's good to see you. But honestly, even if your looks changed, your personality is still as rotten as ever!"

Ariase laughed, his voice filled with warmth, "Of course, why would I change when you haven't changed yourself?"

Despite his friend's blunt and often irritating demeanor, he wasn't unattractive and was quite the opposite.

Kevin had a certain charm that made him popular with the girls in the past life.

He smirked, leaning back in his chair with an air of playful arrogance. "But you know what? With that long hair of yours, you actually look pretty good. If I didn't know you were a guy and mistook you for a girl, I might've actually considered courting you."

Deciding to play along, he leaned closer to Kevin, tilting his head ever so slightly as a mischievous glint danced in his eyes.

"Am I really that beautiful~?" he asked, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. "Well, if I really were a girl, do you think I'd say yes to you? I have standards, you know."

Kevin's face turned crimson as the bold move caught him off guard.

He stumbled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Ariase as his embarrassment boiled over, "You little bast—!"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, as Ariase chuckled.

The tension between them melted into shared laughter, lightening the mood.

Ariase's gaze suddenly drifted across the room, he spotted Nichole, sitting quietly in the corner, her tomboyish demeanor as fierce as ever.

Nearby was Sarah, shy and introverted, just as he remembered.

It felt surreal to see them again, his former and future friends, regressed by the years.

But not everyone greeted him with warmth.

Among the familiar faces, Ariase caught sight of a few students glaring at him with intensity.

He knew exactly who they were, rivals who had once competed with him for the honor roll in his previous life.

But, with his 26 years of experience and knowledge, Ariase knew he could easily surpass them again in academics.

Even if they managed to awaken, he was quite confident he had the upper hand at the beginning.

His prior knowledge of combat, honed during his free time as a way to vent frustration from his former boss, gave him a significant advantage.

Kevin's voice snapped him back to the moment, "Oh, by the way, this is Alex, and Alex, meet Ariase, my childhood friend."

The two greeted each other and fell into an easy conversation, sharing nervous laughter about the upcoming awakening rite.

Kevin, ever the jokester, recounted how he'd spent the last two months doing good deeds, "Dude, I just wanted the gods to see I've changed, you know? And who knows maybe they'll bless me with some awesome power~"

His antics left Ariase and Alex doubled over with laughter.

Moments later, the classroom door swung open, and their homeroom teacher, Mr. Gonzales, walked in.

The man's light blue hair and sharp blue eyes weren't just striking, they were a clear indication that he had awakened as a water-element mystic user.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," Mr. Gonzales said, his voice calm but commanding.

"Since it's the first day, I'll go easy on you. We'll start with self-introductions and a bit of light discussion."

"I know you're all eager for the afternoon's awakening ceremony, so let's begin the class early."

He pointed to the girl in the leftmost corner and said, "You, in the first row, please introduce yourself."

The girl stood up, her cheeks flushed with shyness. "H-Hi, everyone. My name is Anna Marie Gabisay..."

"..."

Ariase listened quietly, observing the other kids as they took their turns introducing themselves.

When it was Kevin's turn, he stood confidently, delivering his introduction with a playful twist that made even Mr. Gonzales chuckle.

Finally, it's Ariase's turn.

But, before he could speak, Mr. Gonzales addressed him with a knowing look, "I thought the dean was just joking... So I really have you in my class. You're Professor Ruiz's nephew, aren't you?"

Ariase nodded cautiously, feeling the weight of his classmates' stares.

His teacher continued, "I'm already aware of your… condition. But… would it be alright if I explained it to your classmates?"

The phrasing made it sound like he was afflicted with some rare disease, but he nodded reluctantly.

Little did he know, this decision would become a regret that would linger forever.

Turning to the class, Mr. Gonzales addressed them with a serious tone.

"I'm sure many of you are curious about him, but let me clear this up. Ariase is not albino or anything like that. The changes in his appearance are the result of a purification process."

Gasps and murmurs filled the room as the explanation sunk in.

The room buzzed with hushed whispers, and Ariase could feel the stares intensify.

Kevin, however, looked at him with wide, sparkling eyes, "Ria, we've been friends for so long~ Can you ask your uncle to purify my body too?"

Ariase sighed internally, knowing exactly why Kevin was so eager, he only wanted to look good and impress the girls around him.

As he thought to himself, 'Sigh... this idiot...'

Mr. Gonzales shook his head, his tone serious.

"Kiddo, I strongly suggest you don't pursue purification unless... you want to end up damaging your soul like your 'friend' here."

Ariase's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening as the teacher's words landed heavily.

The room fell into an awkward silence.