Chapter 4

Karim lay back on his bed and picked up the book. The cover was made of blue leather. As soon as he opened it, the scent of paper hit his nose, and he began to read carefully.

"The Academy is a place where people learn to understand themselves and shape their lives through personal defense training. A person is independent of everyone else. Their actions affect not only themselves but also their surroundings, and they must act accordingly."

This sentence made Karim think for a long time. "How can my actions affect others as much as myself?" he wondered.

As he flipped through the pages, he learned more about the Academy. He read that one had to complete a task before entering an inn and that the Academy was divided into three sections.

The first section included basic student areas and trade zones. The second housed the Academy’s military and diplomatic functions. Events like tournaments and festivals were also held there. The third section, however, was only accessible to certain groups and ranks.

Karim's curiosity grew. "If the second part is already for training warriors, how does the third one only host people with special ranks?" he thought.

The book also detailed the rules for sustaining life at the Academy:

"If a person plans to settle at the Academy permanently, they have two tax options. Either pay a fixed amount of gold annually for a desired area or be assigned tasks equivalent to that amount."

"Maybe if I work hard enough, I can bring my family here. Even without money, they could stay through task assignments," he thought again.

He paused, thinking of his mother once more. As his fingers played with the book’s pages, he still couldn’t understand why she had sent him here. He had always wanted respect, but through diplomacy—not war. Now, forced by his mother, he would become a soldier, moving from battle to battle, one day making his name known across the continent.

But how? How much training would it take?

As he lost himself in thought, the moonlight fell on his face. He stood up, lit the candles in the chandelier, and lay back down. As he wondered what tomorrow would bring, he also thought about how far his friendship with Luca might go.

When morning came, a knock on his door woke him. A staff woman entered and told Karim to go to the library. As he dressed and prepared to leave, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He instinctively shook it off and turned to see Luca.

"Guess you couldn’t get up this morning?"

"Next time you approach me, call out. I fucking hate being touched."

"Alright, alright. No harm meant, sorry."

"It’s fine."

"What are you doing?"

"I’m supposed to go to the library."

"Same here. Then let’s go together. Don’t get lost again."

"I know where I’m going."

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong fucking side of the bed today."

"No. I just don’t know."

"Okay, let’s go together. You can tell me what’s going on. Deal?"

"Fine."

"So, spill it."

"I don’t know. There’s nothing to say."

"So you’re just in a mood for no reason?"

"I’m not. I just don’t know what’s wrong... Maybe I’m scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"I don’t know. I still don’t know what I’m doing here."

Luca smirked. "Well, nobody really does. Half the people around you are feeling the same."

"I don’t really care about the others."

"Yeah, I noticed. You’ve been acting like a dick all morning."

"Sorry, okay? I’m just tense."

"Listen, tension ruins everything. Just take deep breaths and try to relax. What’s the worst that could happen?"

"I fucking hate that phrase."

"What phrase?"

"'What’s the worst that could happen?'"

"Why?"

"Because the last time I heard it, I was standing in cow shit, and two seconds later, I fell face-first into it."

Luca burst out laughing. "You can’t be serious. Something like that happened to me too, listen..."

"I was walking through the market, really hungry and completely broke. I tried to sneak an apple, but the vendor saw me. I ran, but I was starving. Later, the guy saw me again and started chasing me."

"So what did you do?"

"I led him toward the fishmongers. They used to ice the floor on purpose—if customers slipped, they’d seat them and guilt them into buying fish. Anyway, I slipped, and the guy face-planted into a woman’s legs. She screamed, and the crowd beat the shit out of him."

As Luca laughed through his story, Karim gave him a puzzled look. "Exactly where did you say that phrase?"

"What phrase?"

Karim shook his head. "Never mind."

They continued walking toward the library.

When they entered the small library next to Karim’s exam area, a stern voice greeted them. "This isn’t a place for lessons! How many times must I fucking say it?" The librarian promptly kicked them out.

"Now what?" Karim asked.

"I don’t know. That’s the only library I know of," Luca admitted.

Just then, a girl’s voice called out, "If you’re heading to the library, follow me."

They turned to see the girl who had helped Karim find his classroom the day before.

"I’ve been here for about two weeks and haven’t seen any other libraries. Where is it?" Luca asked.

"I’ll show you," she replied curtly.

"I’m Luca, by the way. This is Karim."

"She already knows me," Karim muttered. "She helped me yesterday during class."

"And what’s your name?" Luca asked, but the girl gave no reply.

The girl started walking silently, and the two quickly followed her. Along the way, Luca kept asking questions like “What’s your name?” and “How long have you been here?” but didn’t get a single response. Eventually, he gave up and leaned toward Karim, whispering, “Who does she think she is? The damn queen?”

The girl suddenly stopped and turned to Luca, her voice sharp. “You don’t even know where your damn class is yet, and now you’re saying ‘Who does she think she is?’ You really want to know? I’m someone who knows her responsibilities—got that?”

“Hey, we know our responsibilities too. We’re just new here. We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us so far,” Luca replied.

“Yeah—thanks to someone holding your hand,” the girl shot back with a smug look.

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Karim thought the argument was pointless. What was the big deal? In the end, they were all students. Sure, maybe one of them took things more seriously—but so what? They were still at the same level. What was there to argue about?

“Do you really need to blow this out of proportion?” Karim asked, trying to end the fight. “We’re all just trying to get to the library.”

The girl narrowed her eyes at Karim. “So I help you again, and you think this is just some petty argument? That’s not just ignorance—that’s your ignorance,” she snapped.

Karim was about to say something back, clearly offended, but Luca stepped in.

“Who the hell do you think you are? Some elite? No—you’re just a student like us. Knowing your way around doesn’t give you the right to talk down to people.”

The girl paused for a second. Her face grew even more serious. “You know what? You’re right. I do know more than you. And I am just a student like you. So go find it yourselves,” she said coldly and stormed off.

Luca grumbled under his breath, “I hate people like that—so full of themselves. She really thinks she runs this place.”

Karim patted Luca on the shoulder. “Thanks for backing me up. Honestly, I think it’s better if we find it on our own. She’s… weird.”

Luca nodded and smiled. “Hey, we’re friends now, right? We’ve gotta watch each other’s backs.”

After finally finding the right library, they went straight to their instructor to ask what they should do. The teacher handed them each a book titled Human Biology and Bone Structure, seated them at a table, and walked off.

Luca immediately opened his book and started flipping through it, while Karim was too stunned by the sheer size of the library.

Rows upon rows of categorized shelves, color-coded spines, alphabetized sections—it was a sea of information. Some of the books were so thick, Karim figured they could kill a person if thrown hard enough. He felt like he was drowning in a massive ocean of knowledge.

The instructor, walking between students, noticed Karim gazing around the library. It was normal. This wasn’t the kind of place an ordinary person ever got to see. Still, as a student, he needed to follow orders.

Quietly, the teacher stepped closer and whispered, “It’s impressive, isn’t it?”

Startled, Karim turned around. “Y-yes,” he stammered.

The teacher smiled gently. “I know you’re amazed, but it’s time to start reading. You can come back here and explore whenever you like.”

Karim nodded and turned to his book. It started with simple terms about human anatomy, then gradually grew more complex—covering everything from nerves to bones, organs to connective tissue. The more he read, the more fascinated he became with his own body.

“All this stuff is inside me?” he wondered.

After some time, the instructor announced the class was over. He told them to keep the books and warned that in a week, they’d be discussing everything they’d read.

Karim held his book, wondering what the coming days would bring.

The next morning, a staff member entered his room and told him he had another physical training class, just like on the first day. Karim quickly got dressed and headed out.

When he arrived at the training area, the instructor told everyone to pick a partner and practice what they’d learned the previous session.

As expected, Karim and Luca were paired up once again. As they got into position and prepared to start the class, Luca said with a hint of nervousness,"When we get to grappling, try not to choke me so hard this time, will you? I’m not trying to die."

Karim smiled."As long as you don’t slam my face into the floor again, I’ll think about it."

Luca laughed."Alright, deal. Let’s try not to beat the crap out of each other this time."

The two got into their stances, fully aware that this friendly rivalry was making them both stronger.

Five months had passed. During those months at the Academy, Karim had grown—both mentally and physically. His friendship with Luca wasn’t just academic support; it was a lifeline. They weren’t just friends—they were the only anchors each other had.

They challenged each other in training, sometimes argued, sometimes laughed for hours. In their free time, they would sit and watch people passing by, trying to guess their stories. Some students had the haunted eyes of veterans. Others looked like lost children. Some were confident, others clearly just trying to survive. Everyone had a different story, and by trying to understand them, Karim started understanding himself better.

Over time, Karim had memorized the areas of the Academy necessary for training. He no longer got lost on the way to the library, never missed classes, and had adapted well to the daily schedule. He started handling small jobs the Academy offered, learning to earn for himself.

And yet... something still felt missing. The Academy gave him purpose. It taught him how to fight. But would he ever see his family again? How were Junya and his mother doing without him? With each passing day, those answers seemed further out of reach.

Still, one thing was certain—he had to stay. He had to finish this training. Because if he ever wanted his family back, everything he learned here would matter.

When the end-of-year exam finally arrived, it was time to prove the results of their physical training. Karim and Luca wouldn’t be fighting each other this time—they’d face different opponents, one-on-one.

If they passed, they’d move on to the next phase: learning weapons and taking a step closer to becoming soldiers. But if they failed, they’d have to repeat the entire year.

The morning of the test, a staff member entered Karim’s room—only to find him already awake, kneeling by his bed in prayer. As the door creaked open, Karim stood and asked without hesitation,"Where do I need to go?"

"The same place you did your physical training—but this time, go around the back," the woman replied.

Karim headed toward the stairs where they usually met. A few minutes later, he saw Luca sprinting toward him, out of breath and full of energy.“Fucking hell, would you just wait for once?” Luca snapped. “You always pull this shit.”

Karim smirked.“Pull what?”

Luca, panting hard, said,“Every time I see you and start running, that’s exactly when you decide to walk. The gap grows, and I have to run even more.”

Karim chuckled.“I do it on purpose. Call it punishment—for still not learning how to show up on time.”

“I had a hole in my boot, alright? Been fixing it all night.”

“Huh, strange,” Karim said sarcastically. “Didn’t you say the same thing four days ago?”

Luca gave him a look.“They’re leather boots, Karim—not steel armor! What do you want from me?”

“You could try walking like a normal person.”

Luca groaned.“Can we just get through one morning without this bullshit?”

Karim tried to laugh, but the smile faded from his face. Anxiety crept in, wiping the humor from his expression. Luca noticed.

“Oh no. Don’t give me that fucking look again,” he said, exasperated.

“What?”“Every time you’re tense, you make that exact same fucking face.”“Like I can help it?”“I know you can’t. That’s what makes it so fucked. Whatever—don’t worry. We’ll handle it. Let’s go.”

When the two reached the arena where the test was being held, the crowd was overwhelming. Everyone was watching the ten students fighting in the center ring, eager to see who would win and who would fall.

Once they confirmed their names and received their numbers, Karim and Luca stood in line, reviewing their tactics and reminding each other of weak points.

Despite their efforts, watching the other duels only increased their stress. One student had fallen, and they assumed he was disqualified—but nothing happened. No teacher intervened, no bell rang. The student quickly stood back up, dusted himself off, and with a sudden kick to his opponent’s face, brought him down instead. Blood poured from the loser’s mouth as the winner paused, then the teacher stepped in and ended the fight. The loser was sent to a corner with the other failures, while the victor joined a separate group.

“Looks like we’re actually gonna get our asses kicked this time,” Luca muttered.

Karim stared at the arena like a statue, eyes locked onto the match. Luca nudged him.“Karim, you good?”

Karim’s voice wavered. “Yeah.”

Trying to comfort him, Luca said,“Remember—stress and fear—”“Will kill you. I know,” Karim finished the sentence.

“We need to get used to this. Even if we pass, what about the next phase? There’s a good chance we’ll get cut up with real swords.”

“I know. Stop riding my ass. You’re not helping.”

“Alright, alright. I’m stressed too.”

“I know. That’s why you always turn into the goddamn grim reaper when you panic.”

They continued watching the ongoing tests. In one match, a student blocked wrong and got his arm broken by repeated blows. In another, one student put too much force into a kick, lost balance, and was forced into submission after being pinned.

For Karim, none of this was especially terrifying. He had already experienced worse—unwillingly, unknowingly. He had done worse before ever stepping foot in the Academy. That’s why he was frozen now. Because this time… maybe he wouldn’t have to kill anyone again, right?

Broken bones, cracked brows, open wounds, choking or being choked—these weren’t new to him. In his training with his mother and William, he’d had his arm broken, nose bloodied more times than he could count. His mother might’ve been kind, but when it came to training, she became something else. William’s training was brutal by default—zero tolerance for mistakes.

Karim was lost in thought until Luca said, “You’re up.”

He stepped into the arena, facing his opponent. The instructor stood between them and explained the rules:

“First—no grabbing dirt or rocks from the ground. No provoking your opponent with words. No hits to the groin. And most importantly, if your opponent falls because of you, you must let them get up. But if they fall on their own, you can move in. During a chokehold, if your opponent signals, you must let go—or you’ll lose too. If a teacher walks toward you, you stop. No exceptions. Got it?”

“Got it,” both of them replied.

The teacher stepped back, rang the small bell, and shouted,“Begin!”

As the fight started, the murmurs of the students, screams from other matches, and overall chaos of the arena surrounded them. Karim focused only on his opponent. His beginner-level training had its uses, but if he wanted to pass, he needed to use the brutal techniques he’d learned from his mother and William.

But first, he had to understand his opponent’s style.

The guy in front of him looked physically equal, but this would be more about technique than strength. They stared at each other, waiting for the first move. Just as Karim was about to lunge, he remembered William’s advice:“Don’t take the first step. Let them.”

So he waited.

His opponent suddenly charged, grabbing one of Karim’s arms and trying to lift his leg to trip him. But Karim wrapped his arms around the guy’s waist and tossed him aside, escaping the attempt. The guy stumbled but didn’t fall.

Karim went on the offensive, trying the same move—but this time, his opponent caught him off-guard with a punch straight to the face, knocking him to the ground.