CHAPTER 95: A LEGEND IN SHAMAN HISTORY

The day passed just like that, as if the first simulation group activity had been nothing out of the ordinary.

After class, Mikel—like a diligent student—headed straight to detention, where he had to spend extra time cleaning. Only after that was he completely free for the day. And his first destination?

The cafeteria.

Much to his horror, when he reached it, he saw a table where Ran, the old man, and the twins were seated, with Tahu.

"My friend!" Tahu shouted as soon as Mikel stepped into the cafeteria.

Mikel stopped, turned toward the voice, and his face twitched upon seeing the expectant look in their eyes.

[System Suggestion: Ignore.]

As if I have the choice.

Mikel let out a shallow breath and walked toward the stack of trays lined up in the almost non-existent line. Once he got his food, he chose to sit at a vacant table. After all, most first-years avoided dinner here unless they were broke, bored, or banned from restaurants. But even though Mikel sat at an empty table, it didn’t stay that way for long because Tahu and the gang had carried their trays over to join him.

"My friend, I heard your group was the last to finish the simulation activity!" Tahu laughed as if it were something to be proud of. "Boom and Blitz said you fought the Ruminant King—I like beef!"

"We don’t like it!" the twins retorted in unison, frowning.

Tahu just laughed until he suddenly stopped. "Anyway, I’ve heard of the Ruminant King. I thought it wouldn’t show up this year."

"That is the question we are all wondering," said the grandpa.

"Only you, Grandpa!" the twins chimed. "We don’t wonder about it."

"Even so," Eli added, "I now believe this year is the lucky draw."

He shot the twins a smile, which beamed back at him as if they were the lucky charms.

"Gramps, you might graduate this year!" Tahu joked, and the grandpa—Eli—just laughed with him.

Mikel shook his head and started eating, only to notice the twins biting their spoons. His face contorted in silent judgment. They might have strong spiritual energy, but they kept putting random things in their mouths.

[They will choke.]

But Mikel ignored that.

"By the way, Tahu." Ran cleared his throat as Tahu looked back at him. "You said you were the first to finish in your class?"

"You?" Mikel blurted out mid-chew, raising a brow.

Tahu beamed. "The simulation was easy. All we had to do was convince the spirits to leave the building, so we politely asked them to go."

"..." Everyone blinked. Even Eli stared at Tahu blankly.

"They were slightly naughty spirits," Tahu added, "but if you asked nicely, they actually listened—haha!"

Again, silence.

"Right..." Boom mumbled. "We forgot our manners, Blitz. We should ask nicely first."

Blitz frowned, pouting. "Next time, I won’t forget to ask. If asking doesn’t work, I’ll bribe them!"

"Mhm!" Boom nodded. "With candies or chalks!"

Unlike the twins, the rest just stared at Tahu. However, Mikel’s gaze shifted to the grandpa again.

How come he looks so surprised?

[Master, five decades of failure would be nothing if he were not what he is—a failure.]

Fifty years and he doesn’t know "asking nicely" is the answer to these simulations?

At this point, Mikel had lost confidence in the old man. Then again, remembering how Eli restrained the Ruminant King with Blitz’s help intrigued him. That hadn’t been normal suppression, for sure.

"Ah." Mikel blinked. "What do you mean, ’ask the spirits to leave the premises’? Weren’t we supposed to capture them in the forest?"

Now that Mikel brought it up, Ran and the twins turned their attention back to Tahu. But it was Eli who answered.

"First group simulations often vary by section but are the same in integrity," he explained. "I believe what Tahu is saying is that they did theirs in one of the campus buildings."

"Oh..." The twins’ mouths formed a perfect O in unison.

"These simulation activities rotate," Eli continued. "Our class will eventually do the building scenario, while Tahu’s class will face the forest. That way, every student gets the chance to work with their teammates and transition through the full program."

"Ahh..." Mikel nodded, taking another spoonful. "That makes sense."

"But doesn’t that mean when we get to the building activity, we’ll already know what to do?" Ran asked.

"Oh!" Tahu nodded enthusiastically. "That’s not bad! Tell me what to expect, so we end up first again!"

"We already told you. We faced the Ruminant King," Eli sighed. "And I guess we were lucky enough to take it down. I don’t think that experience would be of help."

"Maybe bribe them!" Blitz chimed in. "We didn’t try, but it might work!"

"I’ll bring more candies tomorrow for our next simulation!" Boom cheered.

"School is so fun, right, Boom?!"

"Mhm!"

Mikel shook his head but didn’t bother breaking the twins’ cheerful bubble. Instead, he glanced at Tahu, who seemed to be doing better in his class.

He quietly returned to his meal, listening to the ongoing chatter between Tahu, Eli, and Ran. The twins chimed in occasionally, but not long after, the group parted ways. Ran, Mikel, and Tahu left together, as they shared the same dormitory.

Eli went with the twins since they stayed in the same building.

Thankfully, Tahu didn’t bother Mikel too much. As intrusive as he was, he took hygiene very seriously. The moment they got back to the dorm, he ran to his room and came out yelling about the shower, as if that would make anyone give way to him.

Mikel and Ran idled in their room. Ran sat at the desk, working on homework, while Mikel lay on the bed casually.

He glanced at Ran’s hunched figure.

"Hey, Ran," he called.

Ran jolted and looked back. "What is it?"

Mikel blinked slowly. "That knife you used that turned into a sword... can I look at it?"

"You mean Gallos’ sword?"

"Gallos is your Phantom, right?"

"Mhm!" Ran opened a drawer, spun in his seat, and held up the old knife. "It’s his weapon. Half of Gallos’ spiritual energy is sealed in here since I can’t carry the full load."

Mikel sat up, resting his elbows on his knees. "And it becomes a sword, huh?"

"Gallos is a sword," Ran said with a faint huff. "He’s a legend in shaman history. Right now, it’s just a knife because that’s all I can handle."

"I thought he was in your chest?"

"He is. Or, more like, a fragment of his consciousness. I’m still adapting to his spiritual energy," Ran explained, biting his tongue before he overshared that would bore his roommate.

"I see..." Mikel nodded. "So that explains the glaive."

"Eron can carry the Hound’s glaive while I have to be careful," Ran added, smiling faintly. This was the first time Mikel had shown genuine interest in his abilities. Ran might be a failure, but Gallos was worth every bit of praise.

"By the way, why are you asking?" Ran asked curiously.

Well, because I also have a knife from the Book of the Dead... the one I used to seal my Phantom Contract.

Mikel shrugged. "Just thought your strike against the Ruminant King was interesting."

"Heh..." Ran scratched the back of his head. "I’ve been practicing that move all my life. It’s the only thing I can really do in a fight." He paused and smiled a bit. "Still, someday, I want to be the kind of shaman Gallos deserves."

Ran kept talking, but Mikel tuned him out, eyeing the knife. It was glowing faintly.

Mikel’s brow rose. What’s that about?

[It was warning you, Master.]

Warning me about what?

[That its loyalty lies with the kid.]

Mikel smirked for a second. A relic warning him? That was not new.

He glanced briefly at the knife from the Book of the Dead resting deep in his inventory. Would it ever glow for him too? Or was silence the only thing it had to offer?

"Don’t get ahead of yourself," Mikel said aloud, eyes still on the knife.

Ran blinked, confused. "Huh?"

Mikel didn’t answer right away. He leaned back, watching the faint glow pulse in the blade.

"Not you," he finally said. "I meant your Phantom—he’s surprisingly clingy to his wielder."

Deep lines formed on Ran’s forehead as he stared down at the silver-glowing knife.

"Gallos..." he whispered, then shot Mikel a curious look.

Gallos shouldn’t respond to anyone but me. So how did Mikel...?