CHAPTER 135: ONE INCH SHIT EATER

When Mika stepped out of the portal, the first thing that hit him was the sudden rush of warmth, the sunlight spilling down on his face, sharp and golden compared to the pale, endless white of Yelena’s Sanctuary. He squinted against it for a moment, his eyes adjusting, before the familiar sounds of life filled his ears.

Behind him, the portal winked shut with a whisper, leaving nothing but the ordinary backdrop of the city.

Towering skyscrapers stretched high into the sky, their mirrored glass faces flashing sunlight into the bustling streets below. People hurried along sidewalks in sharp suits, uniforms, and casual wear; taxi drivers were calling out near shopfronts; cars, and sleek modern vehicles streamed through wide avenues, horns and hums blending into a constant chorus of noise.

It was the beating heart of the continent, the capital city itself, Solaria City, thriving, alive, brimming with ambition and power.

But all of that was nothing compared to what stood in front of him.

At the very center of this bustling metropolis, carved out as though the city had grown around it, lay an immense estate.

From a distance it looked almost like a national park preserved in the middle of the steel-and-glass jungle. Towering stone walls, reinforced with intricate glyphs that shimmered faintly in the light, surrounded the entire complex, stretching high enough that one could only glimpse what lay inside through the open, arched gates.

And within those walls was Solaria Beyond Academy.

The main building rose first in Mika’s view, a vast structure of smooth stone and shimmering metal, blending traditional artistry with cutting-edge design. Tall spires reached upward, their tips crowned with glowing crystal conduits that pulsed with mana. Wide windows gleamed like mirrors, and carved reliefs of warriors, scholars, and legendary figures adorned the facade.

But it wasn’t just one structure, scattered across the sprawling grounds were additional buildings, each separated by winding paths, open courtyards, and stretches of green so wide it was like stepping into another world entirely.

Inside the walls, it wasn’t the same frantic rush as the city.

It was quiet, orderly, yet charged with energy. Wide training fields stretched out like emerald carpets where students sparred in groups, their weapons sparking and colliding.

Towering lecture halls rose on one side, where the younger blessed learned theory, history, and tactics.

Dormitories stood further back, sleek and modern yet surrounded by flowering gardens and glowing lanterns that floated gently through the air at night.

And beyond that, there were special arenas built into the estate itself, massive coliseums with floating platforms, shifting landscapes, and energy barriers meant for combat practice. Mika could see one of them in the distance now, shimmering with magical wards.

This was no ordinary school. This was the pride of the continent, the single greatest institute for training the blessed.

Students from every corner of the land came here once they awakened, regardless of their lineage.

Noble heirs, royal children, even orphans plucked from obscurity, all found themselves on equal ground within these walls. Here, strength and potential decided rank, not birth.

The Academy was said to be where legends began, where every major hero in recent history had once walked, trained, and fought.

It was also a political hub, a neutral ground where factions, noble houses, and even nations invested resources and competed through their students.

Solaria wasn’t just a school, it was the future of the world itself, concentrated into one walled sanctuary of power, ambition, and rivalry.

Mika exhaled slowly, taking it in. Then he turned his head, scanning the crowds.

"Where the hell’s Charlotte...?"

He didn’t need to wonder long.

A sudden swell of excited voices rose from a little distance away.

"Oh my god, it’s Charlotte Heavensblade!"

"Didn’t think I’d see her this morning...she looks so beautiful, and cheerful too!"

"To think I get to see a goddess before class...today’s going to be a good day!"

Mika turned his head, already guessing the cause of the commotion...And there she was.

Charlotte stood a short distance off, adjusting her uniform as she chatted with her friends, completely at ease in the middle of all the attention. Her white blouse and pleated skirt caught the morning light, her hair gleaming like fire in the sun.

Around her, every passing student slowed to stare, some whispering in awe, others outright gaping. Admiration shone openly on their faces.

Mika wasn’t surprised.

He had seen this too many times before. Charlotte wasn’t just another student; she was practically the academy’s celebrity, the daughter of one of the woman who had saved the world. The Battle Angel’s Daughter, some of them even called her. It was only natural she drew every eye the moment she appeared.

But then she suddenly noticed him and immidietly her bright gaze snapped toward his direction, her eyes widening with joy.

"Mika! There you are!"

Before he could even react, Charlotte broke into a run, skirts swishing as she dashed away from her friends and straight toward him.

A ripple of surprise spread through the crowd, then came the shift. The admiration directed at Charlotte bled into scowls aimed at him.

Mika could feel the glares. Dozens of them, sharp, suspicious, irritated. The whispers changed too.

"What the hell’s he doing here with her?"

"Always hanging around the goddess...like some parasite."

"Doesn’t he know his place?"

Mika ignored them. He’d grown used to the attention, both hers and his own. Wherever Charlotte drew admiration, he drew hostility. It was the price of being close to her.

Charlotte didn’t care, of course. She ran right up, smiling like sunshine, and latched onto his arm.

"You’re here! Perfect timing!"

"Aren’t you supposed to be with your friends?" He arched a brow, glancing at her. "Didn’t you say you had an application to submit?"

Charlotte puffed her chest proudly, her hands on her hips. "Already taken care of. I gave it to my team, and they’ll submitt it for me. See? No problem!"

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "So you’re ditching them to follow me?"

She shook her head firmly, her tone carrying weight. "Not ditching—escorting. I’ll take you to class myself."

"Don’t you get it, Mika? When a second-year senior personally walks a first-year to class, his status shoots through the roof. Everyone will see you differently. You’ll command respect."

He couldn’t even deny it. She was right. Charlotte was a second-year, older by a year, while he was still a first-year. And here she was, practically announcing to the academy that she was personally looking after him.

But he still groaned as he said with a look of dismay on his face,

"Respect? What do you mean respect, Charlotte? If you walk me into class like some proud escort, I won’t be respected, I’ll be roasted alive. They’ll treat me like public enemy number one. You’ll see glares, scowls, whispers, my head will be mounted on a wall before I even sit down."

But Charlotte only folded her arms, unimpressed.

"Oh really?" She said, tilting her chin mock skepticism. "I think you’re forgetting something, Mika. Even if I don’t walk with you, you’re already public enemy number one. With all the atrocious things you’ve done, your reputation is basically in the gutter...Everyone already hates you."

He flinched, feigning offense. "Ouch. Thanks for reminding me."

But she pressed on, poking his chest. "In fact, if I walk with you, I’ll be like a shield. They’ll be too busy looking at me to glare properly at you. It’s actually better."

Mika paused, his expression shifting as the logic sank in. He rubbed his chin, then gave her a sidelong glance.

"You know...that’s true. You’ve got this saintly reputation, and I’ve got the exact opposite. If I walk with you, maybe they’ll forget about me. I could use you as cover."

Charlotte grinned smugly. "Exactly. Now you’re catching on."

He groaned, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. Let’s go, oh mighty shield."

She only laughed, dragging him inside the campus while talking about the lunch Yelena made and how they couldn’t wait to eat it, as they may argue about many things but when it came to Yelena food the consensus was always the same: her food was divine.

But even as they walked side by side, more students turned to look. Some whispered. Some hissed under their breath. Some pointed outright. Mika caught bits and pieces.

"It’s him again...why does she waste her time?"

"Of course. She’s his support. That’s the only reason. Lucky bastard."

"Why him? Out of everyone in this academy, why him?"

Mika simply smiled at all these comments finding them amusing in their own right.

But it was when he entered the main building, did he hear a comment that he couldn’t simply ignore.

"Oh no. Look! It’s the One Inch Shit Eater!"

The voice cut through the murmur, making everyone turn their heads to the source.

A boy in a pristine uniform, walking with his little clique, had spoken the words loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. The insult rang across the corridor.

Mika also stopped mid-step and slowly, very slowly, he turned his head. His gaze fixed on the boy.

The moment their eyes met, the boy’s smirk faltered. His face went pale, like the blood had drained from his body.

The arrogant look melted into one of sheer panic. He swallowed hard, stumbled back a step, then bolted down the corridor, his friends scrambling after him.

Silence followed, thick and heavy. Students who had been whispering earlier now avoided his eyes, looking anywhere but at him.

And then, like a sharp note breaking the tension, Mika heard a soft giggle.

"Pffft!~"

He turned his head sharply to see which bastard was still laughing at him...only to find that it was Charlotte.

She was covering her mouth with both hands, her shoulders shaking as she tried, and failed, to hold back her laughter.

"...Really, Charlotte?"

Mika muttered, narrowing his eyes at her.

"You know how much I hate that name. You know how sensitive I am about it. And here you are...laughing?"

His voice carried that irritated edge, but it wasn’t loud, it was more a controlled hiss, as if he was holding back his annoyance.

"Sorry, sorry, Mika. I didn’t mean to laugh like that, it just slipped out." Charlotte dropped her hands, still grinning, though she tried to soften it into an apologetic look. "It’s...It’s just that it’s such a ridiculous nickname. I know I shouldn’t, but every time I hear it I just—"

She burst into another small giggle.

"It’s too funny! I can’t help it!"

His glare didn’t waver as he complained to her saying,

"Funny for you maybe. But think about it, do you know what it implies?...A one inch shit eater, Charlotte. Out of context, that’s probably the worst possible insult anyone could throw at me."

"Makes it sound like I’ve got a one-inch dick and eat shit for breakfast. How is that something I’m supposed to laugh about?"

Charlotte blinked, then snorted, and quickly covered her mouth again to stifle it.

"Okay, okay, when you put it like that..." She coughed, trying to keep a straight face. "...I get it. That is bad." She nodded seriously, then added with a sly smile. "But still...you kind of brought it on yourself."

Mika raised an eyebrow. "Brought it on myself?"

She crossed her arms, looking at him knowingly. "Don’t play dumb. Everyone knows why you got that nickname."

"You literally threw three students into a school latrine pit and forced them to eat the shit and poop inside until the level dropped by one inch."

She leaned in, whispering dramatically.

"One inch, Mika. One inch of poop and all those vile things found in the toilet. You measured their punishment. How could they not turn that into a nickname?"

"...You basically handed it to them."