"I wonder what sort of terrible things that old geezer has planned for me this time," Maxwell thought bitterly to himself as he stepped out of his classroom.
Principal Kim had already left earlier, saying, "I've got things to do, so I'll see you later," before instructing Maxwell to clean the classroom using his special broom as punishment for skipping an entire day of lessons. For no particular reason at all, the broom probably weighed between twenty-five and thirty-five kilograms.
"Finally…"
Leaving the class, Maxwell let out a relieved sigh. The school was almost empty; most students had either gone home or were currently stuck in their classrooms for club activities.
Just as he turned to leave, Maxwell noticed a guy stepping out of a classroom two or three rooms away from his own. The guy glanced at him, then began walking in his direction.
At first, Maxwell didn't think much of it—he had looked first, after all. That was until the guy stopped right in front of him and extended a hand.
"Hey. My name's Myles. First year, Class 3A."
He had black hair and an athletic build, standing nearly a head taller than Maxwell—enough to make him feel slightly oppressed.
Maxwell froze, glancing around to see if the guy was talking to someone else. When he realized there was no one behind him, he hesitated before finally reaching out and shaking Myles' hand out of basic courtesy.
"My name is Maxw—"
"Don't bother," Myles interrupted with a smile. "I already know who you are."
"Oh. I see." Maxwell nodded. That made sense.
"In any case, I'll see you during the upcoming exam."
With that, Myles turned and walked away.
"That was unexpected," Maxwell mused, staring at Myles' retreating figure before looking down at his own hand—the one that had just shaken Myles'.
"So cold…"
---
Class 3A
"So that was Maxwell, huh…"
Myles smiled faintly. "Can't say I'm disappointed. Looks like I can really look forward to the practical exams."
---
After Myles left, Maxwell didn't head straight home. He had a part-time job to get to.
Taking a detour around the school, he walked for about ten minutes before reaching the subway station. Shortly after, he boarded a train.
Once he got off, Maxwell stopped in front of a building with a hanging sign that read 'Gold Wood'.
Ding.
The bell rang as Maxwell entered—the staff member of the month for seven months straight.
"Maxxi!"
A girl with yellow pigtails, black eyes, and extremely pale skin spotted him and immediately rushed forward, pouncing at him.
Luckily, Maxwell was used to Catherine's antics. He swiftly sidestepped her hug, causing her to stumble out the door and fall—earning laughter from nearby passersby.
"Hey!" Catherine shouted, annoyed. She lunged at him again, only to miss once more.
"Is that how you treat a friend?" she asked irritably.
"Of course not," Maxwell replied smugly. "That's just how I treat you in particular."
"I see…" Catherine sighed. "Fine. Then I'll just keep what I prepared for your arrival."
She walked over and sat on a desk. "And I put so much effort into it too."
"What are you saying? I was just joking!" Maxwell said quickly. "We're friends—how could we deny each other something so simple?"
Seeing the sudden change in Maxwell, Catherine blinked.
Did he get abducted by aliens and replaced while I wasn't looking?
…No, I'm starting to think like him now.
Watching Catherine sit there silently, Maxwell panicked.
She can't really be mad… right? If she's mad, how will I get what she prepared for me?! I have to cheer her up.
But just as he looked up again, the scenery around him changed.
A thunderous voice echoed.
"Welcome, challenger, to the sect."