Afterlife Department

Chel Military Academy, one week later.

"Hello, everyone! Nice to meet you!" they heard an enthusiastic voice spoke in front. "My name is Yuale Figue." He said and smiled.

Yi Bing, Huo Ling, Shou Ji and Shi Jiu heard the usual introductions in the first day of the opening of the new school year. Yes – they are now official first year students of the Chel Military Academy. It was already one week after they won the Annual Challenge which will determine their enrollment to the military academy.

The four of them looked at Reine Reane who is introducing himself as Yuale Figue, the fake identity he made for himself.

"Tch." Some students clicked their tongues and ignored Reine as they focused on whatever they were doing earlier.

It was already the second semester and the winners of the Annual Challenge have to double their efforts to catch up with everyone. This is their 'punishment' for missing the official enrollment. But, they have to be glad since it was their fortune to be given a chance by the Chel Military Academy to enroll in the second semester.

Yes. The Chel Military Academy doesn't allow mid-year enrollments, aside from the Annual Challenge, the event that they set-up on their own. Of course, those who have connections can enroll directly. So, only those ordinary people are participating in this event.

As to why there is no mid-year enrollments, it is due to the Chel Military Academy's rule itself. For them, one of the basic rules of a soldier is to adhere to the rules. So, if the enrollment is at the start of the year, then you should enroll at the start of the year. If you had an accident, then being a soldier might be not meant for you. If you managed to enroll next year, then it is a chance given to you.

But, the Annual Challenge actually came to be. As for why, the officials of the Chel Military Academy finally softened and gave others the chance. Of course, they might also have been disappointed with their students so they wanted to inject fresh, promising bloods in the military academy. And to punish their students, they use them as the participants' opponents. This will serve them a lesson for being disappointing, and to also wake them up how weak they are, but managed to graduate muddle-headedly. And to ensure that the winners are the best of the best, they would finally have them fight against a teacher at the last stage. Of course, they can't defeat the teachers. So, it will be the teacher's decision if he wanted to enroll the student, or even make him his apprentice which is equivalent to enrollment.

Yet, this year, there were no teachers to fight against with. Of course, this is fortunate to the participants. But, this is also strange. And the stranger thing is that no one picked an apprentice! Why? Everyone is puzzled, but then they have no one to ask to. Even if they would talk about it over the social media or internet, these topics would be suppressed. So, everyone decided to finally stop talking about it and moved on to other things.

From what they heard from Reine, there is another story behind the Annual Challenge. It is to recruit people. Of course, this is done by the enemies who are in power but are hiding their tail to bide their time to attack the royal family. They are using the Annual Challenge to pick up some people to strengthen their forces. And the reason why no one picked apprentices this year is for them to not expose themselves or to not look suspicious to their enemies.

So, the event passed like this, and the second semester started. Yi Bing, Huo Ling and Shou Ji are not only strong, but also smart. Their mental strength can prove that. So, they would definitely be able to catch up with these students' studies. There are also Shi Jiu, Reine, and the three alphas who won with them who also have A-rank mental strength, A or S-rank physiques, and A spiritual strength. They also would be able to catch up with these students' studies.

So, these students are definitely dissatisfied. Not only did they feel that their 'territory' was invaded, but they will definitely look bad in lagging behind if these newcomers would perform brilliantly than them. Not to mention the 'handicap' of them entering the military academy in the second semester so they should be behind in studying. But, if they completed, and successfully exemplary at that, the first semester courses that they also have to take along with the second semester courses this second semester, then the original military students would look worse!

Thus, this second semester is bound to be filled with dissatisfaction.

…

"Hey. Those students really don't look good, huh?" one of the three alphas, Celrei, spoke when the eight of them returned to their dormitory which is an eight-person room.

Since they are exactly eight people (they thought the other four are also 'people'), they can say whatever they wanted to say. To ensure the students' sleeping quality to not affect their studies and performance, the walls are soundproof.

"Yes. This is already expected." Reine smiled.

"Yuale. You know a lot!" Ethan exclaimed.

"I just know more than you." Reine humbly spoke. "How can I go to a place without knowing what it really is?" he mystically smiled at them.

"Yuale… why do I feel that there is underlying meaning in your words?" Imir scratched his head in confusion.

"He wanted to tell you that you are lacking." Huo Ling spoke. "It means that you should perform well so that your efforts to enter the academy won't be wasted." He explained.

Although the words sound hurtful, but since they have already known 'Yuale's personality that is direct and harsh, but soft at heart, they didn't feel offended, since they know that he said it out of kindness.

"We will, bro!" Celrei said. "I am from a mining planet and my parents are getting older, so their bodies would become weaker. My younger brother is still very young and I can't bear to watch him work at that early age. So, while my parents can still work, I will use this chance to become a soldier and also earn money to take them away from that planet and live a better life." He explained. "I also want my younger brother to have a better future." He added.

They all wiped their tears, feeling touched of Celrei's story.

"I don't have a tear-jerking story, nor have a strong motivation like you." Imir spoke. "Instead, I am running away from my relatives who wanted me to study business and count money for them. Fortunately, I have a good physique, mental strength and spiritual strength, and I am also an alpha." He said. "Oh, did I mention that they are my aunt's family?" he asked. "They robbed my parents' businesses and also my inheritance, yet they also wanted me to work for them." He coldly smiled.

"How vicious!" the others exclaimed in indignation.

Imir nodded. "Actually, if I become an official soldier, I can get away from them. This is already fine." He spoke. "But, I can also use that opportunity to avenge my parents as well as myself. It isn't that too late." He smiled.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Well, about me… fortunately, I have a good family." Ethan foolishly laughed. "They also told me not to feel burdened and I can go home and they will raise me for the rest of my life… I am an only child." He told them and shyly smiled.

Celrei and Imir hit him, feeling jealous. But, since they became friends after the Annual Challenge, they didn't feel that envious. On the contrary, they feel happy for their friend.

"About me… I have an objective, of course." Reine spoke.

They all turned to him.

"Like Imir, I also want to retaliate." Reine continued. "My cousin died, and my family became in greater danger because of that. I want justice for my cousin, and want to protect my family, and defeat our enemies." He explained.

"Our condolences…" the alpha trio said and patted Reine's back to comfort him while cursing the enemies. They didn't know that what Reine said is the current situation of the galaxy.

"How about the four of you?" the alpha trio turned and looked at the remaining four 'people'.

"Oh. Nothing much. I am just having fun." Shi Jiu grinned and scratched his head.

"But you are really strong ah!" they said.

"I am just here to fulfill my responsibility as a citizen to serve the country… ehem, galaxy." Huo Ling coughed when he slipped.

The trio alpha. "…" the typical learning tyrant. They thought. They already noticed that Huo Ling is a smart person, not to mention his scholarly appearance.

"Likewise." Yi Bing spoke.

The trio alpha. "…" that's not surprising, considering your cold appearance… you are really destined to be a man of justice! They thought.

"Well, I…" Shou Ji muttered. "I want to catch a bad guy." He said and smiled.