SHAMAN PROTOCOL-Chapter 123: The Horrible Norm of Refined Arts Academy

Meanwhile, in another ward of the school clinic, Ran leaned against the headboard of his bed. His mind drifted elsewhere, hissing as he shut his eyes.

Shouts and screams echoed in his memory, bringing back the blood and fear he had felt in that building. Above all, the image that haunted him most was the sinister laugh of the bubbly Blitz, who had almost killed him.

Had it not been for Gallos and Zira, things would’ve... been worse.

Although Ran had no idea if this wasn’t already worse. He ran his hand down his face, tilting his head back, lost in thought.

"Blitz," he whispered, then remembered the other one. "Boom."

His brows shot up as worry centered on the other twin. Concern gnawed at him as he swung his legs out of bed. His muscles ached with soreness, but he ignored it. Once he managed to stand, Ran dragged himself toward Boom’s room.

He was fortunate not to have the same injury as others. So, he could still walk and wander off, unlike others.

Thankfully, he found the little guy quickly, several rooms away from where he was staying.

"Boom," Ran whispered as he paused at the door, noticing Old Gramps Eli seated beside the bed.

Eli gave him a short nod, then focused his gaze on the child lying there. Boom was injured, and bandages were wrapped around his head and hands. There were also those around his torso. Eli hadn’t seen the extent of the child’s injury, and he didn’t want to see it.

Ran stepped inside, stopping beside Eli. "How is he, Grandpa?"

"He hasn’t woken yet," Eli said softly. "But from what I’ve heard, he’ll be fine. He’s just exhausted from using more spiritual energy than his body could handle. With enough rest, he would be running around again."

Ran remained quiet, his eyes softening as he studied Boom.

"Just this morning... everything was peaceful," Ran murmured. In the stillness of the room, his words seemed to echo louder than they should’ve. "It felt like any other morning."

Sure, Ran and Mikel’s morning was quite different from what it usually was, but it was pretty normal. For sure, everyone in his class would’ve thought the same that morning.

No one had expected it to end like this.

Ran balled his hands into fists, swallowing the tension rising in his throat. His complexion was pale; scratches and bruises were clear from head to toe.

"Grandpa Eli," he said under his breath, "is this what it means... to be a shaman? To be in a shaman school?"

Looking at Boom made Ran question everything. Before joining this place, he had hope and expectations. This school was his only chance. Here, he had believed that diligence would eventually allow him to merge with Gallos.

But the first quarter of the year hadn’t even ended, and this was the second time Ran had narrowly escaped death. The first had been against the Ruminant King. Compared to today, that battle had felt tame.

Today was different.

It wasn’t something they could joke about.

Eli studied Ran’s profile, noting the bitterness in his eyes. Ran’s shoulders trembled as his fists clenched tightly. Eli exhaled shallowly, shifting his gaze from the boy.

"That is up to you to decide," Eli said quietly. "But what I know is... it’s worse out there."

"Worse?" Ran’s eyes narrowed, glancing bitterly at Eli. "You don’t call this worse yet?"

Eli let out a deep sigh, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Ran, do you know why I haven’t graduated yet?" He paused, waiting for an answer, which didn’t come. "I’m not scared of what’s outside... but of what could get into this place."

His eyes softened, tinged with bitterness. "Back in my day, our batch had the most students. Not as many as now, with multiple sections, but still... a lot."

"Thirty students in one section was a lot," he continued quietly. "For three years, we laughed, cried, struggled, and fought together. But then... things happened. By graduation, only one person remained."

"Only one?" Ran’s eyes widened, pale. "That means..."

"That’s right," Eli said with a weary smile, eyes shifting to Boom. "How could I step onto that stage and graduate alone?"

Twisted as it was, the school still held the graduation ceremony, even with only one student. Eli had completed the three-year course at the top of his class, despite losing everyone else.

"All my friends... gone," Eli whispered. "Wiped out in a single day. And as if to mock me... they left me alive. To step on that stage all alone."

He huffed, meeting Ran’s eyes. "Ran, you’re part of one of the founding clans. You should know that Refined Arts Academy offers as much safety as possible. Yet not all students make it to graduation—everyone here knows that." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

It had become the horrible norm.

Was it the school’s fault? Not really. Without this place, all of them would’ve died anyway. The difference was that this academy offered protection and taught young shamans how to survive.

Graduating here was already a feat because of this very reason.

"That’s why I stayed," Eli said, rocking his head. "Even when students mocked an old man like me, even when I couldn’t follow your trends, I stayed as a first-year. I might not stop everything, but I can protect as many students as I can."

"So... no one would stand alone on the graduation stage," he added quietly. "But today... I might need a new plan, now that danger has reached the campus."

Ran opened his mouth, but the tension in his throat held his words back. He could only look down.

"Grandpa," he whispered, head bowed, "do you think... Blitz and Boom will be fine?"

He glanced at Eli’s side. "Will they... even remember what happened?"

Eli met Ran’s eyes, offering a weak smile. He didn’t answer immediately, focusing on the unconscious Boom.

"I don’t know, Ran," Eli said honestly. "But in my experience, remembering isn’t as important as forgetting. Agents, teachers, and everyone in Zone Zero do their best to ensure what we fight for isn’t forgotten... and that’s what matters."