Chapter 6: Campus Tour & Fatherly Bonds

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students from the Misfit Class immediately began shuffling out, some lighting up cigarettes, others arguing, and a few just outright ignoring the presence of their new, unsettling classmate—Azar.

Dante, however, wasn’t so lucky.

"Dante."

The red-haired young man froze as the instructor’s voice rang out. He slowly turned, already feeling the headache coming.

"Show Azar around the academy," the instructor ordered. "Once you’re done, return to the Misfit dorms below the classroom."

Dante's eye twitched. "Why the hell do I have to do it?"

The instructor simply gave him a stern look, and Dante knew arguing was pointless.

Azar, meanwhile, clapped his hands together excitedly. "Ohh! A tour? That sounds fun!"

Dante groaned, rubbing his temples. "Great. Just great."

As they were about to leave, a familiar voice chimed in.

"I’ll come too."

Dante and Azar turned to see Iris, the black-haired girl in her oversized puffy coat, lazily stuffing her hands into her pockets.

Azar tilted his head. "Aww, is it 'cause you like me?"

Iris shrugged. "I just wanna observe you."

Azar grinned under his mask. "I knew it. You like me."

Iris rolled her eyes.

Dante sighed, muttering, "Let’s just get this over with.”

---

Heavenly Pillar Academy 

The academy was monumental, stretching across miles, with grand marble corridors and massive stained glass windows depicting the history of the Saints. Golden chandeliers lined the ceilings, illuminating the students in their pristine white uniforms, a stark contrast to the trio walking among them.

Dante half-heartedly pointed at things as they passed.

"That’s the training hall. That’s the library. That’s the cafeteria. That’s the—Azar, stop touching things."

Azar, who had been poking a holy artifact inside a glass display, looked at Dante innocently. "Why? What’s the worst that could happen?"

Dante grabbed his wrist. "The last time someone touched one of these, they exploded into divine ash. I am NOT dealing with that paperwork."

Azar pouted but relented.

They continued walking, passing by groups of students who all whispered as they passed. Azar, however, seemed completely unbothered, humming to himself as if he was on a casual stroll through a park.

Then, as they turned a corner, Azar stopped in his tracks.

His humming ceased.

Dante and Iris looked at him, then followed his gaze.

There, hanging on the wall, was an oil painting—a grand, almost divine portrait of a man cloaked in gold-trimmed robes, his silver hair falling over his shoulders, eyes dark and piercing. Judas. One of the Original Saints. The man who betrayed Jesus.

Everyone in the academy hated him.

Azar, however, lit up with joy.

"DAS MY DAD!”

Silence.

The entire corridor froze—students, instructors, even spirits lingering in the academy.

Dante felt a vein pop on his forehead. "...That better be a shit joke."

Azar didn’t seem to hear him. Instead, he tilted his head, as if listening to someone, then nodded and turned back to Dante.

"Ohhh, but look at me and at Dad!"

Azar suddenly frantically pointed between himself and the painting.

"Look at the resemblance!" he sang happily. 

Dante’s fist clenched, his body tensing.

The students around them? Furious.

Judas was a traitor to the heavens, a man whose very name was a curse. The mere mention of him was enough to cause rage, but Azar claiming him as his father? That was sacrilegious.

The air grew heavy.

Then—BOOM.

Killing intent flooded the corridor.

The entire student body released their murderous auras, their hatred manifesting as a storm of divine pressure aimed directly at Azar.

But instead of collapsing under the weight—

Azar simply smiled.

His body trembled in excitement as he absorbed every drop of it.

The killing intent swirled, condensed, then—

Pop.

A small spherical pill materialised before Azar, floating in the air.

It was crimson red, swirling with dark energy.

Azar clapped his hands. "OHHH! A Killing Intent Pill! It’s been forever since I made one of these!"

Dante stared in horror. "You… condensed that much killing intent into a pill?"

Azar nodded excitedly, snatching the pill out of the air and examining it like a child with candy. "Mmm, and this is some high-quality stuff. Would go great in tea."

The murderous students watched in disbelief.

Azar popped the pill into his mouth and chewed.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he said, "Delicious."

Dante, done with everything, simply walked away.

"I give up. I just give up."