Lesson One, Perception!

All four students, Shiro, Reiwa, Kui, and another student, are on the open training field of Visionary Academy. They were all in line right beside each other, as Zaki was in front, giving a lesson about a so-called special technique called ‘Perception.'

“Today, students! We will be learning about a very-very special technique, known as ‘Perception’!”
Zaki spoke while walking back and forth in front of the students.
”Perception is the only main technique beast hunters use to fight against beasts; this is the purpose of Visionary Academy!”
He continued to explain.

While Zaki was busy explaining things, Kui was still half asleep, scratching his eyes. He looked around him to see Shiro beside him.

“Huh..?”
Kui looked puzzled before scratching his eyes once again.
As his vision gets clearer, he sees Shiro.
”WHAT THE-?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”
He was surprised.

Shiro looked at Kui, dumbfounded by his reaction.
”Wha- I’ve been here the whole time!”
He replied, raising his voice slightly, as Kui is blind and cannot see him.

“I’ve been very sleepy! Cause you came home late last night!”
Kui protested.

“What does that have to do with your sleep…?”
Shiro asked, slightly confused and still dumbfounded by Kui’s excuse.

“You forgot your damn keys, dumbass.”
Kui replied with an annoyed tone in his voice.

“Oh, right. My bad…”
Shiro replied, a little disappointed in himself for his careless action last night.

Kui looked at Shiro with an annoyed face, but he softened before asking.
”Why did you get home so late anyway?”
”Tell me, were you on some date with Yoriha..? HUH?!”
He asked, with a suspicious glance and tone.

“E- eh..?! What the hell are you even talking about?!”
Shiro protested with a protective look, but also stuttered his words as if what Kui had said was true.

“Ah, I see… You’ve been ‘hooking up’ with Ms. Yoriha, aren’t you?!”
Kui had a teasing look and tone.

“Wha-”

Before Shiro could even reply to Kui, Zaki interrupted both of them.

“Hey! Are you two even listening?”
Zaki yelled at the Kui and Shiro.

Shiro and Kui were startled, immediately fixing their position to face him, as if they were some soldiers being scolded by the commander.

“Sorry, teach!”
Kui yelled, visibly sweating.

Zaki had a suspicious glance at Shiro and Kui, but he brushed it off before calling Shiro.
”You! Half-beast boy!”
He pointed a finger at Shiro.

Shiro was startled; he looked around before pointing a finger at himself.
”Huh? Me?”

“Yes! Come here.”
Zaki had a teasing look as he called Shiro to come up beside him.

Shiro hesitated, furrowing his brows a little as he was scared of what Zaki might do to him for not listening, but he went anyway.

Shiro walked towards Zaki, visibly sweating on his face, as Zaki immediately spun him around to face the students and covered his eyes with both of his hands.

“HEY- WHA-?!”

“Relax. Take a deep breath.”
Zaki whispered into Shiro’s ear.

“Is this one of your Perception bullcrap again?”
Shiro replied, with both of his eyes covered by Zaki’s hands.

“SHUSH!”
”Lesson One, Perception.”
Zaki spoke with a confident tone.

Shiro was sweating from the situation, but he went with it.

“You have a very strong energy within you, Shiro.”
”I don’t know if it’s your half-beast, but it’s very interesting.”
Zaki whispered.
”I want you to observe your surroundings and try to describe them to me.”

Shiro’s face was very skeptical about the situation; he had a nervous look with visible sweat on his face.
”Uh.. Okay…”

Shiro focused, even if his eyes were closed. He tried to see something even if his vision was pitch black, trying to sense something around him.

“Observe, Sense it, and describe, Shiro~”
Zaki reassured him.

Shiro kept focusing, attempting to try seeing something even with his eyes closed.

Until he sees a dark blue aura, or an energy to his right side. It wasn’t strong, nor was it weak. Then, he sees another aura, this time it was light blue, which was to his left, and another came, it was green, it seemed small and weak.

“What the…”
Shiro murmured.

Zaki’s mouth slightly widens, a little shocked.
”What do you see..?”

“I see… a dark-blue aura, to my right…”
Shiro pointed to his right, which was directed at Reiwa.
”And… a light-blue aura, to my left…”
He then pointed to his left, which now directed to Kui.
”A… green one. In front of me, I think by the ground.”
He pointed downwards in front of him, which directed to a little bird that flew from the sky towards Shiro’s shoes.

Zaki was surprised that he was able to see and describe what he saw with his eyes closed. Knowing now that he can sense Reiwa’s and Kui’s energy, and even a little bird.

Zaki removed his hands from Shiro’s eyes before clapping and closing his eyes.
”Congratulations, you’ve done better than Kui!”
He teased.

“Eh..?”
Shiro looked back at Zaki, slightly confused.

“HEY! THAT’S ONE WAY TO INSULT YOUR STUDENT!”
Kui protested, annoyed and angry at how Zaki praised Shiro while comparing him to Kui.

“You’ve been attending here for months, yet you haven’t been able to do that.”
Zaki had a blank stare at Kui.

“HMPH!”
Kui pouted, annoyed by the entire situation.

Reiwa then placed her arm on Kui’s shoulder.
”No need to worry, Kui! You’ll get there!”
She reassured him.
”Maybe in another year of attending.”
And suddenly teasing him.

“OH SCREW YOU!”
Kui pushed Reiwa back, removing her arms from his shoulder.

Perception is a technique used by Beast Hunters to observe, sense, and absorb negative or positive energy around them!

What’s the difference between negative and positive?
Negative comes from negative emotions, such as anger, fear, sadness, etc. While Positive stems from positive emotions such as happiness, hope, love, pride, etc.

Both types of energies have different capabilities!