Dance between Mortals and Immortals

Chapter 3.2

Rize quickly put on her disciple's robes and left her room. The academy was enormous; it had been six years since she was first entered in as an outer disciple; her robes were all white with the golden phoenix of the empire on its back.

The outer disciples her outer disciple robe was silver while the inner disciples were allowed to wear a variety of outfits depending on the deity they followed or the master who took them in. The academy was busy this time of year as it was getting close to the annual showcase where the military leaders, scholars, nobles, and even some of the royalty would come to the academy to see the disciples show them how far the school has brought them along. 

Many minor nobles hoped their son or daughter would impress a high ranking noble or even one of the royal family's princes or princesses so they could be married into the royal family, something most would never be able to dream of doing. The Empire was partly meritocracy as the strong and talented could rise from their lowly places and reach levels fairly high, but even commoners found that reaching the royal family was a sliver of a dream.

Rize never realized how hierarchical society was until she came to the academy. In fact the entire empire was built on a strict hierarchy that could not be broken so easily. Because of this even though her talent was decent and she was one of the hardest workers of the outer disciples she was still considered the lowest of the low due to her poor background and her cursed blue eyes. Even though many would call her a top beauty at the school no one would come near her due to this fact. She was the outcast of the outcasts. Not even disciples from similar backgrounds would associate with her.

Ultimately however Rize didn't mind it, she was better off alone anyways. How could she ever trust any of them to have her back? If they won't even look past the superficial? Rize walked down the main path most of the students parting ways around her not wanting to be even thought of associating with her. The white stone paths of the academy were polished from the constant wear of students and masters walking along it and had a slight blackish glean to them.

"Hey! Look who it is guys!" a familiarly vile voice came from ahead of her. Looking up she already knew who the voice belonged to. Masaru Hyudo the biggest jerk of the outer disciples and his posse of moronic henchmen.

Masaru wasn't particularly attractive his face was square and still had a good amount of baby fat on it. His eyes were beady, hanging from his lip when he smiled was a small snaggle tooth that jutted out.

"What do you want Masaru?" Rize said slightly annoyed these were the only guys who gave her a majorly rough time for her eyes the rest simply left her alone or just talked behind her back "just leave me alone."

"AHH! Minako you are so cute, but why are you always so stand offish? We just want to hang out with our good friend Minako Rize" he said mockingly, his posse snickering in the background.

Saying someone was cute in Sato implied they were family or close friends. Masaru...was the furthest thing from either. Rize hated people using her first name as if they were her parents.

"Don't use my first name. We aren't that close Masaru..." she growled when she heard him speak her first name.

Masaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he glared at Rize "really now...who are you, a daughter of a poor waitress and a lowly pathetic hunter, telling me or anyone here at this academy what to do? HUH?"

Pausing for a second an evil look flashed onto his face "oh wait…isn't that right your father died pathetically in battle. I heard they never found his body…maybe he ran away like a coward. I mean your parents didn't have the bravery to abandon a cursed child like you in the first place. How much honor could he possibly have?" his entire group along with a few onlookers snickered at the sharp words.

A flash of red filled her vision for a split second a heat rose into head.

Rize felt a surge of blood begin to boil in her veins as she lost control. Without a second's hesitation shot forward with speed of a girl who had been training martial arts and Ki for six years now. Rize didn't know what she wanted to do, but she knew she wanted to make him hurt for what she said about her bastard lying father. 

Only she was allowed to insult him, not some pathetic worm like Masaru. As she quickly closed the distance between her and Masaru. Not even flinching, he stood up straight and sent out his fist at her colliding with her forehead, sending her flying back several feet don't a backwards somersault in the air. Rize sprung off her hands and landed on her feet again.

"Rize, you are pathetic. You think that cause you train more than anyone you can overcome pure talent? Right now you can hold your own, but as soon as our spiritual innate natures are revealed the gap between trash like you and people from noble bloodlines like me will widen and you will have to keep your temper in check." Masaru berated Rize before turning around "Let's leave this pathetic wastrel."

Rubbing her forehead Rize watched as Masaru walked away laughing with his cronies. 'They are all the same' Rize though to herself.

Rize hated all these morons...they were all idiots. Getting up she left and went to the library where she wanted to study more about innate natures it was her only hope in leveling out the playing field is if she could figure out a way to discover some deity who was compatible with her innate nature of her personality and Ki.