Shadow Being System

As William stepped out of the bathroom, he felt a surge of excitement. Today was the day he had been waiting for, the day he'd leave for the academy. His reflection in the mirror caught his eye; his jet-black hair looked cold and mysterious, a drastic change from his once-blonde locks. He combed it back, letting it sit perfectly in place.

He put on a white shirt and gray trousers, both of which he'd saved up for. The shirt was fitted and well ironed, outlining his physique—thanks to the rigorous physical training that students had to endure before the academy due to the constant threat of beasts. Their homeroom teachers doubled as P.E. coaches to toughen them up.

After spraying on his favorite cologne, William admired his look in the mirror. He felt confident; the first impression always mattered, after all. With a deep breath, he grabbed the small box from the table—the box of protection and slid it into his pocket.

"Well, here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, heading downstairs to the dining room where the rest of the orphanage family was having breakfast.

As soon as he entered the room, the sound of clinking cutlery ceased. Everyone stopped eating, their eyes locked on him. Some of the girls even blushed, their faces turning red as wild imaginations clearly filled their heads.

"Who are you?" one of the younger girls asked, half-joking.

Mrs. Beth immediately scolded them. "Stop staring! Eat your breakfast!"

William chuckled, sitting at the table. "Decided to go for a new look," he said with a grin. "New life, new me."

One of the older girls, practically swooning, chimed in, "I like it better! It suits you, Will!"

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A chorus of giggles erupted, while the younger kids looked at him in awe.

As they sat down to eat, the conversation quickly shifted to heartfelt goodbyes. Some of the children were on the verge of tears, their voices shaky as they expressed how much they'd miss him. Even Mrs. Beth, who normally wouldn't tolerate any talking while eating, let them have their moment.

After the meal, it was time to leave. The entire family accompanied William to the front door. Most were already shedding tears.

"Don't cry," William said, trying to be strong. "I'll be back every three months. You'll probably get tired of seeing me."

They laughed, but the sadness in their eyes was clear as one by one, they hugged him. It seemed the older girls were taking their time with their hugs, clinging on a little longer than necessary. Mrs. Beth came last, holding out a small credit card in her hand.

"The password is your birthday," she said, forcing the card into his hands. "It's not much, but it should help you manage."

William tried to refuse. "I can't take this—"

Mrs. Beth cut him off. "You will take it. Don't argue with me. You've got enough to worry about at the academy."

Tears welled up in William's eyes. He bowed his head, overwhelmed with gratitude. "Thank you... for everything," he said, his voice breaking.

With one final wave, William turned and left, fighting back the tears as they rolled down his cheeks. Inside the house, Mrs. Beth began to cry softly, and the others huddled around her, offering comfort.

William boarded a taxi for the first time in his life, his bags loaded in the back. As the driver took off, he glanced at William through the rearview mirror.

"You heading for the draft?" the driver asked, his gruff voice cutting through the silence.

William nodded. "Yeah."

The driver sighed heavily. "This is always the saddest time of year for me."

William raised an eyebrow, curious. "Why's that?"

The man sighed again, his voice filled with a tinge of regret. "Because it's a testimony that the previous generation failed. We weren't able to secure the future, so we send kids like you to fight our battles."

William leaned forward, a flicker of determination in his eyes. "The previous generation didn't fail. You taught us how to survive and how to fight. If anything, we're continuing the legacy. You paved the way."

The driver nodded slowly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You've got spirit, kid. I hope you make it."

When they reached the academy, William reached into his pocket to pay, but the driver waved him off. "This one's on me," he said, driving off before William could protest.

"Thanks!" William shouted after the retreating taxi, feeling a strange warmth in his chest.

As he entered the academy grounds, the massive gates loomed overhead, and the vast school field stretched before him. William glanced around, taking in the sight of other students with their luggage—some with expensive, polished bags that spoke of wealth. Then, he looked down at his own battered suitcase.

"Ah, I'm really poor," he muttered under his breath, sighing as he heaved his luggage toward the field.