High Periphery is an academy that trains individuals to become skilled manslayers or Larkansas. The exact founding date of this school is unrecorded, and nobody knows who its founder is. However, rumor has it that the founder is always watching from the shadows, either in stealth mode or invisible.
Out of 300 examiners, only 18 were fortunate enough to be accepted into High Periphery, and one of them was Prince Revaliant Revelhearth of Lovelrinth, now known as Agysmal Volition.
Agysmal entered High Periphery to hone his skills and learn new things, but his main goal was to maximize his potential so he could seize the throne from his uncle, King Leclerc. He didn't know how powerful his uncle was, but he knew he had servants with extraordinary strength, the Royal Zodiacs.
Thanks to Dr. Englard's advanced technology, he discovered he was a Mythical Meadow Feral Egg Eater, but he didn't know what powers the consumed egg would grant him. Even so, deep down, he felt a powerful beast was locked within him. He would utilize this strength.
Agysmal's first day at High Periphery was filled with despair and misery, but instead of letting his feelings get the best of him, he used them as motivation to excel in class and training. This caught the attention of his co-trainees, and even if it didn't, he still managed to leave a unique impression on them.
At the top of the list was Lotuslush Joyjovial. When Lotuslush first saw Agysmal, she immediately noticed something familiar about him. His height, body build, demeanor, and snobbish behavior were similar to a man she once loved.
Lotuslush was about to marry her longtime partner, but on their wedding day, someone shot her fiancé, leaving her with immense grief and anger. Grief because she lost the person who showered her with love. Anger because she wanted to riddle the culprit with bullets for their crime.
When she saw Agysmal, she saw the image of her beloved, and because of this, the memories she tried to forget came flooding back.
"Do you like Agysmal?" her friend Ivypom asked directly but softly after their tactical game, which they lost.
"When I first saw him, I knew he was someone I could trust," Lotuslush replied boldly. "And to answer your question: I like him, but not in a romantic sense."
"But your actions towards us contradict your answer."
"I don't care what you think based on what you see between Agysmal and me. Maybe we're just two lonely people looking for company."
When Lotuslush cracked open the egg where Agysmal was trapped, the two gradually became comfortable with each other. They often sat next to each other in class, and when there were no classes, they'd be together, mostly hanging out in the pine tree fields, sitting on the grass, and enjoying the breeze. And when they went to Legolus Town, they walked together to a souvenir store.
"This one's for you, a keychain." Agysmal was calmly surprised when Lotuslush gave him a souvenir by the fountain area of High Periphery. He thought he was exempt from receiving one. Agysmal then took a wooden keychain from Lotuslush's hand and gazed intently at its craftsmanship. It was a swan-designed keychain.
"Why did you think of giving this to me too?"
"Life is what we make of it, but sometimes life can be playful. Sometimes it's tricky and unpredictable. If I die today, tomorrow, or the next day, at least I'll leave behind a small memory with you."
"You won't die," Agysmal responded in a serious tone. "We won't die, and even if you didn't give me anything, I'll still remember you."
Because of Agysmal's words, Lotuslush admired him even more. And the two were left embracing each other by the fountain.
Another trainee on the list who had a unique impression of Agysmal was Comtalc Ruelblue, the frolic and loquacious aspiring chef. Despite his vibrant aura, Comtalc had a sad story to tell. He was mistreated by his masochistic father, an army general, from a young age. He was also bullied by his three sadistic brothers, who are now soldiers in an emperor's army. To pass the final part of the entrance exam, Comtalc killed his close friend, who was also a chef.
"Hey, Agysmal, try this dish I'm cooking and see if the flavor is just right." Agysmal walked over to Comtalc, who was holding a ladle.
After tasting the sauce in Comtalc's dish, Agysmal nodded in approval and gave a thumbs-up. "You could give chefs at a first-class dining establishment a run for their money."
"You seem like you're used to expensive food. You must come from a wealthy family, right?" Agysmal smiled wryly at Comtalc's question, shaking his head.
"No, it's the opposite, Comtalc. My family is poor." Comtalc, still holding the ladle, leaned in close to Agysmal, gazing intensely into his eyes to gauge his sincerity.
Their faces were inches apart, but Comtalc eventually looked away, finding it hard to read Agysmal's expression. "Your demeanor and speech don't exactly suggest a poor background, but if you say so, I'll believe you... for now."
"Don't doubt someone who's just the child of a shoemaker."
"If you're the child of a shoemaker, well, there's still no guy who can fit into your shoes. I think all the girls here at High Periphery are delusional about you. It's really enviable."
"Alright, let me set you up on a romantic picnic in the garden. Tell me, which girl should I ask to date you?"
"Man, are you serious? How can that be when out of all the girls, I only want Lotuslush."
"Lotuslush, huh? No problem. I'll set you up on a date."
"Promise, Agysmal?"
"Promise."
They were in the dorm kitchen, cooking breakfast before heading to their first training session of the day.
After a week of staying at High Periphery, Agysmal could say that he had finally found a friend. Thanks to Comtalc, he was able to show off his effervescent side again.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the dorm, Erewhen stood with a bland expression, secretly irritated by the playful banter between the two. Even though their interaction was normal, in his mind, he was exaggerating the events. As much as he wanted to bash their heads together, he preferred to observe their movements, especially Agysmal's.
Erewhen came from the Loidsol Clan, a family of farmers. Even as a child, he displayed an adult-like mentality. His ideologies made him feel like an outcast, and he faced intense scrutiny in his community.
Feeling suffocated, he ran away and wandered for a while. When he returned at the right age, he became the antagonist and committed genocide, leaving him as the sole survivor of the Loidsol Clan. To gain admission to High Periphery, he killed the person who had taken him in during his homeless days.
Last week, in their Martial Arts Class under the guidance of their instructor, Sir Akihiro Watanabe, they were randomly paired with their classmates. Bad news for Erewhen was that Agysmal was his partner. On this day, the trainees would have a karate execution. Initially, the two didn't get along while practicing their stunt, which led to a fight and a test of who had stronger muscles. However, they eventually negotiated.
"If we both fail to showcase our karate moves to Sir Akihiro, we'll continue this fight," Erewhen said, grabbing Agysmal's clothes.
"But if we succeed, meet me by the lake and bring your sharpest blade. We'll stab each other until one of us dies. I'll bring the shovel to dig our graves." Agysmal wasn't backing down.
Due to the competitiveness of the two, their goal of impressing Sir Akihiro was satisfactorily achieved, even impressing Comtalc, who had never seen the two friends work together in harmony despite their differences. And now, deep into the night, with the moon in its full circle, Agysmal stood by a lake, waiting for Erewhen's arrival.
Agysmal was a man of his word, and he would follow through on his promise. Erewhen, on the other hand, was someone who kept his agreements, so he didn't fail to show up to meet Agysmal.
Both knew that trainees were not allowed to kill each other within High Periphery or any area under the academy's scope. There was a penalty for those who disobeyed, but the two were persistent. Before Erewhen arrived at their meeting point, Agysmal had already dug a grave to make Erewhen feel a sense of dread. Dread because he didn't think Agysmal's principles were that intense.
Instead of showing fear, Erewhen just laughed. "Hahaha, are you sure you'll fit in that grave you dug?" Erewhen's tone was teasing and mocking. "What if it's too shallow and the stench of your corpse wafts to the school building?"
"It's deep enough, actually," Agysmal replied casually. "I based it on your size. Try lying down so I can get your approval. If you're not satisfied, I'll dig deeper until I reach hell."
"You really have a sharp tongue, don't you?" Erewhen retorted, annoyed. "Don't worry, I'll take care of that too, so you can't pray to your God and ask for forgiveness for all your sins."
As the two started to begin their dagger fight, above them, someone was watching, puffing on tobacco, and it was impossible to tell if he was invisible or in stealth mode.