The Earth After Rebirth

"Everyone who missed meals the last couple of days should directly go to the auditorium. I repeat..."

They had just finished a really good breakfast when the voice commanded them. They could tell that it was the robotic version of the vice's voice, which earned it a few laughs across the cafeteria.

While Kiro laughed too, he was dreading the punishment. He never missed a single meal in his past life being poor and all. He didn't really have friends either so he didn't know what the punishment would be. But knowing the principal, it would be something insane.

As they walked towards the auditorium, there were more than Kiro thought there'd be. Stepping inside the building shocked him more.

'Isn't this like, half the school?'

It was more or less half the school. Second and third years too had been summoned here, since first years weren't allowed in the upper campuses. Their facial expressions weren't happy ones, as if they knew the calamity that had befallen them.

None of them would've willingly missed meals, they just had no idea that the game would lock itself all weekend. Which they admitted to themselves that it was dumb of them to think otherwise. I mean, it was a war after all, if it wasn't locked, it'd be chaotic with people coming and going.

Kiro was just surprised at the popularity of the game amongst the students. Its popularity in the past didn't start at schools, especially not this prestigious one. His impact was that great, not only appearing on the news but also uploading their dungeon runs, made more students players.

They were made to wait for several minutes, stewing in their anxiety. Nobody was really in the mood to hold up a conversation once they saw the faces of their seniors.

'Just what does that old man do, why are the seniors so meek all of a sudden?' Kiro wondered, not brave enough to voice his question.

He figured anybody who asked dumb questions now was in danger of receiving their punishment tenfold or something close to that.

"Why do they look like there's something stuck up their butt?" Hiro whispered, pointing at his seniors.

Even though he whispered they still heard him, which caused them to turn their heads and released a cold, suffocating aura that sent chills down their spines.

Kiro elbowed his friend in the stomach, it was too late but it had to be done. Hiro wanted to slap him senseless but he also realised his blunder so he let it go. Felix was sniggering at the scene, which surprised most of the first years there. It wasn't exactly a side he showed.

He was a little less scary to them now.

There was a clearing of throat, that caught their attention. They hadn't even realised when the dean walked up to the podium, silence immediately fell in the room. They waited for their sentence with bated breath.

"I hope you've had a splendid weekend, breaking academy rules." He paused to let them savour the fact that they weren't here to be praised.

"To first years, we've been lenient on you, the last term but that won't be happening anymore. To ensure that you can follow rules, you'll be given different punishments for your misbehaviours."

One of the first years hand shot up, the seniors immediately grunted. They had hoped nobody asked anything, that they'd keep it quiet until the dean was done, and even after, they'd just take their punishment without complaint.

The dean immediately pointed at him with a smirk on his face, he seemed to like it when he was challenged.

"But sir, we were never told of this rule, at any point since we got to the academy." He said, seemingly proud of his impeccable observation.

"I'd say ten for excellent observation skills, but the fact that you failed to read your acceptance letters makes me doubt how you were even accepted here.

"It's right there. There's no way you could have missed it unless you didn't deem the letter important. You have good manners so I won't add too much to your punishment but I'll times the punishment by 2 for everyone, because your fellow student doesn't like reading."

'Hoho, dean 1, students 0.' Kiro commended the man, he couldn't help but be impressed.

"Now, since we've established that you don't read. Breakfast and dinner are mandatory, nobody, not even us are allowed to skip them. When you do, you bring problems I don't wish to deal with."

He wasn't a lazy man, but he hated paperwork, most of all, he hated paperwork that could be avoided. There was no way he'd let these kids do whatever they wanted, thereby forcing him to do work. If he had to work, they had to work. It was that simple.

"But if we don't eat, we still paid for it, what's the problem? It's still just our choices at the end." Some clueless rich brat blurted out. He thought he'd get unwavering support but he was met with uncomfortable silence.

Kiro immediately knew that this was a big mistake, even before their seniors shot him with the deadliest of eyes.

The academy rules weren't about whether you paid, they were in place so you could follow them without fail. Especially ones that had to do with the food.

"You must be Fritzman, aren't you? You know, I taught your father. I knew your grandfather too."

He didn't say that to brag about knowing some big shots of high society. But he wanted to instill in them that, there was nothing he couldn't do to them that their parents would complain about. He had experience, he'd been a dean since even when their fathers were around. There was absolutely nothing he could tell him.

"I'll tell you this, young master Fritzman," he said with a mocking tone. "Your father followed these rules. You will too. One thing I will not tolerate, and that's the waste of perfectly good food. Those people cook for you and you don't eat? Outrageous.

There are people who are dying of hunger in our country, and you're missing meals because of a stupid game?"

His tone was no longer playful, it was hard and digusted. This reminded him of the atrocities their society continued to cause. This made him very angry.

Kiro thought he was overreacting, either that or there was more to his ranting. Regardless, they were at fault for doing something that wasn't allowed in the academy.

"Now for your insolence young master Fritzman, everyone here can thank you because the punishment will be multiplied by ten."

The kid was red in the face. Nobody was sure if it was shame or anger. But his words caught in his throat at once. He didn't say anything else.

After the dean dismissed them, they were told where to start first. Which were the dorm toilets. While they could be automatically cleaned by themselves. It seemed the dean knew that this would be needed, so he shut off the auto clean option on Friday.

It was now Sunday, they couldn't imagine how bad they were. They hadn't even walked in when the stench welcomed them. Each person was designated in their own dorm building.

Kiro was with Hiro, Isla, Saanvi and Isaac. Tackling one toilet. Kiro had no idea why Isaac volunteered to go with them, but he didn't imagine it was for innocent reasons.

As always the rich folks couldn't help but gag, Saanvi however was the worst of the bunch. She couldn't hold it in, her breakfast came right back out.

"Great. One more thing to clean up." Kiro joked.

None of them could understand how students could've kept using these toilets while they were this dirty, and the smell was suffocating. It was a wonder.

"Why aren't you cleaning, punk?" Kiro noticed Isaac just stood by the door while they got their hands dirty.

"I figured you'd feel right at home and wouldn't need my hand?" He shot back, not int he mood to be doing any of this.

"Gods Isaac, will you ever not run out of those old insults? We live right in your street, that would mean you feel right at home too." Hiro chimed in before Kiro made anymore trouble.

"You may have moved to the upper district, but the stench that came with it didn't really scrub off, did it?"

"Daddy issues?" Kiro smirked at him as he asked.

"Don't you dare speak on my father." He balled his fists, stepping closer.
Stay with the story on m v l e m p y r

Kiro walked forward, intending to meet him halfway. He was itching to beat the living hell out of him.

"Look here Isaac, nobody here is scared of your dying clan. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before your father discards you, you aren't doing yourself a favour making more enemies. You should be licking my feet on this dirt filled toilet." He poked the bear, and he was ready to pound him into a pulp.

But before they could, the speaker screamed at them to get to work before they were given more to do.