"Tell me again why we shouldn't enter the canteen?" Mana furrowed his brows. The clattering room surrounded by panels of thick, grey-tinted glass elicited deep desire within Mana. This was the rumored core canteen. A place where cool disciples bunk off the lectures. 

"Newbie-" Rogue spoke somberly.

"Mana," the emerald-eyed youth sighed in exasperation.

"All right. Newbie, listen well. The cafeteria is not to be visited on the first day."

The cafeteria only had one entrance through the left side of the building adjacent to the sect ground which was already populated by a few disciples dribbling the basketball and hollering at each other in vain efforts to get their turn on the court.

"But why?" Dharma inquired innocently. He sat down on the thick, raised edge by the floor beside the entrance of the canteen while peering into the rumored land.

"Just wait a minute. You'll find out the reason soon enough."

Rogue smiled and sat beside Dharma, patting on the empty area beside him. Looking back towards the entrance of the cafeteria, Mana sighed softly and sat beside Rogue. He didn't like this. But it would be better to heed the senior's warning.

Only a few breaths passed when loud shouts from within the canteen attracted Mana and Dharma.  

"Hey! What the hell, bro? We came here first!" A bespectacled youth shrieked. Man, at least shout with a deep tone, Mana raised his eyebrow. The bespectacled youth was present in the group of first-years during the ragging.  

"Hah! Canteen's off limits for ya punks!" An overweight man grinned while pointing at the notice board. 

Awakened Only. 

Seeing this, many students felt depressed. Most of the students didn't bring their tiffins due to the cafeteria's existence. Mana included.  

As the group of grumbling first-years left under the amused snickers of the older disciples, the overweight man with the dirtied tank-top over his body nodded in satisfaction and glanced around the perimeter. Failing to find any young punk, the man flipped the entrance of the serving area of the cafeteria open and stationed himself near the milkshake corner. 

"So… until you guys awaken, you cannot enter the cafeteria. Keke, Fatty Ron handed my ass back then, too." 

Rogue smiled and stood up.  

"Lucky." 

Dharma smiled and took out a blue-colored plastic box from his bag. 

"I've got sandwiches. Want some?" 

The blonde youth inquired politely after removing the lid. Sneering, Rogue turned on his heels and spoke loudly. 

"Nope! I'll be eating a nice roast samosa." 

"That insufferable…" 

Mana muttered with a despondent expression while picking a square sandwich. "Thanks, Dharma."

"Don't mention it. I hope you like mayo." 

They both smiled. It was then, two girls approached the duo. Twintailed, bespectacled, lovely, and curvaceous with modest clothes— long tops with less outrageous denims. 

"Um," the dark-haired one with red-tinted spectacles squeaked, "can we share our tiffins?" 

These two had just arrived to see the shameful retreat of first-years from the canteen and thanked their strict mother to not send them off without forcing tiffin boxes onto them.

For a moment, Dharma's and Mana's smile froze. They exchanged gazes from the corner of their eyes and finding a note of approval in the other's gaze, they nodded simultaneously.

"Please," Dharma opened up, making the blue-rimmed girl fidget slightly. Dharma and Mana scooched away to make space for the duo as their expression brightened and they sat in between the duo.  

"I am Hina," the red-rimmed girl introduced herself as she took out her tiffin box from the Hell Kitty bag and opened the lid to reveal stuffed paranthas. Yum.

"And I am Mina. I am the elder out of the two," Mina smiled while taking out the similarly patterned tiffin box. 

And more stupid, added Hina. 

"Sorry, but I forgot to bring my tiffin box. You won't mind sharing your lunch for nothing, right?"  

Mana smiled with a tone of embarrassment, making Hina shake her head. 

"It's not a problem," Hina replied with a slightly pleased smile. "I cooked this myself, please have some." 

Hearing her younger sister, Mina almost cursed. I should have used that line!  

Of course, if their mother knew that the two were using her cooking as an excuse to find romance with boys, she would have packed boiled bringles without any spices. 

"Thanks," appreciative of Hina's composure that made him feel confident, too, Mana smiled and broke off a bite from the wheat-delight. "Rice stuffing? Awesome." 

Hearing Mana's compliment, Hina smiled and started eating herself. She placed the lunchbox in between the two while Mina did the same and glanced at Dharma's profile furtively. 

"Hina, which wing are you studying in?"

"First-year Inscription Wing, Section-B."

"Section-A," Mana raised his hand slightly when suddenly, an overly excited voice stiffened Mana and Dharma.

"Me, too. I thought that it would be hard for you guys to go without spicy clays, so, bought a packet for you two." 

Rogue smiled and jiggled the green packets stuck in between his thumb and fingers. 

Please, don't do anything too rogue. Mana prayed internally as Hina and Mina threw curious glances towards Mana and Dharma. 

"He is our classmate, Rodger." 

Mana eyed Rogue carefully. As expected, the moment he introduced Rogue with his actual name, the bearded youth instantly felt obliged to recite his Legendary tale— 

"Rodger, remember Vincent's advice? Start with your name." 

Dharma nodded and continued, "Rodger, she is Mina, and she is Hina. They both are sisters." 

Twins. Mana corrected Dharma internally while Mina hurriedly squeaked, "I am the elder one." 

Ah, just a difference of seven seconds. Hina groaned internally.

"It's nice to meet you two. You wouldn't happen to be… triplets, right?" 

Rogue inquired with a gentlemanly smile as Mina shook her head with a chuckle. 

"We aren't triplets. Sorry for that, Rogue." 

A slightly cold voice entered the conversation as Rogue, Hina, and Mina paled in fright. Behind Rogue stood a thin figure. Just like the twins, he sported a headful of dark hair and green-rimmed spectacles rested over the bridge of his nose. 

Slowly turning around, Rogue sported a meek expression. His tone touched the realms of flattery that Mana thought an endeavor impossible for the Chad of their group. 

"Drake-" 

"Don't Drake me!" The thin youth spoke impassionately. He tilted his head to the right and looked at his younger sisters. 

'Green Heart's and Red Heart's disciples?' Furrowing his brows, Drake took out two slips from his pocket and stretched his arm towards Hina. The lady hurriedly took the contents as Drake instructed, "These are your information slips. No need to line up in the library." 

"Thanks, bro!" Hina quickly added with a sweet smile. Her expression made Drake purse his lips as he gazed towards Mina who tilted her head and smiled as innocently as possible. With squirming brows, Drake pointed at the two girls and added, "Rogue. Both of them are my younger sisters. You would not try your pranks on them." 

Pranks? Mana frowned.

"Ahahaha, whatever you must be speaking about? I have stopped pranking the moment I was born. In fact, that itself was the greatest prank." 

"Yeah, right."  

Drake scoffed and gave the remaining four behind Rogue a sour look. 

"Better focus on your studies." 

He stated before entering the cafeteria. 

"You two are… Crazy Drake's sisters? That's the kind of information you introduce yourself with." 

Rogue gave the two girls an agonized look as the two stuck their tongues out and refused to speak on the topic.  

"Don't call him crazy. Our brother is a sweet person."  

Mina retorted while chewing on the sandwich as Rogue pushed a thin student off of his chair and pulled a seat for himself, ignoring the classmate's complaints as he sat down in front of the four. "Yeah, the only student to defeat master Pink Heart in a fair competition is not crazy." 

"Say what now?" Mana blurted in shock while the two girls felt their faces grow hot. Honestly, they felt pride over their elder brother's achievement. But whenever someone praised him, the two girls couldn't help but feel excited and embarrassed. After all, Drake really took great care of the twins so their bond was quite thick. 

"Yeah, I won't delve into details since it's a pretty long story. Drake is actually an inspiration to all the students—" 

"Wait a minute. First thing first. Why does their brother know you?" Mana cut in. 

"We have a long history." Rogue shrugged. 

"The recess is pretty long, too." Mina spoke with a sweet smile.  

"Yeah. You seem to know many things." Hina said with an eerie note. 

They are crazy's sisters, all right. What do they eat for their breakfast? Rogue's lips twitched as Mana and Dharma gulped simultaneously. 

"Well… I don't want to brag but…" Feeling Hina's and Mina's gaze focusing on him, Rogue felt all his courage deflating and he hurriedly stood up. "Master Black Heart's calling me!" 

He wasn't. 

Rodger hurriedly left the place. God forbid the story of Rodger defeating Drake in a match ever leaks to these two. Dealing with a single crazy person was enough for him. 

You two… those aren't girls but demon incarnates! Throw them away as quickly as possible! 

Rogue prayed for his classmates and dearly wished to meet them after recess just to check that they aren't hurt in any manner. 

"We should eat, right?" 

Hina inquired as she peered into slightly unsettled Mana. Her dark-brown pupils revealed deep fascination for Mana's emerald pupils. 

"Y-yeah," Mana smiled stiffly, cursing at the envious gazes lingering on him while Dharma shared the same situation. 

They… deeply remind me of mum… that's not a good sign at all. Nope. Nai. Other negative words. 

Once they finished their lunch, Mana tried to excuse himself. 

"It is lovely to make your acquaintance, Hina. But we should leave. Still need to purchase the unabridged jade slips from the library." 

"Then we should tag along," Mina suggested with a clap of her hand, making Dharma shiver slightly. 

*** 

"Enjoyed your first interaction with the female kind?" Rogue inquired with a mocking grin, making Mana and Dharma sigh. 

"They were too forceful…" Dharma complained while Mana looked better in comparison. He had a knack of dealing with crazy through the sheer amount of experience under his belt. 

"Anyway… these two are Pink Heart's disciples… so we would be seeing a lot more of them," Mana smiled. If handled well, crazy could be the best stuff  that could ever happen to a youth. 

"Another heart's disciples? Wait, that makes a total of four hearts yet." Rogue smiled as he counted on his fingers. 

"Does that even matter?" 

Mana groaned and sat beside Rogue while Dharma drank from his water bottle. 

"Of course, it does. If all the seven hearts accept disciples in a single year, a grand event is held… Grand Theft Auto!" 

"That's not even funny. More like a dad joke one expects from our masters." 

Mana took out his notebook and waited for the next professor to enter the classroom while Dharma rotated the cap shut over his bottle and corrected, "It could have been Grand Nukes are my Pukes." 

"Isn't that video game banned?" Rogue inquired with a frown as Dharma shrugged, "I have the retro edition."

"That's crazy," Mana muttered in astonishment. 

"Retro games… you must have the first gen console then." 

"Exactly," Dharma grinned. 

"That's amazing, man. Oh, yeah, where do you live?" Mana inquired. 

"Hmm? Heard of Brand P.G.?" 

"Yeah," Rogue nodded, "I stay there."  

"Really? Which floor?" Dharma inquired with barely concealed excitement. 

"Fourth? And you?" 

"Seventh." 

"P.G.? I thought you'd rent an apartment."  

Mana's words made the remaining two furrow their brows as Rogue inquired. 

"Where are you staying?" 

Not finding anything strange with Rogue's question, Mana replied with a shrug. 

"420, Mantra Greens."

"Nice," A pudgy youth gave a thumbs up once he overheard the apartment number. Well, 420 and 69 are famous in the world of numbers. Not finding any fault with the youth's comment the trio continued to discuss. It was slightly disheartening that the pair of girls sitting right in front of the trio had been replaced by a group of guys. 

After a few minutes, a limping old man with a slightly loose shirt and a pair of grey pants walked into the classroom. His presence reduced the volume of the chatter amongst the disciples.  

"Please call me Klyde. This semester, I will be teaching this class the practical knowledge regarding runic inscriptions and origin cultivation." 

The balding old man spoke softly into the microphone as the class quietened down.  

"I have taken the list of your names from Vincent, so, introductions won't be necessary. I also pulled each one of my students records regarding their spiritual roots so my classes will be quite biased in training. My methods will differ from disciple to disciple. I won't tolerate any resistance to my methods, after all, this is what your parents," Klyde looked towards the three students on the topmost stair, "and your masters wish from me. You all are allowed to cry, beg, and scream. But any delay in your tasks will be unacceptable." 

The disciples fidgeted whenever they felt Klyde's gaze passing for his eyes had no pupils. Even Rogue felt terrified. 

Compared to last year… isn't this practically hell mode? Who are you kidding, old man? Why would the Hearts' master himself take this class? Is it because of them?

Rogue gazed at Dharma and Mana. If not for them, who else could mobilize the attention of the most revered master that is rumored to have taught the seven hearts himself.

Serene Heart.

Rogue stopped himself from sucking cold breath. No matter who caught this old man's attention, the benefits provided by this old man's teachings would be phenomenal. Fuck, now I feel mixed feelings for staying back. This was supposed to be my repentance… 

Calming himself, Rogue hushed the two flanking him as Klyde continued. 

"Our practice would begin after your awakening. Right now, I want every one of you to inscribe the rune you wish to begin with. It is an important process of awakening." 

Klyde pulled the chair pressed against the wall as the disciples started writing the rune of their choice. By now, every single disciple has a rune of their choice due to this requirement being one of the core steps of graduating the inner level of a sect. 

"Sir-" 

"Call me Klyde, Ree."  

"R-right," The young man nodded, "Klyde, I have drawn the rune." 

Nodding, Klyde looked at his watch.  

"The quickest one took 1.5 minutes and the lecture is four hours long… hmm, I want every disciple to properly draw their rune of choice 160 times. Before leaving, I will check each notebook. This task is to be completed today and the disciples who cannot finish it will remain within the classroom until they do so."