Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Hitori stood watching as the person jumped into the wall and disappeared. His mouth dropped open. He glanced around in confusion. What the hell just happened?

That thought lingered in his head all the way till he reached the main hall. Banners were hanging from the ceiling (twenty feet high) and around the corners hanging from torches.

Colorful lamps were kept on the side of the hall. The teachers' table was arranged on the stage at the end of the hall, but no one had arrived yet.

In the hundred feet long hall, twenty to thirty long tables were arranged in rows with candles in the middle, not lightened yet, nor were the torches.

People had gathered in the hall and taken place. The faint light that torches in the corners spread was the only light in the huge hall. It was like entering a pub at night. Dim lights, a crowd, food, but the absence of music.

Hitori took a seat at the end of the first table, the table next to the door so that he could jump out and leave the moment he is done eating.

Exactly at seven o'clock, a person appeared on the stage and brought his wand to his lips. "Oh, you students of Mahoutokoro, the Japan School of Magic, I welcome you all to the Year-End Feast and the Graduation Ceremony."

The students clapped. Hitori glanced around, everyone was clapping, he felt like the odd one out. So he clapped, too, rather slowly.

"Keep that energy and help me welcome the Headmaster of Mahoutokoro, Tokyo, Atama-sensei!"

The students stood up, cheered, shouted, and shot flares at the ceiling. Hitori checked the ceiling, nothing happened to it.

Then Hitori lowered his gaze to the stage. Atama was just as white as ever, followed by Senso, the healer, and other teachers wearing the same white cloak over robes. Only Senso was wearing a white kimono over dark orange robes.

They took their seats on the chairs behind a table, only Atama stood beside the guy who called them up. They bowed to each other, then the guy left to sit at the corner of the table.

Atama took the center. He held his wand half an inch away from his mouth. He coughed first, then said, "For the graduation of our fifth-year students, and to welcome our first-year students, we hold the Year-End or the Spring Feast."

Hitori was focused on Atama s he continued to tell the students how great it has been to have the fifth years spend five years with the school and perfect their art and skill of magic.

Hitori was listening when he suddenly felt a hand over his shoulder. He jumped off the table in an instant and grabbed his wand. He spun around and found two familiar faces.

He sighed. But his sudden actions grabbed everyone's attention. Atama tried not to look, but when his eyes went past the audience and fell on Hitori, the students followed his gaze.

And now they were staring at Hitori in his stance, Eya giving a half-smile, and Kakashi glaring at Hitori with his hand on his shoulder.

Atama coughed. "Let us pardon them, so I was saying…" he continued.

Kakashi fixed his grip on Hitori's shoulder and pushed him to the table. Eya took a step by Hitori's right, and Kakashi jumped on Hitori's left.

"What was the curse Eya-nee used on Tengoku's partner?" Kakashi asked.

Hitori had removed his grip from the wand, but after hearing the question, he moved his hand to the wand and got ready to jump off anytime.

"The one that grants instant death– Koros. Where were you when that happened?"

"Standing by Senso-sensei's side. I arrived late because your Protector's Bond almost took the life out of me. I swear—"

"Yeah, fine." Hitori cut him off and released his grip on the wand. "I know," he added, so as not to offend Kakashi.

"Let us award some students for their bravery and compassion," Atama announced. "The first student is in the second year, and this is my first time witnessing such talent and skills. This student hunted a Kraken's offspring in the Forbidden Forest."

Hitori looked at Atama, then shook his head. "Oh, no, it was not me… it was Kamiya and me… only if he was here…"

Hitori clenched his fist close. He should not cry, not when he was about to go on the stage in front of everyone.

The students were whispering with each other when Atama announced Kraken's defeat. "The name of that student is Saibai Hitori!"

Eya grabbed Hitori's hand. "Go," she said.

Hitori stood, and Kakashi let him slide from the end. "I hope you get something useful." He heard Kakashi behind him as he walked to the front.

Everybody was looking at him, he could sense it, but he could not meet eyes with them. They were clapping, some were jealous (the top second-year students), some were in admiration (the first and zero-year students), and some were happy for him (Atama, Senso, and Eya).

"You need to look them in their eyes, young master…"

"Come on, Hitori, look them in their eyes! Show them you are the king!" It was Kamiya… or perhaps Kamiya's ghost.

Hitori lifted his head. He pulled on a smile and adjusted his shoulders. He looked at everyone as he walked down the aisle with a smile.

"For the first student to be awarded this year… we have a special wand gifted to us by a strong warlock, I can not name them, but this wand is precious."

The anchor guy brought Atama a white dish covered with white silk cloth under which was the silhouette of a wand.

Hitori teleported to the stage instead of climbing, amazing everyone once again, even Atama-sensei.

Atama took the wand along with the cloth and presented it to Hitori. "Take the cover off yourself, Hitori," he whispered.

Hitori looked at the wand… with hope. He had not even seen the wand but it was as if the wand was calling him, it was his, to begin with.

Kakashi took a seat and watched with a smile, he was satisfied with the present. A wand was an award good enough for the first time.

Eya was truly happy for him, from the bottom of her heart, so much that she was on the verge of crying. All the incidents and this got her sentiments up.

Hitori reached for the cloth, his hand trembled as he did. He pinched the cloth and pulled it in a flash.

Sitting in Atama's hand was a brown wand, sort of dusty, with green vines spiraling around the stick. It was an eleven inches wand with a pointed, polished tip; but a dusty brown body.

"Come on, now, hold it for everyone to see."

Hitori nodded. He grabbed the wand from the bottom, he felt a sudden surge of energy that lasted two seconds. He moved the wand to the front as he turned his body and raised his hand.

Eya's tears faded, her sentiments faded when she saw that wand. Kakashi's mouth dropped open and seriousness conquered his face.

The same was with Atama, but he was trying his best to keep the smile and hold his tears. Because after seeing the wand, one thing was clear for the three of them except Hitori:

Saibai Hiro and Saibai Kaori… are dead.

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