Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 1 [Yuuto Birth]

- Part 7

The gymnasium was packed. We were lined up in our classes in gojuuon order, so I was in the middle of the line. Standing behind me was Tadokoro, and in front of me was a girl who had left the class without giving an introduction. Her appearance and attitude made me think she was a gyaru.

At the front there were five students with regal purple ties sitting down. Next to them were a few important members of staff, such as the vice-principal, but most importantly, there was the Headmaster himself.

It was about five minutes until the ceremony started.

Stepping to the front with a microphone in his hand was the Headmaster, Satsubatsu Kirigaya-sama. He is a very important man in this school and in-charge of everything. I'm sure a lot of students already liked him because of the treatment he's given them.

"Good morning once again, first years. My name is Satsubatsu Kirigaya, and I am the Headmaster of GEN Academy. It's a pleasure to meet all you. Congratulations for overcoming the entrance exam and being admitted to this school. I am sure many of you are very proud of yourself and will go on to achieve great things in society. Right now, you first years are diamonds in the rough, but we will polish and refine you into a sparkling diamond that's worth thousands. By the end of graduation, all of you will go onto to get your dream job or go to your dream university. That is our promise to you, and we will stop at nothing to achieve those dreams. You are elite. You are Japan's future leaders."

Headmaster Satsubatsu-sama smiled as he looked at everyone's faces.

Even though the entrance ceremony is usually a tedious thing no one likes, this man somehow managed to rouse the souls of all of us with his powerful declaration. He was a brilliant public speaker, utilising hand movements and a confident tone to command the speech.

What struck me most was GEN Academy's promise of graduating and going into our dream professions or the higher education of our choice. It seemed to be another reason why people saw this school as amazing and wanted to enrol here.

"At it's core, GEN Academy is a school of freedom. Students, please don't hold back and enjoy yourself to the very fullest while you're at this academy. As an educator, I want to see everyone transform and blossom into something beautiful. No matter what, you can achieve great things if you work hard and strive to become the best. Who else would be best to talk about that than our very own King?"

One of the students with purple ties stood up. Pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, he walked over and took the microphone from the Headmaster. The atmosphere of the gymnasium shifted from warm to cold the moment he stepped at the front.

Settling the microphone into the speaking podium, the boy began to speak.

"Good morning, first years. My name is Kishou Arashi, a third year in the nation Dust Purple. I am King of GEN Academy."

Those icy words settled in. It felt like a storm had blown past us and left us paralysed.

The pressure the King gave off was insane.

My heart was shaking with fear.

He struck me as an upstanding young man who had earned his way to the top. He didn't brag about his status, nor did he completely disregard it. He had a perfect balance when it came to his level of self-awareness.

"I would like to thank the Headmaster Satsubatsu-sama for giving me the chance to speak with you all today, and thank all of you for listening to me. Ever since I was enrolled into GEN Academy, I have been able to achieve things I didn't think were possible. I am very familiar with this position known as "King". I was the former King in my middle school too. However, this title does not dictate who I am. In this school, the gap between the King and his people is minuscule. That is because the school will turn everyone into a worthy rival to me, the King. That is the kind of growth you and your teachers are aiming towards. Each day, I must continue fighting - I cannot be comfortable as the King. I am merely a gatekeeper, who's position could be swept from under my feet at any given moment. So I, like you, will continue evolving and fighting to become someone even greater than who I was yesterday. Thank you."