Chapter 24: Search the Campus

~Kuro POV (10 years old) ~

Alright, time to plan the heist to get the relic and me a Maiden!

With that in mind, I should probably bring with me Ram with her Kage Kage no Mi ability would be great in this scenario to observe and the area.

So before I left I went inside the tower to find Ram and finally found her talking with Cinder and I asked her, "Hey Ram I need your help tracking down the Spring Maiden but I need help searching Haven Academy can you help me out?"

Ram looks a bit surprised but agrees to my request, "Very well Kuro I'll see that I can help but looks like Cinder wants to come with us?"

I look over to Cinder and I nodded my head to let her come with us and she returns with a smile, "Ok then let's get going to Haven Academy I want to see if we can find the Spring Maiden and see if she wants to join us alright Nya~."

I see that the two of them were giving me looks of doubt I understand if they don't believe me I wouldn't as well unless I already knew but they still followed me to Haven Academy.

But before we left I asked Ram while preparing a door ready for her to use, "Ok then Ram if you would please."

Ram got the idea and summoned her shadow out in a small bat ball shape and went to the outside world already went ahead into hiding in the shadows of the building well I guess we better get going then.

When we dropped in the quad area of the academy it's a large, spacious area in Haven Academy. It is surrounded by forests and there is a fountain at the center of it, with some shrubbery, wooden benches, and lamp posts lined along the perimeter.

Flanking the quad is the Kingdom of Mistral's two Cross Continental Transmit towers. The quad leads up to Haven's Grand Hall.

Still, I have to admit it looks really nice place maybe I should take this as an example, or I could take a building or two… they won't mind, right?

Anyway I look over to the area but first I have to find the Headmaster Office of this place and get Lionheart's pocket watch, "Ok Girls I'll go search through the Headmaster Office first to see if I can find anything about the Spring Maiden or other important items while you two look around the place ok?"

The two of them nodded their heads they soon go our separate ways and I went straight towards the Headmaster Office.

When I look around the Quad area, I see that everyone is wearing their Haven's school uniform consists of a black jacket with a light gray outline around the edges, a white undershirt, and a white band around the student's left arm.

The girls' outfit consists of a gray and black checkered skirt, whereas the male uniform has a pair of black trousers.

Maybe I should make a school of my own after getting some people to join me that way I can train people already in the ways of Haki and the Rokushiki maybe food for thought another time.

I shake my head of those thoughts no only think like that after I make my own Kingdom first don't get a big head about it.

I finally saw the entrance of the Grand Hall leading towards the Headmaster's Office.

When I saw the Grand hall is a spacious building leading up to the Headmaster's office which contains a statue of a Jinn that conceals the Haven Vault. The interior is colored with greens and browns.

The statue leading to the vault is flanked by two stairways that join together at the top. There is an upper walkway that can be accessed by flanking stairways near the hall's entrance.

The walls are decorated with various paintings and blue banners bearing Mistral's symbol. The lower floor also has some trophy cases.

When I was alone, I made sure to look around the place, "Huh… I guess this place looks nice if I didn't have my precious fragmented memories, I would have not to mind coming here oh well… Now time to go in the Headmaster Office."

With that, I quickly made a mad dash to Lionheart's room and I see everything around the place with the Headmaster nowhere around, "Well looks like the Headmaster is not here I guess this is a perfect opportunity to search around the place."

With that, I begin to search around the area to find the pocket watch in the Door Dimension.

~Ram POV (11 years old) ~

With that, I'm by myself searching around the Haven Academy Dorms in the hope of finding this 'supposed' Spring Maiden Kuro keeps on talking about.

When thinking about finding a wild goose chase finding a so-called fairy tale… "Sigh… still I do owe Kuro me and my sister life for helping us out in the situation we were in against those monsters still though this feels odd since there aren't students here."

Well at least searching the dorms would be easier at least Kuro treats us kindly I wonder how Cinder is –

"I told you before Lionheart I don't want to be here any longer!!!"

Well, there goes for anyone being here but that was defiantly a girl voice that I heard, and Lionheart is there?

Oh, my this is scandalous!

I went in to see what was going on inside the room while hearing the two talking, "It's not what it looks Blossom I told you before this is necessary for your safety and Remnants safety I told you before not to use your Maiden Powers in training young missy!"

…

No…

What…

Seriously what…

I stand there processing what I just heard wishing to ignore the fact that a bedtime story about the maidens are true maybe it was just a –

"Lionheart, I don't want the responsibilities of the Spring Maiden I wish to never have this power!"

God damn it why couldn't Cinder or Kuro drop in this situation really why –

SMACK!

But I was immediately stopping my thinking when I heard a loud slapping sound against something, I immediately went inside to see what was smacked I sigh out a breath of relief.

But still to push the young girl into a fearful state makes me wonder if this Headmaster is sane in his work.

I see that the foolish Headmaster hit the wall at least but now I'm concern for the young girl in front of me.

I hear Lionheart start to speak but with a dangerous tone it, "Now… Blossom Sakura as a Spring Maiden… I would like you to stop your attempts of escaping Haven Academy from now on… or else I will take drastic measures you hear me?"

I narrow my eyes at this foolish man I wish to end him right now but that wouldn't do anything good for me but well I guess I found out who the Spring Maiden is.

If Kuro had any idea that the Spring Maiden will join us would be a success if he tried to talk to her in promise for safety.

With that I see Lionheart leave the room while hearing a locking sound from the door… great now we have a Headmaster keeping an eye on her while saying to Sakura, "Now be a good Maiden and don't cause any problems will remember this is for your own safety and for Remnant to keep you hidden."

While he left Sakura just screams at him with clear anger in her voice go girl, "I hate you! You hear me I will get away from this jail Lionheart!!"

Well at the very least I managed to find the location of the Spring Maiden I hope Cinder and Kuro found any luck…

~ Cinder POV (10 years old) ~

Great found nothing good here around the Quad I thought for sure the Maiden would be hiding in plain sight, but I guess she isn't damn…

Maybe I should check with Kuro to see if he found anything worthwhile or the maiden that he believes is here.

Seriously though why would a fairy tale be real about some maidens aren't they false…

Well I guess it's not my concern if he heard it from Raven then there must be some truth into it for Kuro to pursuit it being in Haven Academy?

Whatever I guess for now I should find my friend if I remember he went towards the Headmaster Office through the Great Hall.

I followed the direction of the room and while I was there I finally see Kuro in the real world looking through some things till he found some kind of pocket watch?

Then he immediately came inside the Door Dimension again with a smile on his face but was surprised to see me here that he actually shrieks…

That is really adorable to see the mighty Kuro shriek like a girl… Hahaha!

I heard Kuro was surprised that I was here, "AHHHHH!!!... Wait Cinder is that you… what the hell Cindy why the heck did you scared me like that damn it?!?!!"

I laughed at Kuro for the surprising girl scream, "Mahahaha!! Oh, my Nero is that what you scream like I wish I have scroll to record all of that!!!"

Wow Kuro blushed at that remark while defending himself, "Hey I'll have you know that was my manly scream ok it's not girly whatsoever Cindy!"

I kept on laughing at Kuro misfortune till I was satisfied, "Alright, alright I'll stop Kuro. Oh, my that was the most hilarious thing I ever heard Kuro maybe I should tell this – "

But I was interrupted when I heard a door opening from behind me and no it wasn't Kuro but Lionheart the Headmaster of Haven Academy!

I immediately shut up and so did Kuro we both observe to see that the Headmaster was searching around his office as if to make sure he wasn't caught…

Then he opens to the right of the front door is a wall containing a secret passage to a small chamber, in which holds a…

I couldn't believe what I was seeing… "Grimm… why would Lionheart have Grimm here…"

I look over to Kuro looking just as surprised as I am but we listened in to what he said to the Grimm, "Mistress Salem I have made sure to deal with the Spring Maiden Blossom Sakura and have sent the data of all the current private information to Watt's to deal with the other Huntsmen and Huntresses here in Mistral."

What…

Was this really happening in front of us…

Is this some kind of sick joke were seeing a Headmaster is giving vital info to the Grimm!!!

Who is this Salem that can make a Headmaster turn traitor to the rest of other Hunters?!!

Then I listen in more what they say and when I heard Salem voice she was terrifying with an aura of despair with her pale face, red eyes, and black veins… "Ah, why thank you very much Lionheart I'll make sure…"

I didn't listen to any more of their conversation when Kuro took me by the waist and he ran with all he could away from the room with clear anger shown in his eyes, "Cinder what we just saw… I think we just saw the leader of Grimm… and an eternal enemy for us…"

When Kuro said those words, it hit me like a ton of bricks… she is the leader of Grimm…

Salem is the leader of Grimm…

The reason why everyone is made to suffer against those monsters every day in life… and the reason why we became like this in the first place abandoned…

Then I listen in to what Kuro is saying while he is shaking as well, "Salem… she not someone we can go up against…"

When I heard Kuro say that I can't help but feel I agree with him but what he said next truly shocked me because I thought he was going to give up, "At least… not now the way we are at… were nowhere near strong enough to even let her consider us as a threat…"

Now I know what Kuro is saying his trying to cheer me up, but I couldn't say anything for now…

Because I know Kuro always have a plan but even, I don't know how he was going to accomplish this, so I ask him with clear doubt in my voice, "How… Kuro how are you even going to take Salem down…"

When I look at his face I expected to meet with despair like my own but what I saw was that he still had a look of hope on his face and only said one word that confused me, "Awakening… we need to awaken the true power of our Devil Fruits to even have a hope of a chance to fight her on even footing."

Awakening?

Unlock our true potential power of our Devil Fruits?

You mean there is more power of the Devil Fruits than meets the eye?

I wanted to ask Kuro all about what is an awakening, but he beat me to the punch and said with a smile on his face, "Cinder I'll make this short so Listen up. Devil Fruit abilities have a whole other stage to them. It's called "Awakening"! Very rarely, an ability will "awaken", and begin to affect things other than the user's own body! With that power will have equal footing against the leader of the Grimm Salem!"

When I heard that resolve in Kuro voice even encountering what can describe as a horrible nightmare monster, he can see that there is a way to fight back even against someone like Salem…

For some reason I no longer felt scared anymore and when I heard there is another stage to my power…

I felt like I can't fail Kuro on this because maybe one day will have to face against her someday so… "Alright Kuro I'll trust you on this and I promise to awaken first to help combat Salem."

When Kuro look at me, he smiled and said, "Really great but first we have to find a way to awaken our Devil Fruits first before fighting Salem someday and I really don't know just yet… hehehe?"

Yup were totally fucked…

System:

Status, Shop, Mission, Inventory, Devil Fruit Raffle

Inherited Skills: Aura, Semblance (Eyes of the Lord), Electro, Natural Enhanced Body, and Sulong Form (Locked)

Skills: Hunting, Observation Haki (Intermediate), Armament Haki (Beginner), Swordsmanship (Intermediate), Geppo (Intermediate), Kami-e (Intermediate), Tekkai (Intermediate), Rankyaku (Intermediate), Shingan (Intermediate), Soru (Intermediate), Rokuogan (Intermediate)

Devil Fruits: Hie Hie no Mi, Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, Doa Doa no Mi, Moa Moa no Mi

Equip: Reject Dial Fingerless Glove, Omen

Allies: Cinder Fall (Logia User), Rem Arashi (Paramecia User), Ram Arashi (Paramecia User), Kagero, Nora Valkyrie

Inventory: Sets of clothes, Ryu Ryu no Mi Model: Pteranodon, Vari Vari no Mi, Hito Hito no Mi, Ryu Ryu no Mi Model: Triceratops, Shiro Shiro no Mi, Neko Neko no Mi Model: Leopard, Suna Suna no Mi, FIT

Lien: 1,492,544