SHAMAN PROTOCOL
Chapter 85: Color of Disappointment

Chapter 85: Color of Disappointment

At the early hour of the second Monday of school, students were already flocking around the bulletin board.

Today, the academy finally announced its stripe colors for the first years. Many of them had woken up early just to check the results. Some—like Mikel—got up early simply to avoid being trampled when the students rush hit full swing.

Now, standing before it, Mikel’s face twitched in disbelief.

He didn’t see his name on the red stripe. Not even the next color. He saw his name under the last color column—the White Stripes.

"The... hell?" he blurted in disbelief.

[I had learned another word on our seventh day in this place — Wow.]

Over the past week, Mikel had picked up quite a lot from the other students—especially from Tahu and Ran. After all, Tahu had been living in the dormitory for a month before the academy gates even opened. He already knew more than Mikel.

Ran, on the other hand, was from the Lunehart Clan—one of the Seven Clans that helped establish this school. So, Ran was even more knowledgeable about the academy than Tahu.

Either way, both of them knew that White Stripes weren’t considered very useful. They were usually called "support" to make it sound better.

But the White Stripes weren’t just support.

They were, more or less, reserve fuel for the stronger shamans, to put it bluntly.

Just like Eron’s lackeys, their role was to transfer their own spiritual energy to a combat shaman—like a boost. But, like any "reserve," their limits were usually low. Depending on their spiritual capacity, this role could make or break them as shamans.

In other words, they were practically useless.

"I’m... I’m red...?" Ran muttered in disbelief, staring at his name under the red column. He pointed at himself, pale. "Me?"

Mikel slowly turned to where Ran stood, sharing the same question.

How?

As for Tahu, he crossed his arms and nodded to himself. "This is interesting. I didn’t land in either blue or red, but brown. I didn’t know I was the defensive type."

Mikel and Ran turned toward Tahu, who didn’t seem to share their disbelief. When Tahu looked back at them, he tilted his head.

"By the way, my friend, how come I don’t see your name in red?"

"Don’t remind me," Mikel muttered, jerking his chin toward the white column. "It’s screaming in caps lock."

"Huh?" Tahu’s brows knitted as he followed the direction of Mikel’s gesture.

The corners of his mouth dropped the moment he saw Mikel’s name under the white column.

"How did you fall into the White Stripes, my friend?" he asked. "Did you do something bad?"

Mikel snapped his eyes back to the bulletin and huffed faintly, shrugging. "I have no idea. But if it’s white, then it’s white."

[System Alert: Bruised Pride Detected.]

Tss.

He clicked his tongue and waved dismissively, turning to leave while ruffling his hair in irritation.

That damn exam...

His face scrunched as he remembered the "trial" for the stripe colors. Mikel thought it would involve fighting monsters. But no—it was just an exam. A short, stupid one. He had to check some boxes.

Of course, Mikel hadn’t been completely honest with that exam. He was trying to avoid purple or black stripes. But he hadn’t meant to end up with white!

[I told you, Master. You should’ve checked that one box.]

Mikel’s face soured as he glared at Doom’s screen, but he ignored it.

"Screw it," he said, holding his hands behind his head. "White stripes aren’t that bad. Low expectations, no pressure."

After all, White Stripes weren’t in demand. And he doubted anyone would bully someone just for having one... right?

[Do not worry. The Protocol is not for the living, but I, your Butler, will ensure you perfect all your examination scores, Master.]

"Very enthusiastic, Doom. I’m almost falling for it."

As Mikel walked away, Tahu and Ran exchanged a look before jogging to catch up.

"My friend, wait for me!" Tahu called out. "We might not be classmates, but we’re meant to be friends forever."

Ran cringed. He glanced at Tahu, then jogged forward with him.

The three of them walked into their building together.

As they went down the quiet corridor, Ran looked at Mikel.

"Uh... I think you should retake the test," he suggested. "White Stripe... impossible. I don’t think you’re one."

Tahu nodded. "You both should, because Ran—you’ll die."

"..." Ran clenched his teeth quietly but didn’t deny it.

Being a Red Stripe student meant he was on the front line. The school had just begun, so for now, it let students adjust to regular classes. But Ran knew that many of their future activities wouldn’t take place in classrooms.

This academy wasn’t like any other. Their real classroom... was outside.

Once that started, Ran would be forced to fight on the front lines. A weak frontline would endanger those behind him. He wasn’t ready. His goal might’ve been to become a Red Stripe by the time he graduated—but not now.

Mikel’s eyes flicked toward the corner where Ran walked in silence.

"If you want to retake the test, then do it," Mikel said, snapping his disinterested gaze forward. "As for me, I’m fine with white. I accept things faster nowadays." — All thanks to Doom.

"I agree." Tahu grinned. "Even though I expected to be blue, brown’s fine. I never used my skills for defense before—I prefer offense. But this is more interesting now!"

"And my friend here? He doesn’t need colors to define him—haha!" he added, slinging an arm over Mikel’s shoulder. "Right, my friend?"

Mikel deadpanned. "Your arm, Tahu."

"Hehehe!" Tahu just laughed and left it there. "We’re friends. Friends should be close!"

Meanwhile, Ran slowed down in his pace, darting his eyes between them.

Tahu getting brown wasn’t a shock. But Mikel? Mikel was definitely not a White Stripe. Yet, he didn’t seem to care.

"But I’m... I’m red..." Ran muttered, feeling a headache rise. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I need to retake the exam."

Just then, a voice whispered in his head.

Why don’t you try to embrace it?

Ran’s brows rose at the sound of his phantom’s voice.

"Embrace... it?" he whispered back, nervous at the thought. But before he could dwell on it, Tahu called from ahead.

"Ran!" Tahu waved. "What are you doing back there?"

"Uh—right! Wait up!" Ran perked up and jogged to catch up.

By then, Tahu had removed his arm from Mikel’s shoulder.

"I’ll see you later!" Tahu beamed, stopping on his floor. After all, they weren’t classmates, which had been one of Tahu’s heartaches lately.

Mikel didn’t even wave back, continuing up the stairs. Meanwhile, Ran gave Tahu a polite smile.

"See ya later, Tahu," Ran said before he followed Mikel, as they were in the same class.

Ran kept his eyes on Tahu’s retreating figure until he was out of sight, then shifted his gaze to Mikel. Until now, Ran had no idea how he ended up stuck with these two. But Mikel was his roommate, and Tahu barged into their room often enough that he just got pulled along.

"Uh, Mikel," Ran cleared his throat, "are you really not retaking the exam?"

Mikel only answered when they reached their floor.

"Ran, retake the exam if you want," he said. "But think about your Phantom. Even ghosts have pride and dignity. You can’t just ignore that."

Ran stopped at Mikel’s back, lowering his head and clutching his chest slightly.

"Is that... is that what you want too?" he whispered, knowing his phantom could hear him. "Gallos?"

---

Mikel didn’t care much about Ran. Just like him, he had no idea why they were stuck together. But once he reached the classroom where he had spent the last week, he stopped.

Sliding the door open, he saw a few early birds already inside.

One was an old man who could’ve been his grandfather.

Another was a deaf guy with a cochlear implant, its transmitter just dangling at the back of his ear.

And then, there was the student who never stopped snapping his fingers in the same rhythm—right snap, left snap, right snap, left snap.

One week in, and Mikel could safely say...

He had the worst batch ever.