Chapter 43: New Classes + [A Scheduled Fight]

December 16th, 8:30 AM, his classes begin in 30 minutes.

It was Monday morning, Cassien got up, took a shower, cooked himself a nice soft breakfast, and got dressed in the typical academy uniform they gave five consecutive pairs of to each individual.

...

While entering the academy, individuals throughout the halls and atrium were chatting before class began.

The obvious nerds took their seats quite early, waiting for their teachers.

’Hmm... let’s see here.’

Cassien looked down at his schedule.

–

[Class 1C].

[Year: 1] [Semester: 1]

[Classes]

→ 1. Combat Fundamentals I

→ 2. Mana Control & Arcane Foundations

→ 3. Tactical Strategy & Battlefield Analysis

→ 4. Noble Politics & Academy Laws 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

–

Due to his family’s influence, he was placed in 1C... though, ranking up classes was very much possible, and with his abilities, would probably be quite easy.

There was a reminder at the bottom right of his papered schedule stating that each class lasts about an hour and thirty minutes.

Also, the students in your first period are the same for every class... while the instructors change.

’Combat Fundamentals this early in the morning...?’ Cassien tiredly thought. ’Guess the arena is my first stop.’

...

"Well, hello everybody, first off, I’d like to take attendance and have all of you introduce yourselves."

Each student stood in a crowded manner inside the training facility. Curtains split the massive area into sections so other classes could work individually as well.

...

After attendance was finished, introductions began from left to right, in a circular type of manner, where it restarted from the left whenever it reached the final person on the right.

First, it was quite an optimistic individual.

"U-uh h-hello, I-I’m not used to intros... but..."

Cassien sighed.

’There goes Ren doing what he does best.’

A woman smiled, her turn eventually coming up.

"My name’s Olivia Cart, nice to meet all of you! Hopefully, you guys can vote for me as class representative."

Her succulent beauty grabbed everyone’s attention immediately.

"Pleasure to meet you all."

"That’s her... the third-class singularity."

Why ’Singularity?’ Because it showed that out of all third-class aristocrats, she stood above them all.

"The one who took down a Demon all by herself at the age of thirteen..."

"That’s her..."

"Talk about a feisty babe, she resembles one exactly."

Sooner or later, introductions were concluding, some interesting, others not so much, while certain people shied away completely.

Now... it was Cassien’s turn to make his first impression.

"You’re up next," the instructor called out. Cassien couldn’t help but smile.

"Hello... so, my name’s Cassien." He formed a grin on his face. "And I would also like to try out for Class Representative."

The boys and girls shook.

"How dare he!"

"He knows that ’THE’ Olivia is going for that spot, and yet still chooses to face off against her...? Is he crazy?!"

"Must be an accidental fluke of words, the kid’s just dangerous."

"Shut up," Cassien called out. "I don’t see myself losing to a bunch of extra wannabes that have never stood on a real battlefield before or have no goals of moving up the classes."

Murmurs of anger sparked throughout the class.

"Interesting..." Olivia stepped up with a smug grin. "Please, guys, calm yourselves." She tapped on her jaw three times, one hand covering her chest. "I think I remember you... Oh yes, Cassien Artfold, was it? The one who unexpectedly fought Jameson Sparrow and somehow won without further explanation."

She leaned into Cassien’s ear.

Then, as if her personality shifted, Olivia spoke.

"If you think that counts as any feat at all, you’re a joke. Don’t count yourself as a threat to me."

Olivia moved back before smiling at the class once more.

"Anyways, with introductions finished, I think we should allow our instructor to commence the class as follows... time is of the essence."

Each student nodded as Cassien stared directly at Olivia’s back.

’A weirdly poetic type... two personalities. Quite wild, if you ask me. Though I’d rather see her in action before coming to any conclusions about her.’

...

The warmups had begun, and Cassien chose Ren as his partner. With that first impression he made, no one really wanted to be around him.

Ren, the quite odd guy he is, didn’t care much.

"S-so... let’s trade hands?"

Cassien laughed, tossing him a wooden shortsword from the equipment rack.

Then approached Ren.

"Do you want to become more powerful than the others?"

Ren obviously nodded.

"Most of these kids don’t know a clue about the joints connected through mana pathways, which makes them quite vulnerable. Study that, and you’ll look like someone using black magic."

Cassien continued.

"Now then, just watch me fight another person."

He looked around the facility before proudly raising his sword.

"Listen here, all, who wants to have a light duel with me during this practice session?"

Everyone looked at him as if he were the odd one out, until a couple of boys began thinking about their reputation.

Impressing themselves in front of this many women would definitely allow them to have a little fun later.

"I do," a huge, chiseled young man, the same age as Cassien, walked forward with a tough posture and a mind fueled by arrogance. "But let us be real men and fight with hammers."

He threw Cassien a large wooden hammer, quite hard to lift for someone of his size.

"Interesting, but I’m ready to begin whenever."

Olivia walked over, instantly stealing everyone’s attention.

"I’ll be the referee; you guys should already know the rules."

Both of them nodded.

"Good, now let this duel between Cassien Artfold and Alex Sore commence!"

Cassien looked at his hammer.

"This might be useful."

He held it upside down, the face pointing toward the floor, while stepping on it casually.

"Anyways..."

He began pouring mana into the weapon while Alex stepped forward coldly, and a smirk spread across his face.

"You are so tiny, it’s laughable."

Cassien sighed, staring directly into the man’s eyes.

"And you are so slow, it’s pathetic."