Face off Against the Main Cast
(Third Person POV)
"Come again?"
Julianna involuntarily found herself muttering those words.
It simply didn't make sense for Noah to be in the worst class.
"I am in the worst class."
It took Julianna to understand what those words even meant, and then her expression changed into a scowl as she asked
"You aren't pulling my leg, are you? Show me your phone"
Noah shaking his head gave her the phone and Julianna looked into Noah's academy profile as she blinked her eyes several times.
It was just as Noah had said, his grade ranking and academy ranking were also the lowest!
While Julianna was in a bit of disbelief Oliver continued.
"I don't think it's hard for you to understand how the hierarchy of the classes works, right? Also, AP isn't the only thing you are getting, the better the class, the better your privileges in the school will be, such as getting discounts on the things you buy through your AP in the academy, getting access to various restricted places for first-years, a re-take exam opportunity if you are failing the subject, and even the privilege to leave the academy grounds"
Oliver's last words stirred up various emotions among the students.
One of the rules in the academy was that you had to spend the rest of the 3 years on the academy grounds, sure there would be some trips from time to time but they weren't for the students to go off on their own, supervisors will supervise them throughout the trips.
It meant they couldn't meet with their family, and friends outside the academy for three years unless they got expelled and while it was true they could talk with their family and friends through calls and video calls, being able to meet them was far more exceptional.
Thus, igniting a fire in the hearts of many students to get that privilege.
"...Um! Which class do we have to be to get the privilege of going outside the academy?" One of the students asked on behalf of many others.
"Well, you have to be in the special class of those exceptional students" Oliver shrugged.
"We weren't told about this before!"
"Yeah, if I knew we would be given such privileges I would have trained like crazy in the first month instead of relaxing!"
"Do we really have to wait till the next evaluation!?"
Some of the students complained.
It was only obvious.
They have worked hard to get into a top academy, by no means were they idiots or lazy bums. But since it was just the first of the month, they had decided to let themselves loose a little.
After all, they deserved some rest for working so hard to get into their continent's top academy, did they not?
And the results of that were now displayed in front of them.
"I understand you are very dissatisfied with your evaluation, well here's the thing you don't really have to wait till the next evaluation! You can simply challenge the student who is ranked higher than you in a duel and if you win in the duel then your rank will be swapped by his and his by yours! Isn't that just wonderful! You can goof around all you want and challenge the first-ranked student and if you manage to win, you will become the first-ranked student and get into the special class!" Oliver said with a smile on his face.
The students on the other hand contemplated the information.
Their grade ranking was done based on the improvement they showed not their actual strength. It was the academy rank that was based on the individual's actual strength.
But... unlike grade ranking that is easily visible on their bracelet other students' academy ranking isn't something you can know about unless the person tells you themselves. It wouldn't be wise to challenge them without knowing if you can win or not.
Besides, there must be a penalty for losing as well.
Julianna thought and proving her thoughts to be right, Oliver spoke.
"But if the person who proposed the duel loses, they will be dropped at the bottom of the academy ranks and would be unable to challenge anyone till the end of the semester. Also, you can only have 2 rights to challenge in a month. Well, if you lost the first time you wouldn't be able to use your second right to challenge."
Basically, they only have a single shot at changing things.
Students gasped, processing what they had just heard.
"Should have known it won't be that easy..." Julianna muttered under her breath.
Losing carried far more danger. Once you have fallen to the bottom of the ranks you won't be able to receive AP except from whatever one can get with the help of their academic ranking but even then it wouldn't be much and they wouldn't be able to challenge anyone for a whole semester.
But what if that same person gets challenged? What if they win? Will the penalty be removed or will it stay?
Julianna wondered but didn't voice out her thoughts, of course, one can argue why would someone even think about challenging a bottom-ranked student.
She hoped someone else would ask the question ...and if no one asked she would just ask Noah.
Julianna looked at Noah who seemed to be playing a game on his phone, she found it baffling how he could be so relaxed despite having the lowest academy ranking.
He wasn't even trying to hide that he held no interest in any of the things Oliver was saying.
"Hey, let's say you know everything Oliver is saying but I have a question how? We weren't told any of this until now" Julianna asked Noah, eyeing him.
Noah had always acted as if he knew the rules already that wasn't a lie, he did in fact know about them all.
Then the question to it was, how?
"Why do you think they installed a system into our phones and synchronized it? What do you think would happen if the instructor forgot some info to share by mistake or it simply slipped their minds? Duh, they upload all the rules and update it on time. Just open the damn app and read the rules"
...
Oh God, I feel so dumb right now.
Julianna picked up her phone right away, opened the app went to the section of rules, and started to scroll through them trying to find the answer she was looking for.
In case the challenger who lost is now being challenged and manages to win, their penalty will be removed and will be applied to the loser of the duel.
Once she read the rule, she muttered "Uh-huh"
With that, she put down her phone, decided to listen in class, and would read the rules once she went back to her room.
She isn't Noah. She had no intention of earning a lecturer's ire with a blatant disregard towards them.
"Can the person we challenged decline the duel?" A student asked.
He was none other than the student who had lost his arms momentarily in the past month by the hands of Noah.
"A good question as for your answer, it depends. If you have challenged someone from a lower class than you then they do have the right to refuse but if they are from a higher class than yours then they don't have the right to decline. Of course, this would lead to a huge problem of students from lower classes always asking for a duel from those of upper class that's why, only 5. A student can be challenged only 5 times in a month. Once they have been challenged 5 times in the month they can not be challenged anymore by anyone."
"Well, there's one more point you need to know. You can advance as a class as well." Oliver said clapping his hands.
Students wore confused expressions unable to completely understand Oliver's words, watching them Oliver began to explain.
"You see, every month, you can challenge a class along with your class if you wish to do so but only once. If you win, your rankings will change respectively to the other classes' individual rankings. For instance, let's say class A-1 and A-2 were to fight against each other and class A-2 won. The top ranking student from A-1, that is the 21st ranker position will be swapped by the student of class A-2 top ranker, i.e., 61st ranker and 22nd with 62nd ranker and so on."
The rankings from 1st to 20th were in the hands of the special class consisting of only 20 students compared to other classes that had 40 students in them.
"What if we challenged the special class, how will our rank change then?" One of the students asked.
"Well, you wouldn't be able to win against them. We didn't label them as exceptional for no reason but if that happens then the special class will just increase in number and will have 40 students in it. Of course, just like the rewards if you lose you will face the penalty. The penalty is quite simple, you won't receive any AP for next month. Simple, right? Personally, I think a class duel is better than having an individual duel"
Oliver done with his explanation simply looked at the students who seemed to be in quite deep thought, processing his words.
"Well, with that I have told you all you need to know if you still have questions then you can either ask me or you can just look into the rules, they are already updated in your apps," Oliver concluded and with that, a silence descended in the classroom, students were looking into the app to check the rules silently and Oliver was looking at them to see if there was anyone with any question left.
A rattled sound came from the back seat.
It was Noah, he had stood up from his seat.
Many eyes turned towards him, Oliver looked at Noah and smiled as began to speak "If you are going to ask why you were assigned the class-"
Noah went out of the classroom using the back door, ignoring all his words.
Oliver's eye twitched.
"Um, did Noah not get the special class?" Julianna asked Oliver.
Oliver looked at Julianna, changing his expression back to a warm one, and replied to her "Why do you think so?"
"You were going to say 'If you are going to ask why you were assigned the class you were' or something like that. I don't think anyone will be dissatisfied with being in a special class" Julianna answered trying to sound convincing as if she didn't know about Noah's class.
"Well, that is indeed true. He is in the worst class."
Students let out a gasp, unable to believe it. They were sure Noah would be part of the special class.
".... And why is that?" Julianna asked
"I think it should be quite obvious, no? During the time when you were all given the bracelet, you were told to never take it off for a reason. The bracelet comes equipped with specialized AI for each student and evaluates the students all the time. The amount of study you do in your room, how many hours you rest, how many hours you train, everything is noted by the AI inside your bracelet...Noah had simply never worn the bracelet but as you know without those bracelets you wouldn't be able to enter many of the places inside the academy ...to deal with that problem Noah simply broke his bracelet more than 40 times in the last month alone." Oliver answered and a frown appeared on Julianna's face.
Rich kid's problem.
Julianna thought.
"And thus, he is in the worst class. Sure, we can evaluate Noah ourselves with the help of the cameras installed all around the campus but ...that's not how it works. Rules are rules. Noah didn't wear the bracelet and now he must face the consequences of it. Well, any other questions, anyone?" Oliver shrugged
Julianna felt dazed with the all information, like other students.
"Well, with this our journey with each other comes to an end. From tomorrow onwards you will have to go to the classroom you have been designated."
And with that, the class had been concluded.
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In the duel arena, there stood various students.
"Um.. did we all get challenged?"
"It seems like it, just like how a class can challenge another class, it seems one can also challenge an entire class alone."
"Oh, fuck nah."
"Is he screwed in the head? Why would he challenge all of us?"
"Don't underestimate him, haven't you seen his video?"
"Well, we have 2 of those people from the video on our side"
At those words, the standing students looked at the two individuals, one with dark aqua hair looking at the opposite entry side of the duel arena and the other with black, silky hair flowing down her waist standing at the corner.
Soon, an individual walked through the entry of the opposite side.
He had black hair and black empty eyes.