14 Joint Combat Program

With the warm winds shoved towards his face, Rewen was experiencing a wave of nostalgia. He remembered the day his friend Sam went missing. The entire morning, he was searching for him in every part of the village. By evening, he got tired and decided to go back home. Those evening winds were the same as these winds he is experiencing currently. 

Thinking of his family in the virtual world, he was sad. He wished he could bring them to the real world and make their life more comfortable. "It's just sad…"

"Your life is, I know but just know this - I'm not forcing you."

It was Svety. When he saw his peace destroyer, he didn't have much emotion on his face. He merely scoffed. "You are narcissistic, aren't you?" 

Svety lightly laughed, then came close to him and crossed elbows with him. "Not my worst perk, you know."

Regarding her actions, he didn't mind. They had crossed way more boundaries together. With a contemplative expression, he asked. "You don't really like me, do you?"

"I don't. You like me." A quick reply came. 

Rewen couldn't say he didn't expect this answer. "If I say I don't, will you leave me alone?"

"Yes, of course. I can't say the same for my bodyguards though."

"Are you playing with me?" Rewen spoke in a mild voice. 

"Maybe. Anyways, come to the 6th Combat Ground. We'll be having a joint trial combat program." Not waiting for his reply, she gripped his wrist and pulled him in her direction. Rewen didn't know what to do with her. He was positive he didn't like her but he also didn't want to be bothered by those Rank 4 Mages. Sure, he could rebel and show his disgust towards her but what good would that do? From Rewen's experience, she would definitely not leave him be and create troubles for him. 'If she goes beyond my limit, I would use brute force.' He decided. 

"Wait," Rewen called out. Svety turned back giving a questioning glance. "To seal our reconciliation, come here and let me kiss you three times."

***

When Rewen and Svety came to the 6th Combat Ground, the large room was already bustling with energy. Looking at the crowd, Rewen was more than eager to show off his strength. 'I wonder what would happen if my base strength is close to a Rank 2 Mage. Would they still dare to laugh at the 'Future Strongest Man on Earth'?' Thinking so, he inwardly laughed. 

"Creepy smile counter - 2." Svety's voice sounded beside his ears. 

"Go and join your classmates while I join mine," Rewen said with an indifferent tone. 

Svety frowned but didn't say anything. 

Rewen stretched his arms and yawned, then walked towards the group of classmates he was familiar with. 

Vin: "Oh Rewen, what took you so long?"

Zaplin: "He was sight-seeing."

Rewen: "I heard about this Joint Combat Program thing. Isn't that too early for us?'

Zaplin: "Way too early. I guess they will just check our raw combat prowess. Not gonna lie, kinda worried."

Vin: "You are probably overthinking things. Nothing too complicated should happen during the program."

Rewen: "Let's hope so."

Zaplin: "Hm!"

Vin: "Hm…"

Zaplin: "So… I was thinking about the girl you (Rewen) came with. Is she your…"

Rewen: "Apparently."

Zaplin: "How long?"

Rewen: "Almost four years."

Vin: "Pretty serious, huh. Gonna be a real bummer if something uneventful happens."

Rewen: "I don't know."

… 

.. 

While Rewen, Zaplin and Vin were chatting in a corner like some mobs, most students from 2nd Grade Class were already warming up, some even started fighting. 

Zelic grabbed the bottle from her bag and took a lot of sips. Running around for more than ten minutes completely drained her energy. "Huff… never had this kind of warm-up before. Oi, give me the towel." She snatched the towel from her nearby friend rudely. Her friend just shrugged as if she was used to it. 

After cleaning her face, she directly sat on the ground. "Say, by any chance, can I not participate in this program?" 

"I don't think so."

Zelic clicked her tongue and felt bored when she noticed Rewen standing with his classmates in the corner and nudged her friend. "You see him?"

Her friend, Ellie, glanced at the pointed figure and nodded. "He should be the so-called Future Strongest Man on Earth."

"He's my cousin."

"Ah, sorry. I was just kidding."

"I know. It doesn't matter. Let me tell you a secret. I don't know if he would become the Strongest Man on Earth or not, what I do know is that he is the strongest student in the academy."

"What kind of joke is that? Are you serious?"

"Hell yeah, I'm serious. This guy can beat a Rank 2 Mage."

"Really?"

"Is that your reaction? Honestly, you should work on your reactions. Also, yes. I'm not that bored to make such a tasteless joke."

"Oh!" Ellie still wasn't quite sure if her friend was making a joke or not. While she felt Zelic wouldn't lie about such a matter, she didn't want to believe her for obvious reasons. She didn't want to praise the person she laughed at the other day. Nobody wanted to. Unknowingly, Rewen had become something of an underdog and a joke. 

A moment later, four people entered the large room and everyone halted their warm-ups. They were instructors and Assistant Instructors of the two classes. Instructor Venitt nodded at a middle-aged man, who was the Instructor of 3rd Grade Class and stepped forward. 

"This is a trial Joint Combat Program session. I know it's too soon but the council decided to introduce this new trial to test the raw Combat ability of the students. Don't worry, this would not have any effect on your performance record whatsoever. Any kind of weapon is allowed. Now, make two separate columns."

The students more or less guessed what's going to happen. Rewen, Zaplin and Vin joined a column. They weren't separated class-wise. It was random.

Seeing all the students in order, Instructor Venitt went near a table upon which a box was placed, then gestured to the Instructor of 3rd Grade Class who raised his hand. "Everyone listen. That box contains sixty numbers since there are sixty of you. Each of you will come and take your pick. No. 1 fights No. 2, No. 3 fights No. 4. Get that?"

"Yes!" A loud 'yes' sounded. 

The middle-aged Instructor nodded. "After your pick, you will come to me in case you want weapons. The fights would be conducted in a V-Space so be as brutal as you want to be. Assistant Instructor Wylla will be the referee. Any questions?"

" "No, Sir!" "

V-Space is one of the revolutionary inventions which solved every single danger of duelling. It was invented before the research centres were taken down and the technological developments halted. Before its invention, people had no idea how to develop and train their combat strength by experience. Having a long history of being pacifists, people just can't adapt to bloodshed and accidental deaths. 

'What V-Space does is simple. It takes one to a virtual world and it doesn't matter if a virtual body is killed. The fact it doesn't have any pain resistance mechanism is what matters.' Rewen thought. 

"Alright, start coming." As soon as the middle-aged Instructor finished, a guy in the front of the left column walked up to the box and picked up a piece of paper. The next in the column followed. 

A minute later, Rewen's turn came. He smiled. '[Missions to Doom] activate.' With an unhurried pace, he walked up to the box and looked at Instructor Venitt who had her trademark frown. Most of the students' gazes were on him. 

Just as he was about to enter his right hand into the box, a sound rang in his head. 

[System Alert!]