Lead

After class ended I made my way back to my dorm, to change my clothes.

It was full of sweat but thank god my underwear did not get wet.

After putting on a fresh new pair of clothes.

I started making my way to the training center in the academy to exercise and train using my sword once again.

As I walk through the student lounge beside the knight's dorm.

I glanced at the bench where Millia would read her book, and like I guessed she was there.

But this time she was not alone anymore, by her side, was a man with blonde hair and dark eyes.

It was Reynold Heartsteel, the protagonist of this novel.

Millia was smiling as they talked with one another,

It seemed Reynold finally saved her from the bullies.

I stopped staring and continued walking,

The training center is a couple of hours away by foot, but thanks to the mini-transits around the academy It'll only take 5 minutes.

After a while, I arrived at a place where a transit would stop by,

It was like a bus stop in my old world,

As I sat on the wooden bench waiting for one to arrive,

I closed my eyes to take a breather.

The smell of lilac covered my nose, probably from the perfume of the girl beside me.

The deafening noise of the numerous footsteps and chatter from the students all waiting for the transit.

But I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard a voice.

"Troi!,"

I opened my eyes and look where the sound came from.

Long black hair that stretched all the way to his shoulders and silver eyes akin to the moon.

It was Wyatt, dressed in a black turtle neck making his muscles apparent to me.

"What's up, man,"

"Where you headed to?" He says as he sat beside me.

"Training center, haven't trained in a while,"

"Oh? It seems we're going to the same place,"

"You going to train too?"

"Yeah, I could've beaten Reynold earlier, if only I trained my mind more,"

Yeah, I'm sorry Wyatt but that's impossible.

Your mind might've gone through hell and back, but the protagonist has something that would never let him get defeated by anyone.

And that is. 'Plot Armor'

Though that still couldn't save him from the horrible ending of this damned novel.

But what about me, who has none, will I truly be able to destroy the ending of this f*cking novel?

I shook my mind to get rid of my pessimistic thoughts.

"Maybe in the next mixed class, you'll be able to beat him," I say to Wyatt, to cheer him up a little bit.

"Well, I'll turn that maybe into certainty,"

Then a rumbling sound can be heard approaching,

As I looked toward it, a floating tram could be seen, on its side was the symbol of the academy.

Me and Wyatt hopped on, and along the way made some small talk before finally arriving at the training center.

As we enter, the area was vast, students all around the academy could be seen either training or exercising, while some were on the raised platforms fighting with other people.

I made my way to the training dummies while Wyatt on the other hand said he wanted to exercise.

As I walk eager to start training, I felt an arm wrapped around my neck.

"Haven't seen you in a while, man."

I recognize that voice,

As I look, a man with brown hair and black eyes could be seen with a grievous smile apparent on his face.

"What's up, Bernard,"

"Nothing much, Junior, but I'm afraid, we'll have to catch up,"

"With our blades, I mean."

Ah f*ck

*****

*CLANG* *CLANG*

"It seems, you've been rusty, junior!"

*CLANG* *CLANG*

"Shut-"

*CLANG* *CLANG*

"Up!"

*CLANG!*

The powerful strike behind Bernand's blade was too much for me,

My sword was sent aback and so was my body.

As my bottom hit the wooden floor, the edge of a claymore followed inches away from my neck.

"Looks like, I might need to train you again, Junior,"

Bernard then lowered his sword and offered me his hand.

"You're training is more like a beating," I say while accepting it.

"Stop complaining, or else you'll actually get one,"

"Stop being stuck at green aura, and you'll actually get out of A-class,"

"This f*cker,"

As Me and Bernand playfully bicker,

A roaring voice interrupted us,

"YOU THERE!,"

As we both look at the commotion,

A man with a loud voice could be seen a mile away from us,

He was talking to a girl who was currently in the middle of a bench press.

She had a hoodie on, so I was unable to see her face.

"I CHALLENGE YOU TO A FRIENDLY COMBAT,"

Friendly, my ass, he had a grin with no intention of such a thing.

"Hmmm? That guy is from my class," Bernand soon interrupted me from my thoughts.

"A second year then?"

"Yeah, I think his name was Joseph,"

The girl then stopped bench pressing and merely nodded at the man.

They both started making their way toward us,

"You guys done?" An arrogant voice came out of the man, if I hear another word come out from him, I would've punched him right and there.

"Yeah, one sec,"

Me and Bernard started to descend from the platform,

While the hooded girl and the man passed by us,

My eyes slightly widened as the smell of lilac covered my nose again.

Was that the girl from earlier?

Bernand and I soon sat by a bench nearby to watch the fight.

As the girl took off her hood, a flawless face could be seen, her silver hair full of sweat, while her blue eyes looked apathetic as she gazed at the man.

I was taken aback when I realized who she was.

"Oh? Isn't that Gwen Lynine?"

'Yep, she's one of my classmates,"

"I figured, you're in the Honor Class after all,"

"Unlike you,"

"You really want a beating?"

"Joking~~"

Gwen then took a Glock out of her bracelet,

But then,

The man threw a longsword at her feet,

"Pick that up so you'll stand a chance,"

He had a cheeky smile on his face,

I was expecting Gwen to be indifferent to his childish taunts but to my shock, her lips curled up and her hands were shaking ever so slightly.

It was only for a split second though, soon she regained her composure.

"I won't need it for the likes of you,"

"Suits you,"

The man then took his weapon from his bracelet,

It was a sword, its blade was long and slender, its edge was narrow pointed, and its handle was intricate to protect the wielder from harming himself.

A Rapier,

Shortly, an azure aura soon covered the steel.

"See that, junior, if you don't train you'll be like that guy,"

"Was that guy also in Honor Class just because he had a C-Tier aura at a young age?"

"Yeah, but instead of training, he slacked off when he was a 1st-year, causing him to fall to A-rank, what a waste,"

"I'll keep that in mind,"

*BANG*

Gwen dealt the first blow,

One of my eyebrows was raised as I notice that she wasn't even using any of her aura.

The man easily blocked it and charged forward.

He thrusted his rapier as soon as he got close.

*SWISH* *SWISH*

Twice, but all it was able to hit was air.

Gwen with her nimble body, dodged them effortlessly.

Underneath her breath, she spoke something.

Soon a black smoke covered the platform,

"WHAT!?, she's also gifted with mana??"

I chuckle inwardly as I see how bewildered Bernard was,

It was rare but some people get blessed with both aura and mana in this world.

I can hear the man coughing loudly inside the smoke,

It dissipated after a few seconds and as soon as it did.

Gwen was behind the man, her Glock directly aimed at his head,

That was a quick fight, it didn't even last a minute.

"Well, how about we go for another round Berna-"

*BANG*

What?

Was that a gunshot?

DID SHE JUST KILL HIM?

I hurriedly look back to the platform.

But instead of falling to the floor and blood flowing beneath, the man was wriggling on the ground his hand was on his head.

Oh, it was just a rubber bullet,

As I realized that a sigh of relief left my mouth.

Gwen then stored her Glock inside her bracelet and started to descend from the platform.

Not even uttering a single word.

But before she could reach the stairs,

"HEY!,"

"HOW ABOUT YOU WE FIGHT FAIR?"

"SEEING THAT YOU'RE A LYNINE, YOU MUST'VE USED YOUR DADDY'S MONEY TO MODIFY THAT GUN, WHY WON'T USE THAT SWORD HUH?"

"Jesus Christ, what a pathetic man,"

"Huh, who's jesus christ?"

"Ah? Oh, it's nobody Bernand,"

Gwen slowly turned her head toward him,

Her icy glare felt colder than before,

But without a single word coming from her mouth, she turned back and kept walking.

"WHAT? TOO SCARED? OH, I FORGOT DIDN-"

Before the man could finish his sentence an incredible pressure emanated from Gwen.

It was slightly akin to the pressure I felt from the cathedral although a lot weaker.

"Damn, she even knows how to use aura domination from a young age,"

"Yeah, I know Bernand, can you stop simping,"

"What's simping?"

I let out a sigh, "Nothing,"

Gwen soon turned her head once again, that glare of hers could freeze even hell itself.

She then picked up the sword earlier from the ground.

She looked at it for a split second then gazed at the man.

The man was shaking slightly but his cheeky grin was still on his face.

"That's more LIKE IT!,"

"COME!,"

The man's rapier was covered in blue once more,

But in Gwen's hand, the sword she picked off the ground soon was dyed scarlet red.

"A-A Rank!,"

Bernand beside me was beyond shocked, but I couldn't blame him.

The man's face then sank, and his grip on his rapier weakened.

I could tell this was the moment he realized,

He f*cked up.

As Gwen charged forth,

He quickly composed himself and tried dodging it,

But a myriad of swings came, so he was forced to block.

Gwen was relentless, the man was unable to take a moment to breathe.

She was dancing, each time she swung her sword her whole body was in rhythm.

Time seemed to stop as my mouth lay open.

Refined and full of grace.

Art,

It was like art.

I was entirely mesmerized.

"Beautiful..."