Brian?!?

--Next Day--

Stood up in front of a mirror whilst adjusting his uniform suit, Luke patted his own shoulder, "You can do it today, Luke!"

"Such an optimistic person." Kuvar yawning as he entered the toilet.

"Shut up! A person with a lifeless look doesn't have the right to say that." Luke quipped.

He stepped out of the room and glanced at his other roommates who currently still in dreamland. He shook his head and kicked their bunk bed lightly.

The bunk immediately shook by the force of Luke's leg, and Timothy who was on the upper-side immediately woken up and exclaimed as he jumped down, "Earthquake! Earthquake!"

Luke feels kinda bad for scaring the little kid and quickly grabbed his back collar to prevent him from running outside the room, "Hey, relax okay?"

Turning his head sideways, Timothy said impatiently, "How can I relax! I don't want to die at such a young age! I haven't had a girlfriend yet!! Let me go!!"

Brian rubbed his eyes and groggily said, "Luke, you really are a wicked person for ruining our wonderful sleep."

Luke laughed dryly before releasing his grip from Timothy back collar, "My foot slipped just before. Anyway, I'm not ruining your day but saving it. You do remember today was the first day of training, right? Do you want to be late on the first day?"

Timothy quickly understands what Luke means and with an instant sprinted to the lavatory.

The battle lesson schedule is already published, and the F, E, and D rank training agendas happen at 7 o'clock. One of the main reasons why LSA separate each rank into a different group was to narrow each rank power gap. If rank A were inserted in a lower rank group, it'd undoubtedly create an unstable environment where the A rank would dominate the entire time.

...

8 o'clock

After familiarizing themselves with the weapons, the students are ordered to spar with each other. As Luke was curious about his roommate's ability, he didn't immediately challenge others and decided to watch his roommate's performance.

"You can do it!" Luke cheered Kuvar like a little girl only to get middle-fingered by Kuvar.

After getting the response he wanted, Luke uses the "Examine" skill on Kuvar's opponent. In a moment, an information system popped out before Luke's eyes.

<Examine Succesful>

<Name: Adolt Riger>

<Age: 19>

<Ability: Tough Physique (Rank F)>

<Rank: Transcender Rank Ninth>

Luke facepalmed himself upon seeing the information regarding Kuvar's opponent. Tough physique? Really? How come this can be considered as an ability?? Luke immediately turned his attention to Timothy since the battle of Kuvar and Adolt would obviously go boring.

Because of the skill cooldown, Luke couldn't use an Examine skill on Timothy's opponent.

Timothy stopped his step and facing directly against his opponent.

"Begin!" The referee's voice broke the tension between the two persons.

Timothy, as an inexperienced person in battle, immediately went to use his power.

"As I thought." Luke sighed witnessing this.

As Luke expected, Timothy opponent didn't simply watch Timothy undergo a transformation and quickly dashed forward. Because Timothy focus was on his metamorphosis, he didn't notice that his opponent already grew closer to him. The moment Timothy detects his opponent presence, his opponent already stopped his finger at his forehead.

"Yegar Win!" The referee spoke out after glancing at their condition.

The battle only lasted ten seconds. That means Timothy could die in merely ten seconds if it were a serious battle where life and death at stake.

Luke shook his head in displeasure and made a mental note to teach this little brother of him for later fight. As he stood up, a surprised voice came beside him, "Eh, where are you going, Luke?"

Luke gasped in shock and immediately patted his chest in fright, "When did you arrive, Brian?"

It was Brian who suddenly spoke before. He didn't notice Brian presence slightest. How can that be? Luke narrowed his eyes suspiciously but stopped upon remembering his skill is still on cooldown.

"I was sitting beside you since two minutes ago," Brian responded with a smile.

'Tch! Who's gonna trust you that blindly.' Luke judged silently before replied with, "Oh! I'm not aware of that."

Brian only responded with a chuckle, which magnifies further Luke curiosity.

...

-One day before LSA Inner Competition began-

"This will be the last battle I'd enjoy in free battle class," Luke muttered with a slight of melancholy and excitement.

In 28 days, Luke managed to reach level 9, with each day battling at least one person. But a defeat is inevitable in battle; thus, Luke cannot attain victory for each battle he experienced. Fortunately, with his originally strong personality, Luke passion didn't dampen on each loss he suffered. Instead, he immediately reviewed his mistakes and improving his strength day by day.

Luke still didn't know about what skill he might get on level 10, but for now, his acquired skill "Control" and "Examine" already enhanced into a few levels higher.

<Level: 9>

<EXP: 900/1200>

<STR: 30>

<DEX: 32>

<INT: 28>

<SP: 30>

<Stat Points: 0>

<HP: 125/125>

<Stamina:125/125>

<FP: 115/115>

<User Status: Healthy>

<Examine>

<Rank: E>

<AP: 100/400>

<Control>

<Rank C>

<AP: 0/600>

<AP available: 400>

Considering "Control" skill is so weak on rank F, Luke decides to conserve the AP he gets from his fight and plans to spend it on the new skill he might get on level 10.

Not only does his power grew stronger. His relationship with the stranger he occasionally met in the canteen grew closer. They even already exchanged contact with each other. That day conversation went like this,

"Cough, Aisly, may I have your contact number?" Luke coughed to hide his embarrassment.

After their relationship advance, Luke came to know the stranger's name was Aisyl.

Aisyl perplexed for a moment before answered teasingly, "What for? Are you planned to pursue this big sister?"

Luke blushed profusely and immediately retorted, "No way! I just want us could talk more often with this type of communication."

Aisyl smiled, "Okay then, consider yourself lucky since there are not much people that knew my number."

"Well, I'd be proud of it then."

With that, they successfully exchanged their contact.

--Present--

Brushed all unnecessary thought, Luke did a quick warm-up thing and stepped forward to meet his last opponent.

Coindinteally, his opponent was also on his way toward his direction. Upon registering what's his opponent face is, Luke blurted out in shock, "Brian?!"