There Is No Need To Thank Me

Alvin woke up the next day feeling refreshed. However, the happenings of the previous day quickly appeared in his head. Linfel was already gone for some reason, so he had no choice but to get up and prepare to leave as well. 

Alvin and Linfelia made their way through the Academy, passing by the Rank F Classes and not stopping. Quite a few eyes there looked at him, their curiosity and admiration evident, having seen the rankings of the previous Field Exam. Alvin was within the top ten, so that obviously caught a lot of attention.

He went past the many buildings. Rank E Classes, Rank D Classes... Finally, he stopped in front of the complex where Rank C Classes were given. Alvin took a deep breath, entering one of the buildings. Using his MCOM, he checked which class he was supposed to go, quickly finding his number.

-Rank C, Class C-25, Block 15-

Unsurprisingly, the students in the building were taken aback by Alvin's unexpected presence. They were well into the academic year, and new students were a rarity. His arrival could only mean one thing-he had either fallen from a higher rank or ascended from a lower one.

"Isn't this the guy from the Field Exam from yesterday?" Someone asked on the side.

"Let me check my MCOM... Yeap, it's him." said another voice in the corridors.

"Wait, that doesn't make sense. He was only a Rank F. Even if he finished in the top ten, he was supposed to go up to Rank E Classes and start from zero like everyone else."

"Did you forget? There are some exceptions that can be made based on the performance during the Ranks. It's just that they are very rare."

"Indeed. His information on the Academy's website says yesterday's Field Exam was his first attempt at it."

"So... he was hiding his real strength until now?"

"That can only be it. You know the rules and how strict the Academy is regarding them. They make no exceptions, regardless of one's background."

"Why would he lose his time in Rank F Classes then?"

"Who knows? The fact is that he definitely wasn't a Rank F Student."

Alvin kept hearing this kind of conversation right and left. No one really cared about hiding their voices since they were all Rank C Students as well. Maguses and Familiars must not be afraid of competition. That was the rule of the Academy.

'Must be a Rank C Student... I wonder how disappointed they would feel if they knew the truth,' Alvin couldn't help but wonder. All that chatter only increased the pressure on his shoulders.

"Master, here we are," Linfelia called Alvin as she pointed at a plaque above a door.

-Class C-25-

Alvin was just about to open the door when a voice echoed from inside.

"He was truly brave! He didn't want to give up the Field Exam after going that far, and we have a very high Master Familiar Connection. He took his chances at that moment and said with determination: Linfel, a Magus has to stand up for what he believes. Running now in the face of danger will only make me run again in the future. You are an independent Familiar, so the choice is yours. Will you follow me and confront this Rock Breaker for the sake of our future?"

*WoW!!!*

"And how did you manage to defeat a Rock Breaker? You two are only Level One Magus and Familiars, right?" Someone else asked.

"That's where Alvin's ingenuity came into play. He studies a lot to make up for his low level. He knew the Rock Breaker from the moment he put his eyes on it. The Rock Breaker immediately tried to use an area attack that would have killed us otherwise. However, Alvin said that this attack also creates an opportunity."

"As long as we use all our Magic Energy in a single point, trying to nullify just a very small area of the attack, we can counterattack the Rock Breaker's breath. And that's exactly what happened. Our attack, fuelled with all our Magic Energy, only created a small gap of a meter or so, but it went straight for the Rock Breaker's mouth. The Magic Beast was big and had a high defense. However, its insides are still vulnerable like any other creature. That one attack, which was timed perfectly, entered the Rock Breaker's mouth and rampaged inside. In the end, it couldn't resist the injuries and fell."

"You had to see it! Alvin was like a god of war, courage incarnated. I'm truly blessed to have a master like him!"

"Impressive!"

"Why would someone like him be in Rank F Classes until now?"

"I definitely want to have a spar with him! Introduce him to us later!"

Outside the door, Alvin's mouth twitched nonstop. Since when was he that courageous? Since when was he that ingenious? Study a lot? He did have some good knowledge, but definitely not that impressive.

*Zuuuu!*

Alvin opened the door, looking at the crowd gathered around a certain Wisp. The Wisp seemed to be having the time of his life, entertaining all the Maguses and their Familiars around. Naturally, all eyes turned to the 'Super' Alvin.

Linfel quickly approached, happy to see Alvin. "Alvin, look! They are all your new Class Mates. They are great people, too! Everyone, this is my Master, Alvin."

Alvin wanted to cry already. Before anyone could ask him anything, he spoke first. "Ahem... Everyone, would you give me a second, please?"

Right after, he pulled Linfel to a corner and began to curse. 'What the hell are you doing? Why are you creating such a big storm around me?'

Linfel patted Alvin's shoulders. 'There is no other choice. You are new and weak. If you tried to hide, things would only turn worse over time. After all, you jumped many ranks at once. There are definitely those who feel bitter about your promotion. So, as your friend, I decided to prepare the field for you in advance. There is no need to thank me.'