27 Lessons in Punishment

Ryouma had a face of fear as he begrudgingly walked on to the stage. Arata wore a completely unfazed and disinterested look on his face as he followed Ryouma. Teacher Takuma eyed up the two students as they came and stood in front of her. Akari sighed seeing them go up and the rest of the class all leaned forward, getting ready to watch the show.

Teacher Takuma glanced at Akari.

"Class Representative. Before we were rudely interrupted by these two late students, what were we discussing?"

Akari stood up straight and spoke clearly and politely like the model student she was.

"We were discussing and learning about the tempering of one's body. On top of expanding your Elemental Reservoir and strengthening your meridians, it is also important for a Warrior training in Physical Enhancements to train their body in its entirety. This is known as Physical Tempering. Warriors have many methods where they forcefully destroy their physical body to reform it, thus making it stronger."

Teacher Takuma nodded as Akari sat down.

"Regardless of how powerful your Elemental Reservoir is, if you are a Physical Enhancement user, then what is just as important is the actual strength of your body. By Enhancing your body, you are applying power on to it. However, if your body is too weak to handle said power, there will be a fierce backlash, sometimes resulting in death.

"And, as Physical Enhancements users, your body is your main weapon, which you must keep sharpened and powerful at all times. Which brings us to you two."

Teacher Takuma looked at Arata and Ryouma with a smirk.

"For today's lesson, you two will be my teaching assistants and will help me demonstrate to the class the different methods and tools people use for Tempering one's body."

Ryouma still stood there with a look of terror. Arata raised his eyebrow. Although he was still looking arrogant on the outside, he was inwardly feeling the fear slowly enter him. He didn't like the sound of where this was heading. As he had this thought, he saw Teacher Takuma disappear in front of him. Before he could even react, both Arata and Ryouma had been sent flying of the stage and slammed extremely hard into the wall. As they hit the ground, Arata felt someone grab his leg as he was sent flying into the ceiling, hitting it and then he came falling down, crashing into the stage.

He tried to circulate the Chaos Cells within him when he realized that he couldn't feel his Energy, like he was completely cut off from his Elemental Reservoir. As he thought this, Ryouma slammed down hard on the ground next to him. Teacher Takuma then appeared before them, looking down on the two students as lightning flickered off of her. She grinned at the two of them.

"As I'm sure the two of you have realized, you have effectively been cut off from your Elemental Reservoir. What I have done is create a barrier of my Energy within you, covering your Elemental Reservoir for a time, cutting it off from you. Then, with the help of some well placed hits, I overwhelmed some vital points of control in your body, forcing them to lock in place. In other words, the two of you won't be able to move for a while, but you can still feel everything, which is going to make this a lot more fun."

Arata went wide eyed. He had this happen to him previously when he was younger. He thought that his father was the only sadistic person to use this training method, unfortunately he was wrong. Teacher Takuma was clearly just as broken as his Father. The broken Teacher signalled to a few students who came on stage. Under Teacher Takuma's direction, they helped Arata and Ryouma to stand, helping to hold them up. Although they had lost control of their bodies, Arata and Ryouma were positioned to be standing up and facing the class.

Teacher Takuma turned to the class.

"What I have done to our late students is a very common method of Tempering. Sealing of the Elemental Reservoir so the person has to rely solely on their physical body, encouraging and actively forcing it's growth. Secondly, I have disabled their control functions of their body. Naturally, one will react and instinctually defend themselves. This prevents that, making the process easier. There are some that also close off and seal one's mind temporarily to spare them from the pain of the Tempering. But I believe that that is a weak method for those who can't stomach the process of gaining strength. By Sealing off your mind, you do not allow your mind and character to be Tempered as well, which is just as important."

She then turned to Ryouma and Arata with an evil gaze.

"Plus, this way is more interesting."

Arata began to understand why Ryouma had become so fearful when thinking about them being late. This Teacher was crazy!

Two students carried a table with a bunch of bottles and strange objects on it. They placed it beside Teacher Takuma. Arata looked at the strange table, Teacher Takuma's evil looking face, the students holding him. 'Is this a classroom or a torture chamber?' Teacher Takuma picked up a bottle with what looked like a red substance within. Arata thought it looked like it was going to burn through the glass. Teacher Takuma showed it to the class.

"Does anyone know what this is?"

A few of the students raised their hands, Akari included. Teacher Takuma pointed at a young boy with short white hair and circle rimmed glasses.

"That is the blood of a Volcanic Turtle. Judging by the color, it looks like it's fresh."

Teacher Takuma nodded.

"Correct, Tallis. And I'm assuming you know it's properties and uses?"

The young boy nodded.

"The Volcanic Turtle resides, as its name suggests, in the heart of volcanoes. It draws in the heat from the lava and cultivates this heat throughout its body and shell. As time progresses, its shell becomes similar to igneous rocks and its blood is said to become lava itself. With the high heat pumping through its veins, it's body naturally cultivates itself through the Tempering of the extreme heats. And the uses are very similar for a warriors body. When injested correctly, the Volcanic Turtle's blood will burn and scorch the body, but if the person is able to endure and survive through it, their body will be strengthened by a large margin. Even more so for users of the Fire Element."

At this last statement, the class all looked over at Ryouma. His eyes were now wide open as realization hit him. Teacher Takuma grinned at the look in Ryouma's eyes.

"Yes, little Ryouma. This is specifically for you. Be happy as this is extremely expensive stuff and will strengthen your body a lot. I'm expecting a good show from you."

Teacher Takuma walked over to Ryouma whose as unable to move. She opened his mouth and poured the blood down his throat. Arata could feel the heat from where he was standing and it was intense, how are you supposed to injest that? Stream and smoke poured out of Ryouma's mouth. Teacher Takuma signalled for the students to put him down. As they did, one of the students took too long and jumped in surprise. She pulled back her hand quickly and looked at it. There was a small burn on her fingers. The class visibly could see that, although he couldn't move, Ryouma was in a lot of pain.

Again, Arata could feel an intense heat coming off of Ryouma. Someone in the class gasped as Ryouma's skin started to slowly turn red. Teacher Takuma calmly nudged Ryouma with her foot and turned to the class, continuing to teach casually.

"Currently, the Volcanic Turtle's blood is heating up his body. Before it can fuse with him and begin to temper his body, the blood will first push his body temperature to new heights. It will continue rising for a while, so nothing interesting will happen until then. Ryouma will definitely be in a lot of pain right now, but the Tempering isn't even close to beginning."

Arata glanced at Ryouma. He could sense how much pain and agony Ryouma was in, and yet his Tempering hadn't even begun yet? Arata sympathized with Ryouma, feeling sorry for the amount of pain he was in, but he also knew that he would become much stronger from this experience. And now that Ryouma was his Shadowguard, Arata would obviously benefit from him becoming stronger.

Suddenly a chill went down Arata's spine as he made eye contact with Teacher Takuma. She walked over to the table and picked up a grey orb.

"This is even more rare than the Volcanic Turtle's blood. Does anyone here know what it is."

No one raised their hands as they stared at the orb. Even Akari didn't raise her hand as she stared at the strange orb with a curious look. The young boy with the glasses finally put his hand up. He wore an expression of disbelief. Teacher Takuma looked at him.

"Tallis?"

The young boy lowered his hand as his eyes stayed fixated on the orb.

"Is that a Yin and Yang Sphere?"

Akari's eyes lit up. Teacher Takuma looked at Tallis impressed.

"Not bad. Yes, this is a Yin and Yang Sphere. Miss Ise, would you care to explain to the class what a Chaos Sphere is?"

Akari swallowed saliva as she stared in disbelief at the orb. She reigned herself in and regained her composure as she answered.

"The Yin and Yang Sphere, is the manifestation of a powerful clash between Holy Source Energy and Darkness Source Energy. If the size and strength of the two opposing Energies are equal, there is a chance for a Yin and Yang Sphere to appear, but it is extremely rare. As for its uses, in regards to Tempering, by breaking it on the users body, the two Energies will surge through the body, clashing with each other. As they clash, they will spread out through the body, breaking and destroying the body. But, due to the users natural affinity to either Dark Energy or Holy Energy, one of the Energies will eventually come out on top. It will then fuse with the body, rebuilding what was broken and improving on it."

Teacher Takuma nodded.

"Breaking the body to rebuild it stronger. The basic essence of Tempering. This was actually an "apology gift" given to the class by the Sato Clan, compensation for their Heir arriving late. I have no use for it, but Young Arata is a different story."

Arata was silently cursing his Father. Of course she got it from him, how else would she get a Yin and Yang Sphere? Only the Sato or the Ise Clan's had access to them. He knew that it was given to her so that it would be used on him.

The class all lit up at this new piece of information. Not only at the information on the mysterious orb, but this also made it blatantly clear that Arata was the Heir to the Sato Clan. For anyone who still had their doubts, this successfully put those doubts to rest.

Teacher Takuma stood before Arata and placed the Sphere on his chest. It stuck to his chest as she let go of it. She then got into a simple stance before Arata and grinned at him.

"Try to not die."

She then sent a fast punch at the Yin and Yang Sphere, seemingly punching it into Arata's chest. Arata felt the immense pressure of the punch, which was bad on it's own. But then his chest seemed to go numb for a second before an intense pain burst out from it, spreading to every corner or his body. He could feel the Holy Energy and the Dark Energy clashing within him. There was a war of Element's taking place within his body.

Teacher Takuma turned to face the class.

"Now I want you to observe and take notes on the fluctuations you feel coming from Ryouma and Arata."

She turned to the two boys with a wicked smile.

"Let's see if they survive it."