School...

~Omniscient Pov, the next day~

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"Later Mom." He waved goodbye... Today would be his first day at the academy ever since he was reborn here.

"Alright honey, have a safe trip!" However, Yohan was already gone...

~

As Yohan approached the academy, his mind began to wander towards his abilities... 'I wonder how much stronger I'll get here?' He smiled internally at the thought of it all. 

'Just need to keep my head down for now... No need to show my cards too soon,' he thought as the towering gates of the academy came into view. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his new life so far...

This was essentially the start of a new chapter, where he would either rise above or fall completely. And he wasn't planning on doing the latter. 

However, he stopped the useless thoughts. His eyes focused on two individuals, his two childhood friends. Especially towards his female friend, 'If I remember correctly, I was supposed to like her... But, it feels more like admiration than a crush, to be honest...

He stopped the useless thoughts and smiled. "Ciest! Johnathon!!" He shouted.

Ciest and Johnathon turned at the sound of their names, surprise flickering across their faces before it melted into recognition.

"Yohan!" Ciest called back, her eyes lighting up with genuine warmth. She waved him over as Johnathon stood beside her, crossing his arms with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips...

"About time you showed up," Johnathon teased, though there was a subtle shift in his gaze, one that Yohan hadn't missed. It was the same look he'd always given when he thought Yohan was getting too comfy to Ciest.

Yohan jogged up to them, brushing off the tension he sensed from Johnathon. "Yeah, first day back. Figured I'd make an entrance."

"Still the same old Yohan," Ciest laughed, her smile infectious. For a moment, the familiarity of their bond almost made Yohan forget about everything he had changed. Almost.

"Heh! Trust me, this year will be different..." He said confidently.

Ciest tilted her head, curiosity flashing in her eyes. "Oh? Different how?" she asked, intrigued by his sudden confidence.

Yohan smirked, feeling the weight of everything he'd gained over the past few days. "Let's just say I've been working on a few things. You'll see soon enough."

Johnathon raised an eyebrow, his arms still crossed, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Really? You've always been full of surprises, Yohan. But let's see if you can actually back it up this time."

Yohan met his gaze, unphased, he smiled even, "Trust me, I plan to." Yohan for some reason was beginning to get shifty vibes from his friend. But he ignored the tone and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

On another hand, Ciest laughed again, her lightheartedness cutting through the ever so slight tension that built up. "Well, I can't wait to see what you've been up to. Hopefully, it's nothing too crazy."

Yohan grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

"Well.." Ciest said, looking at Yohan carefully, she noticed he looked slightly different... "Hey, Yohan... Have you been training as of late?" She asked, catching the one in question a bit off guard.

'She could tell? Well, that's to be expected from a high-level student.' Yohan simply nodded as an answer.

"Interesting, I almost didn't realize it." Ciest could see that her younger fellow had gotten quite broad, but the clothing he wore didn't do him much justice to show. His body seemed slightly more built... And now that she paid close attention, his face looked a bit different too, and not in a bad way either...

Not only that, she could tell his attitude took a turn. He didn't seem as tight-nipped as he used to be either, but it was a welcomed change so she wasn't going to pry about it.

Yohan on the other hand, scratched the back of his head, a bit nervous under Ciest's scrutinizing gaze. "Yeah, I've been putting in some extra work lately. Trying to, you know, not stay behind."

Ciest raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but not pressing further, though her eyes lingered a moment longer. "It shows," she said with a small smile. "I almost didn't recognize you for a second there."

Johnathon, who had been watching their exchange in silence, finally chimed in, his voice carrying a teasing edge. "Guess someone's finally trying to catch up to us, huh?"

Yohan smirked, his confidence returning. "Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable at the top. I'm aiming higher than just catching up."

Johnathon's smirk faltered for just a second, his competitive nature sparking. "Aiming higher, huh?" His voice dropped to a more serious tone. "You might want to be careful with that. The higher you aim, the harder the fall."

Ciest shot him a sharp look; as if to warn him to ease up, but Yohan only smiled, still unfazed. "I'm not worried about falling, Johnathon. I've learned how to pick myself back up."

The subtle tension between the two was hard to ignore. Ciest stepped forward, her expression shifting to something softer... "Well, I'm glad you've been training, Yohan. It's good to see you pushing yourself." Her eyes flickered briefly between Yohan and Johnathon, sensing the unspoken rivalry.

Yohan, feeling the shift in the air, took a breath and stretched his arms behind his head, trying to lighten the mood, ignoring the shiftiness in his friend's behavior. "So, what's on the agenda today? Training? Classes?"

"Classes first, obviously," Ciest said with a grin. "But there's a duel tournament starting this week. A lot of people are talking about it."

Yohan's ears perked up. "A duel tournament?"

Johnathon grinned, but there was a challenge in his eyes. "That's right. Think you're ready for it, Yohan?"

Yohan smiled. "Guess we'll find out, won't we?"

The sound of the academy bell cut through their conversation, signaling the start of the day's activities. Ciest gave them both a playful nudge. "Come on, let's not be late on the first day back."

~

At the academy, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy, literally. Students filled the grand-like hallways, talking about the upcoming duel tournament, and quests and sharing what they had been up to over the break. Yohan, Ciest, and Johnathon made their way through the crowd, navigating through the corridors.

The academy itself was a blend of modern and ancient architecture—high, arched ceilings with both old and modern intricate designs, coupled with technology-driven classrooms equipped with the most advanced learning tools available on the market. One could easily tell that this was a place where power, intellect, and status reigned supreme, and Yohan being partially new could feel the weight of it all.

As they reached their first class, Advanced Combat Theory, Yohan couldn't help but feel the eyes of some of the students on him. Whispers followed him, not just because of slight noticeable physical changes, but also due to his sudden confidence... It was as if people could sense that something had shifted in him.

And he had changed, he didn't carry that gloomy load he always held, but he was confident, and they picked it up instantly...

"Hey, isn't that Yohan? He looks ya know... a bit, different..."

"Wasn't he always kinda average? What happened to him?"

Ciest noticed the whispers and shot Yohan a supportive glance. "Ignore them. They'll get used to the new you."

Yohan smirked, but he couldn't deny the small thrill of being noticed a little, at least for once. This was what he'd wanted—a chance to stand out, to prove himself to others...

Inside the classroom, their instructor, Master Orin, stood at the front. A grizzled veteran with a reputation for being tough but fair, Orin was the type of teacher who could see through any student's facade. His eyes scanned the room, landing briefly on Yohan before moving on.

"Welcome back, everyone. I hope your break was productive because this year, we're diving straight into the advanced techniques of combat."

Yohan felt a bit of excitement. This was exactly what he needed—a good round of real training to test his new abilities.

Orin continued, "As most of you know, the annual duel tournament begins in a few days, however, that's been changed to the last week of this month. This year's prize isn't just for bragging rights. The winner will receive a rare artifact that can boost their abilities significantly."

Artifacts were tools that could help their wielder. Either by boosting their physical or energy absorption capabilities exponentially. Or they were utilized for combat against the other two major factions...

The room went wild with excitement at the mention of the prize. Yohan felt his heart race. 'A rare artifact?' That could potentially help him in pushing his new powers even further, or even gain new ones.

"But before any of you think about the tournament," Orin said with a hard look, "you'll have to prove yourselves worthy. Today's lesson will be a practical evaluation. You'll be paired up and assessed on your combat skills. Fail to meet the standard, and you'll be out of the running for the tournament."

The tension in the room spiked. This wasn't just a test—it was more of a make-or-break moment.

As Orin began calling out names for the pairs, Yohan's mind raced at the fact. His body felt different, and stronger, sure. But he hadn't yet fully tested his new abilities, he had spent most of his time training his physique. This would be his first real fight in this world since his reincarnation...

"And finally, Yohan... You'll be paired with Johnathon."

'What? Why? How?' Yohan thought tiredly. He and Johnathon weren't even in the same grade, so why were they even pairing here? 

He glanced over at Johnathon, who was already smirking like he'd just won a lottery ticket. "Looks like luck's on my side today," Johnathon teased, cracking his knuckles slightly.

Yohan gritted his teeth, a flicker of frustration rising in his chest. 'This... This can't be happening. He's two whole years ahead of me... How am I supposed to keep up with him?' His mind ran a mile a second trying to figure out if there was some sort of mistake here. But Master Orin didn't seem like the kind of guy to make errors, especially in something as serious as this...

However, Orin's firm voice cut through the tension like a knife. "This isn't a sparring session, it's a training session," he said, stepping between the two. His arms were raised, keeping Johnathon at bay, and his expression left no room for argument.

Yohan exhaled quietly, feeling a brief wave of relief. He wasn't ready to go head-to-head with someone like Johnathon, not yet. Orin's words pulled him back from the brink of what could have been a disaster.

Johnathon, however, scoffed, crossing his arms. "Training or not, it's still gonna be one-sided."

Orin's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Johnathon. "Your job isn't to fight him, it's to help him improve. Understood?" 

Johnathon rolled his eyes slightly but gave a lazy yet approving nod. "Fine, fine. I'll play nice." He backed off slightly, though the small smirk never fully left his face.

Yohan shot a glance at Ciest, who gave him a small, encouraging smile. He appreciated it, but he knew this was still going to be a challenge. He wasn't going to be babied just because it was a training session.

Orin stepped back and addressed the rest of the group. "Today's session is about teamwork. You'll all be focusing on combining strengths, not just relying on individual power."

Yohan bit the inside of his cheek. This was his chance to show that all his recent changes weren't for nothing... He could rise to the occasion, even if it was with Johnathon.

"Alright, get in position!" Orin called out, and Yohan readied himself, his heart pounding in his chest as he and Johnathon prepared to begin.

While both of them began walking towards the field, going to opposing ends...

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END