16 Opening Ceremony (1)

Time flies, in a blink of an eye, I already staying in the dormitory for 5 days. In the last five days nothing really important happen, as I keep my morning practice every day with Lein and Fransisca. What change is feel closer with Fransisca now days. Her insecureness from the dinner on our manor already fading, as she starting to open up to me. For short she showing off her girl power almost everyday. She prepare breakfast for us, then giving us towel when we took a break. While Lein slowly surpassing her jealousy. I could feel it once in awhile, but it wasn't as bad as before. What the most satisfying is my body potential raise by another 0.14 across the bar. It getting slower tho, maybe it because I haven't push myself to the limit like before.

Outside of those nothing unusual happen, I hope I am only thinking too much. Yep, slow life is the best, being able to laze around without any surprising event is great. No kidnappers, no enemies, no weird voice or some sort of God which giving a bad premotion.

While today is the opening ceremony, we decided to not doing morning practice for today. Because both of them completely busy, while me? Right now, I am stuck with Reiya and furious Elsa.

What happened? Right, let's go back to few hours ago...

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Few hour ago.

I woke up as usual today, and get ready for morning practice. Even tho it opening ceremony day, I was planning to do my training. Since Lein and Fransisca was busy with the opening, I was doing it alone... Or I should have. Right before I could teleport away, Reiya storm in my room full of energy.

"Good morning Zein!!"

"... Morning Reiya. Could you keep it down, it still dawn."

"Whoops, my bad. But Zein, didn't you promised to train with me?"

"I did?"

"Yes! You said we were going to train and make a plan to beat Elsa in the Tag Team Hunt."

"Ah... Indeed."

"Then let's go training! You also promise me that you would teach me that magic you just devise."

And yeah with that, he drag me out the room to the training field away from dormitory before I could agree... Seriously this Rames siblings, this definitely genetics! Their genetics give them this talent of being bubbly, positive, and definitely great at kidnapping people loudly.

"So brother Zein, what should we do?!"

He look like a puppy that wagging his tail to his master.

"Let's start with reminding you to keep a distance from me, and just call me Zein. Even better if you could used a sarcastic remarks."

"Noted! Although it still weird for me to call you just Zein. But brother, I am ready for what next!"

"... How about you follow me running around the field?"

"Running around? Isn't that a normal exercise?"

I look at him with serious face, as I sigh. This air headed person... Or just childish? Because I am sure he is a smart boy, since if I wasn't wrong he was the 2nd ranker on his years in our middle school before.

"Running is basic for anything. Whatever you try to achieve, you would need stamina to do those. What more some Tag Team Hunt, we need to fight alone against the virtual enemies for couple of minutes before we could tag."

"Eh, we didn't fight it together?"

"... It called as Tag Team Hunt for a reason. If we fight together it won't be called that. Basically we would fight in two places at the same time, back to back. When one of us finished our hunt, the other could join the other side, but if the hunt still going we would tag. Which made us switched place with one another."

"But if our partner got defeated by the target, it would work the same. The target would be transferred to the place where surviving one fighting their target."

"So basically there three type of participants. First one is a strong participants, where your partner is someone in the same league of you and could took care of the target by himself."

"Second is a tag team participants, their partner is the counter part of them, which means they could cover their weakness and vice versa."

"The last one is, split it between the main dealer and bait. Which mean the main dealer will took care the target, while bait is running around his place until the main dealer defeat its target."

"Then my question is, which one is the most troublesome?"

He goes in deep thought when I threw the question.

"Err... The first one? They both strong enough to take care of their own target."

"Unfortunately, that is wrong. It might seems correct, but you must remember this competition wasn't so popular. Which mean those on Elsa, or Lein caliber rarely join this competition. If they joining at most it only one person which mean..."

"The third category?!"

"Yes, those big circle would like to secure their point in this event. But they won't send their best team, since there many other events which more popular. So the hardest competitors would be the third category! They would send someone that completely master the target weakness, and send baiter to just run around the arena until the main dealer done their hunt."

"That seems inefficient tho?"

"Not really, since this event only giving 20 point for the circle rank even if you're first in it. Not even half of those popular events like Blitz, Raid Hunt, Team competition, or Castle Skirmish."

"I see.. so it inefficient if those that in top rank joining the event... But doesn't it mean Elsa won't join it?"

"She would. Although the circle point is low, the individual point is as high as Individual Hunt."

"Ohh... I kinda forgotten about individual ranking."

"Well that the gist of it. Although on the main competition, the rule would change a little."

"The rule would change?"

He tilt his head to the side.

"Yeah, the elimination phase would be in group, which you would race your time on different place. While the main competition, you would fight against your opponent in the same place."

"Which mean we would hunt for the same monster?!"

"Correct, this is where the first and second category got their upper hand. Although slightly, since if the main dealer of third category as strong as Elsa they would still lose."

"Okay... So we would face off against her here?"

He indeed smart, although childish. Sadly..

"Nope!"

"... Pardon me?"

"Nope, not a chance. We won't know when we would meet her, if we're waiting for the main competition. So we could only do it on the group face off! Which mean we would signing up for the event together."

"Ah... I understand! If we wait the main competition, we might not meet her at all!"

This is why I like smart boy! They could make up a reasoning for themselves. Which completely not my aim, my real reason is simple, I don't want to stand out! With all the things happen few days ago, I only want to lay low, and become some sort of side character. Eventually I hope people would forget about me.

"Correct, and our chances is higher on the group elimination phase. Since the target won't be to tough! It usually a couple of goblin or horned rat."

"What a brilliant plan brother Zein! I could see our victory already! Since we both could handle any kind of preliminary monster like that in a blink of an eye!"

"That's right! But let's start the morning practice for now."

"Yes!"

We start running around the field for warm up, then do some short distance dash back and forth. At that time we didn't know that our face off with Elsa would be a memorable event for the audience.

After an hour we stop our stamina training, which considerably quiet.

"So what next brother?"

"Hufht... Let's... Me... Take a breath first... Then we start... With material art..."

He completely fine! I am dumbfounded by his stamina, he is at least at Fransisca level... Anyway stamina come from vitality point, so I guess my vitality is average for sure. I mean it indeed a super human on Earth standard, since I can dash as fast as 50 feet in a second for an hour. Still it definitely below standard for those on top of our academy. Not to mention Lein, she someone that could dash as fast as me with weight around 50 kilo on her back.

"Yay, I don't know any martial arts. Except those basic for swordsmanship."

"I see.. then we could start."

"Now? You could take a rest for another minute brother."

"I am fine... It much better while I am tired. Anyway, let me teach you some basics."

"Oh okay."

"Come then."

"Eh? Come? I thought you gonna teach me a set of move."

"Hmm? No, of course not. A real material arts is free."

"Free?"

"Just come at me so you would understand."

"Err okay... Here I come then?"

With hesitation he come at me with a punch to my face, I dodged it slightly by turning my body. Then I pull his sleeves which make him thrown off with extra momentum.

"It free, a real martial arts doesn't have any form. The most important thing is let it flow like a water."

He stopping himself before he fall off, then launching a back kick to my body right away. I sway back my body to dodge it, then doing a low sweep at him. He fall off this time on his butt.

"What I am telling you is be creative. There is no form in real fight, read your enemies movement, then counter it with minimum movement, but maximum output."

He stand up as he stare at me like I wrong him.

"... That why you told me to come at you. That unfair!"

"Fine I'll come at you first now."

He prepare himself for me, as I dash to him. I send him a low kick to his left leg join, he pull his leg up to block it. But in midair I turn my body slightly to increase momentum and change the trajectory of my kick to his left ribs. Surprised he block it with his left arm, making him stumbled on the ground and roll on it.

"See what I mean? If you keep thinking about my form, and got misleaded by it. I could easily beat you up."

He sit up, as I said that, then he pout whilst pointing his finger at me.

" And here you said there is no form! You definitely got a perfect form and you could change it midair!"

"Uh.. fair enough. But it more like I know how to move my body, I only make a low kick form to fool you.."

"Boooo... Brother Zein a complete scam!"

"... That not the point"

"Teach me how to do that first!"

"Sigh... Fine."

"Yay~~"

He stand up right away, and got a face like a kid that get their Christmas presents early.

"Still first things first, I keep it with no form. What happened before wasn't a form, but a practical movement. So it all about how you move your body. The basic is you must know where to put your body weight when you made a movement."

I give him example as I make a kick movement.

"Like here, when I am doing a kick, I put most of my body weight on the other feet. But that won't make the kick strong, so as I move the other feet. I made a slight twisted and sway on my body, which transferring my body weight to the kick. With this you could also change the trajectory of your kick bases on how you twist your feet on the ground, and swaying your body. It basics of any hand to hand attack move. You must be able to control your body weight, and transfer it to your punch or kick."

"Ahhh... I see..."

"That is the basics, the other things is about using your enemies power to your advantage. Which was the thing I did to you right on the start. When you punch me, I only dodge slightly while I pull your sleeves lightly to make and extra momentum to you."

"Ah, that why I am losing my balance."

"Yep, then if it for real I could continue with a low sweep to your center of gravity making you fall face first."

"That why you said, your martial arts is free and just let if flow like water."

"Yes. There many kind of things you could try when your enemies lose balance like you before. You could throw them off, you could punch their throats, or the most fatal you could kick..."

"Kick?"

"Their groin...."

His face pale as I said that. I could also feel the pain just imagining it.

"O-okay that indeed fatal!"

"Yep, that why I said it free. There so many kind of things you could do. The basic is you only need to know how to move your body, and what is your enemies weakness. It wasn't a fancy martial arts, with beautiful movement and esthetics form. But I could assure you that it would be the best one to put someone down hand to hand."

"... I couldn't agree more. Which devil attacking... "

He shielding his groin as he said that in pale face. I scratched my neck as I seen his gesture, I could only smile wryly.

"Anyway you go and train to move your body weight. I would do my daily build up. Then we would spar again after half an hour, and end our training. Since the opening ceremony is at the 4th bell. Try to do that with this."

I made a dummy 2 meter high, and 1 meter thick for him to punch. It made from mud so he won't be hurt by punching or kicking it.

"You succeed when you could punch or kick it like this."

I kick it and made the mud splash to all directions. It seems like it hitted by a truck. Honestly my body weight is only around 60 to 70 kilos, and with my strength around 7 at maximum it should be around 490 kilograms. But with momentum from my movement it becomes more than that. He surprised and try to kick it too. But the results he only made the dummy fall off. His contact time with the dummy is too long making it force spreading. He look blankly before doing it again. Looking at him I shake my head as I start to do my usual push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups. Of course with my shoulder pads. Well I made my own pole for pull-ups, since it no way if I pull-ups on a tree branch with it.

By the way, the school bell rang every hour from 6 a.m, so the fourth bell would mean 9 a.m.

Then at the end, he still can't do those when I am done with my routine. He look at me asking for advice.

"The point is how you move your body and make the force of your punch or kick concentrate on one point."

"... I've tried it all this time. I understand it after your example, but I couldn't do it."

"Well, it took time to practice. You could work on it later on. Now should we spar?"

"I guess so... So now it spar? I don't bring my training sword."

"Well..."

I made a rock sword with round edges in few breath.

"Wonderful control you've got there brother Zein..."

"It would be enough as long you didn't used your full strength to bash it to a giant rock I guess."

"Then let's start. I've been wondering how strong brother Zein is for awhile now."

His aura change when he take up the sword... Whoa, I guess he is indeed a swordsman. He look clumsy when he learning martial arts, but now he seems sharp.

"Then without further ado."

At that time he dive to me, our distance was just 5 meter. So he could cover it in a breath, yep it definitely different from before. He move his sword in a swift movement cutting me from bottom left, I barely dodge it by shifting my foot. There is no hesitation at all, what more a mana is covering his sword. As expected from Rames Household, they indeed got a great aptitude as magic swordsman. Now can't he just carry me through the event??

He stop halfway in his slash as he launch a punch on my stomach?? Which didn't reach me... We stood awkwardly...

"Cough... Brother Zein could you made me another sword, this one is a short sword around one and half feet long."

"... I understand, the Rames Family used a dual sword."

With that I made another sword and give it to him. Then I took the same distance as before.

"So should we restart our spar?"

"Ye-yes."

The match starting once again, but this time I am on the offensive. I send a couple of fireball at him, which he cut down as he shorten our distance. That kind of blunder since, when he cut it down it exploded. Well it wasn't lethal since I hold myself back. It make him thrown off his balance tho. Without mercy I could just bombard him with magic but that won't be spar anymore. So I only chase him, and send him a palm. Which he dodge by swaying his body. Now what a blunder of mine if I don't have the arithmetics skill. Because his short sword come stabbing to my body, I used earth magic to launch me backwards before it reach me. Which he follow up with her mother signature magic, flame sword. A couple of flame sword coming to me while being airborne, of course I could just disperse it but I chose to used air step and dive back to him. Hurling couple of earthen lance at him, making him busy deflecting it.

I do the same action as before made him responding with a slash this time. Which according to my plan, I deflect it to the side with my back hand. What unexpected, he let it loose. Well there indeed a chance that he do that, but I never thought he would chose that path. Making my response slower by a beat, he send the short sword for another stab. I guess this is his win, I used wind magic to pressure him flat right away making his stab miss me, and he kneeled on the ground. He took it by surprise as he finally couldn't hold the pressure. I dispel it right away when I landing on his side. I pull him up right away, as he stare at me blankly.

"Good work Reiya, it your win."

"My win?? I definitely lose."

"Nope it your win. I never plan to used such Advance magic."

"That was advance magic"

He look at me with wide eyes.

"Yes, it Wind Hammer. Which giving the target a great pressure with wind."

"It was Wind Hammer?! By I didn't feel like hitted by hammer, I only feel that my weight increasing by considerably amount."

"It because I didn't pound you with it. I only put the weight on your body."

"Ahhh... So that why I just feel like that."

"Yep."

He look confused while staring at me.

"Still doesn't that mean you could just mow me down from the start?"

"That wasn't sparring anymore if I do that. What the point of sparring if your opponent goes down instantly. That just bullying in the name of spar."

"Ahhh... I never thought it like that."

His eyes sparkling as he answer me. Why do I feel a slight worship right now?! No, don't worship me!

"We should probably get back to dorm now."

"Right, I heard the bell around the time you are doing your routine. It been great training with you brother Zein."

Yep, I could see it... No, I don't want another Rames in my life! At that time I don't know that I would juggle all the siblings.

With that we goes back to our dorm, our butler Rum and Sai already standing outside with a towel.

""Good work, young master""

Their praise synchronized, as they great us, and giving us towel. As we walk in the building, the students inside already bustling with activity. Some already in their uniforms for today opening ceremony, while I could see the freshman student already gathering outside with the upperclassmen...

"You should get ready... Like real fast."

"Eh, why?"

"See them? They're freshman like yours."

"Ahh... I forgotten that today is the orientation for school ground."

"That is ri—"

At that time some upperclassmen shouting a name.

"Reiya van Rames, is there anyone see Reiya van Rames, the second son of Duke Rames from Hearth Hill territory?"

"Ahh, that me!"

Reiya answer the upperclassmen without thinking, make me want to face palm. The upperclassmen turn to our way, it one of the special student which got scholarship. Her name is Stephanie if I was correct, she is in the same circle as Lein. Probably this is what Fransisca and Lein doing right now, since our year would guide the freshman around the school ground. When she look at me she open her emerald eyes wide open while trembling, before she move her gaze away... I could she her pink lips that like a candy to the eyes tremble too.

"I-I see... Seems li-like young master Dageraad is with him... M-my apologize..."

She run away at once before I could say anything... I definitely do something to her before, since I very familiar with her face and figure. Her blue hair wave in the air as she run away to the freshman... She then lead the freshman off the dorm right away. I could only stand there nailed on the ground, while Reiya gapping his mouth open. I could heard murmur from our surrounding. I gaze around making the students in the dorm disperse at once.

"Wh-what to do now?! Why the upperclassmen just leave?"

"... Simple, she is afraid of me"

"Whoa brother... What have you done?? To make such a beautiful sister afraid of you like that."

"Many things... Which too many that I can't remember all of it."

I sigh, as I reaching a cigarette from the space while acting taking it from my pocket. Then I light it up without thinking.

"Now... What should I do... I skipped an orientation on the first day of school."

"... You could just say I force you to skip."

"Th-that won't do brother. I am the one that dragging you to the field."

"Sigh.. this is why I told you not to be near me in public. You better take a bath right away for now."

"I understand..."

We walk to our room followed by the butlers. They keep their silence the entire time. When I open the door, I found out it completely empty. I guess all of our housemate definitely got their share of business in today events. After bathing we wore our uniforms as we having our breakfast alone.

"So what to do now?"

"... Honestly I don't know. I didn't join the orientation too. So I don't know where they are or what they do."

"Eh, you didn't? I heard sister Lein give her opening speech last year."

"That more reason for my oldself to not joining the fray."

"Then..."

"All I know is that the opening ceremony would start at the 3rd bells, in the grand auditorium."

"I see... So all I could do now is waiting until then?"

"Basically yes, if you don't want to search for them. It already the 2nd bell, so another 2 hour I guess."

"Then... I should just search for them and explain things."

"That the trouble, they won't believe you and thought you're in evil plan with me. Didn't you see how scared she was. I am sure she already labeled you as a bad student... And you would earn as you pass time with me."

"Then... This is great! Woohoo... I am finally a bad boy!"

"..."

Right I forgotten that he want me to teach him to become a bad boy before... It seems there also longing for being one! I could feel my head spinning already, thinking he would make a stupid code name for us.

"Then we should be called —"

"No!"

"Aww... You could at least hear me out."

"Still no Reiya. No right now, no in the future."

Without I realized a sigh leak out from my mouth. Then suddenly someone knocking the door. Rum come to the door as he opening it.

"Hello mister Rum, it been awhile. Is Zein inside?"

"It been a while young lady Elsa, my master is inside."

"Can I get in?"

It Elsa, as she said that she peek inside and found me... And Reiya...

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-