An altercation...

* * *

We finally complete the run, me coming in first and Gram arriving in second. I think we ran for... maybe 2 hours.

Strangely enough, most of the students look really tired, as if they weren't used to long sessions of cardio. Did they not cycle their mana or something?

Wait, when did I start passively cycling my mana? I wipe my brow of any minimal sweat before looking at Gram. He was in the middle of doing the same.

"These new friends... what are they like?" I ask, wanting a general profile before I agree to anything.

"Well, they're a bit... weird... and hard to describe."

Oh no, the titular main character class... maybe I don't want to go like I thought. I sigh lightly, already dreading my first meeting. Gram looks slightly disappointed at my reaction, seeming desperate to convince me.

"But they're cool! I swear! Just hang out with them 1 time! That's all I ask," Gram says, wanting me to at least try and make friends.

I groan, reluctantly sealing myself to at least 1 meeting with his friends. It'll be good for me... maybe. It's not like they're distractions or anything.

"Fine..." I say, attempting to pry myself from this sour mood I've been in. I need to be grateful that I woke up so soon. I didn't even miss the first day of school! Although I did miss the introduction ceremony...

The boy with blue hair is still behind us, just pretending to blend in to the crowd. He gives me that weird feeling that's slowly becoming less weird.

A pang of memory hits from during the coma, something about "ones chosen by destiny." Maybe that weird feeling is an indicator...

"Arthur, you there?"

Oops, zoned out again.

* * *

I'm currently walking to class through the hall, once again alone in the large building. Gram ran off, saying he had something to do before class starts up again. The bricks under my feet make a satisfying noise with every step.

I can hear some footsteps behind me, seemingly from heavier boots. The footsteps progressively speed up before I feel something collide with my back: an open-handed shove.

I slightly stumble and turn around, glaring at the boy who pushed me. A average height boy with red hair and brown eyes. He has an angry expression, like I insulted his mom or something.

"Excuse me, can you just... not?" I ask, wanting to de-escalate the situation I didn't even know was escalated. I'm surprisingly patient.

"Sorry, didn't mean to bump into you-"

He stops talking mid-sentence, throwing a right jab at my face out of nowhere. What did I do to this kid? Are there just troubled kids like this everywhere? I step back one space, staring at him. The kid is faster than me, likely an E+ rank with wind mana.

"Why are you doing that?" My tone is extremely condescending, like I'm scolding a dog. I'm not too outpaced since I'm an E+ rank as well, but he's just a bit faster.

"Doing what? I'm not doing anything-"

He tries the same trick, only with his other hand. I backstep once again, dodging it even more easily. I step forward and grab his still extended arm before punching him solidly in the ribs, channeling my mana into my left arm. I hear my fist thud into his chest, but then he headbutts me.

I step back, grabbing my nose. He takes the chance to swing on me again. I step back once again, giving myself some space. Spells aren't allowed and I'm pretty sure I could claim this as physical assault.

Considering that the Academy would most likely agree with me, I turn around on a spin of my heels and sprint. It isn't my job to fight kids.

"Wha... hey, get back here!" He shouts at me, but I don't acknowledge it. I don't have pride or honor to keep me fighting and it's not like he'll use a spell.

He runs after me a few seconds later. I'm not faster, but I got a good head start. I finally make it to a hall with people, slowing down to a speed walk.

"Excuse me, boys," I ask, wanting to be let through the crowd.

I wonder why there's a crowd right now. I try to get around the side of the crowd, but no one's budging. From the sounds, it seems to be a fight. The boy finally catches up to me, yanking me back by the collar of my shirt.

"Got you!" God, the cliche-dar went crazy with that line.

He delivers unto my chin an uppercut, knocking me back a step or two. Damn, that stung. A few people catch on to the fact that there's another fight happening and turn around to look at us, encircling me and the boy.

"Fight, fight, fight, fight!" Great, now they're chanting. I recover my footing and put my fists back up, getting into a rudimentary fight stance. 

I'm already not a fan of this academy. I can see a little bit of the other fight now. A tall girl with her hair in a blonde bun and a short boy with ginger hair, the girl losing.

For some reason, the boy I'm fighting started monologuing when I looked away.

"Do you see this, Lumin? This boy represents the weak and poor of Lumin Academy! The scum who shouldn't be allowed entry!" He turns around, extending his arms out like some sort of patriot.

I simply walk up and wrap my arms around his waist, lifting him up before throwing him down and falling on top of him elbow first. My people's elbow lands square on his gut, causing him to take a deep exhale and gasp.

"Pfffhhh..." I can hear the sound of the air escaping his lungs as I roll over and get ready to punch him.

Seeing me do such a "dirty" move, some people rush to get me away from him. They even punch me a little as I'm dragged off him. Finally, a teacher walks into the hall.

Everything goes quiet, no one moving a muscle. They let go of me and the boy who attacked me stands up, turning towards the teacher. From the aura, it's clear he's at least B rank.

"Everyone directly involved in my office, now!"

* * *

Maybe 40 minutes of discussion later, I walk out of his office and towards the nurse.

As it turns out, the school does punish self defense. I should've just not fought back, I guess. I enter the nurse's office to be greeted by a plethora of faces, 3 of them I find familiar. 3 of them that give me that weird feeling.

Gram, the girl in yellow, the girl with the bun who was also fighting... and then there's the boy who attacked me (as it turns out, his name is... Eden.)

"Oh... Arthur!" Gram waves to me, gesturing for me to sit next to him. He's next to the girl in yellow and the girl with the bun. "Come here!"

I reluctantly oblige and sit between Gram and the wall, that way everyone else is to my right.

"So you were going to meet these 2 eventually, but might as well do it now," Gram smiles, seeming happy. Wait, are these 2 of his friends? "This is Pridwen! She's a commoner like us!"

She points to the girl with long hair in a bun, who nods.

"Nice to meet you!" She extends her hand for a shake with an enthusiastic smile. "As he said, my name is Pridwen! A pleasure!"

"Arthur Ishviel. It's a pleasure for me as well," I shake her hand. Dang, her grip strength is strong as hell. Being overly enthusiastic keeping you big as hell.

"And this!" He says, pointing to the girl at the end of our bench. "Is Valory Merrin! She's the noble girl that got on the train from Ostrin, remember?"

"Yes Gram, I remember," I respond, rolling my eyes. I extend my hand for a handshake, to which she does not reciprocate.

Whatever, I don't need it. Pridwen looks a bit disappointed that not everyone is in as good of a mood as her, whilst Gram looks nervous for us all to get along.

"So these are some of the friends you wanted to introduce me to?" I ask, looking back at Gram. If this is it, then this is gonna be a rough friend group.

"Yeah... there's another guy though, but you'll have to meet him later," He says, nodding. Eden has stayed silent on the other side of the room this whole time, glaring bullets at me.

"3 commoners and a noble sat on the bench like equals. Pitiful, don't you think?" He asks Valory, seeming to try and rally her.

"I'll hit you again if you keep talking."

He hushes up again, afraid of being hit with another peoples elbow.

* * *