44 Acceptance: Troublemaker

A figure walked out of the training room, battered and fatigued, his eyes were weary and hopeless. Losing the light of defiance he had once had. Though this was justifiable as before his opponent could initiate his last move he surrendered.

Yes, Zahad surrendered after seeing the magnitude of the magic spell Benjamin was about to unleash.

Benjamin dissipated the attack and let Zahad leave not saying anything more. The turn of events had left him surprised.

"Don't tell me...did you win?" Paul came forward, his brows raised in inquiry.

"No I did not." Zahad answered, the tone of his voice was lower than normal.

"Well it's to be expected." Paul shrugged his shoulders, accepting the outcome. This caused Zahad to raise his head slightly, looking at Paul.

While they were still talking, the door to the training room opened again, Benjamin stepped out unscathed. He tapped his shoulders seemingly displaying the effortless victory on his part and walked past them with a faint smile on his face.

Seeing Benjamin walk out of the training grounds with no injury or even a bruise showed them the huge difference between him and Zahad. Paul shook his head when he remembered challenging Benjamin, he had thought that Benjamin would have grown weaker after not seeing him engage in any form of combat but the results had proved him wrong.

Zahad stared at them with a complicated expression.

"Were you expecting me to lose?" He questioned.

"You stood no chance from the beginning, Zahad." Marcus interjected.

"I don't know the extent of his strength now, but the last time we fought, he won by a landslide."

"It was something we all expected, there was no way you could secure victory against him. The only person who could stand him back then was Oscar. Right now, we are not so sure." Anya stated trying to lighten his mood, justifying his loss.

"I could." Marcus blurted out.

"You could what?" Anya asked.

"I think I could win against him, my defence has gotten better. I don't see him winning against me."

"You also forget that he is now a wind mage with high grade talent. Which means he is faster and stronger than before. Or did you think any of us are how we used to be?" Anya retorted with a question that stunned Marcus into silence.

This statement caused Zahad to re-evaluate himself and the so-called talent he possessed. He now understood what Benjamin was trying to tell him. While he thought he was 'special' brimming with talent, there were also others too. He might be the only high grade fire mage that has been seen in fifty years, however there were seven elements and each of them had high grade talents in his present generation. Realizing this, he accepted that while he was strong, if he did not put in more effort he would certainly lag behind. The notion only reinforced his will to grow stronger.

"Ha...To think you'd get beat up on your first day of school? Way to go bro." Paul heaved a sigh, shaking his head.

"Why do you sound like Benjamin right now?" Sarah gave Paul a weird look as she spoke.

"And you sound annoying right now."

"Give it a rest you two." Marcus quelled the rising argument between them.

It was already late in the evening, so after leaving the training grounds they went their separate ways, heading for their rooms.

****

Days of lectures passed uneventfully, friendships were formed, rivalry thrived and competition was constant. One of the most surprising developments was that of the class that Benjamin was present in; class D.

The class was filled with the lowest possible rankers of the present set, so it had an influx of bullies and delinquents. No matter how stringent the rules of the academy there was bound to be people who sought to break it or likely in this case, bend it.

Bullying and any forms of oppression was prohibited. However, most students bypassed this in different ways, as long as it wasn't public or blatant, without any evidence an accusation was just what it was; allegations.

Normally, student clubs and extracurricular activities were encouraged, imperative in fact but through this, different factions were formed between like-minded individuals and thrived. As it ran from the first years to the fourth years. Each having various agendas and goals in mind for themselves.

But at class D it was different, there was no sign of oppression or disorder as most students that were usually acting up and trying to establish their dominance had turned docile. The weakest ones amongst them that were usually picked on for their conditions held no feeling of stres or discomfort.

The atmosphere was as peaceful as it could be, giving off a scene of tranquility and serenity. All this was due to one person. A lean figure whose mood was one of playfulness. He held his signature faint smile on his face as he sat at the back seat of the class.

Stares were faintly directed at him, some were of admiration, and others reeked of caution. He had noticed them but he didn't care.

'Ha, it's good to be a boss. Who said this class was bad, I get to enjoy some peace and quiet. I need to thank the admissions officer for putting me here. What was his name again? Well it doesn't matter.'

Benjamin thought to himself, relaxing with his legs crossed on the desk in front of him.

When he had come to the class initially, he hated it. The noise, the rowdiness, the exaggerated laughter of lackeys and their 'friends', he hated everything. He had thought of leaving it be and letting things run their course but after seeing a student's attempt at bullying, it triggered him to act.

He didn't just stop bullying in the classroom, he suppressed every other element of delinquent behaviour, taking control of the class completely. He beat anyone who dared to defy him to a pulp, sending most of them to the sick ward to treat their injuries. After more than thiry percent of the students in the classroom had gone to the sick ward, all with lame excuses of getting injured during training and whatnot. The acts of opposition ceased, turning the classroom into a tranquil environment, devoid of harassment and violence.

"Settle down students!" A lecturer with bald head and sword-like eyebrows shouted as he barged in.

"..." They all stared at him in silence.

This stunned him to a state of bewilderment. He looked at the class thinking he was at the wrong place.

"Is this not class D?" He asked rhetorically to no one in particular.

This wasn't his first time teaching in this particular class so why was it so...different. The thoughts of the lecturer were apparent in his facial expression and did not go unnoticed by the students.

Thinking they might be trying to play a prank or might resort to doing something unexpected he thought nothing of it, seeing it as temporary.

"The topic for today is spell-casting. I know most of you are familiar with spells, you all may have learnt two or three spells before gaining admission so there is nothing I'm going to say that you don't already have an idea of..."

"Ugh!" A groaning sound echoed in the class, cutting the lecturer off.

"Who was that?!" He shouted.

None of them responded.

"I said who was that! Don't let me repeat myself!" He growled in annoyance.

"It was me!" A student from the back voiced out.

The lecturer whose full name was Andrew Weissman, walked to the location of the voice and stopped in front of the student.

"Why did you make that sound?" He calmly asked but the agitation and annoyance leaked out from his voice.

"I had a stomach ache." The student replied.

"That's a lie, mages can't have stomach ache their healing factor will not let them."

"I haven't eaten."

"That's also a lie, the canteen is open for all students to eat."

"But I couldn't get there on time today."

"Another lie." Mr. Weissman stated.

The student he was speaking to was none other than Benjamin. He had no problems with the lecture but when Mr. Weissman implied that he was going to teach them what they already knew and he didn't he have to make any efforts, Benjamin groaned out in displeasure. What was the use of a lecturer if they taught them what they already knew.

Now he was not only fed up with the lecture, he was frustrated with the fact that everything he said keeps getting debunked.

He rested the side of his face on the palm of his hand and looked at the Mr. Weissman with droopy eyes.

"Everything you have said is a lie!" Mr. Weissman shouted down.

"Then tell me the truth yourself." Benjamin replied.

Gasps resounded throughout the classroom, this was a shocking event. Insurbodination and disrespect of a lecturer could be met with immediate action from the lecturers themselves as they were permitted to punish the students for it. A hit or two was allowed.

Mr. Weissman was also baffled, not expecting such a response. He was quiet for a moment, before his aura intensified.

Benjamin noticed this and rushed off his seat, thiat was a good decision because the place he sat on was burnt in second.

Seeing the seat burnt, his anger still wasn't appeased.

"You runt!" Mr Weissman barked as he turned around.

Benjamin stood close to the entrance of the class, confident in running away if he used up all his mana.

The lecturer chased after him as he shouted.

"Get out of my class!!"