[11] Class Begins, Part 2

1 (Shana)

Class began with my shock.

The wind blew my hair and my skirt. The sun felt warm upon my exposed legs and arms. We stood amidst a field of grass with our instructor before us.

"M-M—Mr. Mass?"

He smiled.

"Some of you may know me and some of you may not."

There was slight murmuring.

"I'm Albein Mass, former knight of the Blood Knights and current protector to the hero. I will be your instructor from this point onward."

My instructor was the class's instructor as well.

This. . .was peculiar? Well, it wasn't as if I hadn't read iseikai where the teacher of the main character ended up being an important, cool sounding, figure, but it seemed obvious to me that he was only heading Class 1 simply because I was here.

I pursed my lips in displeasure.

The kingdom was watching my every move.

That felt odd.

Was this another aspect of being a hero?

I didn't know.

"Our first class together will begin with mana exhaustion and re-ignition. This will improve your mana and train your recovery time. In addition, each of you will have a short one minute spar with me and I will be providing pointers."

Class began just like that and we were all led to find our own place on the field, seated with legs crossed over one another.

"You may begin."

As soon as his voice fell, I closed my eyes and felt my mana.

'Mana' was an energy that existed within the body. It didn't have a specified location, but Mr. Mass had told me many thought it resided within every cell of an individual, as if it were just another energy protein.

Either way, knowing that made no difference, what mattered was learning to control your mana and use it affectively along with the quality and quantity you wielded. Right now, we were working on the latter two.

My mission—which sounds cooler if I say it like that, doesn't it?—was to fully use my mana by releasing it into the air, wait till it recovered fully, then repeat.

Quantity dictated how much mana you had. Right now, I was level 2 in this area.

I called upon the small drops within my body and they came readily, extending to every inch of me. In this world, mana usually stayed within the veins of the individual when used, but mine seemed to reach every cell I had.

I could immediately feel my strength increase. My weight lighten. And my heart calmer. The higher your mana quality, the more you could accomplish with less.

But. . .why does it feel a bit hot all of a sudden? That puzzled me.

I ignored that sensation and poured the mana out from under my skin, controlled it out of my clothing, then releasing it into the air with little care.

It felt as if heat and steam was escaping me.

That feeling was amazing.

A ding resounded in my head and I realized I reached level 4 in mana quality.

I opened my eyes.

"Eh?"

The other students and Mr. Mass had stopped and were looking my way.

"W—what is it?"

He and the surrounding students stared agape.

He coughed, "Look around you."

And look I did.

The ground was scorched, as if someone had grazed the grass with flames.

. . .did I do this?

It was then that I learned that few people had mana which exhibited strange traits or quirks. From such things as solidifying mana to being able to heal with it. Some were strong and some were weak.

Mine was like flames.

Basically, I think it's pretty cool.

"As expected of a hero. . ."

But their voices of amazement were just a tad bit embarrassing, Okay?

2

Having decided to walk the path of a hero, and having been introduced as one, I was one of the individuals in class that most paid attention to. I was not the strongest here, but I was the one who drew the most attention from my classmates.

Their eyes were constant and their voices loud.

After Mr. Mass gave each of us short pointers, we were asked to pair up with one another for light spars. With wooden swords, of course.

It was then that I met her

Black hair swaying gently in the wind, twinkling pale, purple, eyes. She was tall, and her slender legs and thighs were exposed below her shorts. Her white shirt was wrapped around her ample bosom and tied to the side of her abdomen to show the midriff of a slender stomach.

She was the other individual here that drew stares wherever she walked, and I could not see her level.

"Um. . .can I help you?"

She stopped before me and pointed the tip of her wooden blade at my nose.

"I, princess Streza Grifon, request for you to be my partner."

I blinked my eyes.

Ehhhh?

A princess!?

Woah. . .

"Spar with me," She said, "I want to see the swordsmanship of a hero."

Of course, I didn't refuse.

In fact, I couldn't refuse.

The murmurs around me told me she was indeed a princess. Supposedly, she was someone who left her kingdom after reaching a bottleneck in her swordsmanship and level, and entered this academy to hopefully 'find her own way'. Honestly, it just sounded like a wandering samurai to me, and that was just. . .so cool.

"Of course!" I said, suddenly more enthusiastic.

We stood apart.

Hers was a stance with one hand raising her weapon, mine was one with both hands gripping my sword. I was nervous, really, it would be my first time sparring with someone.

She came first, stepping into my range and piercing her sword forward.

I dodged to the side and slashed.

She stepped back, her figure smooth, and her stance entering the defensive.

Our swords clashed as sweat danced.

I thought I was doing well.

But the next moment. . .she became a monster with a blade.

Her weapon twirled, sending mine fumbling atop my hand. By the time I gripped my weapon, her swings came and I was forced scurrying back.

Her strikes were wild.

She swung down with one arm. I moved to block. She shifted and slashed instead—striking me with a blow that sent shockwaves through my shoulder.

Each clanking of our weapons numbed my arms.

She didn't relent.

A blink of my eyes and her weapon disappeared, swerving right and striking me in one fluid motion.

She didn't stop there.

She stepped closer and her sword became a blur to me as she struck my limbs.

We both wielded the same sword and neither of us used mana. Yet, I was outclassed and easily overpowered.

She used pure technique. Her eyes glanced around, fluttering, watching my movements. When I blinked, she was there with her sword. When I was blindsided, she was there with her sword. It was not a matter of speed about merely a sense of battle.

Streza wielded her weapon like an extension of herself and I begun to wonder if the thought of a bottleneck was even true.

The last strike came and I lost.

My sword flew from my hand and I found myself crashing onto the floor as numbness filled my body.

"Disappointing," She muttered, looking down at my figure, "I won't be able to get anything out of you."

As the others sparred around us, each engrossed with each other, each blistering with youth as their weapons clashed. . .I realized who this girl was.

Her swordsmanship felt cold. It was something that could only be realized when one clashed blades with her. She was like an hurricane, but she was someone who did not enjoy the motions of wielding a sword.

Her eyes told me a new story.

The thought of a 'spar' had never crossed her mind. We did not exchange any pointers, she had simply wanted to devour my swordsmanship to feed her own.

She threw her weapon aside and walked away, disappointment filling her every steps.

3

The second section of the day was a blur to me.

I moved through the academy's grounds, ruminating about my spar with the princess and I couldn't help but shiver.

Does she even have a reason to fight?

I knew I sounded as if I were an edgy main character, but I couldn't help it.

I wanted to be a hero. For nothing more than that, I wielded a sword and followed after the footsteps of the beings I had ever only seen in novels. With the blessings of my best friend, I wished to be there for people.

I wanted to improve myself alongside my blade.

She, however, had wielded her weapon with only the intention to wield it. She had fought with only the intention to fight. That was all.

At least, that was how it had felt.

"What do I know anyway. . ."

Indeed, I could simply be getting overtaken by the aura of 'fantasy' around me.

Still, it bugged me.

Hold on a minute here. Why am I being so pompous. . .can't merely wanting to fight be reason enough??

Oh I give up.

I pursed my lips as I tried my best to place the past behind me.

"Eh?"

It was then that a boy collapsed right in front of me, sweat riddling his figure as his face smacked against the ground.

I looked around and realized no one wanted business with him. Each student avoided the area. Was it because he was sweat riddled or had I missed something? Either way, it didn't sit well with me to leave him lying there! No no, that would be uncool of a hero! Heroes did not just leave people in need of help alone!

I looked back down.

[Fram Posid — Level 12]

Alright, alright.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. I can do this. I can do this 'hero etiquette'. . .right? It's just one flag in the midst of my journey to come, right? Easy peasy. I was nervous talking to someone I didn't know, but it was better than the alternative.

I opened my lips.

"Umm. . ."

Ah—why is he looking at me like that? I ended up blushing before I knew it. His gaze is too intense, Okay?