Chapter 9:

The Mock Battle (1)

--- --- ---

The Training Period. A class time near the end of the School where the students are to travel to the battleground respective to their Class number.

The students are to either battle each other in a mock match or to practice their techniques alone. Moreover, as long as the students do not kill someone during practice, extreme violences such as breaking bones or even permanent injuries are allowed. Because of this rule, the Training Period is in a sense a battle royal, where the students who receive fatal injuries and rendered unable to practice Soul Power are kicked out of school.

It was one of the ways the School used to weed out those who fail to keep up with strong.

Although it is possible to train with other classes, one can only train with those in a higher class than them. One cannot train with those in lower Classes. But naturally, due to the difference in skill level, very few students actually do so.

*BOOM!* *BOOM!*

Vinci stood silently observed the students as some of them fought with each other. Since this was the Class 6 Training Ground, many of the students were using spells ranging from the low tier to a few in the mid-tier.

As the training ground was structured to imitate that of a giant colosseum, the surrounding walls were reinforced to withstand any spells up to the Grand-tier. Moreover, the colosseums were placed next to each other in order from Class 5 to 8, since students from Class 1 to Class 4 are still in their learning period. Therefore, they are exempt from the regular School Rules until they are placed in a higher Class number.

The colosseums are also located directly behind the school building.

To Vinci’s right side, he could sense an abundance of Soul Power being discharged from the wall beyond. It was coming from the callosum to the right of theirs, the Class 7.

“Hmmm...are all those mid-tier magics?...Oh, there are a few High-tier ones as well...how interesting.”

Vinci quietly thought to himself. Suddenly, a shadow covered the sky. When he looked up he saw fat, brawny person in front of him. He resembled something of a giant pig. As the pork spoke, he called himself “Batomi” and referred to the other two persons that seemed to emerge from the the pig’s very fat as “Angus” and “Ian.” The short, scrawny one with an annoying sneer plastered on his face was Angus. The taller and more athletically built one who wore a splendid smirk on his face was Ian.

As the the introduction was finished, Batomi looked down at Vinci and sneered,

“Sooo, I heard you passed the written exam to get here. So you must be smart, heh. But you must take care of your body too, you know, so how about you join us for a little mock battle, eh? We’ll go one at a time of course, no holding back either. Oh, but since your slender built is like that of a girl’s, if you don’t want to get hurt that’s fine. But in exchange, you’ll have to do our homework from class every day and call me “Boss” from now on, hm?

With that, the trio bursted into laughters. Their crude noise quickly attracted the surrounding students as they stopped their practice and began facing side where Vinci and the three were standing.

“Aiyaaa, poor transfer student, to think he caught the eyes of those delinquents…”

“Tsk tsk tsk...well it’s only obvious I guess, since I heard he was a No Rank after all…but it’s kinda cruel given that it’s only the first day...”

The students around them began to murmur as they looked at Vinci with eyes filled with pity and contempt. No one stepped out to help.

Vinci looked at the laughing three students before him as he smiled wryly. It seems the boy was caught up in a process what the humans called “bullying”, where the three boys before Vinci are termed the “bullies.” Although this nasty process was practiced in many parts of the world in the past, even now it was still rampant in today’s society.

The boy faced down and took a deep breath. When he raised his head once again to confront the trio, his previously gentle eyes were gone. Instead, a strange light was evident as his eyes narrowed at the the three stooges.

“I accept. All three of you come at me together.”

The three stopped laughing at once when they heard Vinci’s bold declaration. Immediately, Batomi glared at the so-called “weakling” before him.

“Hmph! I see you are a stupid one, huh. Alright, we will grant your wish and let you taste hell.”

Then, Batomi, Angus, and Ian leaped back and bent their knees as they got ready for battle. Without another word, Batomi motion his two minions forward. At once, the two began to sprint towards Vinci with a malicious grin stuck on their face...