Everyone has their turn yelling and screaming in the arena, their injuries are magicked away with a wave of the hand, and the blood, sweat and tears are washed away with another. I watch it all passively, there are few here that seem immediately useful, but I suppose that’s why they’re here starting their first year of class.

It’s clear that few of them are meant for fighting. They don’t have the spirit for it. The ‘talent’ system used here has simply been used as an excuse for their conscription. Effective, I suppose, but something I’d rather not mimic when I seize power.

“What are you thinking?” Eshya asks as she leans on the handrail beside me.

“They’re not fighters.” I say, watching another student scream and run from the little rat, “We really need to find some way to escape this world, and the power of the welfare officers.”

“What do you mean? I thought we were staying and learning.”

“We are, but we can’t let ourselves become trapped here. There’s no political machine that I can take over, and no leaders that I can appeal to here. Nothing short of forcedly taking over this world with an army would give me power here. No, I need to start somewhere else.”

“The rebels?” Eshya asks.

“Perhaps, but I don’t know enough about them, and I doubt I could just charge in and take over.” I reply, “Perhaps one of the war-torn worlds, like the one we crashed on. There’s enough chaos there that a warlord with enough military power could easily take over.”

“That assumes we have military power.” Eshya replies.

“It does.” I say, with a long sigh.

“Also, I thought you wanted to be an Empress not a warlord?” She continues.

“The first emperor of any empire starts off as a warlord.” I say, “Not like I intend to commit any genocides or anything but seizing control often requires some measure of violence and threats, especially since those currently in power are always loath to give it up. It’s the people that I’ll need, not their ineffective leaders.

“Once we’ve seized control, and deposed their leaders where we must, we need to earn the trust and respect of the people. With that we can get these communities working together for shared profit with a new shared cultural identity, that’s how a warlord can become an emperor.”

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this a while.” Eshya replies with a laugh.

“Every night that I lie awake, waiting for my freedom to be stolen away.” I reply with a long, tired sigh. “First, though, I think I’ll be taking over the party of the fallen.”

“What?” She asks, with a surprised laugh.

“Secret society, or whatever they are, they’re people who rebel against the order here. People who question. I’ll find out more about them and I’ll take over, or failing that, use them to my own ends.” I say, feeling a certain focus taking over as I voice the words. A goal, something that I can do and achieve right in this moment.

“That sounds dangerous with Adler around,” Eshya replies.

“Well then, I’ll just have to convert her to our side more properly.” I say with an easy smile returning, “This feels more… right. More me.”

It takes a while to get the whole class blooded, but eventually everyone has their turn. Those who were most averse to the fighting are now rather despondent, and it takes a little shepherding for Freid to get them moving to our next class.

Thankfully it’s not far away.

The room is long and wide with large stone benches spaced out throughout the room. There’s a dead rat on each bench, all in differing states of ruin. Some, like the one I killed, are almost undamaged, others are torn into multiple parts and are bleeding into little gutters running the length of the tables.

Freid begins another speech as we enter.

“In your work as fighters, it will be rare that you can haul your quarries home, but leaving behind valuable resources is rarely excusable. As such, you will all be expected to take lessons to properly process the remains of a beast.

“This class will cover techniques for disassembling bodies of all different sorts, identifying the most valuable parts, and packing them so that they keep until your return.”

I look at the nearest rat corpse as we step inside.

The excrement that has escaped its bowels since death has not been cleaned, and the bloody wounds still drip. I’m not certain if the rest of the awful stench comes from something ruptured in its guts, or simply from its natural odour.

Looking down at it, I can’t help but consider learning some advanced fire magic that I might burn it such that even the ash is vaporised. I have too many unpleasant memories that look and smell the same as this.

“I’ll be taking over from here. We don’t need them corrupted by your brutish incompetence.” The one to speak is a slight woman of short stature with eyes of steely grey that cut through any reply before it’s made. Freid doesn’t flinch, but grunts in response as she takes over.

“You can call me Tera and I’ll be in charge of teaching you how to properly process a beast.

“Today you’ll be watching my dissection first, as I describe the process. Afterwards you’ll be partnered with older students, watch them closely and learn from them. Are there any questions before we continue?”

A student whimpers in the back of the classroom.

“No? And please keep it down so as not to bother the other students. Let’s begin.”

Her knife cuts through the flesh of the creature in that very moment, her brown leather apron soon wet with blood as she cleanly disassembles the pitiful rat corpse.

“You will want to be using a knife, both sharp and high in mana pressure, there are techniques to sharpen the blade further that you will be taught in another lesson. You must be careful with tools as sharp as these that you only cut what needs cutting.”

The corpses skin has been pulled back and is cleanly separated from the body.

“The hide of most beasts is a valuable resource but pay attention to how much mana leaks out upon the beast’s death. There are other techniques and tools that can help prevent this mana loss, as reinfusing it would change its make up significantly.”

With the skin set carefully aside, she starts cutting out organs.

“This is where you need particular care, a small nick in this,” She holds up some round fleshy sack, it could be a bladder, it could be a stomach, it could be a kidney, “Would cause the mana to leak out, destroying its worth entirely. If you do damage it, throw it out. Don’t even bother bringing it back.”

For an hour we watch as she carefully reduces the corpse part by part until there is nothing left of it. She explains knife techniques for gutting, up to how cleanly separate bones, and how to wrap sensitive organs up to reduce the mana bleed that starts as soon as the beast dies.

By the end my head is spinning as much as my stomach. The stench has only gotten worse and though I’ve lived through worse, my churning guts really can’t handle it today.

“Now, go pair up with a senior student and let’s get you some hands-on experience.” She says, all to cheerfully for an old lady covered in blood and guts.

“There’s one for each of us?” I ask. “They must’ve killed a few extra for the occasion.”

“So, it seems,” Eshya replies, “Don’t slack off now, though.”

“What are you talking about? There’s so much mana here to snack on, you’re the one more likely to slack off.” I say, looking over the corpses.

“Stop bragging about your Skills.” Eshya says with a smile raising the edges of her lips.

“Yuck.” Vii seems less impressed at something, it takes me a moment to realize what she’s thinking.

“I’m not about to go running around chewing on the corpses.” I reply with a sigh.

Eshya laughs at us before heading to a nearby table. She wears a colder expression and seems a little distant as she separates from us, introducing herself to the minotaur that she partners with.

“I guess I’ll go, too,” Vii says, turning around and looking around the room, “Ah, who seems good work with?” She asks nervously looking between the older students that have since entered and stand by the tables.

“Interesting question…” I’ve only just started noticing the older students, even though they’ve been around and assisting since our first day here. While I take the time to look over them, they take up positions by the rat corpses.

For the most part they’ve been quiet and focused on their tasks, acting proper and professional, but some few do break from the mould.

“Let’s go with those two.” I point to a pair of twins at the back of the classroom. Of everyone gathered, they have the calmest attitude, seeming almost bored.

“Good choice, let’s go!” Vii skips between the benches and students, clearing the way for me as I follow.

The pair of twins look us over as we approach, and I look over them in return.

They have pale skin, and shine with moisture that covers the entirety of their bodies and leather clothes. Their faces and figures are decidedly feminine but there’s a liquid nature to them, as if they could change at any moment. Long tentacle like limbs stretch out from their hair and over their shoulders, shifting slowly over each other in constant motion.

“Hello, I’m Kyra.”

“And I’m Vii.”

“I’m Leai, and this is my sister, Seia.” She smiles, her face glowing with pale blue blush that fills her lips and cheeks.

“Would you work with us for this exercise?” I ask.

“That would be alright with us.”

“Thank you, Leai.” I reply, stepping up to the table with the soon to be processed animal.

“No need for that at all.” She says, “I watched you fight. It was interesting.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but it’s a little embarrassing,” I admit scratching at my cheek, “I couldn’t manage to kill it without getting bitten.”

“No, it was impressive.” She says, “Your clear indication of its submission, and calm collected execution was perfect.”

“That’s right, the way you just leaned down and pet it to death as it was nibbling on you was so cool.” Vii encourages me from the bench beside as she works with Seia.

“It helped that the rat was such a weak creature.” I say, nudging the corpse before me, “I’ll need to be much stronger, to do what I need to do.”

“It was nice to see someone with some fire for once. There aren’t enough people like that here.” She sighs in something akin to loathing before smiling at me, “Let’s get along well.”

“Let’s,” I reply.

Eshya glances back towards us, and I give her a smile and a wave. She awkwardly reciprocates, clearly a little uncomfortable. I’ve not really seen her like this before, is this how she is when she’s not with us?

“Let’s stop wasting time.” The teacher calls out, getting us started.

At her direction we take up knives. Leai takes the lead, running a blade town the creature’s front and starting to peel off its fur.

“Shouldn’t you be more careful?” I ask as she damages the fur for the third time, without seeming to care.

“It’s fine.” She says lightly, carving and tearing until the hide comes loose.

Leai’s movements are lazy and rough, and more than a few parts are getting extra nicks and grazes because of it. Though when it comes to my turn, my best efforts result in even worse results.

I pull apart flesh that’s soon to start decaying looking for anything that seems like it might have high mana density. Something that I can now vaguely guess at, when mana is rushing through my mind.

In a way, this is not unlike what I’m doing here on this world.

I pry through flesh of little worth, draining even that of its mana as I search through the decaying corpse for something that still holds value. For the parts that can still be of use. Though here I’m looking for wet organs, and in the greater world I’m looking for people and knowledge that can be put to better use.

I sigh and sit back, letting Leai take back over.

This rat is much, much uglier when inside out.

But then, who isn’t?

There are so many different colours inside of its body. Is that the same with humans, or is it just these magical creatures? And more importantly…

“Why isn’t there something to cover the smell?” I moan, “I would swear they have something like that in the restaurant.”

Leai laughs lightly at my frustration.

“So, you noticed?” She asks, pulling out a small organ swelling with power. Power and yellow ooze.

“As the teacher says, ‘You’re practicing to do this in the wild, so practice like you’re in the wild.’ I’m surprised we haven’t had beasts randomly prowling the halls for extra effect.” Her hands don’t stop moving through the act, pulling, cutting, and packing away organs, muscles, and bones.

I try to regain my focus, but still, most of what’s explained as we work goes in one ear and out the other. It doesn’t help that half the talk is about mana senses and pressures, and other things I don’t understand very well.

“Leai, how many years have you been here?” I ask, squeezing a juicy organ meant for disposal. Sweet mana floods in from it, making up for the disgusting feel of it in the palm of my hand.

“This is my second year.”

“Any advice for us first years?” I ask, cutting through some particularly tough sinew.

“Do whatever you want,” she says, lazily folding up the fur. “The welfare officers run this place on fear. So, it’s better not to be afraid, and live as you like.”

“Aren’t you afraid of being collared?” I ask, nervously looking over at Adler.

“Nothing to be afraid of. Already collared.” She says with a lazy smile.

“Wait, what?”

“Already collared. Was called a beast and collared, then tamed into a person again.” She explains without any of the seriousness the discussion deserves.

“That’s a bit… are you sure you’re doing alright? No strange urges to spread propaganda, or go snitching to the welfare officers?”

“No, I’m fine. It wasn’t fun, but you don’t have to fear for your life, and they aren’t going to do anything awful to you. You just have to do what they tell you to and stay calm.” She says, “They’ll feed you, and the rooms aren’t so bad.”

She seems awfully unruffled about all this.

“You got any advice on avoiding getting collared?” I ask, shrugging off my worries.

She giggles, looking me up and down.

“Just do what you’re told. It’s important to take the right classes and do the right work, if you do that much, you’re not likely to get collared,” She says, “Everything here is based more on fear than punishment.”

“Is that so?” I ask, “Usually dystopian fuck ups like this use both quite liberally.”

“Perhaps, but not here.” She says, “Not unless you misbehave too much as a beast. As someone intelligent, you have to be truly awful, constantly to get recycled.”

“Recycled?”

“Killed for your parts. Like this little guy.” She says, prodding at the messed-up face of the rat.

“Huh…” So, this is where Red will end up.

I feel a rather powerful desire to save her from that fate. Not because she’s innocent or doesn’t deserve to die or anything. With all the truly awful stuff that I’ve been through, it isn’t the immorality of it that bothers me, I’ve already seen worse.

No. It’s because I see her as mine already.

She’s a fuck up. But I’d like to have her around as a subordinate, once she knows how I run things.

Well, shit.

Now I’ll have to find a way to save her.

“You don’t seem like you’ll be behaving.”

“Nope.”

“Good. More interesting.” Leai says while smiling.

“Leai, have you ever visited the ruins under the academy?” It’s something that I’ve been meaning to ask some of the older students, and Leai might have an interesting perspective on it.

“Oh, you’ve already been? You should know that the ruins don’t exist, and the wild beasts definitely don’t exist.” She says this smiling joyously, “You should see the welfare officers react to it, it’s the funniest thing. They just can’t accept it.”

“Wait they know about it already?” I ask.

“Of course not. It doesn’t exist.” She laughs, “The welfare officers work on certain rules and principles. Understanding that can make life much more fun.”

“So, if I dragged a welfare officer down there?” I ask.

“I’d want to come along too. That would be amazing!” She says, excitement bursting through, “We do lose a bunch of students down there, though, so you have to be careful.”

“Well, that’s interesting and more than a little terrible.” Once more my understanding of this world and its rules gets shaken to its foundation. If all she’s said is true, then why did Adler say that we should already be collared? Is there some rule that we’re breaking or was that a bluff?

No, I don’t think it was bluff.

What with how we were interviewed by the welfare officers, I think we’re still walking on thin ice. Perhaps having killed beasts without following these rules did it, or being in close contact with rebels, or any number of things.

I can’t completely trust Leai’s words either, especially if she’s been affected by the ‘taming’ as she calls it, but it is an interesting new perspective. Even assuming that being collared isn’t that bad of a life, it’s unacceptable for me. Eshya would certainly agree with me on that point.

“It’ll be nice having you girls around.” Leai says happily as we finish with the rat, dumping the last remains of the corpse in a bucket.

“Don’t mind throwing out the what’s left. It’ll be made into feed and fertilizer.” Tera explains, “It seems you all got through class without any significant issues. From next class you’ll be working without the help of your seniors, and I’ll be far more strict with your mistakes.”

Class ends and the senior students start to head out. Some chatting with each other but most quiet and brooding.

“Kyra.” Leai says, “We should talk again. Do you know how to use the messages function on the support device?”

“Oh, yeah, yeah I know how.” I say. As a modern earthling with access to a phone ever since I was a kid, I’m ashamed to admit that I half forgot about that function. At her direction, we exchange quick messages with each other to ensure that we’re properly connected.

“Say, do you happen to know anything about the party of the fallen?” I ask her simply.

“Oh, them. They’re a lot of fun, too.” She says with a happy smile, “No spoilers. It would ruin their games. And make sure to play nice with that welfare officer of yours.” She says as she lazily waves me goodbye, Seia at her side waving to Vii.

Eshya comes back to us and dives into conversation with Vii as I’m lost in thought. Together we head out for some air before lunch.

Considering how lightly Leai seems to be taking the welfare officers, the party of the fallen could be anything from a group of friends messing with first years, to a group of murderous cannibals playing with their food. I should be careful.

Before I can forget, I wave down a few of the other more interesting students and add them to my contacts. Vice included. She performed surprisingly well in the fights, making submission clear, and executing calmly.

I make sure to keep far away from those who failed to understand how to separate submission and execution. If they haven’t picked up on the threat of the welfare officers yet, then I don’t want to get too close to them.

I also reach out to a few of the more desperate students, those who were unable to accept the fighting, but have recovered enough to hold a conversation. Of them, the plant girl who went in first seems to have the most promise.

“I’ll contact you lots, that’s okay?” She asks, fiddling with the devices messaging system.

“That’s fine, but I can’t promise I’ll always reply on time.”

“I understand. No one else wants to really talk about things, especially that awful fighting. It bit me on the butt. On my butt! I’m okay now, but it was squishy and wet, and so awful!” She says, she’s not talking as quickly as Vii, but on measure of the sheer number of words, she’s certainly still competing.

“Not having friends here is the worst, too.” She continues and I eventually have to plead my escape to catch a few other students that I wanted to connect with.

“Making new friends?” Eshya asks, smiling but still seeming a little cold and distant.

“Connections.” I reply, “It’s good to know people. Are you guys ready to get going?”

“Yep, yep,” She says, hopping along beside me.

“I’m coming. How was that class for you two?” Eshya asks as we walk, “It was easier than I thought it would be, and it was somewhat enjoyable, too.”

The thought of her pulling out organs and cutting through a fallen beast is somehow both horrifying and a bit hot. Though, it’s not a thought I should be entertaining too much, even if she looks good in red.

“That’s good, because I’m not quite what you’d call competent.” I say, “Vii?”

“Yeah? I’m good. My hands aren’t that useful for the delicate work, but if I’m able to use my talons and wind magic, I can cut a corpse into bits just fine.”

I do recall her doing as much with a dead spider down in the ruins.

“Well, on that lovely note, let’s go get some lunch.” I say, trying to keep my mind away from the thought of my upcoming class.

Beast taming.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stats & Skills

~Mana Form:

Current goal: Develop your mana form.

Current mana density: 392 units

~Mana distribution:

Skin: 21%

Muscle: 8%

Mind: 13%

Cardiovascular: 8%

Misc.: 3%

Efficiency: 53%

~Skills:

-Mana drain touch

-Mana skin

-Mana shield.

-Mana surge strike

-Mana surge kick

-Flame burst

-Fireball

-Infused delayed casting

-Harsh petting

-Chaos dance