The Third Quarter of the Academic Year finally started after the one-month vacation that felt way longer than it actually was.

Because of all the events that took place during the one-month vacation and at the end of the Second Quarter, a lot of teachers and students were dismissed from the Academy and that led to the Academy being empty when compared to how it was before. And with the change in rules, policies, and stance that happened to the entirety of the town after the Cleansing of Akud, the headmaster Leona has assembled all the students in the training grounds to inform the students and teachers alike about all the new changes.

Soma was standing next to Leona as the one who contributed the most to the changes in Akud and Elk. After saying everything she wanted to say, Leona along with everyone else left the training grounds, leaving Soma and his students from the Actual Combat class behind, as their class would take place on the training grounds.

“Now, you guys spent your vacation as a party taking requests from the Hunter’s Guild except for Rimi and Alice who were acting with me as part of my party, right?”(Soma)

“ “ “Yes!!” ” ”

“Okay then, I’ll test your progress by having a mock battle. Of course, I’ll be your opponent while all of you will fight as a party”(Soma)

“…E-Erm.. We have to fight against you, Soma-san?”(Zac)

“Yeah, or more like starting today, our classes would consist of nothing but mock battles against me. Be prepared as you will be injured over and over again till the end of the Academic year. Only for today, I’ll allow you half an hour to discuss and catch up with each other and come up with a strategy. But starting tomorrow, the moment I enter the training grounds, the fight would begin. I’m going to keep attacking you guys until you can’t fight anymore, but of course, I’ll heal you afterward, so you can attend any other classes you might have”(Soma)

“P-Please go easy on us!!”(Emma)

“No can do, and with each passing day I’m going to fight more and more seriously, so be prepared”(Soma)

“We will die like that!!”(The Four Brother)

“Lucky you, that might cure your goofiness”(Soma)

“At least don’t hit us the back liners with strong attacks, we are not like the front liners at taking damage”(Zeek)

“Which would you like, Great Magic or a slash from my sword?”(Soma)

“At least leave it at Advanced Magic, please…”(Zac)

“Sure, how many would you like?”(Soma)

“…So we have no choice but to give up, huh?”(David)

“Somehow, this one’s body is starting to feel pain”(Anolan)

“Enough complaining and go have your discussion”(Soma)

“How cute, they must have missed you. Fufufu”(Marina)

The students headed to a corner of the training ground as they dragged Rimi and Alice, who were about to retort Marina’s remark with them. The students huddled up and started discussing a strategy on how to approach their fight with Soma, and during that time Soma just kept reading his book as he drank the tea prepared for him by Marina who was smiling next to him. On one side of the training ground, Leona, Milin, and Dalis stood there looking forward for the fight that was about to ensue.

After the half an hour finished, the students took a formation with Rimi and Anolan in the forefront and Nad right behind them as if hiding from Soma’s line of sight. The Four Brothers went to the sides slightly behind Rimi’s and Anolan’s position, two to each side. David took his position 5 meters behind Nad with Alice diagonally behind him, with Zac, Zeek, and Emma further 10 meters behind him.

“I’ll serve as the referee….. Ready?... Start!”(Marina)

Back at the gate, that connects Akud to the road to the Capital. A group of five knights wearing bright red armor riding on the backs of red wolves-like monsters stormed through the people lining up to enter the town, ignoring the guards who were yelling at them. Seeing the group of five storm the gate like that caused everyone to panic, and the guards started to run after them. But the moment that the guards realized that the five red knights were headed towards the Academy and that one of them was Razen, the guy who raised a fuss three days ago, they started grinning and returned to their guarding duties, ignoring the fools who were rushing to their demise.