After all of the students had their one on one sparring session, the instructors all met up to discuss the results with one another. Harrison, Kim, Jessup, and Gaharad all huddled together in a corner of the arena while the students grouped together on the benches to rest. Medics were called to take care of the few scrapes and bruises that the students got while sparring. Kim was the first one to speak in the group of four. “Gaharad, I saw the match you just had. Did he seriously overpower you? Or were you downplaying your skills on purpose?” Gaharad shook his head.

“No, I was going all out in terms of technique. Of course, Instructor’s Limits was holding me back but when it comes to a completely even duel he’s better than me. I’d say that out of ten duels I’d only win three against him.” Kim’s eyes widened slightly at this, and Harrison blinked his eyes in disbelief. Only Jessup, who had fought Noboru before, could understand Gaharad’s high evaluation of him. Harrison’s expression quickly shifted to one of deep thought, before he finally spoke up. “But that’s a problem for us right? How are we going to teach him, if he already knows how to fight?” Kim and Jessup both looked stumped, their previous expressions both overwritten with confusion as they tried to think of a solution. However Gaharad simply smiled.

“We won’t.” The three instructors all looked towards Gaharad as he said that, Kim even had her mouth open ready to ask a question. But before she could even get a word out the chilling expression on Gaharad’s face stopped her in her tracks. The smile on his face was predatory and merciless, and his eyes were cold enough to chill someone to the bone. “All we have to do is send him to get experience.” The triumphant look in his eyes confused and scared the three instructors but they dared not question Gaharad. The three shared a gaze and silently agreed to change the topic. Jessup was the one to speak first this time. “Still, even aside from him the heroes this time are quite strong. Their stats are stronger than normal, but even disregarding that the girls matched with me were quite skilled. They still have a long way to go, and most seem to not have a desired weapon, but their raw potential is quite large.”

Kim nodded her head. “In my group, only the tall one was good at using her body, the other two seemed kind of awkward. I do think that the stat increase is weird for them, and it’s taking some time to adjust, so maybe we should just help them get used to their new strengths today?”

Harrison tilted his head slightly. “Yeah, that wouldn’t be bad, but some of them might already be used to the increase. The first one I fought felt like he was completely natural while going full speed, so what would we do about those ones?”

Gaharad put in his two cents. “Gather up the ones you think to be used to their stats and bring them to me, I’ll do a bit of basic training with them. The rest, you three will help get on par. Understood?” The three instructors nodded their heads then split apart to gather the students. “Oh, also, send me Noboru first.” Gaharad called out to their retreating figures, a slight nod could be seen from all three.

While the instructors were still discussing things, the students were having a meeting of their own. They were all gathered in a circle, having dragged a few benches around to make it possible. As is most often the case, Akane spoke first. “Hey hey, like is it just me, or are we faster than before? Like really really fast?” She seemed excited, maybe the thought of suddenly gaining something like super powers had increased her excitement, or at least made her realize that they were truly heroes. “Yeah! And we’re so much stronger now too! It's so crazy!” Naoko was the next to speak, feeding off of Akane’s enthusiasm and adding her own into the mix. Both of the girls were smiling brightly, and their happiness was leaking into the students around them. Most of them had slight smiles on their faces as well.

“Well, I guess it’s only natural that we are stronger now, but it really puts this into perspective, the fact that we are in another world.” Gorou said while looking up towards the sky. He had a fairly awed look on his face, one that made Akane start to chuckle. Gorou stopped looking at the sky and tilted his head at her. “What?” He asked, confused. Akane let her chuckles continue for a bit before finally answering him. “It’s nothing. It’s just that, you were trying so hard to look and sound cool, but that was just cringy.” Gorou’s face flushed bright red. “Wh-what?!” He sputtered. “I was not!” Seeing Gorou being so embarrassed caused everyone’s slight smiles to full length smiles, and even turned a few into full on grins. However the next sentence out of Akane’s mouth brought one person’s smile to a grinding halt.

“Speaking of cool, Noboru, your fight was crazy cool! There was all this dodging and weaving and Schwing Schwing.” She made slicing motions with her hands as she made the noises. Noboru chuckled lightly at her theatrics. “It was a close fight, Gaharad is very good. If this were a tournament back home, he’d be one of the top competitors. The only reason I won was because he wasn’t used to the slower speed. I think if he was, it wouldn’t have been my win.” Noboru’s response caused Naoko to roll her eyes. “Puh-lease, you beat the Knight Commander in a duel, Noboru. Quit being so modest, you’re talented.” Yuriko, who was of course sitting next to Noboru, puffed her chest out slightly when she heard Naoko’s praise of Noboru. Noboru, on the other hand, slunk back slightly and lowered his head a bit. “Ah, yes right, I’ll try.” He said, while scratching the back of his head.

Orochi looked on at the students all praising Noboru, well it was really only Akane and Naoko but the rest didn’t disagree, with a stiff smile on his face. He knew that letting his displeasure show would be bad, but when Yuriko looked so proud because of Noboru he almost subconsciously let his anger show. Tch. Typical, it’s always the chads that get attention. Nobody even paid attention to my fight, but they all looked at his and praised him for it. How annoying.

Unaware of just how unreasonable his inner thoughts were, Orochi stewed on his anger, refusing to allow it to show but still keeping it within him. The group had become quiet after Noboru’s awkward response, and the usually quiet Emiko took this chance to come forward. “Noboru, can you teach me how to fight?” Emiko looked Noboru dead in the eyes as she said it, there was no doubt in her mind that she wanted this. Noboru, who was about to ask if she was sure she wanted him as a teacher, stopped in his tracks after he saw the look in her eyes. He opened his mouth to say yes but never got to actually speak as a voice from behind him spoke up first.

“Noboru, Gaharad needs to speak to you, right now.” Noboru nodded his head and rose from his seat to head over to the Knight Commander. “Now the rest of you listen up, we are going to split into two groups. Those of you I call, come forward, the rest go with Kim and Jessup. Right…” The voice of Harrison faded away as Noboru walked away, heading towards Gaharad. When he approached Gaharad he spoke up, “You wanted to speak to me?” He asked. Gaharad nodded his head.

“Strictly speaking, your technique is better than mine. I have nothing to teach you. Even if I were to train you in the fighting techniques of the Kingdom it probably wouldn’t help you in the future. In short, you are already the equivalent of a fully trained soldier, even if your stats are not quite there yet. So, for now go to Aiden, I’m sure he has some random information he wants you to have. I will prepare a way for you to gain experience and level up in the next few days.” Noboru hesitated slightly but nodded his head. “Thank you for your praise. Um, can I ask a question?” Gaharad motioned with his hand for Noboru to continue. “Thank you. Will I be the only one getting this opportunity?” Gaharad nodded his head. “Yes, unfortunately the rest of the heroes are not as skilled as you are. They require some time before they will be able to go out onto the field. You are different. You came pre-trained, it’s quite the blessing. Now go, I need to start bringing them up to snuff.” He shooed Noboru away with his hand. Noboru bowed slightly, waved goodbye to his classmates, and walked out of the arena towards Aiden’s room.

When Yuriko saw Noboru leave with a wave she frowned slightly. Usually her emotions didn’t show on her face but that didn’t mean that she didn’t have any. Especially when it comes to Noboru. Yuriko had her own set of circumstances in life, circumstances that were never very favorable for her, until she met Noboru. She attached herself on his hip in an attempt to never be left out, but when she and the others had arrived, she felt strangely distant. It felt like Noboru was trying to create a gap between himself and everyone else, and Yuriko felt that he would go far away if this continued. No, she didn’t feel that he would go away, she knew. It was an indescribable feeling, completely illogical, but undeniably certain.

But her problem lay not in what was happening, but how to stop it. She knew from experience that Noboru was not distancing himself maliciously, in fact, he may not even be doing it consciously, but there was no way that she could think of to stop him. That feeling of dread and sorrow had been manifesting since they had arrived, and now whenever Noboru left her sight it intensified.

She realized that now was not the time for her to be thinking of her own feelings, and quickly shook herself out of her reverie. She turned back to instructor Harrison. Yuriko was one of the few students that was unfazed by the change in her physical abilities, and was grouped together with Orochi, Minori, and Mika. They were the only four of nine who had either been undeterred by their suddenly increased physical abilities or been able to adapt to the abilities in the short time of the spar. The rest of the students all needed a bit of training to get up to speed. These nine were all going to be under the direct tutelage of Gaharad with Harrison as his assistant in the training. Yuriko knew this was a good opportunity, Gaharad was a man who could fight almost on par with Noboru when it came to technique. And while that may seem backwards to the other students, Yuriko knew Noboru’s skill. She was the only one who had actually been present for some of his training, the only one who was allowed to be present. It was amazing, and also terrifying at the same time. Every time Noboru advanced a level, Yuriko celebrated with him. Every time Noboru failed a move, Yuriko cheered him on. And every time Noboru was injured, Yuriko ached in her heart, yet she had not stopped him. After all, he had a very important reason behind his training. One that not even she could get in the way of. But now she had a chance, a small inkling of an opportunity in order to become someone who Noboru could rely on not only in mind but body too. And she would not let it slip.

Gaharad smiled at the four heroes in front of him. “Well, I will warn you all, training under me is not easy. I will work you hard, I will wear at you, and then I will tear you down. And from the scraps of what used to be you I will forge something new. I will only give you one chance to back out, if you do not wish to train under me, go back to the group that is training with Kim and Jessup. I will not judge you, but I also will not ever teach you.” He stretched his arm outwards, inviting any who wished to leave to go. No one moved. Gaharad looked each person in the eye, trying to see the resolve that each person carried. When he finally reached Yuriko, and saw the fire blazing in her eyes, his eyes widened. The smile on Gaharad’s face grew wider. “Good, that’s what I like to see. Now let’s get started shall we.”