Rai and Sin made it to Rodrick’s classroom without any complications. They knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Rodrick’s voice came from inside.

They entered.

Rodrick smiled at them, “You two look very awake.” He spoke from the front desk.

Rai and Sin looked at each other, then back at Rodrick, “Do we look tired?” Rai asked.

Rodrick shook his head, “Nay. In fact, you look far more rejuvenated than I’d expected you to be.” He closed the book he was reading and stood up. “Come, you both have an assignment that I want you to complete by the end of the session.” His tone was... surprisingly ominous.

Rai audibly gulped. Sin asked the question on both of their minds, “What would you have us do, headmaster?”

Rodrick grinned, “It’s an assessment, Miss Raven. I will inform you when we arrive.”

Sin nodded.

They followed Rodrick through the Academy. After a few minutes of walking in silence, they arrived.

Central Gardens

Neither Rai nor Sin had ever actually been here before.

Rodrick smiled, “This is an area limited to Academy faculty. However... it also serves as the perfect place to test your skills. I wouldn’t want to alert any other students to this assessment.”

Rai was confused. What kind of test would Rodrick want other students to avoid seeing? Does he want us to spar against him?

Rai hit the nail right on its head.

Rodrick guided Rai and Sin past the gardens to an open field.

The Academy building’s U shape meant that there was a large open field just past the main building. It wasn’t surprising that the teachers kept this field for themselves, since it was exceptionally beautiful and relaxing.

The bald man stood with his hands behind his back, in front of Rai and Sin.

Wind blew past them, causing the tail end of his scholarly robe to flail.

Rodrick didn’t turn around, “Ready your weapons.”

Rai and Sin looked at each other. They both grinned.

Rai drew Ghost, and Sin drew her daggers.

Around Rodrick, numerous identical blades formed. They all stabbed the ground.

Rai counted 13 swords, all of the same make.

Rodrick turned to face them, “Come. Let us see how strong you are.”

Rai smiled to himself. Stormflow.

Lightning flew off of Rai’s body as he zoomed towards Rodrick.

Rodrick pulled out a blade from the ground and parried Rai’s strike.

The blade in Rodrick’s hand shattered.

Then re-formed in the ground.

Rai’s eyes widened. What kind of bullshit...

Sin dashed with 6 other clones towards Rodrick.

He summoned multiple purple portals in the air, out of which came ghostly looking hands and claws.

They shattered the clones. Sin was forced to constantly dodge and parry them.

Rai, at the same time, launched an attack at Rodrick’s back.

A purple, flaming, spirit golem formed behind Rodrick. Rai sliced through the golem’s chest, but the wound simply closed moments after Rai caused it.

I can’t use Antithesis here, even though it would probably win us the fight... it’s too risky. Kallad always seemed wary of the headmaster, so I won’t so easily trust him by showing him the forbidden technique.

Rai’s mana was quickly draining. Stormflow didn’t drain much, but having to maintain lightning to constantly keep Ghost imbued was frustratingly inefficient.

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Instead, Rai ignited Ghost into flames. It drained far less mana than raw lightning, but still afforded him good destructive power.

Rodrick instantly teleported behind Rai after mouthing the incantation.

A sword stabbed where Rai’s head would’ve been had he not dodged.

Rai sped back to Sin’s side. The claws retreated once Rai came back to her. They regrouped.

Rodrick simply observed them for the time being.

Rai and Sin panted. Neither of them could keep up with instant teleportation. Rodrick’s defence and offense was also much stronger than they’d expected.

Rai spoke through his panting, “He’s way faster than he was during the practical entrance exam.”

Sin panted as well, “Of course he is. Look, I have a plan. I need you to buy me some time though.”

Rai nodded, “I’ll follow your lead.”

Sin grinned, “Just 20 seconds. That’s all I’ll need, then we’ll win this.”

Rai took a deep breath. His voice was layered with electricity, “Start now.”

He flew towards Rodrick.

Rodrick couldn’t see Rai’s movements. All he could see was the afterimages. After just barely dodging Rai’s blade twice, he whispered under his breath, “That damned Dance!”

Rodrick instantly spawned a cage of purple arms around him. The golem re-formed outside the cage.

Rai instantly destroyed it. He fluttered around the cage, taking down Rodrick’s cage faster than he could re-create it. Rai was relieved that they’d managed to separate Rodrick from the blades in the ground, otherwise this would’ve been far more difficult.

Sin’s voice was layered with a powerful aura, “Move.”

Rai dashed to the side.

The blades in the ground all floated up into the air around Sin. Rai watched in awe, but he also noticed something... off. Her face... red glowing runes lined the bottom of her eyelids, just like when he used Antithesis. She was grinning. Sin... Shit!

An instant.

Rai tackled Sin to the ground, cancelling her spell. The blades fell to the ground. They all instantly returned to the spots that they initially landed in when Rodrick first summoned them.

Sin looked angry. The runes lining her face slowly disappeared, “What the fuck are you doing?!”

Rai shook his head, “I’ll explain later, please hear me out then.”

Sin withdrew her daggers and slammed her fists into the ground, “FUCK!” She panted heavily.

Rai sat up and looked over at Rodrick’s cage. It was slowly breaking down naturally.

He turned back to her, “I’m sorry, but this is serious. Trust me. Once I explain, you’ll be glad I stopped you.”

Sin stared at him. Frustration was still prevalent in her expression, but she figured that Rai must have had a good reason, “... Fine. I’m not happy, but fine.”

Rai sighed, but accepted that this was the best he could get right now, “Thank you. Let’s forfeit for now.”

Rodrick’s cage cracked. It shattered completely. The broken pieces of the purply arms drifted into the air, fading into nothingness.

He looked at Rai, who was sat on top of Sin, “What... are you doing?”

Rai rubbed the back of his head and awkwardly laughed, “I misjudged and tackled Sin. Sorry! We’ll forfeit now...”

Rodrick raised an eyebrow at them, “Uh... sure? That’s fine, I suppose.”

Rai and Sin stood up. Sin angrily dusted herself off, only to realise that there was no dirt or dust on her uniform.

Rodrick smiled, “They’re made so that they don’t get dirty easy.”

Sin’s expression didn’t change, “That’s a silver lining, I guess.”

Rodrick gestured for them to both return with him.

Rai withdrew Ghost and followed Rodrick with Sin.

Sin was unbelievably frustrated. She’d finally remembered the name that she gave the technique. She wanted to use her Sinful Domain in action, but Rai stopped her for some reason.

Rodrick sat down on a bench table, and indicated for Rai and Sin to sit on the opposite side.

He racked his brain for a moment. “You two are incredible.”

Sin crossed her arms as she leaned onto the table, “We could’ve won if someone didn’t fly into me.”

Rai shot her an apologetic look.

Rodrick laughed, “I don’t doubt it. In all honesty, if Rai had opened with those incredible swordsmanship manoeuvres then I would’ve been left in a rough spot.” He avoided mentioning the Dance by name to avoid worrying Rai.

Rai tilted his head, “What do you mean? If I... stepped it up right at the beginning? How would that have made a difference?”

Rodrick tapped his head, “The mental game.”

Sin’s anger got pushed to the wayside as her curiosity took over. She listened intently, as did Rai.

Rodrick continued, “If you open a fight with a technique that completely outclasses many of your opponent’s techniques, then they might avoid using their weaker ones against you in the fear that you would see them as an opening.”

Rai thoughtfully nodded. He digested the information as best he could, then responded, “You’re saying that the opening move in a fight can have that big of an impact...”

Rodrick nodded, “Keep it in mind during your battles.”

Sin pointed at herself, “Me next! Give me advice too, please.”

Rodrick turned to her, “Miss Raven. You lack speed, which makes it difficult to create an explosive opening. Given your powerful techniques, and your ability to play tricks on your opponent, you should lean into those more. The mirror clones, your exceptional hand to hand combat skills with those daggers, and hard hitting techniques... you would benefit from learning a new technique or two that would give your fighting style more of a coherent identity. I have a few tomes in my personal library that may be useful to you.”

He turned to Rai, “If you need to use my library, then you both can. Being my chosen mentees, that is your given right.”

Rai and Sin nodded.

Sin took note of the headmaster’s words. Her fighting style was lacking, and she could feel that in their battle. Sinful Domain would’ve easily won them the fight, so she really wanted to hear Rai’s explanation as to why he stopped her from casting the spell.

Rai raised his hand, “Can we go to your library after lunch during our free period? I have a few books I want to look for.”

Rodrick nodded, “I have a class after lunch, but you two should feel free to explore and look for the books that you’d want.”

Sin blew her dangling curled hairs up out of boredom, “I’ll go too, after lunch.”

Rodrick stretched, “Well. You two passed. Good job. Now, I’d recommend you go... find something else to do before lunch starts.” He waved at them, “Goodbye.”

Poof.

Rodrick disappeared.

Rai and Sin stared where he once sat. Rai spoke, “He’s so jarring.”

Sin slowly nodded, “Yeah...”

Rai stood up and looked around. A couple teachers glanced in his direction from the garden benches. “Let’s go to that canopy we went to last time, I’ll explain there.”

Sin pouted, “You better have a good reason.”

Rai sighed, “You’d better be prepared for my answer.”

His tone was nothing but serious.

Sin felt a hint of worry besides her anger. What was so wrong about my spell that Rai’s so serious about it... I wonder. Hopefully it's not too bad...