###Chapter 13: The Unexpected Win

Both of them sat quietly in the classroom, waiting for the teacher to arrive. When he finally walked in, he addressed them with enthusiasm.

"Alright, everyone, today we'll be doing another activity. It's a partner activity, so go ahead and find yourselves a partner."

Arie groaned inwardly. Great. I don't even know anyone here.

Before he could stress any further, Princess Lea leaned toward him. "You're my bodyguard now, right? And you can't exactly guard me if you're paired with someone else. So obviously, you'll be my partner."

Arie nodded quickly. "Oh, of course, Your Majesty."

The Princess raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You know, you can just call me Ma'am."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Once everyone had found their partners, the teacher continued. "Excellent. For today's activity, we'll be focusing on teamwork and combo attacks. We'll start with the teamwork challenge.

Each pair will receive a random note with the name of a monster. Your task is to work together and defeat that monster."

Excited murmurs rippled through the class as they read their assignments. Some students celebrated, while others paled at the daunting creatures they'd been given.

Before leading them to the arena, the teacher added, "One important rule: if I sense any situation that could result in serious injury or death, I will intervene immediately. Safety comes first, even in combat training.".

" Now follow me to the arena!" the teacher called, leading the class outside.

Upon arriving at the arena, he handed each team their notes. "You have five minutes to come up with a strategy. The information on your assigned monster is on the note, so use it wisely."

The pairs huddled together, discussing their plans. After five minutes, the teacher clapped his hands. "Time's up! First up: Cedric and Eldren. You've been assigned the Leviacrab!"

Both students groaned. "Why are we always first?" Cedric muttered.

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Eldren smirked and rolled his shoulders. "Guess that just means we set the bar. Let's do this."

The teacher explained the rules, then released the Leviacrab into the arena. The ground shook as the colossal beast entered. Its spiked shell gleamed in the sunlight, and its claws, sharp and enormous, clicked menacingly as it prepared to fight.

Cedric and Eldren took their stances, drawing their weapons. "I'll distract it. You focus on charging up your spell," Eldren directed. Cedric nodded, immediately starting a long incantation under his breath.

Eldren darted toward the Leviacrab, dodging its first swipe and nimbly climbing onto one of its massive claws. The creature roared and tried to shake him off, but he held his ground, infusing his axe with glowing magical energy. He dashed up the claw toward the monster's head and leaped high into the air.

"Slash Annihilator!" he shouted, bringing his axe down in a devastating arc. A powerful wave of energy erupted from the strike, slicing into the crab's shell with a deafening explosion. When the dust cleared, the crowd could see a deep crack running across the beast's head, exposing its core beneath the armor.

The students gasped in amazement, but the Leviacrab wasn't finished. With a furious screech, it swung its massive claw, catching Eldren off guard and sending him flying across the arena. He hit the ground hard but managed to roll to his feet, groaning in pain.

Just as the Leviacrab prepared to crush him, Eldren shouted, "Now, Cedric!"

Cedric had been quietly channeling his energy, his body glowing with radiant light. At Eldren's cue, he finished the incantation. "Radiant BURST!" he yelled, unleashing a blinding beam of energy that shot toward the crack in the Leviacrab's shell.

The beam struck its target with precision, erupting in a brilliant explosion that lit up the entire arena. When the light faded, the Leviacrab's head had been completely obliterated. Its massive body began to dissolve into nothing, leaving behind only a faint shimmer of magical residue.

As the radiant energy cleared, the arena fell silent. The towering Leviacrab, once a formidable and menacing beast, now lay lifeless, its massive body crumbling into ash. The cheers of the students echoed through the air as the teacher clapped in approval.

Cedric exhaled deeply, sweat dripping from his brow as the strain of his spell began to take its toll. But his moment of triumph was cut short when he turned to Eldren, who was still laid out on the ground from the Leviacrab's counterattack. Eldren's face twisted in pain as he clutched his shoulder, clearly injured.

Without hesitation, Cedric rushed over to him. "Eldren, are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Eldren grinned weakly, trying to downplay the injury. "Yeah, I'll live. Just a broken shoulder—nothing I haven't dealt with before."

Cedric knelt beside him, carefully helping Eldren to his feet. "You're lucky it's just your shoulder. That thing could've crushed you."

He looped Eldren's arm over his shoulder, taking on most of his weight. Despite his exhaustion, Cedric stood firm, supporting his friend as they slowly made their way toward the teacher.

The students who had been watching erupted into cheers, not just for their victory but for the teamwork between the two.

The teacher approached, his expression a mixture of approval and concern. "Eldren, you're going straight to our healer over there. But I have to say, that was an impressive display of teamwork. You both fought valiantly."

Eldren chuckled through the pain. "Thanks, sir. I think I'll take that A+ now."

Cedric nodded, a tired smile on his face. "Yeah, we earned it."

The teacher smiled, placing a hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You've both more than earned it. Now let's get Eldren patched up."

The class erupted in chatter, many students discussing how they would fare against their assigned monsters. Some looked anxious, others excited.

"All right," the teacher announced, raising his voice over the noise. "Next pair, step forward!"

Before the teacher could call out their names, the sound of bickering filled the air.

"I told you, I'm taking the lead on this one!"

"Oh, please, you'll just mess it up like you always do. Let me handle it."

"You wouldn't last five seconds out there without me!"

Their voices grew louder, drawing the attention of the entire class. Whispers spread among the students, and even the teacher looked slightly amused, watching the two approach the arena while still arguing.

"Save the fighting for the monster," the teacher said with a smirk. "Let's see if you can argue your way through teamwork."

The murmurs among the spectators grew louder, their curiosity piqued. All eyes were now on the pair, eagerly waiting to see if their banter would turn into brilliance—or chaos.