Author's Note:

Second chapter for the day out. On four hours of sleep, I should really be tired, but I'm not. Maybe another chapter will come, I dunno.

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It was early in the afternoon and most of the first year students just finished their last class for the day. The sun was just beginning to reach it's peak, beaming brightly overhead. Johan walked side-by-side with Elf into Cochaigne. As always, he walked with his head up to admire the paintings and architecture on the ceiling.

"You've only just had your first rebirth. You're really far behind," Elf said.

"Ehh, quality over quantity, my friend. In any event, I need to test out this new found power in actual combat," Johan said.

Johan felt the thrill of battle rush into him as soon as he entered the recreation room. The sound of students snarling and wooden swords clanging rang throughout the room, settling in his body and provoking his soul. He clenched his fist until his knuckles cracked and walked forward with a smirk. Elf sighed  and followed closely behind him.

"Isn't that the titan that got beat up within the first week or something?" a nearby student said.

"This guy really doesn't learn his lesson. He thinks because he's tall that he's strong or something?" another student said.

Johan walked to the center of one of the empty sparring circles and crossed his arms. He swept his gaze across all of the onlooking students, taking note of the irritated looks that colored their faces. He let out a hearty laugh that only seemed to agitate the onlookers even more. Elf sighed and put her hand to her face, standing just outside of the sparring circle.

A muscular human stepped into the circle with veins bulging from his forehead. He stood a head shorter than Johan, but more than made up for it in muscle. He had the neck of a bull and arms as thick as tree trunks; it was hard to believe that he was still so young. He unclasped a large wooden club from his back and did a few practice swings with it. The club cleaved through the air with ease, the shock wave sending dirt and debris flying with each swipe.

A nearby student gasped then said, "Club Fiend! No one has been willing to fight him recently... looks like he's going to take his anger out on the stupid titan. This guy must be too unlucky."

"No one told the idiot to swagger in like that," another student said.

The Club Fiend chuckled before saying, "I hope you'll exchange a few pointers with me. I've been getting rusty."

Johan smiled wildly and said, "Sure thing!"

Club Fiend frowned then said, "Where's your weapon?"

"No need," Johan said while waving a hand. "Let's just get started."

Johan immediately began circulating his mana; it raged throughout his body like rogue waves. His heart began to thump ferociously, putting his nerves on edge. He relaxed his stance and stood there with his frosty eyes locked onto Club Fiend.

Club Fiend snorted. He clenched the hilt of his club and swiped in Johan's direction. A burst of wind barreled into Johan's chest, but it felt like a gentle summer breeze to him. He scratched his chest and quirked an eyebrow at Club Fiend. Club Fiend pursed his lips and his face turned a subtle shade of pink. Nearby students began to laugh.

What was the point of that? I guess we're just testing each other?

Johan spoke the first name of the wind and sent a concentrated torrent of wind crashing into the Club Fiends body. The wind struck him in the chest like a large rock, sending him sprawling out of the ring. The onlookers nearby began to laugh even louder. While on the ground, Club Fiend snarled and stared at Johan with a look of murder. He slammed his shimmering club into the ground, leaving a deep crater. The crowd immediately stopped laughing.

"I wasn't ready yet!" Club Fiend said as he shot back up to his feet.

"I hoped not. Come on, already. You haven't even made me move yet..." Johan said.

Club Fiend darted at him with a shout and his club raised high. Even after seeing that powerful strike, Johan dashed straight at Club Fiend, ignoring the threatening presence of the club. He threw his right fist straight at his head, making Club Fiend flinch and swivel down and out of the way. The club flickered brightly, and he bludgeoned Johan in the ribs with the hilt.

Johan felt the air rush out of his lungs as he flew a couple of meters out of the ring, kicking up dirt and debris. He staggered to his feet, gasping for breath and fighting the searing pain that ran through the side of his body. He rubbed his ribs and stared at Club Fiend with chilly eyes; noticing the fearful look on his face. Johan gave Club Fiend a bloody grin that was interrupted when he coughed out a wad of blood.

Force Multiplier, huh?

"Ahh, he's done for," a nearby student said.

"He took the full force of that hit," another said.

Johan took a deep breath and steadied himself. He drew on more of the mana coursing through his body to strengthen his muscles. He ran towards Club Fiend, completely ignoring the pain that racked his body. Club Fiend stood his ground, holding his club in a defensive position. Johan spoke two of the names of the wind, sending four bursts of wind howling towards Club Fiend like large cannon balls.

Club Fiend's face flickered between rage and fear. He immediately raised his club and swung down, dispersing the first wind cannonball with a thunderous explosion. The impact sent him reeling backwards. The next three wind cannonballs pummeled his defenseless body with a loud explosion. His limp body crashed through a lineup of onlookers and slammed into a wall. The unlucky bystanders were laid out on the ground, groaning in pain.

He fell out of the crater in the wall. Blood spurted profusely out of his nose and mouth, leaving scarlet splotches on his shirt and staining the ground. Dust slowly formed around him, concealing his presence. Johan looked on apprehensively, then called the first name of the wind, blowing away the dust.

Club Fiend's body was gone, making Johan flinch in fright. He heard a roar above him, and saw Club Fiend falling towards him from above with his club raised high. Johan gathered as much mana as he could into his muscles, and threw a heavy punch at Club Fiend. Club Fiend met the punch with a two handed swing of his shimmering club. The club and fist met with a crackling explosion, sending both of them flying. The shock waves of the impact swept numerous onlookers off their feet.

Johan slowly got to his feet; blood trickled out of his mouth and his shoulder was dislocated. He gritted his teeth and popped his shoulder back into place, growling in pain after doing it. Club Fiend slowly got up, his body shaking with rage. His originally white shirt was now tattered and dyed a scarlet and earth brown color from blood and dirt. The blood pouring from his face and the manic gleam in his eyes made him look like a crazed killer.

"I'll make you bleed!" Club Fiend said with a snarl.

His club began to flicker brightly, and the space around it began to ripple. He gripped the club with both hands and swung horizontally with a loud shout. An enormous blade of force swept towards Johan with a shrill screech. Onlookers covered their ears, while Johan only grimaced in discomfort. He lunged over the attack, but didn't completely avoid it; part of his calf was sliced. It cut through his reinforced flesh like a hot knife through butter. If he took that head on, he'd die without a doubt.

For the first time since starting the battle, a look of uncertainty flashed on Johan's face. Club Fiend smiled and raised his blade once more. Johan didn't give him the chance to prepare himself. He spoke the two names of the wind and sent a torrent of wind cannonballs howling towards him. Club Fiend grimaced, and rapidly swung his sword, releasing a shrill blade of force with every swing. The force blades and wind cannons collided loudly, canceling each other out with muffled explosions. Students unlucky enough to be near the impact were sent flying in all directions.

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Club Fiend kept slashing at Johan, sending force blades screeching towards him. Johan used the wind to increase his speed as he darted towards Club Fiend, zig-zagging wildly and dancing past the attacks. Club Fiend staggered back, swinging madly but not catching Johan even once. His back hit the wall, causing him to flinch violently.

Johan took advantage of that brief distraction and closed the distance between them. Club Fiend swung his sword horizontally in a strike aimed at the side of Johan's head. Johan ducked and slipped under the strike, then sprang up with an uppercut, digging his fist deep into Club Fiend's stomach. Club Fiend was lifted off of his feet and pinned against the wall by Johan's fist. Club Fiend stared at Johan with fear clouding his eyes, his eyelids twitching in a struggle to maintain consciousness. Johan looked back with a predatory gleam shining in his eyes.

Club Fiend eyes rolled into the back of his head and he spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto Johan's face. Johan flinched back and dropped Club Fiend onto the floor. He tore off his shirt and wiped his face down, but did a sloppy job of it. When his vision returned, he saw Club Fiend laying down on his back with the whites of his eyes showing. Johan sighed proudly. He walked over to Club Fiend's body and grabbed him by the foot, then spun around to drag him out of the recreation room.

He noticed everyone staring at him slack jawed. He looked at the scenery around him and noticed that the sparring circle was wrecked; there were numerous fractures and craters that littered the ground, there was a hole in the wall from where Club Fiend hit it, several students were knocked unconscious during the battle, and there were blood splattered the entire room. Pained moans echoed throughout the room, causing Johan to feel just slightly guilty. He noticed Elf staring at him with a pale face and wide eyes. She turned away immediately after making eye contact.

Well... guess I might've gone a little too far there.

Hidou tossed his bloody shirt on the ground and headed for the door. Nearby students watched in horror as he dragged Club Fiend's limp body by the foot. As he approached the exit, he spotted Hidou standing in the midst of his friends, looking in the complete opposite direction. Johan laughed loudly and approached him.

"Hidou, my friend!" Johan said. "If I saw you, I wouldn't have bothered to fight this stranger," he said, lifting Club Fiend by the foot to show him off.

Hidou winced and said, "You're a savage, you know that? You make me sick."

"What you mean is that I frighten you. It's okay, little Hidou. I won't hurt you," Johan said.

Hidou flushed and balled his fist. Johan slowly lowered Club Fiend's body and began circulating his mana. He flashed a bloody grin and leaned forward, sticking out his cheek to invite him to strike. Hidou's friends nervously looked from the bloody Johan to the limp body he was dragging with him, and then staggered backwards.

Noticing his friends trying to leave, Hidou snarled and decided to leave himself. Johan chuckled to himself and left too. When he reached the door, Elf came running up beside him. She followed beside him in silence as he approached the faculty member that gives out Restoration Pills. He grabbed two of them. He took the first one and force fed it to Club Fiend, and accepted the other one for himself. He left Club Fiend lying on the floor in front of the faculty member and left the building. Elf followed in silence, furtively glancing at him constantly.

"You always do this, Elf," Johan said finally.

"What?"

"You slither up next to me, then glance at me until I break the ice."

Elf rocked back as if she were slapped and said, "Why 'slither'? Don't I have legs?"

"Fine. You crawl up next to me."

"That isn't much better!"

"What do you want?"

"Club Fiend had 5 rebirths."

"Cool."

"You said you were on your first."

Johan didn't respond.

"He left a crater in the ground with a single strike, yet the most he was able to do to you was dislocate your shoulder."

"If you have something to say, say it," Johan said, letting the annoyance color his voice.

She sighed and said, "Your spark seems to be abnormally strong. I want you to teach—"

"Absolutely not," Johan said.

Her face turned red and she said through clenched teeth, "At least let me finish my request!"

"No need. Go learn from your teacher."

"I have things I can teach you too, it's not like this would be a one sided thing."

Johan stopped walking and slowly turned to her, "You mean... like adult things?"

She flushed and said, "You really piss me off!"

Johan watched her stomp away, enjoying her cute expression. He spun around and walked down the cobblestone path, ignoring the stares from passing students. He closed his eyes as he walked, enjoying the cool breeze of the wind on his bare chest. He unconsciously called the name of the wind and let it sweep out in front of him, feeling out his path. The wind brought back the heavy stench of sex and blood, making his eyes shoot open.

He spotted a bloody limping figure in front of him. Students that saw the figure approaching all left the cobblestone path. The figure trudged slowly, limping on his right foot. His hair was matted down with dry blood, and Johan couldn't even guess the original color of his tattered shirt. The smell brought back  unwelcome memories of the Dark Brotherhood and their welcoming ceremony. Johan wrinkled his nose in disgust and rushed past the figure. He glanced back only to drop his jaw in shock.

"Arvin! What the hell happened to you?" Johan asked.

Arvin regarded Johan with a chilly look and gritted teeth. The bright expression that he was known for was no where to be seen; his eyes were half-lidded and bloodshot. His nose was wrinkled and his mouth was tugged downward in a deep snarl. Dry streams of blood painted his face a murky scarlet color, striking a frightening contrast to his unblemished sky-blue eyes. A bloody hand print could be seen on his ruffled, torn shirt. Johan wrapped an arm around him and helped him walk home. They both walked home in silence; the only thing Johan could hear was Arvin's ragged breathing.

Yudai was in the dorm room, lying on the bed reading a book. When he heard the sound of the door opening, he put the book down briefly to glance at who came in. He gaped when he saw the state Arvin was in. Then he looked at Johan, who happened to have some of Arvin's and Club Fiend's blood on him. Johan and Arvin both had grave looks on their faces. Johan pulled a chair out for Arvin to sit on, and then sat on the edge of his bed.

"You guys look like you took a bath in blood..." Yudai said, wrinkling his nose.

Arvin sat in a chair with a heavy thud. He stared at his hands that were folded in his lap with distant eyes. He didn't move for minutes; Yudai and Johan didn't dare try to break the ice and get him talking.

Arvin finally said, "They got her."

"Who's they?" Johan asked.

"Got who?" Yudai asked.

"The Dark Brotherhood. They killed Miyu."