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Five days have passed, this old wench of Duchess is still in my mind.

Simjon was not happy at all. The outcome of the meeting was very much to his displeasure, not to speak of Lira. She even mentioned some gruesome and very amusing ways, what kind of accidents might happen to a special Duchess.

I've never heard that a person accidentally pressed his face soo deep in horseshit, that they would suffocate... I didn't manage to hold my laughter...

At least, there is one person who's more or less not affected by the situation.

Hira sits besides me and reads a book, while I use a special meditation method to get a feeling of the mana around me.

Hira, is more or less the same as before, with one exception. She trains me...

Firstly it was blank horror. Who would've thought, that lil clingy Hira is a real Demon on the inside.

She insisted for me, learning to feel and maybe as well control the outer mana. I learned that mana manipulation was not all of it.

There's a skill called Mana flow. I have yet to get that skill. Somehow this skill is persistently avoiding my list. And she's a real drill sergeant

“Hira, I think I don't get the right feeling of it. There's just nothing happening. All I sense is the incoming urge to fall asleep.” I mourn in displeasure and squint my eyes open.

“You really have to want it! You are barely an hour at it. It took me several days in meditation to grasp that skill. So continue! I wont let you off so easy.” All I get back is a harsh gaze from her, averting her view from her book at me.

“But... I.” I try to argue and fling my eyes open the widest I can, looking pleadingly at her.

I see how Hira bites her lower lip in deep consideration to let me off.... in vain.

“Ahh, don't try this move on me! If you wouldn't have agreed to fight that bitches son, you wouldn't have to train like that now. Do you even know what kind of person her son is?”

“No, what's he like? Is he handsome?” I slam my head in disbelief at my crazy question...

Why da heck have I asked if he's handsome. A strange feeling of disgust swells up my throat, but at the same time I feel a slight peak of interest rising in my mind.

I rashly think of something very disgusting, to change my train of thoughts.

A special Duchess comes in my mind, a picture manifests..... “Ahhhhh” A sudden scream leaves my mouth.

Maybe it was not the wisest decision to think of a naked old matchstick lady. That will follow through my dreams...

“No Cleo, he's not handsome! He is an egoistic and very cruel guy. He may not be ranked in the tops of our school, but he's still a different league as that beginner you have fought before. And in the last tournament he showed off his cruel personality, his true colors. He likes to cut of every limb of his opponent until they remain as just a trunk. His last opponent was forced into some human hedgehog form, as that bastard plunged all the limbs into his back. Poor guy was forced to stay conscious by a spell.” She sways of into some deep thoughts as she finished her tirade.

“Have you beat him? He he.” I know it's not my place to laugh, but I can't keep my chuckle at the thought of a human hedgehog. That must've looked ridiculous

“No, I was not his opponent. And I would not be assigned to fight someone like him. Nevertheless, go back to meditation, you need at least to grasp that skill, before you will be able to fight him. Because he's real combat experience plus a very nasty type of magic.” Hira stands up and slightly pats her book on my head, whilst sighing.

Has she just implied that she would be too strong to be his opponent or is she too weak? By the way I've never took a look at Simjon or Hira's stats.

Just a little peek. ~Show status~

Ping!

Status Name: Hira Gender: Female Age: 17Level: 125Profession: AssassinRank: ATitle: /Health: 5200HP regeneration: 100/secMana: 19000Mana regeneration: 500/secStamina: 400Stamina regeneration: 5/secStrength: 800Wisdom: 211Agility: 450Intelligence: 102Class: Pupil Race: Succubi/Human

I fall on my back at surprise. “What's wrong Cleo? I've said I wont let you off.” Hira grins at me

“Hah...” All I manage to spit out

ridiculous, everyone around me is a total monster... a freakish brute. And now that I see it more clearly, Hira is not even human... Madam Singwoo was also not stated as human... she was a witch.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

But what the fuck, Hira's a succubi, half human??

What does that make Simjon, better even Lira?

But what worries me most is Hiras occupation, Assassin.

Ok not that I am one to talk. I am not really human to begin with I guess.

“Hira, are you considered strong in our school?” I dryly blink at her and ask the one and only logical question arising in my head

“Mhh, where did this come from? Well, if I think it over, I might be considered not weak. But I am a good step away from being top tier. Why'd you want to know, already planning on overthrowing my position hee?” Hira suddenly turns over me and whispers her last words coquettishly at me.

“N... No! I don't want to overthrow anyone... yet... I didn't even knew there was a hierarchic system?” I retreat my face from hers

“Mhh? You didn't know? Well, I'll tell you then, better you know what you'll have to deal with anyways. In our school one has to constantly prove themselves worthy of being educated properly. In fact it's just a lame system being invent by the teachers to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Due to your stats and your score at the entrance ceremony, you'll be judged. The better your score, the higher will be the class you will attend...” Hira explains and I interrupt her

“What do you mean, the higher the class will be? Wont I start at class grade 1?” I ask

“No, where'd you get that idea? As I said, you attained a score from several teachers at the entrance ceremony and based on their impressions on you, they will assign you to a class. Classes are differentiated between, Novice, Adept and Expert class. Those are the normal classes a new pupil will be assigned to. The level of your battle was originally thought of a battle between Adepts, but you... well let's say your small bonfire accident changed some peoples impressions by... a lot. Based upon which class you attend, you will be ranked. There's also a ranking system within the single grades...” I interrupt her again, slightly poking her cheek

“I don't really get it, What do you mean by being ranked?” confused I continue my poking.

“Thashpfd” She turns towards me and I accidentally poke in her mouth

“What was that for?” She stares at me and a sudden grin appears on her face.

~slop~ She closes her mouth and sucks my finger inside, releasing it with a plopping sound and a weird grin from her.

“Sorry...” I extract my, now soggy, finger. Strongly repressing thoughts of something illegitimate in her actions.

“So shall I explain?” She happily chirps and pats my head.

I simply nod at her, now more wary of bringing myself into weird situations.

“Well there's something like an inner ranking within the single grades. They have their top 10... a stupid ranking if you ask me, just to compare their own strength. But more important is the representation each grade bears. Novice is looked down harshly from all the other grades. In the Novice grade people are mostly weak on mana and due only learn basic spells. Normally people will stay until their graduation in their first assigned grade, but in special cases there are exceptions... well I hate lengthy explanations so I'll cut it from here on, you will soon enough learn more abut all that. And I see that you rather enjoyed the shortage pause from your training Huh?”

With a slight tip of her finger, I feel a strong pressure rushing onto my body. Hira flings her index finger on my forehead and inflicts a harsh fling.

“Mhhgh... only one last question?” I gently rub my forehead, covering a throbbing red mark.

“Hmm, ok just one. Then you have to finally continue training.” She looks at me amusingly gleeful.

“You said that my opponent would have a nasty magic type, what kind of magic does he use?” I ask

“Oh that. Yeah, he's using some petty tricks with his magic. He has a mixed affinity for water and life. Somehow he managed to combine those two things into a unique skill of blood manipulation. What's exactly, why I want you to at least have mana flow in your repertoire. With his magic he's able to control the blood flow of a person. Though that only works proper on weak targets, you have not to worry too much, with your inner mana pool, the best he'll accomplish is to stun you for a few seconds or inflict some minor pain.” Hira bows over me and pulls my cheeks, as if I am a stuffed toy...

“And how is this new skill supposed to help me there?” really now blood magic... I've seen Avatar the last airbender and I have some really nasty memories of how imposing and threatening blood magic can be.

“Mhh, well if you can control and influence the mana around you, you'll be able to interrupt spells directed at you. You might even, with enough proficiency, redirect the flow of mana from your enemy. All in all it's a suuuper useful skill. And now train!” A small narration and her whisking, long brown hair falls over my face, as Hira seats herself again.

I sigh...

Simply returning to meditation it seems.

I sit cross legged and start connecting to my own flow of mana.

Slight and calming waves of energy, waver around my body. And a cool and relaxing sensation surges into the center of my stomach.

I feel them, thin and gentle streams of blue energy. They have connected and created a network of blueish threads, spreading throughout my whole body.

As far as this goes, it's easy for me. My skill level of mana manipulation allows me to control and see my complete inner structure.

But to actually see the mana around me, Hira told me to focus on something abnormal or at least a slight difference in my inner flow.

“Like hell! How should I know on what to focus... Hira, give me a hint!” I squeal with my eyes closed in a depressed voice

“Hee? Our little genius can't comprehend my super great instruction?” skittishly voicing over me, Hira howls

“pl...please Hira.. I really have no clue how to figure that.” My arms sink depressed to the ground and I pull off the sweetest voice I can manage.

“Hmm, ok. Just a small hint. Try imagining a splitting river within your body and focus on the single threads of mana. There should be something you notice.” my blinking tells me, that Hira bites her lower lip in trial to suppress the urge to cuddle me.

I rashly close my eyes again and focus. The network of blue strings is pulsing and really, they do appear like a river with many twigs. Now it's just to figure the abnormality...

I follow the thin blue lines throughout my body...”Ahh!” I instantly recognize my flaw

I only focused on what already was in my body... how blind have I been, to not notice the strains of blue which are connecting somewhere outside my body.

I follow a single line, which indeed leaves my body. My consciousness turns into a spirit and I manage to slip out of my body. With an astral body, I float in mid air.

How strange to look at oneself.

With a small chuckle I observe my, cross legged sitting, form from above. But the world I see now, consists of a lot more than what the normal eyes could catch.

I pause for a moment, to take in everything I see. All around, within the sheer environment, appears a field of blueish glowing strings.

A fine network, connecting everything. Be it chairs or plants, they all share a bond with those blue energy lines.

This mana field is magnificent...

I enjoy the scenery as much as I can, until I am suddenly pulled back into my own hull of flesh.

Carefully opening my eyes. The normal light, rays of sunshine, flash my vision and somehow my body feels immensely light.

Ping!

A new skill has been acquired: Mana flow lvl 1Is it a Tornado?

Is it a Storm?

Hell NO!

It's a condensed mana vortex! ~crumble, rumble~

Ähem...where's the town gone?

Ever wanted to form brutish mana into something... more brutish?

Good, because with this skill you are able to perform massive area attacks based on pure and intense mana.

Also useful for interrupting enemies spells, by controlling their used mana.

Not a pretty sight to see exploded heads, because you injected more mana than needed...

“Yes finally!” I tilt my head towards Hira and chirp loudly in joy

“No way... don't tell me you already managed to get that skill?” As if in utter disbelief Hira jumps to her feet and inspects the cause of my joy. Obliviously trying to find the cause on my appearance.

“Mn. But this was really something, without your last hint I think it would've taken much longer.” I nod enthusiastically

“Keh... you are really a noble offspring huh? It took me several days to even manifest as an astral spirit. Yet I can tell, that you've just experienced exactly that.

Ah well, at least you stand better chances of winning now. But don't even think of slacking off, we are barely at the start of your training.” showcasing a hellish grin, Hira strokes my head

“What? Noo. And there I was glad that I've just some free time now...” I respond with a dejected nod of my head.

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AN: Hiatus over? Disappointment incoming, nope. I just found some time writing again and maybe with some changes I can return the releases. Firstly I think i'll stick to shorter chaps, like this one here. See you in next chap, may take me a while. I also revoke the promise I made that there'll be a fight in this one... sorry not sorry my health is more important.