"Hey ya Kiddies wake up!" A voice thick with disinterest, and a hint of superiority entered my mind.
"The.. Hell." The words flowing out of my mouth as I snapped out of whatever trance I had been put under.
Recovering my senses, I found myself standing with about fifty random students in what resembled like a small colosseum with dozens of scattered boulders causing the field to look like a war zone.
It was also then that I became aware of the mana dense environment squeezing me from all sides. ‘Is this what a dungeons mana feels like? It was a pleasant suffocation that informed me that I could regen my mana way faster than the outside. With (MD) levels this high, it wasn't any wonder dungeons were the fastest way to improve.
It was as I was pondering over this thought, that the irritating voice from before spoke up again with an attitude that I could only assume came from having too much money, and a pair of parents that didn't give a hoot about what their kid did.
"Look I haven't got all day, I got my own stuff to get to so would you first years do me a favor and grab the academy assigned Vox at the entrance. I'm not allowed to leave until every one of you waste of space is out of here."
The annoyed crowd's attention gathered towards the aggravating voice where they found a lanky man around his early twenties, standing on a tall podium. He wore what I assume would be our uniforms, though there was nothing uniform about it.
With his tie hanging loosely around his neck as well as his chest buttons undone he very much fit the part of a delinquent, but that wasn't even the strangest part. His blazer was covered in so many odd items and hanging charms it gave him an edge I couldn't quite understand. 'Was he crazy? Or just ahead of the times on fashion.'
Despite all this, I couldn’t help but silently laugh at the absurdity of it.
The silent chuckle didn't go unnoticed though as the delinquents head snapped towards my position fast enough for the crack of his neck to create a sickening echo throughout the Colosseum.
'Well shit. Guess he is crazy.' I thought as his gaze locked onto me as the students around my surrounds moved away leaving me in the open.
"Ah, what's so funny Scarfy? Something about me you find amusing?" His unhinged voice causing most the student's around to go rigid. This guy must have been waiting for this. That sadistic look in his eye's as though he were gazing at prey that had walked straight into his mouth. Seems like some of the older students liked to bully the freshmen. Ah school sure never changes.
Now, this is probably the moment when a sane person would say 'No sir, nothing funny at all, no sirree.' And then Mr. Ornament shop would go 'Good.' Satisfied with having established his dominance on the new kids.
However, I've never been one to shy from giving my honest opinion regardless of the trouble it might bring me. Hell, I once called a lady visiting my grandfather a thirsty bitch because she kept trying to make moves on him, despite my and Theo's presence in the room.
Let's just say she never showed up again at our home. Though I'm convinced, she set a murder of crows on me because for an entire month whenever I went outside, it was like a migration was happening. At least I collected enough black feathers to make myself the coolest hat I'd ever owned.
"Hey, shit for brains? Please do tell us all what you found so funny." His voice was casual, yet his eyes revealed an eager anticipation for violence.
Dam got distracted reminiscing, man do I miss that hat.
Returning my attention back to the present I looked around me as the students gazed at me as well. Since they all recognized me from before, I saw all sorts of expressions. The kind ones wore worried, and the brave one's seemed ready to jump to defend me despite the crazy shit I pulled on the surface. It almost warmed my heart.
Well it was too bad these gazes made up for less than 1/5 of the crowd as the rest were either gloating at my misfortune or disinterested in my would happen to me.
Gazing straight at the delinquent I gave him my honest opinion.
"Sorry, buddy had to do a double take after I saw you. You kind of remind me of a Christmas but without all the good qualities. Though you've got the ornaments and prickly feeling down to a tee!"
The silence that followed, to say the least, was terrible. I was sure I'd get a laugh or two, but to my dismay not even a hard breath through ones nose was heard. Only the open mouths of the students brought me some measure of pleasure.
But then as to rescue my wounded pride came a sharp and intense laugh. Yet why was it so close to me?
Coming back face to face with the one who I just insulted I found him laughing with tear's rolling down his eye's.
Maybe this guy wasn't as bad as I made him out to be. The guy could sure take a joke and laugh at it.
The tears and laughter slowly came to a stop, as I saw the man gaze at me with a smile.
I smiled back, the grin easily discernible even with the scarf wrapped around my face. This guy might just not be the trash I thought him to be.
Then it was all ruined with his next few words.
"You have got to be the biggest idiot freshman I've ever seen. Did your parents not tell you? Something everyone should be aware of even before they come here. One of the few things protecting your asses."
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Confusion filled my head. What did he mean? I remembered my grandfather's words, yet I don't think anything warranted this reaction. He did say be careful of the upperclassmen, but I was confident in myself in escaping even if i couldn't win a fight, plus I wasn't going to back off. The man had asked for my opinion, so I gave it.
"Still confused I see, well let me explain to you before I hang you naked and broken at the entrance with your own scarf. We sophomores aren't allowed to pick fights with the freshman, and you wanna know why?" His smile vicious
"Please do tell." I could feel that things were about got very dangerous real fast, but I still antagonized him, yet it had no effect on him as he took on a wickedness that I'd never seen in another person.
Slowly getting closer to me his breathing was rough and as I began to worry about my safety in another fashion.
"First years are nothing more than kittens before even the weakest sophomore, so such action would be bullying. But! Your idiocy gave me all I needed. An insult can be taken as a direct challenge and accepted! That means I get to do whatever I want to you as long as the healers can fix you back up afterward. So please don't break too fast, I don't mind putting some of my plans aside for later if it means I get to vent some of my gathered stress on you."
Yep, this guy was completely crazy. Good thing he already told me about the vox. Time to skedaddle.
"Seems I made you angry, but I only speak the truth!"
Nodding to the students, I made my escape. "Goodbye, everyone, Lesters got things to do!! Yelling these words I activated Haste as I disappeared before everyone's eyes. My target one of the vox's at the entrance and then freedom from this violent delinquent.
Or at least that was the plan before I felt my world turn upside down, and the toast from the morning leave me along with the milk.
I felt as though I were floating, but then a sudden impact into a very hard and painful surface fixed that sensation.
The hell just happened! The world was swirling, and I couldn't feel my left arm. From what I could tell I was partially embedded into one of the boulders around the field of the Coliseum
"That's some remarkable speed for a freshman, too bad it's still manageable and easily interruptible."
This fucker. My good mood was gone because of my apparent carelessness and overestimation of myself. My eyes were starting to gain their focus back as I thought about my current situation.
Pulling myself up from the bolder I activated Rejuvenating Spring and Adaptable focusing on Agility and Vitality as I was going to need both the healing and speed if I wanted to even stand a chance of escaping. My Owl morph was out of the picture though as I'd be even slower with a broken wing.
Rejuvenating Spring- When this is activated a fresh sense of vitality surrounds the area within 10 meters of the user. This does not affect what the user deems as an enemy but will increase the growth rate of plants nearby. Those within this space will feel as though they are experiencing the ideal spring day. This provides Loki with a flat 50 agility, followed by a 10% base increase to agility. A secondary effect of Spring is increasing the user's regeneration of hp, and stamina, by 1% a minute. This stance currently consumes 3% of the user's mana and stamina per minute. Martial Art Tier-Unique
Adaptable- The user is able to move 15% of any stat over to another one, with a max stacking of 4 different stats into one. Forcefully going above this will hurt the user. The user is also able to lower other attribute ranks to increase one. The conversion rate is as follows. For every 2 letter grades, the user takes from an attribute, they can increase another by 1 letter grade, up to the current maximum of A rank. Lastly, the user is able to once a month switch any of his attributes to one he does not currently have, but it starts at F-rank. If he raises it up to C rank the attribute becomes permanent, and the previous attribute will return. More abilities can be unlocked as Adaptable evolves, and improves. Arete Tier-Unique
My arm dangled uselessly to my side both broken and bleeding profusely. Whatever this guy had done, sure did pack a punch. But I could already feel the fire ant bites that Rejuvenating spring gave me when it began its healing.
"To stand up after taking one of my casual hit's is impressive, but I guarantee the next one won't be as gentle."
He laughed not as a human, but as the demon. His facial muscles contorting from the sick pleasure he was finding in my pain.
Man, I really got to get better at watching myself around the crazy people. Next time I insult a someone without all their screws I'm going to have Minor Teleport ready and prepped. As for now, I hope I could survive long enough to cast it. Just five seconds. Can't be too hard even with my mangled limb slowing me down. I hope.
"Here I come, idiot! Don't die on me!" He yelled as kicked up the dust on the ground and instantly appeared before me right hand holding on to one of his many charms and the other glowing a deep ruby red.
If that hit me, they might just have to clean me up with a mop bucket. One ever odd thoughts my brain gave me whenever things were not going my way.
The deadly ruby fist closed in on me, but this time I was ready as barely dodged it even with my current 500 plus agility.
This would have been an excellent time for him to be shocked at my ability to dodge his strike and give me an extra second to gather the space attribute mana I needed, however, life was never so easy.
I'd just barely dodge his attack by escaping to his right when I felt his fingers grab the back of my shirt and then the dread set in
Oh, boy was this going to hurt, I just hope I don't lose consciousness in the middle of Casting Minor teleport. I'd be loosing more than only a few limbs if that happened.
"It's over Scarfy, let this be a lesson about watching your mouth! HAHAHA." The crazed lunatic shouted as I felt his fist connect with my abdominal muscles, tearing them to shreds as well as rupturing some of my organs. Not really sure how I didn't pass out right there and then but just before I felt my consciousness leave me I felt my spell complete.
Despite all the pain, I forced my self to stare at the sick in the head asshole that the academy apparently had decided was sane enough to help new students. I smirked as the blood seeped from my mouth onto my scarf.
Face still painted with an ugly teeth-filled smile the delinquent was about to start beating his fist on my face when he noticed my smile and stopped. Confusing clouding his eyes this time as he felt the mana around begin to react violently.
"Wait? What! The hell is going on!"
".....I'll be...seeing you around Ornam..ent Delinquent. Hehehe. Random...Minor.....Teleport!
Minor Teleport- When Cast the user is able to travel through the fabric of space to close by locations. The Starting distance is a flat 500m at F- Rank with 100m being added after every entire rank up. Casting speed is dependant on intelligence. (Current 5 seconds) There are three options when teleporting. Beacon teleportation allows for the teleportation of already marked locations. Line of sight Teleportation for distances visible to the eye. Random teleportation allows for the teleportation to any location within range, regardless if its safe not. This spell currently consumes 25% of the casters mana pool. Spell Tier-Rare ---- Prefered Attribute- Space.
Everything around me disappeared as I tried my hardest to stay awake.
Then with a splash, I blacked out. Yet again.