Walking in a big corridor filled with students after the lecture, Clay, Xiao, and Kyle walked together.

The cleaned corridor was opened so that a few trucks could drive through, with many large windows reflecting the sunlight from the sun. It really shows off the luxury and amount of money poured to build this academy. Through the windows they could see the other side of the academy filled with students, it was like a maze but with windows.

"Let's go to the training field," Xiao spoke and quickly left without sparring any glances behind him while carrying on his greatsword.

''Is he like that?'' Clay asked the boy beside him.

''Yes,'' Kyle spoke, but Clay swore he heard a deep sigh from him.

They walked towards the training field instead of running in the quiet open corridor. There were many students walking here and there.

Clay glanced at the notes he was holding. It was the most important stuff that happened in the past history that probably will be in the exam.

''You guys over there!'' A sudden feminine shout entered the duo's ears. They looked behind them and saw a short-stature girl running towards them.

Clay widened his eyes a bit. He recognized that girl.

Rina Day

The girl who fought against Xiao in matches yesterday.

"Were you guys with that boy Weng Xiao?" Rina asked while staring between Kyle and Clay.

"Ah, yes? Why you ask?" Clay asked her. Is she trying to have another match against each other? Actually, if so it might be good because Weng Xiao seemed to be the type to love battles.

"Good, where did he go?" Rina asked staring at Clay, completely ignoring Kyle even though he might not care a single bit.

"He went to the training field just a second ago." Clay honestly replied he didn't see anything bad regarding that.

Rina widened her eyes and angrily muttered to herself. "Why didn't I think about that!"

She quickly ran away without saying anything.

"For some weird reason, I felt like I betrayed Xiao just now," Clay muttered to himself staring at the running Rina. He looked beside him at Kyle and saw him also staring at Rina.

"...Same," Kyle muttered.

Rina suddenly stopped and looked back, before shouting. "Thank you, katana-boy!"

"Huh, am I famous now?" Clay asked himself. She must have seen the replays of him and Mark fighting it out. "...Kyle, Am I famous?" Clay hesitated and asked.

"Yes, that replay was one of the most viewed videos of the hundreds of matches replays," Kyle spoke and started tapping on his watch. "Look." He tapped the screen on the watch, visualizing a holographic picture of his battle.

"It has around 400 views, that is a lot compared to others."

"Is it because of Mark?"

"No, it's because you almost won against someone much higher ranked than you."

"Oh." Clay understood. It's very rare for someone to put up a fight against someone higher ranked than you.

"...You gotta be more confident Clay." Kyle suddenly spoke.

Clay who heard it, awkwardly answered while lightly scratching his hair. "I'll try."

'I'll try… yeah, let's do that' Clay positively thought.

Talking about Mark, he really wondered what happened to him. He remembered seeing Mark quickly leave after the class.

***

Arriving at the training field after a few minutes of walking, they looked for Xiao and Rina. Luckily they found them rather quickly because they were sparring.

There were a lot of noises and talks going on between the students, or now spectators. The duo found a good spot rather quickly so they could spectate the sparring.

Standing surrounded by tens of students were two people. Rina Day and Weng Xiao.

But Rina's current condition did not look good, compared to the heavily breathing Weng Xiao.

"Huff. Huff. I got you!" Xiao shouted while pointing at the lying Rina.

"YOU—" Rina gnarled and pointed her finger at Weng Xiao.

"It's because of your trick in the first match that you won. Now when I know your tricks I can easily win."

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"Don't get too cocky, tricks are also skilled muscle-head." Rina mocked.

"What did you say?" Xiao's previously friendly expression changed. He picked up the greatsword impaled on the ground.

His entire aura changed from your 'bro' to someone who has fought many battles.

"He is a dual-personality type of guy." Kyle suddenly spoke.

Clay nodded his head. "You're right."

—Step

–Step

Xiao slowly walked towards Rina with his greatsword against his right shoulder.

Rina gulped seeing this sight. "Yes, yes! You won mus– Muscle King! I SURRENDER."

Xiao stopped his movements and nodded his head. "Good, at least you're not brain-dead and couldn't understand your situation." He walked away leaving the short girl grumbling alone.

"Ho?" Xiao saw two familiar silhouettes in the crowd and walked towards them.

"Sup my friends." Xiao greeted his two friends.

"Hey." Clay and Kyle greeted back.

"Did you see my match against that Rina girl?"

"No, we just came," Clay responded.

"Yikes, but it was a quick one so it's understandable.." Xiao nodded his head like he understood what happened, before speaking again. "Well now that's done, let's practice."

They walked away, while the crowd also dispersed because the fight was now over. A few students also went to talk with Xiao because if they became friends with him maybe their time at the academy will be easier.

But Xiao shooed everyone away, he didn't like those types of people. The type to use others for their own benefit.

''Clay, I have been wondering. Why do you use a katana for your ice magic? Don't you think the combination is a bit odd?'' Xiao asked Clay while they walked across the field trying to find an empty spot.

''...My dad also uses a katana, and liked the katana.'' Clay awkwardly answered while touching the handle of the katana tied to his belt.

''True, you should always do the things you like..'' Xiao responded that was hinting at something else. Kyle nodded his head even though no one was looking at him.

Kyle spoke. "I'll go practice with my weapon." He walked a bit further away from the others, but enough for each other to see with the naked eye. He took out something that looked like a small knife.

"...Dagger," Clay muttered seeing Kyle's weapon. He hasn't seen it because he always keeps it inside his Storage Ring, as well he hasn't seen the replays of Kyle's match.

"That's right, maybe you haven't seen the replays I sent, but Kyle uses a dagger. Perfect for choosing an Assasin-type class." Xiao nodded his head and spoke.

Classes. They are

Arriving at a quiet open space, with only a few students around. Xiao walked a bit steps away from Clay, around twenty to thirty meters or so.

''Here. Let's train here. Use your Clay.'' Xiao spoke while grabbing the handle of his greatsword with both hands.

Bang!

Xiao without any warning boosted himself from the ground, granting him to narrow the distance in mere seconds.

Clay quickly unsheathed his katana, while at the same using his skill-

''...Wait for a second.'' Clay's movements halted quickly. Xiao surprised and flustered quickly halted his feet.

He sheathed his katana back into the sheath and shouted while unsheathing his katana. ''GLACIAL SLICE!''

Xiao was blankly staring at Clay with a blank expression. His mouth was slightly curved up, he was looking to have fun. Kyle and the other nearby students also looked over at this crazy boy.

Clay muttered to himself;

''Status Window''

[Name: Clay Crest

Age: 16

Rank: G

Class: None

Titles: None

Vitality: G / Strength: G / Agility: G+ / Stamina: G / Mana: F

Skills: Ice Shard]

Clay intently stared at his window, but he was surprised to see his current status window which has changed a lot over the past sixteen years. Because the status window rarely updates his ranks it created a habit of him rarely looking at his own window. From what he can see, his combat rank has increased from grade to , and a few of his attributes also increased by one rank. But the thing that made him greatly confused was that there wasn't any skill named

He swear he remembered using that instant type of skill during his battle against Mark. Maybe he was a one-time use or something that had to do with that so-called Coldess State.

''Clay, what happened?'' Xiao walked towards him and asked while trying to hide the smile on his face.

''...Eh, why are you laughing.'' Clay looked at the approaching smiling Xiao and asked.

''Oh, nothing...'' Xiao feinted ignorance and answered, Kyle was also seen approaching as well.

''Why did you scream,'' Kyle asked while looking at Clay.

''...Oh.'' Now he realized what he had done.

***

Lying on a large black coach was a blonde-haired boy, he looked quite handsome that many young girls would fall in first sight. The sunlight that passed through the windows illuminated his sleeping face.

His name was Mark Atlas.

He just finished a history class, but instead of training like he usually does, he went straight to his dormitory.

But his current condition was far from normal.

"!!!" He was visibly shivering and shaking, adding the dark circles under his eyes made him look like someone who hadn't slept for days.

"NO!" He screamed like he saw death itself. He widely opened his eyes.

"Huff. Huff…" He breathed in and out. He had a nightmare, about someone who he mocked.

Clay Crest.

He first heard that name from Beatrice, his girlfriend. She used to talk badly about him like he was too emotional and innocent, but she was using him for his intelligence, faking their relationship as girlfriend–boyfriend.

Two days ago he heard that she broke up because his talent was at a mere grade compared to his grade. He would laugh at the poor pitful boy.

This is how life works!

But that very same boy… Mark tightly clenched his fists. That very same boy almost defeated him! And those eyes, those cold inhumane eyes.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he would remember that event that sent shivers down his spine. Those ice-cold eyes appear whenever he sleeps, making him wake up the next second.

He knew that it was his thoughts that overamplified his fears because he wasn't that scared, or maybe he was.

It was luck that he managed to suppress his fear, maybe it didn't. He would've lost the match against a freaking grade!

Mark gritted his teeth. He didn't know his emotions anymore. Is he? The successor of the Atlas Family, one of the top 20 families scared of a fucking nobody?!

"I'll show him…" Mark muttered through his grinding teeth. He remembered hearing from his lackeys that they tried to kick Clay from the academy, but it failed due to the presence of the Weng Clan's student.

If that doesn't work. He might have to play the hard game…