Sitting on Lilac’s bunk. Svetlana entered a boys room for the first time in her life, though it was barrack number 103 rather than a boy's room. Thump, thump, thump was the sound that came from her heart as she was looking around, observing the barrack as she’d just seen the seven wonders of the world. "Oh my, I really want to try sleeping in a room like this." Said Svetlana.
Tilting her head, wondering about the meaning of her word. "So your room is different?" Asked Lilac.
Closing her eyes, Svetlana nodded and she explained the difference between her room and Lilac. For the starter, the door in Svetlana room had a password and her room was round. It consisted of one living room, full of squashy armchairs and five bedrooms, with a private bathroom for each and it was only for a girl.
Lilac could only bite her thumb when she heard Svetlana described her or more likely the room for nobles that gave a big 'donation' to the Academy. "No fair. Life isn't fair." Lilac said darkly.
Meanwhile, already finished washing his uniform. John came out of the boy's bathroom, walked to his bunk and hung his wet uniform on the hanger plastered on the wall near on his bed. Hoping it would dry before tomorrow came. And another notification came in.
Follower has been increased by 2.
+1 Agility, +1 Strength
Favourite has been increased by 1.
You have gained a new skill. Air Step Lvl 1.
Air Step Lvl 1: The caster can tramp on air as if jumping on solid ground. Duration: Skill Level x 10 minutes or Skill Level x Agility amount of times, whichever comes first. Energy: 20.
Somehow, John already used to the sudden notification. Indeed he was grateful but it would be better if he got a skill that could make a muscle ache disappeared.
And I need to do this for the rest of the year. John thought with a big sigh and protesting in his mind wasn't gonna make things changed either. In the end, John took his dagger and the weapon letter.
Near the door, Lilac was still biting her thumb as Svetlana now told her about what she ate for today breakfast: bagel and croissant, hotcake with cold fresh fruit and salad, egg benedict and boiled chicken breast. "Lilac, I'm done." Said John, cutting off their conversation.
Noticing him, Lilac grabbed her bow and ended her conversation with Svetlana. "Then to the weaponry we go!" Shouted Lilac.
As they walked to the weaponry, John was wondering why Svetlana didn't go to prepare her own equipment. After twenty or so minutes he arrived at the large iron building. Unlike the rest, it had simple rectangular shaped without any roof, there were several large iron doors located on each side of the building, three if John counted right.
Once he entered the building, the trainees were swarming around across the room. In the middle of the room were the thousands of weapons, shields, armours and colourful ball of Orbz placed. A couple of green uniform workers and dozen of senior trainees were moving back and forth, stamping the letter and trading it with the equipment.
After spending roughly ten minutes waiting in the line, they finally arrived at the front of the desk. The senior trainee only gave him a catalogue, a pen and a paper. "Fill in the form." Said the senior trainee as he moved to the next person and repeated the same sentence over and over again.
As John opened the catalogue, he had no other choice but to force himself to keep looking straight into those unknown codes and equipment description. CHD-124 30cm. 5.5mm thickness dagger made from Fuciom with Blood Cursing Orbz, DSK-462 137cm 37kg draw weight recurve bow made from Owlgriffon's horn with Conjure Arrow Orbz, NBA-369 68cm twin dagger made from Wyrmling's fang with Magnetize Orbz. RTN-Type 3 Helmet made from giant lizard skin.
What made from what with a what? John glanced at Lilac, who looked as overwhelmed as he was. "Hurry up and place your order!" Said the senior trainee.
Does he expect me to understand those number? John thought.
But from their back, Svetlana was clearing her throat and sticking her head in. "Let me help." She said. "So, John is proficient with a dagger, right? are you right handed or left handed? and Lilac with a bow right? how much of a draw weight you can pull?"
After asking that Svetlana skimmed through the pages. "And is there a type of Orbz do you guys want?" Didn't even have the chance to reply, with a confident face she continued. "I believe those are the best equipment for you guys, but it the problem is the maintenance huh, not too mention the fashion."
Svetlana continued to point to several other things and briefly explained what they made from, their durability, their weakness and resistance and et cetera. "Fufu~ how about this set? It is made from Cold Iron ah! But John seems to be a speedy one." And she seemed to really enjoy herself right now.
She measured John's finger, wrists, hands, arms. Shifting to Lilac to measure her height, shoulder width. And moving back to John. All of this happened less than a minute until the senior trainee cleared his throat and snarled at them. "C'mon! the line is still long."
Scratching her head, Svetlana only laughed and told both of John and Lilac what piece of equipment they should take.
Writing it down and handing it over to the senior trainee. While grumbling he walked to the left and right, gathering pieces of their order one by one and two minute later he went back, giving John and Lilac their equipment, took their paper and stamping it down. "Next!" The senior trainee shouted.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Moving to the outside, with ten minutes left before the Combat Simulation began, they rushed to eat their lunch but this time Svetlana joined them in the cafeteria. As they ate crackers, tortilla cheese, spinach mushroom with banana. With the crackers crumb from the corner of her mouth, Svetlana sorted each one of their equipment and explained how to do the maintenance, how to not break it down and many more.
For John, he got a 33cm long and 5.5mm thick jet black obsidian dagger with orangeish Blade Lash Orbz located on the handle, bluish black vest with several pockets to hold eight throwing knives, gauntlets, and footwear all made from eel hide.
For Lilac, she got a 132cm bow with 31kg draw weight. Its colour was light grey, made from a whipwood with Wind Arrow Orbz located on the nocking point, dark jade coloured chest guard and arm guard covered her right chest and arm made from darkleaf cloth. And the black gauntlet on her left hand, boots and black quiver all made from vulcanized rubber.
It wasn't like John needed the Obrz. Unlike skill, Orbz could only be used for a limited amount of time before it broke. There was a permanent Orbz but the price was something John couldn't afford even if he already sold both of his kidneys on the black market.
And with another horn sound, they finished their lunched and hurried back to the training ground.
The weather was clear, no cloud to cover them from the bright sun. The sun itself felt it was laughing while watching hundreds of kids circling around the round arena, sweat fell to the soil, turning it into a mud. "Red side win!"
Already separated from both of Lilac and Svetlana, right now John was watching forty members of his squadron fighting against the squadron from Knight program. "Red side win!"
Everyone hand was moving, scribbling the pen and writing the battle evaluation, how they moved, why they won, why they lose, on what moment the combat was decided. "Red side win!"
At first, everyone brimmed with eagerness but tries to act cool. They spread out, forming a circle, and watching the combat with excitement, chatter turned into a shout, they gritted their teeth, clenched their hand, couldn't wait for their turn. "Red side win!"
But after a few fights, the chatter from John's squadron slowly died and soon they turned silent. They realized they didn't have a single chance to fight against those Knight. Most likely it was the clumsiness that appeared from the muscle aches on their body, thanks to their mentor, Roshan. "Red side win!"
"You! Get over there!" Said Roshan, pointing to John.
John stepped in, and from the other side, his opponent followed him. He wore metal suit comprised multiple pieces of interconnected and overlaying metal plates, clink clank was the sound he created everytime he moved his body. His right hand brought a morning star and his left hand brought a shield.
"Begin!" Shouted the referee. Immediately John used Agility Up and Foresight. There was no single red line or cone or circle coming out from his opponent.
"Oh..." John muttered after knowing his opponent wouldn't make any attack. He only raised his shield to cover his body and clenched on his morningstar without making a single move.
Now how should I do this?
Both of Enchant Poison and Touch of Darkness wouldn't work if he didn't touch his body. Pop and Air Step was out of the question so it was either Cloaking, Shrapnel Burst, Arcana Strike or Blade Lash. But John didn't even unsheathed his dagger and immediately crouched on all four.
What is he doing? was the collective thought of everyone that could see him right now. Including his opponent.
After taking a deep breath, John clenched his fist and dashed to his opponent.
Surprised by John sudden action, but still managed to react and think John was just desperate when he noticed he couldn't penetrate his armour. Thinking the man in front of him was nothing but a big fool to ran straight at his opponent without a single weapon or protection. Below his iron helmet, his lips curled into a big smile. He faithfully waited for John to enter his attack range. Just as he felt John couldn't escape with the way he did his run, he swung his morning star, directing it right at John's face.
But John already reduced his speed when he saw the red line making a cone right in front of his opponent. And the pay off was clear as John completely stopped on the outside of the red line, didn't even bother to close his eyes when he watched the morning star swung right at in front of his face, hitting nothing but the air.
Seeing his opponent lose his balance, without wasting any second John opened his clenched palm and threw the dirt into his opponent visored helmet.
The dirt entered his vision hole, covered his eyes and blinded him. In reflex, he was trying to wipe the dirt from his eye but got blocked by his own helmet.
Completely open for an attack, John thrust his leg into his opponent's shield, pushing the shield to shoved his own body and throwing his balance off. John followed by choking his opponent's neck, took his old dagger, and pointed it right at the hole in the opponent visored helmet.
"Blue side win!" Shouted the referee.
Letting the sigh of relief out, John sheathed back his dagger and letting his hand off from his opponent neck. There were few other ways for him to finish the battle rather than using Foresight and dirty move though.
First, he could use Air Step to do manoeuvre on the air, grabbed his opponent neck and used the momentum to throw him off the balance. But, the muscle ache alongside with he never to actually try that was some of the factors that made him scratched the first plan.
The second method was immediately used Shrapnel Burst, hoping it was enough to knock him out. But being surrounded by numerous amount of trainees made him hesitant to use that.
Shrapnel Burst Lvl 1: A shard of metal appears in an instant, flying about and violently burst into 4 x Magic amount of shards when making a contact with an object. Shard Damage(Initial: Equal to magic, Burst: Equal to Skill level.) Energy Cost: 25.
Not only the fact he didn't know the shrapnel direction, but he also didn't know how far the shrapnel would go.
The third one was to use Arcana Strike and Blade Lash to do a normal combat, but why bothered to do that if he had more simplest and safe way?
But before his squadron had a chance to cheer for their first win, the first thing John could hear was a deafening loud shout from his salty opponent.
"THAT'S A COWARD MOVE!" Said the opponent, opening his helmet and throwing it away. Showing off his dirt covered eyes and face. "Fight me one more time!"
John casually ignored the guy's request and didn't even bother to stop or turn his head. "Oi! where's your honour?" the guy shouted through his clenched his.
But the one that replied to him was the referee, or more likely the knight's group mentor. "Honour?" He snorted. "Honour will not save your ass when you're fighting the criminal, brat. Now just stop acting like a spoiled brat and just be grateful you learn this on the Academy rather than in a real life."
In the end, they ended the day with only four wins coming out from Extermination Squadron number 23.