Virdjana's POV
Habang abala pa ang lahat sa kaniya-kaniya nilang plano ay napagpasiyahan kong lumabas na ng classroom, lalong hindi ako komportable dahil malinaw na malinaw pa rin sa memorya ko ang sinabi ko noong isang araw sa harap ng mga kaibigan ni Drago.
I should have known better than to share my opinion about the fuss about Ruby's personal problem.
'Vi, someone is following you.' a ping to my mind pulled me back to reality.
May sumusunod sa akin? Sinadya kong hindi lumingon para hindi mahalata nang kung sino man na bumubuntot sa akin na alam kong sinusundan niya ako.
Could it be someone like Ruby's gang? Alam ko namang dalawang linggo pa lang naman ang itinatagal ko sa prestihiyosong paaralang ito, kung may makakilala man sa akin, nasisiguro kong mapapatalsik ako sa lugar na ito. Sinusundan ba niya ako para ibunyag sa nakararami ang mga gawi ko noon.
"Tch." Hindi ako papayag na mangyari iyon, huwag muna. Hindi ko man ipinapakita pero interesado akong magbagong-buhay sa loob ng paaralang ito.
"Come out." I stated.
Katahimikan lamang ang nagsilbing tugon sa aking pahayag. Naririnig ko ang kalmado niyang paghinga, naririnig kong sinusubukan niya ang lahat ng makakaya niya upang hindi ko maramdaman ang kaniyang presensya.
Whoever this person is, he or she is not very good with suppressing their aura or rather, his or her power is too strong for this individual to completely store it away. I stayed alert. I guess given the fact that most students here came from rich families, they were not afraid to start fights since they have people to back them up.
"Come out or I'll come to you." I told the individual, loud enough so that he or she would be able to hear me.
Ang mga silid-aralan sa Arcacia Academy at mga gusaling may kaugnayan sa paghubog ng mga kakayahan ng mga estudyante ay nakatayo sa gitnang bahagi ng kabuoan.
Ang Hilaga ay isang kagubatang tinitirhan ng mga mahihiwagang nilalang. Ang Timog ay ang back gate ng paaralan na konektado sa iba-ibang daan palabas ng paaralan at bayan, ito rin ang daan na tinatahak ng mga estudyanteng di-ne-deploy sa mga mission upang hindi maging kapansin-pansin sa mga mamamayan ng Arcacia.
Samantalan ang Hilagang-silangang bahagi ay lugar ng mga importanteng opisina, dalawang kilometro mula dito ay ang Arcacia Town Square. Sa Kanluran naman ang front gate kung saan isang abalang siyudad ang babati sa iyo sa pagtapak mo sa labas.
Kinabisado ko na ang mapa ng paaralang ito, dahil hindi ako iyong tipong papayag na magmukhang-tanga at walang-alam sa mundong bago sa akin.
Lingid sa kaalaman ng stalker ko, sinadya ko talaga siyang dalhin sa likod ng gusaling ito, Building 623 - isang sikat at tagong bahagi ng paaralan kung saan nagaganap ang mga away at labanan.
"There you are." I smirked when the individual finally revealed himself.
Looking at his uniform, I could say that he came from the Mastery Department. According to Reggie, those who came from the Mastery Department were graduates of the academy preparing themselves for the final stage that will decide whether they would qualify on their preferred jobs.
"What do you need?" I questioned as I drop my sling bag on the grassy ground.
Although even though he choose to not tell me what his purpose was, bringing him here meant that I was looking forward to fight him. This could get ugly any minute now.
"You're still a newbie to our eyes. If you can't survive the consequences of studying in this academy for more than three months, I'm sure you'd volunteer to leave Arcacia yourself." he spoke using the Arcane language. "According to my intel, you're from the plain village of Physicia, weaklings like you should bow down to us superior element users."
"That doesn't answer my question though." I mused as I tilt my head to the right with a wry smile.
He furrowed his brows.
'Oho? Mukhang magiging masaya ang hapong ito ah, at sinabi niya bang our- nangangahulugang marami sila?' sa isip-isip ko lang.
Unfortunately, I cannot fight him seriously, because being a member of the Enchanted Elites prevents me from starting a fight.
President Zeky reminded me that we are supposed to be the ones breaking up fights, and not starting them.
I smirked at that idea. 'Come at me then. Have a taste of pain.'
Ang malaking katanungan na lang ngayon ay kung paano ko sila paaatrasin ng hindi naisasangkot ang sarili ko sa gulo.
"Alam kong hindi ka mag-isa, kaya itigil niyo na ang pagtatago at pagiging mga duwag." pahayag ko habang nakalagay ang isang kamay sa aking beywang.
'Tch, paano niya nalamang mayroon pang ibang tao sa paligid?' sabi nitong lalake sa kaniyang isipan.
"Curious about my ability?" I questioned by whispering to his right ear.
"Ah?! Paanong? Nakatayo ka kanina doon! Gahhhh...hhh..." gulat nitong reaksiyon bago agad na tumalon ng dalawang beses paatras sa akin, sapat para hindi ko na magamit pa ang aking mind-reading ability.
"Boss? May ginawa ba siya sayo?!" sigaw ng isang boses mula sa isang kumpol ng halaman.
"Huwag kayong magpapakita! Sunggaban ninyo siya sa senyas ko." naaasar na baling nito sa kaniyang mga kasamahan. "Sinong nakakita nang ginawa niya? Sino?!"
Sunggaban? Mukhang planado ang bagay na ito, wala naman sanang problema kung patutumbahin ko agad sila, ngunit may bumabagabag sa akin mula pa kanina. Nararamdaman kong may nanonood sa nangyayari.
"Bigla siyang naglaho boss. Isang abilidad lang naman ang mayroon sa mga Restovakians, mayroon tayong data ng kahinaan ng mga abilidad, kailangan lang nating malaman." sagot naman ng boses na nanggagaling sa likuran ko.
"Tanga ka ba? Kaya nga nagtatanong ako sa inyo! Andito ako para-i-distract siya habang sinusubukan ninyong alamin ang abilidad ng babaeng ito!" galit na pahayag ng pinuno kasabay ng pagturo nito sa kinatatayuan ko.
"That won't do. Allow me to offer you a deal." I told them while beginning to walk back to the location where I dropped my bag.
'There are five of them, two had already given out their positions by responding to their leader and the leader counts as the third individual.' I contemplated as to how can I possibly lure out all of them at once, since it would be hard to deal with them when I have no idea what they can do.
But it would not really matter, because it will all depend on how skilled they are and how versatile they are during combats. "You have three chances to guess my ability. When you run out of chances, I'm leaving." I stated while raising three fingers.
Nagkaroon muna nang panandaliang katahimikan bago sila nagsimulang magtawanan. 'That's four.' I thought to myself, recognizing an additional new voice to his gang, so I was left wondering where the fifth person was hiding at.
"At sa palagay mo ba ay papayag na lang kami ng ganoon-ganoon na lang?" maangas na tanong sa akin ng kanilang pinuno na halatang naghahanda nang umatake ano mang oras niya gustuhin.
"Of course, after all, you're the one at disadvantage here." I mused with a sardonic chuckle after.
Nagsimula na itong sumugod patungo sa akin, nakasara ang dalawa niyang kamaong nag-umpisang mabalot ng aura, at kung tama ang hula ko ay isa siyang close combatant.
"Magsisisi kang dito ka nag-aaral pulubi ng angkan ng Restovakia!" nakangiti nitong pahayag saka nag-paulan nang mga suntok papunta sa akin.
Easy. I can dodge anywhere or so I thought.
"Feins! Venti!" he shouted out of nowhere.
What followed was the rustling of the shrubs on my left and right, but there were no humans in sight, and instead there were vines that wrapped around my limbs to prevent me from escaping the incoming flurry of punches from their leader.
"Veniceums?!" I thought out loud.
Ang angkan ng Veniceum ay ang mga taong may kakayahang kontrolin ang mga kapangyarihang konektado sa daigdig at lupa kagaya ng nature, wood, mud, o clay. Alam kong napakaraming mga spells ang maaaring magamit ng mga Veniceum kagaya na rin ng iba pang mga angkan, pero magkakaiba ang resulta ng kanilang kakayahan sa oras na iginugol nila sa pagsasanay.
"That's right, Veniceums and I'm from Blaze making me a Karthalia! I will burn your insides! BWAHAHAHAHA!" sabi ng pinuno nila.
"You...," a chuckle escaped my lips, "you made the first move."
"Huh?" naguguluhan nitong reaksiyon.
"Prepare to beg for your lives." I stated.
I opened my palms before balling them into fists, and with sheer physical strength I pulled both people that casted the vine spell out of the bushes causing them to bump on each other's head.
"Free at last." I uttered while dusting both of my hands.
"Not unless I incinerate you first!" growled their leader.
He began releasing punches towards me, and I knew I had to dodge if I do not want to experience a third-degree burn of my skin - that kind of heat could also penetrate the bones. Luckily, I am faster in terms of speed, given that I'm lighter compared to this man.
I summersaulted backwards, giving us both a three-meter gap from one another. "B-Boss, what should we do. She's only dodging." remarked one of the Veniceums.
"Kailangan lang natin siya pilitang gamitin ang abilidad niya. Incineration: 2nd gear!" their boss enchanted.
"Tch, Aura Sensos." I whispered under my breath, concentrating my mana towards my eyes to be able to gauge his mana level. It has gotten stronger, one hit from that to my stomach would be enough to kill me.
But would they really kill students within this academy? How could the teachers allow this kind of thing? I've seen horrid things done outside of this school, but inside? This is controversial.
"Warren, Kulpa!"
I was too busy dodging and moving backwards that I forgot the fact that there are five of them here.
"Light Acupuncture!" a voice said from behind me.
Tch, I can't dodge!
Ruby's POV
Man, she walks fast. Where did that woman go?
"Ruby, are you seriously gonna go after that nobody?" asked Laylah. "She brings nothing, but t-r-o-u-b-l-e." Laylah added before spitting her chewing gum directly into a garbage bin.
"Don't you forget that, that title is only for us Trouble Makers and not for her, but Virdjana is my friend now. If only you were there when she defended me a week ago." I told her with a proud smile.
"You mean like two weeks ago during our gang fight with Fanna." she says, folding her arms in front of her chests in the process.
"Not that, it happened in the cafeteria." I told her.
As we began to move forward while looking around, I was continuously sending sound waves around so that I would be able to track Virdjana down in case her voice reverberates back to me, it's an Echo Spell.
"Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me, na nagkaroon ng gang fight sa cafeteria involving you and Miss Nobody? Bakit hindi ko ito nabalitaan? Hindi sana ay tinawagan ko ang iba pa nating kagrupo nang masiguradong naupakan iyong mga kalaban." pahayag nito kasabay ng pagsiklab ng aura niya.
"It's not a gang fight. It was personal." I responded.
Natahimik na siya nang marinig ang sagot ko, naguluhan na siguro, palibhasa ay hindi naman ako nagkukuwento ng personal kong buhay sa mga gangmates ko.
"Sigurado ka bang hindi pa rin tayo napapansin?" sabi ng isang boses mga 40 metro ang layo mula sa kinatatayuan namin ni Laylah.
"Laylah, hinto." bulong ko sa kasamahan ko sabay turo sa unahan namin.
Nakuha niya naman ang senyas ko at agad kaming nagtago sa likod ng pinakalamalapit na puno sa tabi ng sidewalks. Nagpatuloy ako sa pakikinig sa nangyayaring usapan, at pagkanaka-naka'y ikinukuwento ko ito kay Laylah.
"Ano pa bang inaasahan mo sa isang Restovakian? Mababa ang posibilidad na may abilidad siyang matunton tayo. Huwag ka na ngang magtanong at sundin na lang natin ang plano."
"Boss, patungo siya sa 623, sa 623 boss! Hindi kaya inaaya niya tayo sa isang laban?"
"Hah. Iniimbitahan niya lang ang nalalapit niyang pagkatalo."
Lumabas na kami sa pinagtataguan namin nang parehong may malawak na ngiti sa mga labi. "Gang fights." bigkas namin ni Laylah ng sabay.
"Ano? Tawagin ko na bang iyong iba pa nating kasama sa Trouble Makers?" tanong sa akin ni Laylah.
"I don't think this fight needs the others. This is about Virdjana and not about Trouble Makers." saad ko.
"Meaning?" tanong naman ni Laylah habang naka-angat ang isang kilay.
"Meaning we should be here to help her because we want to and not because other gangs came to challenge our names as TMs." I explained.
"Goodness Ru! Kailan ka pa naging good samaritan? Pansin ko lang ah, lumalambot ugali mo kapag iyong babaeng iyon ang usapan?" hindi-makapaniwalang sabi ni Laylah habang naka-facepalm.
"We'd still be fighting and punching though, so are you in or out?" I asked her.
"You know my answer to that already." Laylah responded.
Virdjana's POV
"Light Acupuncture!" a voice said from behind me.
And when I thought that the attack was aimed to me, the attack swerved to the right hitting the boss instead and paralyzing him on the spot. I looked behind me only to see my classmates Ruby and Laylah with smirks on their faces.
"Just in time! Great timing Laylah!" cheered Ruby while giving her gangmate a fist bump.
"What the hell? Sino ba kayong mga pakialamero kayo?" asar na pahayag ng Boss na kumakalaban sa akin.
"I'm Ruby and this is my friend Laylah. Tandaan mo ang mga pangalan namin ha." ngiting-asar ni Ruby sa lalake.
"Why are you here Ruby?" I asked, walking back to the spot where I dropped my bag, picking it up in the process.
"Nakita namin na sinusundan ka ng mga iyon. Siyempre, hindi ako papayag na saktan nila ang bestfriend ko." sagot ni Ruby.
"A-ano?" natahimik ako ng ilang segundo bago nagpakawala ng mahinang buntong-hininga, "I can take care of it on my own though." I added, looking away from her.
"Seryoso ka? Kung hindi kami dumating ay hindi lang tatlo ang makakalaban mo kung hindi lima, pasalamat ka at itinumba na namin sila bago ka nila atakihin mula sa likuran." pahayag ni Laylah.
Pagkatapos nang sinabi ni Laylah ay saka lang ako tumingin sa paligid para muling gamitin ang Aura Sensos ko. Doon ko nakumpirma na talagang knocked out na ang dalawa pa sanang kasamahan nitong lalake malapit sa bushes sa likuran ko kanina.
Aaminin kong hindi ko naramdaman ang pagdating nina Ruby and Laylah, at siguro ay dahil na rin iyon sa katotohanang bahagi sila ng S-Class. They may have skills they acquired that doesn't need the use of words to activate.
[Arcacia Academy Park]
"They probably attacked you because they learned that you're a Restovakian." stated Ruby as she rolls her eyes.
"Jerks like them are everywhere in the academy, the only way to survive is by being stronger than them." sabi naman ni Laylah.
"Don't state the obvious." pambabara naman ni Ruby.
"It was not obvious, apparently! Unless you can use that advanced spell called Aura Sensos." retorted Laylah.
I was silent for a while, pondering if I should thank them or not, because even I know that without their help I could have left the 'battlefield' unbruised.
"But like she said, she could have taken care of the enemies alone right?" said Laylah while leaning forward with both her hands on her waist towards me.
"Laylah what are you doing?" asked Ruby, who was obviously uncomfortable with how her gangmate was acting like.
"In fact, you were even holding back on them. It was the same situation when you fought our five-member group TM in this very same place, behind Building 623. You're strong and you know it right? But that's not what bothers me, what bothers me was the fact that you're not showing everyone their places." Laylah rattled out, before taking a deep breath and continuing.
"A-And you know what? That's hella scary. Someone strong who can topple others in a flash is scarier than those who proclaim their strength while having egotistical ideals such as gaining all possible wealth or taking over the world. That led me to wonder what the Masters are even thinking by bringing you from outside to here!" the Light Enchant added.
"Laylah, stop, you're making her uncomfortable." remarked Ruby, placing a hand on Laylah's shoulder, and gripping on it lightly.
"It's fine. Let her finish." I told Ruby.
"Thank you!" she snaps a finger in front of her gang leader, before giving her attention back to me," I might as well guess that you're Enchanted Elite status is not the reason why you're holding back, since the whole class saw how you're not the type to back down from fights. Tell me Virdjana Phantom Assassin, what are you getting wary for?"
This girl can read people in a flash. I assumed that the students in S-Class were simply show-offs ranked based on their raw magical powers, but perhaps qualities like being perceptive is also part of the criteria.
"Your a straightforward person huh? Interesting." I chuckled.
That was all that left my mouth could muster as I start to process all of what Laylah said. At least I learned that both Ruby and Laylah are loud.
Laylah Schnider, isang Light Enchant na nakakuha ng kulay dilaw na kapa nang nakaraang Coat Declaration. Ayon kay Professor Edric, ang mga maaaring future career niya ay Striker at Military, ibigsabihin lamang nito ay isa rin siya sa mga talentadong estudyante sa paaralang ito.
Sa ngayon, tanging mga basic na impormasyon lamang ang alam ko tungkol sa kaniya, ngunit ang mas interesanteng bagay ay ang katotohanang pamilyar ang features niya sa akin.
"Schnider." sabi ko.
"What?" paglingon ni Laylah sa akin.
"What's your connection with Chief City Guard Emma Schnider?" bigla kong naitanong nang maalala kong iyon ang buong pangalan ng Chief Guard na palaging humahabol at humuhuli sa akin ilang taon na ang nakalilipas.
Nang mabanggit ko ang pangalan ni Chief Officer Emma ay mukhang pinagpawisan siya nang kaunti, at sa totoo lang ay nagbago ang buong ekspresiyon niya sa mukha.
"Laylah is the granddaughter of Emma Schnider, Virdjana." saad ni Ruby.
"Bakit mo sinabi Ru?! Now, she'll learn about the fact that my grandmother ordered me to let the academy know about this woman's criminal activities." Laylah sneered.
"Anong sinasabi mo? Ikaw mismo ang nagbunyag ng sarili mong agenda." nagtatakang sabi ni Ruby.
"Teka, criminal activities?!" gulat na gulat na sigaw ni Ruby.
I thought I already dodged a bullet by not answering Laylah earlier, looks like things took a turn for the worse. This is alright though, I've managed to get out of this whole criminal scenario before, except that one last time with Nueva.
I decided to tell them about my past as a thief, not as Silent Thief though, and added a sprinkle of a heart-wrenching drama.
"S-seryoso? Promise hindi ako umiiyakkkk. Lumaki kang wala na ang mga magulang mo kaya napilitan kang magnakaw para may makain sa pang-araw-araw? Wahhhh." pahayag ni Ruby.
"And through all that, you became acquainted with my grandmother that kept on running after you and had placed you behind jail 445 times?!" cried Laylah while blowing on her handkerchief.
"I didn't say that exact number of times though- Stop exaggerating," I whispered under my breath.
"Don't worry. Hindi ko na susundin ang utos ng grandma ko, your life is so sad." conyo pa nitong sabi.
'Well, that was easy.' I thought to myself.
"I still have one big question though," pagpapatuloy ni Laylah as she blows her runny nose once, and her eyes quickly squinted. "I did say that I know you're strong and stuff, but that won't make me a seer."
"What is your ability?" asked the Light Enchant.