Freelance. In other terms, it means that the person who is a freelancer will be able to pair up with other freelances to train together. Freelances are usually healers as they cannot produce a score, no other class has gotten freelance... until now. Whispers of Akashi being the weakest E-rank was starting to pop up around the room as this was announced and the instructor clapped his hands to silence the class. The day was about to end as testing each student's abilities was time-consuming.
"Those whose names are paired together in two will be sparring partners. The two sparring partners will have their dorms separated from one another but the dorms themselves are next to each other. You will receive your dorm keys later today. Today's class is dismissed. Akashi, will you follow me? I will introduce you to the other freelance. Surprisingly we only had one other new freelance in this institution this year."
The class was dismissed, and so people started to break into their partnerships. Everybody had to go down to the dorms to receive their dorm keys from the dormitory staff. Akashi got up and followed the instructor out of the room. On the way out, Akashi saw out of the corner of his eye Kelvin trying to slip hold of Jin-Ae's hand but failing as she slipped out of his grip. Akashi giggled slightly and left the room
Torches lined the garden outside as the institution had outdoor halls.
"So, how did you shatter the crystal?"
Akashi was surprised at him asking a question but shrugged
"Maybe the crystal was damaged."
"That crystal can take the most brutal attacks from the most talented S-ranks and still have nothing more than a scratch or a dent. You on the other hand shattered the crystal, not just in random pieces either, but into small cubes. What's more? The examiner stated that you THREW the sword instead of swinging it!"
Akashi shrugged again as if he didn't know anything and the instructor sighed in defeat. They arrived at the administrator's building where most instructors have their meetings and it's also a war room. They had entered into a room with a large desk and the instructor motioned Akashi to take a seat. He sat down and the instructor left and somebody else came in.
"Hello there, your Akashi Hashimora correct?"
Akashi turned around and nodded. The person who just walked in was a built man, he was wearing a white school robe around him, unlike the uniforms, which gave him a very formal look. He sat down behind the desk and leaned forward.
"I heard that you shattered the measurement crystal, into cubes even! I also heard that the crystal may have been very damaged at the time, that's most likely what happened... but to be shattered into cubes so that it could be remelted and reconstructed is another subject... who are you?"
"My name is Akashi Hashimora, and I am nineteen."
"A man who has been deceased for three years... is still alive. Eh, it's your business, but remember your priorities, protect your comrades, and most of all, take pride in your work."
This put his guard up as nobody was supposed to know about his existence
"May I ask who you are?"
"Me? I'm nothing more than the headmaster of this institution, the other freelance should be arriving shortly..."
This shocked Akashi. He heard that the headmaster was the commissioner of the Alliance guild and one of the five founding fathers. The headmaster got up and walked out of the room. It was a night at this point, the windows showed as such and the garden was illuminated. The garden was gorgeous but then Akashi looked around, and nobody was around.
He got up and shoved the chair out of the way. Then he stomped his foot into the ground lightly and a black shadow of a circle appeared on his right, he then turned his right foot forty-five degrees to the right and a sword started to surface from the hole. He grabbed the handle and the sword took its form.
"Great to see this thing again..."
Akashi slid the scabbard off the sword and there it was the blade. So far Akashi has only found that the blade grows with the user, the stronger the user, the stronger aura the blade emitted. There was a number on the blade and Akashi shook his head slowly.
"It's been a hard road... huh..."
There was a knock on the door and Akashi immediately sheathed the sword and threw it in one slick motion. Black smoke enveloped the sword and the sword disappeared along with the smoke.
"Come in..."
The door opened and a silver-haired what looked to be an elf entered the room. Akashi was curious why she was there until he saw her badge. A diamond badge with a cross. An S-ranked healer. She bowed and greeted him.
"Hello, my name is Namo, and I am the other assigned freelancer."
Akashi had known this name from the past
"Are you the Namo from the ghost guild?"
Namo frowned for a brief moment until she looked at Akashi again, seeing the disinterest in his face. Then she saw the badge he was wearing.
"How did you become a freelance?
"I don't necessarily know myself, I just got a score of zero."
"Well... that's not right..."
Akashi shrugged, and then the instructor came in
"Did you two get settled with each other?"
The two nodded and the instructor placed one key on the table
"This will be your dormitory key."
Akashi looked at the one key but Namo spoke up
"Sir, aren't there supposed to be two keys for two dorms?"
"Usually yes, but this year we have a lot more students so we are giving you a larger royal dorm since you two are the only new freelancers this year."
"So... the catch is I have to share the dorm with him?"
"Correct."
"So how will I know he won't sexually assault me"
This comment made Akashi wheeze a bit as Namo's face got flustered and the instructor shook his head
"If he was a vile being, don't you think he would have tried to make moves on you before I got in here since you are the famous Namo? Every guy would get every chance they have with a famous person like you."
This was true of course. Most in this world would have tried to assault a woman of her stature, sure healers are good with healing, but their combat power is weak. So if a criminal man had the chance, they would take it.
Namo nodded at this as she realized the sense of what the instructor was talking about then she turned around to Akashi as if she was frightened by something. Akashi handed the keys to her and she took them.
"If nothing else is of concern, your dormitory would be dorm F-2."
"Isn't that for people who paid extra for the extravagant dorm?", Akashi asked
Then the instructor pointed to Namo and Akashi's expression turned to "Oh... I get it..." and Namo immediately blushed. They both headed towards the dorm buildings and there stood a very tall building, illuminated with expensive oil lamps and furnished with comfortable seats in the lounge. There was a dining room, but it looked more like a ballroom, and then he saw them. Jin-Ae and Kelvin. They seemed to be eating quietly so Akashi just followed Namo up to the second floor of the building. They went down to their dorm and what laid inside was a far extravagant room with a chandelier in the middle of the dorm and a hot spring pool on the outside balcony.
"It looks more of a two-person luxury apartment..."
Namo just stayed silent and Akashi noticed the silence that was being held by Namo. Namo was standing still but was staring at Akashi as if she was scared of something, which is odd because Namo is known as one of the bravest healers in the whole of Astrialite.
"What's the matter Namo? Is there something wrong?"
"Y-your body... why is it enveloped by darkness?"