♫ (Marietta – Cinco De Mayo Shitshow) play this while reading if you want to ♫
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Clear passed the W2K to a man with the white flame, he has thick eyebrows with a lengthy brown beard. He looks like he was in his mid-40s, wearing the same white robe-like Clear's. He coughed a few times before speaking on the black orb,
"This academy is a place for learning, home of the unrivaled talents all around the world for a year. Different Arleiths from different islands that chose this Academy, ou graceful Meiths, we're glad you selected this academy as a place to learn. Every one of you is now Mor's proud Arleiths, you and us, we will protect the islands from those who want to disrupt our peace and protect everyone from the plague of Noctis."
A loud cheering echoed from the students and Grian was feeling jaded, the after-effects of what he felt in the VR still lingers.
[Daily Quest(s)]
[Escape the ceremony] : [Reward (17 exp)]
[Climb the tree] : [Reward (14 exp)]
He suddenly used the cheering noises to slowly disappear from the grounds. He observed the surrounding area and found a tall tree that connected to one of the roofs at the academy's building. Stealthily, with the boost in his agility, he climbed up and lied down. A few students nearby Grian noticed a space beside them but disregarded it as the instructor continued his speech.
"We will teach you everything you need to know about the world and the islands. Allowing you to become a proper Sealgaires and Rogaires, our protectors, is our sole purpose. But we cannot do everything on our own, you also need to help us by enlightening yourselves. Make friends, trust one another, and rely on each other but you also must get ahead of your fellow students."
"You ditched the ceremony too, right?" a kid with a green aura unexpectedly showed up in front of Grian and whistled, "This is a really nice spot, what a lucky find! I thought I'd be first here."
"Uh, can you not get not too close like that; I don't feel comfortable," Grian exclaimed while crossing his arms covering his chest, acting. "We're not a match~"
"Ah." That was all he could say, realizing he was indeed a bit close; he quickly moved a meter away. "You're Grian Ignis, right? The blind kid. I'm Anti Viotto, nice to meet you!"
They shook hands and Grian scooted over to give space for Anti. "I was joking, we could share the space." Anti sat down beside Grian and they both felt the calmness of the air.
"As Instructor Clear has said, yesterday's allowance was the only one you'll get throughout your life at the academy. Every first day of the week, we'll have a UCC, also known as a Unit Collecting Contest to spark your geniuses and creativity. Each task you finish will be converted to points. The points can be used as your allowances to buy meals and other necessities."
"Some of you were dumb enough to splurge all your given units and will put you at a huge disadvantage. Your instructors will also be dispatched to grade your performances but do not worry for they will hide and follow you in stealth. They would not hinder you unless extremely needed."
"More units equate to a more lavish lifestyle and there are only 2 ways to collect units. The first way is to ask for a duel with another student, defeat them, and take their cards. Rules of dueling state that once you are invited to duel, one is not allowed to refuse. Refusal will automatically transfer units to the opponent. Your cards will detect everything and act accordingly so the duel will run smoothly."
"The second way is to find a hidden card hidden on the island. You need to explore the rest of the island and find an area covered in an EV bubble. It is not seen by your eyes, and it can only be felt by some of you strong enough. The bubble will automatically activate once you enter that area."
Inside the bubble is a maze filled with traps that will hone your skills to it's fullest. You can only go out of the bubblefield once you find the cards, it can be divided amongst your group or take it for yourselves. If two groups managed to enter the same bubblefield, they must duel each other. The last student standing will reap the cards and their benefits."
"Cards hidden on the bubblefield does not only contain money, but it also has medicines, meal tickets, weapons, and elixirs. There are about a hundred bubblefields on this island, to maximize your chances and diminish duels between groups."
"The top 3 groups with the most points earned combined will get to have additional rewards and a better house, that should keep you motivated right? Now, leaders of each group, come up and write your group's name or house on the list and take your W2Ks."
"Everything is allowed except for these three rules, first, killing is not allowed, pretty simple right? Next, your group will be both your family and rivals inside the academy. Fighting or duels against your group is forbidden. Lastly, once the 5th sun sets and if you hear the announcemnts from your leaders, all duels, and activities involving the UCC will be put to a halt and everyone must go to the grounds immediately."
"If you fail to comply with the three rules aforementioned, get lost, or set foot in a forbidden area with guards, like the Libraria, or damaged the properties on this island, or caused an unwanted disturbance in areas that are not involved in the UCC, you will be severely punished according to your crimes. Be prepared to take responsibility as we have eyes on all of you. Well then, time is running, find your group and go now. The UCC already started. Good luck!"
"Did you understand everything he said?" Anti stood up the branch and asked Grian that was stretching his legs. "Yeah, I heard the last part a bit. It was nice to hang out with you doing nothing, that was fun! I should go and find my group now." He climbed down the tree and was met with Anti already waiting below.
"I jumped, it's much easier. What's your rank? Want to have a friendly duel?" joking, Anti showed his palm which shows the number 3, "Oops you can't see, I'm rank 3."
Stupidly enough, the duel was made with a joke but their palm tattoos suddenly glowed, symbolizing that the duel already started. "Well, even if I'm rank 1, I can't decline right? I guess I have no choice then." Grian said as he was glancing over the notification that suddenly appeared.
[System Notification]
[A duel has been detected]
[New Quest(s)]
[Defeat your opponent and take his points] : [Reward (50 exp)]
"Oh no, I'm sorry. I didn't think you were only ranked 1, should I just give you my points and accept defeat. I don't want to seem like a bully. That was a joke, I didn't' know it would activate a duel." Grian was unsure if Anti was taunting him, for his joke earlier or if he was being sincere. But since it's a chance to get more exp and level up, Grian wanted to try and test his skills. "Don't worry I'm much stronger than how I look, try me!" Grian replied feeling pretty confiddent since he has the skill 'negate'.
[Inspect]
'I forgot I had points left to use.' Grian thought while Anti immediately run around Grian and dashed behind him, about to hit the back of his neck. Grian knew his stats were no match for Anti's, seeing his EV bar full, decided to try that skill again.
[Status Screen]
'Negate' Before Anti could swing his palm and hit Grian, he just suddenly flopped down onto the ground. "Okay, that was easy!" He chuckled to himself as he grabbed Anti's legs and sat him up by the tree. Seeing his EV bar emptied again, he thought, 'I guess this skill is pretty convenient, but it uses up all my EV and it takes a full day to recover. I don't know if this will take 2 days now because I ranked up. I couldn't even gather anymore because we can't go to the Libraria where it's dense and I used up what I gathered at the podium. It's going to take a while for it to replenish.' [System Notification] "It's good he's just unconscious, he still has his health bar full, I guess unconsciousness also meant defeat. His aura is also glowing steadily, I guess that works too." Grian was relieved since this duel was a mistake since they were chilling before the ceremony was over. 'I guess we can't even joke about duels now', thought Grian and then took Anti's hands and put them inside his pants just for a gag. Grian snickered and walked back to the grounds. 'Negate is a really convenient skill but it's too much to use. I feel so drained. Should I put my stat points to stamina?' He continued to walk towards the grounds when he was stopped by a group of students, all 6 of them have a red flame aura. "Oh, here's an easy prey, hey blind kid, why not make it easier for us and just surrender quietly." A fatter outline with the weakest red flame spoke to which Grian ignored and continued walking. "Hey! I'm talking to you, dipshit!" He grabbed Grian's arm and two of his group held Grian's shoulders. The remaining other students surrounded Grian with no escape. "I need to go with my group, can't you guys just let a blind kid go?" He asked respectfully while debating whether to use his stat points now or not. The glowing palms of the students indicate their rank was 1. 'So that's why they were ganging up on me.' Based on the faint glow and weak red flames, Grian didn't even bother to use inspect on them. 'What's the point, right? I don't even have any EV right now. Since the highest I got is agility I should just add more to it, then I'll see what happens. Transfer all stat points to agility' [Status Screen] "Isn't this too much? Do you really need 6 people for 1 blind kid? I mean, even if I can't see, this scene is just shameful." Grian spoke calmly. Suddenly he felt a burst of energy engulfing his body. Never in his life did he felt his body be this responsive. "Stop speaking and give me your card!" The fattest student punched Grian in the gut and a slight pain was felt. The students holding his shoulders started embedding their nails on his clothes, leaving a mark on his skin. "You should just ask me for a duel, instead of forcing me, you know." Grian coughed a few times and replied. "My skin's pale so any bruises I get would stand out easily, plus I'm pretty weak and delicate." He added not sure if he was being honest or taunting them, waiting for the right time to act. "I guess you do want to get beaten, then let's duel." The fat student covered both his hands with red flames and his groupie followed. [System Notification] [A duel has been detected] [New Quest(s)] [Defeat your opponents and take their cards] : [Reward (120 exp)] "There are 6 of you combined but only this much exp? What a stingy system, maybe it's because you're all ranked 1," Grian exclaimed when he saw the notification appeared, as the 3 students rushed to him with their flaming fists. Grian suddenly grabbed the neck of one of the students holding his shoulders and with the boost in his added agility, he jumped in the air did a backflip, and slammed the student face first. A move he saw Aria did yesterday at the market. "Oh wow! It worked, that's cool!" He excitedly said out loud. When Imogen left him yesterday at the shell, it took a good few minutes before he went outside. He didn't know where else to go so he roamed around and sighted a cluster of auras. There was a noisy crowd forming a circle on the side of the street. He entered the crowd and in the middle, he saw the familiar green aura which was Aria's. She was fighting another student barehandedly, shown with the movements of the outlines, then suddenly Aria slammed the student with a water aura, along with a wooden box he was holding. Grian just watched Aria pummel the student to the ground and when he was unconscious, the crowd dispersed. Grian then silently followed Aria back to their house, with her back in her usual sour mood. He didn't notice that 2 of the students already went behind his back and hit him. He flew a few meters back with the force of 2 flaming fists. The fat student started to charge followed by 3 others, again with their flaming fists. The student he knocked out with a 'face slam' a name he decided to call the technique, already stood up and was preparing to attack back. "Come on! He's just one blind kid!" the fatter student screamed as he lunged towards Grian. Then dismissing the barrage of flaming fists coming his way, Grian went to the Deamhan position. He bent his knees and put his left hand forward and his right hand was facing in front, pretending that his hands were daggers. 'I haven't tried this with an Arleith before. Sword skill, Deamhan Technique!' Grian parried one attack and received another, the outlines containing him, attacking, suddenly became slower, his concentration was surreal. He could even notice the faint movements of their auras while they were running around. When all 6 students finally surrounded him, he proceeded to do a torrent of 6 various slashes. With his open hands as a weapon, he hit the students with pinpoint accuracy. One was slashed on the neck; he coughed a few times then fell holding his throat. One was howling in pain as one of the slashes hit his chest with such force. One student was so weak that with just a slash on his stomach, he flew a few meters back and hit his head on a tree. The fatter student was so shocked that the power behind Grian's slashes was this much and all of them have the same ranks, 1. He was on his knees, shaken. 'How could he be this powerful, when we're the same.' The fat kid thought. But he and Grian weren't the same. The reason why Grian can easily do everything was because of the system. If only Grian knew how much of a cheat the system really was and used it to its full potential, he would be the most powerful student in the academy even before the classes start. Another student was hit on the forehead and fell back, and the latter was hit on his knees, causing him to tumble. Although he successfully defended himself, he took a few beatings himself. He slumped down panting heavily, clearly, his body couldn't handle what he just did. He still had a malnourished sickly body, and the skills he learned were too much for his current state. 'Everything hurts! After this, I should do some serious training and make my body stronger. What's the use of these skills if I can't even handle them.' Too occupied by the exhaustion and pain, he didn't notice that the fat kid already stood up and approached him. With all the fat student's strength and anger he could muster, he kicked Grian on his head. Grian was hit hard against the ground and lost consciousness. [System Notification] < Duel Lost < Defeat your opponents and take their cards: 120 exp deducted for failure ---------------------------------