In the midst of a rocky plain, Arasu found solace behind a large rock, savoring the simple pleasure of a carton of apple juice.
"Sooo refreshing~" he whispered, his voice barely audible above the gentle rustle of the wind.
Suddenly, the tranquility was shattered as the large rock behind Arasu was lifted and tossed aside, revealing the imposing figure of Thom, the Orc.
"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT TAKING BREAKS!?" Thom's booming voice filled the air with authority.
"TAKE BREAKS ONLY WHEN NEEDED, SIR," Arasu replied promptly, his tone respectful yet tinged with a hint of mischief.
"That's ri- NO, I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!" Thom's frustration was evident as he struggled to maintain his composure.
"OH, YOU SAID TAKE BREAKS ONCE EVERY HOUR," Arasu quipped, his playful demeanor contrasting with Thom's stern expression.
"THAT'S WHAT I SAI- NO, I DID NOT SAY THAT!!! STOP PLAYING WITH ME!!!" Thom's exasperation grew with each exchange.
"KAMIGAMI NO YOROI!!" Arasu invoked his armor, encasing his body in a protective shell just in time to withstand Thom's lightning-fast punch, the impact causing Arasu's suit to vibrate with intensity.
"BRRRRRRRR," Arasu exclaimed, the vibrations resonating through his armored form.
"You can't always rely on your armor! The more you depend on it, the less your body can actually take. You need to learn how to take damage, and you especially need to learn how to shut your mouth!" Thom's words were firm, his gaze unwavering as he delivered his lesson.
Arasu, still vibrating from the force of the blow, tipped over and fell to his side, his armor dissipating as quickly as it had appeared.
"And you need to probably learn how to survive inside of armor," Thom added, his tone softened with a hint of concern.
"And how am I supposed to do that!?" Arasu's frustration was evident as he struggled to comprehend Thom's teachings.
"Try fighting without the armor," Thom suggested, his voice carrying a note of encouragement.
"BUT THAT ARMOR MAKES ME INVINCIBLE!!! AND STRONGER!!! THERE ARE NO DOWNSIDES TO MY ARMOR!!!" Arasu protested, his defiance unwavering.
"There is a weakness! That armor is like a shell for you, without it, you're soft. YOU NEED TO BE AS STRONG AND TOUGH AS YOUR ARMOR," Thom's words carried the weight of experience, his gaze unwavering as he imparted his wisdom.
"BUT THAT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF HAVING ARMOR!!!" Arasu's frustration reached a boiling point as he grappled with Thom's teachings.
"You will learn one day that you can't rely on your power forever. But for now, I have decided to up your dumbbell's weight by one more ton, pushing you up to 500 tons! You might be the strongest lifter for your rank!" Thom's announcement brought a glimmer of excitement to Arasu's eyes, his determination renewed.
"Really?" Arasu's voice echoed with disbelief and excitement.
"Yea! The only person who is coming close to you is that Ryoshi Taisaku kid! But Fuyu told me he lied about giving him 10 million ton weights and only gave him 50. I swear he lies so well that he even convinces himself that he's telling the truth," Thom remarked with a hint of amusement.
"Ryoshi... I WILL GET STRONGER THAN HIM!!!" Arasu declared, his resolve firm as he accepted the challenge.
"YEA PUSH YOURSELF, HERE'S YOUR DUMBBELLS! Magical Weapon: Saizu No Danberu," Thom summoned a small green dumbbell, its edges labeled with "one pound."
"Skill 1: 500 Tons," Thom invoked, causing the dumbbell to increase in size, its weight now proudly displaying "500 Tons."
"Here!" Thom handed the dumbbell to Arasu, who struggled at first but quickly lifted it above his head, determination burning in his eyes as he embraced the challenge ahead.
"Good, now get 100 reps out of it!" Thom commanded, his voice firm as he issued the challenge to Arasu.
"Got it!" Arasu replied eagerly, his determination unwavering as he prepared to tackle the task at hand.
"I have to go take care of some business concerning the season teachers. WHEN I GET BACK YOU BETTER HAVE DONE 500 REPS!!!" Thom's voice echoed with authority as he stomped away, leaving Arasu to his training.
"YESSIR!!!" Arasu's response was resolute, his resolve strengthened by Thom's challenge.
"I already got 10 reps! I'm gonna push it to a thousand reps!!!" Arasu declared to himself, his determination driving him forward.
Twenty minutes later, Arasu found himself on the verge of completing his goal.
"NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE!!!" Arasu exclaimed triumphantly, his muscles burning with exertion as he pushed himself to the limit.
Suddenly, he felt a poke in his back, causing him to startle and drop the dumbbell on his foot.
"Boo!" Osoi's voice rang out, his playful demeanor contrasting with Arasu's pain.
"AH, ARASU!!!" Osoi's concern was evident as he witnessed his friend's mishap.
Arasu's eyes teared up from the pain, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Are you... Ok?" Osoi inquired, his voice filled with genuine concern.
"D-Don't startle me like that..." Arasu replied, his voice wavering slightly as he kicked the dumbbell off his foot.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!" Arasu's cry of pain filled the air, but he quickly reassured Osoi.
"ITS ALRIGHT! Where have you been, Osoi?" Arasu's curiosity overtook his discomfort as he turned his attention to his friend.
"...After that incident back then, my mother took me to the great ones to get me cleansed and strengthened the seal on that demon, but that also took a long time to do so the great ones taught me a few new spells and sent me on my way!" Osoi explained, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and determination.
"You learned spells... FROM THE GREAT ONES!?! What did you learn!?" Arasu's excitement was palpable as he eagerly awaited Osoi's response.
"I learned two things. One demon neutralizer technique, watch this! Holy Magic: Demon Taser!!!" Osoi demonstrated, his right hand engulfed in white electricity.
"WOOOAAH!!!" Arasu's awe was evident as he witnessed the display of power.
"This has enough power to kill lower-tier demons instantly, and can paralyze strong demons! It doesn't hurt non-demons, but if you couldn't tell already... This hurt me a little bit..." Osoi explained, his voice tinged with a hint of discomfort.
"Maybe you should stop it," Arasu suggested, his concern evident as he witnessed Osoi's discomfort.
"It only disappears on contact with something," Osoi clarified, his determination unwavering as he continued to demonstrate his newfound power.
"Use it on me!" Arasu suggested eagerly, his curiosity piqued by Osoi's newfound abilities.
"No! Time to show you how strong I've gotten!!!" Osoi declared, his determination evident as he touched himself in the chest with his empowered hand, electrocuting himself and engulfing himself in white electricity.
"Osoi, what are you doing!?" Arasu's concern grew as he watched his friend's reckless display of power.
The electricity disappeared, revealing Osoi physically unharmed despite the intense demonstration of power.
"Even though the damage is halved, It only stings... I don't know if that's because Kurai is a strong demon or not," Osoi remarked, his tone contemplative as he assessed the effects of his spell.
"What's the other technique?" Arasu inquired, his curiosity piqued by Osoi's revelation.
"Well, the other technique is forbidden magic..." Osoi hesitated, his voice tinged with a hint of unease.
"THEY TAUGHT YOU FORBIDDEN MAGIC!?" Arasu's shock was palpable, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Forbidden magic is only called forbidden because the 4 great wizards deemed them too dangerous for reality! There's a little bit of something after that, but I forgot," Osoi clarified, his tone defensive as he sought to explain the nature of the magic.
"So will you show me?" Arasu pressed, his curiosity outweighing his concern.
"Of course not! It's too dangerous for the fabric of reality," Osoi replied firmly, his resolve unwavering as he refused to entertain the idea.
"FINE!!! Why did you come all the way over here anyway?" Arasu's frustration was evident as he redirected the conversation.
"It's my first day back in the light! I want to hang out with you and some of my other friends at the Sanctuary," Osoi explained, his excitement evident as he sought to reconnect with his companions.
"I thought the Sanctuary was a prison school place," Arasu remarked, his confusion evident as he tried to reconcile his understanding of the Sanctuary with Osoi's explanation.
"Trust me, it really isn't!" Osoi reassured him, his tone earnest as he sought to dispel Arasu's misconceptions.
"Alright! Let me finish this last rep, and we can be on our way!!!" Arasu declared, his determination renewed as he prepared to complete his training.
"Ok! I'll be waiting," Osoi replied, his anticipation evident as he looked forward to spending time with his friend.
"Know what, we can go now! I can finish my thousandth rep anytime!" Arasu suggested, his eagerness to spend time with Osoi outweighing his desire to complete his training.
Seventeen minutes later, Arasu and Osoi found themselves in the free room of the Sanctuary, surrounded by a lively atmosphere.
Setchi, Oto, and another boy with unique features were engrossed in a card game at a nearby table, while Kiiro watched on with interest.
Heunae, Sai, Toi, Seabi, and Corse engaged in animated conversation in a circle, their voices blending together in a symphony of camaraderie.
Rukyoi seemed to be teasing a girl nearby, while Kemonoka kept a watchful eye on the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Gisei meditated serenely on a rock in the oasis, accompanied by a girl who admired him with hot pink eyes and unkempt dark blue hair, her presence a stark contrast to his tranquil demeanor.
"Hey, everyone!!!" Osoi's voice echoed through the room, drawing the attention of those present.
"Osoi?" Oto's voice held a hint of surprise as he recognized his friend.
"Yosha! Welcome back," Setchi greeted Osoi warmly, a smile spreading across his face.
"What goes around comes around..." the half-green, half-white-haired guy muttered, his expression betraying a mix of resignation and amusement.
"What are you doing back here?" the girl with hot pink eyes inquired, her curiosity evident as she regarded Osoi.
"Yea, I heard that you went berserk again," Gisei chimed in, his tone tinged with concern.
"Yea, I got out of that, and I'm free now! Now I'm here to just relax with my new friend over here!" Osoi announced cheerfully, his excitement palpable.
"Relax?..." Gisei's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he exchanged a glance with Tegami.
"Oh yeah, right, I need to introduce you to everybody! Everyone, this is Arasu Okyamasu, my newest friend, and the assassin of the autumn season. Arasu, that guy with the spiky basil hair is Setchi Naniyori, the one with the buzzcut is Oto Ataerareta," Osoi began, gesturing towards each person in turn.
"I'm thinking of growing my hair out a little more..." Oto interjected, a playful grin on his face as he contemplated his hairstyle.
"The girl with the eye patch is Kiiro Rain, the guy with the green and white hair is Estel Dolivo, the magician over there is Lapi Papale, the guy standing in front of her is Rukyoi Totewai, and the shirtless guy behind him is Kemonoka Hyakusencho. Over there on that rock is Gisei Subete, and who I assume is watching him is Tegami Yakushoku. The others I don't know," Osoi continued, introducing each person with enthusiasm.
"Let us introduce ourselves!" Toi suggested eagerly, stepping forward to greet Osoi and Arasu.
Apologies for the oversight. Here's the corrected version:
Toi speaks with a contagious grin. "I'm Toi!"
Sai followed suit, his voice steady and confident. "My name is Sai Umareru."
Seabi chimed in next, his tone vibrant. "Seabi Hewlett!"
Corse spoke up, his voice calm and measured. "Corse."
Heunae introduced herself with a hint of mischief in her voice. "Heunae."
Toi's enthusiasm bubbled over. "AND WE AAAARE!!!"
Toi and Corse joined in unison, their voices harmonizing. "THE OVER DOGS!!!"
Toi shot Corse a playful glare. "HEEEY, we're all supposed to say it!"
Sai chuckled softly. "Sorry, it's just so..."
Heunae interjected bluntly. "Stupid."
Sai sighed, acknowledging her remark. "What he said."
Oto speaks, his expression serious. "Osoi, you shouldn't be relaxing now..."
Osoi glanced up, curiosity piqued. "Why?"
Oto's tone grew somber. "Did you not get the news? We're literally in a war right now..."
Osoi's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "When did we?"
Oto shook his head in disbelief. "Not so long after you ended the promotion battles early."
Arasu, visibly surprised, addressed Osoi. "Wait, you beat all of these guys?"
Osoi hesitated, then began to explain. "Well, you see..."
Gisei interjected, his tone incredulous. "He went berserk on most of us using his demon, and proceeded to go berserk on our 'teachers'."
Arasu questioned Osoi's phrasing. "Why'd you say 'teachers' like that?"
Osoi clarified, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "This place isn't really a school. All of our teachers want to put the idea that it's a school for non-season powerhouses into everyone's minds, but that's far from the truth. A good majority of everyone here has been a part of the sanctuary for ten years!"
Arasu exclaimed in disbelief. "TEN YEARS IS A LOT!!!"
Oto nodded solemnly. "This place is basically an orphanage for the strong. They only turn you into a sanctuary 'student' if you have nowhere to go, and you're really powerful. It is true that we are taught things and are heavily trained, but other than that, this is just a free space for us to do whatever we want!"
Estel added to Oto's explanation. "We even have a bulletin board full of missions, requests, bounties, and even grocery lists that we can do anytime we want. And we've been dominating, especially in the bounty part of things, because at this point, the government thinks we're a guild!"
Setchi interjected with enthusiasm. "THE NEGATIVE POINT GUILD!!!"
Oto corrected him with a chuckle. "Cool, but we aren't a guild though."
Gisei shrugged nonchalantly. "At this point, we pretty much are a guild in disguise. We usually always have people out venturing."
Setchi grinned mischievously. "But hey, let's catch up with each other! You probably learned a thing or two from the last time we met, Osoi!"
Osoi nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "Yeah, I have..."