All of the other students started to depart the class after Teal had dismissed them all. "Don't forget I am available for private tutoring." He said loudly as they left. After everyone was gone, he turned his attention to Dax.
"So alternative assignment…" Teal said. "Normally it has to be something of the same difficulty as the original assignment. Since the assignment is achieving level one, I am going to need you to achieve something a level one would be capable of.
You can lift one and a half times your body weight, run a mile in under six minutes, or kill a slime."
"Kill a slime?" Dax asked.
"Right." Teal said. "A level one should be able to kill a slime no problem. They are essentially weak creatures that don't pose a challenge for anyone over level zero. If you can kill one, I will consider it a passing grade. Considering your other choices, I think it is your best bet in passing.
Lifting weights would take too long if you are not already near that level. Same goes for running. So, if you want to pass, I will need you to bring me a slime core. Also, I need you to kill it. I will know if you didn't."
"Alright, I don't know how you would know such a thing." Dax replied. "But I wouldn't cheat anyway. My parents did not raise me to be a cheater."
"Honestly that's interesting." Teal said. "The students of this academy are not normally so… honorable…"
"That's sad." Dax said. "Still where can I find a slime?"
"Normally they congregate in the caves outside of town." Teal said.
"Alright." Dax said, standing up and preparing to leave. "Thanks. I will return in a week with the slime core."
"Such determination." Teal said. "Just remember I will know if you cheated."
Dax just glared at Teal for a moment before he started walking towards the exit.
Before he fully exited the room Teal called out to him. "Let me know if your parents want to hire me as your private tutor!"
Dax did not respond and just continued to leave. He started making his way home when he saw Fey standing next to a fence.
"Why the long face?" She asked. "It's not that bad of an assignment."
"It is for me." Dax replied. He remembered what the teacher told him and decided not to tell Fey that he possessed zero nanites.
"Because you have no nanites?" Fey replied.
"How did you know?!" Dax asked loudly, surprised by her sudden knowledge of his problem.
"I saw the room." Fey explained. "You remember that right? The whole place was charred to a crispy crisp and that could only be done by a lot of power. So, either you are the strongest class S to ever live or the nanites expelled themselves from you and exploded.
Since they put you in class F the answer was pretty clear cut. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Please don't." Dax pleaded, his face showing visible worry.
"Don't make that face." Fey said. "You look like a sad little puppy. You know me, I wouldn't do something like that to you pal."
"To be fair we just met today." Dax replied. "This is a school filled with people all out for themselves, so you will have to forgive me if I look stressed."
"Oh, I totally understand." Fey said. "My class is full of douches. God why did I have to get placed in class S! I just wanted to be average and prove to my mother that I wasn't meant to be her perfect little heir."
"Sounds rough." Dax said with a hint of sarcasm.
"It is more than you know." Fey said. "But it's okay, I can tell that you are not like the others. That is why I wanted to be your friend. I think having a class S friend might be beneficial to you as well."
"Well, yeah." Dax replied. "But I fail to see what you get out of it."
"My mother's disappointment." Fey said with a wicked smile. "It will be glorious. Enough about me though, what are you going to do about the assignment? Without nanites you cannot level up. How are you supposed to pass?"
"I got an alternative assignment." Dax explained. "I have to kill a slime."
"Dangerous." Fey replied. "Why don't I come with you? You know, watch your back and keep you from getting hurt."
"What about you?" Dax asked.
"What do you mean?" Fey replied.
"Who is going to protect you?" Dax answered.
Fey raised her arm and flexed with her right arm while using her left hand to squeeze her muscle. "I am class S remember! I do not need protecting!" She said with a goofy laugh. "No seriously, I cannot think of anything better than sneaking off with a class F boy to hunt dangerous monsters unsupervised. Please let me come with you."
"Why do I feel like you are going to be a bad influence on me?" Dax asked, while sighing. He knew that she wasn't going to drop the idea and that it would be safer if he brought her along. At least if something terrible happened she could at least run for help. "Fine, you can come with me. Just remember that it is dangerous."
"Woo!" Fey cheered, pumping her fists in the air in celebration. "This is going to be so epic! So, when are we going? You want to go right now?"
"No." Dax replied. "I want to go home. I need to inform my parents of the bad news. No sense putting it off."
"If that's what you want to do." Fey replied. "Just give me a call and let me know when you want to meet up! Also, if you want to call in the middle of the night, that's fine too."
"I don't know why I would." Dax said.
"Sometimes Daxy, you are just no fun. You are going to have to loosen up a little bit for this friendship to work." Fey explained, giving a little laugh at the end.