"The structures of the blood can be evolved through the floors of the Tower. As you move up the Tower your blood becomes even more powerful through the sum of the energy that surrounds the floors and adds up to platelets. It doesn't mean that a B rank will become an A rank or S, but rather something we call a matured rank."
The class was going on normally for Kaito, who sat in front and wrote down everything the teacher said with enormous excitement. That was all he wanted, to have lessons on what he studied so hard at home by himself.
Soon he raised his hand and caught the teacher's attention, who straightened his long rastafari and stared the F rank.
"May I help you, Mr. Arturis?"
"Professor Caligan, why can't a rank change when he climbs the Tower? Didn't he get stronger? Wouldn't it be the normal thing for a B rank to be an A rank if he has the strength of an A rank?"
The professor wanted to ignore that student. He, a matured and powerful A rank mage, a great writer and connoisseur of blood and various mysteries was there, teaching the weakest class in the academy. But still he had to admit that it was a good question.
"It used to be like this, Mister Arturis, but as time went by the other ranks also went up as far as they could in the Tower and became more powerful, as did the lower ranks. So with a few floors an A rank could defeat a B rank that had climbed much higher. For better classification it was decided that the ranks would be maintained."
Kaito noded and wrote down in his notebook, pulling out several arrows with other notes about doubts he had. That way he understood the content better and ignored the rest of the class staring at him and weighing in on him with their mean comments.
"Man, I can't believe there's an F rank here..."
"Didn't you see what they said? He can steal your skills!"
"Gee, but he's kind of...yawn...cute. I liked the hair shaved on the sides and the earring. I thought it was wild."
That last comment brought a smile to Kaito's face, and he felt good about dressing the way he wanted. It hadn't been hard to convince his parents to show off the way he wanted, but he found it strange to look so different, since he had always been dressed and behaving like the ideal son.
The bell rang and first period was over. Professor Caligan stared at the class for a moment, not hiding his frustration at seeing that he was teaching to such low ranks. Finally he just left the room without a word.
It was at that moment that the comments became louder and louder.
"Man, look at this! There's a Bloodless here! Too disgusting!" said a thief who sat down at his desk.
"Why don't we go on him and show him that we don't like vermins!"
Kaito took a deep breath, put away his material, and stood up with his backpack still on his back. He would not leave it there, because he knew very well that they would do something. That was what had occurred at his old school.
But before he could leave, a girl stood in front of him. She was small, black-skinned, wore a tiara, and had shoulder-length short blue hair and eyes of the same color. She faced Kaito from bottom to top and said with a serious look.
"I heard that you stole some people's powers. That's why you're here, because you said you were going to steal other people's powers if you didn't come in."
"And you believe that? I thought mages were smarter than that," Kaito said with a clever smile.
"It is a common mistake to believe that mages hold all knowledge. Another mistake is to think that asking questions shows a lack of intelligence." she stepped forward and faced Kaito even more closely "But I must warn you that your presence is not good for any of us here. For your sake and that of everyone in this room I ask that you leave the Phoenix Academy and never return."
Several other comments reinforced hers and soon the entire room was a group against him. The class gathered around him and soon he was surrounded. Kaito took a deep breath and answered with a calm smile.
"So let me get this straight. You guys in class D, the worst class in the academy, the class that is in the third basement, the class that the other classes don't even know exists. Do you think I'm going to be a problem? Is that it?"
This made everyone even more angry. Every moment Kaito was more and more surrounded. He saw prejudice and irrational fear. They were D rank students. People like them would normally be thrown into manual labor and mechanical work in the ghettos of Rubra to serve the upper classes.
But something changed immediately. The mage in front of Kaito had a different aura and he noticed it at the same moment. A bluish energy took over her hand, cooling everything around her. But before she could act Kaito held the girl's hand and squeezed it firmly, making it look like a greeting.
"Ah, you didn't have to greet me like that! I'm very happy, really! My name is Kaito Arturis! And what is yours?" Kaito put enough fire magic in his hand to balance the ice magic in her hand.
"My name is Saphyra Vizorra." The mage didn't answer right away, she just examined what had occurred and showed a slight smile.
"Saphyra... Saphyra... Got it! I'll call you Saphy! Nice to meet you, Saphy! Your name is beautiful and you are also very pretty! I hope we can be friends!" said Kaito with a sincere smile, letting go of her hand.
Nothing before that speech had disconcerted the mage, but those compliments had Saphyra totally confused and embarrassed. No one had ever acted like this with her. She, an D rank, had never been treated this way or called beautiful by anyone. It was not pretty to be a D rank. But the sincere way the boy in front of her said those words left her bewildered and blushing.
"So, Saphy, can I pass? I'm starving, and since we are friends now I can get you a pizza bread! What do you think?" asked Kaito already taking a few steps forward.
Saphyra saw him closer, didn't know how to react and then noded, giving him room to pass. Kaito answered the gesture with a nice smile and left the room without any problems, because the whole class was somehow as confused as Saphyra.
The mage felt her face go a little cold and as soon as her thoughts returned to normal she realized that she had been tricked.
"Wait a minute, he didn't answer my question! And I don't want to be called Saphy!"
"Ah, Saphy, being passed over by a hot like that...yawn...is no problem for me, see?"
The voice was Theo's, the well-groomed black-skinned rogue who seemed to be overcome with an enormous amount of sleep.
"The weather has warmed up here and I...stretch...came to see him up close! I'm still felling the heat."
Saphyra looked at her hand for a moment.
"Maybe this heat is not because of his looking..."
"Oh, so you think he's cute too?!"
"Shut up, Theo!"
* * *
Kaito knew he would attract attention as he walked the halls of the Phoenix Academy. With his skin, hair, and fame it was impossible for him not to be noticed wherever he walked. And that was exactly why he decided to wear the F on his arm. F ranks like him were rare, and since everyone was going to focus on him anyway, why not show up as much as possible?
But he didn't see anything strange on the first two floors he went up. To tell the truth, he didn't see a living soul walking through the corridors of the first and second basement. D rank students were in the third, C rank students were in the second, with only one infirmary in the first basement. The higher the rank, the higher the difference in treatment.
The basement floors were dark, hidden and all the students did their best not to be noticed. The upper floors were luxurious and full of people walking back and forth, because everyone there wanted to be seen. But Kaito was different. He wanted to be noticed, and he was going to be noticed.
Going up to the first floor, Kaito walked through the huge hall in gold and red and looked around for the cafeteria or any place where he could buy his snack. It wasn't long before the comments began to trickle in.
"Am I going crazy or is that a Bloodless?"
"Look over there, that white-haired worm! He's really here!"
"I guess I'll have to talk to my parents about that."
But the reactions went further than mere speech. A mob began to surround Kaito, and in front of him he saw a tall, very strong boy with red hair and another blond boy with yellow eyes. On his shoulders Kaito quickly recognized the A rank symbol, and as usual he was already expecting the worst.
"Since you guys are here, I'll take this opportunity and ask. Where is the cafeteria?"
"I think you want to know about the infirmary, don't you? I can send you there," said the warrior bending over Kaito from above.
"No need, mate. I feel fine. In fact I feel great." Kaito replied trying to get past him.
"Then you just need to stop feeling this great, don't you? I can fix that." the boy replied, blocking him again.
Slowly more and more people were gathering around and Kaito knew very well what they wanted. But he wouldn't fight there. Not because he didn't want to. In fact, if it were up to him he would have already challenged half the academy. But because there were rules to follow. Fights at the Phoenix Academy could only be made through challenges. Kaito was fully aware of this, as he had read the bylaws at least five times.
"Then let's do it this way, my red-haired friend." Kaito stepped up and looked the Warrior in the eyes "Why don't we set up a duel in the training area?"
"I find it easier to dismantle you right here."
"Cut that shit out. Everyone knows you can't fight in the Phoenix Academy without a proper challenge requirement. So either you fight me in the training area or stop throwing that bad breath in my face and let me pass."
Everyone around was excited about the possible fight and the cheering for the warrior was obvious. The red haired boy closed his fist tightly, but before he took action, someone stepped in.
"You guys really don't learn, do you? Fighting outside duels is forbidden. It's tiresome to have to remind all you mortals of that."
At that very instant Kaito felt his chest tighten. The speaker was a girl with long, curly, black hair. Her velvety skin was as white as Kaito's, but her eyes glowed a black that reflected everything in front of her. She was tall, thin, and had an aura of coldness and abandonment in her expression and movements. The F rank could not contain his excited smile as he saw in front of him one of the very rare necromancers, and in her case, it was the well-known Teodora Kalpea, an A rank.
"I'm sorry, Teodora. We just wanted to tidy things up. Please, no more curses!" The warrior who was previously overcome with anger just bowed his head humbly and walked away.
"To tidy up anything you have to follow the rules. The lack of rules are only for those who are gone. Do you by any chance want to find out what it is like to be freed from the weight of the flesh and attain eternal freedom?
"No need! I already understood!" said the warrior, walking away together with the frightened mob "I won't do it anymore! I promise!"
The boy walked away, but when he realized that Theodora was no longer looking at him, he faced Kaito and made a sign of a blade passing through his neck. But that didn't bother Kaito, because now he could go on doing whatever he wanted.
"Thanks for the help! I really didn't expect anyone to actually stop what was going on."
The girl looked him up and down and at that moment Kaito felt something. There was more than just the coldness and distance of a necromancer in her gaze, there was also a deep hatred that he could feel all around him, in the coldness that chilled his skin.
"Believe me, I would make you see your place myself. After what you did to my sister..." she stopped her sentence for a moment and took a deep breath "I hate these feelings of the living... anyway, we will see each other again, F rank, and maybe it will be by the dueling rules."
She turned her back and walked out of Kaito's sight, who just couldn't quite understand what that could mean. He couldn't remember ever hurting anyone to have someone wanting his skin like that.
Everyone around was still looking at him from afar and making comments, but he continued on his way and found the cafeteria. When he arrived, he saw that the attendant was a rogue probably of C or D rank. Kaito took some coins from his pocket and put them on the counter at once.
"Good morning, I'd like two pizza breads!"
The attendant looked at him in disgust and denied.
"We're out of pizza bread."
Kaito looked at the glass where the snacks were and saw several pizza breads there. Suddenly next to him an A rank mage approached and took his order.
"Garbage, give me about three pizza breads!"
The attendant smiled excitedly and carefully placed the snacks in a paper bag, giving it to the mage who left without paying.
"Look, I could understand you not taking my order and all. But I think it's too much to give away free snacks." Kaito said with a debauched smile on his lips.
"Are you still here? I told you, we are out of pizz-"
"Stop winning and tell me how much the damn snacks cost! I at least want to pay."
"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?"
"A Phoenix Academy student and my brother!"
The voice was Elynor's, who appeared at that very moment and showed an angry and frightened expression. Everything about him had changed. Elynor was taller, stronger, and with a wholesome, intellectual expression. He was indeed a mixture of a mage and a warrior. Everyone around pointed at him and several girls and boys wanted Elynor all to themselves, such was his fame.
The attendant shivered all over and soon obeyed, putting four snacks into a bag and giving them to Elynor.
"Excuse me, sir! Here are the pizza bread!"
"Not for me. For my brother here beside me."
The rogue passed the snacks to Kaito and made an apologetic gesture. Kaito just smiled, devoured a snack and put as much money as he thought was fair on the counter.
"Thanks for the service!" he said already nibbling on one of the pizza breads.
The two brothers walked away from the place without a word for a moment. This drew more and more stares to the two. The S rank and the F rank, brothers of immensely different powers. This generated two strange reactions. One was admiration and pity for Elynor that he was so humble to have the burden of having a brother like that. The other was the more intense anger at Kaito for him taking advantage of his brother's fame.
"Didn't I tell you to text me when you left the room! I went to pick you up downstairs and you were already gone!"
Kaito laughed. He hadn't gotten used to this new, more direct and even irritable Elynor. He liked that, he thought his brother was finally speaking his mind.
"I don't need any help, Ely. I'm feeling super comfortable mingling with the people here."
"You're not! I've heard rumors that they're thinking of challenging you to a bunch of duels! I've already made it clear that whoever does that is going to have to fight me next."
"Then you've done it wrong. I already said I'll have to fight every month, remember?"
"Better to fight once a month than twice or three times a day!"
Kaito was going to answer, but before he could say anything several people seemed to rush into the training area at once.
"There are people fighting! Let's see!" said an excited warrior girl as she passed them.
The two brothers looked at each other and soon headed for the place. Upon arriving at the training area Kaito was stunned. It was a huge place, with an arena in the middle strongly surrounded by a high-strength glass dome and bleachers that were getting fuller by the moment.
Kaito couldn't see who was fighting, but it looked somewhat one-sided. From a distance it looked like it was a cleric fighting a warrior, and in this case the warrior was slamming his sledgehammer hard into the cleric's shield, which let out sparks from the blessing of protection, which weakened little by little.
"This happens almost every day. I don't know why these people don't decide to do other things..." said Elynor bored "Let's get out of here, Kai. These fights are not interesting.
But Kaito did not leave. More than that, as he looked at the huge screen above and saw the names of those dueling, he ran downstairs, speeding down the stairs and ignoring his brother's cries for his name.
The entire crowd saw the F rank approach the battlefield and run after the cleric, who at that moment had been thrown against the wall and had lost his shield, which had fallen right beside him. The warrior approached the cleric with a menacing smile on his lips and raised his hammer cruelly.
"Why don't we break your other arm this time?"
The cleric saw the weapon come down to him and closed his eyes, but a stellar clashing of metal erupted all over the place. As he opened his eyes he couldn't believe what he saw.
"Ka... Kaito? Is that you?"
The entire bleachers were shocked. An F rank had passed through the north side entrance and reflected the attack of a B rank using the shield that was on the ground. The impact had come back with such force that the warrior had been thrown backwards.
Kaito turned to his friend and saw that he was covered with wounds all over his body and flashed a confident smile.
"I know you're putting on a show, Bairon, but how about I finish this for you?"