The moon was clear in the sky and night was falling all over Rubra, and even after a few minutes Kaito still could not accept what he just heard.
Walking through the halls of the academy going to his room, he was accompanied by Erika, who was looking at everything and everyone with disdain.
"What a shitty place, isn't it, little brother? Very stuck-up people."
"I'm not your brother. And why the hell are you following me?"
"My mother has already given you more tip money than I've earned in allowance. If she raised you more than me, then you're like her son, which makes you my brother. And I'm not following you, my room is in the same direction."
"Amara was more of a loss to me than a tipper. She never paid for the drinks and I always covered it."
"Oh, so she gave you the runaround too?! That makes you my brother even more so now!"
Reaching the door to his room, Kaito turned to the girl, took a deep breath and tried to get the message across as best he could.
"If you want to call me brother, then do it. I won't bother with it. It's just that I'm pretty impressed that Amara had a daughter, and that this daughter of hers managed to survive..."
"Oh, brother, don't talk about my mom like that. She looks all sloppy, but she's pretty good!"
"Yeah... I'm sorry for saying that... it was just too much for my mind."
Kaito saw that Saphyra arrived at that moment carrying a basket covered by a lacy cloth with flowers. Provoking the mage, Erika smiled broadly and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Hey little sister! What do you have there for us?" She asked trying to pull the cloth.
"Nothing of your concern." replied Saphyra coldly pushing her hand away.
The mage opened the door to the room, but before entering she looked Kaito directly in his eyes and affirmed in a sign of respect.
"You better take a shower and go to sleep soon...you need to rest." she said entering and without giving a chance for a reply.
Kaito stood for a moment not understanding what had happened, and Erika soon took the opportunity to make fun of him.
"Wow, if there's no love in the air?! I felt the sparks from here! Hot! Boiling love!" she said making a heart with her hands.
"There's nothing like that. She was just nice and.... look, I have no idea what just happened. It's all really weird! First you are Amara's daughter. Second you call Saphyra your sister too and she doesn't even complain and third, Saphyra's acting strange. What happened while I was unconscious?"
"Oh, my little brother, I call everyone I like that way! The reason? It's because I can't remember anyone's name, so it's easier that way." Erika answered with a shrug. "As for everything else... I can tell you that a lot of things are going to change. You put on a show that no one will forget for a long time. Now I have to go, I'm dying to go to sleep!"
And just like that Erika was gone. Kaito watched the girl go even deeper into the hallway full of doors and decided that it would be better for his mind today not to think about any more of that.
As Kaito opened the door and entered, he noticed that the room was different. First that Theodora was not there. Second that Saphyra was very quietly fiddling with her basket and third and most different of all was Hakon, who was standing next to Kaito's bed in a sign of respect, with his arms outstretched and his chin up.
"Boss! You're finally here!" said Hakon walking to the door and greeting Kaito with a brief bow.
"Boss? Me? What do you mean?"
"Didn't you win today? Then you are the class leader." replied Saphyra as she continued to put her basket away.
Hakon covered one of Kaito's hands with his two hands and looked at him closely with his eyes almost shining.
"That's right, boss! You threw me high with your strength! You are a titan! A powerful being!"
"I did that?Oh, that's right! I hit you very hard! Are you okay? I didn't see you in the infirmary."
Hakon let go of Kaito's hand and showed his uninjured chin. Proudly he inflated his chest and replied.
"Your attack stung, but it didn't hurt me, boss. My skin is tough and my blood makes me heal the damage!"
"And why did you faint? I mean... if you kept going you could have won."
"Oh, that? I fell because of the fury! It's a skill the barbarians have that increases our strength and endurance and everything, except it takes a lot of energy. I got tired and fell hard."
At that moment Kaito realized that it would not be a good idea to copy Hakon's skill. He had been able to use Opame's skill, which was a multi-class, offhand, but that was the part that used the most energy in his whole hit. If he used the barbarian's skill he might not get up for a week.
"I'm glad you didn't get hurt, Hakon." said Kaito already going to his bed and sitting up.
"Of course I won't get hurt, boss! I can fight with anyone and nothing will happen to me!" replied the barbarian sitting up in his bed at once.
"Don't you think you're overdoing it with this boss thing?" asked Saphyra closing her basket.
"Of course not! The boss was the first to face my fury head-on and still counterattack! He defeated me like a warrior would! I admire him and know that if I follow him I will be even stronger!" replied Hakon putting his closed fist on his chest.
Kaito wanted to say that he had actually used the skill of several classes and that he took advantage of the moment to attack, not actually being a head-on confrontation, but at that moment it was better just to let the situation proceed.
Saphyra stared at Kaito for a moment, turned to her small, delicate hands on top of the basket, took a deep breath, and gathered the courage that was missing. She then stood up and walked over to Kaito, extending the basket to him.
"Take it."
Kaito couldn't understand at once what was happening, taking time even to be able to react.
"Am I supposed to take it?"
"If it wasn't I wouldn't be here, would I?"
"Ah, thanks, then..." replied Kaito receiving the basket.
Kaito put the basket in front of him and opened it without waiting for an order. Looking at what was inside he saw that there were some chicken sandwiches with mayonnaise and carrots, a small bottle of grape juice, a small chocolate bar and a book that Kaito could read as The Art of Mastering and Preserving Blood Energy.
The generalist could not answer right away. It was confusing for him. He was not used to this kind of treatment. Before his exam he was admired by the people in his school, but not to the extent that they would give him anything. And after the exam he was rejected in such a way that he had forgotten what it felt like to receive an act of kindness. He was used to being cursed at, beaten, and humiliated, not with that.
"The sandwiches are good for boosting your energy, and you didn't eat, so I thought it would be good. The juice, on the other hand, is because they say it helps get your blood energy back. The chocolate is because I thought you would like a candy bar, and the book is so you won't do that stupid thing again," said Saphyra pointing item by item.
Kaito looked at each thing there very well placed and carefully cared for and felt something warm in his chest, something he felt only when he was with his family and cared for by them.
"Thank you, Saphyra, that's very nice of you!" said the boy with a wide smile that made the mage blush.
At the sight of this Hakon got down on his knees on his bed in a totally excited jump.
"Oh, I can't believe it! So you really like the boss?!"
"Hakon!"
"What's wrong, boss? It seems pretty obvious!"
Saphyra stared at the barbarian taken by a growing embarrassment and then turned to Kaito, looking him in the eye and feeling more nervous. However, just when it looked like she was going to explode, she took a deep breath and calmed down, saying what she felt all at once.
"I don't know if I like you. I think it's too early to be sure. But from what you've done these two days I can say that I admire you. You are interesting and you don't bend to things. If one day I like you I'll ask you out or something, but for now I'd say it's just admiration."
She nodded and walked calmly over to her bed, sitting up and opening a book she had left on top of her dresser. Hakon saw that without much understanding and quickly shrugged.
"Yeah, boss, I don't think she likes you. But it's good that she sees the boss as the boss! Right, boss?"
Kaito didn't answer right away. He was overcome with such a warm feeling that at that moment he felt he couldn't answer. The generalist looked at the basket once more and then at Hakon and Saphyra, who were standing there, talking to him and respecting him. His efforts had paid off and the results were far above expectations. But it was the next day that would really show the results of his efforts.
* * *
Kaito woke up as usual, ate a boiled egg with bread and cereal as usual, put on his exercise shirt as usual, and went to the gym to train as best he could. Lifting weights, running, punching, he would do anything he could do to get stronger. But something was different that morning.
All along the way Hakon was with him. The barbarian ate with him, exercised with him, and did it all by talking as little as possible, because "he couldn't break the boss's concentration". With them was also Bairon and Opame, who trained as hard as they could.
It was the same as always, but now accompanied, something Kaito was not used to. It was always him and Elynor, when his brother could show up. Now that it was S rank, Elynor was busy with other responsibilities and tests that some guilds sent. This kind of training with more people was not something Kaito was used to, but it was something he enjoyed.
Heading to the class with his friends, he reached the door room and soon heard Opame's complaints.
"I so wanted to go to your class... mashing the faces of those high ranks with you would be great!"
"But I thought you guys were going to come. Weren't you seeing a way to change rooms?" asked Kaito.
"My dad tried, but the board said that the Battle of the Phoenix doesn't allow higher ranks to go to weaker classes. I don't know how it's going to be in the future, but so far we can't change classes." said Bairon.
"I understand you! Being in the boss's class is something amazing! The boss proved to me that rank doesn't matter!" said Hakon proudly.
The four were silent for a brief moment, until Opame snapped her fingers as if she had an idea.
"Wait a minute... if I'm in another class, that means I can fight you, right, Kaito?!"
"Absolutely. Actually I think that's exactly what they want, for the lower ranks to face each other so they can watch."
"Oh, screw that! If I can fight you that's even better!"
"Look, I don't want to fight Kaito. Actually, I'm tired of people challenging me to beat me up..." said Bairon.
"Come on, Bai! I've got your back!" said Opame, putting her arm around Bairon's shoulders.
"I'm not happy to be a spoilsport, but I believe you should go to your classes."
The voice was Professor Caligan, who carried a stack of books in his arms as he faced the group blocking the doorway.
"Gee, I forgot we have class! Let's go, then!" said Opame, pulling Bairon by the arm.
Kaito and Hakon entered the classroom, and the moment the generalist stepped into the room he could tell something was different. The class stared at him in abnormal silence.
Kaito could not say exactly what was going on, but those looks were not happy. There was fear, doubt, and anger. They feared Kaito for the battle the day before and did not know how they had been defeated like that. At that moment the Bloodless was an icognito that left them confused.
"What kind of treatment is that?! Is this how you receive our boss?" thundered Hakon, putting one foot on a chair and facing everyone menacingly.
Further back a warrior who was standing near the wall says in defiance.
"He is not our leader! He cheated!"
"That's it! There's no way a F rank can beat a D rank! Let alone thirty!" said a rogue.
"I don't accept that result! Without proof I won't accept it at all!" said a mage sitting further ahead.
Hakon closed his fist at once and makes a mention of pounding the table, but before he could do so Kaito held his hand firmly.
"Let it go, Hakon. If they don't want to believe it, then let them not believe it."
Despite his speech, Kaito was not completely calm. Once again he was being judged by his rank. Once again what he did was not worth more than what he was. It was a annoying and sad situation, but it was what he was used to. What happened the day before and that morning were the exceptions.
"Would you please stop this theatrics and sit down?! I have important things to say." Professor Caligan ordered.
The two sat further forward, with Hakon occasionally looking back to intimidate a colleague who dared to speak ill of his boss.
Professor Caligan opened some books on his desk, went to the whiteboard and wrote Kaito's name in one corner. On the other side he wrote 'Class D' and slowly made arrows linked to words like blood, strategy and rank.
Everyone there was totally engrossed in what the teacher was doing. It had only been a few days of class, but in none of them did Professor Caligan seem as animated as in this moment. He went back and forth, opened a book, read a passage in a low voice and write it on the board or make some arrows. Finally, when five minutes had passed without any word in the room, Erika, who was sitting at the last desk almost lying down in her chair, raised her hand and asked what everyone wanted to know.
"Professor, I don't want to be a party pooper, but what are you doing?"
Professor Caligan made one last arrow, turned to the class and flashed an excited smile.
"This here, my dear students, is how Mr. Arturis won yesterday's fight and how you will win the fight against class B in twenty-nine days! I have come today to present to you the potential you will be able to reach!"