Kaito hadn't quite understood what Professor Caligan meant when he appointed him as a coach, but the next day he understood his task.
In the first period the D class had normal classes and in the second period they went to the testing room for battle training. What Kaito noticed right away was how the entire class could not see anything more than what had been put into their minds. The first to demonstrate this was Hakon.
"But boss... what do you mean to fight in another way? I don't quite understand."
"Fight another way, Hakon. I want to know what other ways you can fight. That's it."
The barbarian put the huge axe on his shoulder and thought as best he could, but soon gave up and denied without knowing how to answer.
"I just go with everything and smash whoever is in front of me. If you hit me I'll endure it and break whatever comes with force. That's it."
"Haven't you ever fought any other way? Like dodging or using other weapons? Nothing?"
"What for? I've always won that way, boss. I mean, I beat people up to C rank. From the higher ones it gets really hard."
Kaito thought as best he could of a solution. If he had the same strength and skills as Hakon he could do a lot. With the high stamina he could attack for longer and with the strength he could break through enemy defenses and finish everything very quickly. As he thought about this he noticed what he had not thought about before.
"You guys never had to ..."
He spoke to himself almost in a whisper. It was obvious. Only he needed so much training and effort to match the others. In general the higher ranks with better classes just fight in the way that is most effective.
Kaito stopped to think for a moment and went to the corner of the room, where there was a table and chair for him to sit. The competing team stared at each other at that moment not knowing how to proceed.
"So, coach, what do we do?" asked Erika.
"If it was up to me...(yawn)... we can do nothing for much longer!" said Theo as he lay down on the floor.
"Less laziness and more activity, Theo. We have a fight in a month," Saphyra scolded.
Kaito heard them, but didn't answer immediately. From his blazer he pulled out the small notebook that always accompanied him and with a pen began scribbling theories.
"You can practice any way you like for now... I'm going to try a few things here," he said, absorbed in his theories.
The group looked at each other and shrugged. Erika, Hakon and Gilliard practiced combat while Saphyra meditated while gathering energy in her body. Theo, on the other hand, found a corner to sleep in.
Kaito made notes about his friend''s powers and for the first time he realized that he had never thought of himself as a rank with a defined class. Before he always prepared himself to defeat the higher ranks, but this was the first time he had to help them do something. This change in spectrum changed everything.
"What are the skills of a warrior...?"
Increased strength, increased endurance, stronger impact, bigger jumps, enhanced reaction, and there were still the active techniques they could use, like Fulminating Impact and Stone Skin. The skills were many, he needed to understand them to make his team win.
"I see you are doing your best, Mr. Arturis. That makes me very happy."
The voice was Professor Caligan's, who was watching him closely looking at the notes in his notebook.
"I have no reason not to give my best. They are people I want to see winning. If I can help it will be great."
"I assume you got somewhere in that one hour of training."
"I think I see something, but I still don't..." said the boy somewhat annoyed, "There seems to be some detail I'm not seeing."
"Remember what I said yesterday. Knowledge, anticipation, variety, control, innovation and base. You don't have to use them all, nor do you have to stick to just one concept. See what works and what doesn't." Said the professor putting his hand on his shoulder.
"Professor, I have a question," said Kaito turning to talk to the teacher who was already leaving.
"And what would that question be?"
"Why did you put me as a coach? Wouldn't it be better if it was you?"
The teacher pondered for a moment and then smiled, answering honestly.
"If I say I will spoil a beautiful evolution." he said withdrawing "but I can guarantee that the moment you understand this you will become much wiser, Mr. Kaito. And as far as I know, wisdom is power."
* * *
The first ten days of training were similar to the first, and soon the dissatisfaction with the coach was apparent. Erika, Saphyra and Theo were not bothered by the fact that Kaito had not yet presented anything, but Hakon and Gilliard were not happy. More than that, the class noticed that while the team responsible for representing them were practicing at random, Kaito was in some corner writing things down and writing things down, and soon rumors began to surface.
"The teacher can only have gone crazy to put an F rank to train a team."
"I agree, but let's not speak ill of Mr. Caligan. Thanks to him I feel I can do new things."
"I want to see how they'll do against the class B..."
Kaito listened and it made him more distressed. He needed an answer soon. It had to come somehow, because if it didn't they would be slaughtered in the Battle of the Phoenix.
"Boss... what's up? Anything? I want to be trained by you."
"Unfortunately not, Hakon... I've been trying, but nothing comes to mind."
"Then why don't we just train with what we know? We're already good at it, aren't we?"
"You may be right... but I feel like something is missing," said the boy scribbling something in his notebook.
"Come on, big guy. Let him work it out on his own. The professor said to be patient, remember?" said Erika coming closer and pulling Hakon by the arm.
The two walked away and Kaito was again lost in his thoughts. The question was always the same: How can I make my team more powerful? He thought about what the professor had said about the pillars, but still couldn't connect something. In the end he had realized that if he had the powers of those around him he would end up fighting exactly as they did.
The bell rang and the break began. At this moment the class stood there and ate something they had brought in their backpacks. It was not the habit of the lower classes to go up to the cafeteria or walk through the upper corridors. What surprised Kaito and a few others was the fact that the mixed class dormitories had not generated any problems yet. The punishments were very severe, but surely something should have happened by now.
"Too busy to take a walk?"
The delicate voice with the very well spoken words came from Saphyra, which woke Kaito up from his deep thinking. He turned around at once and saw that the light blue eyes girl was looking at him closely.
"Busy? Me?" he asked feeling stupid for having said that.
"Yes, you. I wanted to call you to walk upstairs and take a look at the gardens. Maybe I could get some sfihas too."
"Look... it's just that I..." Kaito looked down at his notes and soon felt a weight on his shoulders "I guess a break wouldn't hurt me."
Saphyra flashes a crystal clear smile at the boy and he realizes at that moment that she was prettier than he had anticipated. The two left the room under the gazes of all the other students and at that moment Kaito knew that even more rumors would spread around the room.
The two of them climbed the flights of stairs with trivial conversation and when they reached the main hall, they found themselves surrounded by students from higher classes. On all sides there were rank A and B students coming and going, and when they saw the two low ranks passing by they poured out their venoms.
"Look there, a couple of garbage."
"They're only safe because I don't want to get kicked out."
"Hey, Bloodlees!How about a duel? You wouldn't last a second."
Everyone was talking and gawking at them and it irritated Kaito more and more, but just as he was about to protest he felt Saphyra tug at the sleeve of his blazer, getting his attention.
"Let's go outside. I want to see the gardens." .
Kaito realized that she wasn't staring him in the face. To tell the truth it was like she was looking at the ground all the time. Looking around and seeing that they were attracting a lot of attention, the generalist affirmed and went with her to the backyard of the academy, which was emptier.
Upon reaching the place Kaito saw for the first time the beautiful gardens of the school. There were colorful and harmonious flowers scattered all over the place with wooden sitting stools and leafy trees. It surprised him more than he imagined.
"So there's a place like this in the academy? I had no idea..."
"It's nice, isn't it? I always wanted to come here and couldn't." said Saphyra coming forward and looking at the flowerbeds with the various flowers.
Kaito watched the girl go forward and touch the flowers with a passionate and sad look on her face. He could not put it into words, but it was as if she could see something beyond what he could ever see.
"And why didn't you come here before? It's not like this place is hidden." said Kaito approaching Saphyra again.
"I couldn't... ever since I was little I wanted to see this place and I couldn't. But now that I can... I'm not sure if I really wanted to come."
Kaito didn't understand what she meant, but soon realized that the mage was looking at one place in particular, a small golden plaque with a name crossed out several times and written over it FILTHY D RANK!
Saphyra lingered on that very spot and lightly ran her fingertips over the plaque.
"My mother's name was Celeste Vizzora and she was the one who took care of these gardens. Ever since I was a child she took care of this place and told me how beautiful it was." said Saphyra with a sweet smile "I'm sure she loved taking care of this place. I always wanted to come, but they wouldn't let a D rank in. My mother herself only got in because the old director let her...I don't know how she got to work here, but she came anyway."
The girl looked around with an angry expression and took a few steps forward until she came to a fountain where the water jumped in several arcs.
"After she got the job my father and her split up. I think something bad happened and I have no doubt it has to do with the former director, Azhorius Khan. But it wasn't the bad thing at all. My mother was happy and started making some good money."
"And today... do you live with your father or your mother?" Kaito asked already knowing what kind of answer he would get.
"You don't have to talk to me like that. I know you don't want to hurt me, but I prefer things the simple way. After living with my parents hiding things from me and pretending, I've decided that the best way is to always say what you mean," Saphyra said with an honest smile as she turned to Kaito "My mother died five years ago. She was murdered by some higher ranks who were drunk and passed on the street when she was coming home from work. Today I live with my father and things are going well, as much as possible. My father is a good person," she said with a hurt look on her face.
Kaito felt his blood boil at that moment. He knew that this kind of thing happened often all over the world, but he still didn't like it.
"And those high ranks... were they punished?"
"No. Nothing happened to them. Speaking the truth one of them is a famous A rank battle cleric from the Holy Blade guild. You must know who he is, his name is Thelus Lumiere." she said sitting down on the edge of the fountain and dipping her fingertips into the clear water.
Kaito closed his fist in pure anger. He wanted to say something to calm her down, to swear justice, but it seemed that anything he said would be useless. More than that, he was confused by everything that was occurring and from the looks of it there was only one way to clear it all up.
"I am saddened by what you told me, Saphyra. I really wanted to help you with this, but the truth is that I don't understand. Why did you bring me here to say these things? Do you want help with something? Is there something I can do to help you? Kaito asked directly and bluntly, wishing there was an answer to the bitterness in his chest.
"I brought you here because I saw that you are lost. I wanted to show you something nice and light. I thought of many things, but only this came to mind."
"It's all very beautiful indeed and I am grateful, but is it worth it if you are going to be sad?"
"Don't get it wrong, I wanted to come here too and I used you for that. It was a little mean, but I don't think it will hurt anyone."
Kaito knew she was being sincere and that made him more relieved. It was good to know things clearly.
"Kaito, do you know what the name of this garden is?"
"Isn't it Phoenix Garden? It's written on the entrance."
"No. That was the name they gave it afterwards. The name my mother gave was another one. She wanted to create a place where regardless of your rank and who you were, you could enjoy it just like anyone else." Saphyra stood up and walked over to a yellow flower with large, wide petals "This place has my mother's magic. The flowers don't die, the colors are more beautiful, even the sound of each flower and the water was created by her. Even without seeing, you can still feel this place. That's why she called it the Gardens of the Senses." said the girl running her hand over the velvety petals.
Kaito looked around and noticed everything she said. The warm wind, the sound of leaves and water, and even the feeling he got on his skin when he touched a flower. It was indeed a place where his rank did not matter.
"Kaito... there is another reason why I called you today."
Kaito turned to her without much understanding and saw the mage's crystal clear gaze add courage to smile and say what was stuck inside her.
"I... I think I like you."