The following day, after my training session with Arthur and Adrienne, I was on my way to the day's first class. And on the way there, I saw a bullying incident taking place. The people involved all seemed to be first years, perpetrator and victim alike. The victim looked like a commoner, judging from his appearance and demeanor while the assailant seemed to be of noble origin for the same reasons.
Nobles had a different way of moving, and had better form when it came to combat due to their training.
'Ooo. Let me watch, if it's interesting I'll skip my next class. It's a practical swordsmanship class anyways, it can wait.'
I saw the noble throw the commoner onto the floor, using a technique not too dissimilar to the throwing technique the Inquisitor used on me.
'Why does everyone seem to know a martial art these days..? Well, whatever. Not like I'm gonna pick one up, fighting like a beast is more fun anyway.'
As I hid behind the wall, watching, I noticed something. The commoner didn't even seem to have any thoughts of retaliating, he just let the noble do as he pleased.
As the commoner stood up after being thrown, the noble threw a flurry of blows. But, to my surprise, the commoner withstood each and every blow. As a matter of fact, he wasn't even so much as wincing from the pain behind those attacks.
"I can't believe it, you're still standing..? Were the rumours of you being invincible actually true?"
The assailant spoke, the shock and venom in his voice creating an unfamiliar tone to be formed.
'This is so childish. I can't believe people are getting treated like that a few days into the school year.'
I watched as the noble repeatedly assaulted the commoner, but, the commoner's body didn't seem to be so much as even feeling the force behind those blows. It was like I was looking at a human shield. That durability seemed vaguely inhuman if anything.
'That toughness.. It reminds me of my broth- Or rather, Gunther Hyperius.'
As the assailant continued their relentless attacks, blood began to splatter. The noble smiled with glee, believing that his attacks had finally began to take effect.
'I should stop this before it gets out of hand.'
I used Blood Strength and stacked it with Arcane Enhancement, and moved towards the two of them. As the noble was about his fist once more, I appeared behind him and restrained him by slipping my arms under his arm pits and pulling him towards me.
"Stop."
I didn't introduce myself, nor did I give a reason as to why I was even there. All I did was issue a command, but I felt both of them disable their Enhancements.
"White hair.. and golden eyes... Even I don't wanna fight you, but what's up with this, you commoners joining hands or something?"
Sighing, I spoke. I couldn't believe someone so stupid existed.
"Have you looked at your own hands?"
The boy in my grasp took a glance at his hands, his fists were covered in blood. But more than that, his bones were protruding and his skin had been torn off.
While he had been punching the other kid, he had been mutilating his own fists. Had he gone any further, permanent damage wasn't something that was off the table.
Throwing the noble away, I inspected the overly durable boy infront of me.
He wasn't too far off my height, but he was a little shorter than me. He had white hair, styled similarly to Gunther's hair, but he had bright blue eyes. Looking at him, one might think we were related.
"Are we... long lost brother's or something?"
The boy looked at me, confused.
"D.. do you not remember me? We're cousins? I'm uh, from the other part of the family, our ability manifested in me. My bloodline ability turns my body into a sort of shield. It's like a specialised version of Gunther's ability. If he's both sword and armour, then I'm the shield."
Looking at him, I smiled.
"Enhance yourself."
"What, why? W-wait, don't, please. I-"
Without a moment's delay, I reeled my fist back, took a step forward and twisted my hips to generate the maximum amount of force I could possibly muster in a punch.
The air around us was displaced as our bodies made contact, my fist met his stomach.
Despite me using my maximum output, despite stacking Blood Strength with Arcane Enhancement, he didn't seem to feel my attack. Slowly, I pulled my arm back, feeling both awe and shock.
'He didn't feel that..? A blow from ME?'
The kid hadn't so much as felt my attack.
"Your fists are they okay?"
The boy frantically grabbed my hand and inspected it, but he seemed pretty damn shocked.
"Your hands aren't hurt??? Everyone who's hit me so far has hurt themselves punching me. What the hell are you made of?"
I looked at him, tilting my head.
"Says the one who withstood my attack without suffering any damage, that blow would've caused even Arthur Valter to tremble, or even kneel, if he didn't guard against it. But all you did was enhance your body and you didn't even feel it."
I then extended my hand and spoke.
'I want him under me.'
"Your name. What is it."