"Oii! Get up and leave," Lieutenant Briggs shouted his whip hitting the floor as he urged the students to head to their next class. Countless groans were heard as the students forced themselves to get up.
As Briggs began to herd them towards their next class, Aria remained motionless on the ground. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow. His snow white face glowing in the sun. Kael approached him with forced, and his face filled with concern.
"Yoo! You alright?" Kael asked.
Aria opened his eyes and looked at him with an indifferent expression. "I am fine," he said. "Let's go."
Kael faced flashed with worry at first, but then he remembered how strong and dominant Aria was which allowed his expression calm down as he followed Aria, both of them making their way towards the next class.
Behind them, Briggs watched with a cruel smile. He had been watching Aria since the start and knew he was a formidable opponent, and he was eager to see how far he would go before he would break.
As the students made their way to the armory, a sense of anticipation mingled with unease filled the air, coupled with the fact that they were tired and in pain due to what Briggs made them go through.
They had already experienced their first heartless teacher, and they wondered how the next one was going to be like. They had already heard tales of the formidable Lieutenant Leina who was going to be the class teacher for the armory class. She was known for her unwavering discipline and rigorous training methods.
Upon entering the armory, their eyes met by a vast array of gleaming weapons and intricate armor, each of different sizes and varying in color. They could feel the aura coming out of each one.
"Wow, look at all this material! They're beautiful." Kael said, his eyes reflecting the materials.
Lieutenant Leina stood in front of the room, her piercing gaze sweeping over the students. She had long violet hair tied in a ponytail, her eyes of a purple color. She was wearing a long white lab coat which could not hide her hour glass figure.
"Welcome to the armory," she said, her voice cold as steel. "In this class, you will basically learn the art of forging your own armor. This armor will not only protect your bodies, but it will also amplify your inner energy."
The students showed excited expressions, completely different from the pained expressions they carried a while back.
She gestured to a table laden with an assortment of material, "Each of you will choose a material that resonates with your inner energy," She said, "This will also increase the potency of your specialty."
The students eagerly made their way to the table, their eyes wide with wonder. The materials shimmered and glowed a myriad of colors, each one calling out to them with a unique allure.
"Where do these materials come from?" Elara asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
"Well these are harvested from the beast that roam the lands of Croatia," Lieutenant Leina replied. "Each beast possesses a unique essence that imbues its materials with extraordinary properties."
"All you have to do is pass your inner energy through the material and the one that resonates with your inner energy will call out for you. Trust your instincts." She continued, "After all the material that doesn't resonates with you is basically useless since you wouldn't be able to forge it!"
"I will find the strongest material, no matter what." Aria said to himself as he clenched his fists in determination.
The students then nodded in reply, as they began to pass their energy through the materials, seeking the one that would best suit them.
Elara was the first to find her match. A sleek, silver material glowed brightly in her hand turning into a bright red color, its surface rippling with ethereal energy.
"This is it," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as a bright smile formed on her face causing the male students to lose focus.
She carried her material back to her desk and sat down, her face a picture of contentment.
Kael soon followed after, his material flaring to life as a fiery orange light erupted from one of the materials in his hand, its glow illuminating the room with a warm radiance.
One by one, the students found their materials, the room transforming into a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, all except for Aria. He carried an annoyed expression on his face as he picked another material and it showed no reaction at all.
He stood silently at the table, his eyes narrowed as he passed his inner energy through each material. Time seemed to stretch on as the other students finished their selections and returned to their seats.
Kael looked at Aria with a worried expression as he pondered, 'Aria, I hope everything is alright.'
Lieutenant Leina approached Aria, her brows creased with annoyance. "Are you having trouble, student?" she asked.
Aria ignored her, his focus unwavering. He continued to pass his inner energy through the materials, but none of them responded.
Growing impatient, Lieutenant Leina reached out and grabbed several materials from the table, presenting them to Aria one by one. But even these high grade materials failed to elicit a reaction.
A look of shock crossed Lieutenant Leina's face. She had never encountered such a phenomenon before.
Determined to find a solution, she retreated to her room and emerged moments later with a material that radiated an energy unlike anything the students had ever felt. Just seeing it they knew the quality was way above theirs.
"Try this," she said, handing the material to Aria.
Aria passed his inner energy through it, and a faint red glow emanated from the material. It was dim, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
Lieutenant Leina was at a loss for words. "Well this is most peculiar. I have never encountered such a phenomenon before."
"I am different" Aria said indifferently as he stared at the dimly lit material in his arms.
"Though there is a connection, it will be extremely hard for you to forge your armor, since the connection is so poor," she said with a sigh as she gestured for Aria to head back to his seat. "We will begin forging our armor now," she announced to the class.
The students gathered around their workstations, eager to begin the task of creating their own personal armor. As they worked, Lieutenant Leina kept a watchful eye on Aria, her mind racing as she tried to understand the enigma that was his inner energy.
…