Another bonus objective. My lips twitched, a smile threatening to break through. Take down the entirety of Class Two-B? A monumental ask for anyone else, but for me? It sounded more like an invitation for fun.
"Well." I thought, gripping my wooden sword, "time to earn some XP."
The arena buzzed with anticipation as Ryu and I stepped into the ring. Whispers rippled through the crowd, the tension thick enough to taste. My senses tingled, heightened not just by adrenaline but by the quiet, oppressive gaze fixed on me.
I scanned the sidelines until my eyes locked on him—Instructor Akashi. That arrogant smirk on his face. The glint of confidence in his sharp eyes. He thought this was over before it began.
"We'll see." I muttered, clenching my jaw. My intuition stat, finely honed and never wrong, had already marked him as a problem. But that could wait. My current targets were standing right in front of me.
Taro stood still, his katana steady, his sharp gaze like a predator's. Beside him, Satake looked less composed, his stance betraying a slight unease.
"So, you're the infamous Takeda, huh?" Taro sneered. "Let's see if you live up to the hype."
I smirked back, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably. "Don't blink. You might miss it."
Ryu moved first, charging at Taro with reckless speed. But just as his blade swung, Satake stepped in, his wooden sword intercepting the strike.
I moved instinctively, faster than even I expected. In the blink of an eye, I was beside Ryu, my sword blocking Satake's strike with a satisfying crack.
His wide eyes met mine. "Fast." he muttered, backing off.
"Too slow," I replied, lunging forward before he could recover. My strikes came in rapid succession, the air around us hissing with each swing. Satake tried to block, but his form crumbled under the pressure. He stumbled back, struggling to keep up.
I was ready to finish him when the hairs on my neck rose. My body moved before my mind caught up, leaping back just as Taro's sword sliced through the air where I had been standing.
The crowd gasped, but I didn't waste a second. Using the opening, I slipped behind Taro, my wooden blade pressing lightly against his back.
"It's over." I said, my tone low and calm, laced with just enough malice to make him flinch.
Taro grunted in frustration, lowering his weapon as the arena murmured in shock. Even Ryu stared, his confusion clear.
I turned to Instructor Hiroto, my voice loud and steady. "Our class is losing. Let me redeem us by taking on all of Class Two-B. If I win, the victory goes to us."
The silence was deafening. Students exchanged glances, the absurdity of my proposal rippling through the crowd.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Instructor Akashi snarled, stepping forward.
"Just a student trying to restore his class's pride." I replied coolly, meeting his glare without flinching.
I turned to Hiroto, ignoring Akashi's growing anger. "What do you say, Instructor? We can't let Class One-A go out like this."
For a moment, Hiroto's stoic expression softened, his lips twitching into a barely-there smile. "Very well." he said. "Takeda versus the entirety of Class Two-B. No Ki. This will be purely skill."
The ring filled quickly. Fifteen students, armed with wooden weapons, stepped forward. Their confidence was shaky at best, some shifting uneasily under the weight of the challenge.
I rolled my shoulders, feeling the weight of their eyes. "Let's get started, shall we?"
Hiroto raised his hand. "Begin!"
The first three students charged, their swords and spear forming a coordinated assault. I stepped forward, sidestepping one sword strike, ducking under another, and twisting away from the spear.
Their movements were predictable, unpolished. I dropped low, sweeping my leg across the ground, sending all three sprawling. Before they could recover, my wooden sword struck each of them with surgical precision.
Three down.
A spear came at my head. I parried it with ease, knocking the weapon aside before stepping into my opponent's guard. One quick strike to his torso, and he was down too.
I moved seamlessly into the next engagement, facing three more students. Their attacks came from all sides, but my reflexes and training carried me through. I dodged, blocked, and countered with precision, my wooden sword a blur as I dismantled their attempts to overwhelm me.
Nine down.
The remaining six hesitated, their fear plain. I could feel their confidence crumbling, the weight of their classmates' defeat pressing down on them.
"Is this it?" I muttered under my breath, disappointed. "I expected more of a challenge."
My eyes found Taro, still standing at the back, watching silently. His expression darkened as I called out, "Why don't you step in and make this interesting?"
The arena stilled. Taro stepped forward, signaling the others to stand down.
Taro didn't waste time. He dashed forward, his katana slicing through the air with precision. I raised my sword to block, the impact jarring my arms.
He was strong. Stronger than I'd expected.
Our blades clashed repeatedly, the sound echoing across the arena. Taro's technique was flawless, his strikes calculated and precise. But I could see it—he was holding back.
"Stop holding back, Taro." I said, grinning. "I know you're better than this."
His eyes narrowed, and his attacks grew sharper, more aggressive. Each strike carried more weight, forcing me to dig deep to keep up.
Then I saw it—the hesitation, the tiny opening. He overextended on a swing, and I seized the moment.
I slipped past his guard, my wooden sword pressing lightly against his throat.
"It's over." I said, my voice calm but firm.
The arena fell silent. Taro froze, his eyes wide in disbelief. Slowly, he lowered his sword, accepting defeat.
Hiroto's voice rang out. "Class Two-B has lost. Takeda is the victor."
The crowd erupted into cheers, my classmates rushing forward with excited shouts and congratulations. Even Ryu couldn't hide his grin.
As the notifications flashed in my mind, I allowed myself a small smile. The rewards were impressive, but it was the victory that truly satisfied me.
My eyes drifted to the sidelines, where Instructor Akashi stood, his expression twisted in fury. The arrogance he'd worn earlier was gone, replaced by the bitter sting of humiliation.
I raised my sword slightly in a subtle salute, my smile widening. "And this." I thought, "is just the beginning."
The cheers from my classmates filled the arena, their excitement washing over me. But I wasn't focused on them. My eyes stayed locked on Akashi.
His face was a mix of anger and disbelief, his hands clenched at his sides. The smirk he'd worn earlier had vanished, replaced by a cold, dangerous glare.
"Takeda." Ryu said, his voice low as he stepped beside me. "You did it. Let's not push our luck."
But I wasn't done. Akashi's arrogance had been grating from the moment I stepped into this school. If I let him walk away now, his smug attitude would resurface.
"Hey, Akashi!" I called, my voice cutting through the noise.
The arena quieted instantly, all eyes snapping between me and the instructor.
Akashi turned slowly, his jaw tightening. "What did you just say?"
I stepped forward, my wooden sword resting casually on my shoulder. "You've been staring me down all day. Judging. Smirking. Acting like you're untouchable." I shrugged. "So why don't you step into the arena? Let's see what you've got."
The crowd gasped audibly, the murmurs quickly rising into a wave of disbelief. Even Hiroto raised an eyebrow, his usual stoic demeanor flickering with curiosity.
"You can't be serious." Ryu muttered, his voice tense.
"Dead serious." I replied, not breaking my gaze from Akashi.
For a moment, Akashi didn't move. His lips twitched, his eyes narrowing. I could see the calculation in his gaze. He couldn't back down without losing face—not in front of his students, not after the way I'd dismantled them.
Finally, he stepped into the ring, the crowd parting like water. His presence was suffocating, his movements deliberate. This wasn't just a spar—it was personal.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that." Akashi growled, drawing a wooden sword. His grip was steady, his stance flawless. Even without Ki, the aura he radiated was oppressive.
"Let's see if your skills match your mouth, brat."
Instructor Hiroto walked to the edge of the ring, his tone even. "No Ki. This will be a test of pure skill."
Akashi chuckled darkly. "Oh, I won't need Ki for this one."
The moment Hiroto signaled the start, Akashi moved. He was fast—faster than any of the students I'd faced. His sword came down in a blur, the force behind it rattling my arms as I blocked.
"You think you're something special?" he snarled, his strikes coming relentlessly. "You're just a lucky brat."
Each swing was precise, calculated, designed to test my defenses. But I didn't falter. My body moved instinctively, my past life's training guiding me as I parried and dodged.
"Is that all you've got?" I taunted, sidestepping another powerful strike.
His eyes flashed with anger, his attacks growing more aggressive. He was skilled, no doubt about it. But I'd seen his type before—confident, disciplined, and predictable.
I waited, watching his movements carefully. He was strong, but strength alone wouldn't win this fight.
And then I saw it. A subtle overextension in his swing.
As his sword came down, I sidestepped and slipped inside his guard. My wooden blade shot forward, striking his ribs with a satisfying thud.
Akashi stumbled back, clutching his side, his expression a mix of shock and rage.
The arena erupted in cheers, but I didn't move. I kept my stance steady, my sword raised, my eyes locked on him.
"Next time, Instructor Akashi." I said, my voice calm but firm, "don't underestimate me."
For a moment, he looked like he might charge again, but the weight of the crowd's eyes held him back. He lowered his weapon, his jaw tight, and stormed out of the arena without another word.
The system notification brought a grin to my face. The XP, the skill points, the Spirit Stones—they were all nice. But the real victory was the look on Akashi's face as he walked away.
My classmates swarmed me, their cheers loud and overwhelming. Even Ryu was grinning, though he shook his head in disbelief.
"You're insane." he said, clapping me on the shoulder. "But damn, that was impressive."
"Insane gets results." I replied, my tone light.
Instructor Hiroto approached, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he said nothing, simply studying me. Then, a faint smile crossed his face.
"Well done, Takeda." he said. "You've made quite an impression."
"Just doing my part." I replied, bowing slightly.
As the crowd began to disperse, I felt a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration settle over me. Today had been a test, not just of my skills but of my place in this academy. And I had passed.
Walking back to my quarters, I opened the system menu, eager to see the results of my efforts.
I scrolled through the rewards, my mind already racing with possibilities. But for now, I let the satisfaction of the day's victories wash over me.