Chapter 132 - Before Mid-terms
"The last one."
As Eleanor said that, her gaze turned to the student whom she had one of the least favorable impressions.
"Astron Natusalune and Aliyah Shaw."
The boy with pitch-black hair was sitting at the back of the place. He didn't have anyone sitting close to him as if he was some sort of plague.
And considering the rumors surrounding him, that made sense. Even as an instructor, she had heard about all those rumors, and certainly, they were quite disturbing.
However, different from the youngsters who didn't know about the world, she was well aware that all those rumors couldn't be true at the same time. Even if Astron had a criminal history, something that exaggerated wouldn't be the case.
However, even then, it didn't change the fact that he was someone who was hard to be on equal grounds and with the attitude of a teen.
"Get ready for your positions."
But, remembering what she had seen at the joint dungeon examination and the examination before that, she couldn't help but think something had changed about him.
'Still, he can't be the one.'
But, in the end, she disregarded the small thought she had for a brief second.
"We will start soon."
And, she returned to her usual stern tone.
********
"Hey, bastard."
A crooked voice came before me as I reached the spot where I would have my spar. There stood a girl with tanned skin and yellow eyes looking at me with a clear blaze.
"….."
She was the sparring partner I would have for a while, Aliyah Shaw. Another minor extra-like character that didn't have much screen time. She was a girl who liked to joke loudly in class and, most of the time, acted like a boy.
Her short-cut hair and usage of words all belonged to a category that was called 'tomboy.'
Though sadly different from Julia, she was not a main character. Thus, she would always be soon forgotten by the players.
"Hey, bastard, are you deaf?"
But then again, in this real world, there was no such thing as screen time. Every person has their own life, and time also flows for them.
And now, I need to spar with the girl before me. Even though she seemed to have a bad impression of me, I couldn't do much about it for the time being.
"I can hear you just fine."
To respond, she sneered, her yellow eyes narrowing. "I've heard all kinds of stories about you, like you being a womanizer and hitting a girl."
'Again, with those rumors.' I thought as I readied myself for the spar while grabbing my weapons. Since I was now officially registered as a bowman and a Daggerist, I needed to use both of them while being graded.
"So what?" I answered. At this point, reacting to those allegations was too bothersome for me.
"So what?? Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
"I don't. You are allowed to believe whatever you want."
"Ah, of course…..I wouldn't expect less from a bastard like you."
Most of the time, people who thought they were some sort of moral police would demand an apology from the other party.
This is also known as political correctness.
People who get 'offended' by other people's actions who don't directly affect them. Just like this girl before me.
Even though I had never talked with her before, nor had I done something to her, she still got offended by my imaginary actions and now wants to bring the 'justice' she deemed yourself.
"Get your weapon; I am going to crush you." The ferocious expression on her face was the proof of that.
"Is that so?"
"It is."
SMASH!
She smashed her gauntlets, scrubbing them into each other as she revealed a predatory smile.
Apparently, she was a martial artist who trained her body and became a living weapon on her own using her fists. Of course, while observing all the students inside the class, I also gathered information about her and knew she was using fists and ranked around 1k digits.
"Make sure you get some painkillers ready. Because it will fucking hurt." With those words, she started walking to her own position of sparring, the other end of the ring.
Since I was a bowman, to make it fair, the area we were sparring was wider than the one before.
DING!
As the bell rang, the sign for our spar to start was given.
I quickly reached for my bow, nocking an arrow and drawing the string taut.
CRACK!
She immediately blasted herself off the moment the bell rang.
My eyes remained fixed on Aliya, who wasted no time closing the distance between us, her fists enveloped in the special mana-coating technique that enhanced her strength and speed.
SWISH!
I released my first arrow, watching it soar toward Aliya.
DANG!
Her enhanced reflexes allowed her to react swiftly, deflecting the arrow with a well-timed punch, sending it off course. Even though the arrow was coated with my mana, it didn't have any effect on her fist that clashed with it.
'As expected.'
Since the time I had at my disposal was limited, I couldn't perfectly enhance the arrow, making it strong enough to damage. Also, with my location known, it was a lot harder to hit someone like her.
SWOOSH!
Undeterred, I notched another arrow and maintained my distance, focusing on precision and aim. Aliya's relentless pursuit and high physical awareness allowed her to dodge most of the arrows, or she deflected them with her bare fists.
As I continued to kite her down while trying to maintain my distance, I could hear her mumbling.
"Pussy."
Of course, that was expected, given her personality.
"Come here, you fucker."
She was continuously pursuing me, as I was continuously running away.
SWISH! SWISH!
I continued to fire arrows, supplying them with mana. My goal wasn't to show off my bow skills and my mana control but actually to wear her off.
As the spar continued, Aliya's skillful dodges and impressive deflections demonstrated her martial arts expertise.
SWOOSH!
But, as the last arrow flew in the air, I could see her eyes widening. It was because she was not in a position to dodge. I had been dragging her in a way that, when this attack came, she would be blocked by the boundary of the ring.
SPURT!
In the end, the arrow pierced her on her shoulder, making her wince in pain.
I managed to accomplish my goal by landing a few hits with my arrows, making it clear that I had proficiency with the bow.
"YOU!"
And angering her.
"If you are going to play it like that, so be it." She said as the aura surrounding her changed. "I wanted to crush you without using this, but I didn't expect you to be a rat."
'She is going to use it.'
There was a reason why martial artists were able to compete with Hunters using weapons. It was the fact that their body was the real weapon, and they knew how to preach their limits.
「Martial Spirit」
And now she was going to use the fundamental technique that made it such.
'Using the bow will be pointless.'
At this point, I knew I couldn't use my bow. The moment she had activated her Martial Spirit, my attacks wouldn't be able to deal any damage to her until it wore off because of the special mana disturbing property.
But that didn't mean I was completely helpless. After all, I had my daggers in my hand.
"Here I come."
BOOM! SWOOSH!
With those words, she immediately dashed to me, her movements blurry. As if a new leg was added to her body, she closed the distance instantly.
BOOM!
Her first strike came with explosive force, her mana-enhanced fists striking out in a series of rapid punches. I managed to evade the first few blows, deflecting them with my dual daggers, but the sheer power behind each punch was overwhelming. I could feel the impact reverberate through my arms.
'It is crazy how different she is now.'
I thought as my eyes darted around her body, looking for every bit of sign I could see.
'A kick.'
SWOOSH!
Just as I had anticipated, her follow-up attack was a spinning kick that I barely managed to dodge by leaping backward.
The wind from the kick brushed against my chest, and I realized that any direct hit from those enhanced strikes would be devastating.
"You are good at escaping, aren't you? Like a little rat." She said as she pressed on.
SWOOSH!
Another fist followed me, just aimed at my right abdomen.
'I can't dodge it.'
Dash.
Immediately concluding that fact, I activated my skill, enhancing my speed. And thanks to that, I was able to avoid the punch at the last second by steeping to the side.
And because it was a desperate move, I wasn't able to regain my footing instantly. Just at that second, I could see another fist approaching me rapidly, coated with aura.
I knew if I got hit by that, my face would be smashed, and I would be on the verge of losing consciousness.
But I felt it. The small window of parrying appeared in front of me.
CLANK!
The dagger moved on its own and parried the punch. The aftermath nulled my right arm, and my senses closed for a second, but I was able to fend off the attack.
SLASH!
Following that, I slashed with my left arm, aiming at the conjecture point where her arm connected to her chest.
"Arghk!"
She winced in pain as my dagger slid through her arm and threw a roundhouse kick to fend me off.
But I was already expecting it from her body movements. This time the feeling was not there, but my trait was.
SWOOSH!
Lowering my body, I crouched as the kick went past my head.
SLASH!
And slashed the ankle tendons of her pillar foot.
THUD!
Which made her fall to the ground, as she lost control of her ankle momentarily. And that momentary loss of control determined the end of the spar as my dagger stood right before her neck.
DING!
"Everyone, the spars are finished."
Chapter 133 - Before Mid-terms (2)
"We are getting out. Do you want us to wait for you?"
Inside the locker room of the girls, the last group was about to get out.
"No, I will stay here for a little while."
However, one girl didn't follow her friends but just stood there in front of her locker.
"Okay. Call me when you are free."
"Bye."
As her friends left, the girl was left alone inside the room.
"How dare he?"
And as they left, the emotions she had suppressed started coming out one by one.
She was fuming to herself as she touched the small cuts on her ankles and her rear delt. The marks of the wounds had already been healed to the point it was hard to discern them.
TAK!
Her fist hit the locker, creating a small crater on it, and the hand that punched the metal didn't seem bothered by it.
"Why?"
She sat down on the stool and lowered her head. The room, which would normally be filled with students, was now empty, reminding her of that time.
SHIVER!
Her body shivered as she remembered the disgusting touch of that old man. The memories started crashing down once again.
"Haaaah...Haaaaaah….."
Her heart fastened as her breath started getting ragged. Even though her toned body had fought countless times to train, there was one thing that she was still weak at.
The scene of that hideous-looking thing approaching her, the creepy smile on his face, the hand that was locking hers from above, the disparity between strength and the muffled screams that never came out.
"Burghk!"
The nausea started coming up, and she couldn't hold it in, so she rushed to the toilet.
"Burghk!"
After emptying everything she had consumed recently, she finally started feeling a little better, but even then, her rapidly beating heart was still there.
CLENCH!
"Calm down."
She clenched her fists as she tried to calm herself down.
"You need to get over it."
Her hand started losing its color, as her incredibly tightened fists showed her knuckles' shape.
"This time, they were just lucky."
'It was because of luck. You are no longer that weak girl anymore; you can defend yourself against them.'
She repeated the same thing over and over again, trying to calm herself down. And it was proving to be effective.
Clarity returned to her head as her ferocious-looking yellow eyes slowly opened. There was a clear hatred amongst them.
"Astron Natusalune."
She mumbled the name of the person she had just seen before coming here.
"Next time, I will show you."
She mumbled, imagining herself sitting on top of that bastard, claiming herself as the victor.
"Yes, this is how it should be? How it needs to be?"
In the locker room where no people resided, the girl repeated the same words and imagined the same scene over and over again, though inwardly, she knew all of this was to overcome that one feeling.
Without even knowing the fate that was awaiting her.
*******
SCRUB! SILENCE!
Inside the library, the normally bustling Arcadia Hunter Academy, students had already filled the tables.
Everyone had a pile of books on their tables as they studied for the upcoming exams.
"Hey, Sylvie. Should we take a break?"
And, at one of the tables, two girls were whispering to each other.
"Break? I don't know, Jasmine."
"Come on. If this goes on, I will fall asleep soon after. I need to have a fresh breath. It has already been two hours since we sat here."
"Sigh….Okay."
As the two girls whispered to each other, they silently stood up while being careful not to make others uncomfortable.
"We need to make it quick."
"Yeah. The library is already filled with students."
Since it was the mid-term period, almost every student was cramming for the lessons until it was midnight.
Sylvie and Jasmine exited the library, finding a little relief from the stifling atmosphere inside.
The library's courtyard, bathed in the soft glow of the mana-engineered lights, offered a welcome change of scenery and a slightly exotic environment.
The two friends stretched and took deep breaths. "Ah, that's better," Jasmine sighed.
Sylvie nodded in agreement. "You're right; it's stuffy in there."
They walked towards the entrance, away from the intense concentration of the studying crowd. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees nearby, carrying with it the distant chatter of students enjoying their own break.
As they stood there, Sylvie glanced at Jasmine and said, "Mid-terms are always so stressful. It feels like the exams are right around the corner."
Jasmine nodded. "I know. But we'll get through it, just like always."
"But where is Danielle?" Sylvie asked, looking at her friend. "She needs to study too. I know her grades are not top-notch."
As Sylvie said, Danielle was rather on the lazy side of the students. Most of the time, she went to parties and gatherings at night, and she had quite a bit of a name amongst the freshmen.
"Ah, Danielle," Jasmine said, looking at the sky. "She said she was going to meet with someone."
"Someone….Who is she?" Sylvie asked, her curiosity picked.
"It is a boy."
Sylvie's eyes widened at this revelation, and a light blush crept up on her cheeks. She knew the implications of meeting a guy at this time of the day. "A guy? Who? Do you know him?"
'I can use this to get back at her.'
Sylvie thought. She had been feeling a little resentful after her friend's countless teasing, and now she thought a way to get back at her.
Jasmine chuckled at Sylvie's reaction. "I'm not sure. She didn't say much about him, just that she was going to meet him for a bit."
However, all those plans crumbled as she heard.
"I see….." Sylvie tried to appear nonchalant, but the blush on her cheeks persisted. "Well, I hope she has a nice time."
Jasmine grinned at her friend. "Nice time? I wonder what 'nice' you are talking about?" She approached the yellow-haired girl. "And, who are you imagining in your head?"
Hearing this, Sylvie's blush deepened, and she stammered, "N-No, it's not like that. I'm just... curious, that's all."
Jasmine laughed heartily. "Curious, huh? Sure, Sylvie, whatever you say."
SILENCE!
But, just at that second, suddenly, the people surrounding them went silent for a second.
"Hmm?" feeling something was amiss, Jasmine was the first one to notice that. As she turned her head back, she saw another student that she remembered—the certain boy who was sometimes the subject of their talk.
He was walking in the corridors of the library with quite a lot of books in his arms. Some of the students recognized him and threw him a bunch of glances. Of course, no one caused a scene, but even then, the silence and the pressure from the gazes were enough to make people uncomfortable.
"Astron?"
Sylvie also noticed him as he walked.
"I guess even he doesn't want to get expelled from the academy," Jasmine said as she watched him enter. Her impression of him wasn't good as both the rumors surrounding him and the attitude he had shown so far played a part in it.
"You are right," Sylvie replied, her curiosity temporarily diverted.
Jasmine stretched her arms and yawned. "Well, break time is over. We should head back to the library. I want to make the most out of this study session."
Sylvie nodded, the topic of Danielle and her mystery meeting with a guy now temporarily forgotten. "You're right. Let's get back to studying." They turned and walked back to the library, ready to tackle their mid-term preparations with renewed focus.
When Sylvie and Jasmine returned to the library and reached their vacant seats, they were ready to resume their study session. However, as they reached their chosen table, they realized that the seats at the table beside them were no longer occupied by the same seniors as before.
Instead, someone different is sitting there. The very person who had just entered the library.
Astron was sitting there, a stack of books and notes spread out in front of him.
[Study of Mana, 3rd edition, by. Alena Frostborne]
[Dungeon Theory, 1st edition, by. Brian Jake]
[Biology for Hunters 1, by. Magic Tower of Arcadia Dominion]
.
.
He seemed deeply engrossed in his studies, and the aura around him made it clear that he had no intention of being disturbed, just as usual when he was in the classroom.
Jasmine glanced at Sylvie, raising an eyebrow. "Well, it looks like we have some 'company' here."
Sylvie, who had been momentarily distracted by Astron's presence, nodded slightly and whispered, "It seems like it."
Though Jasmine's impression of him wasn't good because Sylvie didn't say bad things about him, she also didn't want to be an asshole and randomly make an enemy out of him.
Also, seeing the books in front of him and all of them being the study materials of their curriculum, she understood that he was serious, so she just let him be.
"Let's sit down. It doesn't matter who sits beside us, right?" Sylvie whispered, sitting down at their own table. Though, knowing her, Jasmine understood she was trying to distract herself from him.
"You are right." Jasmine agreed as she also sat down and started studying.
Just like that, Sylvie and Jasmine decided to focus on their studies despite Astron's presence.
They opened their textbooks and notes, diving into the world of academia they 'liked' so much.
The library's atmosphere was filled with the rustling of pages, the quiet tapping of fingers on keyboards, and the occasional whispers of students seeking clarification on their studies.
With such an atmosphere, two girls and many other students started working towards their goals….
Chapter 134 - Before Mid-terms (3)
Sylvie and Jasmine studied diligently throughout the evening, making the most of their time in the library. They continued to exchange notes and discuss various subjects, doing their best to prepare for the upcoming mid-term exams.
As the day wore on, the library's atmosphere remained focused and studious.
They exchanged notes and discussed topics they found challenging, making the most of their time in the library.
Because this was something that they had been doing frequently, they knew how to cooperate well.
But while Sylvie was engrossed in her books and notes, she couldn't help but cast occasional glances at Astron, who was still sitting at the table beside them.
'I thought he wasn't good at studying.' She thought to herself. Considering his rank and the attitude he always took at the lessons, she had initially assumed he was not particularly academically inclined.
However, the more she observed him, the more she found herself surprised.
'How can he solve them this fast?'
Astron, despite his last-place ranking, seemed to have an innate understanding of the subjects they were studying.
He effortlessly solved complex problems and answered difficult questions. His pen moved smoothly across the pages, jotting down notes and annotations that indicated a deep understanding of the material.
It was as if he had actually been studying all those things from the start, but that didn't make sense.
'Did he just learn everything here?'
She thought. She knew Astron was an orphan, and he mustn't have received a good education before coming to this academy, just like her.
Since she was a girl growing up in a village, she didn't go to prestigious pre-academy schools like most of the students here.
This was why she knew precisely how hard it was for someone to learn all those things from scratch.
And, now, she was flabbergasted by his proficiency. She had expected his academic performance to be mediocre at best, but it was evident that he was highly capable.
It left her wondering about the circumstances that led to his low ranking, and the result she came up with was obvious.
'It must be because of his low stats.'
She knew how weak he was at first, as she witnessed those painful times of him.
And knowing this, she couldn't help but respect his dedication and abilities. Just at that time, Sylvie felt her friend poking her arm with her finger.
"Hmm?" Turning her attention to Jasmine, Sylvie could see her holding a book.
She opened her textbook and pointed to a particularly challenging question related to [Dungeon Theory.] This subject was Sylvie's weakest, and she often struggled with it.
"Hey, Sylvie, check this out," Jasmine said, directing Sylvie's attention to the question.
Sylvie glanced at the problem and felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her.
It was a difficult question, one she had struggled with in the past and failed to solve. She was actually planning to join the professor's office hours just to ask about those questions.
And now, her friend was asking her this question, and that made it impossible for her to answer.
Just when Sylvie was on the verge of giving up, she remembered something.
'He was studying this topic just now.'
She looked at Jasmine, her expression a mixture of realization and surprise. "Wait a minute," Sylvie whispered, her eyes lighting up. "Astron was studying 'Dungeon Theory' just now. He might know how to solve this."
Jasmine raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Astron? Are you sure he'd help us?" She herself knew how uncooperative he was with others, and his attitude made her doubt him.
"I think he will," Sylvie said.
"If you think so." Giving him a chance, Jasmine said.
Sylvie, taking a breath, decided to seek Astron's help with the challenging {Dungeon Theory} question.
She stood up, gathered her study materials, and approached Astron, who was diligently working at the neighboring table.
Until this hour, he never stood up even once and simply studied after entering here. She could see the scattered books and notes around.
Her footsteps were cautious, but her resolve was unwavering. As she reached Astron's table, she cleared her throat to get his attention. "Excuse me, Astron," she began, her voice polite and respectful.
Astron, who was engrossed in his studies, looked up, his eyes meeting Sylvie's. His expression was as stern as ever, and he didn't show much emotion, as his color palette were no different than usual.
The color of grey covered the palette, symbolizing indifference.
As his purple shiny eyes met with Sylvie's, the urge to lower her gaze came up. Whenever she stood before him, those eyes made her remember the words he had spoken to her at that time, and she was uncomfortable.
'A lot of time had passed now, Sylvie.'
But she controlled herself, masking her nervousness, and she continued. "I noticed you were studying 'Dungeon Theory,' and there's this question I've been struggling with. I was wondering if you could help me understand it."
For a moment, Astron's piercing gaze seemed to bore into her, and she couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated.
She waited for his response, hoping that he would agree to assist her with the problem. The silence between them grew, and it felt like an eternity before he finally replied.
"I can help." Astron's voice was monotone, his response brief. He pushed the stack of books he was studying aside to make room for Sylvie's question.
'Ah….Thank goodness he accepted it. It was so embarrassing.' Sylvie thought to herself as she sat.
Her relief was palpable, but she tried to maintain her composure. "Thank you, Astron. I appreciate it."
She carefully showed him the question she was struggling with, and Astron began to analyze it, flipping through pages and making notes.
It was a question about analyzing the dungeon's inner diagram and finding the related mana levels in each marked branch and node of that diagram.
From the outside, it may have looked easy, but knowing there were several branches and nodes inside, it was quite hard for her to find the right path to solve.
"Hmm…." She could hear him humming as he looked at the question for a second. "This is certainly a hard one." His pen started moving rapidly. Equations, numbers, and diagrams appeared one by one, and in a matter of minutes, the whole page was filled with calculations.
'His handwriting is different.' Sylvie thought, watching him scribble.
She always took care of her writing and wanted her paper to look good, and because of that, she was a slightly slow writer. But the neatness that came from it made it worth it.
However, clearly, Astron was different. His writing was small, and he wrote almost 1.5 times faster than her. It wasn't as beautiful as her writing, but clearly, there was a weird feeling of attraction when she looked at the filled paper.
At that moment, she heard his voice coming from the side. "Here," he said, sliding the paper over to Sylvie.
'Ah, he already finished.'
When she was watching him solving the equations like that, he had already finished.
'What is this?'
But, when she looked at the page, her excitement mixed with a tinge of confusion.
Astron's solution seemed like an intricate web of symbols and numbers, and it was difficult for Sylvie to decipher it at first.
Even though she could understand the numbers and could see the calculations were correct, she didn't understand where some of the equations came from.
"Um, I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand," she admitted, her brows furrowing. "It looks really complex."
"Hmm…." Hearing this, Astron hummed for a second as he looked at his own paper. "Have you tried to solve this question first?" And he asked.
"Of course I did."
"Good. Do you have your calculations with you?"
"My calculations? Why?"
"I want to see how you thought when you were looking at this problem. And, the best way is to see your solution."
Hearing this, Sylvie was slightly surprised. She certainly wasn't expecting him to say such a thing.
"They should be in my bag; let me check it." Sylvie nodded and reached into her bag, retrieving her own calculations for the question.
She handed over the sheets of paper to Astron, who took them and began to examine her work.
As he studied her solution, Sylvie couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. It was like having her homework reviewed by the sternest of teachers.
Her gaze shifted between the page in Astron's hands and his serious expression. Just as usual, his gaze didn't contain any emotions whatsoever. She couldn't tell whether he was impressed, critical, or both.
"I see now." He mumbled as he slightly slid the paper in front of her. "The approach you have used in this question was the same as the one we used in the previous section." He said, pointing to the paper. However, because the paper was in front of her, without noticing, he came up to her with his arm touching hers.
Sylvie felt herself getting distracted as Astron leaned closer to explain her mistake. It was hard not to be aware of his presence; she could see his sharp eyes intently studying the paper as he explained the intricacies of the problem.
And then she noticed the details of his appearance up close. His pale skin had a certain ethereal quality to it. His slightly long black hair framed his face, adding a mysterious allure.
For a moment, she couldn't help but be drawn to the fine details of his features, his sharp jawline, and his full lips that rarely talked with others but now explaining to her the question.
'He smells good.'
His scent, a combination of a mild cologne and something unique to him, wafted towards her.
It was a fragrance that was both inviting and unfamiliar, making her all the more aware of his proximity. She blushed slightly, feeling a warmth in her cheeks.
'I shouldn't do this.'
But she quickly shook her head to refocus. This wasn't the time to be getting lost in such thoughts. Astron was trying to help her, and she needed to take advantage of this opportunity to learn.
"In these types of questions, you need to make use of this formula here..."
Just like that, Astron kept explaining to her the questions as he referred to his own notes from time to time.
And because Sylvie was using her every bit of willpower to not get distracted, she missed the small change on the color palette only her eyes could see.
Though on the side, the girl who was watching them couldn't help but think….
'They really look good together, and she looks more relaxed around him compared to other boys…..Oh, boy….This is going to be troublesome.'
As she looked at the boy explaining things, her brows furrowed.
'If you make her sad, I am going to beat you up.'
Just like that, the night went on.