Chapter 226: CHPT 226: Summoned by the King.
As Prof. Raizen stated, the day's Training class was spent a bit different compared to most. There were no games of Mob, no magically summoned obstacle courses covered in grassy soot for the students to bound across in search of a flag, and there were definitely no ground breaking dramatic fights.
Instead, the class embarked on a much more simple, yet equally as important drill. A drill Prof. Raizen called for after explaining the things he'd seen from their last two Tangents. It was early, so there was much to improve, and Claude learned how Prof. Raizen and Prof. Brennan planned to do so.
When they entered the Tangents with the students, they weren't just sitting around and making sure students didn't die. They were watching with intent-- purpose. They were critiquing, criticizing and gathering information that they stockpiled and used to devise training exercises in future classes. As they did now.
Sure it was simple-- and something that should be a bare minimum requirement for instructors on combat and survival, but Claude found it to be brilliant. Prof. Raizen never ceased to amaze. It seemed Prof. Brennan was the same way. As he walked with his partnering Professor, fixing and helping along students, Claude could tell his passion for their progress burned about as hot as his bright orange flames.
The new experience was enjoyable-- even if it came with deliberate pain, but it was enough to give Claude a chance to forget what he'd learned about Aeron and the world only hours before....and the Detectives lying in wait....and the new student that seemed to be interested in using him as a catalyst to grow his own skill.
***
Due to their new training drill, the students lit up the late evening field with their Aura's ranging from colors all across the spectrum shown in varying levels of intensity. That was what the focus of Training for today was. Auras.
Prof. Raizen explained to them that the difference between a first and second year was the ability to fluidly bring together all four aspects of awakened combat. Weaponry, Class Skills, Elemental Magic and Aura. It sounded simple, but a proper blending of the four could only come from one spending countless hours attempting to and failing. Also known as; gaining experience.
There experience gain today started with building up their Aura-- like a wall, only to have their partner give it everything they had to break it down to magical rubble. Something that didn't take much work for most.
Especially for anyone that wasn't a defensive Class.
Aura was the defensive Class's strong suit for one simple reason. More defense, and that fact made itself painfully obvious to the rest of the students.
Isaac and Ursula practically looked like gods next to Warren and Maris. But that was ok, because where the Tanks excelled in shrouding their bodies, the offensive Classes did the same for their weapons.
As the class transpired, the smell of Warren's fear rose every-time Maris raised her ocean-blue Aura cloaked sword to shatter the Archer's defenses.
And that was the class. Take a beating, get up then hand out a beating. Simple, effective, necessary.
***
"So how was the brawl with smarty pants?" Chase asked his partner from across the field while he stood in a defensive position with his flaming yellow Aura enveloping him like a blanket.
On each side of him, pairs of students stood across from eachother, lunging back and forth to break and defend against attacks. The sounds of metal on magic blended into something akin to hard surfaces clashing and creating poofing explosions of flames.
"He fights exactly how I thought he would." Claude replied to Chase before raising his sword to attack.
"...And how does he fight exactly?"
Claude moved to attack after responding, "Like an asshole."
Fwoo!
Swip!
CRK!
After swinging at the Archer's shoulder, the weapon caught on his Aura before cutting deep and shattering it like smoking glass, same as the numerous times before. Chase stumbled to the side into the person to the left of him.
"Watch it pervert!" Stacy yelled before pushing him off and back to his original spot with a ferocious hiss.
"I didn't even try to cop a feel.....the hell are you getting hysterical for?" Chase grumbled before raising his Bow and drawing its string back to shoot Claude. "Ready, Wolfboy?"
"Hurry up and shoot damm--" Before Claude could finished speaking, he was abruptly interrupted.
"Alright everyone! Make your final attacks and defenses and then you can all head to the Mess Hall." Prof. Brennan said in his thick irish accent.
"Ok, Chase. Lets get this over with." Claude said before facing his opponent.
Chase eyed him with a mischievous grin, "Oh I plan to." He said before spectral cloven-hoofed legs covered in fur and lined with muscle shrouded his own lanky human appendages. The grass around him shuddered with the powerful waves of wind that radiated from him, causing the students around him to step away. The transformation of his God Form concluded with glowing magical golden-yellow horns sprouting from his forehead like deer antlers.
"Chase....don't you fu--"
FWOOS!
CRACK!
At insane speeds, Chase blasted from his position with a windy explosion. He flew across the grass and smashed his feet into Claude's raised and shrouded arms. He could tell Chase went lighter when compared to the last time he used his God Form, yet his Aura was still shattered along with his body being lifted off the ground and sent through the grass.
As he laid in the grass on his stomach, he heard the rest of the students packing and leaving.
"CHASE! I hope you're not abusing your new power. Because that would result in unpleasant consequences for you." Prof. Raizen said in a calm voice that invoked the image of a storm cloud lighting up from the inside before sending a bolt of lightning crashing down to earth.
The smell of fear filled Claude's nose.
"Nope. Not at all Professor....not anymore at least haha.." The Archer replied.
"Yea, yea, get the hell out." Prof. Raizen said.
Chase nodded before whispering to Claude, "Sorry, Wolfboy. You were the only one damaging me during Training. I had to reestablish myself as your rival. See you tomorrow!"
Claude listened to his footsteps through the grass fade into the distance as he rolled over and sat up.
"Idiot."
"[A word that fairly describes him i'd say.]" Arne agreed.
Frosty trotted over to him and pressed his wet black nose into his forehead a few times before licking his face with a sandpapery tongue. Checking for injuries.
While they sat together, a collection of footsteps trudged through the grass in his direction. His head spun around defensively, assuming the Detectives had arrived.
Instead, the smell of honey and flowers wafted into his nose.
"I could've did it. I should've. I couldve GRAbbed HIM and wrung him OUt Like a wet washrag!....Erhm." Ursula announced chaotically as she plopped down next to him.
Watching her try to bring down her Berserker's Rage was always an odd thing to see. A teenage girl fighting to retain herself and hold back a unique form of rage originally wielded by wild men of the north centuries before. Her eyes flickered from white to honey brown a few times before they fell back to their naturally warm color.
Frosty licked Claude's face a final time before circling Ursula and abruptly sitting in between them.
"....I could've. But then again, you don't usually need protection." She said with a shrug.
"Damn right I don't." Claude agreed while he eyed the evening sky. It was almost cold enough for the heat that escaped his lips to be visible. Winter was coming.
"Yea I know. I'll save you back another way. Maybe something a bit more....theatrical." She half joked.
"You're still on that?" Claude questioned in reference to the promise they made after being Reborn.
She mocked his initial response, "Damn right I am."
Claude felt himself relax for a moment.
"What are you thinking about, Claude?" She asked.
He sighed, "....The world. Its large.....there's so much. It sc--"
Claude was interrupted by Frosty abruptly exploding to his feet and snarling at something behind them. The white-tipped hairs along his back were raised fully on end and his claws dug into the grass like rakes.
Claude was the next on his feet, followed by Ursula-- weapons in hand and Aura's warmed and ready.
But no enemies stood in front of them-- not outright enemies at least. The Detectives had arrived-- without a sound somehow.
"You must be Claude." The two said at the same time in an uncomfortably eerie manner.
He was stunned into silence for a moment.
Two women stood in front of him. Skin the shade of auburn tinted milk chocolate and standing at around 5'9. They would've looked normal if not for the icy white long hair. One wore it short in a bob, the other wore it long and smoothly. Two different hairstyles framed around the exact same face. That and their blue and green eyes were the only things that made the two look even remotely different. They even wore the same armor. Black cloaks with collars that rose up over their mouths and form fitting light armor beneath. Simple-- standard issue. The only thing that stuck out where the single glove they wore on their right and left hand, he could see the faint glow of something on their skin beneath.
"Claude Grey. We are Det. Mixus, we've come to tell you that your interrogation begins tomorrow at sunrise. Ronin does not approve of people lacking in punctuality. Don't be late." The two said in perfect sync before turning and leaving-- still making no sound.
"Are Detectives ever normal?" Ursula questioned.
"I guess not. Tomorrow should be.....interesting."
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