Chapter 28: Chapter 27- Oath upheld
The three of them get to class, just as the Mr Croyden arrived. "Today will mark a series of practice matches for your upcoming matches this Tuesday. I decided that I will testing you."
"Are you going to be testing us one at a time, that will take for ever?" one of the students speaks up not happy with the idea.
"No, I intend to do everyone at once."
"Isn't that a bit arrogant teacher, or do you think we're all weak?" another student speaks up, slightly offended.
"I guess I should show you first" seeing the slight push back he decides to present proof rather than continue explaining.
Once he finishes speaking, magic particles begin to radiate from him. With a basic estimate, Leon notes his power to be somewhere between Hela and Galatea. His magic eventually condenses and in front of Leon is multiple Croydens, six to be exact.
"In five minutes, these clones will begin attacking each of your pairs. You must form your pair and grab your weapon in that period" with his sentence finished, each of the clones go and grab themselves a weapon.
With the teacher's declaration finished, Lydia heads over to the guys.
'Why did I say something so embarrassing last night. Make him mine, what was I thinking.' Lydia remembering her last words was wanting to avoid this encounter this morning. Her plan was to practice by herself.
'Why did we have to do pair work today. Maybe I can ask one of the others to practice with me this time.' Without any other friends in the class, she could only head over to the group.
"He…hello" she squeaks out, with a beet red face.
"Hey Lydia, did you sleep alright? You two got pretty hammered last night." Victor replies first.
"Ah… yeah. I slept fine" 'ignoring the hours it took to get to sleep because of what I said that is', the second part she keeps to herself.
"Anyway, Victor do you mind being my partner today?"
"Sorry, I've got a date"
"Albert?"
"Ye… ah no sorry, I have someone else in mind" his mind suddenly 'changed' when Victor gave a secret jab.
"We best get going" Albert and Victor move away, leaving the two alone.
"About last night… just forget it"
"Its alright, everyone should set goals to become stronger. Though was entails being 'yours'." Leon without a clear idea of what she wanted could only ask. Having entangled himself with others, he wasn't exactly sure if he could 'give' himself away. If he thought about, he found Lydia quite attractive. Her cheerful attitude and pretty face was enough to make him like her. He, however, was a man of his word. With some promises to other women and his own promise to gather strength he wasn't able to give clear answer.
"Ah that…that"
As Lydia stumbles on her words, Croyden calls out "two minutes before it starts."
"We should probably get some weapons and make a plan" using the teachers words, Lydia buries the conversation.
"Alright."
Leon grabs himself a sword and Lydia grabs a spear.
"I never asked, but what is your magic Lydia."
"Um, its not much. I will show you." A slight glow gathers around her and soon another Lydia appears next to her.
"Is this like teachers magic?" Leon inquires.
"Not quite" placing her hand on it, Leon quickly understands the difference.
"So rather than a clone its an image?"
"Yeah"
"That's fine, can it move and how many can you make?"
"I can only make one at a time and can maybe make another. It can move freely but can't touch".
"Alright we can make a plan with that."
"Begin."
With the shout, Croyden's clones jumped forth, one of them heading straight for the pair.
Leon first rushed to engage, using his sword to block the clone. The man, wielding an axe, quickly manevered for the engagement. Using his weight he pushed of Leon's attack. Leon counterattacked swiftly. A flurry of attacks were directed at Croyden. He, even with the heavier weapon, blocked them all. At the corner of his eye, he sees Lydia coming up from behind. Pushing Leon back, he intercepts her. Bringing the axe down, she blocks with the spear. To his surprise it goes straight through. 'A bluff, eh. The real attack will come from Leon. Behind a sword was already on its way to his heart.
"You didn't watch at your feet" Croyden confidently utters. The sword pierces through thin air as Croyden pops out of a shadow behind him. The axe he wields rests on Leons neck."
"Shall run it again" he asks.
"Yes teacher" the pair answer.
For the nearly an hour they continue their practice. With not a single hit landed on the clone they felt rather dejected. Seeing that, Croyden ends their practice giving his thoughts.
"Leon, you need to better implement your magic into your attacks and not be so focused on your partner behind you. Lydia, you need more confidence and to remove your hesitation. With some practice the method you came up with could work
In their magic class, the topic was gathering magic particles. The teacher explained the basic concepts in the first half and the second half a sheet with a method was handed out to gather it. Leon, having been given a more robust method by his grandfather was not particularly motivated. His rather pitiful gather rate was a sore point for him. However, he saw Lydia practising diligently and thus decided to try it. To his surprise he found it wasn't as bad as last time. He felt in the short hour he had risen by a half dozen points. With class ended, he headed to the joint class.
With not much to do at the practice Leon's plan was to arrive with his friends and leave soon after. His plan was soon ruined.
"Did you hear, that bitch Hela lost miserably to Galatea?"
"Yeah and supposedly she was first eliminated, she must be so embarrassed that she doesn't dare show her face."
"It serves her right I always hated her. Do you reckon we go after her now, she must be weak and an easy target now?"
"We should, I heard her family banished her so doesn't that make her a commoner? A commoner shouldn't be in the presitgous B class afterall." A third woman decides to chime in.
Hearing the evil schemes and smears said, Leon remembers his promise. He strides over to them.
"Leon wait" Albert tries to stop them, seeing the storm brewing.
"How dare you say those things about your classmate?"
"You common trash" the closest woman strikes Leon, him making no effort to evade it. Right now he was furious.
"Get out of my si-" before she can finish Leon jabs her stomach hard with his left fist, causing her to double over. With that chaos ensued. Leon was the better fighter but they had numbers and power on their side. For the first few seconds Leon came out on the losing side of things. Multiple hits landed all over his body. Soon after, Victor, Albert and Lydia all jumped in to help him. With them the tides started to swing in their favour.
"Stop this now" the teacher of class B shouted. She walked over with Croyden behind them.
"I take them away, you stop the others" Croyden expresses.
With the two parties separated, Croyden tells them to head back.
Walking back, Leon apologises "Sorry guys, I didn't mean to get you involved in this."
"Haha don't apologise Leon, we're your bros of course we are going to help. Also who doesn't like giving stuck up nobles a good slapping?"
"Once again, I'm a noble. But yeah Leon, we understand why and I don't think any of us will judge"
"Yeah Leon, I admire what you did" Lydia remembering that she was helped in a similar way felt warm.
"I've gotta get going, I have to meetup with Hela, I said I would train together. Also I might be gone for the next few days, she asked me to go with her to a ball."
"Oh you naughty dog Leon" Victor teases.
"See you later."
With Leon's departure, each of the three had different emotions. Albert didn't much of it. Victor was happy that his bro had found himself a woman, while Lydia was somewhat displeased.
Meanwhile back at the courtyard.
"They struck nobles, they have to be expelled" Beth, the teacher of Class B tells Leon.
"You saw what happened, it was obviously them who started it first" Croyden counters.
"That's not what we are talking about here" she remarks.
"If you say how it happened then there won't be a problem."
"Why would I want to take heat from the nobles, not all of us are noble Six?"
"How about we make an agreement?" a slight smirk across his face.
"Alright but your nephew and my daughter are on the table."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone