The training ground was underground. Figures. Nothing important in this world ever happened under the sun.
Going down the stone steps. The class was led through a wide corridor by Mr Thomas.
The path ahead was finely lit by lamps made of flux cores. They gave off a warm, soothing glow.
The class followed in silence, there were looks of surprise and confusion but words seemed to have no place in the space.
Dean and Olsen trailed behind the elites. And from behind, he could see Astrea ahead, walking beside a brunette vampire.
He had to drop his ego and admit that even from behind, Astrea stood out.
The way she moved without effort. Her swerve was refined and elegant.
Her clothes fitted differently than the other girls'. Much tighter around the waist.
With the skirt shorter than expected like she was here to dig young boys into holes.
Dean's eyes tracked her for a second longer than necessary.
Then he looked away...
Andre on the other hand was totally alone. Seemingly unbothered by the silence.
Finally, after walking for about five minutes, the corridor opened into a large chamber.
Within the chamber, there was an arena.
This arena was made of aged stone with walls that reached high about 30 ft from the ground.
The walls were covered with arrays of flux cores just like the ones he saw way back when the city was under attack.
'Reinforcement,' Dean exhaled slowly. 'They're expecting something to go wrong.'
As soon as they arrived. Thomas walked to the center of the Arena even as the students stood at the edges, admiring the training area.
Reaching the centre, the man raised his hand and cleared his throat.
"Take your seats," he said unhurriedly.
At his order, the arena turned rowdy as the freshmen rushed across stoney steps to securetheir seats.
Dean and Olsen sat in the middle. far enough not to be first but close enough to see what was happening.
With all the students seated. Thomas tapped his rod on the ground once as he looked up with an inviting smile.
"Once again, Welcome to Franseint." He spoke whilst strolling back and forth.
"For all of you who participated in the exercise yesterday. I commend your indulgence. And the academy deems it fit to reward you with 30 points each."
The announcement caused most of the crowd to burst out in a frenzy.
"Hell…yeah." Rogue punched the air.
"C'mon mehn.." a werewolf complained.
Some of the students were extremely happy they had participated in the punching exercise.
A few others, especially the Elites, stayed quiet with visible irritation on their faces.
Dean nodded in approval, as it seemed he didn't waste his time after all. He might just like it here.
But the only thing he didn't understand was what those points meant. And what use they served.
"Calm down… calm down," Thomas said as he gestured.
"Some of you must be wondering what these points are."
He stopped walking around as his expression turned sterner.
" It's quite simple. They're the currency of your worth in Franseint and possibly outside these very walls."
"And how do we get points if you withhold information from us?" A female vampire at the front spoke as she crossed her left leg over the right.
"To amass points is quite easy." Thomas smiled. "Indulge in everything Franseint has to offer."
The crowd reacted as Dean expected. Some found it outrageous that Thomas was still being shady.
Dean on the other hand didn't really care. At least he had thirty points in the bag. And he was sure whatever they were going to do here would help as well.
Tapping his rod on the ground. Thomas caused instant silence as a surge of verge expanded out from his position.
"This is your first real test—" he said as he looked around the room.
"---And as your class instructor. I expect you all to take it very seriously,"
Thomas stopped as if he was expecting retorts but none actually came.
"Some of you have powerful summons. Reaching up to Sovereign Class."
He continued…
"But if your body can't handle the strain, that power is useless and it will break you."
Dean's jaw tightened.
He'd heard this before from Ying or better still an implication of it.
A weak summoner with an overpowered summon was likely to lose themselves to madness.
Thomas continued talking. With most of it blurring into noise and yawns.
But the essence of it all was that they were to participate in one versus one bouts with strict rules of not hurting one another in any capacity.
And the only thing that truly stuck with Dean was the threat of expulsion if they broke those rules.
"Alright.. First match," Thomas finally said. Much to Dean's relief.
Pulling out a sheet of paper from his coat. Thomas looked at it for a moment before raising his face.
"Andre Truman and Rogue. You are Up."
Dean smiled in excitement. Two variables he couldn't fully understand yet were about to spar.
Seeing how some people had brought out their summons.
He did the same. And the slime appeared on his left shoulder.
"Finally…," Olsen said as he rubbed Ash's head.
Dean looked at the duo and he still didn't get how they just got along with little to no effort.
Both the boys arrived at the center of the arena with different energies.
Rogue looked like he had already won. With a huge grin on his face.
Andre Truman on the other hand was icy cold. His posture and mannerism were unsettling to say the least.
'He is a monster.' Dean thought to himself.
With the stage set. Dean looked at Ash for a moment.
Then he closed his eyes as a system screen appeared on his side.
[Skill Active: Resonance]
For that brief moment Ash didn't blink and neither did Dean.
"Begin!"
Thomas yelled as he stepped back.
Immediately the air around the arena grew thick.
As a summoning circle emerged in front of Rogue.
Stretching his hands forward. The boy yelled.
"Come forth,"
Within a thunderous flash of blue light. A massive Blue Streak Dire wolf, easily the same height as the 6 '2 Rogue emerged.
Streams of lightning moved around the fur of the yellowed eyed beast.
But just as the wolf growled revealing bone crushing teeth. Another light appeared.
The white light shot upwards and landed beside the wolf, revealing a glowing white bunny.
But suddenly the bunny went from one to two and then four.
It kept multiplying until they were easily over a hundred littering the ground.
"What the hell…" Olsen muttered in shock.
Dean's eyes narrowed.
The Wolf was dangerous. The blue streaks on them was enough evidence.
The bunnies on the other hand.
Dean held back a snort.
The little fur balls would have been a threat with that replication skill but in the end.
Only their sheer numbers would matter. As distractions.
Dean's eyes slowly drifted toward Andre. 'What are you going to—.' Dean's thought was cut short as his eyes twitched.
The other boy was just standing there. Empty handed and defenseless.
"What are you, up–"
Dean couldn't speak as he witnessed the wave of bunnies surging forward.
But Andre didn't move.
His entire body still, as if he was holding his breath.
Then….
Slash!!!
The Truman had waved his seemingly empty hand in the air and every single bunny in the first wave was left in pieces
The entire Arena gasped, wide eyed.
It was so fast.
No, not fast.
Too fucking precise...