A certain crazed fangirl had gifted Keith ten mana restoration vials and a congratulatory message for his recent mission.
Killian turned over in his bed.
A mission he failed, but his report was left as 'pending'. Tch.
"Who really is that idiot?" He murmured, slapping his phone on the bed, and staring at the ceiling with the dim light from his phone.
The day had been too hectic for him, as he ran around with Quara to find Keith, who was trying to be humble with such a generous gift.
"Tch… that's because he knew he didn't deserve it." Killian hummed, shutting his eyes. His thoughts went blank after he yawned, and he drifted to sleep.
But tendrils under his leg grew below the sheets, darker and longer, extending towards the door.
Then they faded when the light from his phone went off.
.
.
Killian stood at the door, being on the lookout for Evelyn. Other newbies gathered in the large training hall and he'd seen faces he recognised.
He was given a card from the hall's receptionist that accessed every library room in the building. The duel with the other newbies wasn't just for practice.
Killian checked his wristwatch before walking back inside, and falling to his seat. From the corner of his eye, he could still see the girl shaking in her seat.
If she shook because she was nervous, or cold, Killian couldn't exactly tell. "The duel is just physical exercises."
It won't be that hard if they do regular exercises.
"That's the problem." Evelyn said, sitting beside him. "Many people only train with their elements."
Killian raised a brow, "When did you get in?"
"After saying 'no' to multiple people asking to join their team?" She sighed. "It's hilarious but now I'm a little popular now, I actually don't like it."
Killian smiled knowingly. The organisation reposted the point scores of all the trainees last night, but with their real names and nicknames to foster easier identification between newbies.
That meant it would be easy to tell who Gear Heart was in their district since Evelyn Constantine always had her mechanical gear on.
The attention was really different from being ignored as a D-Rank Trainee. Evelyn and Juda were one of the top twenty out of a hundred in their district.
Many people really stayed at the required points.
Evelyn shrugged, tapping her leg. "Are you nervous about the duel? As the top three in physical training in our class, it wouldn't be really hard for me."
"Top three out of four students in our class?" Killian nodded. "Yes, you're really impressive."
"Is that sarcasm?" Evelyn balled her fists as a joke, then dropped it. "You do visit Juda regularly though, don't you?
"Do you?"
She smiled. "My mom hasn't gotten over the fact that a possessed person tried to kill me. I've been on house arrest."
Killian sighed. "At least she cares."
The way the words left him made him pause, Evelyn also paused. The two of them were silent. She knew enough to realize Keith was a treasured child, and Killian wasn't.
She leaned towards him.
"I heard you are allowed to beat your opponents really hard till they give in. So use this duel to vent."
Her words made him stifle a chuckle and he nodded again. It was typical Evelyn Constantine who vented through violence.
"First match! Physical exercise! Kirara and Jonah!"
Everyone gasped, turning their heads to do the first duel set. Killian looked at all the newbies that were picked for these practices.
Apart from him and Evelyn and three other students, the rest were from different districts. They totalled thirty.
This is a selection. But what are we competing for?
A tall lanky boy with snake tattoos on both arms, walked to the fighting arena. He wore headphones supported by his spiky hair.
"Yo, Tex here."
"Tex? Is that his nickname?" Evelyn frowned and turned to the host.
The host announced again. "We will be going by our first names for today! No nicknames!"
"They really want us to be friends." Evelyn sighed.
Killian looked around the place again. Within the large hallway, four newbies caught his interest.
Two, likely partners, were exercising while in the hall. The other pair were asleep on each other. These ones didn't even care to watch.
"Start!"
Killian's neck snapped back to the arena. I actually want to see this fight mostly because of her. Kirara.
Kirara stepped forward while braiding her twin tails to a twist. She had the usual smug expression, and her blue eyes delved into anyone as if uncovering their secrets.
Killian only knew her as the B-Rank trainee who dumped Juda at the day of the training, but from her rank in the uploaded list, she wasn't just a bully.
"I'd take it easy on you, lady." Tex said, dropping his headphones from his head to his neck. "I have a 'don't hit a lady' policy, you know."
Kirara's neck tilted, and she looked amused. "Isn't that thoughtful? I also have a 'don't hit a lady' policy, and I'm sorely conflicted now."
The trainees cooed, and some laughed at Tex.
Killian shook his head. Why say something like that before a duel? He's just asking to be teased back.
Tex clicked his tongue, rolling his shoulders like he didn't care, but the tips of his ears had gone red in embarrassment.
"You talk a lot for someone who hasn't fought me yet."
Kirara's smile widened, like she had been waiting for that. "And you talk like someone who has already lost."
A few trainees gasped, others laughed louder this time, and Tex's jaw tightened as he picked his headphones off his neck and tossed them aside.
A friend of his caught it before it could fall, even if it meant the friend fell to the ground themselves. Killian watched quietly, his eyes shifting between the two.
Kirara stepped forward, stopping just within range. Her posture was relaxed but her gaze sharp as it locked onto him. "Come."
The confidence to wait to be struck first impressed Killian a bit but when Tex actually lunged forward, he wondered if the girl would regret it.
Tex threw his weight into the strike, wanting to end it in one move, but Kirara easily stepped to the side.
Killian exhaled. That's a save.
But Tex swung again at her ribs, while still not balanced yet missed by a breath as she bent low with a strange flexibility that didn't look human.
Even when Tex turned on his heel and was off balance, Kirara chose not to take it, and kept a distance again.
Killian narrowed his eyes at that. What is she doing this time?
Meanwhile Evelyn subtly cheered Kirara beside him, forgetting she was a bully already.
"She hasn't done anything but dodge though." Killian said as if it personally offended him.
"But she looks cool while doing that." Evelyn argued. "Tex looks desperate when he keeps trying."
Killian didn't reply, and shifted his gaze from the girl to Tex who clearly felt the most offended as the whispers got louder. His face twisted as he rushed again, this time more desperate without firm control.
Killian didn't miss the smirk that grew on Kirara's face. Then he realized.
That's what she was waiting for!