Inverse System

"Anyways, what'd you guys do in class yesterday? Anything important I missed?" Rein asked as he stood up, trying to stop his legs from shaking as he still felt the effects of fatigue that using 6 Springs at once induced.

"No, nothing you don't already know I don't think. We're already at the end of the first week, so next week we have a written exam. Apparently, those give really good points," she explained as she tidied her hair.

"Hm, okay. I'm gonna go freshen up. School starts in about an hour, so you should do the same," he walked out of the room and into the bathroom, where he took off his clothes and put them into the washing bin.

He finished taking a bath, made breakfast for himself and Chloe, then they both headed off to the academy. It was Friday, the last day of the week, meaning that class D would be having battle strategies with the principal.

He greeted his classmates at school as he sat at his seat and listened to the lecture, as usual, only really paying attention to history and geography, as some of the information given could help him when on quests.

After class ended, he, Xenia, Core, and the rest of class D made their way to the academy field for battle strategies class with principal Julianne.

"Welcome, students! This will be your first class of battle strategies of your academic lives! Who's excited?" She exclaimed, trying to fire them up, but failing miserably.

"Tough bunch, huh? Well, I don't think this class will take too long. Of course, it only depends on how well you do," she claimed, which finally caught the attention of the students.

"How? You don't know the length of your own class?" Said Candice, who Rein previously exposed for being a fraud.

"Ah, very you're very narrow-minded, aren't you?" The principal laughed, which got on the girl's nerves.

"Just tell us already!" She yelled in anger.

"She already told us. It depends on how well we do. Do well, and the class will end earlier," Core remarked as to shut the girl up so they could begin with the class.

"I'm glad at least one person was listening! Well, let me explain what you will be doing then," she turned around to face her back to them, revealing a large red button strapped to her back.

"Press this button on my back and you win. Your hand has to make direct contact with it, so no throwing your weapon on it. All of you can work together, but only the person who presses it can leave. You don't want to be the last one left, now do you?" She explained briefly, leaving the bottom 3 aside from Rein, Xenia, and Core slightly confused.

"Wait, I don't really ge—"

"Alright, begin!" She cut off the student who was about to ask a question, Xenia instantly taking off at full speed, trying to get behind the principal's back.

Rein stood there, thinking of a plan, to which Core tapped him on the shoulder, whispering something into his ear.

"You think you could get behind her on your own?" He asked.

"Yeah, the problem is you though," he replied.

Suddenly, he extended his arm out and told Rein to summon his swords, which he did.

"Slice it off," he said, which gave Rein the idea Core was thinking of.

"Ah, I think I follow," he said as he swung his sword down, slicing his arm off as blood gushed out, making the other 3 class D members scream in fear and shock.

"AHHH! WHAT THE FUCK?! HE JUST CUT OFF HIS ARM?!" Candice screamed as the other 2 boys looked at them with horror.

"Oh?" The principal remarked as she continued to dodge Xenia's quick rushes.

Rein turned his gaze to the principal as he swiftly erupted towards her with Core's arm in his hand, Xenia still pestering her from the side as she began to dodge both of them at once. Rein and Xenia got in position to sandwich her as Rein stood behind her and Xenia stood in front.

However, before she could react, Rein threw Core's arm at full speed towards her back, flying straight on target to the button. She was able to dodge just in the nick of time, jumping upwards and turning around as Core's arm flew directly to Xenia, who showed a look of disgust on her face as she caught it, instantly throwing it back up into the air, completely missing the principal.

It whizzed straight past the principal's face as it flew above her, Julianne giving it a glance before she looked back down, scouring for a place to land. She looked for somewhere away from the students, so she wouldn't be ambushed as she landed. However, she felt something off. No matter where she looked, Rein was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, she felt the wind shift behind her, feeling someone's presence appear out of nowhere.

Rein caught Core's arm above Julianne, who was still floating in the air, meaning that she couldn't dodge.

"Alley-oop," he uttered as he threw the disintegrating arm onto the button, the arm disappearing in the air and re-appearing on Core's body as they landed.

"Alright, Core can leave now. The rest of you come at me," she said as Rein stood there, not fatigued at all, Xenia breathing softly as she felt slightly fatigued.

"What?! Excuse me, principal, but what just ha—"

"Begin!" She interrupted him again as Rein and Xenia resumed attacking her.

Eventually, the two were able to break through her defenses, Xenia barely skimming the button before the principal dodged, leaving Rein and the 3 other class D members left.

"Holy shit you're fast…" Xenia panted heavily as she sprawled out on the ground, Julianne dismissing her from class as she just barely pressed the button.

"I could say the same for you, Xenia. I wish you'd be that fast to wake up in the morning too!" She joked, not even a sign of fatigue on her.

"Well, can I continue now?" Rein asked as he waited for her to allow them to attack her after Xenia pressed the button, no hint of fatigue on him either.

"Go ahead," she said, Rien instantly jumping forward, going faster than he was previously.

The other 3 in the class were simply watching in awe, baffled by the show that they were witnessing. They couldn't jump in. All they could do was stand there and watch.

Eventually, Rein was able to catch Julianne off guard by using the earth Spring, still keeping the facade up of that being his Spring, as that was what he showed it to be during the entrance tournament and during the fight with Sho.

He trapped her in a series of protruding pieces of rock that she intricately dodged, Rein ramping his speed up, using the earth under his feet to boost him forward, allowing him to press the button on her back.

"Impressive! You pass, Rein Xilris," she announced, Rein retracting all the pieces of protruding earth before a long sigh as he walked away.

"Hold the fuck up! I'm not putting up with this shit! The motherfucker chopped his arm off and got his friends to press it for him. How the fuck is that fair?" Candice freaked out.

"Why would it not be fair? They used teamwork. Rein and Xenia were able to make up for Core's weakness with their strengths. If that's not battle strategies, then I don't know what is," Julianne explained, Candice looking like she wanted to say something, suddenly being cut off by Julianne once again.

"You have the rest of the day to press the button. If you don't, I'll subtract 10 points," Rein heard her exclaim as he walked away, making his way to the commission room, where the rest were waiting for him.

"Our commission counter resets today, right? So we can take another one?" Xenia asked as Rein approached the front door.

"Right. Are they in there? We need all 3 to take an S rank request," Rein stretched his limbs in front of the door to the commission room.

"Yeah. Clyde, Sho, and Chloe are in there. Core already went in to greet them," she answered, Rein, tightening his gloves as he opened the door, Clyde, Sho, and Chloe sitting on a circular table inside, waiting for their arrival.

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