Truth be told, I had never gone to a dormitory before.
As someone who just rocked up to school and slept during classes, this was another type of experience. I held my suitcase and waltzed in Kordell's boys dormitory taking note of the toilets.
Reaching my room without any problem, I was beginning to sweat as I counted along the way. There was strange lack of toilets available...
This was a definite cause for concern, why didn't the novel describe this sort of hell?
I was holding out on the hope that we each had our own in our rooms. But as I opened the door with my issued-key, I slowly closed my door back.
Taking a deep breath and wiping my eyes, I looked inside once more.
It wasn't due to the fact I saw such a minimalistic cubed room without a toilet. Nor was it the lack of a window or any decent ventilation (which it should have as a top academy).
All my cause for concern stemmed from one fact.
Some ninja chick on my bed.
"Get out."
There was no other simpler way to deal with this girl.
Looking at my crossed arms and the door now wide open, Vanessa jumped to her feet and rushed to the door. Pulling me in and shutting the door, I'm glad she knew some semblance of privacy.
As for whose... she leaves much to be desired.
"...Are you going to say something?" I was tired of this chick coming into my places and scaring me like this. Chucking my luggage on the bed, I waited for an answer.
Looking at the way her oval face tilted downwards with contemplation I felt exacerbated. This was turning cliché all to quickly, I didn't save her for her to fall for me.
Too much baggage on this one.
I can already imagine her looking up with beady eyes saying in a sweet but indignant voice, "Thankyou". If Arthur would be here I swear he might collapse in awe and wonder.
But no, damned if I was going to fall for some fictional character. Damned even more if it was going to be some future Arthur harem member.
"I'm going to skip the obvious and just say why I helped you." My voice deadpanned. Vanessa's eyes immediately gazed upwards with a glint. "...I want something from Vita Nox."
All this wholesome tension seemed to get punched out the room, a more dangerous glint in Vanessa's eyes now forming. This sudden but quick shift in attitude earning a chuckle to escape me.
"I'll never help yo-"
"I want you to give me the elite training regiment..." I interrupted her.
An awkward pause filled the air. My content smile hid my inner feelings of amusement. Psyching out Vanessa was fun.
There was a process to this, I couldn't just outright demand some crazy valuable item or gadget. One needs to be patient in order to get the much later big bucks.
"...Just the training guide?" Sure it was something simple, but Vanessa must've been bewildered. Cashing in a favour for some training tips? "Are you sure that's all you want? All that your really asking for?"
I nodded sagely, arms crossed.
"Yep."
"...Really?"
"Yep yep"
"..."
Her open mouth froze for a moment before a scoff escaped it. Turning around, Vanessa untied some knots holding her ninja costume up and opened her chest region.
All of a sudden all my problems with this novel's writer about sexualising women vanished mysteriously. Holding on to the scroll somehow retrieved in the thick cleavage of a woman, my feet paced themselves not knowing what to feel.
"Was that necessary?"
"Call it a bonus for not asking a lot."
Watching the dark agent slide my window open and jump out into the surrounding bush, I was overcome with wisdom.
I needed to play the longest game I've ever played.
...
...
Changing into the academy's training uniform, I pulled up a map on my phone.
Although students had begun pilling into the dormitories of Kordell Academy, classes had yet to begin. Students were allowed to explore the premises to familiarise themselves with their new environment.
At this part of the novel, Arthur must be training in his sleep with the 'Sword God' in his brain. Getting stronger through whatever bullshxt means.
Such is the protagonist way.
All the more reason for me not to lag behind. In this type of novel, main characters survived whilst extras and villains died pitifully.
The hard thing about matching the security of being a main character, was their crazy innate talent. Otherwise they didn't truly deserve their roles if they couldn't survive the dangerous obstacles the author put in front of them.
Apart from Arthur who had a cheat that bypassed the system, everyone of the main character's had some gimmick or niche they were really good at.
Alicia Hanns who I fought in the second examination was a fighting prodigy. Still the naïve youngster she is now, she would soon grow up into the bloodthirsty devil that swept dozens of lives at a mere swing of her scythe. Travelling from battlefront to battlefront earning the nickname, 'Blood Fiend'.
Another example would be Damian Elliot. A prowling dragon, his talent stemmed in his relentless will power and his innate ability to commune with animals. Viewed at first useless, after his heart breaks due to Arthur stealing his girl, he gains the determination to become the dragon rider prince.
These are the types of characters that survive.
Thinking back on my fight with that lioness hero where none of my punches actually did anything, I realised I wasn't strong enough. Even remembering Alicia's comment about my weak strength.
Sure I was good amongst my peers, but what good was that when villains much stronger than any average student was a regular appearance. Something had to budge. I had to put more effort in.
So that's how I found myself jogging all the way to the academy dojo.
In a world of cold weapons, fighting bare-handed was often viewed weak. Why shorten your reach, lessen your deadliness and endanger yourself in exchange for more manoeuvrability?
As an avid brawler who partook in the throes of hand-to-hand bullyi- I mean combat. It was all about familiarity. I use my hands every day, my legs all the time. I know how they should move in order for me to do something.
Using a weapon, there were too many variables and things to consider.
Perhaps this guy's body had some talent in using a greatsword, but that wasn't going to cut it. It's unreliable and terribly clunky. You don't often see iconic depictions of people using greatswords... unless you were a certain black swordsman.
But I wasn't.
So it was time to learn martial arts.
Oh how my father would react if he saw me like this.
Maybe he'd roll in his in grave?
Hmm.