A few more minutes passed, and slowly the chaos began to settle.
Most students had already formed their teams, standing in tight groups of five. There was enough space between teams now to move around without bumping shoulders, though the noise didn't die completely.
Every now and then, a voice would rise above the crowd.
"We're only missing one! Anyone?"
Or another would shout from somewhere else, sounding more desperate.
"Is there a spot anywhere? Team of four here!"
The hall was still loud, but it was controlled noise now, focused, direct. People searching for their last piece or trying to avoid being left out.
Rhian stood calmly with Ash, Nia, and Aras already around him. They didn't even have to speak about it. Their group had been decided long before they entered this hall.
All that was left was the fifth spot.
Ash leaned over casually, eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. "Wonder who's unlucky enough to fill our empty chair," he said, half-joking but also watching closely.
Rhian didn't reply.
But he already knew.
It was never going to be random.
Suddenly, a girl shorter than Rhian pushed her way through the crowd, shoving past students who refused to move aside.
She didn't care much for manners either, while tossing curses under her breath at anyone slowing her down.
"Tch... move already, losers."
Eventually, she broke free from the mess of bodies, standing right in front of Rhian like she'd been walking here with a purpose all along.
"Yo." She greeted him casually.
Rhian blinked, recognizing her immediately.
Snake girl.
That's what his brain went to.
She was one of the seven in his evolved class, the one who, during their form demonstration, transformed into a half-snake, her lower body replaced with a thick scaled tail.
The thing was... Rhian didn't even know her name.
Not for any bad reason. But Miss Liane never asked for introductions, never cared much for names in class, and Rhian never stuck around to make small talk after sessions ended. He always left right after.
Ash, on the other hand, was openly staring, whistling under his breath without shame.
"Ohhh... trouble incoming," Ash grinned. "Careful, Nia might just have competition."
That comment was loud enough to catch Nia's attention.
And Aras, who was usually quiet, even turned slightly to glance over.
Feeling a bit awkward, Rhian cleared his throat and gestured between them.
"Uh... this is my group," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Ash... Nia... Aras..." He turned back to the girl, pausing.
He had no idea what her name was.
She stared at him deadpan, chewing her gum slowly, before clicking her tongue.
"Iris," she answered like it was obvious.
Rhian nodded quickly. "Right. Iris."
Iris just rolled her eyes at him like she expected nothing less.
Well… Rhian couldn't exactly blame her.
If things were reversed, Iris probably wouldn't know his name either. After all, if he wasn't the only one in their class who couldn't transform, he would've just been another quiet face blending into the background.
Iris casually looked at the group, her chewing slowing a little before she spoke.
"You guys mind if I tag along?" she asked, tone neutral but direct. "I had a group... but since you seem to be collecting strays like me, figured I'd shoot my shot."
Nia simply shrugged, clearly not caring either way. Aras gave a small nod, unbothered as always.
Ash, of course, couldn't help himself.
As he stepped slightly closer, that usual sly grin formed on his face. "Depends," he said, dragging out the word just enough to make it annoying. "What exactly are you willing to do for—"
His words were cut short by the sharp crack of Iris's boot slamming into his shin.
Ash stumbled back a step, hissing between his teeth while grinning like he was enjoying it way too much.
Rhian chuckled a little, shaking his head, but as he glanced toward Aras, something caught his attention.
A tightness in his usual calm.
Rhian's mind drifted for a second.
'Does he not like her?'
Rhian thought about it for another second... but Aras didn't seem like the type to care about someone being cursed. Not when he was already friends with Rhian.
That left one option in his innocent, straightforward brain.
'Wait... does he like her?'
He didn't think too hard about it. It wasn't like he knew much about that stuff anyway.
Either way... their team was set.
With all teams finally formed, the noise in the hall slowly died down. Whatever chaos there had been moments ago settled into a steady tension.
No one needed to be told twice, it was clear they were about to step into something serious.
The numbers must have been planned ahead of time, Rhian thought. Everything lined up too well.
No student left out, no odd number awkwardly standing around. They knew exactly how many people would fit into groups of five.
As the noise faded, several staff members wheeled in racks of weapons and armor, setting them along the walls for students to pick from.
Just... take what you need.
Students moved quickly. No one wanted to be stuck with leftovers.
Aras walked up first, calm as always, grabbing a short sword barely longer than his forearm. It was the simplest thing there, clearly more for emergencies than real fighting.
Ash, unsurprisingly, went for something similar. A short blade that looked more like an afterthought in his hands. His real weapon was probably his mouth.
Iris moved quietly, ignoring weapons altogether. Instead, she strapped on a pair of reinforced wrist guards and grabbed a light chest plate, securing it like she'd done it a hundred times.
Nia, for her part, went for a sword, straight, clean, and practical. Rhian had sparred with her plenty, but she'd never actually used a weapon with him. Seeing her grab one now told him enough.
'Guess she was holding back this whole time,' he thought casually.
Rhian himself moved up and grabbed a pair of short blades, smaller and wider than regular swords but perfect for his speed and style.
They felt right in his hands. To carry them properly, he grabbed a body strap, letting them sheath across his back in a cross pattern.
Most students ignored the armor entirely, relying on either their uniforms or pure confidence.
Well the school did send reinforced uniforms that looked normal but could handle a lot of damage, Rhian didn't know how they worked, but like everyone he was going to he relying on them.