We make our way through the tunnel into the Grand Colosseum. It looks more like a tennis stadium, but they call it a colosseum because fighting is the main sport here.
Unlike the perfect first day, today is a gruellingly hot one. Despite my very breathable clothes, I'm sweating like a dog as the sun beats down on me. Seasons work inversely in this world, spring, winter, fall, and summer. I guess this planet's axial tilt was flipped.
Silho is waiting for us as he sits on a beach chair under an umbrella, smoking a cigarette while reading the paper; his shadow creatures fanning him off.
The class walks up to him, awaiting our instructions. He looks up from his paper, confused. "What are you all looking at?"
Fletcher steps up. "You said we would be practicing combat? Should I confirm that everyone has a weapon before we begin?"
"Ah, shit... I forgot about that."
Kunnia decides it is her turn. "This seems very irresponsible for a teacher to be-"
Shilo interrupts Kunnia as he creates a megaphone using his shadow creatures, yet he does not bother to get up. "Alright you schmucks! Pick up your weapons and start swinging."
Everyone looks around, unsure of what to do.
"There's no need for small talk. Just start swinging at someone and see if they fight back!"
Everyone looks around awkwardly.
The boy from the first day, I think he said his name was Fuego, suddenly steps up. "He's right! In battle, there's no time to prepare! NOW DIEE!!!" He proceeds to swing at some guy who barely manages to block the attack.
The rest of the class follows along in a panicked frenzy as they swing their swords.
I turn to Roulette, almost excited to see her ability. Yet she turns to me with a cautious grin. "Sorry! Unlike someone, I've got other friendships to maintain. I'll talk to you later in class."
Odd? Usually, she jumps at the opportunity to annoy me. Is she trying to hide her power? Jokes on her, the fact that she's hiding it helped me narrow down the genre of her power.
I pull her aside. "Before you flee, could you do me a favor?"
She turns excitedly. "This is the first time you've ever asked me for anything. Hoping for a kiss? Unfortunately for you, I'm not that easy."
"I want you to try and riel up Fuego."
"Eh? Fuego the big fire dude? I apologize, but I don't have a death wish."
I reach into my pocket and pull out my gold. "five gol-"
She snatches the money out of my hand before I even finish my sentence and walks away waving. "Deal!"
Picking up a rock, I attach it to a spool of string in my pocket. I throw the rock behind Fuego.
I'm suddenly poked in my side. I turn to see a rainbow-haired girl standing beside me.
"Um...Saint. Do you mind if I attack you?" She says this as I imagine light beams shining down from the heavens onto her as she looks up at me with puppy dog eyes. Well, she saved me the trouble of looking for her.
"I don't think you're supposed to announce when you strike, Espy."
She looks surprised that I even remembered her name. "Well... I don't want to hurt anyone."
"I don't mind. It's not like we have to kill one another." I almost imagine her head on a pike.
Espy flings a weak strike. I easily manage to block it, but it feels as if our swords never made contact as I see a visible glitch in reality. Her blade goes through my parry. Barely managing to avoid her attack, I dodge thanks to my reflexes.
She looks like she just axe-kicked a puppy as she drops her sword and runs over to me, making sure I'm not dead. "Ah!... um... I'm sorry! I should have told you my ability before I tried to attack you!"
Hmm... was it time or space that was distorted? She didn't even seem conscious of it. It was as if it were attached to an emotion.
I get up, patting the dirt off me. "No worries! That's the point of the test, that we learn how to adapt to a situation on the fly, no matter what may occur."
"Wow, you really thought this through."
It's also to see who would show their powers in a pointless competition of strength. I was planning on sitting out and writing down every power I saw, including the strengths and weaknesses of the people here. But I have a different objective today.
The two of us stand there watching as Kunnia bows, dashing at her enemy with her supersonic speed. She disarms them as they fall on their butt. Kunnia reaches out a hand to help them up.
Heraclitus claimed, "What you do is who you become. But your integrity is your destiny." I had figured that she was brainwashed into being honorable during her childhood, but she may truly and honestly believe what she says. In that case, her utility will be limited.
Espy gives a melancholic expression as she watches Kunnia. "I see all these strong people and can't help but feel like I'm going to be left behind. I don't want to be a part of the 99.2% that drops out. Yet, I can't help but feel as though I'm defenseless."
A leech, relying on others to decide her worth, now that's a natural-born tool.
I turn to her with a look of assurance. "Do you know what the greatest advantage one could have in a battle?"
"A battle? I would say... overwhelming strength. right?"
"While strength is important in a fight, there has always been one thing that wins against strength."
"Really? Something stronger than strength itself?"
"The element of surprise. A country called Britain stood as one of the world's mightiest forces. They seemed unbeatable as they steamrolled their way through every country they faced. And yet they lost to their own branching country no less. A small, weak, and insignificant country. In 1745, America fought and won its independence. They did this through smart war tactics and ambushes. After seven years of well-timed ambushes, America won against the world's superpower. That is you. You are the ambush the strong do not expect!"
She gives me a wide, excited smile and starry eyes. "Really?! You think I would be able to win against someone like Kunnia?"
"Kunnia? You set your standards too low. Your power is limitless. Aim to become the number one Luminary."
Espy stares at me with wide eyes filled with excitement, as if I were her owner and she, a pup who just received a treat. "You really think so? I've always been told I would be stuck at the bottom. With such a simple ability, they said I was as useful as a rock."
She's likely suspicious of me, the pure contrast of self-pity and then sudden kindness.
I turn to her with a great... big... fake... smile. "Even a rock can take down a giant if used properly."
"Well...um... thank you. I don't really want to fight you now. I-"
A huge fire erupts from behind Espy.
Fuego is charging up his sword aimed at Roulette. "The hell did you say about my mom!?"
Roulette gives a teasing laugh.
Silho looks up from his paper and sighs. Just as Fuego is about to swing down on a somewhat concerned Roulette, he stumbles on a rock that happens to be attached to a string that happens to be attached to my hand.
Fuego suddenly loses control of the fire tornado he has created, stumbling backward as he loses his balance. The fire is now on a collision course with Espy.
I have plenty of time to push her out of harm's way and still enough to read an epitaph afterward, but I decide to put on my scene.
Grabbing coins from my pocket, I reach behind me, creating a firefighter jacket.
Bunker Gear is what firefighters use to allow them to enter fires with minimal burns. While not entirely fireproof, their outfits are made up of resistant fabrics such as Nomex, Aramid, or Kevlar.
It cost me a lot, but I think Bunker Gear is a unique look. So, I spent the gold without a second thought. Maybe if I had a dad I could actually look up to like a firefighter I may not have been as messed up as I am. ...Whoa! I'm getting off-topic.
I grab Espy and duck underneath the protection of the jacket. Holding her close. Needless to say, a social shut-in like her is blushing hotter than any fire Fuego could create.
I begin to regret not dousing myself in water as the fire begins to burn through the Kevlar in the jacket. I forgot that it was not a normal fire. Eventually, the scorching tornado dies out.
Espy looks up at me as if I were a war hero. "You... you saved me... why?"
Fuego comes rushing over. "Espy! Are you okay!? I'm so sorry, I was fighting and I..."
It seems he can be a friendly giant... at least to attractive women.
The light blue-haired boy now rushes over to me. "Saint, are you okay!? Those are some serious burns on your back! We should take you to the nurse's office!"
I'm surprised he even knows my name. This is our first interaction. I muster every brain cell and remember him saying his name was Zero.
Shilho walks over and looks down at me as if he knows exactly what I did. "Did you really need to go that far?"
He better not mess this up for me.
Luckily, Zero interjects. "What are you talking about, Professor!? He needs medical attention!"
Silho and I exchange glares before remembering that I'm supposed to act like a victim. I wince at the pain.
I must have done a poor job because he does not buy it. "Alright, do what you want." Silho turns to the rest of the class. "This isn't a show, folks! Get to swinging, or I'm gonna start doing 2 vs 1's."
Zero helps me up as I lean on his shoulder.
Roulette comes skipping up and aggressively pats my back, right... on the fucking burn! "Atta way, you smooth operator!"
I manage to suppress, letting out a yelp, glaring at her instead.
They should bring back the Salem Witch Trials just for annoying people.
Zero turns to her with concern.
Roulette turns to Zero. "I actually know Prince Charming here. So if you want to give me retribution for assisting the hero." She holds out her hand, expecting money as if that sentence even made sense.
Zero raises his eyebrow, yet still reaches for his wallet, almost paying her. Fortunately, I stop him.
Silho shouts from his beach chair throne. "Go annoy someone else Roulette!"
Roulette gives a pouty look as she turns away. "Aw, I was going to ask the nurse if I could give you a lobotomy. Guess that'll have to wait for another day."
"Woe is you," I state.
Zero looks very concerned for my safety. I imply through my calm demeanor that this is unfortunately normal.