"...instead of teaming up with just your classmates, your teams will be decided randomly along with other students from other classes."
Emilia frost spoke with a concerned voice, Even she did not understand why The Headmaster Had decided to do this, At the very last minute.
The Students were confused, The teachers were confused and even the second year's who were tasked with making sure no one died inside the labyrinth were confused.
Why? Just why?
Why team up with strangers with one instead of the students from the same classes who had some sort of familiarity with each other?
And the teams were decided by the Headmaster himself!
They did not know why he, The one known as the Wise Sage did this, but alas he was the one with the most authority.
And he also said that there was no need for the senior teachers to participate in the Labyrinth to ensure the student's safety.
She was worried yes, but her trust in The Headmaster's Judgement was even greater than her worry.
He was her teacher, after all, The one who was ranked 3rd in the Hero rankings, and the only reason Shield was Shield.
And So, Enlarging the Holographic screen being emitted from her watch, She started to recite the teams set by the Headmaster himself.
***
"So the main cause is bullying and social anxiety, huh?"
Arken said while reviewing Alex's files.
After he had seen what he wanted to see, He faced Oliver and said in an exasperated voice.
"And you let this happen?"
Oliver remained silent, this was news to him too, He had not been informed of this as well.
Well, He most likely had received a file related to it, but it was probably buried within the Thousands of other files he receives every day.
And considering the identity of the supposed bully, It was not unusual for him to have 'Bribed' some of the staff to let whatever he does go.
"Sigh..."
A sigh escaped his mouth as he rubbed his tired eyes.
'I'm getting too old for this.'
Oliver thought whole still rubbing his tired eyes.
"I'll look into it."
Oliver replies with a tired face while looking at Arken's face.
"You've changed Oli."
Arken said, However before he could continue with whatever he wanted to say, He was stopped by Oliver who replied in an annoyed tone.
"Don't call me that, MuscleFreak."
"Ha! Look that's the Oli I know!"
The sword saint laughed after hearing Oliver's response
However, his laugh had disappeared and he soon said in a serious voice.
"But something needs to be done."
"I'll look into it when I have the time."
"Something needs to be done, now."
"Haaa..."
Oliver just looked at his friend with a tired look on his face and sighed yet again.
It was going to be hard to convince Arken to stop, But he still has to try.
"The Flare family is still an important investor, I can't just admonish their youngest prodigy so openly, Even if he has a bit of a temper. So-"
"A bit of a temper?!"
Oliver's words were stopped by Arken interrupting him in an angry voice.
"Beating him up every day, To the point that he needed to go to the infirmary every day, To the point that he had stopped coming to class, to the point where he nearly died?!"
"Yes."
Yet, to Arken's outrage, Oliver remained calm....and cold.
"What?"
Arken questioned.
"Although your 'Student' has a talent rank of SS, Without a good mana training technique for his useless attribute, He will never in his life reach the rank his talent has been deemed as. You should focus on Alan more, Even though he 'supposedly' has the same talent rank and the troublesome attribute of Space, most people forget that he has a stronger affinity to ice.
He is much more likely to even surpass what his talent rank states."
Cold hard facts.
Out of Everything Oliver could say, he chose to say the facts.
Arken was baffled, the Oliver he knew was never like this.
Yes, he was stubborn at times but he would never give up on someone unless they were absolute scum.
But unfortunately, Arken was also stubborn, so he quickly devised a plan.
"Hey listen to me
"Hey, Listen to me, I have a plan, let the students be paired up with other students from other classes other than their own. Assign the teams by yourself based on students' compatibility and skill levels that complement each other, however, Alex and Alan must be placed in the same team, along with that boy from the Flare Family...."
Arken spoke while walking toward the door, And when Oliver was just about to deny this plan He heard Arken's voice again.
"..and don't worry about their safety, I'll ensure the lives of every student."
And saying those words, Arken opened the door and left.
Leaving Oliver at a loss for words.
After a complaint in his mind for a bit, he nevertheless still did what Arken had asked of him.
He would have never done this if not for Arken himself ensuring the safety of every student there.
'Damn Musclefreak, You come back after 16 years and all you do is make me work even more.'
***
[The night before the Labyrinth Excursion]
[Elijah's Room]
"So, Serena mind telling me why we are reviewing this for the thirteenth time?"
Said Elijah as he closed the hologram containing the information about the monsters in the Labyrinth.
He looked toward the pink-haired girl sitting opposite him as he rested his head on the table.
"To get a better understanding of the dungeon excursion of course."
Serena replied while taking a sip of her tea.
"But we've done this so many times I'm confident I can ace this excursion in terms of points acquired!"
"Oh? then tell me, what is the environment for the fifth floor of the Labyrinth?"
Serena questioned Elijah.
"An icy tundra!"
"And what element is weak in that environment?"
Elijah paused as he heard her question, he gulped and then answered in a crestfallen voice.
"...fire."
"And what elemental affinity do you have?"
"...fire elemental affinity...But it also has its perks!"
"Oh? And what perks will help you there?"
"...I can heat my body with fire mana and can also melt the ice there to make water!"
"Oh? And what will happen when you run out of mana?"
"I'll take a mana potion!"
'And also just revitalize my mana with the system!'
"Oh? did you forget mana potions are allowed only at the expense of points?"
"...wait, what?"
Elijah asked while being confused.
"You forgot didn't you?"
Said Serena as she rested her chin on her hands and looked at Elijah.
"...No...I just.."
"You forgot didn't you?"
Elijah heard Serena's voice again.
"Yes...."
And he replied while looking down towards the ground.
"Sigh....this is why I came here personally to make sure you studied."
Serena sighed and said, to which Elijah replied.
"Are you my mother or what?!"
"No, But I am your 'lover'."
Thud!
The moment she said the word 'lover.'
Elijah had fallen from his seat onto the ground with a red face.
'...this girl!'
He thought...this could not do...he needed to come up with something to get rid of the embarrassment he was feeling.
So he said the only thing that came to mind regarding this unusual behavior of her to suggest studying together.
"... You're doing this just to beat Alan...rig-?!"
Crack!
His rebuttal was unfortunately interrupted by Serena cracking the cup she held in her hand with her strength alone.
She had enhanced herself with mana to do this, as the grip strength of a healer class was not enough to this alone.
As for Elijah?
He did not dare utter another word when faced with her icy gaze at the mention of 'Alan'.
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