The ALEN faction. Made from the simple initials of all its members, had its first gathering in the special outhouse they had created for themselves.
The first member and the founder of their faction, Albert, sat at the head of the room and leaned back, his feet on the glass table. The vacation ended and just hours back, they had returned from a long and annoying speech from the principal.
Luka, or the L of the group, which certainly wasn't commonly being accepted as a Loser, truly wasn't, broke the silence.
"So about that tournament thing, I guess it's going to start next week?"
The E of the team, or I, was sitting quietly without looking at any of them. Seeing this strange behavior, Noa, the N spoke out.
"What's up? What are you thinking?"
"I wonder…" I, the E, said. "How I can skip more classes."
"Seriously? Even now?"
"Should I say I am still injured? They can't use it for any blackmail can they?"
Albert sighed at my words. "Yuyu, why do you want to skip classes?"
"What's there to learn? You guys are losers, not me."
"What are you even here for then?"
Well, it wasn't that simple was it?
"It's exactly in the center of the continent, so I can move anywhere I need to. Most of our troubles are going to start from here, we're going to see people with a lot of potentials, there's a lot of ancient stuff in the libraries, there's a lot. And most of it doesn't include being in class."
"Can't always win, can we?" Luka said.
"I can."
"Shut up."
"Huh? What was that? You wanna go a round bitch?"
"Bring it, I'll chop another finger for you."
We glared at each other and then stopped. Well, there was nothing much for me to do at this point. Since it had already been decided that I had no choice but to go to class I better do that.
I could always speak with Ikuro during the electives. I was going to need him and his entire family for my plans in the East.
"So anyway, let me come back to the main topic," Albert said. "We have a lot to discuss after that stupid principal's speech."
"He gave a speech?"
"What were you—My bad." Albert sighed again and shook his head once more. "Here's the deal, coming up next for us is the biggest event in the Academy city and the entire kingdom of sages. The tournament between the seven academies."
"Sounds like a hassle."
"It is," Albert nodded. "The tournament is, but the reward is worth it."
Reward?
Titania propped herself up on my head at the mention of a reward as well.
"There are many events which will bring us different scores, there are two questions here."
"Tell me about the reward first."
Noa answered my question instead of Albert.
"It's a Chalice filled with energy. If you consume it you can easily raise your mana or Ki by one entire stage. Given that you can control it of course."
"Even if you can't control all that energy," continued Luka. "It will still act like reserves in your body. It's a huge amount, I won in the last round and it saved me from a fuck ton of problems."
"Well I can probably use it," said Noa. "I am almost at the brink of raising myself into the stage of Soul Ki."
"Funny," Luka snapped. "I can use it too. I am almost at the same spot, except I am sure to be stronger than you."
"Ahem," Albert coughed. "I am actually the weakest here. So it's only natural that I get the best power up."
"I am actually—Why don't you go kill yourself?"
"Skill issue. Skill issue."
These people just kept babbling on and on.
"You all don't get it."
"What now?"
"I am undeniably the strongest, right?"
"Tsk."
"I deny that."
"Get lost Yuyu."
"Idiots. If you get it, I'll just snatch it." I leaned back and spoke. Power up? Chalice? "In the first place, I bet you guys can't but I actually CAN control it."
It would only be wasted in their hands.
"Hahaha. No."
"Absolutely, that's why just grind on your own."
"Cheap. Eugene, cheap."
These guys were fools! It was obvious that I took it.
A squabble began as we continued fighting over this matter.
Everyone said that they were the one who deserved the reward. It wasn't anything big for me, but I didn't want these losers to get their hands on it.
"I thought you wanted everyone to grow strong?"
"That and this is different."
It truly was. What mattered here was pride.
Sorry, but this one is mine.
The verbal battle continued for a while.
"Why don't you fools just compete for it?"
It was Titania who placed the suggestion.
Albert and Luka couldn't keep Aine and Selphie summoned at all times so it was only natural that my fairy wasn't fighting her own battle.
That said, I doubted those two little ones could ever hold a candle to Titania.
Well not like that mattered a lot.
"Comepte huh?"
It wasn't like there wouldn't be any in-academy competitions. Of course the results that each of us can produce will be tested.
"But then it'll be unfair for these losers. They can never hope to be as strong as me."
"Oh no, I do know somoething we can use."
Luka suddenly started grinning. Annoying.
"What is it?" Noa asked.
"There is also going to be a team competition in the entire thing. Luckily, we can get four teams from each academy."
"The city-wide battle Royale?"
Luka nodded at Albert's words. "The entire city would be free game, we can even destroy things. Let's just all get in a team each and see who wins."
Intriguing.
Very intriguing.
To slap some sense into these bastards before continuing my work, it seemed like a fairly fun activity to pull.
"Well."
All four of us grinned at once.
""""Prepare to lose.""""
***
[A/N: Buckle up fellas, you're not ready for this volume. Go workout or something]
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