Outside, Kai had found a bench to sit on and waste time until his next class. He would use his domain, switching it on and off when no one was in view. I wonder if I made a mistake picking gravity. He leaned his head back with his elbows resting on the bench back, his mind was full of questions. Questions that could only be answered in time.

Laughing came from down the path, getting louder as it came closer. Looking up, Kai groaned. He could see it was Jason Grell and two others, animatedly talking as they walked closer. His two minions looked ordinary in a way that would mean just another face among the masses besides their wealthy clothing.

Kai knew there was no point in trying to hide when Jason made eye contact and halted on the path. He said something to the other two, as their gazes locked on him. An ominous smirk appeared on Jason’s face.

Discreetly looking around, Kai could see no one else was near, eliciting another groan. In a matter of moments, the three surrounded Kai on the bench and were glaring down at him. He would have to climb over the back of the bench to escape which would look ridiculous.

“Look who it is. What are you doing out here? Your friends already abandon you?” His tone was malicious. He spun his head glancing around the grounds. “Where is your little pet?”

Kai tried acting calm. His mind was spinning, trying to figure out what to do. He didn’t want to instigate anything with them.

He refocused on Jason, who appeared to be getting angrier by the second. “Ignoring me? Am I not good enough to converse with?” The situation was turning worse by the second. But he didn’t know what to say.

“Is there something I can do for you Lord Grell?” Kai asked neutrally, his voice even and controlled as he attempted to appear unfazed by the three thugs trying to intimidate him.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Get the hell out of our school. Your kind doesn’t belong here. This is a prestigious academy for nobles, not for common trash like you dirtying and using our facilities.”

“The academy is open to all who can afford it. And I paid my way in same as you.”

Jason just scoffed.

“Did you see the way he and his fox ate? They probably skipped meals on and off for years saving to attend here,” the larger minion called out.

Just words… Just words… And you’re not strong enough to break them in half… Yet.

“Naw that’s not it. My guess? Must have been your mother. Only the gods know how many times she spread her legs to make enough coin for you to be able to attend school here.” Jason said snickering. His two minions also laughed.

Kai stood up rapidly. He seethed with anger. He knew full well he couldn’t start a fight outside of a duel. I swear I’m going to kill this moron one day. His knuckle popped as he squeezed his fists, but he forced himself to stay still.

Rationally he knew challenging Jason to a duel would be stupid. He had barely come into his own magic and the marquess heir was nearly three times his level. Kai didn’t even have his sword with him, leaving it in his dorm room which was beginning to look like his first mistake. Meanwhile, Jason flaunted his ornate weapon attached to his hip, not that there was a need to have it out since one of even many rings on his finger was probably a ring of storage with even more weapons or items inside. Kai was beginning to have enough of this kid already.

But that didn’t stop him from speaking his piece. “You shut the hell up. Do you think your blood is special because your family claims to be nobles in a world with so many countries? You can call yourselves whatever you want, but landowners whose ancestor sucked up to the right person.” Kai took a step forward, getting in the face of Jason. The two lackeys squared up next to Kai boxing him in even further, but he didn’t back down.

He stared daggers into Jason’s eyes. Each unafraid of the other, Kai knew he was playing with fire. There was no win in this situation. But the asshole had disparaged his mother. His sweet loving mother, who had shown him the light again.

When dealing with a bully, sometimes there were no good solutions. Either he showed courage and stood up for himself making the bully angrier, or showed weakness and subservience, signaling he would become their bitch. He had hoped they could talk it out respectfully, but Jason had gone over the line insulting his family.

“Grab him,” Jason said, nodding to his lackeys.

Kai couldn’t react fast enough as the two lackeys quickly grabbed his arms, holding him in place. He might be able to escape if he really tried but he wouldn’t put it past the three to start using magic if things become out of hand. The burly one on the left squeezed harder than his counterpart, making it a point to block his blood flow.

“Are you really going to do this? It’s against the rules,” Kai said, wincing in pain. “I’ll just tell the enforcement department about you assaulting me under the truth orb.”

Jason froze for a second before he laughed. “Go ahead.”

Kai’s face apparently showed his confusion.

“Ohh... You don’t know.” Jason had something of a sinister smirk. “Sorry to tell you but that’s an extremely rare and expensive magical item. The palace loans it to the school for one week before the year starts. It went back after admissions closed yesterday.”

Shit. Would the enforcement department even believe me if it’s three of their words against mine? Kai had no doubt the other two would lie on Jason’s behalf.

“Jason, we don’t have to do this. We are not enemies.”

“Enemies? Do you think you’re worthy of being an enemy of mine?” Jason shook his head. “Fine, I’ll give you a chance. Give me the fox and I’ll forgive you.”

“Not a chance.”

Jason shrugged. “It’s of no concern. I’ll find your pet fox eventually and make it into a fur coat for my girlfriend. I heard the West twins were practically fawning over its fur. Sounds like it would make a good present.”

Kai struggled to pull away as his anger flared up, but they were both stronger than him. Akane may be spoiled and annoying, but she was his annoying fox, though she probably thought he was her annoying human. He thought about screaming to draw attention but still didn’t see anyone nearby.

Without warning, Jason punched into Kai’s unprepared stomach. Pain flared as his breath was taken away. He gasped and wheezed for air as he heard, “Hold him still.”

A seemingly endless number of punches poured down into Kai’s stomach. Dropping to his knees he lost count once double digits hit. His breath came in shallow ragged gasps, as he tried to capture air in his lungs. Kai wasn’t sure if Jason held back, but it sure didn’t feel like it. His health had even gone down 32 points. Lifting his head up, Jason stood over him like his superior with an arrogant smirk of satisfaction plastered on his face.

Just you wait, ill get you back.

“That is why I don’t like commoners, either they are too afraid to look up, or they are too ignorant to know better,” Jason said. He turned and began walking away, his minions following behind laughing.

Standing up, Kai wobbled a little. He felt like throwing up. Reaching down he lifted his shirt up; he could see a bruise beginning to form where the first punch had landed. The other punches hadn’t hurt as much since he had been more ready for them, but he still lost his breath because of where they landed.

There was nothing he could do right now. His only options were to ignore what just happened or report it to the Academy Enforcement Department. Again, neither answer seem like the right one. Reporting him for assault might incentivize him to take further action, and they might not even punish him, while not reporting him might enable him as well.

A small weight fell onto his back without warning. Luxurious fur wrapped itself around his neck and shoulders in the next second. Subconsciously he reached up and rubbed Akane’s head, feeling calmer already. “Akane,” he sighed. “Remember that noble you embarrassed yesterday. Make sure you avoid him, I don’t know what he would do to you if he caught you,” Kai said.

Akane yapped once. Kai interpreting it as “understood.”

“Think I can take them in a fight?” Kai asked aloud. He wasn’t expecting an answer, it had been more a question for himself, just one spoken aloud. All he received in response was a high-pitched double yap that almost sounded like laughter from Akane. This is your fault you know.

I’ll have to get Andre’s and Hector’s opinions before I decide what to do about Jason. He sighed once again before getting up and walking around, his stomach only tender now. School is tough, I don’t think I’ve ever sighed this much.

Academic aptitude had never been Kai’s forte. He wasn’t dumb by any means but studying and sitting in a classroom wasn’t his preference. The time in his past life has been too chaotic to provide a productive and safe school environment so he got his education when he could. He wondered if it was strange that he sometimes felt more at ease fighting than he did sitting down and studying. He did find his first-class interesting so maybe there was hope for him after all. Maybe I’m actually a muscle head that’s not good for anything besides fighting. He sighed once again. I need a hobby besides fighting...

“Excuse me,” a voice called out, waking Kai from his daze.

He had been standing there thinking and didn’t realize someone had walked up behind him. I really need to stop daydreaming; it’s going to get me in trouble at this rate. The young man in front of him had an amused smile. He was decked out in a black dress shirt, which was perfectly contoured to his muscular body. His hand possessed a single plain ring. Familiar grey eyes he could have mistaken for family stared at him. Hair of pure white flowed wildly down to his shoulders, making him appear older. There was a certain vibe about him that made him seem powerful, not even Jason could compare.

Teacher... or a student?

[Human – Forging Level 7]

A student then.

“Apologies, I wasn’t paying attention,” Kai said watching the grey eyes flicker between him and Akane.

After finally settling on Kai the man said, “Not to worry, I often find myself lost in thought too. I saw what happened and thought I should apologize on behalf of Jason Grell. It seems his family’s new rank of Marquess has gotten to his head. Just another sad example of why commoners dislike the nobility.”

Kai’s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn’t expected an apology. Especially one from another noble on behalf of some asshole. Either the man in front of him was oddly sincere or he was playing a wider game that Kai couldn’t see.

“It’s not like you had anything to do with what just happened. I appreciate the sentiment all the same,” Kai said as he nodded and began walking away.

“I don’t think you should fight him,” the young man called out of the blue, his voice low. Kai turned, giving the man a questioning look.

“I heard what you said aloud. I have no doubt you have your own merit for being here, but you shouldn’t underestimate the people who come to this academy. The nobility here always wins the end-of-year tournament. Only once since the school opened hundreds of years ago did a commoner win, and that was about 6 years ago,” the mysterious man said.

Garren? Dad did say he finally took first place in his third year.

“They have come to school with skills and expectations to succeed. Their weapons, gear, and enchantments are all better giving them an edge. Not only that but in many cases like Jason’s and mine, we were taken on trips by our family and trained up. Even Jason’s two minions are nobles. Not heirs like him, but second or third born nobility that still received education and training prior to this academy.”

“Is that really true? They all receive extensive training?”

“Well... maybe not? Perhaps my perspective is a bit skewed because I did in fact receive a lot of training growing up. I wasn’t one for socializing with the other nobility often, so maybe I’m wrong and they don’t all train as much as I did. Regardless, you have Jason’s attention now so you should be cautious.”

“I wasn’t planning on fighting him until the end of the year tournament anyways. I don’t feel like getting kicked out of school yet for beating the shit out of him,” Kai said, prompting a smirk from the young man.

Maybe not all nobles are bad as I’ve been told. “I’m sorry I didn’t get your name. I’m Kai,” he said holding out his hand.

The noble froze for a second, looking between Kai and the offered appendage before he tentatively took the hand and shook it. “Nicolas.” His grip was firm.

“If I might give you some unsolicited advice Kai. I would wait and see how Jason’s behavior will be going forwards. If Jason and his goons leave you alone, then I would forget the incident, however, if they continue, I recommend you report them to the enforcement department,” Nicolas suggested.

“Thank you for the suggestion,” Kai said nodding. “Are you a second-year student by the way?” Kai asked.

“No, I am a first-year like you.”

Kai’s mouth opened slightly; he had wanted to ask Nicolas how he was already in the second stage so soon, but he had already said the answer. His family had taken him leveling and they probably knew the best places to do so.

As if reading his mind, Nicolas chuckled lightly, “Gaining levels is easy if you know where to hunt, at least initially. The first realm is by the far the faster to level through as you can guess,” Nicolas said.

Damn. Nicolas is already almost a full stage above me. And I somehow must beat him in the final tournament if I want to go to Titan Prime. Just my luck.

A bell rang out across the campus signaling the end of lunch and the start of the afternoon class shortly.

“I’m sure I’ll see you around Kai. Until then.”