Kai walked down to an open field. He was wearing a training uniform provided by the school. Minor enchantments were woven inside the cloth, providing protection comparable to hard leather.

Scattered about in different sections of the training field were training dummies, an obstacle course, and other strange-looking objects. The field itself was half the size of the entire campus stretching on for about half a kilometer. A group of students nearing fifty, both male and female, were already on the field huddled together before a much smaller group of adults.

As he drew near, eyes began to take note of him, some giving him a hard glare, while others merely glanced his way before dismissing him. It made him uncomfortable to be stared at like this. Just like he had done, people were sizing up their competition.

Around him, every student was equipped with some kind of melee weapon, the majority of them being swords while he did spot some other exotic weapons. It was easy to tell who was comfortable and who wasn’t. Some students radiated confidence, just standing there, while others had nervous ticks, like constantly looking around at the others or shifting about.

Closing his eyes, he felt the warm air blow across his face and hands. He lay his left hand on the pommel of his sword. An unfamiliar but comforting sensation. The sword was new, almost entirely unused except for the battle against the bandit a few days prior. He could tell his father had designed the blade to be similar to the ones he used growing up, but it would still take time to become familiar with this new sword. For one the weight was different than the others he used often. The new blade was slightly longer too. Too short to become considered a longsword, but lengthier than a standard short sword.

Standing among the students, Kai could feel the pressure holding him down to the earth. I can feel a weight... Its gravity. But the weight or gravity feels more... Noticeable? Not heavier, it’s like it’s a blanket over my body weighing me down. It’s usually unnoticeable. Is this an effect of picking gravity as my element or because I’m trying to focus on it? Am I even making sense?

“Good morning class!” A booming voice called out above all the chatter. The voice came from one of the largest men Kai had ever seen. Easily over seven feet, he stood a head over even his fellow teachers. But it wasn’t his height that made him stand out, it was his immense muscles, like a bodybuilder that didn’t know when to stop. His biceps were easily the size of Kai’s torso.

“I said GOOD MORNING!” he yelled even louder.

“GOOD MORNING, INSTRUCTOR!” screamed back the entire class.

“Better. I thought for a second, I was going to be teaching some undead shitbags,” he nodded once. “Now onto business, I am Sven, lead melee combat instructor of the Ashbourne Academy. Some ground rules before we begin our melee combat training. There will be no unsupervised fights at all. Magic will not be permitted during any fight, unless in a lifesaving emergency or until the second half of the year. I repeat this is a non-magic class for the next 5 months.

"What happens on the field will stay on the field. I don’t care if you get your ass kicked so badly, it hurts your feelings and your ancestors’ feelings. Cry, whine, and pout all you want, but whatever happens during this class, will stay in this class. Understand me?” His tone turned dark, with a slight edge to it.

Kai had a feeling that some students would still bring their grievances off the field.

A chorus of yes and agreements rang out. The energy in the class changed. There was nervousness around, the students were unable to keep calm.

“Today we will be testing your melee combat ability. All I want to see today is you try your best so we can accurately place you in a group of equally skilled peers. We need to separate you all into groups so you may receive training equal to your level. Your stats will make no difference in our criteria when we are evaluating you.

"When instructor Ferva calls your name, I would like you to approach the designated area. You will spar with me using whatever weapon you feel most comfortable with. You will fight with everything you have during your examination. You will not be hurt… Well, I may hurt you a little during the examination; I only intend to push you so we can gauge your skill level. If anyone has any questions now is the time,” Sven said.

“Is any weapon fine?” A student asked.

“Yes, but only if it qualifies as a close combat weapon. If you’re using a bow or other ranged weapons then this is the wrong class,” Sven said looking around to make sure everyone had a proper weapon for the class.

“Can we move up after we are placed in a group?” The student next to Kai asked.

“Of course, if you show improvement, it is possible to move up to a higher skilled group.”

“What criteria you are judging us on?” Jason Grell asked.

Kai suppressed a groan. He hadn’t seen Jason in the sea of students, but now that he heard his annoying voice, he hoped to avoid him.

“You don’t need to know that. Just go into the ring and do your best,” Sven said.

“Let’s start. Bradley Hammond, to the ring,” came a female voice near Sven.

A student at least a foot smaller than Kai’s six feet walked up to the dirt cover ring. He held a spear with a wooden shaft, that stood comically twice his height. He walked towards the field, sweat dripping down his face, he gripped the spear so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. If his body language was anything to go off, he was anything except confident and in control.

Instructor Sven stood already waiting inside the large flat dirt ring. Appearing in his hand was a short sword of dark grey metal, with a strange ghost-like appearance to it. The etherealness shifted about making some parts of the sword partly transparent. It was like a ghost and metal had been combined and forged into a sword.

“The first move is yours,” the instructor spoke loudly after the student had stood frozen for half a minute doing nothing.

The student Bradley gulped. He cautiously approached the instructor shifting his feet across the ground without lifting them up. The rest of the students remained silent, everyone eager to see the abilities of their fellow classmates and the teachers.

At nine feet away from the teacher, Bradley pulled his spear back and thrust forth center mass. Shifting his body, the instructor sidestepped his body dodging the thrust easily. His short sword stabbed forth stopping an inch away from the student’s face. After two seconds of comprehension, Bradley unfroze and reacted, falling back on his bottom, his spear falling to his side. Students began laughing at the scene.

“You will be assigned to Group E,” Sven said, his face neutral giving no reaction to the mess before him.

The student Bradley looked crestfallen. “Sir, I can do better, please just give me one more chance.”

“No, you only get one shot here and on the battlefield. You need to make the most of your opportunity or die. Next,” Sven said, no longer paying attention to the near crying student.

A dozen more students went next, one at a time. All doing better than Bradley. Receiving grades between B through D, with one student receiving an A. His performance was the best of the spars so far, being able to hold his own for the longest and display his techniques.

“Next, Nicolas Gilmonash,” Sven called out.

Instantly, people began chattering and whispering, “It’s the prince’s turn,” and “I wonder how he’s going to do?”

"Wow. He's already in the Forging realm," said one student with awe.

"No shit. His birthday was over half a year ago, and his family obviously knows the best spots to level."

To say Kai was surprised was an understatement. The person he had talked to yesterday after the Jason Grell incident was none other than the 12th prince of the Ashbourne Kingdom. He looked supremely confident as he strolled into the ring. Holding out his hand, a massive greatsword appeared, the handle materializing in his hand. The sword was a massive blade, nearing two meters, its grey metal looked dull compared to the beautifully glowing blue runes etched onto its side. The massive sword didn’t look awkward at all in the hands of the large student. Taking a stance, he held the blade diagonally across his body prepared to react to any attack that may come his way. Nicolas’ face was one of concentration as he stared unblinking at the instructor.

A smile came to instructor Sven’s face. “I have trained some of your siblings in the past fifty years. Not one has disappointed me, don’t you be the first.” With that, the instructor made the first move for the first time today. He flew across the field faster than anyone had moved yet. Kai could barely keep his eyes on the instructor as he seemed to almost teleport across the twenty feet. A series of blows were exchanged immediately, Nicolas on the backfoot as Sven pushed him back. Sven’s smaller sword moved faster as he unleashed swing after swing at the defensive prince not giving him any room to counter.

Sweat began dripping down the side of the prince’s face. After five minutes of non-stop fighting, his movements began to slow and become messy. The huge stat advantage and combat experience of the instructor proved too much for the prince as his greatsword was finally knocked away. Kneeling, the prince bent his head down as he took large breaths trying to regain his energy. Sven held out a hand to the prince, who looked conflicted but accepted the gesture, pulling him up to his feet.

“Nicolas, group S. You did well son,” Sven said patting him on the shoulder. Nicolas only nodded. His face was blank and expressionless.

The instructor had been pushing every student during their fights, but no one else had been pushed as far as Nicolas.

Next began another series of trials and bouts, a young woman named Ashley Mori proving the best of the students since Nicolas, entering into Group S with her absolutely masterful spear techniques. She kept the instructor at a distance, doing her best to not allow him to close the distance within his sword range even though he was very capable of doing so. Her footwork was so graceful, it was like she was gliding on the field. Her breathing was normal by the end, seemingly unbothered by the exercise.

Mori?... That name seems familiar? Many names seemed familiar to Kai over these last few days. Some he recognized and wonder if their progenitor were the same people he once knew.

“Next, Jason Grell,” Sven called out. Jason sauntered out to the field, a smirk of arrogance on his perfectly punchable face. Like the instructor, a sword appeared in his hand from thin air. His blade was similar to instructor Sven’s except for the dark red coloring of a different metal.

I hope the instructor embarrasses him. Or maybe we will get placed in the same group and I can kick his ass in sparring. But… I wouldn’t put it past him to use his stat advantage to win any spar. Kai watched the fight with bated interest but was disappointed to see that Jason performed rather well, receiving an A when he finished. His style of sword was different than Kai’s hack and slash. Jason often tried parrying and tricks to fight but Sven didn’t seem to fall for them.

“Group A? Are you sure there isn’t a mistake sir?”

“No mistake Jason. You performed well but there are plenty of areas you can improve in.”

Not liking the response, Jason’s eyes narrowed as he simmered in anger, his hands trembling slightly. Turning away, he walked back to the group of students, most making a path for him to walk through. Kai purposely avoided eye contact with Jason but couldn’t help smirking slightly seeing him incensed.

The next fight began without any fanfare. Another spear user that Kai could tell at a glance who was not comfortable on the field.

Feeling a tap on the shoulder Kai turned around to see the group S, Ashley standing behind him. She had an alluring smile on her beautiful face. Unlike all the other students present, she had not worn the training uniform. Instead, she had a short-sleeved shirt and pants on that both seemed a size too small. Her large brown eyes glowed slightly as she stared at him, with eyes identical to a predator observing its prey. And he was the prey.

“Hi,” she chirped.

“Umm... Hi? Can I help you?” Kai responded awkwardly, his eyes shifting left to right as people began to take notice.

“I thought I would introduce myself. I’m Ashley.”

“Kai,” he said taking her offered hand.

[Human – Forging Level 12]

By the Nine. She’s even higher than the prince. Ashley was at the highest level of all the students he had identified so far in his year. She seemed to be wholly aware of what he had figured out, her smile widened.

She took a step closer. He could smell her now; the scent of berries filled his nose. “Tell me, Kai, how do you think you will do on the test?”

Taking a step back he kept eye contact. “I don’t know. I’ve only ever sparred with my dad.”

“I bet you will do well. You seem fit... And you have such a presence,” she said twirling her brown hair with her finger, a glimmer in her eyes. She took another step closer.

Kai’s cheeks unconsciously flushed red. He cursed his teenage hormones.

Is she flirting with me? Kai realized the situation was turning weird. Most of the students were paying attention to him and Ashley, and not the ongoing fight. A few were even openly glaring at him, jealous of the fact that she was talking to him and not them.

“Easy Ash, can’t you tell he’s uncomfortable,” Nicolas said, walking over to the two.

“I hate it when you call me that Nicky,” Ashley said giving a cute pout.

Kai stood awkwardly to the side as the two started bantering back and forth.

Finished with their banter, Nicolas turned to Kai. “I’ll have to apologize for this one. She’s a natural flirt and used to getting her way.” He grabbed her wrist and started dragging her away. “Come on Ash, leave the poor guy alone.”

Breaking free, she suddenly grabbed Kai’s arm, wrapping both of her arms around his left effectively attaching herself like a parasite to him. “No, Kai and I are friends now,” Ashley claimed, sticking her tongue out at Nicolas.

“You’ll have to excuse her. She has single child syndrome and doesn’t get told “no” enough.” Nicolas shook her head, with an exaggerated sigh.

“I don’t think that’s solely limited to single children, my youngest sister also gets her way all the time,” Kai lightly smiled, it hadn’t even been a week, but he already missed his sister and his family.

“Well... I’m the youngest and I don’t get my way,” Nicolas joked.

Both Kai and Ashley laughed at that.

“Prince Nicolas and Lady Ashley, it’s a pleasure to see you both again,” the bane of his current existence at school said as he strolled up to the group.

“Fuck off Jason,” Ashley spat without warning, her eyes slits as she shot him a venomous look.

Kai coughed. I’m in love, he joked inside his head.

Jason’s eyes darkened for a second. Kai covered his mouth with his hand, hiding the shocked cough, which didn’t go unnoticed by Jason, as his fierce glare focused on him before shifting back to Ashley.

“Don’t be like that Ashley. We are both nobles of this kingdom and our families are old friends.”

“You should have thought about that before you touched my ass you slimy piece of shit. My grandfather would have killed you, if I didn’t convince him that you weren’t worth the trouble of hearing your father cry to the king,” Ashley hissed, still clinging to Kai’s arm.

“I said I was sorry. It was an accident,” Jason claimed. “Nicolas, please talk some sense into her.”

“Can’t help you, Jason, I don’t want to get involved.”

“You heard him, now scram. This is for Group S people only,”

Having struck a nerve, he raised his hand briefly before thinking better and lowering it, eliciting a knowing smirk from Ashley. Kai took a step forward instinctually in case Jason had tried to hit Ashley, not that she needed his protection when she was at a higher level than both Jason and Kai combined.

“Then what is this commoner trash doing here?” Again, Kai’s action didn’t go unnoticed by Jason.

“Don’t worry about it, he’s fine where he is. Besides, I bet he will do better than you. Now, you need to get lost, I’m tired of repeating myself,” she made a shooing motion.

“This waste? He’s not even level 30 yet. I doubt he even knows how to fight.” Jason looked insulted and enraged.

Stunned, Kai was wondering how the hell he got stuck between these two.

A thoughtful expression came over Jason’s face. “How about a wager? You say this trash is going to do better than me, I know he won’t. If the waste doesn’t get graded an S, you will forgive me?”

Ashley scoffed. “Fine, but what if he makes S rank?

Ashley’s response caused Jason to laugh. “Won’t happen, but what do you want in the case of that fairytale coming true?”

Kai stood to the side, still attached to Ashley, watching in disbelief as the two make a wager about him without his input or approval. Nicolas was smiling, finding the conversation funny.

“Hmm... You don’t have anything worthy of my forgiveness, but your boots will do I guess.”

“No way. These were specially imported from another planet.”

“Boots or nothing. If not, don’t bother asking for forgiveness again,” Ashley said, flipping her hair back.

After a moment of consideration, Jason reluctantly nodded, before sending a seething glare at Kai and walking off.

“Boy, if he didn’t like you before, he definitely hates you now,” Nicolas smirked.

“Kaismo Cineris,” called the instructor at last.