The voices of the crowd was low, as people murmured to each other. Each one trying to find out more information on the situation at hand. The fastest way to find out anything was to check the news, but the connection was unstable.

One could easily tell that the expression on the faces in the crowd was one of worries. Each of them came here to see the younger generation fight, now they were caught up in a disaster.

Soon members of the Ten Families emerged on stage. Following behind them was Dir. Campbell.

As they took stand the voices of the crowd died down as everyone locked onto them. Waiting for them to reassure them that everything was fine. Even if they knew in their hearts it was not.

Dir. Campbell was already making plans in her head. How could she keep these students safe while also making sure they got valuable experience? It sounded easy, but she doubted anywhere outside of this place would be ‘safe’ for them.

She listened to the leader of the Carter family talk to all of the spectators. He was explaining to them how we were in a dire situation and that they might need to help out. He didn’t sugar coat anything, she knew he was a blunt person from what she’s heard about him. Yet, she never figured he’d be this straightforward.

He even went as far as telling them they had a chance to die, and that since this was an emergency if anyone refused to participate it would be considered treason. Meaning that they’d go on trial after the situation was dealt with, or they might just be put to death.

The death sentence was abolished a long time ago, but it could be used if the case was severe enough.

She kept her hands behind her back in a professional manner, but she was actually tired of listening to him talk. Everything he was saying could have been wrapped up in five minutes or less, but he went on and on. She wondered if he would ever shut up.

As the leader of one of the ten families she’d never say anything too disrespectful to him, but that did not mean she couldn’t say it in her head.

Dir. Campbell did not notice it, but a small smile appeared on her face.

“That is all. I’ll pass the reins over to Dir. Campbell who will give you directions. Follow them as if they were coming from me. If I find out otherwise… well expect to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

Finally done talking, the leader of the Carter family stepped down from the stage. Closely following behind him was the leaders of the other ten families. None of them looked back at Dir. Campbell, nor gave her any words of inspiration.

Klyde put her in charge of this place, therefore they wouldn’t question him. She must have had something if Klyde had faith in her skills. Although many of them felt that they would do a much better job than she would, they’d never voice out their opinion.

Dir. Campbell waited until all the leaders left before she took center stage. All eyes were focused on her, but she didn’t feel any sort of pressure.

Standing in front of the mic, she looked up towards the stands. She wasn’t sure what she saw, was it hope or helplessness? People’s facial expressions was always hard for her to analyze.

“As you’ve heard, i’m Dir. Campbell, the leader of this section. I’ll keep this short and simple.

If you’re an EXO user come down, and group yourself by what you believe your ability is best suited for. I can care less if you’re classified by the government as a support user. If you believe that your ability is better suited for defense then group up with all the other defensive users.

For the rest of you, stay seated in the stands.”

Short and simple was best, the people in the stands started to move around in a hurried manner. None of them were really scared of her, but more so of the authority she held. One wrong move from them and she could send them to their death.

Celia looked at Olivia and frowned, Olivia was in no position to fight anyone let alone a demonic beast. Considering her condition it would be best for her to stay in the stands.

Just as she was about to open her mouth and say something, Olivia shook her head.

“I’ll be alright, don’t worry about me and go down.”

“B-but…”

“Trust me Celia, just because i’m in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. I’m just as strong as I used to be, if not stronger!”

Olivia flexed her right bicep as she smiled at Celia.

From the look on Celia’s face Olivia could tell that she didn’t believe her one bit. All things considered, she’d find it hard to believe as well if she was in Celia’s shoes.

Although she spoke big, Olivia knew that she was not as good as her old self. However, that only strengthened her resolve to get stronger mentally. She learned a little bit more about herself due to her condition. What didn’t kill her before, only made her stronger now.

Slowly the people in the stands started to move, eighty percent of them were all EXO users while the other twenty percent were ordinary civilians.

No one moved too fast, but they weren’t exactly slow either. They moved in at a pace that would get them on ground level within a minute or two. Celia walked by Olivia making sure nothing would happen to her. She also prayed for someone to tell Olivia to go back because she was not fit for combat.

Everyone could see she was crippled, but no one spoke up.

Whilst everyone was moving, Nick was already on the ground floor. He was exhausted because of his match. Truth be told, he just wanted to lay down and get some rest.

‘Using us as reserve troops… that’s not a bad move. Only downside is our firepower, we have people who are tired from fighting in matches, others who are just now recovering and finally people who probably haven’t fought in a long time. I’m curious as to how this will go.’

Nick’s thoughts continued to flow, and eventually he found himself wondering what his sensei would do in this sort of situation.

Given her style, she’d probably burn everything to ashe and say the situation was dealt with.

“How are you holding up?”

Matthew asked Nick as he walked up next to him.

“So-so. Given enough time i’ll be able to regain my essence and be useful. But for now, i’m pretty much useless.”

Matthew nodded his head in agreement. He wasn’t in much better shape. He figured he’d be able to hold off against Violet, but she pushed him to his limit. All of her arrows had some serious weight behind them, and she shot them all at breakneck speed.

She was someone he did not want to fight ever again.

“Same here. I think that’s most of us freshmen as we were the last ones to fight so we’re the most exhausted. Doubt they’ll give us anytime to rest. They say all is fair in love and war, and this seems like the beginning of a war.”

What Matthew said wasn’t a lie, in war governments did things they normally wouldn’t do. It was something that brought out the best and worst in people. It was also the time great figures emerged.

No matter how one looked at it, throughout history the most famous and remembered were not known for their governance or ability knowledge. Instead, they were known for what they accomplished during their era, which highlighted the battles they fought in.

Matthew saw how everyone on the ground floor was starting to get organized into what they believed themselves to be. The academy put him in the support division but given a choice he’d rather be in the attack division instead.

Now that he had the freedom to choose, why not pick that.

Nick seemed to read his thoughts as he grinned a little.

“Guessing we are thinking the same thing, join the frontline force. We may not be able to see any action, but its the thought that counts.”

Nick said as he started to go towards where the attack force gathered.

Many of the students he saw fighting as he climbed up the hills were also headed that way, just a few of them went to the defense side. None chose the support.

Rather seemed unfazed by their duel as she went straight for the attack force. Nick could see that her body was moving differently from before, but the way she kept herself up showed her resolve.

She too had a status to upkeep, therefore she could not let herself show any sort of weakness.

As he got settled in with the rest of the students, the people in the stands started to pour in and make their way to their destinations. Surprisingly most of them joined the support side.

Probably thinking that it would make their life easier and they’d be able to stay out of danger. They came here to support their friends and family, not join in a war.

For them they’d rather not fight but enjoy an easygoing life.

What really surprised him the most was when he spotted his mother. She joined the support division, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He’d much rather have her not participate, but if left with no other choice he’d want her to be safe.

Celia was with her right by her side. She signaled Nick with an OK sign, letting him know that everything would be fine.

While Nick did not doubt her words as she had Charles with her, he was still curious about her fighting prowess. If Charles wasn’t around, how would she be able to handle herself? Was in a better predicament than his mother?

It wasn’t until that moment that Nick realized he never really got to understand her. He assumed since she was blind her guardians kept her safe, but now that her eyesight returned what was she capable of?

He heard from Charles before that her family was able to summon familiars, but that couldn’t be all there was to it.

While lost in thought an arm wrapped around his neck and brought him in close. He could smell the cherry blossoms, it only took him a second to realize that it was shampoo.

“Just when I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to be together with you guys on the battlefield, I was given this chance!”

Nick wasn’t the only one brought in for a close hug, as he could see Matthew was being pulled in from the other side. The owner of these arms was none other than Freya.

“Pft, you were just afraid we’d leave you behind.”

Matthew commented.

Freya tightened her grip as she pulled him in even closer to her. Matthew started tapping her arm telling her to let him go.

“Let me go, you’re trying to kill me?”

“No, just showing you some affection is all. You don’t want?”

“I do not want!”

“Too bad, you’re not getting a choice.”

Seeing these two made Nick’s body relax. Freya had something to her that made them more easygoing. She seemed to have that power to her that would cause your worries to just vanish.

“I see you guys are just as carefree outside the school grounds as you are on them.”

Freya looked over her shoulder and saw Katherine standing there. Her long purple hair flowed down her back, and her silver eyes were focused on the three of them.

Katherine did not talk much, but she was always around them.

Nick almost forgot that his mission was to protect her due to how peaceful everything has been. He felt as if the threat that was after her backed off, but he knew he couldn’t let down his guard. He had to stay vigilant or else they’d come strike when his guard was down.

If anything happened to her while he was guarding her, he honestly did not know how he could face his sensei.

Freya let the two of them go. Matthew started rubbing his neck, he started wondering if Freya was actually a male in disguise. That strength of hers really made him wonder who her parents were.

“Not carefree, just enjoying the moment while we still have it. You should do the same, we won’t get another chance like this again in the future.”

“I think i’m fine where I stand. My personality is not as outgoing as you three, can you imagine me being like the three of you?”

Freya, Nick and Matthew glanced over Katherine and shook their heads. She wasn’t like them at all.

“You know, out of the four of us, i’d imagine you’d pick the support side. You’ve never really fought, even in school.”

Matthew spoke up, he was curious as to why Katherine joined this side considering what he knew of her.

“I have my reasons, but if you want to know i’m just interested in someone is all. I feel some sort of connection between him and I.”

As Katherine spoke, her eyes fell on the dark-skinned youth that fought against Arthur earlier.

Nick, Matthew and Freya turned to look in the direction Katherine was staring at and spotted him.

“Him? Do you even know his name?”

Freya was the first to speak after this big reveal.

In the whole time she’s known Katherine, she never seemed interested in the opposite sex. There was that one time with Nick in the forest, but that was it.

Just as Katherine was about to reply Dir. Campbell tapped the microphone.

“Now that you are where you believe yourself to be, I will now be assigning you to squads. Each squad will have a squad leader, whose role is to watch over the squad and make sure you complete the mission you are given.

The squad leader will be picked by me. I see that some of you have chosen to hide yourself thinking that just because you join the support force you won’t go to the battlefield. Sadly you’re mistaken.”

Dir. Campbell continued to speak for a brief moment, before calling up some names and introducing them as squad leaders. Each of them had some sort of experience on the battlefield at one point in time.

Once that was done, she then split up the forces combining them into squads. Mixing members of the attack, defense and support forces. Giving each squad a little bit of everything.

Nick, Matthew, Freya and Katherine were all split up.

Oddly enough, Nick knew two people in his squad. One being Rachel, while the other one was Celia.

The two of them met for a moment, but all Rachel did was squint her eyes at Celia before she paid her no more attention.