“Yanagi-san, explain to the class how the Katana’s Draw Stance differs from the Dagger’s Ambush.”

The boy’s train of thought faltered, as his daydream shattered to reveal his teacher looming over him. The class watched in mocking silence.

“Ambush and Draw, Sensei? Uh—Right, Draw Stance is an Active Skill and Ambush Stance is passive...”

The teacher’s gaze silently bore down on him, like the merciless summer sun, the hint of a gratified smirk on a face otherwise carved from stone.

“...And, uh, Draw Stance increases damage by 20% at rank one, while Ambush Stance gives, uh, 50%?” he hazarded. It was obvious the teacher was looking for some other answer, but he had no idea what it could possibly be.

He weathered the strike from the teacher’s pointing rod across the face without response, thankful that she’d done so with her Spur skill, rather than a full attack. He really didn’t want to have to walk back from the Chapel today.

“Truly, an answer worthy of your birthright,” scoffed the teacher, before returning to the front of the room. Yanagi did his best to suppress the shame. Did everyone have to always bring up his status as an orphan who hadn't yet awakened his personal skill? Surely, the lineage of every soul had to start somewhere. It wasn’t like the nine-rebirth heroes all started out perfect badasses, right?

The teacher’s voice shattered his musings once more.

“Within the Iconic Skill of all sixteen weapon types, the character of that weapon is revealed,” declared the teacher, finally back to addressing the class as a whole, “To only look at the Skill’s literal effects is to reveal oneself as an utter fool.”

A series of chalk runes took shape upon the blackboard behind her, before reforming into the recreation of two text boxes, completely illegible from Yanagi’s seat at the back.

“Ambush triggers upon the first Action taken in combat, allowing for a burst of damage on first skill usage if the wielder takes their target by surprise. It can be leveraged once and only once. For those who choose it as a weapon, the dagger forces its wielder to be the aggressor by any means necessary. It is an ability that is only of use to blackhearts and scoundrels who strike from the shadows. To take up a dagger is to embrace treachery.”

She rapped her pointer next to the scribble that must’ve been the description of Draw Stance.

“The Katana’s Draw Stance can be performed at any time, as long as it is sheathed. It must be held as an action, presenting the stance to the enemy, before a Skill can be performed out of it. After the first target is slain, the wielder must sheathe their blade and allow their next foe the same first strike advantage. The critical skills that evolve from it rely on parrying, counter-attacking and interception. It is a weapon most powerful when it is the foe who is aggressing. It is a weapon of honour. It is the weapon of honour.”

Petulantly, Yanagi wondered if that meant the ‘Ronin’ he'd heard whispers of from the senior students were an honourable Advanced Class. If Knaves were despicable, honourless fiends and the Katana was the Weapon of honour, what of the former who wielded the latter?

“This is why it is the chosen weapon of both the noble houses and the Guard. It—”

The teacher froze.

“Sensei?”

Brow furrowed, the class’s teacher looked out the window, stepping gingerly towards it. Moments passed, before she stepped back towards the blackboard, expression still a mix of shock, horror and utter, utter confusion.

“It’s—It’s nothing, students. Something very...Just very strange has happened, is all.”