‘Was he talking to someone?’

The gymnasium room itself had no lock, but his office did. Classes had yet to start, so I figured it was the best time to come.

I knocked on the door of his office. Like a trigger, the voices disappeared as my delusion.

“Daniel—, oh what happened to your… Did you walk in here dressed like that?” His greeting soon turned into a question as he saw the state of my attire.

“Some things happened,” I said.

He did not mull on it for long and changed the topic.

“So have you decided?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm, well if you’re to join, wear this first.” I hadn’t even spoken and he already knew my intent to join.

As he backtracked his way into his office, I couldn’t help myself from sneaking a glance inside.

Compared to yesterday, the paperwork on his desk had been piled neatly. There was no one else in the room other than him.

He pulled some clothes out from his desk drawer and tossed them to me.

“Go change first.”

The new uniform, while looking the same as the one I had on, was of a different variant: specifically a different dye. The tattered clothes I had on had golden embellishments against a white portfolio. I doubt it was real gold though.

As for the uniform he gave me, its design was similar, but with an intense red embroidery rather than gold. It was against a black background, the polar opposite of the white.

I moved away from the office door as I stripped and dressed.

It was a little too big for me but still wearable. I rather liked the fact that I could move more comfortably in it. If I tried harsh movements or trained intensely, I bet it wouldn’t wear and tear as easily as the white uniform.

“What do I do with this one?” I went back and asked.

“Hmm? Well just throw it—ough… I meant you can just give it to me to recycle.” I ignored the peculiar cough he gave and passed the ragged uniform to him.

“Alright, do you have the contract?” he asked while laying the uniform politely on the desk.

“I accidentally ripped it so I threw it away. Can I sign on another one?”

“Here.” He grabbed a sheet from one of the stacks on his desk and put it aside on the desk alongside a blue pen.

I took it and scripted my signature on it. The ink was translucent and created a white indent, much like how the professors here wrote on blackboards. All they did was tap the board; but here was a pen that emitted the same chalky substance.

“Hmm? What are you writing?”

“It’s my personal signature,” I responded. Of course, I was writing in an obscure cursive known as illegible English. In all honesty, I had no idea what I was signing either. I just added a bit of curvature and circled the thing at the end while adding a dot at the ‘ i ‘. It looked fancy on paper, but upon further inspection, it was total junk. A random squiggle would have also worked, but sometimes, the prettier something was, the uglier it became in hindsight.

“Personal signature? So like a blacksmith’s mark?”

“Yeah.”

“I see…” He took the paper and started speaking.

“I’m going to read everything on this paper so that we are both on the same page to seal the contract.” He gave a hearty cough, “As a member of Grimphon University’s Combative Squadron, you will have responsibilities to fulfill. These responsibilities include representing Grimphon at every transnational event unless physically incapacitated…accepting the aforementioned responsibilities, the contractor is expected to fulfill all duties. Daniel…”

He looked at me.

“Under the recommendation of Professor Eigenvalue, you are now officially the first member of Grimphon University’s Combative Squadron.”

After signing his name directly beneath my “signature,” the white ink started to glow.

It wasn’t intense, but I was sure I saw a hint of light exuding from it.

“Alright, I’ll keep the contract with me. I’ll disclose everything else you need to know around next week once enough members have been recruited on my end. You should be able to access the training facilities with this—Woah, what happened to your hands?” As if just now seeing my bloodied hands, he moved back in surprise.

“I fell and hit something hard.”

“Both hands?”

I didn’t give a definite answer.

“Hmm, watch where you walk on campus next time. Seriously though, how did it get so bloody from a mere fall?” he said, but it sounded more like sarcasm than an actual inquiry.

Raising his hands, to mine, a dark aura latched onto me.

[The Host’s physique has advanced to level two.]

[Received: 100 Merit Points.]

I could see the stained blood revert into its liquid form as it sank into my flesh. The wounds themselves had shed their scab in visible seconds, coming back with a renewed surface.

All over my body, I could feel the involuntary twitching of muscle fibres.

As the mystical energy receded, all the soreness and pent-up stress I had before had vanished. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I was good as new, but it was similar. I hadn’t tried punching or exercising yet, but I could tell that my body was stronger just from feeling my own condition.

From my basic knowledge of myology, I knew that muscle growth was the process of damage and reconstruction. By exercising, microscopic tears would form in the muscles, and with sufficient nutrients, the body would heal itself usually when asleep. Once healed, the muscle is rebuilt to a stronger state.

And yet, I had not slept, and I hadn’t even had yesterday’s dinner or today’s breakfast. What that meant, was that the healing magic that was done on me was somehow able to patch my body up and invigorate it at the same time.

“Class is going to begin in a couple minutes so you can just take a seat or go somewhere else if…” He stopped talking all of a sudden while staring intently at a wall.

*Crrk

The sound of the door being opened echoed loudly, alerting both of us to a new presence.

I was just at the entrance of the office, so I was the first to see the two figures approaching.

“Daniel!” One came rushing in, and perhaps because of the perfectly timed sunlight shining down from the window, this person had become a blessed figure enveloped by the light.

Everything screamed shiny. That presence pulled people by the eyes and gripped them till they bled the same yellow blood.

I couldn’t see through the blur, but I knew full well who it was.

Should I avoid her? Should I hug her? Who even is she? Should I run? All of these questions were valid, but I had no time to contemplate them. Even if I wanted to think I had options, I didn’t.

By the time I thought of side-stepping, the presence already had her arms around me, threatening to go behind for a suplex.

The brute force almost threw me back, but I was caught within sturdy arms that could break my neck in a matter of seconds.

It took me a few more seconds to register what was happening before…

“Get off…” I couldn’t stop the harsh air from escaping my mouth upon this unlikely reunion.

I would have said it angrily, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t doing that. Just no.

She did not sob, nor did she continue screaming my name. Nay, she was smiling smugly—this fuckin’ bitch.

“Unhand me p-peas… Stop!’

For some particular reason, tickling my once-aching muscles was unbearable. There was muscle in places I didn’t know existed; being neglected for far too long, they shivered sporadically as if in ice water… It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

*Kss

I gritted my teeth, not ready to concede at all. Was this retribution or karma? Because the sensation of being hugged was awfully familiar.

I tried desperately to break out of the arms, but it was impossible.

‘Don’t curse don’t curse don’t curse.’

If I weren’t a fucking child in front of adults, I would have sworn like crazy to forget everything.

Clenching my body only made my throat budge harder.

‘Oy don’t touch my fuuuuuck…’

My ass had been defiled in front of me, who was unable to stop it.

The conscious effort I maintained to resist scratching it all this time had been relieved right then and there. What I would have usually done in the shower was being done for me by someone else.

My glutes weren’t prepared.

‘This lecherous…’

“Stop tickling my…”

I had to seriously reconsider my ability to judge people after this. And this fucker here… You can bet your ass that I’m walking out of this with trust issues.

The moment I got one of my hands free, I didn’t hesitate for a moment to put an end to the humiliation.

With a swift strike aimed at the meat directly below the jaw, I jammed it in.

But that didn’t do anything. She tanked the hit like nothing. As for my hand, it was hitting a metal sheet. I could see why the T-800 in The Terminator was so overpowered now.

Seeing me trying to wiggle my way out, she grasped tighter, having found my single weak point, that is, my butt. She may have been having the time of her life, but that smug smile… One does not simply grope my ass and squeeze without being sent to the 9th circle of hell.

With the one arm I had, I tried my best to put it on her head. For a head pat?—hell no, she was going to die.

I thrust downward with my pelvis, freeing up my hips as I spread my legs out. My weight fell forward, so I was expecting her to fall down with me and transition into a ground fight where I could escape. But somehow, and I meant SOMEHOW, her lanky arms and legs that belonged to an anorexic model were able to hold me up. That wasn’t even mentioning the amount of core engagement she used to support both our weights from falling.

‘When was she so strong?’

Her pervasive fingers dug deeper into my glutes, squirming around for a tighter grip.

I for one don’t want to think about it, so I will not provide a fucking description. That’s right, fuck you, dear reader. This ain't yaoi or erotica. Pull your pants back up you motherfucker! Nothing’s going to happen to me as long as the author doesn’t fuck me over!

“What’s my name?” she finally said.

I gave a groan, trying not to let my mouth open so no other embarrassing noises would come out.

“Daniel, what’s my name?” She grasped harder on the you-know-what. It was unfair that she was exploiting my one vulnerability. For the first time, I could sympathize with Dark Souls Bosses and having someone dodging all your attacks with a fucking roll while attacking all your blind spots.

I was completely helpless against it.

“S-sam,” I managed to mumble.

Luckily, the gods heard me in my moment of desperation as I was let free.

The inaudible voice was enough to please her.

I let out a cough while guarding my bum with my hands, holding a cheek in each hand. The leftover warmth was still there, and I tried my best to wipe it off.

I faced forward and looked at the person who had just gotten full marks for a sexual assault charge.

‘She’s a lot taller than I remembered.’

Realizing I moved on far too quickly, I changed my expression back to one of disgust and contempt.

She was chuckling all to herself, unaware of my amiability dropping by the second.

“So what happened to you?” she asked after settling down.

“Nothing.” I disregarded all of her inquiries and watched Professor Eigenvalue, who was conversing with Scarlet, the person who came with Sam.

I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but they never snuck glances at us, instead, leaving both of us to our antics. They kept alternating gazes inside the office as if listening to something speak.

Taking a peek at my watch, it was about time for classes to begin.

But there was just enough time for some disciplinary action…

Some say it is a human’s stubbornness in the face of the infallible that brings about their demise. I for one don’t care.

With a delightful smile, I looked at Sam. The indestructible little lamb was not suspecting a thing.