“AH!” Van shot up, looking around wildly for a wyvern that was not there. Looking behind him he saw Nephi with a somewhat surprised expression on her face. It seemed that his head was lying down on her thighs while he was knocked out.

“What happened?” He asked, still feeling a little disoriented.

Nephi blushed, placing her hands on her legs. “You uh… Passed out after being swallowed whole by a wyvern.

“For how long?”

“About fifteen minutes. I was knocked out of the course about five minutes after you were.

“And Luna? Where is she?” Looking around for his wife.

“She left to look for some water.”

“Did she also have me put on your lap?” He asked.

Nephi blushed.

Van sighed and slowly leaned back until he was on her nice soft thighs once more. Much to Nephi’s surprise and embarrassment. After a while though, she slowly, if not hesitantly, began to stroke his head, looking down on him in wonder.

It felt nice, and Van wasn’t going to tell her to stop anytime soon. “So… Any reason why you're so… Enamored with me?” He instead asked.

Nephi stopped what she was doing and blushed heavily. She was not expecting such a question in such a strange situation as this one. “I uh… I’m not sure… I just feel… Like I should know you… Or that you remind me of someone from long ago… Sorry… I’m probably acting creepy aren't I.”

It almost looked like she was about to cry.

“I’m always like this… I don’t know how anything works. And I only make things more awkward and weird. Every time I try to get close to someone, whether it be a guy or a girl, it always goes wrong and I end up making enemies instead of friends… I’m so sorry…” Her face scrunched up in a sorrowful expression, as if she was trying not to shed any tears.

He thought about what she said. “Hmm… could she be like Agnès? Maybe we knew each other in a past life?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He said. “As far as I am concerned, you are already a good friend. But there is something important I have to ask you.” Sounding somewhat serious.

“Y-yes?”

“Why did you stop with your hand?”

Nephi blinked and once more began to gently massage Van’s scalp, allowing him to close his eyes and relax as her soft fingers danced between his hair.

Ten minutes later Luna came back with a set of sandwiches and a few cups of water. “Well… Seems like someone is enjoying themselves.” She said, looking at the two of them.

“Who? Me?” Van asked.

“No, her.” Luna teased, making Nephi blush and stop running her fingers through Van’s hair.

“Now look what you did, she stopped!” Van complained.

“That’s fine, it was my turn anyway.” Luna chuckled. She then sat down not far from Nephi and patted her lap.

Van scooted over to Luna and sat his head down while Nephi tried hard not to look sad at his leaving. Luna then began to feed him pieces of the sandwich like one would feed grapes to a rich noble.

“Mmm… Sandwich is meh, but the service is impeccable.” Van said.

“Well look who's having fun.” Anna said, walking up to them with a plate of sandwiches and other things, followed by everyone else.

“Wow, you two are very showy with your love…” Kira said, looking at them oddly. She was not used to such displays between a man and a woman, especially out in the open, unless of course it revolved around sex… Sex was one thing, showing affection and love to your male another thing entirely, most would think it was a show of weakness after all.

“What? Jealous? Do you want to be the one doing this? Can you even comprehend the amount of skill this takes?” Van snorted. “I don't think you can handle five minutes of this.” obviously joking but Kira went a little red in the face anyway at his challenge.

“I could probably do something like that…” Kira said, crossing her arms petulantly, blushing heavily. “I just need a lover is all…”

Luna clapped her hands together. “Why don’t you try with Van! It would feel great! And you can get the experience for when you finally find your lover!” Giving Kira a smile full of innocence.

Kira blushed.

“Yeah Kira, why don’t you give it a try.” Merody teased.

“Yeah Kira, that is, if you can handle it.” Van said, joining Merody in the teasing.

Kira went red in the face. “FINE! I’ll do it, just don’t go complaining to me when you don’t enjoy it okay!” walking over and plopping herself right next to Luna.

Van got up and walked behind Kira.

“Eh?” Kira looked around at what Van was trying to do. The next thing she knew, Van gently grabbed her and was giving her a lap pillow. “EH!?”

Van smiled down on her. “So? Do you really have the skill to remain relaxed even in this situation?” He chuckled darkly. “Oh… You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into…” He then pulled out an ear pick from his soul realm.

For the next five minutes, poor Kira was sentenced to five whole minutes of eargasms and scalp massages. By the end of it all, she was a puddle on Van’s lap as he gently fed her one grape at a time. Her protests were ignored, and her face was red with embarrassment and acceptance of her pitiful fate, which was etched into her eyes…

“Poor Kira… She never stood a chance.” Luna said smugly.

“Damn… Not gonna lie. Kinda jealous.” Serena said, hands on her hips as she looked on at the show before her.

“Well I don’t know how much time we have. So I don’t think I can go through everyone. But maybe Seral could help you out if he’s willing.” Van said.

“Eh?” Seral blinked.

“Oh really!?” Serena said in surprise. “Thanks Seral!” She said, as if it was already a fact that he would do it for her. She then gently grabbed his hand and escorted him over and sat down, her back towards him as if she was the one expecting the lap pillow. “Okay, I’m ready.”

Though Seral could not see it. Serena had a huge mischievous grin on her face. He looked towards Van for help, but only received a thumbs up instead.

Awkwardly he sat down, and Serena laid her head down on him and gave a little wink. Luna was not far behind and began whispering things he should do. And when he tried them, Serena would give an exaggerated moan, making him jump or flinch a little. This made Van and the others laugh a little, though Samira seemed the most peeved by this situation she found her young master in, and glared from the sidelines with silent disapproval.

After a while though, the screens floating above changed and instructor Tin was there to give them their next and final test of the day. But not before showing their scores.

“Yes!” Nephi said quietly to herself, giving a small pump of her arm. “Seventh place!”

Though Van overheard her despite it, and looked up, and slowly figured out which score was hers. She was just a point shy of being eighth place.

Tin’s voice then blared out. “The final test of the day is a free for all! Followed by a quick tournament. The last eighty standing will pass onto the next level, where you will be broken up into groups of ten and given another free for all until two of each group is left, after that, the sixteen left will fight one on one until there is a victor. Get ready, because the fight STARTS NOW! AND YOU ALL HAVE THIRTY MINUTES! If there are more than eighty contestants by the time thirty minutes is up, we will also release the wolves and other monsters periodically until that number is achieved. Aura and weapons are allowed, and so is magic, everyone has a special barrier placed around them, when it’s breached, you will be shot out of the area and into the stands.” Then explained a few more rules. “Now that’s over, BEGIN!”

Van and the others, plus probably every other student there, looked up in stunned silence at the outrageous test given to them. Kira lethargically got up, trying to force herself awake from the puddle of relaxed mess she was before.

The next thing they knew, small explosions were heard in the distance from their left, and the roars and howls of wolves from their right. One student took a step back from the sound of wolves and right on top of an illusionary mine that exploded and shot her right out into the stands where she could watch everyone else safely.

“Oh shit…”

And then the hell began.

Fighting was heard from all around them. Van looked at Kira, asking her a quick question. “How many students signed up for this test? Do you know?”

Kira shook her head, trying to get the fog out of it. “I think about one thousand five hundred and sixty four? But I can’t be sure.”

“Damn… That's a lot of people that have to lose for us to win…” Van commented.

“HEY YOU!” A voice shouted from behind him. Remember me?”

Van turned and saw the student that led the other students to chase him and try and kick him out of the obstacle course test.

“I don’t know how you cheated your way so far into the exam. But I’ll make sure I send you back now before you can cheat any further. Next time, remember that your place is between a woman's legs, not the battlefield.” Then promptly fired a fireball at him.

Van was so surprised by the attack that he just froze there, unsure of what to do. But just as it clicked that he should do something, and was preparing a defensive barrier. Nephi moved like the wind and shattered the fireball right in front of him with an elegant aura filled kick. She then turned and glared at the bully, taking up a fighting stance.

“Ah, makes sense now. You were carried this far. So I just have to take care of her and you’ll be out of here.” The bully said. She then turned to her companions and motioned with her head to attack.

About a dozen girls charged, Nephi stood her ground, her eyes narrowing in preparation for the fight to come.

But she was not alone, Kira, Luna, and Serena joined her together. While Anna and Samira stayed behind to protect their charges. Anna particularly giving a glare filled with death and killing intent towards the leader of this group of bullies.

The two sides clashed. Nephi used a series of quick jabbing kicks, sliding out of the way of attacks and giving a swift counter every time. Luna simply beat the shit out of them, each punch carried so much weight behind it that it sent bullies flying several feet, while not as elegant, it made the other bullies wary and they kept their distance. Merody’s whip slashed through the air, making the bullies flinch, and her water and ice magic attacked anyone that got too close. Kira used a long silken scarf of sorts, filled with runes, attacking the bullies as if it was an extension of her own body, sending out talismans of fireballs everywhere. Serena gracefully dodged attacks and countered with a long elegant spear, she wacked annoyed that got too close hard.

After a while the bullies slowly began to lose, and one by one they were sent to the stands.

“You idiots! Use your weapons! We're not taking the obstacle trial anymore! They literally said you can use them plus your aura and magic! SO USE THEM!” The leader of the bullies shouted. After that her minions began to wise up and bring out weapons from their soul realm. They struck back hard then, and what was once in their favor, was now more equal in measure.

But even with the tides turning a little, it quickly reverted back to how it was before, and soon the lead bully was all alone. Except…

“Huh? Where the hell did she go!?” Van asked himself, looking left and right. He was so fixated on the fight, worried for Luna’s well being, that he forgot to watch the sleazeball that started this mess.

“Squad leader! There! These are the ones that attacked my group for no reason!”

Van whirled his head towards the left where the lead bully was practically dragging someone a bit older looking followed by a squad of about thirty other students. “This is the guy who cheated and the girls that carried him this far!”

The squad leader looked at the group, just as Serena stabbed a student with her spear, sending the underling to the stands completely safe and sound. The leader frowned at that, but turned to eye the lead bully questioningly.

“Can you believe they did that! Right in front of you! You can’t allow this affront to go unpunished! What will it say about your standing!?”

The squad leader frowned at the stupid bitch, and with a roll of eyes and a sigh, she lazily gave the command… To not attack… Instead she looked over to the group that gave her stupid underling so much trouble. “Look, I’m not looking for a fight, but you did just send eleven of my girls straight to the stands. So I’ll give you a choice, either promise me compensation and see yourself out. Or get beat by us and have your score go down for losing. Your choice.”

Luna turned to glare at them. “No to both those options.” Then took a stance. She was joined by her friends who stood beside her.

“Suit yourself.” The squad leader said with a shrug. Then gave the order to attack. In her mind, even if she lost everyone, it would still be better than losing face. Once the school year starts, dorms will raid and beat each other for dominance. If she does not show that she was willing to put everything on the line just to get back at someone who might have slighted her even an inch, then she and her roommates will put on the chopping block.

The small horde of students brought out their weapons and began the attack.

Van turned to Anna. “On me, we’ll need everyone up front if we’re to survive this.”

Anna simply nodded, already forming up on Van.

Seral looked towards Samira, only to get a disapproving look, forcing him to waste time trying to get her permission to join the fray.

Van wasted no time running to his wife’s aid. He brought out his saber and created a circle magic shield around his free arm. His heart was pounding as the dozens of students charged at him with weapons drawn and looks of beating Van and the others girls down mercilessly.

This was far different than fighting monsters. All the sights and sounds around him made him think of an actual war zone. Which got him nervous and a little scared. But Luna stood beside him and gave him a nod and determined look, which helped ease his heart and focus on the now instead of the later.

Van released his aura and prepared to fight, taking a low stance he lifted his saber while preparing a spell on his left hand. The students charging yelled, and it was far more jarring than he thought it would be. But he held his ground and met the clash head on.