Two days later...
"Well, you seem eager today," Lee said, his eyes closed.
"Do I?" Liam raised an eyebrow. He was sitting on the floor after they finished their workout.
"Well, that aside, I've decided to begin the practical combat training. I have accepted that you fully understand the lessons I have taught you, so it is time you applied them in real combat."
In addition to the sayings of Sun Tzu, Lee had mentioned many more proverbs.
"You heal injuries from the ring with the sand of the ring," a proverb meaning that the fruits of your hardship are what aid in your recovery.
"A person must never be crushed by immediate hardships," straightforward advice about enduring not only physically but emotionally as well.
"Wrestlers with small bodies have a tendency to collapse easily... you have to carry on with sheer willpower," something of a reminder that when physical advantages fail, raw spirit would keep you standing.
It was also a small jab at Liam's height, since Lee was taller than him at 182 cm.
Lastly, "A rival is not just a competitor, but the best and finest existence that supports and elevates your own life."
"Sometimes, a good opponent is a necessary partner for your personal growth. Blades can sharpen blades, and men sharpen fellow men. I am going to make you into a blade that can sharpen me," Lee had said. "And one can only have so many rivals. Kazumi aids my own power-focus and finesse training, but your style seems to lean towards Sun Tzu's ways, so you are good enough to train into someone who can read Kazumi and me. It won't be easy, the road to the top never is."
Liam had nodded.
"But if I never take that road, then I have no reason to be here, and I'll be proving Kazumi right."
Now...
Liam and Lee faced off on the mat, both taking their respective stances. Liam, a boxer's stance, Lee, a lower and wider stance.
I won't win. But what I can do is do my absolute best.
With that thought, Liam put all thoughts of trying to win out of his mind, and he focused his mind on observing and reacting.
Remember, Liam recalled Lee's words, Do not think more than you need to during combat. Relegate your mental power to thinking up things like strategies. Do not dwell on your opponent's moves.
Lee observed Liam for a moment.
This Liam cannot sharpen me yet.
Not even remotely.
Lee narrowed his eyes, just a bit, and he noticed the strong look in Liam's eyes.
Time to start forging the blade.
"On three," Lee said.
Liam nodded, and Lee paused a little before beginning.
"One..."
Liam blinked, and a small breeze ruffled his hair. He flinched, finally realizing that Lee's fist had stopped a centimetre from his nose.
Wh-what's with that speed?!
"You lose," Lee said as he straightened up. "Can you tell me why?"
Liam groaned.
"Erm, first, I didn't pay attention—"
"That wasn't your first mistake," Lee said with a narrow side-eye.
Liam frowned for a moment, then his eyes widened before he glared at Lee.
"I trusted you to attack on the count of three."
"Exactly. Next?"
"I ended up absorbed in my thoughts despite trying to focus."
"Good. Next?"
"I failed to note any changes in your stance."
"...Good. We go again. We have thirty minutes till class starts, and twenty minutes of practice. I will stop pulling my punches now, so prepare to get beaten up."
"Wait, what?"
****
Twenty-five minutes later, Liam was on his way to class, his body aching and stiff.
I thought I was going to die... Liam thought as he walked hunched over.
"Straighten your back," a voice ordered before Liam got slapped on the back.
He didn't even have the energy to argue, so he stretched his back out, a prolonged cracking sound coming out from it, before finally walking with his back straight.
"It seems combat isn't the only thing we have to work on," Lee said with cold eyes.
"Why?" Liam asked in a shaky voice.
That single "why" carried a lot of questions.
Why are you still hitting me?
Why are you correcting my posture?
Why are we walking to class together?
Lee glanced down at him briefly before focusing on what was ahead.
"Because you need it."
Liam flinched and stared speechlessly at Lee for a few seconds as they continued their fast-paced walking.
Then he sighed.
"I really can't beat you," he said dejectedly.
"Of course," Lee said with absolute confidence.
Liam glanced at him for a second, then faced forward.
"...but you're second to me in the entrance exam."
Lee fell silent.
And he remained so till they reached the classroom block.
He cleared his throat. "That was merely because I held back."
Liam frowned, one eyebrow raised.
"Really? What happened to 'the past cannot be changed, so making excuses is futile'?"
Lee kept his gaze ahead and shot back:
"There is also the saying, 'one excuse is better than none'," before walking to class ahead of Liam.
Liam watched him go, then sighed.
"Why are the people I'm close with so violent?"
Then he walked briskly towards class, as he could not be late for the Economics class they were due to have.
The moment he sat down at his desk, their teacher walked in, and the students stood up.
"Welcome, Sir Daniel," they chorused.
"Good morning. Take your seats," the young man said with a warm smile.
That was their Economics teacher, Daniel Smith. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and quite handsome. His demeanour held the maturity of a man who had been through a lot, but his smile carried the energy of youth.
As he smoothed back his short brown locks, Daniel's eyes swept across the class.
"Alright, before we begin, please submit the dormwork I gave you."
As a few groans slipped out, each student tapped their desks and sent the files to the teacher's podium.
"Good, good. Seems you are all accounted for," he nodded.
Then he snapped his fingers, and the smart board lit up.
"Alright, class, today we will continue Supply and Demand of materials the Mo give us, as well as the production costs and market structure."
Daniel began his lesson, giving them the general overview first, then adding live diagrams and animated charts to his lesson, before giving several practical examples and making sure his words constantly elicited questions from the students. He linked all three topics together, but kept them separate enough to be distinct, and he delivered all the basics and a few tips and tricks before the class was over.
Before he ended, he gave them some advice.
"A competent Hunter should understand why one carcass or material is enormously valuable, why flooding a market with a particular resource could crash its price, why certain organizations control portions of the processing industry, why a dangerous hunt might not actually be economically worthwhile, and eventually how Hunters themselves get paid."
After that, he joked around a little before preparing to leave.
"Alright, everyone, today I won't be giving out dorm work—"
"Yes!" Nanami pumped his fist before slamming his hands over his mouth and bearing the weight of his classmates' stares.
"In hindsight... maybe I should..." Daniel smirked.
"Um, Sir Daniel." Raidou raised his hand. "Do you really need to? We've already received quite a lot of work already, so this once, could you please let it go?"
Daniel put a hand to his chin and closed his eyes as if in deep thought.
"Hmmm..."
The class waited with bated breath and almost jumped when he opened his eyes and answered.
"Alright then. I'll let you off this time," he said with a smile.
"Thank you, sir!" the class chorused.
Daniel shook his head, chuckling as he left the classroom.
When he was gone, almost everyone either thanked Raidou with words or gestures, and glared at Nanami with much the same actions.
The poor boy tried to speak in his defence, but the crushing weight of disappointment was almost too much for him to bear.
"...Guys?" he said in a shaky voice. "We got out of the homework in the end, right?"
Ruby and the others glared at him like he'd nearly gotten them killed.
"That was my effort," Raidou said with cold gold eyes. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Nanami fidgeted, groaned, then eventually snapped under the pressure.
"WHAT?! I WAS HAPPY, OKAY! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?!" he yelled, slamming his hands on his desk and standing up.
The entire class answered simultaneously:
"YOU WERE HAPPY OUT LOUD!"
"Urgh..." Nanami groaned as he fell in his seat, face-planting onto his desk.
That moment broke the ice between the rest of the class, and before the next teacher arrived, they had gotten just a bit closer.
****
"I wonder why we were called to the Teachers' Lounge by Sir Daniel?" Lisa muttered as she and Liam walked to the Administration grounds, which was a large semi-circular area boasting four large buildings, all three floors tall.
And one was reserved entirely for teachers.
The buildings were all a smooth cream colour with gold accents spread out evenly, and as Lisa pushed open the glass double doors, Liam groaned.
"Is it because our homework is similar? I did explain some of it to you..."
Lisa laughed and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, most of the questions had specific answers, so me using PaxWiki is totally fine!"
Liam glared at her.
"What the hell is 'PaxWiki'?"
"You, of course!"
Silence fell as Liam stared at Lisa's bright smile.
"I'm never helping you with homework again," he said while walking away.
"Noo~! I'm sorry! Please don't stop helping me~!" Lisa cried as she pulled on his arm.
"Ah, seems like you two are close."
Both teens jumped and turned towards the source of the voice.
"Hey." Daniel waved with an easy smile.
"Sir Daniel." Liam bowed slightly.
Lisa was caught off guard and froze awkwardly for a moment before bowing as well.
"Isn't it common courtesy to bow where your Dad's from, Lisa Manabe?" Liam whispered mockingly.
Lisa gritted her teeth, not able to come up with a comeback.
"Oh, do relax," Daniel chuckled. "I didn't call you here to test your etiquette, after all."
Both straightened, and Liam glanced at Lisa before asking:
"If you were testing etiquette, sir, then who would pass?"
The corner of Lisa's mouth twitched.
"Hmm... well, if I were to be grading you," Daniel said with a small smile, "then I'd say you aced this test, Liam. And Lisa could be better. Anyways, follow me. We'll be taking the elevator. There's something I want to talk to you two about..."
As they trailed behind their teacher, Lisa kept trying to pinch Liam, and Liam kept blocking her every attempt.
"We're here," Daniel said as they reached the elevator.
It opened to let two female teachers out. One was red-skinned and horned, whilst the other had completely black eyes. Daniel smiled at both of them and greeted them.
"Good afternoon, ladies."
They both blushed and returned the greeting before hurrying out, and both Liam and Lisa looked at the receding pair, the sound of giggling and whispering drifting down the hall towards Liam and Lisa.
"So even adults act like this?" Lisa asked, still staring.
"Apparently," Liam answered.
"...Kinda cute," Lisa smirked.
"Come on, you two," Daniel chuckled. "Stop laughing at the staff and hop in."
The two smiled at their teacher before stepping in and standing behind him. As the doors closed, he asked without turning his head:
"You good?"
"Yes, sir," Lisa answered for both of them.
"Alright then," Daniel said.
Then, in a louder tone, he spoke:
"GAIA, take us down."