Coach Ben just said that the five of us will be fighting him all at once
The five of us were standing in front of coach Ben, shocked that he'll ask that of us on the first day of training.
Simon and Flint were the first ones to speak up.
"Whoa hold on! Isn't that a bit much, coach?!"
"Yeah! We just started training today and there's already a combat scenario?"
Coach Ben raised his brow.
"What's wrong? You're both senior students, so I expected you to be used to combat activities at this point."
"Yeah, but not against a teacher!" Simon raised his voice.
Coach Ben did the opposite. His voice lowered in response.
"...Are you questioning my decision?"
His eyes slanted like a large cat about to attack its prey.
Simon quickly backed down along with Flint.
"Ah... No, sir... Sorry..."
Seeing that they've become quiet, Coach Ben cleared his throat before looking at Pincer, Elio and I.
"What about you, first years? Any complaints?"
"No sir." Elio answered with Pincer following up by smiling and hitting his palm with his fist.
"I'm up for the challenge!"
"Is that so?"
Coach Ben said nonchalantly, but his tail was showing he was happy.
When he looked at me, I froze.
"What about you, Aranea? Have something to say?"
I pinched my chin to think before answering.
"What are the winning conditions?"
Coach Ben's tail flicked up. His face was a little scary, but he also seemed amused.
"Winning conditions?" He repeated "It's very simple, but it'll be difficult to execute. All of you must work together to be able to hit me at least once. If you give up or are no longer able to move, then you fail."
"Just once?" Flint asked, a little surprised.
Coach Ben's grin split his face. "Just once," he echoed, voice low. "But one clean, decisive hit. Not grazes, not lucky stumbles. I want something that would make me think twice."
He paced in a slow circle, tail flicking, eyes on each of us. "Think of it this way: if you land a blow, even if it's just a graze—you've done what I asked."
Pincer cracked his knuckles, smirking. "So one solid hit and we win the round. Got it."
Elio's mouth thinned. He didn't smile, but his whole body seemed to tighten into readiness. Simon and Flint looked pale but tried not to show it.
Coach Ben nodded. "Good. One more thing, it doesn't matter who hits me first, as long as you hit me. If one of you falls, the others can keep fighting."
I wasn't listening. My heartbeat was loud.
Every nerve and fiber of my body is pulsing, telling me that this was dangerous. I watched him closely as we all walked towards the open field.
"Without further ado, let's get started."
Coach ben said before suddenly disappearing out of sight. The only remaining thing where he was standing was a large pawprint on the ground.
"!!!"
Elio reacted quickly. The next moment, there was a striped fist heading his way.
Using his perk ability, he tried to dash away but was too slow. Fortunately, the force of the blow was reduced since he stepped back and blocked it with both his hands.
Elio was pushed back quite far and his arms that were used to block were a bit red.
Elio was pushed back quite far, and the skin on his arms burned from the impact. Dirt kicked up around his feet as he skidded to a stop, steadying himself. His eyes were sharp, assessing, calculating the gap between him and Coach Ben, who now stood casually, tail flicking like nothing had happened.
"Not bad," Coach Ben said, voice smooth, almost teasing. "But you're going to have to be faster than that before you can lay a finger on me..."
Pincer growled under his breath, cracking his neck and stepping forward. "Alright, enough of the warm-up. Let's go!" He threw his arms up, shooting one of his spikes at Coach Ben.
Just when they were about to be a sure hit, Coach Ben caught the spikes with his tail then he gave a lazy flick—sending the spike spinning end-over-end into the air and ricocheting off a tree trunk.
"What the- This can't be fair!"
Pincer swore, recovered, and pivoted. "That shot was perfect—" he started, breath ragged, then cut himself off as Coach Ben's paw blocked his path, a soft thud that knocked the wind out of him without leaving a mark.
"Predictable," Coach Ben said, amusement warming his tone. "You're a talented first year, but you lack experience and put too much trust in your projectile. For a perk like yours, you must always have a plan if the first attack fails."
I looked at Pincer's unconscious body and got an idea.
Simon and Flint exchanged a look, an awkward half-smile of embarrassment and determination. They moved together this time—less raw power, more coordinated.
Simon feinted high; Flint rolled low, trying to sweep Coach Ben's balance. For a fraction of a second the cat-man actually looked off-guard.
"Oho? Trying to get me off-balance I see?" Coach Ben said, a bit amused.
Seizing the opportunity, Elio dashed forward with his perk, static electricity coming out his limbs, throwing a punch.
Everyone who was watching was excited, thinking they were going to land a blow. But their excitement was replaced with disappointment when they saw what happened after the dust settled.
Elio's punch was caught with one hand, Simon's collar was grabbed by the other and Flint's kick was caught by Coach Ben's tail.
Even with all of that, they couldn't land a hit.
"Ahaha! Good effort, boys! But that's still not enough! It seems you all have a lot to learn!" Coach Ben exclaimed. Happy to see the effort.
Kristina watched on but couldn't help but wonder something.
"Wait, where's Aran?"
Coach Ben was confidently holding down three of the most physically gifted students in the Academy , but forgot to notice one detail.
I was already behind him.
"Of course I knew you were there—"
*Whoosh*
He suddenly stopped his sentence after I threw sand at his eyes.
"!!!"
With my other hand, I was holding a spike I stole from Pincer earlier. I quickly followed up trying to slash him, but I suddenly felt something hit my gut.
*Thud*
"Urgh!"
I flew back several meters, clutching my body tightly.
Seeing my state, Coach Ben immediately stopped fighting and ran towards me, tossing away Elio, Simon and Flint like sacks of potatoes.
"Aranea!" He called out. "Forgive me, I didn't hold back with that kick! Someone get a stretcher and the school nurse!"
I lay on the ground, coughing up dust and tasting blood. My ribs burned with every breath, and the spike had slipped from my fingers somewhere along the way. Pain lanced through me, but my brain refused to shut down. I blinked, trying to focus through the haze.
Coach Ben was already at my side, his huge hands—surprisingly gentle—supporting me as I tried to sit up. His tail wrapped loosely around me, almost like a protective shield rather than a weapon.
"Aranea… are you okay?" His voice was low, almost worried, and it carried more weight than any of his usual teasing tones.
"I- I think so..." I croaked, though every word made me wince. My hand instinctively went to my side, pressing against the bruised and probably broken rib.
Elio was already at my other side, sparks dancing faintly along his fingers, ready to defend if Coach Ben moved wrong.
I tried to breathe slowly before speaking.
"Coach... I can't speak loudly, so can you coma a little closer?"
"Ah, yes. What is it, my boy?" He leaned his ear near my face before feeling a tap on his cheek.
Elio's eyes widened from surprise. The thing that tapped his cheek was my fist.
"The test isn't over yet... This means we won right?"
Coach Ben blinked, his amber eyes widening slightly—not in anger, but in genuine surprise. For a moment, the confident, untouchable Tiger-man looked… impressed.
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Yes… technically, you've done what was asked. But don't let that fool you into thinking it was easy. You got lucky, and you got hurt doing it." He paused, studying me closely, his expression unreadable.
I let myself be lifted gently onto the stretcher, the ache in my ribs screaming, but inside, I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face.
________________________________________
I and the other students were in the nurse's office getting healed.
The nurse sighed as she hovered her glowing hands over my ribs, her voice sharp with irritation.
"I can't believe you injured a student this badly! Have you been slacking off on your self-control again?"
"Now, now, Lucy, I didn't mean to—"
"No excuses! Honestly, I just can't with you sometimes."
"Lucy..."
Coach Ben's ears drooped, his tail low. He actually looked... sad. I didn't expect that. Kinda cute, actually.
Would've been cuter if my ribs didn't hurt right now—
"Ow!" I hissed as a pulse of pain hit.
"Please bear with it for a bit, Aran. It'll be over soon," the nurse said gently.
Her healing perk glowed a soft green, spreading warmth through my ribs. Pretty handy, really.
To my left, Phoebe stood nearby — turns out, on top of being class representative, she was also the nurse's assistant.
"Ow, ow!" I winced again before the glow faded and the pain eased.
"There," the nurse said, straightening up. "That should do it. You'll feel some lingering aches, so try to rest. Take a break from training for at least three days."
"Three days?!" I echoed, instantly regretting it when my ribs stung again.
It didn't sound long, but getting benched right after the first day of training? That stung worse.
"Calm down," she said with a patient smile. "You'll catch up soon enough. Phoebe, could you fetch some of the painkiller pads?"
"Yes, ma'am," Phoebe replied, already moving.
Pheobe moved around the room with quiet efficiency, rummaging through a drawer before pulling out a pack of thin, white patches. She peeled one open and gently pressed it against my side.
"Ah!"
The cooling sensation spread through my ribs like mint and ice.
I got slight goosebumps because of the sudden chill, but after a while it felt good.
"Hooh... Now that feels nice. Thank you, Pheobe."
Phoebe gave a small, knowing smile.
"It's nothing. I'm glad to see you're feeling better."
"Yeah, better," I said, exhaling slowly. "Still hurts when I breathe too deep, though."
"That's normal," Phoebe replied, checking the patch's placement with practiced care. "Just don't do anything reckless for a few days."
I gave her a lopsided grin. "Yes, I understand."
There was a slight pause between us as I watched her organise her things.
There's something I don't get though. Why can't Pheobe just heal me with her perk?
If I remember correctly, Pheobe told me her perk rewinds your wounds back to a point in time before they were created.
If we were comparing Ms. Lucy's accelerated healing perk and Pheobe's perk, the latter would be better.
'I guess it was because I was in a critical condition last time? Anyways, no need to dwell.'
I shook my head and continued to watch her arrange her things.
"You really are a busy one, aren't you?"
"Hm?" She tilted her head.
"A class representative, nurse's assistant… what's next? You secretly run the cafeteria too?" I said, half teasing.
She nodded immediately.
"Yes, I also help out on some days. Usually from Monday or Wednesday. How did you know?"
I blinked. "…Wait, you're serious?"
Phoebe tilted her head, a little confused by my expression. "Of course. Another pair of helping hands for cooking and cleaning will lift some of the burdens off the cafeteria staff."
I stared at her for a few seconds, then sighed, leaning back on the bed. "Unbelievable. You actually do everything."
She calmly shook her head. "Not everything. I just do these things so I could help everyone. If I can make others smile, then that's a good enough reward."
My eyes widened. I felt a sense of understanding between us.
I thought back to things I saw before and left an impression on me.
Seeing the smiles of the people I've helped. I can admit, I was really happy when I saw things like that.
"I get it!" I blurted out.
Pheobe backed away, her eyes widened.
"Oh, sorry..." I said. "I didn't mean to scare you, i just felt like I related with what you said."
"It's quite alright. Also, what do you mean by relate?"
"Working hard, helping people, seeing them happy. It's like I'm doing something that matters!"
Phoebe's eyes softened, her surprise giving way to a quiet, thoughtful expression. "That's… a nice way to put it," she said, clasping her hands together. "Doing something that matters.... Is that why I do it?" She muttered in thought.
I quietly looked at her. She's putting so much thought into this, I couldn't help but chuckle a little.
"Hm?" She tilted her head.
"You're a kind person. That's what I think."
Phoebe blinked, her lips parting slightly as if she didn't know how to respond. After a short moment, she smiled gently.
"Thank you. I'm happy to hear that."
The nurse looked at the clock and called Pheobe.
"Oh, it's getting a little late. Aran can handle himself now, so you're free to go, Pheobe."
Phoebe turned toward the nurse and nodded politely. "Understood, ma'am."
She began gathering her things—her clipboard, a few folded towels, and a small pouch she always carried around. The quiet rustle filled the room for a moment.
She walked to the door and bowed politely before going out.
Seeing that the pain in my ribs wasn't as bad as before, I grabbed the bedframe for support and stood up.
"Guess I'll get going too."
"Sure. Be careful while going home. If your body starts hurting again, put something warm over it. Your nerves are just a little irritated for now, but my perk should have healed everything else."
I nodded, rolling my shoulders a little to test her words. She was right—the soreness lingered, but it wasn't anything unbearable.
"Got it. Thanks."
I walked out the door and immediately got met with a worried Elio and Kristina.
"Aran!"
"You guys... Why are you still here? You could've gone home without me."
"Hey, that's a rude thing to say. We were worried about you!" Kristina pouted.
"Yeah! I could feel Coach Ben's strength from earlier. It's a miracle you didn't die from that kick!"
I scratched the back of my head, letting out a nervous laugh. "Y-yeah… I kinda thought I did for a second there."
Kristina crossed her arms, her brows furrowing. "That's not funny, Aran."
"Sorry sorry..." I chuckled.
Elio patted my back.
"Anyways, we'll walk you to the station! We won't let anything lay a finger on you."
"Yep! Nothing's getting past us!" Kristina added.
...What am I, a baby chick?
________________________________________
As Lucy watched Aran exit the room, Lucy turned around to see Ben trying to crawl away before grabbing his tail.
"Ow ow ow!"
"Oh no you don't! I'm not done with you yet!"
Ben froze, wincing as Lucy tugged harder on his tail. "C'mon, Lucy, I already said I was sorry!" he grunted, trying to twist free.
Lucy narrowed her eyes, her usual calm demeanor nowhere to be found. "Sorry? You kicked a student across the entire field, Ben!"
"It was part of the training!" he protested, tail flicking nervously. "You told me to push them to their limits!"
"Oh wow, a veteran distortion diver and master martial artist can't tell the difference between a training exercise and actual combat?! Are you kidding me?!"
Ben's ears flattened immediately, his tail curling low like a scolded cat. "W-well, when you put it like that... I can explain."
"What possible explanation can you give?"
"My instincts told me to take Aran's attack seriously. After he blinded me with sand, I felt an extreme sense of danger. It wasn't normal."
"...What do you mean?"
"How many people do you know, including the teachers, who can get close to me undetected. On top of that, make my instincts flare up?"
Lucy paused, her glare faltering for just a moment. "You're saying that kid—a first-year with no active Perk—made your instincts flare up?"
Ben nodded gravely, the humor gone from his voice. "Yeah. I've fought distortion beasts that didn't trigger me like that. For a split second, it felt like if I didn't react, I'd lose something important. His movements had no hesitation. No fear. Just… focus. Like he'd done this before."
"I think…" Ben's tail flicked once. "He's been through something. Something that taught him how to fight like his life depends on it."
Lucy let out a quiet sigh, glancing at the door Aran had just walked through. "Then maybe he's not as ordinary as we thought."
"Yes..." Ben nodded. "The boy interests me. I'll be sure to observe his progress in these coming days."
A quiet atmosphere surrounded the room before Lucy spoke up.
"Still..." She paused for a moment. "That doesn't change the fact that you hurt a student to this degree!"
"Eh?!"
Lucy grabbed Ben's tail and dragged him out of the room. "Headmaster Valen's going to hear about this!"
"Noooo!!!"
Ben's voice echoed down the hall, his claws scraping against the floor tiles as Lucy marched forward with fiery determination.