Arson stood among thousands of students. The school's largest gymnasium on the lowest floor was packed with students and teachers all there to either duel, or watch duels.

 

Thirteen stages were held from small to large in a spiral with the largest stage in the center of the room. Arson was in line to try the stage challenge, rather than duel a specific teacher, he would duel a chain of 13 random opponents chosen from the professors, only if he was capable of defeating the person positioned on the previous stage.

 

Surprisingly, this line moved the fastest in the room, as most who attempted to fight never made it passed the first stage. The other lines led directly to specific stages, that held professors who were ranked from 13th to first place on the first level of the school. The thought of the higher floors holding stronger teachers only made Arson that much more excited to engage.

 

“Remember Arson you aren’t even a student yet…” He mumbled the words to himself, and cursed mentally at the thought his eventual admission to the school was inevitable. He wanted a choice in the matter, but with every day that passed, came further investment in the people around him.

 

“Hey ShopKeep, you crazy or something, nobody breaks the chain,” yelled a nearby student in Arson’s direction.

 

“Nope, just need the challenge,” said Arson, in the same moment he pulled Sky from his watch's inventory. The beautiful black scythe vibrated in his left hand, and many around him were amazed when he extended his arm out and tested the weapon’s newest upgrade.

 

Arson clenched his fist around the rotating handle guard, and the weapon’s entire body spun quickly enough to become momentarily invisible to the eyes of those around him, and Arson smiled. He had to ignore the gasps of amazement, knowing that as talented as he was with the scythe, his Gestalt-form Reaper, was still better.

 

I’m going to catch up to you one day you psycho…

 

Arson was glad that he found the Titan Steel Tree Sap, until he saw the seller. He couldn’t find it back home anywhere, but had found it surprisingly for sale at Adroit Academy’s own online auction service… For sale by none other than, Amorra Glory, and the kingdom of Mana Monarchs.

 

He was forced to buy the entire stock of the translucent material with the viscosity of tar that could be influenced into any shape through mana manipulation. It may be necessary for future repairs, or upgrades, and after a check, he realized many items that he could make would require access to the substance often in mass quantity.

 

“Are you just going to stand there, or are you ready to attempt The Chain, boy!” Arson looked away from the seventh stage that held Professor Lee, and smiled as he stepped by the previous challenger as they stepped off stage.

 

“Thank you for this opportunity,” said Arson, as he bowed and extended his free hand forward, palm up defensively, and positioned Sky behind himself. The moment he widened his stance, the first fight began.

 

…

 

Oscar and Khalif looked through the crowds. Many teachers there were combat teachers of various styles. The pair had been tasked by Arson to catalog the group, that Oscar now suspected his new employer saw as walking, talking, resources…

 

“Yo, ShopKeep of the third is fighting a teacher on the second stage,” Oscar heard a student yell behind himself. He wanted to watch Carter fight, but knew he needed to focus on the task at hand. He’d started to witness the changes that were beginning to unfold around the school, but those around him weren’t making it easy on him to pay attention.

 

“No sparking way, what the embers are we still doing over here,” said a girl as she rushed by Oscar and Khalif. Khalif glanced at Oscar, and gave the boy a double take.

 

“Sparks is wrong with you?” Oscar shook his head at Khalif’s question.

 

“It's nothing. Just wanted to see the boss fight. It seems like he’s never challenged,” said Oscar. Khalif laughed, knowing Arson’s issues with the system were constant and often made things that would be easy for the young man, almost impossible.

 

“Trust and believe, brother, nothing is easy for that guy. He just puts on a good face, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see him fight as well,” said Khalif before he paused and turned around.

 

“Hey, where are you going?” asked Oscar. Khalif chuckled and responded without another look in his new protégée's direction.

 

“Going to watch the boss put pressure on the staff of course. You coming?”

 

…

 

Arson wasn’t agitated that the system gave him a prompt the moment he stepped into the first ring. He was becoming used to the triggering of his title, and at least this time he was left with the use of his Living Hand constructs, with the exclusion of the still hibernating Jack, that Arson could feel growing stronger somehow.

 

Arson fought a professor with twin swords that spat fireballs when the woman performed heavy swings in his direction, and was so quick that he wished to be able to slow his perception, but even that wasn’t what truly bothered him.

 

Since he’d crossed into the second ring, he’d started to receive calls from practically everyone he knew that wasn’t at Adroit Academy with him.

 

All of his sisters called. Seneschal called, a moment before Almarine called. He almost answered Jade’s call but she hung up before he could follow through, amidst dodging before he made a final decision.

 

“Alexander, really, I’d ignore it if it was just Auto, but you too, what’s going on?”

 

Arson answered the call, and the line was silent at first. The only thing Arson was able to hear, the sound of his weapon clashing against the dual wielding teacher in front of him.

 

"Hello, Xander. What’s going on? Why is—"

 

“If you had anything to do with her disappearance, you know that I will end your days within the realms… right?” Arson froze at the worst time and a blade slid right between his ribs, and punctured his lung.

 

“Pardon,” asked Arson with a heavy cough to clear the blood from his throat and mouth. The golden liquid splashed across the face of the teacher in front of Arson. He grabbed the woman by the neck and lifted her off the ground with one hand, as he stored Sky inside his watch's inventory and pulled free the blade from his chest.

 

“Sorry, this call is important,” said Arson. The seal on his palm growing warmer and light could be seen flaring out from the palm wrapped around the woman’s throat.

 

“What are you talking about Alexander?” Arsons chest closed visibly in front of the dangled professor’s eyes and she began to flail in an attempt to get free. Her other weapon still in hand she even tried to swing at Arson again, only for him to knock the blade from her hand with her own sword which he still held.

 

“My mother is missing and no one knows where she is. I’m only giving you this fair warning because I believe you aren’t as bad as she believes you to be, but know this, Labyrinth and Legion will find you if you are the one who did this, Arson. You’ve been warned, brother. I hope…” Alexander didn’t finish, offering only a heavy sigh, before he hung up. Arson left holding a purple faced teacher whose head couldn’t be seen anymore as the light pouring from his palm made it so that nearly none nearby could see what was happening on stage.

 

Arson threw the woman aside and withdrew Sky once more, rage bubbling beneath his smile like magma twisted around a planetary core.

 

“Where was I…, oh yeah, blowing off some steam…” The professor on the next stage looked at Arson and shook his head, looking for any teacher who needed the stage next, only to find none moving in to take his place even after he called for the completion of his challenges for the day.

 

Arson rather than leave his stage and approach the next, jumped from where he was, to the center of the third stage and slowly moved through forms held within his own created Flicker Stance; the precise and deadly maneuvers making him even less approachable than he had been even a moment prior.

 

“This better not take all day…”

 

Arson’s fights with the professors went smoothly, until he arrived on stage seven.

 

Lee stood at the centerstage position, and Arson attempted to walk straight pass the woman without a word, and made it the majority of the way across the stage before she spoke.

 

“Where do you think you are going?” asked Professor Lee. Arson stopped. Closed his eyes and sighed.

 

“I can’t fight you, Teach. Just let me pass. We both know you are here as a last measure so that no one finishes the chain on this floor of the school anyhow, please,” Arson begged, but didn’t turn around.

 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” said Lee. The woman smirked as she pushed up her glasses higher on her nose. Then rolled up her sleeves.

 

“I’m talking about how there is no way you are a Novice amongst Masters, that’s how this place is supposed to work, right? Teachers and professors of the master tier are assigned to the students equivalent to their rankings, but you… don’t fit.”

 

“Learn that from your little spy friends,” presumed the woman playfully. Her fist balled, and her stance changing slowly.

 

“I really don’t think we should do this, Teach,” said Arson once more turning around with a huge smile.

 

The crowd around the seventh stage swelled, and Arson shook his head knowing he wouldn’t escape the ring without a fight. A fight he didn’t know if he could win currently.

 

“I do… shall we begin now?”

 

Arson took his stance and gave the woman a single nod.

 

Lee vanished and Arson was forced to twist and trigger the fan function of his scythe to block three punches that seemed to be coming at him all at one time. Lee’s punches so fast they appeared to come three or more all at once, Arson only aware she had struck out multiple times due to the slightest muscle groups that twinged with each action the woman took.

 

The woman smiled and through a combination of punches at angles that forced Arson to continually move his weapon, before a trio of punches landed, knocking him back.. He stumbled and nearly fell off stage, but Jill and Jane rose from his shoulders and slowed his momentum.

 

At the stages edge, he sighed once more, before he handed Sky over to Jill and Jane to use. The weapon now flying around him as he took on a stance that mirrored Lee’s own.

 

“This isn’t how I wanted to learn from you, I would truly like you to know that,” said Arson, then the real battle began.

 

To outside spectators what happened next was impossible. Both Lee and Arson vanished, and reappeared mid motion all over the stage in a rapid burst of movements.

 

The scythe held by Jill and Jane, was spun in a torrent of cleaving slices that made the spectators at the edge of the stage back up further, the wind felt on their faces with each swing.

 

Lee with a smile on her face, appeared in flashes delivering flurries of punches. While Arson moved equally as fast to dodge and block to the best of his ability.

 

The more pressure caused by Jill and Jane, the more pressure Lee thrust upon Arson. The addition of sweeping kicks, combined with elbows and knees stitched perfectly in between the woman’s already deadly combinations, left Arson entirely on the defensive.

 

“Do you want to become my disciple,” asked Lee in the same moment she landed an uppercut with her left, that took him off his feet. Her right followed and the drill punches began. Arson was struck six more times before he was able to avoid a punch and move out of the way.

 

“I will gladly take your classes, but will you still be willing to teach me even if I beat you here?” The fight’s intensity increased, Arson shocked by every attack sent his way.

 

A punch to the inside of his wrist that made his hand go numb momentarily. Another that intercepted a swipe from his scythe, her fist and the weapon making a clang similar to metal striking metal when they rebounded off one another.

 

Arson’s eyes widened and Lee vanished again, and Arson began to feel like he was fighting a far more developed Troy. If it weren’t for Jill and Jane wielding his scythe he would have been struck fully in the back of the neck by an aerial spin kick. The fan function triggered by the living constructs was barely enough to block the blow.

 

“What makes you think you will win here, child? I haven’t even begun to show you what it is to fight me,” asked Lee while she back flipped away from Arson, landing graciously on the other side of the stage.

 

“Because I don’t have a choice.” Arson once more readied himself. The combatants' auras changed in that moment. Arson deciding to risk wounding the pride of a Cultivation master he truly wanted to learn from, while Lee decided to see if the young man was all bravado.

 

Lee’s next strikes came all at once, and Arson truly felt desperation at overcoming his current obstacle. He couldn’t use more mana, as that would threaten to break his seal and cause who knows what type of damage to Arson. Nor could he rely on his Gestalt forms as Thinker and Temper were still actively being used to run a bathhouse.

 

He tried to slow his perception, but was only rewarded with the faintest of changes. A distinction so small that he returned his senses to normal, as he could feel the draw from his available mana.

 

Then a prompt popped into his view, and he was unable to ignore it even while Lee seemed to attack him from multiple sides at once. Her body moving so quickly it felt to Arson he actually was fighting a more skilled version of his girlfriend. Lee’s extra strikes indistinguishable from a summoned clone, given the closely timed nature of each blow.

 

Dead Art: Jeet Kune Do, compiled. Activating combat assist training.

 

Arson’s brow furrowed as his perception changed, everything around him shifting from active to the slowest crawl. So slow in fact he knew that what he experienced had to be being influenced by an outside source.

 

Then an image of himself was manifested, a perfect strike performed on Lee was projected into his vision, an illusion that demonstrated to him a calculated course of action within his Overlay like a movie.

 

Time snapped back into focus and Arson decidedly didn’t follow through with what had been suggested, and immediately paid for his choice with pain. The damage felt by the three kicks that landed from Lee instantly began to throb, as Arson’s regeneration was a fraction of what it normally was.

 

Then the combat assist triggered again, and a combination of moves was presented. Then another, and another. Three options for him to choose that made Arson feel as if the combat assist was defective and would lead him straight toward an early grave.

 

Although… In the instant before time once more snapped back into a standard speed for Arson he realized what he planned to do himself was no less risky than the presented combinations granted by the combat assist function of his overlay.

 

Might as well…

 

Arson started to move even before his perception shifted, and he felt a burst of speed consume his entire body. The presented action from his Overlay considered variables Arson wasn’t yet entirely familiar with during combat, which would normally allow an expanded limit on both maneuverability and physical power.

 

Additionally, the combat assist function displayed potential actions of his opponents based on the demonstrated form it wanted Arson to use. This gave him a glimpse of what was to come, slightly before it even occurred.

 

Lee’s eyes widened when Arson appeared in front of her, a punch already sailing toward her collar bone. She raised a hand to block, and the moment she did, Arson’s punch curved toward her sternum, a powerful punch landed and dazed the professor for a literal blink. The time still long enough for Arson to strike out twice more, a punch to the gut, and another just above the woman’s left knee.

 

Lee stumbled, but still managed to transition her misstep into a 360 degree roundhouse kick, that Arson dodged smoothly, but left Lee open to the downward slice from Sky, the living weapon still being held by Jill and Jane.

 

Lee was forced to block for the first time against the deadly weapon as it soared toward her back, but Arson was surprised to see the woman defend herself without turning to even see the strike, a lifted elbow and a slight lean enough to stop the weapon’s tip dead in its tracks.

 

Lee smiled at first, already ready to strike back at Arson, but the young man now on the offensive didn’t give her a chance to breathe.

 

He lifted his leg and spartan-kicked the woman into the air. Lee managed to block the kick with a cross guard, her arms folded across her chest while she drifted upward into the air further, in the same moment Jill and Jane tossed Sky directly up, the weapon spinning wildly as the two living hand constructs moved.

 

Lee felt the hands press flat against her back and gasped when Arson appeared in front of her like a wraith. He smiled in the moment they both realized that he had the upper hand.

 

The professor opened her cross guard just enough to try an deflect any incoming blows, but it was too late.

 

Arson followed the guidance offered by the combat assist function and performed a drill punch aerially. A barrage of downward punches flowed free in a blink.

 

The crowd went silent as Lee’s block was broken almost a dozen times, the final punch sending her flying across the stage, a moment before Sky landed blade down where Lee had just been positioned.

 

Arson landed in a slide, the momentum of his previous attack still carrying him forward, even as Lee was sent off stage. The woman flipped and landed on her feet, but had still been forced out the ring.

 

Don’t think I could have won any other way…

 

Arson looked around at the crowd that stood frozen all around himself. Murmurs and dropped jaws was all he witnessed, until a familiar pair of faces erupted into cheers.

 

“You lucky piece of embers, you did it!” yelled Oscar in shock. Khalif at his side hooting and hollering in celebration.

 

“Shopkeep you're awesome!” A secondary explosion of applause flowed through the crowd and Arson scratched his head nervously, until he made eye contact with the professor he’d just managed to beat, luck truly on his side that day. The woman gave him a nod before she crossed her arms and grinned.

 

“I won’t be taking things easy on you next time, boy!” Lee smiled and strolled back onto the stage. She then shooed him toward the next stage before he could even think of a response.

 

“Don’t be late tomorrow," said the woman with a point in Arson’s direction. Arson was confused, and looked around to make sure the woman was talking to him still, but knew she was when she locked eyes with him in that moment.

 

“Off with you now, child. I have a line of less rewarding talents to handle before lunch.”

 

“Tomorrow...” asked Arson still slightly confused.

 

“Yes, and don’t be late. You will pay if you are late. Morning practice starts at sunrise, kid.”