Chapter Eighty One - I get involved in a fight

The Standings was a friendly competition between students within the three combative schools, held once a year. Friendly, as fights were not to the death. Anyone causing a death would face immediate expulsion. However, the Teachers seldom let things go so far and kept a heavy supply of Blood pills, False Recovery Pills, Bone Regrowth pills and various potions on hand to deal with the aftermath of the fights.

Second years and above were expected to participate. In truth, there was no label beyond being a First year, the only cap to learning in the school was age; once a student reached twenty eight, they would be expected to leave regardless of achievements (although most left before this). Only first years had restrictions and expectations set to their education and that was to allow them (or to force them) to settle into school and adapt to the way things were done here. This was also the reason that first years did not participate in the Standings, first years held onto their egos and grudges too firmly and 'accidents' leading to deaths were far more likely to occur. This wasn't to say that seniors did not have similar problems, but they were more aware of what would happen should they allow their emotions to overflow into combat.

The Standings would be held over a week period, within the outer schools and inner schools, though only the inner school on the last day. This last day, the top ten students of the outer school would fight the bottom ten students of the inner school, leading to potential shifts in occupants of both schools. It was probably needless to say that very few students would forfeit their battles in the inner school unless they had absolutely no choice.

There were three rounds of participation and battle points would be awarded for each round. On the fourth day, the students would be placed into groups depending on their points and fight for final rankings. For example, those with the highest points would be placed together in a group and would fight people in the same group. Those who lost would be placed by their final points, those who won would gain more battle points and continue fighting until their was one man standing, usually that person would be the highest ranked person at the end of the competition. There would be awards in points (as in the type used daily) given to students who ranked well, especially those in the top ten. Those who had improved vastly upon last year might also receive a small pot of points.

In the previous year, Pike had ranked ninth, while Bowyer had missed out on a top ten ranking and came in eleventh, in the inner school.

As first years, Sun and Jin Li could not participate in the Standings, they were expected to watch other students in the outer school battle it out to reach the top ten of their school, ready to face the inner school students. However, Pike and Bowyer had invited them to witness the inner school battles along with Leon. Their Teachers had not been surprised knowing how these two had caught the eye of inner school seniors, but the outer school students looked at both with envy and disbelief.

Sun was stuck facing a few of these students alone, seeing as Jin Li had disappeared again the day before.

"So, little Sun is above us now," one arrogant First year drawled as he and his fellows gathered around the smaller boy menacingly.

"Can't lower himself to sit in the outer school with the rest of us," another taunted.

"Well, there is this unpleasant smell..." Sun replied with a sigh.

The first student, who happened to be a from an infamous berserker sect, which focused on tempering body more than spirit, immediately retaliated over the comment, his fist flying forward. However, Sun saw it as if time had become stretched and slowed and dodged with ease. The boy's knuckles cracked the stone wall behind him. The second student grabbed the first's arm and hissed; "Bullen, do you want to be expelled?" It was one thing to exchange words of taunt, but if they were caught fighting in the corridors...

The first student glared at the second, before turning back to Sun. "You just wait until next season, during the inter school exchange! We'll see who stinks then!"

"Duh," Sun rolled his eyes. "First years can't participate in that event either." Bullen growled, his muscular body seeming to grow and shadow Sun more.

"You really should not rile Bullen up, you know," the other one sighed, dramatically. "Who knows what can happen during mock battles after all?"

"Oh? Do enlighten me," a voice drawled, lazily behind them. "What sorts of things can occur in mock battles?"

"Brats can become dead brats," Bullen replied, in a deep, threatening tone.

Jin Li glanced over his body, his eyes ranging over it with calculation, before a mocking sneer curled his lips. Then he turned his attention to Sun. "Are you done amusing yourself?" Jin Li asked him. Sun nodded with a bright grin. "Then lets get going, shall we?"

Before the other students could even protest, Sun had slipped out from amongst them and returned to Jin Li's side. He offered Leon, who was lurking in the man's shadow a curt nod, before ignoring him as well.

"Oi!" Came Bullen's angry grunt. "Who said you can walk away from me?" The youth was at the limit of his temper, which was clearly stupidly short and strode towards them, his fist curled at his side. He blindly swung at them, Sun danced naturally out of the way, while Jin Li grabbed the youth behind him and pulled him out of the berserker's path. Only he was a tad too late as Leon had kicked his leg out in surprise and the berserker's heavy weight had tripped over his foot and ankle.

The momentum and subsequent face plant, knocked the youth unconscious, while the students stared at him frozen for a moment. Leon groaned beneath his breath, his ankle throbbing in pain as footsteps suddenly broke into the silence. "What's going on here?"

"Teacher! Scatter!"