Episode 5. Certainty of Heart

The holidays are over. It's a troubled Monday now. My brother and I had breakfast together at the dining table in the early morning.

"Brother, can you take care of your own girl problems without involving me?"

"Why?"

"It's been 17th time I've been slapped by your girl for being mad at you!"

"Ohhh" My brother averted his eyes.

"Never mind, I don't care"

I stood up from the dining table and cleaned my food. If I chew food too long I will get tired of watching him pretend not to hear.

"Oh by the way Rasyid(gives a weapon chip)....Here I bought a new one....I saw yours is broken in the room" He gave a new weapon chip.

I was late even forgot to fix it. I can only gave up and take the weapon chip that my brother gave me.

A curved sword was formed by the weapon chip. It looks like arabian sword. My brother realized that I more get used by blade than sword. Not that I'm happy about receiving it from him.

My brother smiled and leave me to his office. I waved to him with smilling without looking at him and focused my eyes on his gift.

A notification rang from my phone. I saw a number I didn't recognize again.

(I look forward to how you teach, Mr. Rasyid, Kanda Sophia). I silently watch my phone. 'is she sick?'

I go to school by city bus. Because leaving very early, I didn't see any school students on the bus. Usually they start to be seen around 6:15 am. I looked at my watch. The clock still shows 5:48.

No one has come to the teacher's room yet, I'm too early. Maybe this is what they call enthusiasm at the start of work. I'll probably be come little late tomorrow.

I arrive at school and still empty.

Sitting in my chair alone, I open my phone to fill my spare time.

"HELLO, Mr. RASYID!!! YOU'RE COME SO EARLY!!!" I almost threw my phone because I was surprised by Tasya's greeting. She sticking her tongue out while hitting her head. "Ehe."

"Your reaction is so funny!" Tasya laughed at my expression.

I can only frown. "Why are you come so early? Don't people usually arrive around 6:30 AM?"

"Then, what about you?"

"I'm just excited! But if it's Mr. Rasyid, it's definitely impossible. Your face is flat as always. Even yesterday when we were on holiday, your face didn't change at all"

This woman doesn't know when the time to hit the brake. She couldn't stop talking. I had to listen to her babblings until one of the teachers came.

__________________________________________________

8:00 AM, at arena.

"Hyaghhh!" Moka advanced towards Hakam. Hakam dodged it and immediately swung his halberd at Moka. Unfortunately, Hakam's weapon is too heavy and slow so Moka who use light weapon can easily dodge it.

Hakam Surya, a halberd user and unable to use magic. Many say that his fighting skill is so fearful(in a good sense) but his weakness against fast enemies is still cannot he overcome.

Monika Mahama or usually called by Moka is the class president and a dual knife user. Her speed and accuracy are feared. But being too focused on her attack pattern is her weakness. When the enemy suddenly out from the pattern she want, she will suddenly let herself open and give the opponent a chance.

The battle between those two is very horrible at this moment. Hakam's slow pace makes every single of his attacks fail to hit Moka. On the other hand, Moka keeps losing her pattern because Hakam never follows the dodging pattern she wants.

"What do you think of the fight between those two, Mr. Rasyid?" Erika who was watching next to me is ask me.

I can only hold my forehead, the disappointment is looked inside of me. 'Is this really a prestigious school filled with top students?'

"It didn't live up to your expectations, right? I'm sorry, but this is how they are. They fight relying on their respective patterns and skills from region they came from" Erika explained a rational reason.

They are feel like under pressure and do not dare to let go of the code or identity of their region from.

At this rate, this school may be in a big problem if Nusantara finds out that this is the true form of this school.

I tried to think of something, I looked at the seat where my students were sitting. Sophia's face waited for my answer. 'Message this morning....So this is what she meant.'

"I'm tired of their fighting...They are fight like robots..." The glasses student complained of being bored watching their fight. He was the same boy who insulted me earlier in my first day of teaching. Earl Stevens Xander, he is Mr. Xander's brother.

"Well it can't be helped. We're used to following our old school rules to focus on one skill without knowing that in this school the opponent has many skill to beat our skill." The student with brown long hair reaching his back answered Stevent question.

Luna Gita Lestari. I don't know why his parents gave a girl's name to their son.

Because there is no progress on their fight, I called both of them back.

I look at my student list and tried to choose the other 2 students I would compete with. I looked at the two familiar names. I wonder how they fought. 'I'll choose that.'

"Kanda Sophia and Stevent Xander enter the arena!"

Kanda who was sitting watching me was surprised that I chose her.

Stevent did not lose his optimistic face when i called upon him. He entered the arena without any nervousness.

Sophia and Stevent are now in the arena. Face to face and ready to fight. They took out their weapon chips and activated them. A Royal Sword of royal pride formed on Stevent's weapon chip. They were waiting for my signal.

"3....2.....1....Fight!"

Stevent stepped forward and spin his body while swinging his sword. A light wave shot out from his slash trying to slash through Sophia. Sophia countered by creating a tornado around her by making her fan spinning around her.

"TCH!"

Stevent immediately stepped forward and swung his sword up. Sophia held it back and put ice magic in her fan. Stevent's sword froze on contact with Sophia's fan. Stevent threw his sword up because his sword is getting cold and hit Sophia with a fast light elemental fist.

Sophia got hit and Stevent gets 1 point.

Stevent ran back to his sword who already back to normal, but he didn't see the trap on his weapon. Stevent who was already holding his sword was surprised because he saw the ice magic still stuck on his sword.

BOOM!!!

Stevent was blown away by the ice bomb who was planted in his sword. Now their score is same. But it didn't look like it would be long since Sophia was already in front of Stevent's eyes who hadn't even waken up yet. The ice magic was created by Sophia.

A big icicles formed and was dropped towards Stevent.

"I give up!"

Steven frightened declared his defeat.

The magic that Sophia created stopped just before it fell on Stevent's body and become floating ice particles.

Something I rarely see. An amazing magic, even I can get my revenge to him just by looking at it. I was speechless in awe and couldn't turn my face away.

"Seems like this time you are very satisfied with the result." Erika who saw me in awe couldn't help but smile. "Has this made you happy?" Erika changed the topic.

I heard what she says, but i shake my head. This is great but it's useless if there are only two talented students.

Of all the student here, only Stevent and Sophia were unaffected by the system of their region. They fight according to the tempo that is now happening in the arena.

"If is's not, then you know your duty as a teacher, right? This is my last day watching you, Mr. Rasyid" Erika reminds me who I am and when she stops.

I nodded.

By looking at all my students abilities. I know what must teached in the arena. I've already prepared it. Erika smiled at my nodded(answer).

"Then see you later, Mr. Rasyid." She left the arena.

Now I will teach myself. I've got everything I need. Now just how do I execute it.

I dismissed the class when class ended. All students exit the arena and go home. I exit from the arena and prepared to go home. But I saw a student waiting for me outside the arena.

"I'm sorry. I can't give you the lesson you want, Sophia" Sophia who heard it turned and left without saying a word.