Chapter CVIII - Fighting (part 1)

Today is combat practice class.

… my god…

As if tens of challenges from the other two days are not enough combat for me… I'm legit fed up with these battles.

"I'm challenging you--"

"Don't want to. Go away."

I answered coldly to a group of seniors that showed up and tried challenging me. I was heading to the canteen when the group came, and I had no energy to waste standing in front of them. 

I got quite hungry after reading for hours ever since I woke up, and my brain felt quite fuzzy from reading.

After getting the chicken from the same stall, I ordered it on the go and left the canteen. I ate them at the dorm while keeping my eyes on the pages.

And while reading, as I switched a page, my door got knocked.

If it's another challenger, I'll be sure to make them suffer in the battle. But when I placed my eye on the peeping hole on the door, it wasn't someone unfamiliar.

I opened the door, and found Manda standing at the other side.

"Hai. I wanted to ask you if you want to get something to eat."

She came all the way to ask me, a new student, to have something to eat. My guts are telling me that she had no ulterior motives, but unfortunately I already ate.

"Oh… I already ate."

"I… I see. Okay then, see you at class."

She then left so casually. I was worried whether or not I'm picking the right decision leaving her alone, but I ended up closing the door anyway.

After eating, I continued reading on the bed. I kept on glancing at the clock from time to time, just to make sure I won't be late.

When it's only about ten minutes later, I quickly got up from my bed and headed to the class.

Halfway across the path, I stopped my walk.

Damn it, I forgot. I'm wearing the wrong uniform.

I quickly returned and switched to the training uniform before heading to the gymnasium again, which is where the class will be held. 

Hooray to some more combats…

But after arriving, I can see some parts of the gymnasium are destroyed from a battle. And just by looking at them, I can already tell that the battle was quite intense.

I can see a little bit of commotion in the middle of the arena, where the others from my class are at. I immediately approached, and it looked like someone was on the ground, unconscious.

It's… Jericho…

… What happened here...?

"R-Rize!"

Manda quickly came at me running. I can see a slight red coming from her eyes. Seems like she was crying heavily just now.

"What happened?"

"Someone from class A came and ruined our meal… Jericho stood up to them and they proposed a challenge. And then, we headed here for the challenge… and they fought…"

I quickly made my way to see her clearer. Apparently, she didn't just lose.

She had a large wound on her right abdomen, as well as scratch marks all over her clothes and skin. Her head is bleeding very heavily.

"This is… horrible."

"Oh, Rize. You are here."

The class president who was checking on Jericho's condition quickly noticed me coming.

"Maneil and Bonzie already ran to get the doctors from the infirmary, since carrying her there is a bad idea--"

"No need for that."

I placed my hand on Jericho's abdomen and casted healing magic. The healing magic works like a charm and it completely closes the wound. It also healed the scratch marks on her skin, as well as the bleeding on her head.

As Jericho slowly opened her eyes, I took out a bottle of water from my ring. She tried to move her upper body, so I supported her back and placed the water bottle on her lips. She quickly drank it all the way to the bottom, which surprised everyone at how thirsty she was.

"W-What happened…"

She mutters, seeing how everyone from the class is staring at her now so worryingly.

"Everyone... I'd appreciate it if you guys can keep what you just saw right now a secret."

I said without turning my gaze at them.

"I trust that you guys can keep this a secret... Being a healer can sometimes be… a hindrance, so I'd like you to keep silent about this."

They all started to nod and said yes, but I still don't trust them. I need to win their hearts in order for them to keep this silenced.

Jericho was able to stand up, but very slowly. She lost quite the energy from the battle. When Manda told her that she lost, she bit her lips.

"Care to tell me what happened?"

I asked Jericho, and she shook away her emotions pretty quickly. She turned to me and started explaining.

While she and Manda were eating at the canteen, the same jerks from the library, the ones from class A, approached them and started saying some provocation at them.

Jericho, as usual, exploded on them. They suddenly proposed a challenge to her, and she agreed to it very easily. Manda couldn't do anything since she was so scared. And in the end, Jericho couldn't defeat the other party and lost, and her wounds were quite severe.

"I… see…"

I closed my eyes and face downwards. Jericho and Manda must've thought I was mad, because the two quickly asked.

"R-Rize? It's fine, really. I mean we can just train and get them back."

"Y-Yeah, no need to be angry…"

I quickly took a deep breath and patted their shoulders.

"You two have done enough."

I said proudly, confusing them. I lifted my hand from Jericho's shoulder and lightly tapped her cheek.

"You shouldn't explode all the time. Try to keep a calm and composed behaviour. Exploding everywhere will only make things harder!"

I lifted my hand from Manda's shoulder and did the same thing, I tapped her cheek.

"And you shouldn't be so scared! They are humans like you, they aren't gods! You should stop the fight while you can, even if it means being mocked."

"I… I'm sorry…"

"It's fine... Just never forget that."

The two nodded very quickly, but I can tell they also regretted what just happened.

While I'm… simply hiding my own regret.

What would happen if I just came with them? Jericho wouldn't get wounded, and nobody would get hurt. If I had come with them, I probably would have stopped them from bad mouthing class E.

Hell, I could have been the one to challenge them instead...

I should have come with Manda… fuck…