Chapter CXII - Training Mountain (part 1)

"Say, Rize... Aren't you being a little too strict in doing this?"

The class president asked me around twenty minutes after we arrived.

By the time we arrived on the training ground, he immediately puked on the ground due to the speed I was running. And since he had never once tasted a speed like that, his stomach began to act and he puked right after we arrived. 

I apologized to him because I needed someone to list the time while I put up a flaming beacon.

While he's busy puking, I set up a sitting spot where I can lift my hand and cast a blazing flame upwards. And just like that, a pillar of green flame was lit to the sky and can be seen all the way from the forest. Not from the kingdom, because it was probably too far away.

And fifty minutes later, no one has arrived yet.

"Huh... I guess fifty minutes is too much for those babies."

I said while switching to another hand because my right hand was getting tired. The class president, holding a paper ready to write their names and time, can only snot from my sentence.

And tens of minutes later, the first group arrives.

It's Manda, Jericho, and one other male I have no idea about his name. Ah, I think he's Alden.

"Congratulations, Manda. Jericho. Alden. You guys are the first to arrive."

The class president said to the three. They all looked very exhausted and dirty. And Jericho even had a slight wound on her arm.

"Wha… How long did we…"

"Around fifty six minutes and forty three seconds."

"Fifty six…"

Manda collapsed on the ground. Jericho and Alden sat down on the ground, catching their breath.

I lifted my free hand and casted healing magic. I don't know how they got those wounds, but at least they don't look serious.

The three quickly stood up, seeing how their bodies were healed. Their fatigue was still there, but at least they can stand back up and continue with the training.

Afterwards, everyone else started to arrive in groups.

"There's demon beasts!!"

One of the students complained to me, and I lifted one of my eyebrows.

"Haven't I… told you guys about that?"

""No!!""

"Oops."

They all quickly got healed by me and started to check out the training ground.

The training ground is mostly rocks and rocks. There's a giant cliff at the far right, and a pond at the bottom of the cliff. People could wash up there, or use it as any form of watery business. And then there's the forest underneath, where wild animals can be found.

Not to mention the fresh air...

This place is perfect for us to train. But, it needs some setting up first.

After making sure everyone was here, I quickly stood up and called out.

"Earth magicians, please come with me."

The earth magicians, around four of them, stood up and followed me into the cliff on the far right. I commanded them to make a large cave inside the cliff, and they immediately started working.

I returned to everyone else and stood on top of a large boulder. They all stared at me as I stood here, waiting until they turned their attention at me.

"All of you, listen to me.

I want all of you to start chopping trees. At night, this place will be extremely cold, so it's best for us to gain some wood for campfires. Then, if anyone doesn't have food, you can go ahead and hunt some wild lives in the forest."

""W-What??""

All of them started to look around and weirded out. Seeing how they are definitely hungry, their only choice is to hunt some wild animals in the forest. But, for them to live like mountain people...

I turned around and walked to the edge of the mountain.

"I'll be coming back later around seven. All of you better get started, because once it gets dark, monsters will be coming..."

"W-Wait! You aren't going to be here with us?"

Elmone looked at me panicking.

"Huh? No way. I have my own training to do. And, if you guys want to go back, then go ahead. I don't care. So have fun~."

I waved my hand before leaping away, leaving them with the breezy wind. They all can only stare at each other while thinking about what to do.

Everyone… is hesitating.

"Should we… go back?"

"Yeah. Training like this won't prove anything."

"Let's just head back... We can just buy food at the canteen."

All of them decided to return to the academy, but Elmone quickly clapped his hands.

"Guys! What are you doing?"

"We are returning to the academy. Training like this is nonsense."

Maneil said to the class president, and the class president can only let out a breath.

"Look! There's a reason why she brought us out here and let us set up on our own! Can you guys at least see that?"

"No, we can't. Let's just go back."

Maneil then led the way while everyone else followed her. In the end, only ten students stayed, including Jericho and Manda.

Jericho stepped forward as the class president returned to them. The look on his face looked quite disappointed, but Jericho wore her usual firm expression.

"We'll stay."

Jericho said to the class president, and the other nine students also nodded. 

The class president took a deep breath and nodded strongly. He then also wore the same firm expression Jericho is wearing and he began to plan.

"Then… let's begin. First, we-"

"Oya? Everyone left already?"

Elmone turned around hurriedly, only to see me arriving on the top with a large log on top of my right shoulder, being held by my right hand. Everyone else put up an anxious expression as they stared at me as I placed the giant tree trunk on the ground with a thud.

I turned my gaze at them, and the class president could only look so scared.

"R-Rize..."

"It's okay. I planned this. That was simply a test to see whether or not they wanted to do this. At least now, I have the people that truly want to train."

The class president can only let out a breath of relief. Seeing how Maneil and everyone else left sort of broke his heart. Turns out, this was predicted.

What I didn't predict was how many of them left… 

Well, they will come back soon anyway. I'll just have to prepare a good enough punishment for them.

The thought of them showing up again with a sorry face makes me excited… Ohhhohooo, I wonder what kind of punishment I should prepare....

"Okay, then! Let's begin the training!"

I clapped my hands, marking that the training had started.

And… no, we're not going to hunt wild animals. 

That part was entirely a bluff, and obviously I wouldn't hunt wild animals when I can just run back and grab cooked chicken with sauce at the canteen.

There are ten students here, plus the class president and the four earth magicians that were building the small cave for us down at the cliff there.

Another reason for me to make that act was to lower the amount of students I will have to help out for today. Obviously I can't just teach everyone at the same time, so I will have to do them in portions. 

And because I have helped these guys today, tomorrow they won't be doing much, so I can be teaching the ones who left tomorrow.

It's a big brain tactic!

Let's see... What should we do…?