Chapter 9: Easy Prey

And two weeks flew past. Spent mostly through intense physical and arcanal training to prepare for the upcoming intraclass contest. 

An Intense class schedule led by instructor Thompson. Teamwork between the class as a whole, Physical work, A-blade practice. And students in their own time were allowed team training for the upcoming 3 on 3 battle. Little theory study was involved in these 2 weeks. 

Lloyd was beginning to get used to the academy and becoming even closer with his team in their goal to win the upcoming battle. 

And not only that. He had become much stronger. 

Not anymore was Lloyd simple skin and bones, His muscles and the tone of his skin had started to improve massively. Through a healthy diet and consistent well planned training. 

Lloyd stagnated in his arcanal growth compared to the first day however despite this his strength was leaps and bounds from where it was. For example having a higher stamina allowed one to utilise their max output of an A-Blade for much longer, and not only that the overall strain of utilising an A-Blade is much lower with a healthy and developed body. 

Team Clash

This game is being held in one of the small forests on the outskirts of Vel'caria. Each person will be wearing a tag that will hang from a holder by their waist. The goal being to remove the tags from the opposing team. Once a team had completed that they won. The only rules held in place were:

No killing a student the use of or multiple A-Blades are allowed however anything other than such is disqualification. As soon as a tag has been removed that person is disqualified from the gauntlet, even if their team won.

And that was it. A referee would be monitoring each team in hiding to ensure the rules are applied.

"Alright I have briefed you all on the rules, anyone who breaks these will be disqualified/ expelled." Thompson explained

Lloyd, Doran and Ivy all stood together in their battle uniform discussing their final preparations. They had been working harder than anyone else the past 2 weeks, but the one who fell behind was Lloyd. Simply due to his lack of experience and prior training, however the one who made the most progress was also Lloyd.

"Alright, does everyone understand the plan?" Lloyd asked, Lloyd had his own strengths. One of them being his wit and cleverness. Yes, a plan Lloyd came up with despite his lack of memories. 

"I do, Although I think my plan was better." Doran grumbled with a slight hint of jealousy

"I got it, still there's one thing that's bugging me"

"Yeah, me too" Lloyd agreed with Ivy

"Huh, What is it?"

"Ah right, just one last thing I forgot to mention." Instructor Thompson called out

A wave of nervousness hit the A class students.

"The class you're up against is none other than… S class."

"As expected," Lloyd sighed. 

"Yeah, luckily we assumed this when thinking up a plan." Ivy agreed

"You two knew we were against S class?" Doran baffled

"You didn't?" Ivy and Lloyd questioned at the same time, with a slightly disappointed expression on there faces 

"Hey, don't look at me like that, it's condescending!" He repeated in a girlish manner unfitting for his size

After a few minutes passed and the different teams finished their final preparations before their battles.

Instructor Thompson headed over to Lloyds team 

"Alright the first group will be yours, Doran" 

"Perfect" He replied a wide grin on his face

Doran, Ivy and Lloyd lined up just outside the forest. The area they were battling in was around a kilometre long and a few hundred metres wide. A time limit of half an hour had been set. If neither team won in time then they were both disqualified. 

A loud bang appeared from within the forest. This was their signal to begin. 

And they headed into the forest with swift precision and speed. Such is their plan.

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The other side of the forest around 5 minutes after the start.

3 S class students ran and ran, deeper and deeper inside the forest.

One boy with long brown hair slightly confused questioned "Why haven't we seen them yet? Isn't it slightly odd how we have almost finished the length of the forest and still no sight of them?"

"Yeah, it doesn't make any sense. Assuming we have both been running in the same direction." another boy said

"Hmph, it's to be expected, puny A-class members won't be able to defeat us S-class 3 on 3 so they run away. Maybe that's their plan to keep on running until every team is disqualified." A girl joked

"Either way we can track them down, we should be in for an easy win."

They carried on their run until they stumbled upon something unexpected. A single man stood alone in the forest, none other than Doran. 

All 3 stopped assuming formation swiftly, as expected of S class. 

"There's just one of them, what do we do?" 

"What other option is there, beat him black and blue of course. He's by himself as well." the girl said

"What if it's a trap?"

"Doesn't matter there puny A class students we'll beat them all the same"

"Oh! Look at that 3 S class students are scared of me. What an honor" Doran bowed in a polite fashion

"You think we're scared of you dumbass? It's obvious this is a trap" one spat back

Doran cackled

"You think this dumbass is clever enough to lay a trap? It's simple why I'm the only one here and that's because I'm enough to beat your sorry ass multiple times over." He Boasted

"I've had enough. Trap or not this punk is getting put in his place." The girl squealed 

"Wait! Don't be rash!"

But it was too late, the girl had already dashed off with her A-blade, axes in hand aiming straight towards Doran.

Doran smirked. 

And then it happened. The girl ran over a rope which latched onto her ankle and tossed her upside down. Hanging from one leg in the air she squealed. "W-what just happened."

Moments later a precise arrow flew past her waist and latched onto a tree. 

"W-what" The girl was shocked and noticed that her tag was latched onto the tree held in place by the arrow. 

She was already disqualified

"Shit, I told you it was a trap!." Her teammate resounded

"It's fine, there's still two of us, that's more than enough to handle them." 

"True enough, You take on the big guy, he's probably the strongest. I'll deal with the archer and the other one."

Doran and the student clashed. Red sparks flew everywhere. This was arguably the most important bout. Doran had to hold off his opponent until Ivy and Lloyd could take care of theirs and assist him.

The last one ran into the forest in search of Ivy. Running straight into the direction it was shot from.

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A couple Minutes ago

Lloyd sat rested against a tree beneath a branch which Ivy hung upside down from, Bow in hand. Around a hundred metres away was Doran who stood in an open plain within the forest. 

"Do you really think this will work?" Ivy asked nervously

"If it doesn't we can just resort to plan B"

Lloyd had planned multiple choices of action, in case of an unknown procedure occurring. This whole plan banked on Doran being bait and provoking his enemies. Lloyd knew that the S class students would make a direct beeline towards their location.

In fact they had just emerged through the thicket and assumed formation against Doran

Lloyd recalled a previous conversation she held with Ivy when discussing the plan.

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Lloyd and Ivy sat together in the training field in conversation. Doran, busy with his physical training, was practicing his mace in the distance.

"Our best chance of winning is by exploiting their disadvantages and using it to our advantage and with such in mind I've come up with a plan." Lloyd explained

"I understand the Idea, however presuming our opponents are S class what weaknesses could we possibly exploit?" Ivy asked

Lloyd smirked "It's simple, what do you think a pack of lions sees when hunting a tiger?"

Ivy thought for a moment before replying

"Easy prey" 

"Exactly, once they see Doran. With a bit of provocation to hurt their pride, those prideful lions will be caught right up in our trap"

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"Be ready there here" 

Ivy took out her bow still hanging upside down off a branch with her legs as support.

Lloyd and Ivy were too far away for them to notice their presence especially covered in all this greenery. Lloyd could slightly hear the distant conversation being held.

"You think this dumbass is clever enough to lay a trap? It's simple why I'm the only one here and that's because I'm enough to beat your sorry ass multiple times over."

"I've had enough. Trap or not this punk is getting put in his place."

Lloyd slowly opened his eyes

"Fools"

He waited a few moments before giving the signal

"Ivy be ready it's happening"

"Got it" Ivy's hand was steady, she pulled the string on her bow and on it formed a bright red crimson arrow. The arrow cackled and cracked against the bow with red lightning streaks.

Straining her arm she took one last deep breath inwards.

"W-what just happened."

Lloyd could faintly hear the squeal of the Class S student

Ivy released the string on her bow, flying from a hundred metres out the Arrow swerved and narrowly dodged trees and branches until it landed on its mark, sweeping in and pinning the enemies tag against the tree. 

Ivy swiftly sat upright and jumped off the tree once she had confirmed her goal was complete.

She extended Lloyd a hand 

"Easy prey" Ivy bragged

Lloyd Accepted her hand and stood up

"Damn right" 

End of Chapter 9: Easy Prey