TO MEET THE HERO [2]

BLOCK 3 FLOOR 5 - HEADMASTER'S FLOOR

Samantha and Naki were navigating the corridors on their way to the headmaster's office.

"Now remember, Sir Naruki. You may be the overseer instructor for the sage class, but don't forget you're new here."

"So I'll offer you 2 points for advice." She gestured with her fingers as she went through the list. 

"1: Listen, don't question. If you don't understand anything, you wait until your turn to speak before you ask why."

"2: The headmaster always makes the final decision, don't say or do anything that'll decide for him. Do you understand all I've said?" she asked.

"Huh, sounds like the kind of meeting I'd usually skip then."

"Hah, I hear you, Naruki, but it's a meeting on the magic competition. It is the decider for those who get to leave this school, either as sages or as failures."

They reached the headmaster's door, and immediately, Naki was hit with this dreaded sensation.

The energy levels here were beyond anything he's experienced before, and he couldn't comprehend the magic at play as the door's magical sigils appeared alive and breathing.

"(What energy...it feels...suffocating, like it could swallow you whole if you get too close. I guess this would explain why Bisky opted to steer clear.)"

Naki gulped and kept a poker face on. Samantha smiled at his composure. 

"You keep surprising me. Never expected you to be calm in the presence of the headmaster's magic," she said, impressed. 

"You seem pretty chill yourself," Naki said.

"Believe me I would run If I had the chance but there comes a time when a woman's just gotta suck it up and get used to stuff," she said with a charming smile. 

"Well, can't say I relate," Naki responded with a smile of his own. "In any case, shall we?" 

Samantha nodded, "Yes. No reason to stand on occasion."

Samantha gently touched the door and knocked twice. 

"Headmaster Frowart, Samantha and Naruki here, requesting permission to enter," she said

Then, following a creak from within, the door vibrated and the spell sigils shattered. 

"Enter," said a voice from within. 

Samantha moved first and opened the door. 

Frowart's Office.

The walls were adorned with various paintings of landscapes and inviting color spirals. 

In glass cases around the room were various relics on display. 

"Ah, you've come, Naruki!" Frowart said in delight, his smile evaporating the pressure that had built up from before. 

Naki's attention was called to the center of the room. 

There was a large, well-polished, wooden round table - 5 seats, star layout.

3 of these seats were occupied, Frowart taking the seat at the top.

His chair was different from the rest, decorated with material cloth and fancy patterns. 

Naki and Samantha were the last ones here.

"Please, have a seat, my boy," he gestured for Naki to grab one of the free seats. 

"Thank you."

Naki obliged, glancing at the relics to see if he could spot his target among them.

Samantha took the last seat left. 

"Do forgive us for calling you on such short notice, but there's a reason we needed a replacement fast. Things couldn't wait, and today we shall talk about why."

Frowart said, and then pointed to the instructor taking a seat on his left. 

"Since you're new here, I suppose some brief introductions are in order. Lloyd, if you'd please?" 

The one called Lloyd looked fierce, with a scar cut across his left eye.

He looked like a veteran who survived a bloody war. With the voice of a commander, he spoke. 

"The name's Lloyd, facility manager. I'm in charge of all the training sectors used by the students here. Ensuring everything is ready for their perusal after study hall."

"Lloyd also acts as my escort should my duties take me out of the academy. He's a very reliable young man," Frowart added and then pointed to the seat on the opposite side. 

"And to my right is-"

"Eunice. I'm currently the acting instructor for the first years. The headmaster speaks highly of you, Naruki. It's nice to finally put a face to the name." 

Eunice had shaved her hair, revealing her black porcelain skin.

Her earrings, necklace, and other adornments around her hands and fingers made her appear like a spiritual idol. She was eye-catching. 

Naki nodded, "Nice to meet you, Eunice, Lloyd," he said. 

"And you've already met Samantha. She's the acting instructor for the second years." 

"Her job is very important, as she's directly responsible for the students who get to the class of sages, identifying the best potential we have."

Samantha nodded Naki's way to confirm the situation. 

"Good. With intros out of the way, let's get to the matter at hand."

Frowart leaned forward, demanding the ears of everyone present.

"The upcoming magic competition is an event that paves the way for the hero to build his party for the demon continent conquest." 

"Tessa and I are sages who also had to go through this same path, so there's no undermining its significance or its success. This means we must carry on the tradition."

"This year, we are the hosts for this event; we must do everything to ensure it runs without interference for the hero will require all the assistance he can get to overcome the demon army."

Then he gestured to Samantha, "I'll let Samantha explain the details." 

"Thank you, headmaster", she said, standing up to begin. 

"This year, I've arranged plans for each instructor to execute individually for us to meet our collective goal."

She manifested a small magic warp gate and, from within, pulled out 4 black booklets. 

"Within these are 1-3 pages with details on what you are required to do." She handed them down to the instructors, keeping one for herself. 

"Please go through as I explain."

Naki opened up his and couldn't help but notice his details were extremely simplified. 

"(Huh? what's this?)"

[Prepare your class for the magic battle discipline]

That was all his booklet said. 

"(What is this...magic battle discipline? I mean this can hardly be considered detailed...)"

Naki looked up as Samantha was explaining the duties of the other instructors. 

"(Well, I'll just keep point 1 in mind and wait until it's my turn to speak. In the meantime)"

Naki subtly activated his Lohki technique - Shadow trick 

Quietly, he sent out 2 shadow clones of himself to the office.

They moved like trained ninjas, sticking to the shadows and out of sight while exploring the area. 

"(While half my attention is occupied by this meeting, I can seek out the relic.)"

The shadows were exploring the rooms around the office for any peculiar relics, looking behind windows, digging into drawers through the spaces. 

"(The magic on that door before was unique, I'm not sure I could break through as I am without drawing attention or causing damages. I have until the end of this meeting to get it!)"

As the shadows searched for the relic, Samantha called Naki out. 

"That is all. Do you have any questions, Naruki?" she asked. 

Naki was caught off guard. He wasn't exactly following the conversation. 

"(Crap...don't give yourself away, push back the nervousness and improvise. Say little, but mean it!)

"Umm, so I was wondering, about the magic battle, are we doing 1v1 like during spar sessions or team battles?" he asked. 

"(Please, let that be a valid question or I'm screwed...it has to be...)"

Samantha nodded, "Thank you for that, Naki. I have also been meaning to bring this up, Headmaster Frowart."

"Hohh, what do you mean, Sam?" he asked, curious. 

"In your bountiful experience - and considering our sage class didn't perform so well in the inter-branch competition earlier this year - do you think exposing them to 1v1s will better improve their weaknesses? or would they benefit more from a team approach?"

"(Phew, dodged a bullet there.)" Naki relaxed.

"Interesting question. I'll let you answer Naruki."

"Huh?" he was stunned; the question bounced back to him.

"What do you think will work best, based on your experience with the sage potentials so far?"

"(Yup...I celebrated too early, but)"

Naki thought for a while, then an idea occurred to him. 

"(I dunno if it was by coincidence or strategic planning, but the sage potentials...all their specialties are perfectly divided.)" 

"(Habiki for defense, Maya for healing, Louise for support, Jhun for attack, and Bisky for...well, she never said, but I think it's safe to say she's a wildcard. That's a full-fledged balance party right there.)"

"(That'll make it easier to prepare them for a party battle than for an individual one...)"

Naki stared at Frowart, who had a subtle smile on. He was expecting an informed answer from him. 

"...I think currently the specialties of each student in the sage class complement each other quite well, and will make for a devastating partnership should we work on their chemistry in battle."

"So you recommend magic party battles?"

Naki nodded, "That will bring out the best in all of them. But then again, that's just how I feel; the decision rests with our headmaster on what is best for the students as an esteemed sage himself."

Naki said, passing the baton back to Frowart. He remembered point 2 well. 

"Hm-hm-hm, well spoken, my boy. There's no more to say, I agree with you completely."

Then I shall add that to the record. Preparing the class of sage for the magic battle is your responsibility, Sir Naruki. Please do your best not to let us down.

"Haha, I don't envy your position, Sir Naruki. Handling those troublesome brats and getting them to fight together will be a daunting challenge indeed," Eunice said with a light chuckle.

"Hahaha, I shall do my best," Naki replied with a smile. 

"(Huh, I guess it's not just Samantha that finds the sage class difficult. Could it be Bisky's reputation at work here)"

Naki thought as Samantha carried on with the rest of the plan.

Then his devil sigil tickled and stung, an indication of development from the shadows. 

"(hm!? It seems one of the shadows has found what I am looking for.)"

One of the shadows had found the vermilion diamond ring hidden within one of the picture frames in an empty room. It recovered it and confirmed it to be the relic they were after. 

Naki smiled faintly, "(Nice. Now to retrieve it without causing a commotion)"

But before Naki could proceed, he noticed the headmaster's eyes had lingered on his right hand once again, just like before. 

"(Crap...Have I been found out?)"

Naki could not react, fearing the Frowart might pick up his intention.

He had to distract him somehow if he was to safely retrieve the relic, but how?