Chapter 8: Gym

"What I want to teach you is what to do in order to survive. First of all, I am saying this from my experience, so whether you accept it or not, it's your choice. And the most important thing of what I want to say today is to trust no one."

The teacher narrowed his eyes as if he had some experience with it.

"Trusting someone is fine, but fully trusting someone? I don't think it's good unless you think it's fine to die for them. This is my principle. After all, even a best friend, who knows you for ten years, can betray you at the last moment, so you should prepare for it even if it doesn't happen. You hear me?"

One of the students felt something wrong about it and asked. "But the other teachers told us to trust our comrade and watch their back since they will do the same, allowing us to make good teamwork. Isn't this a contradiction with your statement?"

"You can play your friend thingy, but for me, I still trust myself more than other people. That's how I survived on the other side for three decades before retiring here. Of course, I don't mean to make other teachers look bad and I partly agree with them. I want you to keep thinking about what will happen if the worst situation occurs before your eyes. If you have that question answered, you can trust your teammate because with or without them, you can survive just fine."

Theo couldn't help but look at this teacher with admiration. He might not agree with this statement if it were the past him. But the timing was just that perfect, and he couldn't help but nod.

"That's my morning advice. Now, let's continue our boring lesson again, starting from the monsters around our Art Beats Castle." The teacher then began the real lecture about the appearance of monsters, their weaknesses, and other things they needed to know to kill those monsters.

Theo looked down at his wooden desk. On the top corner, he found a power button and pushed it. Soon the display screen appeared on his table like a normal computer. He opened the usual application to take a note for the lecture. It was a kind of having a more advanced Ipad, so taking notes became so easy, increasing the desire for the students to make a note in lecture.

It took him two hours before the lesson ended.

"Oh, right. You are going to have the practical exams soon…I still don't know the exact date, but I believe it's within two weeks. I will inform you of the details later. And don't forget to eat since you will have physical training after this. That's all. Have a good day." The teacher lazily walked to the door.

Before leaving, he took another look at the class. There were some who seemed to understand today's advice, so he was satisfied with it.

As soon as the break started, Laust headed straight to Theo with fierce eyes. Behind him was the couple with a scared expression.

"I will take care of you again during the practice." He made a sinister smile.

Theo narrowed his eyes but didn't answer him like he usually did. He always used this kind of chance to bully him, so it would be faster to ignore him.

Besides, he didn't plan to take on the beating easily this time. He gained a bit more confidence with his new power. Although he didn't plan to show his new skill this time, he still wanted to fight this guy earnestly to see how he could improve himself.

After gaining the blessing of the God of Mischief, he had gained the desire to get stronger without being scared of others' suppressions. And he would surely use them to his own advantage.

Seeing that Theo remained silent, Laust snorted and took the couple with him.

'I will use you to get stronger. Even if you are a waste, your strength is still a real deal, so let me see how this so-called young master fights.' Theo laughed inwardly, getting excited.

Sending the note he took earlier to his device, he turned off the computer and rose from his seat, heading to the canteen.

Although he had more money, he picked the same menu. It was one of the cheapest menus on the list and considered as one of the healthiest, so there was no way he would leave it alone.

As expected, no one accompanied him during lunch. Theo had no friends, whether in this school or society, so he'd been alone after he lost his only family, his brother.

After eating, he looked around the canteen. It could hold more than three thousand people at once, so there were many empty spots.

He shook his head and decided to return to his class, waiting for the time for their physical training class.

As expected, Laust was waiting for him in the classroom to make sure that he didn't run away.

'I wonder what is his problem?' Theo furrowed his eyebrows before finding the same couple with some bruises on their faces.

It seemed they took quite a beating from him, which made him feel better. It was nothing compared to them betraying him.

The desire to come to them and ask for their condition began swelling up in his heart, but he restrained that feeling since Laust was here.

The bell rang again. It was time to go to the gym.

Laust came to him and said coldly. "Come!"

The others, who saw Laust forced Theo to come with him, could only shake their heads helplessly, knowing it would be another beating for him today. Did they want to save him? Yes. Did they do it? None of them dared.

Theo didn't put much thought into it, only remembering them in his heart and planning to treat them the same way.

He followed Laust to the gym without saying anything.

'Who is the instructor again?' Theo suddenly tried to remember the schedule of the instructor. They were trained by three different instructors for combat, survival, and physical fitness, and he forgot which one they took today.

Laust could beat him in combat, make him fail in survival, and overwhelm him in physical fitness, so it was no different which type it was, making him forget what he was going to take today.

When he arrived at the gym, they entered the place with a symbol of two swords clashing with each other, meaning that they were in a combat lesson.

Theo opened his locker and changed into the combat clothes. It had a similar style with the uniform but with a bit tighter, so it didn't hinder one's movement.

Since Laust had yet to finish changing, he went ahead, walking toward the place where they would practice.

Yes, inside the large building on the left of the main building was a huge field that had been separated into three sections. The first section contained all gym equipment that would improve their physical abilities. The second section had a giant realistic hologram that could replicate a certain environment.

And on the third section, where he currently stood, filled with only empty fields. There were only markings here and there, showing the arena they usually used to fight.

It seemed there were two other classes having the same classes as them, so they shared this huge field together.

The principal believed that observing other practices could stimulate their potential. Besides, the third-year students could act as a mentor as well.

However, when he arrived at the field, he also saw someone arriving from another door next to him.

She was the same person who came to that blacksmith and asked for Theo's identity.

However, neither of them recognized each other despite one trying to flee and the other one trying to discover the other's identity.

The one who came out was Alea Eilric, the student council president. She was known as a warm person that everybody loved. Many people thought that her warm personality came from her blessing, which came from another God, known as God of Fortitude.

She put on a warm smile and waved her hand to Theo beside him. "Good afternoon. If I am not wrong, the other class that will use this field is 2B and 1A, right? Which grade are you in?"

Theo looked at this stunning female and bowed politely without a change of expression. There wasn't a single thought that appeared in his head other than her being an upperclassman. "I am a first-grade student."

"Oh! Good. I hope you work hard in this school." After nodding her head, she turned back to her classmate on the field and ran toward them.

Seeing her leaving, Theo nodded and went toward the field for his class. In the middle of the field, he found someone who was supposed to be their instructor.

It was a middle-aged man with a muscular body. He looked like a bodybuilder with that bulging muscle, but Theo could feel that those arms and legs contained powerful strength within it.

"Ho? You are the first one to come here." The middle-aged man noticed Theo and asked him to come.

"Teacher." Theo bowed politely.

"Normally, people will arrive within another fifteen minutes, so what are you planning to do?"

"I…" Before he could speak, a series of comments echoed in his ears as the people from his class arrived and saw the people in the field next to them.

"Look! There is the student council president, Alea Eilric. She is so beautiful."

"Right. She is also powerful."

"She is also kind to everyone."

Three people followed by Laust appeared on the field.

Theo met Laust's eyes, and again, they were interrupted by the comment that had changed.

"Look at the other field, he…Isn't he the famous second year that is known as the Guardian?" One of them commented out loud, admiring his idol.

Because of this, Laust ignored them and made his way toward the instructor.

"Instructor. I wish for permission to fight this guy." The reason why they came this early was to have their own fight before the class started. After all, the moment the class started, there was only a low possibility that they would get paired up to fight. Even Laust couldn't change the instructor's decision at this point.

"Now I see why you are coming here this early." The middle-aged man laughed before nodding his head. "Yes, you, young men, need to have fire in your heart to a duel like this. Alright, I approve of this spar. Pick your weapon there and come here. I will supervise this fight."

Laust's sinister smile appeared again.

Unbeknownst to him, Theo also made a small smile.