It wasn’t a school day, but the inter-school tournament was taking place soon, so I still had to go to the campus. Apparently, it was just a little meet and greet with representatives from the other school. I reached the teachers’ lounge, and Ms. Elena waved me in.
“Sorry for making you come on a day off,” she said. “It’s just a quick face-to-face today, then we’re done.”
“Are we still waiting for the representatives from the other years?” I asked.
“No, it’s just you today. Ideally, we’d have all three of you here, but the second- and third-year kings have rather…unique personalities.”
It sounded like they were rough around the edges. But apparently, the other school was only sending one representative too, so it wouldn’t cause offense. While we waited for the other party to arrive, I had something to drink and gave Ms. Elena a shoulder rub.
“Ahhhh, Noir, are you sure you don’t want to become my personal masseur when you graduate?”
“I think I’ll have to pass,” I said. “When you eventually got bored of my services, my life would be in shambles.”
“Ah ha ha! That’s a good point! But man, you really are good at this.”
While we chatted, another teacher came to let us know the party from the other school had arrived. We immediately got up to meet them.
Outside the door was an intelligent-looking man, presumably the teacher, and behind him, a girl dressed mostly in white. Her elegant dress had a bow on its chest, she had long, almost white hair, cool eyes, and a small, tense mouth. Her figure was slim but looked mature.
“My name is Torche,” said the teacher, bowing politely. “I am an instructor at the Gifted Institute. We are here to meet the wonderful students and staff of the Hero Academy.”
The girl bowed too. Manners were clearly important at their school. Our teachers returned the greeting, and Torche introduced the girl.
“This is Emilia. She is participating in the tournament.”
“Hello, my name is Emilia Celistage, and I am a third-year student at the Gifted Institute. I am truly humbled to be here in your magnificent school. I am very much looking forward to the tournament.”
Ms. Elena gently tapped me on the shoulder, and I stepped forward.
“I’m Noir Stardia, and I’m a first-year here at the Hero Academy. I’m honored to attend the upcoming tournament and have the opportunity to learn from you.”
Emilia gave me a gentle smile and offered her hand. When I took it, my face twisted in pain.
“Ngh.”
Her grip was so powerful! She was definitely doing it on purpose. I took the opportunity to use my Discerning Eye, but her stats were concealed.
Instead, I forced a smile. “I think you can let go now.”
“Goodness! How rude of me. I am nervous and have behaved quite boorishly.”
I decided to play along with her act for the moment.
“Oh, it’s no trouble,” I said. “I mean, who hasn’t gotten nervous and squeezed too hard before? It wouldn’t surprise me if someone’s even broken some bones that way.”
Emilia’s eye twitched, just for a moment, before her smile returned. She picked up the hem of her skirt and curtsied.
“I look forward to competing with you, Noir.”
“I do too.”
The teachers chatted amongst themselves, and that was that.
“Was she trying to pick a fight with that handshake?” Ms. Elena asked after they left.
“Felt like it. That was no normal handshake.”
“Thought so. Well, good luck at the tournament.”
“I intend to win.”
“That’s the spirit.”
I couldn’t lose. Afterall, the pride of my school was on the line. I headed home, raring to fight. On the way back, I felt someone staring at me. I was sure someone was following me, so I waited until I reached a more secluded area, then turned around.
“What do you want, Emilia?”
There was no teacher this time. It was just her.
“Goodness, you noticed me. I wasn’t quite satisfied with our earlier conversation, so I just found myself following you.”
I took issue with being stalked, but at least we could finish our conversation now.
“What did you want to talk about?” I asked.
“I’m sure you are aware, but I intend to win the tournament. Still, I won’t be in the first round, so I worry that I won’t have the opportunity to meet you in battle, Noir.”
Her smile never wavered as she provoked me. She was implying that whoever they put forward first would take out all three of our representatives single-handedly.
“Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that you’re right,” I said. “What do you wanna do about it?”
“I suggest a friendly sparring match.”
Before I could answer, Emilia waved one hand and a giant frog appeared beside her. It was almost six-feet tall, but it was chubby and seemed slow. Still, it definitely packed a punch. Emilia watched my reaction and pulled a sword out from her Pocket Dimension, looking smug.
“You keep a frog in your Pocket Dimension?” I asked.
“Oh, don’t be silly, the frog lives somewhere else. I used two different skills.”
The frog was a summon then, called forth from some other dimension.
“Ribbit, ribbit.”
The frog shot out its tongue. I dodged with a sidestep and managed to avoid it. Still, it had a long range, and it could pull its tongue back really fast.
“Heh, pardon my minion. He wasn’t trying to attack. He just wanted to lick your adorable face.”
“How am I supposed to know what monsters want?” I said. “If he tries that again, I’ll cut his tongue off.”
“Think you can manage that? Garma, eat.”
The frog’s tongue shot out and pulled Emilia’s sword into its mouth.
Huh? Won’t he get cut?
Apparently not. In fact, quite the opposite. As it ate the sword, it transformed. Sword-like thorns grew all over its body.
Name: Metamorphic Frog
Level: 127
Skills: Metamorphosis; Regrow Tongue
I guess eating that weapon changed its body?
“Garma, get me a lick of Noir’s pretty hair.”
“Ribbiiit!”
This time, its whole tongue was like a sword. It shot toward me.
Kachink!
I raised my own sword overhead, knocking the tongue away. But the frog was a living thing, and its movements weren’t entirely predictable. It attacked again, aiming for my face this time. I twisted away to protect my head, but it did manage to cut a chunk off my bangs.
“I’ll take that,” said Emilia. “You see, my hobby is collecting hair from cute boys.”
As she moved forward to collect it, I fired off a Lightning Strike, but the frog protected her with its tongue.
“Ribbit?!”
It twitched and trembled with the shock, but it didn’t seem to do much damage.
“That must have hurt, Garma. Noir seems strong, so let’s go home.”
“You really are capricious, huh?”
“I beg your forgiveness,” said Emilia. “But I have determined that you are worth fighting. Let us continue this at the tournament. Good day, sir.”
She picked up her skirt and curtsied, and the frog vanished into thin air. Apparently she could treat it just like an inanimate weapon. She walked away, giving me a clean target, but shooting people in the back wasn’t exactly my style.
“I’m gonna beat her fair and square.”
Bring on the tournament!