A glove thrown at an individual’s face.
Everyone in the cafeteria knew what it ant.
But one person in particular felt enlightened the mont he saw it.
Cassien slowly stood from his seat, "Oh... what’s this?" He gave Theodore a thumbs up.
Afterward, he opened his arms dramatically, exaggerating the situation on purpose.
"Could this be a challenge for the great almighty Cid Forge?!"
His voice echoed throughout the cafeteria as whispers imdiately spread across the room.
Cassien approached Cid calmly, "What will you do, Cid?! Accept... or reject?!"
Then, while drawing the attention of the students around him, he turned toward the crowd.
"But it would be a real sha if you denied such a challenge."
He paused briefly before turning back toward Cid, making sure his voice carried loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"You are the top-ranked first year after all, aren’t you? I’m certain many of us would love to witness your quad-elental magic abilities in action."
Cid hesitated slightly.
Cassien noticed imdiately.
’Not good enough.’
The pressure needed to rise even further.
"Guys!" Cassien suddenly called out. "Please, show a raise of hands if you’d want to watch a battle like this unfold!"
He walked toward a nearby group of students.
"Think about it for a second. You’ll get to witness four different elental affinities being used at a high level in actual combat."
He grinned.
"What more could one ask for?"
Slowly... hands began rising throughout the cafeteria.
Cid tightened his fists while watching the crowd react so enthusiastically.
Then, he cald himself.
"...Fine." He exhaled. "I’ll fight this boy."
Theodore smiled faintly.
"December 30th," Cid continued, "9:00 PM, inside—"
"About that..." Cassien interrupted casually.
"It’d be quite boring watching the two of you fight inside the academy facilities. The space there just doesn’t feel grand enough."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Then again, we can’t exactly reserve the royal capital’s colosseum either. That place is strictly reserved for traders and official events..."
Theodore stepped forward slightly.
"May I suggest a location?"
Cassien nodded.
"Go ahead."
Theodore sighed lightly.
"How about the Underground Combat District beneath Silver City?"
Several students widened their eyes instantly.
"The underground district?!"
"Isn’t that place illegal?!"
"No, it technically exists in a legal gray area..."
"Those fights get brutal..."
Even Cid’s expression shifted slightly at the re ntion of the place.
Theodore continued calmly.
"The arenas there are larger. The barriers are stronger. The atmosphere is better. The audience is better."
Then he smiled.
"And honestly... doesn’t a top-ranked genius deserve a proper stage?"
Cid’s pride visibly reacted.
Cassien nearly laughed out loud.
’Hook, line, sinker. Well done Theodore. The note I slipped him last night really paid off. I’m quite the teacher if I do say so myself.’
Ren looked noticeably nervous.
"W-wait... underground fights aren’t safe though."
"Of course they aren’t," Theodore replied. "That’s exactly what makes them entertaining."
’Character developnt. I like it.’
Cid finally nodded.
"Fine. December 30th. Underground Combat District. 9:00 PM."
Theodore smiled.
"I’ll be there."
Then Cassien’s voice suddenly pulled everyone’s attention back once more.
"Everyone! Aiysha and I will be handling ticket sales, betting stations, and food arrangents for the event. Give us so ti to organize everything properly."
"I never agreed to that," Aiysha said flatly.
"We’ll make a lot of money."
"...Fine."
Cassien smiled in satisfaction just as the academy bell rang loudly throughout the building.
Soon enough, students began leaving for their next set of classes.
Cassien glanced down at his schedule once more.
–
[Class 1C]
[Year: 1] [Sester: 1]
[Classes]
→ 1. Combat Fundantals I
→ 2. Mana Control & Arcane Foundations
→ 3. Tactical Strategy & Battlefield Analysis
→ 4. Noble Politics & Academy Laws
–
’The next two classes are with Ren... so they’ll probably be boring.’
...
"Welco to Tactical Strategy & Battlefield Analysis."
The professor already sounded like the serious type.
...
Forty-five minutes later.
Cassien had already begun dozing off, his head resting against the desk provided to him.
"Young man!"
Cassien imdiately jolted awake after hearing soone yell directly beside his ear.
"You seem quite comfortable sleeping during my lecture," the professor said coldly. "Perhaps you already know the curriculum well enough?"
Cassien blinked repeatedly, still waking up.
"Talking to ?"
"No," the professor replied dryly. "I’m talking to the other idiot sleeping on the first day of class. Get down here."
Cassien sighed before standing up and walking toward the front of the classroom.
"Go ahead then. Ask your question."
The class imdiately grew attentive.
"That guy isn’t answering anything."
"Look at him, he’s more confused than Jace."
"Hey! Was that supposed to be an insult?!"
"Calm down," the professor interrupted. "Now then, Cassien. Answer this."
The professor placed both hands behind his back.
"You and your squad are outnumbered three to one during a battlefield operation. Your enemy controls the higher ground, possesses superior mana reserves, and your team’s morale is collapsing rapidly."
He stared directly into Cassien’s eyes.
"What is the very first thing you do?"
"Oh, he’s cooked."
"There’s no correct answer to that."
"That professor is famous for questions like these..."
Cassien stared at the man silently for a few monts.
Then rubbed his eyes.
"The first thing I’d do..." The classroom quieted completely. "is kill the person ruining morale."
"Huh...?"
Cassien continued calmly.
"If morale is already collapsing, then panic has spread throughout the squad. Once fear spreads, people stop thinking rationally. They hesitate. They run. They abandon formations."
He pointed toward the desks.
"One coward can destroy an entire unit faster than the enemy can." Silence filled the room. "So I’d execute the loudest coward first."
Nobody spoke.
Then Cassien shrugged casually.
"After that, I’d force the remaining soldiers into a narrow position where numbers matter less. Choke points exist for a reason."
The professor’s expression slowly changed.
"And the higher ground?"
Cassien answered instantly.
"Overrated."
The students reacted imdiately.
"What?!"
"No, it isn’t!"
Cassien ignored them before explaining.
And that explanation set a new standard in this course.
An explanation from a veteran coming from a teenager.
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