How To Survive A Calamity

-"Uuoooohh!"

-"Woah, it's finally happening!"

-"Wow, are you for real? Is that guy actually crazy?!"

-"Haha! Isn't that obvious? Plus, who cares? He's going to get beat anyway...!"

The eruptive, and malicious sounds of cheers and excitement exploded from all around the open arena. The malicious comments drilled into my ears like sharp pikes and stabbed my esteem like knives.

As i sighed, i couldn't help but have my shoulders feel depressingly heavy as i tried futilely to filter out the words of the students who had immediately gathered to spectate from the seats.

The location was a large arena, an open air theatre like one of those ancient roman gladiator arenas from earth. I stood at the center of its sandy stage that span easily over a hundred meters.

The sun was high.

I took in the malicious cheers and vote of confidences with a refreshing breath and smiled.

'Ah, what a beautiful day...'

... maybe if i keep saying it, then the situation wouldn't be as crazy as it actually is, i thought inwardly at myself.

I was armed, and wearing protective gear with a spear in my hand as i leisurely stood.

The hot air was buzzing, and i felt the countless amount of gazes of different kinds penetrate me from all over.

-"Look at that bastard, is he actually smiling? He really is crazy, puahahahaha!"

-"Lol, maybe he has something under his sleeves? Like a secret power l,.or something? He looks pretty leisure and confident though..."

-"Ah, when is it going to start again?! I bet it'll be over in one blow!"

-"It's crazy he even showed up. Well it's already been established he's crazy."

-"Booo! Just drop dead already, you no talent bastard!"

That last one came with a shoe at my head.

'What's up with the crazy bastard this, crazy bastard that?! And who threw this?! a blue vein pulsed against my forehead.

As i was about to engage my senses to fish out the bastard that threw a shoe at my head, a synthetic voice harmonically reverberated in my head.

[Isn't that because you challenged the top ranked cadet to a duel?]

.

.

.

This all came to be through a sequence of events, and we'll have to go back a few days to explain the situation.

***

A few days ago.

And thus, time passed.

"Huaaa." I raised my hand to my mouth as a i squeezed out a tight yawn while i stopped just outside my classroom on another morning like this.

The moment i did, i winced at a slight and sudden discomfort that came from my aching body and frowned.

"I still haven't healed yet..." I was just returning from the training hall from as early as it was opened until it was time for homeroom.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It has been like a routine for me over the past few days. Immediately after my final classes, i spend the rest of the day in the training hall until curfew. Then wake up just as early when it's re-opened the following day up until homeroom.

Like that, i spent the last couple of days that went by in a mundane circle.

"Hmmm..." As i hummed, i began silently regulating and engaging my Ether through my body to supplement and speed up the recovery of my sire muscles slightly.

The fact I've been unable to rank up even a single time was putting me on edge with each moment that went by.

At this point, i was almost desperate.

When in the training hall, i made sure to use every possible facility i had available to me without restraint.

So those who saw me, often saw me get beat up by a golem designed to be a rank higer than me, and such.

My bottle neck was frustrating.

It's been almost a year, and I'm still this close to the next rank up.

I came to Aegis to grow stronger, so it was frustrating that i haven't made any progress at all, even if it hasn't been up to three weeks since I've arrived.

As my thoughts reached this area, my face grew grim.

The scenes and images of the visions i saw all those time ago flashed through my memory, and filled me with a sense of urgency.

I waved my hand casually before my face and summoned the quest notification with a thought.

...

===

[DING!]

A New Quest has been issued:-

Type:- SURVIVAL

Name:- Quest To Becoming Stronger:

Description:

The {Great Calamity} is coming...Get stronger and survive.

Duration-: ...

Reward:- ...

Penalty:- Death, ??? ]

===

...

The blue transluscent screen appeared before my eyes as an invisible panel.

Lately, ever since i returned from the dungeon, I've found myself occasionally summoning the quest board from time to time like this. I would summoned it and just stare at it for a while to check for any new modification or update.

Ever since, i felt like i really didn't have much time for some reason. The duration on the quest was still left blank, but that was what troubled me the most.

It meant it could suddenly update at any given time.

And when it did...

I was afraid it would mean that everything was real.

'Of course it's real.' i shook my head with a groan.

I was no longer denying the reality and fact of this life since i saw the last vision. But the duration could be updated at any moment. That was enough ti kerp me on edge.

'I have to get stronger.'

I needed to rank up.

And even after that, I'm still a long way to go.

"You really aren't a morning person, huh."

While i was absorbed entirely in my thoughts, i heard a voice call out to me from the side. Alexander was suddenly right next to me with an odd expression.

By this point, i had already grown use to his presence.

Besides that, since i began my desperate schedule outside of classes I've been able to avoid Alex most of the times, except for during lectures and specialised classes.

"Huh?" At Alex's words i frowned.

"You have this ferocious expression like the world is about to end."

When Alex said that, i could only stare speechlessly. My mouth was hung open, but i just couldn't say anything.

The world did end, I'm looking at rge reason for it...

Alex, finding my reaction somehow amusing, chuckled dismissively as he waved away and went it.

"Homeroom will soon start, you should stop staring around like that. You'll scare people off."

'Who is this bastard?'

With a small groan i suppressed my killing intentions, and looked away.

For now, i set apart my encounter with Alex and dismissed the status panel hovering In front of me before stepping into the classroom.

Homeroom began in no time, with Wrenna taking her olace and starting roll call.

"Number 1, Ceres Walker"

"Present."

"No. 2, Deandra LaCurt.

"Present..."

Wrenna's voice eang out rhythmically as she called out tte cadets number in order. The list went on, and since i was still far off from having my rank called out, i blinked ky eyes and resummoned the quest status panel once again.

-Tap -Tap -Tap

Unintentionally, i began tapping my feet anxiously.

I crossed my finger's and leaned my elbows against my desk.

Unease consumed me from inside like a swarm of fire ants.

With narrowed and unsettled eyes, i swept yet another glance across the screen.

'No notification.'

Perhaps I had no real need to do this.

Wouldn't Meta just alert me if there were any future changes or something?

'What am i doing wrong? Is it something to do with the wrong training method? Or was it approach?' unable to sit still and calmly, my thoughts anxiously raced.

Just then.

[Maybe you should take it easy.]

I heard Meta say.

Meta's input mande me snort and roll my eyes.

"I don't want to here that from you."

Meta was the last person...or thing in the world qualified enough to tell me that.

And besides...

"You're a system right, my system? Isn't there something cheat-like you can do make leveling up easier?"

This would be the best time for a never before mentioned elixir or something to come in and save the day.

At my jab, Meta went quite for a few seconds.

[There are various methods to push and force a breakthrough through techniques, or drugs and equipments. But currently none are available to you.]

'But the Academy surely has those means...' i mused, my right knee incessantly vibrating.

In the end, i closed my eyes and sighed lightly.

There was only one way i could think of now.

'It looks like 'that' is my only way for now-"

"No 1499, when you hear your rank, signify immediately!" A sharp and ferocious voice snapped me out of my thoughts with a jolt.

My shoulders flinched, and by the time i came to reality, i felt the ferocious glare of Wrenna threaten to stab me to feath from in front.

I leaned back and stood up with a cough.

"Present..."

Saying so, i chose to pretend to ignore the glare the instructor was sending me and returned to my seat.

After that, the cadets casually turned their attention and looks away from me and i restrained a sigh.

Bu before i could fully take my seat, i caught sight of Ceres openly staring at me from the front.

My shoulders stiffened slightly as i pretend not to notice and looked away.

It's been happening a lot lately.

For some reason, Ceres has been glaring at me whenever she could.

'it's been since the General Combat Class...'

At first i ignored it, hoping it would stop, but three days later, here i was.

But for now, i had more pressing matters to worry about than the suspicious attention of the First ranked cadet of my school year.

[Indeed, you're right.] All of a sudden Meta's voice hummed inside my head, and i showed a puzzled expression.

'What?'

[I really haven't been offering my part as a 'System' and your guide. Your strength is my purpose after all.] As Meta spoke, i heard a strange illusionary sound from the back of my head and my mind hummed.

Meta's strange and unexpected words suddenly made me feel strange.

But before i could say anything else...

[Ding! A new Side-quest has been assigned!]

...

[New Quest Alert!]

[Type:- Survival

Name:- Quest to becoming Stronger

Description:- Challenge the number one student of your year to a duel.

Duration:- ...

Rewards:- +1 instant level up!

Penalty:- ...]

=======

...

Something crazy appeared before my eyes.