Bound by power ; Two friends with S rank skill

The classroom door creaked open, and a tall man with rugged features strolled in. His presence was commanding, but his relaxed smile carried an air of experience rather than strictness. A scar ran across his cheek, telling a silent story of countless battles.

"Alright, class, settle down." His voice was deep, calm, yet held a sharp edge that demanded attention. "I am your instructor, Gabriel. Before I became a teacher, I was an adventurer under the Zelbert Adventurer Guild. I won't teach you flashy spells or combat stances. My lesson is something even more important—survival."

The students straightened instinctively.

Gabriel paced to the front, folding his arms. "Out there, beyond these walls, monsters roam freely. And trust me, not all problems can be solved by swinging a sword. You need to learn how to stay alive, how to gather herbs, how to skin a monster, and how to extract its magic gems. This knowledge separates corpses from legends. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the students chorused.

"Good," Gabriel said with a grin. "Then let's begin."

A girl in the front raised her hand. "Sir… are we going outside on the first day?"

Gabriel chuckled. "Of course. This is Zelbert Academy. If you can't handle this, you're in the wrong place. Oh, and one more thing—do all of you have your personal weapons now?"

The students nodded in unison.

"Excellent. You'll need them."

A few minutes later, the class assembled at the academy gates. The crisp morning air carried the faint scent of pine as the massive doors opened, revealing a sprawling forest beyond the cobblestone path. The trees towered like ancient sentinels, their shadows weaving secrets across the earth.

As the first-years marched into the wilderness, whispers rose among a group of second-years lounging near the gates.

"Another batch heading to the forest, huh?" one of them muttered.

"Wonder how many will actually come back in one piece."

Another laughed darkly. "I barely survived my first time. Thought I was gonna die when that horned boar charged."

A third smirked. "Heh. They'll learn soon enough."

---

After a brisk walk, Gabriel halted the group near a moss-covered clearing. His sharp gaze swept over the students.

"Alright, listen up! This forest is home to low-level monsters. Nothing too dangerous… if you're careful." His tone hardened. "Your task is simple: gather herbs."

He reached into his pocket and produced a small, green leaf tinged with silver veins.

"This," he said, holding it high, "is a Healing Herb. Find twelve of these, and you pass. Bring me less, and you fail. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Stay alert, move smart, and don't get killed." Gabriel's lips curled into a wry smile. "Now go."

The students scattered, boots crunching on fallen leaves as they disappeared into the forest.

---

Rey adjusted his crimson gauntlets and smirked. "This is gonna be easy."

Zane glanced at him calmly. "I figured you'd say that. Should we stick together?"

"—" Rey started, but a voice cut in.

"Hey! Zane, right?" A girl with short auburn hair approached, two others in tow. She offered Zane a bright smile. "Want to join us?"

Zane blinked. "Uh…" He glanced at Rey, unsure.

Rey grinned and waved him off. "Go on, bro. I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Zane asked.

"Yeah. Just don't get dragged down by those girls."

"Ha-ha. Very funny." Zane sighed and followed the trio deeper into the woods, leaving Rey alone.

---

Time to get this over with.

Rey strode through the forest, eyes scanning the undergrowth. It didn't take long to spot the herbs—clusters of silver-veined leaves nestled beneath mossy roots. He crouched, plucking them swiftly.

"Twelve, huh? Too easy."

Minutes later, he straightened with a pouch full of herbs.

"Well… that's that."

He started back toward the meeting point, humming under his breath—until a low growl rumbled behind him. Rey froze, turning slowly to see two glowing eyes glaring from the bushes. A Horned Wolf, its black fur bristling like steel needles, crept into view.

A smirk tugged Rey's lips. "Guess I'll have some fun."

The wolf lunged. Rey sidestepped with ease, his crimson gauntlets blazing with fiery mana. His fist shot forward—CRACK!—sending the beast crashing into a tree. It whimpered once before collapsing, a faint glow rising from its chest.

Rey crouched, prying a small crystal from the corpse. "A magic gem, huh? Guess Gabriel wasn't kidding."

He slipped it into his pouch and continued back without another word.

---

At the clearing, Gabriel stood with arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning each returning student. Some limped back with bleeding cuts, others had clothes torn to shreds. A few even had to be carried by classmates.

"Well?" Gabriel asked as Rey approached.

Rey held up the pouch. "Twelve herbs. No more, no less."

Gabriel peeked inside and raised an eyebrow. "Good work, kid."

Rey's gaze swept the area. "Where's everyone else?"

"Struggling," Gabriel said simply, then turned to another group stumbling back. "You get the herbs?"

The students nodded weakly, clutching pouches with trembling hands. Blood stained their uniforms.

Then, from the trees, Zane emerged with his group, calm and collected. He carried a pristine pouch—and not a single scratch marked his uniform.

"Too easy," Zane said as he reached Rey. "You?"

Rey grinned. "Same."

Gabriel clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Well done. No one failed—though some of you came close." His gaze softened slightly. "Head to the clinic if you're injured. Class dismissed."

As the others limped away, Rey and Zane exchanged a look.

"You ready?" Rey asked, his grin widening.

Zane smirked. "Arena?"

"Damn right."

The two walked off side by side, the setting sun painting their silhouettes in gold—a prelude to the storm that was about to erupt.

The sun dipped low in the sky as Rey and Zane strolled toward the academy's grand arena. Their weapons gleamed faintly under the amber light, anticipation burning between them.

"Finally," Rey muttered with a grin, adjusting his crimson gauntlets. "Been waiting for this all day."

Zane sighed, brushing his blue bangs aside. "Don't overdo it. It's just a spar."

"Relax," Rey said with a smirk. "What's the worst that could—"

BOOM!

The ground trembled violently as an explosion shattered the quiet. Both boys froze, heads whipping toward the source—the arena.

Smoke billowed from the massive coliseum, mingling with the fading sunlight. Rey and Zane exchanged a glance, then sprinted inside.

What they found stopped them in their tracks.

Two students clashed in the center of the battlefield—one a burly third-year, the other… someone Rey and Zane recognized instantly.

"The guy who bumped into me the other day…" Zane murmured, his brows furrowing.

Rey's eyes narrowed as he studied the duel. The boy wielded a sword with a calm, almost arrogant poise. Each swing radiated raw confidence.

"A swordsman, huh?" Rey muttered under his breath.

"Guess that makes two of us," Zane replied quietly.

The fight escalated in an instant. The mysterious student thrust his sword skyward, mana swirling violently around him like a storm. His voice boomed across the arena, dripping with authority:

"Spark of storm, through steel ignite!

Blade of lightning, strike with might!

Lightning Blade!"

Thunder roared. Lightning danced along his blade, wrapping it in crackling arcs of raw power. The very air hummed with electricity as the swordsman slashed downward—

CRAAAAASH!

The strike split the ground in two, jagged fissures tearing through the arena floor. Sparks leapt skyward like angry fireflies.

The third-year opponent barely had time to erect a shimmering barrier. It shattered instantly. The boy was hurled backward, crashing into the far wall with a sickening thud.

Gasps echoed from the few onlookers. The victor lowered his blade slowly, a smirk curving his lips.

"Tch. Even a third-year can't handle this? Pathetic."

As he turned, his gaze landed on Rey and Zane watching from the stands. His smirk deepened.

But before he could speak, a voice thundered across the coliseum—raw, bold, and unyielding.

"HEY, YOU!"

The swordsman blinked. "Hm?"

"I challenge you to a spar!" Rey's voice cut through the tension like steel.

The boy's brows arched, amused. "You? Challenge me?" His smirk widened. "You're too weak. Don't waste my time."

Rey didn't hesitate. With a burst of speed, he leapt from the viewing platform, landing on the fractured battlefield. Dust swirled around him as he straightened, fire blazing in his orange eyes.

"I don't care what you think," Rey declared, slamming his gauntlets together with a metallic clang. "I'm not backing down."

Zane's voice rang out from above, laced with urgency. "Rey, STOP! We can't even use incantations yet—it's only our first day!"

Rey shot him a cocky grin. "I watch Isekai anime. I know what I'm doing."

"This isn't anime!" Zane snapped. "This is real life!"

"Even so," Rey said, eyes never leaving his opponent, "I won't hold back."

The swordsman's expression darkened, then softened into an amused chuckle. "Fine. I like your spirit, freshman. But here's the deal—your class needs at least seven days to learn proper incantations. When that time's up, I'll fight you. Until then…" He sheathed his sword in one smooth motion.

Rey clenched his fists but nodded. "Deal."

"Good." The boy stepped closer, his gaze sharp as lightning. "Name's Jade Hojin. Remember it."

"Rey Sawada," Rey shot back, his voice like steel. "The one who'll beat you down."

For a brief moment, their auras collided—Rey's mana swirling like a raging crimson dragon, Jade's surging like a wyvern crackling with thunder. The sheer pressure forced cracks through the broken floor.

Zane's jaw tightened. (This… they're monsters.)

Finally, Jade smirked and turned away. "Don't disappoint me, Sawada."

---

The walk back to the dorms was heavy with silence—until Zane broke it with a sigh.

"What were you thinking, Rey? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Rey shrugged. "That guy needs a lesson."

"A lesson? Did you even see what happened to that third-year? His barrier didn't last a second!"

Rey grinned, eyes gleaming with reckless fire. "Don't worry so much. I'll be fine."

Zane pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible."

They reached their dorm and shut the door behind them. Rey collapsed onto his bed, hands folded behind his head, a satisfied grin plastered across his face.

"Man… what a day," he murmured. "Got my own weapon… learned so much… maybe school isn't so bad after all."

His eyes drifted shut, memories of his old life flickering like distant flames.

Across the room, Zane stood by the window, letting the cool night breeze brush his face.

"Rey…" he whispered, his voice tinged with exasperation and faint admiration. "So immature… picking a fight just because Jade bumped into me."

He closed his eyes, the stars painting silver patterns across the dark sky.

And soon, sleep claimed them both—unaware that their names were already etching themselves into the pages of destiny.