---
The next few weeks were like a blur.
Kai's training had narrowed into a single relentless focus: combat.
Nothing else mattered. No theory. No spells
Just the sword.
What had started as a chaotic, wild "mad sword dance" had now been refined slowly, painfully into a proper kata. A sequence. A method. And with the Combat Scholar overseeing everything, it was beginning to transform into a true fighting style.
The only reason things were developing this quickly?
Because his instructor was literally someone named the Combat Scholar.
A lunatic with war in his blood and a PhD in combat(it actually exists)
Every day, for 12 sometimes even 14 hours Kai trained under him. The only thing keeping him from collapsing was the Combat Scholar's strange support magic. Recovery spells, mana rebalancing, body fatigue nullification. Spells Kai couldn't even name, but they worked.
Without them?
He would've passed out within the first 30 minutes of training every day.
But not everything was going smoothly.
This was also when the cracks in Class C began to show.
Worse than cracks resentment.
The disparities between classes were being driven home now. Class A and B students had been handed personalized spell manuals carefully crafted for their specific affinities and talents. High-grade materials. Full mentorship support.
Meanwhile, Class C was left behind.
Limited resources. No special attention. No tailored guidance.
And worse?
They saw Kai and Kathlyn two of their own surging ahead.
They hadn't exactly been subtle about their progress either. Kai especially. His rapid growth had been almost unnatural. From barely surviving his first skirmishes, to now refining techniques that left even professor Mallet stunned.
It didn't help that he'd mastered all four of his inheritance spells.
That alone had elevated his capabilities exponentially. With those spells at basic mastery, he was now eligible to begin learning their advanced forms something that was supposed to take most people years.
And fueling the fire even more?
Alaric.
The same bastard who stole from June in the original version of the novel.
Even with the timeline altered, the man still had influence. He wasn't directly attacking Kai, but he didn't need to. He just needed to whisper the right things to the right people.
Rumors spread. Fast.
The envy in Class C turned into hostility.
Not open. Not yet.
But it was growing.
Kai could feel it.
Still, he didn't let it distract him.
The combat side of his growth was going well but he knew better than to get arrogant. He had no innate martial talent. His improvements weren't because of natural genius.No. It was the result of:
Being a complete beginner (which meant fast initial gains)
Putting in ridiculous effort
Having an insane teacher
And, most importantly, Felis Hall
That was the real cheat.
And he would need it
Again.
Because soon…
The Underground Battle Arc would begin.
And it all escalates due to a joined class event where Class C is pretty much forced to
Do everything to grow stronger
And Kai?
Sure! Here's a much longer version of your scene, keeping your original intentions, tone, and plot while building the setting, character emotions, and comedic beats:
---
He planned to be prepared.
The joint class event—the beginning of the Underground Battle Arc—was set to begin in the Class A hall. Every student from Class A, B, and C would be there. Tensions were high. Stakes were even higher. And Kai?
Kai was running late.
"FUCK I'm late," he hissed, eyes darting to the glowing academy clock as he sprinted down the corridor. His footsteps echoed wildly. Even the walls looked disappointed in him.
He rounded the corner, about to bolt into the Class A wing, when he skidded to a halt.
Because standing there, calm as ever, was Kathlyn.
She wasn't in her usual uniform either.
She was wearing training gear form-fitting, sleek, designed for movement.
Kai's brain short-circuited.
She looked good.
No.
She looked perfect.
He barely had time to process it before she stepped forward, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"I've been waiting for you," she said. Her tone was flat, but her eyes flickered like she was trying to measure how much of this delay was idiocy and how much was nerve damage. "I wanted to address those strange rumors."
Kai paused.
She didn't blink.
"You wouldn't happen to have any idea where they came from, would you?"
Kai, outwardly calm, looked back at her in silence.
Inwardly?
His brain was short-circuiting again.
Rumors. Right. The ones about him 'marking her publicly,' about 'training together late at night,' and about that whole "Beautiful Slave Kathlyn" thing which, okay, technically was accurate, but in his defense, he didn't expect half the student body to still be talking about it three weeks later.
And the other ones made by Alaric
He cleared his throat.
"We're late," he said smoothly, avoiding the question entirely. "Let's talk about it later."
Kathlyn raised an eyebrow. "...Are you deflecting?"
"No," he lied.
There was a long pause.
"Also," he added, "don't you want to make an entrance?"
That got her.
Even if her personality seemed hardworking that could come off as arrogant you wouldn't be far off if you called her self centred
Her expression twitched. Just slightly. That tiny flicker of interest. She tilted her head.
"...Okay?"
Kai smiled too smugly.
"My plan has been realized."
He held out his hand.
"Hold on to me."
She hesitated.
"Why?"
"So we can arrive in style," he said. "Obviously."
"You just want an excuse to touch me."
"That too."
Kai's admiration of Kathlyn was only sometimes hidden under a very very thin veil
Kathlyn gave him a long, exhausted glare.
Then grudgingly, hesitantly she stepped forward and rested her hand lightly on his back.
Kai activated Ghostly Concealment.
His body shimmered.
Then vanished.
Kathlyn blinked then vanished too, her figure fading alongside him as their mana signatures completely disappeared.
They moved unseen through the halls, silent as thought, passing groups of gathered students who had no idea they were there.
And then
They arrived.
The Class A training hall.
It was packed.
Students from all three classes filled the giant tiered space, standing in groups some already sparring, others gossiping or watching the instructors. The air buzzed with tension
And at the center?
The stars of the show.
June.
And Rose.
Both standing in the middle like they were royalty. June, arms crossed, his expression lazy but sharp. Rose, calm and poised, already analyzing everyone in the room.
They were the center of gravity.
Everyone looked at them.
Everyone focused on them.
Until—
"YOU'RE MY FOURTH FAVOURITE CHARACTER."
Kai whispered it into June's ear.
The effect was immediate.
June flinched.
Which, for him, was like a full-on panic attack.
He turned sharply, eyes wide—then narrowed when he saw Kai and Kathlyn phasing into visibility like two ghosts caught mid-prank.
"You,"
the entire student body were in shock and awe wondering how two Class C students snuck up on June
June rolled his eyes.
Rose tilted her head at Kathlyn, who just sighed.
"I apologize in advance for everything he does," she said flatly.
"Too late," Rose replied.
The crowd murmured,
Kai, still smug, crossed his arms and turned to Kathlyn.
"See?" he whispered. "Perfect entrance."
She didn't reply.
But the corner of her mouth twitched.
Just a little.