End-of-Month Training (3) - Hazing Ritual
Time flew by. Before we knew it, the day of the decisive battle—our end-of-month training—had arrived.
While countless academy students formed their own teams, gathered intel on the monsters they'd target, and dove into strategy meetings, the special class kids from the old school building faced one issue right from the start of training. Or rather, we were up against it fully prepared, without even a moment to explain or chat leisurely.
Current time: 00:00. Midnight—the official "training day."
Me, Unia, Rydmila, Evangeline, and Instructor Esta: the five of us gathered at the old school building's entrance.
In pajamas? Hell no. This wasn't like facing the angel in sloppy sleepwear with a coat thrown over—we came out fully geared up. Robes over our academy uniforms, weapons at the ready. The moment the magic panel clock struck midnight, we kicked off.
"Winds of the north, guardians of the south."
The instant midnight hit, Unia raised her magic staff and chanted the full spell incantation, focusing her magic.
Whoosh.
A pretty stiff breeze kicked up toward the southeast, and Rydmila started loosening her ankles, prepping to run.
"Phoenix, ready?"
"Of course. You good, Evangeline?"
"All set."
It wasn't just Rydmila. Evangeline had enlarged her wolf plushie into quadruped form and mounted its back, while Instructor Esta was already astride her summoned unicorn, waiting for something.
> [Everyone ready?]
"Copy that. Old school special class, Vermilion Bird squad—standing by to launch."
> Got it. Then I'll drop the 'declaration of war.' Everyone, get ready to count down?
I traced a big circle over my head toward Instructor Cardisha, and right away, static crackled—zzzt.
Bap-bam, bap-bap-bam, bam, bam—
Along with what sounded like an on-the-dot chime, the old school's magic waves spread mana not just through the building but into the nearby forest and beyond.
[Ahem. This is Cardisha, alchemy instructor at the old school building.]
[As of this moment, the old school students' end-of-month training officially begins.]
The moment Instructor Cardisha's "declaration" ended—
"Wind Lord—!"
Unia's fully chanted spell, Wind Path, activated. We bolted southeast along that path at full speed.
Rumble rumble.
We raced down the forest trail. Rydmila powered ahead on two legs, with Evangeline and me right behind. Unia was in my arms but kept the Wind Path steady, pushing us forward with tailwinds from behind.
"I'll watch your backs, but no helping."
Instructor Esta's words sounded a bit cold. Separate from Unia's tailwind, her unicorn galloped through the air on its own path, keeping pace ahead.
"It's fine, Instructor! We gotta handle this level of danger easy! Right?!"
"Of course."
But before she could respond, I scooped Unia up princess-style and charged forward.
"Phoenix! Evangeline! Follow me! Stay tight on my tail!"
Rydmila took point, robe flapping as she ran.
"Engage the 'enemy' in 3 minutes! I'll clear the way!"
She gripped a magic spear she rarely pulled out—the mana stone tip gleamed with her signature color, shining fiercely like it'd slice through anything.
"Phoenix, you okay?!"
"Of course."
Evangeline, racing full tilt on her quadruped plush behind Rydmila, shot me a worried glance checking my status. But I just clutched Unia and kept running, running.
"Just gotta punch through to the 'south terminal' somehow. After that, we follow the plan we set up. So until then, we give it everything to break through."
My Vermilion Bird squad teammates nodded. No matter who showed up, we'd fight full throttle—that was our resolve as we gritted our teeth and rode Unia's Wind Path tailwinds.
"They probably heard Instructor Cardisha's declaration of war already. The saboteurs lurking around the old school."
Before the path ahead filled with whatever was coming.
"If they keep us from even reaching the training ground now that it's started, that'd be the ultimate humiliation for academy freshmen."
Before those guys blocked our way instead of heading to their own training.
"As long as we don't break academy rules. For the students' holistic growth. That's the combo that has us sprinting from midnight, right."
Time now: 00:03, three minutes past midnight.
Why bolt from the old school at midnight—not morning—the second training started? Plenty of reasons, but bottom line: we had to catch 'em off guard.
"They'll panic, no doubt. Even if it's an annual thing, even if some linger near the old school late thanks to magic pants."
Who? Obviously, the ones skipping training.
As Chang Yeom dug up from my memories, without the angel chaos or magic pants, no one might've even thought of it. The old school's been hit so often it's almost routine now, but this proper training is the main event we've been building to.
Right now, academy 2nd- and 3rd-years are scattered everywhere outside the old school. To block freshmen heading to their assigned training grounds per the regular curriculum.
Some call it "stern senior education." Others, a bad upperclassman habit to enforce discipline on newbies. Still others, a drill warning that surprise ambushes could sideline you from training.
"...Engage."
Up ahead.
"S-Stop! Y-You guys can't pass!!"
A bunch of girl students with staves blocked the forest path, aiming staff tips at us. Less confident like they'd waited forever, more like they'd been slinking around the old school, spotted us, and hastily formed a defense line.
The ribbons, shoulder epaulets, neckties, or nameplate colors on their academy uniforms marked all seven-ish as "3rd-year seniors."
"Then."
I hugged Unia tight, poured mana into my legs, and kept tailing Rydmila.
"Time to smash this midnight hazing ritual from the jump."
The academy's bad habit was doomed from the start.
* * *
[That same moment, academy student affairs building. Student council room.]
Hazing ritual. In crude terms: newbie hazing.
Upperclassmen's nasty prank to wreck freshmen’s first training any way they can. Not part of any official instructor-led curriculum. Not even student council-sanctioned activity.
Student Council President Keiar had fought to stamp out this toxic culture, but circumstances aligned just wrong, and the hazing kicked off.
A challenge aimed at the old school.
If the old school were still ruins, they'd surround dorm students. But now, all that manpower was gunning straight for the old school.
"Hey!! Old school kids just dropped the 'training start' declaration!"
"What? Sneaky bastards! Twisting the rule about leaving campus for training grounds like this!!"
"What're you waiting for, seniors?! Gonna let underclassmen waltz to training?! Teach 'em life's first lesson: it's all P's and F's!!"
The absurd chatter drifted in through the student council room's open windows from nearby dorms.
"We can't just let what happened to us slide!"
Stuff you could ignore, you probably should. But the seniors' passion burned hot.
"Sorry...."
President Keiar clasped his hands in prayer.
"We got word there'd be none this year, but it's not organized—individuals teaming up on their own...!"
No hazing this year. Things were chaotic, tons going on, old school kids were plenty capable—no need. That's what he'd thought, and he'd done his best to shut it down.
But despite the president's warnings, 3rd-years were dead set on passing on the hazing they'd endured as freshmen.
"Phoenix, you..."
President Keiar was tearing his hair out, regretting not properly briefing the old school special class, when—
"Student Council President!"
"What is it?"
"The defense line from senior grads... the net...!"
Gulp.
"Old school Vermilion Bird squad's four smashing through the hazing seniors and bolting for the Ludbekia Marchioness training ground!!"
"......!!"