Author's Note: Hooray for a new chapter! *dances a little jig*
To Sophia Mendes-Coruja: Lol YES Lu is the cutest. I'm so glad my explanation was clear! It was a lot, but thankfully, really simple math :) All of my world names are actually Greek! I think the language is beautiful and perfect for names of cool fantasy places (in fact, a lot of my stuff that sounds cool is in Greek). For example, Fotià literally translates as "fire".
To Shiho-Akemi: Lol that would be cool! I won't spoil anything for you though ;)
To Red Voident Dragon: Thank you so much! Haha I honestly didn't even notice you got cut off, just thought you were being all trendy and stuff XD
To fluffypuppies: There will definitely be some Shanks and Lu bonding, I guarantee it! Yeah, poor Lu :( but never fear! I've got a plan! *insert evil laughter* it wouldn't be any fun if I spoiled it all haha. Everybody's thinking about that empty throne. Thank you for the review, as always! Your'e wonderful!
"…and that's all we have time for today!" Shanks said, putting his chalk down after giving them a detailed description of the different worlds, "Remember to read the assigned chapters in the book and spend some time in the greenhouse! If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
Luffy waved to his new friends and took his time packing up. Soon, it was just him and the teacher.
"You got a question, sport?" Shanks asked, a cheeky grin on his face. Luffy nodded and trotted up to the red-head, who'd jumped up to sit on his desk.
"Yeah, well…ya see…" Luffy smiled sheepishly, "I was wondering how many creatures required an offering of 2 or less." His teacher blinked at him for a moment before a look of realization swept across his face.
"Oh! You're the kid Smoker was telling me about, the one who scored a 2 on his mana level exam." Luffy nodded and moved his hands up to the straps of his ratty backpack while Shanks shifted his position slightly, "Don't worry about it, we'll find something for you! Though, your choices will be limited, I'm afraid."
Luffy shrugged, kind of expecting that. The red-headed teacher chuckled and leapt down beside him.
"You may have some trouble finding a creature to contract with, but something tells me you'll excel in mana sight and refreshment. Look forward to class tomorrow!"
Shanks ruffled his hair and winked before leaving the classroom himself, heading off towards the faculty offices. That made him feel a little bit better. He was worried he wouldn't be able to do anything cool…
Luffy's stomach rumbled loudly, making him pick up his pace back into town. It was finally time for lunch, and MEAT! By the time he reached the cafeteria, he was absolutely starving!
Locating his friends wasn't difficult since they were all standing at the front entrance, trays in hand.
"Yo, Luffy." Sanji greeted, "You're a bit late…get into trouble already?"
"Shishishi, nah, just wanted to ask the teacher something." Luffy replied, glancing into the cafeteria, "You guys waiting for something?" Vivi sighed.
"Well, there's no seats left. The upper classmen took them all."
"Then let's eat outside!" Luffy suggested happily, prompting everyone to look between each other with raised eyebrows, "Come on, I saw some picnic tables over by the greenhouse!" After quickly getting himself some food (under the ever watchful eye of Sanji), he led his friends to the spot he'd seen.
Thankfully, the greenhouse wasn't very far from the cafeteria and had lots of big trees for shade. Vivi, Usopp, and Sanji sat at the table while Luffy and Zoro rested under the leaves of the tree itself.
"Where's Nami?" Luffy asked, noticing the orange-haired girl's absence.
"She said she had somewhere to be." Vivi informed him, wiping her mouth delicately with a napkin. He hummed, somewhat disappointed. Nami seemed interesting and he wanted to get to know her better.
A few minutes later, Luffy saw a few familiar faces looking around for somewhere to eat and waved them over. Meekly, Chopper and Coby made their way towards the group.
"Guys, these're my new friends, Chopper and Coby!" He introduced with a smile. Chopper blushed heavily and Coby bowed profusely.
"How wonderful! Please, join us." Vivi exclaimed, scooting over to make room for the two boys. Their lunch was quite boisterous, but less crowded than it had been inside the building. Luffy inwardly hoped they would eat there every meal.
Far too soon, his summoner friends had to leave for their next class. Luffy wanted to hang out with Chopper and Coby, but they both had a work shift before their Realm Combat class. So, he was left alone.
Huffing while he continued to lounge under the large tree, Luffy considered what he should do until his next class. Class didn't start for another two hours, so maybe he could explore? Before he could get up, his phone vibrated.
According to Mr. Smokey, there wasn't any service on the Mesa, so who could be calling him? Pulling out his phone, Luffy immediately smiled. Of course!
"Hi, Ace!"
"Hey, Lu!" His big brother replied, voice a little muffled, "How's your first day at the academy?"
"Okay I guess…General Practices sucks, but my ranger classes seem fun!"
"Yeah, Kuro, or Buggy if you have him, can be kind of…wait…ranger classes?" Luffy gulped, suddenly remembering that he hadn't told his brothers about his mana score yet.
"Er…yeah, I'm a ranger. I guess I kind of forgot to tell you…"
"What'd you score?"
"A 2."
"Damn, that's low." Ace whispered, "Wow, sorry Lu. Sabo and I just kind of assumed…" Luffy chuckled lightly.
"It's okay, I actually think it's going to be fun, traveling to other worlds and stuff."
Luffy talked with Ace for a while, explaining the reaction to his score from Mr. Smokey and his new friends. He also told him about the bullies and how awesome Shanks seemed. At first, his brother seemed…almost sad, but as they continued talking, he became happier and happier for him.
"I'm glad you're making friends!" Ace said, "As for the bullies…well, you know what I always say."
"Shishishi, give 'em hell, right?"
"Damn straight. I know you can handle yourself, so I'm not worried. Just…don't get expelled or anything, okay?"
A few minutes later, Ace had to hang up, but not before cheering him on in typical 'Ace fashion' and reminding him to call Sabo since his other brother would want to hear from him as well. Luffy shivered at the thought of an angry or disappointed Sabo…he could be scary.
With nothing else to do (since Luffy didn't start his new job until the next day), he laid down in the shade of the large tree to nap, falling asleep almost instantly.
Zoro looked around the large room their class had been ushered into. It was big enough for summoners to practice in without worrying about breaking the ceiling or anything (though the cracks in the walls and floor indicated it'd seen some use).
"I know it's your first day, so we'll take it slow." Their teacher, Miss Hina, said in a loud voice, "First, who can tell me what it takes to summon and contract with a creature?" No one replied, making her sigh. "Anyone…?" Since none of his classmates wanted to respond, Zoro raised his hand.
"Their name and a proper circle…" Hina nodded.
"That's right, it's fairly simple really. We have many reference books here on campus that give specific instructions for a creature's circle and their name, but you must summon them with confidence, and the right amount of mana of course, or they will break free from your control." She explained seriously, "A contract allows you to summon a creature easier and for less mana, but sometimes it can be difficult. Not all creatures, especially humanoid ones, want to be bound to you."
"Then you snare them, right?" Bellamy put in with a smirk, "They're just animals after all…no one gives a damn what they want."
"On the contrary, you should give a damn." Hina retorted, making Bellamy's smirk fall, "Snaring is perfectly valid on the more animalistic creatures, but I don't recommend you try it on an intelligent, sentient being. That's just inviting disaster."
Zoro had a basic idea of how it all worked, but since he hadn't contracted with his three creatures…he'd never actually done it himself. He suspected that a few of his Legacy classmates were in the same boat: had a creature (or multiple), with no idea how their contract actually came to be.
"Allow me to demonstrate." Hina stated as she pulled out a piece of paper with a summoning circle drawn on it, "This is a Scarab Beetle's circle, a Level I creature with a grade of 50. As you'll all discover, drawing out the circle correctly is extremely important. One wrong rune or line and you may accidently summon the wrong creature…one beyond your means."
The pink-haired teacher then held up the circle for all of them to see and it began to glow a cold yellow.
"This color is an indicator of where the creature's from, in this case, Fos." Hina continued, "Learn to recognize the colors as you practice. Now then…"
Hina closed her eyes and the circle grew brighter. Slamming the paper on the ground, she yelled,
"Come, Scarab of the Sands!"
Almost instantly, the circle expanded, and a little creature appeared in a puff of smoke. It was a small beetle that began to wander around the circle once the light died down, though it couldn't escape the lines that held it in place.
"Since there are many Scarab Beetles and they are an unintelligent species, all of their names are the same." Hina explained, looking down at the creature, "Doesn't mean you'll necessarily get the same one though. Now, I'm keeping this little guy trapped in my circle, but I can release him at any time. With my mana and experience, it won't be hard to keep him under control."
With a wave of her hand, the circle dissipated, and the beetle flew up in a circle pattern, obviously controlled by Hina.
"Watch closely as I contract with it, or in this case, snare it."
Directing the beetle to land on the ground again, Hina closed her fist, causing the circle to appear again, this time tighter around the creature.
"Scarab of the Sands, by order of Hina, become my familiar." At that, the circle engulfed the beetle, shining on its shell, before fading, "Now that I have snared it, there is no need for a proper circle, just its name. You may create your own contract phrase, though it must include both of our names. To dispel the contract…"
Hina closed her hand again, causing the circle to appear again on the beetle.
"Scarab of the Sands, by order of Hina, be free of my service."
The circle disappeared off the beetle and it flew around rather erratically before Hina dismissed it completely back to its home world.
"Contracts are an essential part of being a summoner but be aware of your own limits. Based on your own mana, you may only contract with a certain number of creatures before you have to start releasing them." She said, crossing her arms, "As a general rule, never attempt to contract with a creature that has a higher grade then your mana can handle. If you have your eyes set on a specific creature, get your hands on a relic, it'll help boost your mana. Now, let's practice!"
Their teacher then handed out sheets of paper to each student, all with a different Level I, grade 50 creature on them. Zoro's was a Flutterwing, some sort of large butterfly from Louloùdi. After taking a few minutes to study their creature and circle, the drawing trial-and-error began.
As it turned out, it was harder than he thought.
First of all, the circle had to be…well, a circle. It didn't have to be perfect, but close enough. Eventually, Zoro gave up and pulled out his water bottle to use as a guide. Beside him, Usopp was already half-way done.
"Dang, you're good at this." He whispered, teasing his friend. Usopp just chuckled.
"You kidding? I love this kind of stuff!" Ever the artistic one…Zoro envied his natural talent.
As they worked, Hina reminded them that while the size of the circle didn't necessarily impact the summoning occurring, the more powerful the creature, the more runes and writing were required. Therefore, it was smart to increase the size for more accuracy.
Plus, if you could trap them in the circle, it was less dangerous for the summoner. Once an hour had gone by, it was time to try summoning their creatures. Surprisingly, Nami stepped forward to go first.
The orange haired girl held up her elegantly drawn circle and it began to glow blue.
"Bubbling Tern!" She yelled, slamming the paper down. The circle grew and a small bird appeared. Nami smirked and moved her hand around, directing her creature around in a set pattern. With a snap of her fingers, the bird blew bubbles from its beak which floated around, seemingly harmless, until they hit the wall and exploded into little pops of electricity.
"Nicely done!" Hina praised, "Excellent control."
Nami smiled sweetly and dismissed her creature. They weren't supposed to snare their summons just yet, that would happen in a few weeks. Right now, just summoning something was a good start.
Usopp managed to summon a small rat-like creature, though it took a few tries. His meek little calls weren't good enough to draw the being through a portal into their world, it took at least a little bit of confidence.
Sanji succeeded on his first try, bringing a bashful flower creature into the training ground and, unsurprisingly, Bellamy was quite talented as well. Finally, it was Zoro's turn.
Honestly, he was a bit nervous. This was different from summoning his three personal creatures…they belonged to his family, this bug-thing didn't. But he knew this was a skill he needed to master if he was going to become stronger.
Holding out his paper, Zoro concentrated, sending his mana into the summoning circle. Once it began to glow green, he placed it on the floor and said strongly,
"Flutterwing!"
He was pleased when the creature heeded his call and emerged through the portal, flying around his circle. Zoro felt…powerful, seeing it trapped. In his mind, creatures were tools to reach his ambition, finding and killing him. That being said, he knew one had to take care of tools so they could do their job.
Like his swords.
Luffy was woken by incessant shaking of his shoulder, bringing him back from the world of dreams. It was Coby, who had a concerned look on his face.
"Oh, thank goodness! For a moment, I thought you'd passed out or something." Luffy yawned and smiled up at his new friend.
"Shishishi, I'm just taking a nap. What's up?"
"Well…our next class starts in fifteen minutes, so I thought I'd wake you…"
Quickly gathering up his things, Luffy trotted after Coby to where their Realm Combat class was located. According to their schedule, it was held somewhere outside of town in a place called The Arena, which sounded fun!
When they arrived, there was a handwritten note on the gate instructing them to change into their gym clothes in the nearby locker room before entering the grounds. Luffy looked to the left at the rundown building and assumed that was where they were going to change. Though…did they have gym clothes?
Inside the building, there was a separate room for girls and boys, indicated by clear signs. Amazingly, in all their lockers (which were labeled with their names) was a white t-shirt, black shorts, and a pair of running shoes that actually fit really well.
"What do you think the class is going to be like?" Coby asked, shuffling nervously as Luffy tied his shoes, "I-I'm a bit nervous."
"Dunno…hopefully fun!" He chirped in response, following the others outside. The girls had the same uniform, and many pulled their hair back. When no one made a move to walk through the gate, Luffy jogged forward excitedly and led the way.
The Arena itself was a large open area that had all sorts of stuff including a pool, obstacle course, traditional running lanes, etc. From outside the gate, it was impossible to see everything due to ivy and the mere height of it. Was that on purpose?
Surveying further in excitement, Luffy also noted a forested area where they might be doing the survival training Shanks talked about. It was all so cool!
"I see everyone's on time, good." A deep, familiar voice said, making Luffy turn. It was the professor who'd stepped in between him and Bellamy. "My name is Rob Lucci and I will be instructing you in Realm Combat. Don't both with 'Mr.', it's annoying. You will, however, call me Sir. Now line up!"
All of the students quickly lined up, many flinching from the harsh tone in the teacher's voice.
"In this class, you will learn survival skills, hand-to-hand combat, and everything else you'll need to survive in the other worlds. Should you fail to master the skills I teach you, there is a good chance you'll die during fieldwork." At that, many of his classmates audibly gulped and trembled in fear. "For the first few weeks, we will work specifically on identifying strengths and what you want to focus on. I am well aware that many of you may struggle in the…physical aspects of this class."
Luffy glanced down the line of students. After their teacher's speech, many of them had paled considerably.
"…but there is one thing you will all appreciate hearing." Lucci stated, drawing everyone's attention again, "Compared to this class, Basic Combat will be a walk in the park."
To warm-up, they had to run one mile around the track. Luffy didn't think it was terribly difficult, in fact, it was fun! Though, he exercised all the time and his grandpa had started training him in mixed martial arts when he was just a little kid.
There were a few others who could keep up with him, like Bartolomeo, who had an impressive amount of muscle built up, and Shuraiya, a cool looking guy who Luffy hadn't had a chance to talk to yet. Soon, the three of them were a full two laps ahead of their classmates.
"Yo, Luffy, right?" Shuraiya asked as they made another turn, "For your size, you've got pretty decent endurance."
"Eh, what's that supposed to mean?" Luffy answered with a pout. Just because he wasn't all that tall, didn't mean he was out of shape. Shuraiya laughed.
"I'm just messing with you. So, you play any sports?"
"MMA…some soccer." Luffy said with a shrug, making Shuraiya whistle and Bartolomeo look over in interest.
"MMA, huh? We should spar sometime."
They chatted as they finished warming up, and both of his new friends expressed interest in sparring with him, which made Luffy happy. Fighting was something he'd always had, and he was always looking for new opponents. Unfortunately, the rest of their class took a whole ten to fifteen minutes longer to run the mile, huffing and puffing as they finally finished.
Coby was bright red in the face and Kaya looked like she might pass out.
"Are you okay?" Luffy asked, helping the blonde girl sit down.
"Y-Yes…thank you." She replied, out of breath, "I've never been in the best health, so t-this is probably just a shock to my system." After a break for water (and a small medical exam for Kaya by their teacher), it was time to continue.
"As I expected, most of you have a long way to go." Lucci stated, looking over all of them with a critical eye, "Now, we move on to hand-to-hand combat. As you make pacts with creatures and gain abilities, your training programs will be altered accordingly."
Their instructor paired them up and taught them some basic moves, most of which Luffy was already proficient in. First, he was with Bartolomeo. The larger male was definitely strong, but not terribly agile so it was easy to maneuver around his punches and flip him to the floor. Still, it was fun for both of them to exercise and fight with each other.
Next, he was paired with Chopper, who looked absolutely terrified. Luffy felt bad for him, so he went really slow, trying to give him some openings…which he was completely oblivious to. After switching partners multiple times, he and Shuraiya went through the instructed movements, smirking at each other.
When they had a break, Shuraiya kicked out at Luffy, making him jump back in surprise.
"Come on, fight for real!"
Happy to oblige him, they exchanged a fury of punches and kicks, drawing a crowd of their classmates. Shuraiya' style was different from anything Luffy'd experienced. The brown haired teen always made to grab something with his hands, even if the 'something' wasn't there, a true indication of a unique style.
'I bet he's the type that can turn anything into a weapon!' He mused, cartwheeling smoothly to the side to avoid a high kick. Just before Luffy could throw himself back into the fun fight, Lucci cleared his throat.
"Enough. We're moving on."
All in all, Realm Combat was FUN! They sparred, ran obstacle courses, and even climbed trees! Of course, once class was over, Luffy still had his punishment from earlier (and Lucci certainly hadn't forgotten).
"Go clean up. Next class, we'll add in ranged weapons such as the bow, so come prepared." Lucci stated, dismissing everyone. That is, everyone except Luffy. "Monkey D. Luffy, if you want to be back in time for dinner, I suggest you get started."
His friends waved at him, too exhausted and sweaty to wait. Even Shuraiya winked and made a face that said 'have fun with that' before leaving.
What really sucked was that Lucci put in hurdles for him to jump over after his first mile, upping the difficulty and sapping his strength quickly. When he finally finished, Luffy was exhausted and breathing hard.
"Hopefully, this served as a lesson for you." Lucci informed him, looming over his hutched form, "Don't get into fights outside of the designated classes."
"Y-Yeah…" Luffy managed, earning a glare, "I mean…yes Sir." The teacher snorted before grabbing a towel and throwing it over his shoulder.
"Next class, you'll spar with me." At that, Luffy looked up surprised. Spar with Lucci? "From observing you today, I can tell you're in a league of your own and won't be challenged otherwise. It is my duty as your instructor to push you to your limits and help you improve. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't provide you with a suitable challenge."
Luffy smiled and nodded vigorously, excited about the idea. Was Lucci really strong!? If he was a teacher, he had to be!
When he was finally dismissed, showered, and changed, dinner had already started in the cafeteria. Darn, he was late for a meal AGAIN.
Meanwhile, in Skotàdi…
A certain draconic demon reclined in his massive chair, drinking from a large gourd. He greatly enjoyed the buzz that came from liquor, it drowned out the annoying shrieks of his subordinates.
"M-Master Kaido…sir?" A sniveling devil squeaked from where he was kneeling in front of his throne, "Hawkins has his divination report ready, should you d-desire to hear it." Kaido waved the creature away, indicating he wanted to hear the report.
Hawkins was a valuable addition to his empire, one he acquired fairly recently…about fifty years ago? For a being such as himself, the years tended to blend together.
'Unlike that damned Linlin, I know quality and talent when I see it!' Kaido thought with a scowl, thinking about the pink-obsessed demon. She was currently his only competition for complete rule over Skotàdi since a blood relative of the true Demon King had been missing for…what felt like forever. That bloodline had been missing for so long that even Kaido, who'd lived for millennia, couldn't recall their family name.
At this point, it would either be him, or Linlin, taking the throne of Demon King. It was a little awkward fighting his ex-wife, but she had it coming. Kaido was no woman's plaything. He was drawn out of his thoughts when Hawkins, his aptly named "Straw-Magician", entered. The demon was of an ancient tribe that specialized in voodoo and future sight, a valuable skill.
And since his own son wouldn't lend him his ability, Hawkins would have to do. Someday, Katakuri would come around.
"What have you seen?" Kaido questioned before taking another drink.
"Many things, my Lord." Hawkins replied, "Some…very strange."
"Oh? Like what?"
"A challenger to Balak, the Deceiver, someone who is much more than they seem."
Kaido looked up from his drink at that, honestly surprised. Balak was a terrifying and ancient creature that lived in the aptly named Apàti Forest, which translated to Forest of Trickery in the common tongue. The beast had been around for as long as Kaido could remember and had become a story told to children to spark terror and obedience.
Balak itself was smart, but lived on base instinct alone, striving only to deceive and kill. Kaido had laid eyes on it when he was young and would never forget its emotionless gaze.
As long as they allowed it space and territory of its own, Balak would not exit the forest, content to move through the dense wood, numerous legs blending in with the trees. Any poor fool who wandered into Apàti would find themselves endlessly confused by the beast's 'moving forest' as Balak played with them mercilessly, driving them mad.
To make things worse, its legs grew mushrooms and other plants that let off poisonous fumes, causing further mental and physical deterioration. Until finally, once Balak had its fun, the monster would crush its prey under foot.
It hunted for sport, not nourishment. Even Kaido, with all his power, wouldn't want to face Balak in battle. No, it was better to just leave it alone.
"I see…the challenger must be very powerful then."
"Not so, my Lord." Hawkins answered with a frown, "From what I can see, it is…a human of some kind, though I know not their age or status." Kaido hummed, intrigued by the notion of a weak human surviving Balak.
Any summoner caught in its forest would be like a torch, shining for everyone to see for miles around. Humans with mana were greatly sought, even by Balak. Perhaps he could recruit this person…
"Interesting, but not currently relevant. What else?"
Hawkins then rattled off the usual stuff: a good harvest, when the rains would come, etc. After a few minutes of boring divinations, the smaller demon stopped and collected himself, appearing…nervous.
"Speak, demon." Kaido commanded, not a very patient being.
"Yes…the last thing I have to report is…well…"
"Go on, SPEAK!" Hawkins flinched slightly but maintained his ever neutral expression.
"The offspring of the Demon King…lives."
Kaido froze, almost dropping his keg. That wasn't possible! As far as he (and every other inhabitant of Skotàdi was concerned) that bloodline had ended eons ago! Angry, he growled deep in his throat,
"Leave."
After Hawkins left, Kaido ruminated on the divination. If the crown prince (or princess) lived, they could come take his throne at any time, and that simply wouldn't do. He was rather enjoying the fruits of his labor and liked the idea of being Demon King, ruler of their world.
Like hell he would let some whelp waltz in and steal his ambition!
"KING, GET IN HERE!"
Right away, his officer entered and knelt in front of him.
"Inform your fellow calamities and officers of this: any suspicious figure entering Skotàdi: demon, creature, human, or otherwise, is to be captured and interrogated."
"Of course, though…may I ask what it is you wish to know?" King questioned, not moving from his position.
"I have just learned the Demon King's bloodline may not be as dead as we thought," Kaido answered, receiving no physical response from King, "and I would stop them from reaching the top. Keep it quiet, and make sure Linlin doesn't hear of this…she may try to use them against me."
King nodded and stood, preparing to leave. Kaido knew he could count on the large demon; he'd never failed him before.
"Oh…and keep an eye on Balak. Someone who survives that beast, especially a human, may be worth looking into."