I did not think opera would be twice as intense the day after ranking Daleth. I had a good starter rank, I understand it is higher than Iruma, but he started as an Aleph. I also did not have as many ranks up opportunities as he did. I had two more. Cannonball and the exam. He was working my body and mind to the bare strips.

Opera would spout off information and make me repeat it while I was trying to dodge or catch the ball. This went on for hours, only stopping when I refused to get up. Taking a break on my own terms, I followed him into the kitchen and watched him cook and bake. The whole room smelled like heaven.

"How high do you think I can make my rank?"

Operas ears wiggled. "You could reach whatever you set your mind too. I was surprised you ranked as you did, but when I saw the devi-camera I was at a loss of words."

"Camera?"

"Yes, all rank up opportunities are recorded for the sake of the parents to see their child's achievements or failures. Lord Sullivan kicked me out and watched it live by himself."

"So, you knew I went through cutthroat valley?"

"Yes."

"I am sorry for not listening to Kalego."

"Why are you sorry? You did outstanding. There was no rule against going that way, it is just ill advised. I had no idea you were able to use a bloodline ability. Sullivan was so proud you figured out how to use it on the fly. You manipulated it so well, you even healed the beast."

"Where I am form, people would not see it that way."

"You are in the netherworld. Your bloodline ability might help you in the game. You can use magic on the ball, but not another player."

"You say this now?"

"When you play it is a slow start up, you will need to learn to use it in split seconds."

I rubbed my chin. "Split seconds. Can I even bring a violin into the game?"

"As long as you do not hit another person with it, yes. Some students have abilities that require the aid of something physical to channel.

"Opera you're a genius." His perked ears twitched, I took the sandwich from the plate, running off. "I will be back, and you better be ready." I grinned.

Use magic on the ball, this would give me the best possible chance. If I could stop it from hitting me, it did not count. If I took it and flung it around, I could manipulate it to hit many targets. My greatest tool was already at my disposal. I will make the court my stage. I snatched the violin from my room and ran to the kitchen.

Pulling opera from the kitchen I dragged him along. "Come on Opera, you have hours before Iruma gets off school."

Outside, he would tossed the balls, I had to catch and release every ball or he would throw it at me. It felt more possible as each sound purred from the violin. He threw them slowly at first, I created a block. He threw balls lightly, and I would catch them. Trying to throw them back in the same way.

They did not make the mark, but I was one step closer. All while he would teach me more about different subjects. He left to cook as soon as Iruma got home, leaving me with target dummies that dogged around in the yard. Diving and attempting to throw the balls at me.

Moving targets, just like in the real game. Iruma would clap when I made a successful hit to a target. With two more days for practice, I used every second of light I had. The flame torches lighting the grounds as the sun sunk into the horizon.

"Master Iruma, Lady Violetta, it is time to eat." Opera called from the side. I did not wish to pause but did so because Sullivan was behind him.

The next morning, I was more determined to master this gift. I was up before my alarm, Dressing, doing my hair and preparing for the day. I was outside training. Opera wanted me to come inside but I refused. Asking for my meal to be brought to me. While I was hungry, it also would force me to push harder to focus.

I trained well into the night, learning which songs and sounds did what I wanted without a thought. The one skill from my last life, hated by my parents, was now my weapon. At first it seemed useless and powerless, now it was like my sword and shield. I skipped lunch and dinner. I was so close to having the throwing portion down.

Sullivan came outside. "Oh, my precious granddaughter. Why will you not come and eat with your grandpa." He was putting on a woe is me act again.

I made the balls dance around, not losing my focus on concentration on them. "I am training. I have the weight of ranking up on my shoulders right now, and the goal of destroying my enemy in the future." Using the power of music, I took a bit of food.

He was crying hands over his face in an egg like form. "So, dedicated, but that does not mean you cannot stop for a little to eat with your dear old grandfather and your brother Iruma."

"I have one more day, Grandpa." I wished he would leave me be.

"We never celebrated you getting to rank Daleth. Which mean I have to make up for three missed ranks." Good grief.

"I need to use this time wisely to train."

"Common on, please?"

I huffed. "If I move up to five, you can throw a dinner party if you want, and I won't do anything but attend that."

"No studying?"

"Sure, I promise." I would agree to anything to get him away from me.

"Wee. I will start planning it now. It will be so great." If I did not know better, he was dancing around flowers in his head.

I trained until the day came. Violin strapped to my back, I walked with Iruma to school. My heartbeat fast in my chest. I would be facing teachers because I was a liability. I was an adult, and that meant if I hurt a child student, I could be in trouble. Students stared at us, no, they were staring at me. I was an adult in my first year.

"Look, you are on the newspaper front. I was too when I first started." He held it up, a picture of me from the side next to Shichiro. That was the day I did my trials.

The new adult student will play against teachers to potentially earn a rank today. No one knows where she came from, but it is rumored her mother sheltered her from all outside contact. She summoned a great beast and managed to gain an impressive rank of Daleth in her entrance examination. Putting Asmodeus Alice's accomplishment not as rare.

She has green hair, and purple eyes. She carries her instrument everywhere, but some do not know what it is. A trumpet, a violin or some other small instrument. What is it for? Is it a hobby or an heirloom? All classes will be halted for honor students and council members to partake in watching. A Tv will be provided for all other students in the odditorium.

It was not off on the back story Sullivan gave me. I was to be a heavily sheltered demon who never had the opportunity to go through school and receive a rank in the netherworld. Where I emerged from was kept quiet. I was picked up by Sullivan when I ran away from my home.

"You read this nonsense?"

"It is interesting sometimes."

"Well, they have something right. All this did was make me twice as nervous knowing all these people will be watching me." He looked sad; I couldn't take that cute face frowning. I sighed. "But it also prepares me for what is to come. Thank you for showing me, it was helpful."

His face lit back up. "I am routing for you; I hope you get to rank up. Next week is the harvest festival, I hope I can reach Daleth and we are one step closer to keeping the royal one classroom."

I rubbed his head. "I hope you do, too, kiddo."

"Excuse me, might you be Violetta?" I turned my head and nodded to the brown-haired demon. "I am Dantalion Dali. You can call me Professor Dali. I am here to escort you to the Executioners Cannonball court."

I nodded. "Have a good day, Iruma."

This school was pretty on the inside. I never had this luxury for a school. It took my breath away and distracted me from my thoughts. The scenery changed as we descended steps to under the school. One pathway all the way down, a court that resembled a basketball court was at the bottom. It was all made of the same rock, like it was leveled and chiseled to look as natural as possible.

The towering ceiling had booths lining the ring, glass panels where students looked down to the ring. There were several teachers around the surrounding area. If only the honor students came, then how were their seven teachers here? Kalego stood to the side, his face composed. He and Dali talked, while Dali smiled and laughed, he only looked more annoyed.

I uncased my violin, tuning it and tightening the bow. I grinned as the sounds perfected themselves.

"Good to see you again." I jumped.

"Shichiro, don't do that."

He petted my head. "Sorry, you brought this with you. What for?"

"A secret. I have been training hard all week."

"I will be watching from the side lines. I am interested in what you have instore for us. Sullivan refused to let us see your entrance exam and Kalego refused to say a word as well." He was still petting my head. I ducked from his hand. "Do your best."

"Alright late bloomer. The rules are simple, use the ball to hit your opponent, and do not get hit. Magical abilities are permitted to win at any cost. You cannot directly attack another, but you can use magic on the ball. No sideline help will be permitted in this match. If you are struck, the match is automatically over. You will be team B." He gave me a red arm band.

I put it on, looking at the court, and I moved to my side of the court. The teachers nodded, giving the thumbs up. One girl on my team was crying. No one paid attention to this. Another looked younger than me, and the last was a stereotypical red devil. Four balls were dropped in the middle.

Kalego cleared his throat. "Alright, get ready." I raised my violin, bow waiting. They might run for them, they might be summon. I closed my eyes. "Begin."

I hounded the violin, the room filled with music. I could feel every movement of feet, summoning a ball to myself. I paced back and forth; I found my target on the side. The ball danced around awaiting a command, another hurled at me. Caught it in the musical grasp, I separated them. I opened my eyes.

As the ball came in for that perfect catch, I hit them from behind. An ice blue haired girl looked back and then too Kalego. "Out."

The crying lady had a ball in a vortex of water, sobbing as she launched the ball. It was caught and she was out. Red devil caught one from a demon with green hair.

"Guess I am out." He smiled and left happily.

Pulling another from the outer ring. The young girl with pink hair launched a ball like an arrow, it was caught and slung back. Barreling for my face, not as fast as Opera's right hand. I caught it as it crossed the line. I had two in my possession. Circling above me. It was me and devil guy. I moved to the side on the red devil.

"An interesting bloodline gift." I ignored him, keeping my focus. I launched a ball; it was going to be caught. I forced it to serve up and around. I let it dance around. I dropped it from the sky in a free fall. He held his hand up, I turned it to flip around his hand. Tapping him under his hand and pulling back to my side.

"Out, Blushenko." Kalego shouted.

"Well played." He moved outside the ring.

Red devil had his ball caught by the purple hat man and he was out. It was me and a guy in a purple hat.

He smirked, ball in hand. "You and I, but I know your luck has run out."

I closed my eyes feeling for him and the ball. With two in my pool, and one in his. I was missing one. I felt it, just behind him on the outside court. Catching was the easy part, but making a hit was more difficult. I had to plan for what they may do. I made my two swirls around him, moving up and down. He laughed.

I went in from under his hands, he hit the ball with his ball. Every in and out, he was blocking them all. What was the guy's power, extreme reflex? The unthinkable happened, the E string broke and I lost control of one ball, it flew out of the ring. I held tight to the one I had.

"Giving up?" Eyes kept closed. "I think this may be my lucky shot."

Purple hat and talks of luck. They did not do me this dirty. I shifted my hand down to get the notes I needed. It was twice the hand movement, but I made it work. Regaining most of the control of the ball that flung out of the ring. It was not perfect, but I had to make this work for me. He reared up for his throw.

I hummed for the ball behind him. It was weaker usage, but I might be able to pull this through. I took control of the third ball, lifting it off the ground. The room filled with sound allowing me to track his footing as he slung the ball. His leg came up, then down as he used his whole body for the throw.

Beathing hard, I kept losing control of the ball behind him. Closer, almost. Down, not up, center. I felt the bottom of his foot push against the ball. The ball was still launched by him. I dropped all balls and blocked, pushing the ball back with one deep and strong G note.

"You're out, Oswell."

I Pressed the Violins head to my head, laughing though labored breaths. "Thank you." I whispered, lowing my instrument.

"What? No way. She did not catch it with her hands." Kalego smirked slightly. He clicked a button and a screen popped up showing the arena. He paused it, zoomed in, and hit play again. The ball moved slowly to his foot, and he tapped the ball backwards. "You are out. Violetta is the winner of this match."

"That cannot count, it did not cross from her side to mine." He protested.

"Rules never state how the ball must hit you or where it can come from. She got you fairly."

Oswell turned to me. "We will have to play again fiddler."

I could hear the erupting with cheers from the students above me. I had played in many concerts, but this feeling was deeper. Admired, cheered for. I had made a name for myself. I trained for hours for this moment, but the one I wanted here was not. He was in the human realm. My face dropped.

"For your victorious win against teachers, and strategic use of your magic when faced with a challenge, your rank will move from Daleth to He. Congratulations on a job well done." My badge rose from my shirt, the symbol transforming to my new rank. It dropped and I caught it.

"Oooh, granddaughter." Sullivan sang.

'No, not here' I thought. I was picked up and hugged. Sullivan swung me around. I was trying hard to have a good poker face here.

"You won, and you ranked up. Do you know what that means." He sat me down, holding my hands.

"No."

"You promised I could throw you a dinner party."

I stiffened. "I said no such thing. When?"

"But you did." He smiled warmly. He played a video on the screen of me training. He made it look like I was being a terrible ungrateful granddaughter in front of everyone.

I facepalmed, pulling my face down. "I suppose I did, but grandpa the exam is in two weeks I must study."

"That's my amazing, talented and dedicated, Granddaughter. Always working hard." His face hardened, and voice deepened. "You won't refuse and make me upset, will you? I prepared an entire celebration after all."

"Uh, no. I would never." I rubbed the back of my neck. "When is the celebration?"

"Oh, goodie. It will be at my house. All the teachers are mandated to attend as it will be an adult party. It will be a good way to learn them all before you start."

I had two weeks before that exam and I was not even halfway down with studying all the content of the books that were dropped off to me. This man will be the death of me. Tricked into a party, he caught me in a moment of weakness. This man was cunning, I did not even know he recorded the whole conversation. Now everyone will think I am a demon to shed blood.

I pulled the broken sting from the Violin on both sides. I knew it was older, but the strings looked good. I must have played too hard these past few days and wore them out. Thank the demon gods the bow did not bust. I placed the instrument in its case and slung it on my back. Grandpa placed a hand on my shoulder, teleporting us.