Raphael had spent the entire week lifting rocks and anything else that was heavy to make himself stronger. He'd also spent a large amount of time swinging his axe. If he could swing his axe harder than anyone, then no one would be able to stop him.

That's what he'd thought anyway. There were many things he didn't know, but one of his biggest flaws was that he'd not paid enough attention to Claude's warnings. In fact, he knew nothing about his opponent other than that he was a supposedly a good mercenary… and that he had blue hair. He brought his axe down with both hands, not knowing then he'd never forget the next few moments for as long as he lived. The next part seemed to happen in slow motion. His opponent, Professor Byleth, stepped to one side with the grace of a dancer… or even an angel. He seemed to move slow, Raphael could pinpoint all his movements and yet the man simultaneously seemed too quick to reach.

He felt the tug of material being ripped from him and then he felt an eye-watering kick to the back of his legs. He fell with a thump. He looked up saw the new professor standing above him with a yellow sash in his hand, his sash. Byleth wasn't looking down at him, however, his gaze was fixed ahead.

Raphael then heard a loud, metallic shriek.

Byleth collapsed to the ground. Missing Lysithea's latest attack by inches. He faceplanted into the overgrowth. Twigs and grass prickled his face, and a jagged plant pricked his cheek. He cursed at the pain but knew it could've been far worse if he'd remained standing. He looked up and saw Lysithea moving towards him, her hand raised again.

But that's when Petra appeared and charged at the girl. Lysithea spun and scampered away through the trees at a surprisingly quick pace. Petra pursued her. Byleth rose to his feet and went to follow, but then he heard a lack whack. He turned.

'You are quite the duelist, *guh* Lorenz,' Ferdinand breathed.

'If this where anywhere but the battlefield, I would have bowed at such a sentiment, but for now I will either compel you to surrender your sash or have me strip it from you!' Lorenz said, swinging his lance again. Ferdinand jerked backward and hit a tree.

'You have performed admirably and have my utmost respect as a fighter. I shall give you once chance to surrender before I floor you. I'-

'Lorenz.'

'No, wait until I'm finished my speech. I have been practising it. I consider myself a fair man, being the heir to House Gloucester and such, and I do not desire to'-

'Lorenz, your sash is gone.'

'My what,' Lorenz's eyes widened. He looked down. 'No. No, no no n'-

He twisted around to where the new professor stood gazing at him with two yellow sashes hanging from his hand. Raphael sat nearby scratching his head.

'What do I do with your sashes?' Byleth asked.

The man with the peculiar haircut gawked at him for a long moment. 'H-how did you sneak up on me like that?!'

'You talked loudly.'

A ruffling sound broke out behind them and Byleth turned. A boy with thick-rimmed glasses squinted on his face appeared through the trees with his arms stretched upward.

'I'm out as well! Petra caught me by surprise.'

Petra appeared through the overgrowth behind the boy. For the amount of running she'd done her breath was surprisingly calm. 'Lysithea ran away. She is very fast.'

Byleth looked at the boy whose name he'd forgotten. 'Are there any more of you we need to worry about?'

The boy shook his head. 'No, apart from Lysithea that was all of us.'

'Ignatz! I kindly remind you to not help the opposition!' Lorenz snapped.

The banging sound of a magic attack sounded eastward, back in the direction where Byleth, Petra and Ferdinand had been separated from the other Black Eagles. Byleth saw blue mist appear in the air and paused.

'Blue mist?' Ferdinand said. 'That isn't from Lysithea.'

'The attack cannot be her,' Petra said. 'I chased her far west.'

Byleth turned back to Ignatz. 'You are telling me the truth?'

'Yes.'

He looked back at the blue mist suddenly felt sick to his stomach. As if reading his mind, Igantz nodded again.

'The Blue Lions must also be here.'

'We were attacked from both sides?!' Ferdinand asked, gulping.

'We attacked your team from the west, and they attacked from the east. Seems like both of us planned on eliminating your House early on,' Ignatz said, scratching his head. 'Sorry about that.'

Byleth clenched his fists. He'd been aware of the possibility of an ambush, but he'd dismissed as unlikely.

I was so focused on getting my students to like me I didn't think it through properly.

He spat on the ground. 'We need to go, follow me.'

He dropped the yellow sashes and he, Ferdinand and Petra moved through the trees eastward. Lorenz pinched his forehead.

'This is all Claude's fault that we lost!' he snapped. 'He'-