"Okay, Talia. Select the 'Enter Battle' option in your menu. It will send you to the middle of the arena." Teacher Milena guided her.
She followed her instructions even though it was not needed and appeared in the middle of the arena.
When Talia went to the middle of the arena, Students started discussing among themselves.
"She is Talia Mailon, one of the star students in our class."
"I heard she is already at the purple stage."
"Yeah, She is considered more talented than her sister, Nyla Mailon."
"Even If she is more talented, the queen of my heart will continue to be the PurpleFairy, Nyla."
"It's not just you. Nyla Mailon is one of the new generation's top beauties. Along with the older daughter of the Havenglow family and the young lady of the Cloven Family, she will remain the national crush."
Rio heard these murmurs around him and thought while gazing at Talia in the arena, "They don't look like sisters at all."
"Be ready. I'm going to spawn a random yellow stage beast." Teacher Milena's voice sounded beside Talia in the arena as she nodded.
It was a virtual reality so even without enhancing voice with mana, communicating at a larger distance wasn't a problem.
A normal giant rat materialized a few dozen meters away from her. Talia didn't wait for the beast to attack her and rushed toward it like a demon. Her dress fluttered in the wind and she was already nearing the beast.
A Spear appeared in her hand that was similar to the one Nyla used and she stabbed it in the body of the giant rat.
The beast cried in pain before collapsing on the ground while blood scattered around her.
Beast was only at the yellow stage and she was at purple so this outcome was natural.
Unlike the flames, one Nyla used, Talia had only attacked with brute strength.
Some students cheered for Talia as she finished the beast in one hit while others were busy in their own battle as if not interested in her.
Rio wasn't surprised because he could do the same with the king giant rat beasts and he had even seen Nyla doing it more gracefully.
'I'm sure Nyla's strike was a lot stronger than hers. I don't understand why people call this girl more talented.'
He was lost in his thoughts and kept staring into the stadium with a doubtful gaze.
Teacher Milena commanded other students to try.
Except for three students including Rio, everyone entered the grassland.
Some worked in groups to fight a yellow beast while a few students handled it all alone.
However, they all struggled to fight the beast as this was the first time for them and they were not at the purple stage like Talia and one other girl, who was also from one of the seven silver sword families. Their movement was not as polished as Rio who was bullied by Helia in training.
Students practiced and got injured badly during the battle. After they passed a threshold of damage which was considered 'death' by the system they appeared around Rio.
Since it was a virtual reality, they respawned in a safe zone after taking fetal damage and 'dying'. The pain sensor they felt during the fight was adjustable so many had kept it below twenty percent.
Rio was observing Talia from start to end as she was fighting other beasts.
She didn't use those flames at all even when a king giant rat appeared.
She struggled a little while fighting with the king giant rat but she was able to kill it with three strikes.
'Does Nyla love to show off or there is more to it than what the eyes see?'
He stared at Talia with a doubtful gaze as many questions formed in his head.
At last, Talia came back to the sitting area where Rio and the company were present.
A brawny guy with black hair walked to Rio and asked "Wanna duel?"
"Not today" Rio looked in his direction with dreary eyes and replied with a stiff voice as if he wasn't interested.
"I thought you would have at least some courage to accept a duel but the trash son of the Havenglow family only knows how to hide behind his mother." He chuckled with a mocking smile.
Rio frowned at his harsh comment which took a turn to be worst.
Although he had expected this to happen in his new school but he didn't expect it would come this soon.
Other students heard their conversation and chimed in.
"Hahaha…"
"Brian… don't bully him. He will complain to his mamma"
"I didn't know he was a weakling that can't even fight a beast in a virtual arena. Such a coward…"
Students laughed while surrounding him, and made fun of him one by one.
Teacher Milena heard the commotion and raised her eyebrows as she went toward the troublemaker.
"Silence…" She glared at all the laughing students with a cold glint in her eyes.
The laughter came to a stop as they feared she would expel them.
Teacher Milena had kicked out a few students in the past for causing trouble in her classes at military school even from the big families and the school didn't question her why.
For this reason, everyone was fearful of her and didn't want to be in her bad books.
"He can't participate in the battle because of special circumstances. So don't bother him when you don't understand the reason why he is not going into the arena." She explained to the students in a fierce tone but she didn't tell them why he can not fight.
She had especially received orders from the Headmaster to take good care of Rio and she was told of his special circumstances that he was stuck in a snowy mountain.
Rio didn't feel difficulties with those harsh comments as he grew up hearing far worse. It had become natural for him to endure it easily and he had a good resistance towards such bullies. It was nothing compared to what he had faced in the past.
He selected the option from 'chat' to send a 'whisper' and said "Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Teacher Milena, who was standing nearby, closed her eyes once slowly as if telling not to worry about it, which her words expressed.
The class ended as two hours had passed.
Rio walked out of the teaching building and started going in the Grand Dew Garden direction but before he could go far he saw a familiar figure appearing in front of him.
"Caught you, Rio." A sweet melody voice filled with joy sounded and a girl in a green skirt with a white top appeared in front of him.
