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Chapter - 5: Surviving 101: Werewolf Edition
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After putting a far too arrogant classmate in his place and deriving more satisfaction from it than I had anticipated, it took a while for the class to regain a semblance of normalcy.
The whispers didn't die down immediately; they continued to slither between the desks while gazes returned to me some heavy with suspicion, others openly intimidated.
Only after several minutes did the air finally begin to relax, and conversations resumed with caution, as if everyone had tacitly decided to pretend that nothing had happened.
Or at least, that's how it would have been in a class of humans. But they weren't, and among creatures accustomed to strength and hierarchy, what had happened wasn't a scandal; it was just a demonstration, a simple reaffirmation of position.
At that point, the lesson managed to resume a more or less normal course as far as a school for monsters could be defined as "normal." Most subjects were similar to those of any other institute, useful only for passing the year, with the exception of a few that openly delved into the supernatural and reminded us all of the true nature of this school.
As for my new classmate, whom I had discovered was named Saizou, he had been dragged out of the classroom and left unconscious. No one seemed particularly worried about him, nor inclined to defend him, so I assumed that an asshole like him hadn't made any friends.
Honestly, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. I hoped that what happened would serve as a lesson, because I knew perfectly well that if there were a next time, I wouldn't hesitate for even an instant.
I would kill him without mercy.
Nekomone-sensei, surprisingly, did not scold me for what I had done to Saizou, as she was too busy staring at me with an incredulous expression, her mouth slightly agape, as if she were still trying to put together the pieces of what she had just seen—while I pretended not to notice the way she licked her lips while watching me.
Even when I returned to my seat, her gaze lingered on me longer than necessary. The only true clue to her state of mind was the slow and almost excited movement of her tail swaying back and forth behind her—a far too obvious sign that she liked my demonstration of strength a little too much.
Not that she was the only one, as I could feel the gazes of several girls settling on me, more insistent than they had been before. Along with those looks came their scents: more intense, warmer, impossible to ignore for someone who, like me, was sensitive enough to perceive them.
And as much as I tried to convince myself I was mature, I was still an adolescent in full puberty. For this reason, my gaze lingered more than once, settling on Nekomone-sensei's great ass, hidden only by her short work skirt.
Honestly, the only thing I wanted to do was go over there, bend her over the desk, and firmly grab her tail to fuck her ass, feeling the heat of her skin against mine.
But even before that, I would have wanted to see her yield completely: imagining her on her knees in front of me, in the silence of the classroom, giving me a nice blowjob while her teacher's eyes lost every trace of authority and she submitted completely to me.
I shook my head, trying to calm my instincts, as I didn't have much time to dwell on that. Since this was the only scheduled lesson for the day more of an introductory meeting than a real lesson I had to pay attention to inform myself and catch up on the rules and structure of the academy.
Not that I really needed help with studying: I never had many friendships, and this, for better or worse, had left me with too much free time—time I had always spent training, studying, and pushing myself far beyond guys my age.
The only thing that really mattered to me was always managing to carve out time to improve. I doubted this priority would ever change not now, not in the future. It had become part of me since that night, a philosophy too deep to be abandoned.
The hours passed slowly, marked by minutes that seemed to stretch longer than normal, until the bell rang about an hour later, marking the end of the day's lessons. There was nothing else scheduled, and finally, I was completely free to do whatever I wanted, without constraints or interruptions.
I got up from my chair, my mind already focused on plans for the rest of the day: I had to test my limits, review what I could do, and push myself further, refining my power once again and trying to discover new margins of strength.
Above all, I needed to understand what I was really missing to unlock my hybrid form—the one I felt I could reach but that still eluded me.
From what Mikogami had explained, the problem wasn't physical at all, but mental, since I apparently had a block rooted inside me, probably born from what happened to me that night—an experience that had left invisible scars and still influenced the way I perceived and used my power.
It wasn't just a simple obstacle; it was like an inner wall, a barrier preventing my true potential from emerging, and one that sometimes I couldn't even fully recognize.
Honestly, I didn't have the slightest idea how to deal with such trauma, or if there was a "right" way to overcome it. It was something so deep that not even logic or physical training seemed able to scratch it, and every attempt to force it only risked worsening the frustration and confusion.
At least, however, I had a starting point, as I knew I wasn't entirely helpless and that, with the right guidance, I could start to untie that inner knot holding me back.
In hindsight, it had been a wise choice to accept Mikogami's offer and come here, since, when he had time, he could teach me new techniques and push me beyond the limits I believed impassable, helping me gradually overcome that mental block and move closer to my hybrid form.
According to him, if I didn't do it, the odds of surviving until the end of the year would be very low. Not that any of this made me feel reassured; on the contrary, it was quite the opposite.
Even Mikogami had taken the trouble or perhaps the sadistic pleasure to warn me that there were monsters it was better not to provoke unless one desired a negative end, a sudden death without even the time to understand what had happened.
What a joke; I knew very well I wasn't the strongest.
Even though I possessed the strength and power of a high-level S-rank monster, it wasn't nearly enough, and the mere thought that what happened that night could repeat itself was enough to keep me from lowering my guard.
I couldn't afford it.
From what I remembered, there was still a lot of unused space within the academy: abandoned structures, advanced laboratories now out of service, old-style buildings left to rot over time. It was exactly what I needed a large, isolated place where I could train without risking hurting someone with my attacks.
Honestly, what I desired most and had had in mind for some time was to challenge Mikogami to a fight. Deep down, I really wanted to face him in his true monstrous form to test how far I could push myself and understand what I was truly capable of.
It didn't matter if he would crush me without the slightest effort, reducing my every technique to nothing, or if he would put me completely in difficulty from the first moments, as I wasn't looking for a victory, nor was I interested in proving something to others.
What I wanted was simply to see with my own eyes the real distance that separated me from the strongest monsters, to measure the gap between what I was and what I would have to become to truly survive in that world.
Only then, by confronting his power, would I be able to understand how far behind I still was, how much work I was missing, and how much further I would have to push myself to fill that void, to truly grow and face any threat without hesitation.
But despite all that thought seeming urgent and necessary, at that moment I couldn't pay too much attention to it, because a certain beautiful girl was catching my attention.
"Sieg, shall we do something fun together?" Moka asked me, looking at me with a smile that seemed to light up everything around her.
I couldn't help but notice the view I had, and for a moment I looked away as soon as I realized I could catch a glimpse of her white, silky bra. I immediately realized I had let my eyes wander more than I should have and hurried to focus on her again, pretending nothing had happened.
"Sure, no problem," I replied, trying to keep my cool. "I wanted to see if I could find something interesting for myself anyway."
Moka and I soon left the main area of the school, passing through a side gate that led to a dirt path where the air changed immediately, fresher and cleaner with a slight scent of grass and damp earth mixing with the wind. In the distance the dormitories could be seen while around us lay less-tended areas with various abandoned buildings.
"It's much quieter here," I said, looking around carefully. "It doesn't even feel like we're still inside the campus." The feeling of isolation made the place perfect for doing what I had in mind—training or simply exploring without the risk of being disturbed.
Moka nodded energetically. "Yes! I saw it when I arrived on my bike." An adorable pout appeared on her face as she remembered it was broken, but immediately after she looked at me and the smile returned to light up her expression. "Even so, it still seemed like a nice place to take a walk."
Eventually, we stopped in front of a clearly abandoned structure: cracked walls, broken windows, and crooked doors hanging on their hinges, creaking at the slightest touch of the wind.
Moka clasped her hands behind her back and swayed gently on her feet. "What do you think?" she asked. "It could be a good place for you to train, right? It's isolated; no one would disturb us."
I watched her for a few seconds, then stepped closer... For a moment, I felt a strange sensation, as if someone were watching me. I could perceive a certain amount of Yōki, but strangely, even using my senses and looking around, I couldn't understand where it was coming from.
After a few seconds, finding nothing, I let it go for a moment and focused again, leaning forward and placing my foot on the floor of the entrance.
A sharp snap was enough, followed by an eerie smile.
I immediately pulled my foot back. "No," I said, shaking my head. "Absolutely not. This place is about to collapse." I straightened up and looked at her seriously. "If I trained in here, I would simply destroy it and probably end up buried under the rubble."
"Oh..." she said, her shoulders dropping slightly. "What a shame..." There was no real disappointment in her eyes; in fact, she seemed almost relieved.
When I noticed, I raised an eyebrow, amused by how obvious and easy to read her emotions were. "You don't seem that sorry."
Moka jumped back. "E-Eh?! I—I mean—" she looked away, her face starting to turn red. "That's not true! It's just that... well... we can keep walking, right?" Without giving me time to answer, she grabbed my arm again and started dragging me away. "Come on, let's go see another place! There are so many!"
I laughed softly. "Alright, alright. I give up."
Strolling from one area to another, we continued to comment on everything that caught our attention. As time passed, the conversation became more personal, naturally moving to topics I usually avoided.
Probably, if I had been with someone else, I wouldn't have opened up so easily; yet with her, it seemed natural, almost inevitable—as if talking that way was simply the right thing to do.
"What about your family?" she asked suddenly, turning to me with sincere curiosity.
For a few seconds, I remained silent, caught off guard by the question. "I have a younger sister," I said finally. "She is... a bit stubborn, but I care about her even when she manages to drive me crazy by never listening to what I say."
Moka's eyes lit up. "Really? I have sisters too!" Then she hesitated for a moment, as if deciding how much to say. "Well... actually... my family is a bit complicated."
"Complicated in what sense?" I asked, sincerely curious.
She scratched her cheek, embarrassed. "Um... my father has more than one wife." Seeing my surprised expression, she hurried to add: "I mean! For monsters, it's normal! According to the oldest traditions, polygamy is accepted, so it's nothing strange!"
"I see, I think I've heard something like that..." I replied slowly, trying not to laugh. "So... a very large family."
"Y-Yes!" she nodded energetically, her face now completely red. "Very big." It was impossible not to find her adorable at that moment: the way she fidgeted, trying to justify something that for her was entirely normal, the slight trembling of her hands, and the way her eyes tried to avoid mine made me smile sincerely. She seemed so honest and spontaneous that it made every little gesture irresistible.
"It's... interesting," I said finally, trying to contain the smile. "And a bit funny, to be honest."
Moka shot me an offended look, but immediately after she burst out laughing—a light, contagious sound that seemed to fill the air around us. "Hey! Don't make fun of me!"
We continued to walk, laugh, and talk, discovering corners of the school we had overlooked until then. I realized that as we moved, the idea of finding a place to train had taken a backseat.
And for a moment, all that mattered was that company, the rhythm of our conversations, and the way Moka managed to make every detail of the school more interesting and vivid. In that moment, the only thing that really mattered was continuing to walk by her side, discovering the school—and a bit of Moka herself.
Unfortunately, the moment between Moka and me didn't seem destined to last. I don't know why, but for some reason, trouble always seemed to find me—as if I were born under an unlucky star, ready to turn even the quietest moments into unpredictable and dangerous situations.
"So this is where you were, you little bastard." Saizou caught up with us, his eyes full of rage and contempt as he stared at me. "And Moka is here too... damn perfect. I hope you enjoyed yourself with her, because this time things are going to end differently than before."
Hearing his words, I noticed Moka trembling slightly as she moved behind me, seeking protection and using my body as a shield. Not that I had problems with that, since I knew about the problem with her seal and that she couldn't use all her strength to defend herself.
Had he not learned his lesson just a few hours earlier? I might have thought so, if it hadn't been for the female figure beside him, who radiated a damn high amount of Yōki.
She wasn't close to me, but she was undoubtedly the most intense and menacing presence I had perceived since I arrived at the academy.
The girl in question had long red hair, wild and untamable like a flame, and an incredibly muscular physique. I tried to look away from her large breasts, which looked like they could make her white shirt explode at any moment, as I carefully assessed the danger in front of me.
"Hey, so you're the arrogant brat who made my half-brother cry!?" she asked with a smile on her face. For some reason I still couldn't understand, my instinct kept signaling that she was dangerous.
Not that this would change my behavior.
"Yes?" I tilted my head slightly, observing her.
She shook her head, a mix of disgust and amusement in her eyes. "No. That's not good at all... only I'm allowed to do that."
"Really?" I replied with a crooked smile. "Then sorry," I continued, without her stopping her stare, "But I hope you can understand me—he was so pathetic that I couldn't help but crush him. You know, right? It was inevitable... like when you're walking and you accidentally step on an ant. It wasn't much different."
Saizou's face turned red, staring at me as if he were about to spit blood. "STEP-SISTER! I WANT HIM FUCKING DEAD!"
But his older step-sister didn't seem happy with him at all, as she struck him in the back with a sharp kick, sending him falling to the ground, and looked at him with a contempt that spoke louder than words. "SHUT UP! You lost the chance to make a reputation for yourself when you couldn't even beat him..."
"S-s-sorry."
"Don't apologize... you look even more pathetic than usual." She rolled her eyes at the scene before her, using that delinquent tone that immediately lets you know how much she despises weakness.
She took a deep breath, as if to calm herself, but her attention was already all on me. "Besides, this guy smells good and—" she inhaled again, with a slow and disturbing smile, "damn dangerous."
"Thanks?" I said involuntarily while for some reason Moka had started pinching my sides and was staring at me with a pout, while I tried to understand exactly why she was doing it.
"Eh, didn't you say the guy who scared you so much didn't look that strong," continued the step-sister, inhaling again with the air of someone savoring my scent, "or that he smelled like... damn." She smiled slowly, her interest now far too evident: "Hey, kid, you might have found something really good..."
"It was a surprise, I knew you'd like him, sister!" Saizou said, regaining his perverse smile as he stood back up. "I only want Moka!"
"Really?" I replied, turning slowly toward him with a tone that promised nothing good. "You think just because you brought your step-sister it changes anything? Or maybe because there are two of you against one? Do you really think I couldn't kill you both?"
"Oh? The boy has fangs!" she looked at me again, licking her lips with a mixture of excitement and malice. "Ah! I like it... I really like it!" She got into position, her body tense and ready to fight. "Don't worry, it's just the two of us... a little training is a great way to get the blood flowing! COME AT ME!"
It was better to handle the situation quickly.
This time, however, I had every intention of making sure both of them ended up with many broken bones, or even dead, so they couldn't come back a third time.
Now, how did I want to start the fight?
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