Chapter 386 – Easy Sparring

Chapter 386 – Easy Sparring

“I know. Many of you were looking forward to testing your team’s mettle against your peers.” Professor Beltram raised a large, scarred palm to forestall the murmurs rising from the arena.

“Sparring with your own companions isn’t as exciting. You picked them because you already know what they can do. But there is knowing and knowing. Can you trust them to have your back? With every single member? When you’re together in the trenches, a moment of hesitation can cost your life. Or, in a less drastic case, your graduation at Raelion.”

He rubbed his bearded jaw. “You likely have at least one member you don’t know as well. Many more if you were among the ones who failed to turn in a complete list before the deadline. Don’t worry, every year someone gets left behind. I’ve already matched any individual and partial group into a complete team. As I’m speaking, the instructors are coming to inform you of your companions. You might not end up in the team you hoped for, but if you can also see this as an opportunity. Out there, you don’t always get to choose who stands beside you when something needs to get done.”

In positon between Flynn and Rowan, Kai watched the instructors stride through the ranks and pull several youths aside. Dozens of students had failed their first assignments. Despite the speech, they hung their heads, dejected. The sneers that followed them didn’t help.

“For everyone who filled a team, wait to celebrate.” Professor Beltram’s voice boomed across the arena. “Choice can be both a boon or the rope to hang yourself. The groups who had their pick are often also those with the most problems. While excellent teamwork will multiply each member’s effectiveness, the inverse is also true. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“I could spend the next two hours telling you the pitfalls you’ll fall into. Describe how and why you’ll trip step by step. You’d nod and smile at me, then turn and still dive face-first into the holes I just pointed out. Perhaps a dozen of you might listen. Probably not. You’ll sooner claim you can leap over the traps, fly above them, or that there is no hole at all and you walk on solid ground.”

Kai nodded along with the speech. Looking at the other students, he could easily imagine the man would be right. Thankfully, he’d already learned at least some of those lessons.

“Keep your grins, while you can. My job is to point you in the right direction and ensure you don’t get too hurt before you learn.” Professor Beltram swept his stern eyes through the ranks and sighed heavily. “I see many of you think I’m not talking about you. That you are wiser. That you are the exception. I won’t waste my breath trying to convince you now. Words tend to be more persuasive after you’ve cracked your skull a couple times.”

A wry smile touched his lips. “Who knows, maybe this is the year I’m proven wrong? Nothing would make me prouder.”

His chuckles told them exactly how likely he considered that.

“But enough chatter! Today, we’ll start building up your teamwork. Learning how to work in a group is the goal of this year’s course. If you think you have that covered. Good for you. Take these principles and apply them to other situations. For everyone else, can anyone tell me the main requirement for effective cooperation?”

Several hands shot up.

“You there.”

A girl in the first line stepped forward. “Celina Aremilla, professor,” she enunciated in a clear voice. “You must know your companions’ abilities and behavior in the field.”

“Seems someone listened to my ramblings.” Professor Beltram chuckled. “Indeed, knowledge of your teammates is fundamental. Sparring together is often the best way to improve your teamwork, but that doesn’t explain the underlying reason.”

A student from Martial Studies took word next. “Essemi Valra, sir.” The young man rumbled. He stood at least a head above his companions. His low voice matched his stature. “The key requirement is strong leadership. A battalion is only as effective as its commander.”

Professor Beltram cocked his head. “The larger the group, the more important the head becomes. That’s very important, but not the core foundation that holds up everything else. Anyone else?”

By then, most hands had lowered. Two more students gave hesitant answers before only one remained raised.

“Maynard Avellus Hart,” the boyish voice from the first row said. “The main requirement to work in a team is trust.”

“Correct!” Professor Beltram clapped his hands. “The head can’t command the body if its limbs don’t trust its judgment. The right hand can’t coordinate with the left if it doesn’t trust what it’s doing, or if it’s worried about where the legs are walking. Only when all the parts trust each other to carry out their duties can a body work effectively. The higher the stakes, the more trust becomes important.”

“Thus, the reason for today’s lesson. You can’t trust what you don’t know. Learning what your companions can do is key to working together. Now, the obvious question is, how do you build up trust?”

A few students attempted to answer before Professor Beltram continued. “The answer here isn’t as clear-cut, but in my experience, one aspect stands above the rest. No, it’s not becoming friends. Do not misunderstand, working with people you like is always nice, and can make you better. But it’s not a requirement for an effective team. What you do need is respect. Your teammates must respect your ability to do your part, and you to do theirs.

“Now, that kind of bond isn’t something you can build up in a day. For some of you, the rest of this course might not even be enough. All I can do is point you in the right direction. The rest is up to you. No amount of money, words or favors can buy you trust and respect. Earning it is solely up to you.

“For today, we’ll start with some simple group drills and sparring. Then expand the competition across teams in the next lessons. Remember, the goal is not to win, but to experience what your companions can do. So that when you fight together, your skills will become more than the sum of your parts. The second pillar of this course is strategy. I hope you’ve also considered utility when building your teams. Direct fights will only count for a minor part of the final test.”

Professor Beltram gazed at them as if hoping against his own advice that words would be enough to teach them. Then, he sighed. “Alright, trainees. Gather your teams and follow your assigned instructors. Each team leader should have received a number. One to four. We’ll go for a little warm-up before starting the spars.”

The students broke ranks in organized chaos. Kai stretched his back from the stiff pose before glancing at his companions. “We have a team leader?”

“Of course, we do.” Flynn winked at him, smiling brilliantly.

“You?”

“Hey, no need to look so shocked!” He straightened, chest out and shoulders squared. “I know it’s hard to believe. But I’ve indeed picked this team to lead. You needn’t feel guilty for all the opportunities I turned down for this. What value is wealth compared to friendship?” A fist clutched on his chest, he let out a stoic sigh. “I’ve always suffered from a generous spirit.”

Kai blinked, looking at his teammates.

“He asked me if I wanted it.” Rain chuckled. “It sounded fun, but what I’ve been taught about command wouldn’t fit this course. He’ll do a better job.”

That’s… probably true.

Despite Rain’s ludicrously numerous talents, Kai struggled to imagine him as a reliable and responsible leader.

Rowan shrugged. “I would do it. But let’s be honest, I’m the newcomer to the group. Better if one of you does it. And Flynn…” She pursed her mouth. “He’s clever enough when he sets his mind to it.”

Fair enough…

“You don’t think I can do a good job?” Flynn slumped. “Well… I can still tell the instructor we made a mistake if you want the spot.”

Huh?

“No, wait!” Kai grabbed him before he could move a step. “Sorry. I was joking. You’ll do a fine job.”

Flynn glanced back at him. “Are you really sure?”

“Absolutely.” He answered a little too fast. If his experience as his sixth-grade class representative taught him anything, it was that responsibility brought hassles and ungrateful work. “You did basically set up our team on your own. And you’re the best candidate since you know everybody best.”

Ulterior ends aside, Kai realized he spoke true as the words left his mouth.

“Oh… thanks, Mat. That’s sweet of you.” Flynn gave him a one-armed hug. “We each have our strengths. You’re smart, but you do tend to overthink decisions. That won’t work with the scenarios we can’t practice ahead of time. And Beltram loves those.”

What is he saying…? I don’t have decision paralysis. Did he talk with Jolene?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Alright, team. Let’s move. The instructors aren’t known for their patience.” Flynn strode toward the first group, streaming toward the east exit of the pavilion.

They arrived outside the arena in time to hear their instructor yelling to start running. “Forty laps. You don’t stop until all members have crossed the line.”

Of course…

Already prepared from the previous week, Kai began jogging. He wore the same light clothes from Combat Magic, woven with runes for protection without restricting his movements.

They could have sent me a second pair. Who’s really the cheapskate, huh?

With constant use and washing, even enchanted fabric would wear out. The price he’d have to pay for another pair made him curse. Unless he wanted to use merits, of course.

What a scam.

Setting aside the injustice, Kai regulated his breathing. Hundreds of steps hit the pavement at once. Ahead of him, Flynn set the pace with long strides, his face strangely serious. Rain easily sauntered beside him, Rowan behind, and he last.

Kai suppressed the childish impulse to push harder. They were making good pace, already moving past several teams toward the head of their line. Usually, they split by physical stats, so he’d never trained with his companions.

Forty laps flew by. He bent, hands on his knees, to catch his breath when the instructors yelled the next exercise. “First team to finish gets ten merits to split amongst themselves.”

Running in diamond formation, carrying an ‘injured’ teammate, running holding weights, suicide sprints. Apparently, no one had warned him it was leg day. Naturally, boosting skills weren’t allowed since they would defeat the purpose of training. Fresh teams stumbled along, mana students pale and wheezing to keep up.

With a team of four instead of the full eight, they had a major advantage in coordinating. To balance the competition, the instructors assigned exercises counting the laps as the total addition completed by its members, meaning they had to do effectively double a team of eight.

Kai heaved, legs burning and back bent under the suspiciously heavy backpack. Rain looked barely winded—hardly a surprise. Rowan’s breaths came just slightly labored, understandable given her profession and recent enhancement to mid-Yellow. Flynn was the biggest surprise. Still setting the pace, he looked tired, but hardly at his limits.