The rise of the unorthodox

"You are now all part of Squad BLACK," Mr. Sayo declared. "The squad that I personally oversee. There are other squads across the academy, and on various occasions, you'll either compete against them or team up with them. But before I release you to freshen up, let me give you some homework—what kind of mentor would I be otherwise?" He smiled mischievously.

We groaned collectively. Homework already?

"Your powers are only as limited as your imagination," he continued, pacing before us. "From what I've seen, a number of you possess abilities that are… unconventional." His eyes swept over Devin, Delight, Daniel, and finally me.

"You need to innovate. Add a little flair to your moves." He smirked.

"My own ability is called Hyper-Constriction. It lets me extend parts of my body and, as the name suggests, constrict." He stretched his arm outward, looping it several times like a coiled rope. "At first glance, it might not seem impressive, but I can restrain an opponent within seconds or, if necessary, stop their heart entirely.

"This technique I developed? It's what I call a sub-ability—something extra to give me the upper hand." He tapped his temple. "What you can imagine, you can create. Your thoughts are your only limits.

"Your homework is this: over the next week, create a sub-ability of your own. Perfect it. You'll demonstrate it in our next class. Now, go clean yourselves up. Class dismissed."

We all shuffled out of the training field, exhausted and stained with monster blood. Delight and I headed to the dorms, eager to change out of our ruined uniforms.

"We're going to need special gear for combat classes," Delight muttered, examining a tear on her sleeve. "These uniforms aren't going to survive."

"Tell me about it," I replied, stripping off my bloodied jacket.

After changing into clean clothes, we met Daniel at our usual spot. As always, he was waiting for us, leaning casually against a tree.

"You girls take forever to get ready," he teased with a smirk.

"Shut it, dummy," I snapped, kicking his foot lightly.

Our next class was Weaponry, something I hadn't given much thought to before today. I'd always assumed my hair would be enough, but after the challenge earlier, I realized I needed something more.

We made our way to the Weaponry Hall, a grand room filled with an impressive array of weapons. Students from other squads were already inside, admiring the displays. Among them, I spotted Devin, grinning as he swung a massive battle hammer.

"This is sick," Daniel exclaimed, running a hand over a rack of whips. "What if I got another whip? Double the power, right?"

Delight, meanwhile, had her eye on a sleek bow and quiver. "I think I'd like this," she said thoughtfully.

I wandered the room, unsure of what to choose. A sword? Too traditional. A claymore? Way too heavy. Bows and arrows seemed too delicate, and gauntlets felt awkward. Nothing clicked.

Frustration bubbled up as I continued to search. Why couldn't I find something that suited me?

"Trouble finding a weapon, darling?"

I jolted, spinning around to find myself face-to-face with Madame Evergreen, our weaponry instructor. Up close, she was even taller than I'd realized, her green eyes glinting with something unreadable.

"What's your ability?" she asked.

After I explained, she nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, an unusual one indeed. And with your petite stature, heavy weapons are out of the question."

She tapped her chin, deep in thought, then smiled. "I think I've got just the thing for you."

Madame Evergreen strode to a display at the far end of the hall, selecting two weapons I'd never seen before. She returned, placing them in my hands.

They were circular, with sharp, curved spikes along the edges. At the center of each was a grip that felt oddly natural in my hands.

"These are called chakrams," she explained. "Not a common weapon, but with your ability, they could complement you well. I can teach you the basics, but you'll need to experiment and make them your own."

I examined the intricate scales and patterns etched into the metal. They looked almost organic.

"Are these… made from monsters?" I asked.

She smiled approvingly. "Good eye, darling. Yes, many of the weapons here are forged from monster parts. These chakrams, for instance, are crafted from the remains of a low-level beast. They're not the strongest, but they'll do for now."

She turned and began walking away, her heels clicking on the floor. "Have fun, darling," she called over her shoulder.

I turned back to my new weapons, gripping them tightly. They weren't what I'd expected, but somehow, they felt right.

"Alright," I muttered to myself. "Let's see what these can do."