The thing about expectations...

I go to class like a robot. This time, the way to school passes relatively fast as I walk, it feels like not much steps are required, and before I know it I'm already there, sitting.

I'm in class. I'm a little early. Everybody shows up slowly and finally class begins. "Good morning students! Today we are going to the yard again, but, there's a twist! We brought some monsters from the forest to see how their behavior might change based on their location. Let us all go outside".

I suddenly panic... Is it finally time? When I cannot hold my secret anymore? If I want to be able to keep my grades and pass the test to finally graduate, I must never be seen dealing damage to monsters.

"Are you coming Rune?" somebody throws that question at my direction. I suddenly notice everyone is already out and I didn't get up from my chair for a few seconds now.

I get up and go outside. F***! I didn't have time to prepare myself with some method, anything really! And so... I got nothing.

"Here are some slimes that we broguht from the forest. We will let one out of the cage to see how you handle it. Of course you can handle this much, but try to see if the slime behaves differently than inside the forest" the teacher says. "We need a volunteer! Rune, will you do us the honors?" she adds.

"Don't insult me".

"Excuse me? Did somebody's success go to his head?" the teacher asks, annoyed.

Sorry teach, I know this attidute is bad but I've got no other choice. I can't really tell her that now can I?

"That thing is weaker than the target dummy, that is all I ment. If you want to go chase that thing anyway, be my guest but it seems unnecessary".

-"Well, you are actually right. Outside of its' natural habitat - the slime will not show agression towards others even if attacked. Instead, it will try to run away" the teacher explains.

-"That seems fun!" one of the students says. He then starts chasing the slime, and the slime runs in turn.

"See? Did showing this really add anything?" I keep up with the semi-emo vibe to keep it believable.

-"Watch it Rune. Here, you can help out demonstrating with another monster".

"Damn it!" I can't help but actually say it, quietly though.

-"Don't you see Rune is of a higher caliber than us, teacher?" Tai speaks up. "Who cares about some monsters? Let's see your damage Rune!" he tries challenging me.

"Not interested". I reply.

I'm walking a fine line here.

-"Why? Too scared I'll out-damage you?" he keeps his nitpicking going.

-"Oh! How lovely!" the teacher intervenes. "Looks like we have a new volunteer".

Lucky! That bastard Tai got what he desserves, which is helping me out despite trying to mess with me. I'm grateful for the luck though. I"ll take anything I can get.

I try to keep out of the stage and not attract attention to myself.

The teacher goes on about some more monsters, and explains that the ones at the higher levels are much more dangerous and may change their behavior drastically based on where they are. Some of them even have the ability to migrate to another location. This essentialy means that knowing how to counter a monster from experience might not be enough against the same monster under some influences from the outside. It seems some monsters will act differently depending on whether their group is nearby or not, for example.

The lesson goes fluently. I actually pay attention and forget all about my problems, as the information is simply relevant.

"Rune, have you calmed down?" the teacher asks. "Can you tell the class what is special about crystal butterflies?" she tries to involve me again.

"Sure. Their wings break easily but sometimes they drop it as an item intact. Our beginner's daggers are very well made since they are imbued with those crystals which seems to reinforce many types of materials despite being so fragile on its' own".

This is actually something I understood after reading the books about the forest. This school has great funding and can afford expensive materials for the students.

-"Well Rune, you are certainly of a different caliber", the teacher replies. The class laughs a bit. -"And he is correct. When I was your age, we had much cheaper daggers that were not reinforced at all". I can see the teacher doesn't hide how pricy those daggers are. This has become a prestigious school. -"Although, back in my days of studying here the training methods were different and all of you are probably much more prepared than my generation was. Albeit a bit spoiled!" she suddenly shouts that.

The class laughs again.

The teacher keeps coming back to me, but she doesn't ask for physical involvement with the training. That might be better. It's dangerous that I get all the attention but it also creates the illusion that I'm participating more than the rest. This might be the safer option actually.

-"Doesn't matter if we're spoiled..." Tai says as he grabs a slime from the cage, "if we have the damage!" he slams the slime onto me and I instinctively block with my dagger. I completely let my guard down!

Time freezes. It goes slowly to a complete state of freeze. I realize what had happened. The rules of collision in this world. They make scientific sense. It's not unlike when I activated the dagger's special effect. It is usually triggered by a will and an attack, but technically requires a head on position and a collision. That's how I triggered it when it was stuck in a target "head on", I willed it while it was magically tied to me, and by attacking the dagger itself I made a collision.

This kid just attacked my dagger with a slime.

That counted as a collision that triggers damage. Of course. If you think about it, it wouldn't make sense otherwise. Had he done this repeatedly, the physicality of the gruesome stabbing-like-collision would shred the slime eventually even if this kind of intercation has reduced damage. But this... He slammed it quite hard. Reduced damage or not, for this to have an explanation there has to be some sort of magic going on. For it to have been launched onto a dagger and come out so clean has no visible reasoning. So how can I explain it to them? How can I explain the "1" damage counter showing up above that slime?

-"What the hell?" Tai says quickly in surprise. The teacher is looking at me, making a weird face, not fully understanding. -"What is going on Rune?" Tai asks. The other students look at me with a weird gaze. "No! You don't understand!" I yell. I look to all directions. I see their faces. Some of them murmuring. "No! what happened is..."Another student is pointing at me as they whisper to another. "NO, I just!.. I..."

I can't finish and I run from there.

I run fast, crying. I run towards the forest and I can't stop the tears. "F***! F***! F***!!!" I yell.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME HUH? HERE! I F***ED UP MY BUILD! I FAILED!" I yell at the very forest.

"1 damage huh? I'll show you 1 damage". I get to the huge tree and the quest re-appears. I retake it fully aware I'm going to have to kill the thing dealing 1 damage.

"Me or that F***ing tree, one of us doesn't return today".