"But dad, I want to show my powers! That's not fair!" thundered Kaito in his father's office.

Miguel sat down in his chair and leaned on his desk, looking at his son with a serious expression.

"Kaito, I already told you I forbid it. You are the twentieth F rank of the world, and probably the only one still alive. I don't want this world to come after you."

Kaito took a deep breath and sat down in the reading armchair, poking at the small stack of books on the lampshaded table.

"What's the point of having powers if the world thinks I'm just a weak, contagious piece of crap?"

"You are neither weak nor contagious. If what I have been discovering makes any sense, you may be on the same level as several others of higher ranks."

At that moment Kaito stared at his father somewhat curious and somewhat annoyed.

"What do you mean on the same level? You say I can fight an A or S rank? Is that it?"

Miguel took a deep breath, went over his theories in his mind, and turned to his son with seriousness in his eyes.

"I wouldn't go that far. In your clashes with your mother and brothers they didn't use even half of their powers. I can assure they are incomparably stronger than that."

"So I can be equal to a B rank? C?" the hopeful boy asked.

"Kaito, my son, I cannot answer that. My theory is that your blood can replicate what other bloods do, but only at the most basic level. You can make the blood denser and increase the strength and weight of your blows, but it is no match for a warrior. You can also vibrate red blood cells and use initial spells and enchantments, but it doesn't compare to a mage either. It's like you're a joker, who does everything, but without the same intensity."

Kaito pondered over that and affirmed it, for he himself had his theories. But he still was filled with doubt.

"Can I use abilities from all the classes? Can I mix them all together? Wouldn't that make me even stronger?"

Miguel thought about it and confirmed still very seriously.

"It is a possibility, Kaito, and so let's treat it as what it is, as a possibility. I will call some friends from other classes and we will see how your blood understands their class. It's a pity that there are few I can trust to do this and they are very busy. Your test is in a week and I'm afraid there won't be time."

Kaito smiled and pounded his chest confidently.

"With my powers I'll pass, Dad! I'm sure I can handle it!"

"I already told you, do not use your powers!"              

His father didn't yell, but he spoke louder, and that was enough to make Kaito shut up and feel intimidated. It wasn't usual to see his father act like this.

Miguel stared at his son with anguish in his eyes and then leaned back in his armchair, calming down a little more.

"I'm sorry, son. It's just that this whole situation makes me fearful. I'm afraid that they will do bad things to you. I don't know what your mother and I would do if this were to happen."

Kaito stood up and walked over to his father, putting his hand on his shoulder and giving him a comforting smile.

"Don't worry, dad. I'll be fine. I've trained hard and learned many things. I can get by without using my powers."

Miguel stared at his son for a moment and felt a huge guilt growing in his chest. He stood up and hugged Kaito, something he very rarely did. The boy was startled for a moment, but soon hugged his father back.

"Your mother and I love you very much, son. We wanted you safe here with us, but we can't hold you forever. That wouldn't be living." said Miguel, who pulled away a little and looked into his son's white eyes head on "I allow you to use your powers..."

"Sacred blood! That’s more like it!"

"I allow it only if it is the last resort! I want the world to take time to find out, and if it occurs soon it has to be because you did something extremely necessary. Understood?"              

Kaito noded, feeling the weight of those words.

"Okay, Dad. I will only use it if it is extremely necessary!"

                                                                                    * * *

Kaito didn't know if this was really a moment of need, but he felt he had to act. The astonishment he caused throughout the hall was clear. Everyone there could not put into words what they saw.

"Is that...?"

"Is he...?"

"Is that possible?"

A Bloodless, a word used to for people considered useless, the class that dies within months, was standing there in front of them using an mage enchantment. Even Principal Selize couldn't hide her shock.

"So he can do it too..."

Bairon looked at Kaito helplessly and Opame clapped her hands excitedly.

"Holy crap! You can use magic! You're like a white-haired mage!"

"Not as good as a mage, but I think I can get by." he replied staring at the troll in front of him.

The creature looked ready, as if it was prepared for intense combat, and Kaito was quick to give directions.

"Bairon, I want strengthening magic on me and and physical strengthening magic on Opame and on you."

"But my magic is C rank and is very weak! And physical strengthening on me too? What am I going to do with that?"

"Just do it! Opame, what is your most powerful attack?" asked Kaito taking the lead and getting his spear ready.

"You've seen it already, that hook to the chin."

"I'll take his balance off and you attack with me when you have an opening. At the right moment I want your best punch!"

"But it didn't work before. Why would it work now?"

The troll advanced with speed against the trio and with each of his steps the entire hall shook.

"Because that punch will carry the weight of all three of us!"

Kaito stepped forward and stabbed the creature's leg with his spear, hitting it full on and piercing its shin. It wasn't a deep wound, but it still made the troll reduce its speed and hesitate as it lowered its club.

"Where are the blessings, Bairon?!" rushed Kaito, dodging the club as he took a step to the right.

"Power flow! Magic flow!" conjured the cleric, creating an aura around the two allies.

The troll roared and with his other hand tried to crush Kaito, but Opame stopped him by punching his arm with enormous force and making him turn to the side.

Seizing the moment, Kaito concentrated and felt the blood rush with force and weight inside his body, stabbing the troll's legs several times, each time piercing more and burning his flesh.

"It's no use, whitey! He regenerates and... wait, what's that?" Opame noticed something that impressed her "the wounds... they are not regenerating!"

The creature did not heal as usual. Instead, it was falling to its knees with the wounds caused by the cauterizing punctures.

Kaito looked at the moment. The enemy was as he expected, weak and fallen. But he still needed him in the perfect position.

"Opame, now!"

The monk ran in front of the troll and on the same impulse ducked and prepared her best hook.

"Ascending Fist..." she closed her fist, jumped with all her strength, used the right and perfect spin, but something else she didn't expect occurred.

"Fire Flow!" conjured Kaito aiming at the monk and filling her fist with the same flames that were on his spear.

The blow had yet to hit, and as she found herself whirling in the air with her burning hand, Opame felt euphoric like she had never felt before.

"Phoenix Fist!"

The punch hit hard and at just the right time. The troll had its body lifted, but more than that, the wound now would not be regenerated. The troll's jaw broke as he was thrown into the air, but that would not make him give up attacking those three.

The troll recovered while still in the air and prepared to fall on Opame, this time making sure to smash her straight. But before he could act, Kaito's spear pierced through the air like a fire dart into the monster's chest, piercing lightly.

"Bairon, the shield, now!" said Kaito giving the signal.

Bairon didn't know if this would work. He was afraid of making a mistake and that everything would get worse, but he still turned his body and launched the small metal shield, which flew with speed and hit the spear with a force that pierced the chest of the creature, which fell lifeless to the ground.

The entire floor shook on impact, the troll was defeated, and silence filled the entire hall. Everyone was speechless, and it was in the incredulous silence that Kaito's voice stood out.

"Was it in time?" he said looking at the principal a bit distressed.

Selize didn't answer right away. She consulted her cell phone, answered something as she typed into it, and turned to the trio with a somewhat puzzled and stern look on her face.

"Let's just say that you guys have done enough. And since I am a woman of my word, I give my approval for you to enter the Phoenix Academy."

Everyone there turned incredulously to the principal and soon the whispering turned into complaints.

"You're going to let a Bloodless in and we're not?"

"He didn't do anything! It was the monk who did everything!"

"Let’s see if my parents will like this!"

The complaints were repeated over and over again and getting louder and louder. Kaito took a deep breath feeling very tired and even dizzy, but Opame held him gently so that he stood.

"Don't fall, leader! Now is the time to stand and face these assholes."

The mob became even more agitated and soon surrounded the trio and the principal, but a louder voice shushed them.

"WHO ARE YOU TO TALK ANY SHIT?"

Kaito looked to the side and saw that Bairon stood in front of them and wore an expression of anger and bitterness.

"You guys were scared and wanted to run away to your parents, but Kaito didn't do that! He helped me, who is a C rank to pass! He passed and he's F rank! You high rank people could have passed, but you chose to complain! It's not our fault if you are losers!"

Kaito knew that Bairon was somewhat clumsy with words, but he didn't expect him to be that clumsy. Soon everyone there was even more irritated by the insults and surrounded the group even more. Opame closed her fists and stepped forward, but before anything could happen the principal, who was sitting down, appeared standing in front of everyone.

"I challenge any of you to touch a student at my academy and still have a hand to use." she said in a velvety tone, which gave more chills than the biggest roar the troll could ever give.

Everyone stepped back, and in a short time total silence had been established. It seemed that the weight of that woman's authority was so great that no one could risk questioning her without putting their lives at risk.

"Our rules were clear. Defeat the troll as a team and enter the academy. A monster like that is easily defeated by an good A rank, but a well planned team can do the same or even better. That's what I saw here, a trio that acted smarter than a A rank. But if you don't accept this result I can redo the test with all of you, but instead of five members, you may have only three, two of them being C rank down. Will you accept?"

Silence answered for everyone there. No one wanted to risk a confrontation with a creature like that with two low ranks on their team. The weight of blood was too much for everyone there.               Selize then showed a calm smile and gestured indicating the exit.

"Then we're all done, aren't we? Those who failed can leave and the three who passed should stay for an interview."

Slowly the candidates are guided out with the help of the security guards, but it was clear that they did not accept that result at all.

"Interview? Do we really have to do that?" asked Opame directly to Selize.

"It's silly stuff. More my curiosity than anything else, dear. No need to worry."

The director returned to her seat and settled down, picking up a small cookie and nibbling it carefully.

"So, prospective new members, I need to ask you a thing or two. First I'd like to know about you, Miss Opame. Where did you come from, who are you, what do you do, and why do you want to join the Phoenix Academy?"

Opame wiggled her fingers somewhat uneasily, took a deep breath appearing to be nervous for the first time, and answered by speaking louder than usual.

"I am Opame Palindar! I am a monk, which is half warrior and half rogue...but you already know that. Oh, my mother is a rogue and my father is a warrior, but my grandmother, who trained me and is very nice, she is a monk too, but she is C rank. I live in District B and I want to enter because I admire you, Principal Selize! I want to prove that my rank is not enough to tell how strong I am! That's it!"

She spoke quickly, loudly, and almost running over, but it drew a laugh from the principal, who nodded and said lightly.

"Welcome to the Phoenix Academy, my dear. I hope you defeat many A ranks or higher even."

Opame smiled excitedly and almost raised her hand in salute.

" And I will indeed!"

The headmistress turned to Bairon without saying a word, only encouraging him to speak with a brief raise of her eyebrows. Bairon huffed, coughed a little to clear his throat, and said something he memorized.

"My name is Bairon Lestus Armando. My father owns the Lestus Car Manufacturer, because a strong blood needs a Lestus! I am a C rank cleric, but I will train to be strong and not get in the way of the higher ranks who need me."

This time Selize didn't smile. She just looked deeper at the boy.

"Welcome to the Phoenix Academy, Mr. Bairon. I hope you will be able to expand your horizons in here."

Bairon noded almost machinarily.

"My horizons will be as big as this pretigious academy!"

The principal then turned to Kaito, who looked exhausted. His head hurt and everything seemed to blur and blur as he looked around him.

"Mister Kaito, you came by appointment from your parents and siblings. I see that you are the brother of an S rank and theoretically are referred to as a classless."

The principal's words caught Kaito’s attention, but he heared her voice as if it were an echo. However the next words that came from the principal's lips sounded clear in his ears, making his chest freeze all at once.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Kaito, you are not qualified for the Phoenix Academy."