"What did you say?" Ash asked from the back.

"Point removal." Ethan began walking around.

"What! Our hard earned points. So what did we do?" Luke's question was more of a complaint than a question Ethan laughed at Luke's folly which caused the latter to be angrier and the former to laugh harder.

"Anyway, what I want to use to remove points is the building blocks of a scroll user." Ethan left them to complete the sentence themselves.

"Kekai." Ben said the mind of the masses but they were wrong.

"No. It is the Scroll User Code Of Conduct." Nobody among them expected it to be code of conduct and the fact that it was that annoyed them the more.

"How the fuck is that suppose to be the building block of a scroll user?!" Ben and Ryder yelled in unison.

"Founded by the senzaikyo and the knights it is on this principle that the foundation of scroll using were laid. All scroll users follow these things even criminals." Ethan explained.

"Wow! Certainly wasn't expecting the criminal part." Sean was surprised by the fact that his superior Ethel did not know such basic knowledge.

"Ethel." Ethan frowned a bit and went on with the point removal.

Using all sixty scroll user code of conducts everybody's points were successfully reduced to zero but by the saving grace of their student point book they were able to get some points.

"I removed your points for you to realise that following proper protocols is mandatory. Going out on missions, most foes take it as an insult when the opponent does not follow the code of conduct and can kill because of that."

"So much fuss for some puny conducts. Screw that shit." Ben spat.

Ethan sighed at the boys ignorance and the fact that he refuses to be educated. "Fools never learn till death. Let's continue."

Following the scroll user code of conduct this time the contestants continued their fight making sure to go by the code of conduct to avoid point removal.

Ethan released his kekai again but it was more easier to move than before taking advantage of that fact, Joan took the initiative to use her techniques.

'Mia let's use that technique.' Mia looked up at Joan who just appeared at her front.

'It's about time kiddo.'

Light green kekai emanated from Joan's body as she went on all fours. An amour of ice covered her body along with four extra limbs and a tail made of ice emerged from Joan's body . She had become a scorpion.

Shooting out poisoned icicles from her tail Joan assaulted Ethan with a barrage of lethally poisoned icicles.

Ethan destroyed every icicle with ease while analysing the situation. 'If I get grazed by one of those I'm dead it is also safe to say that if I touch her I can be poisoned. I see why she doesn't use it frequently, she could kill her teammates during close combat.'

'This is going too well for him none of our attacks connected only the new tricks we learnt during training. It's almost like he planned it. I wouldn't be surprised if he did. Mia it is time.' Frustration could be clearly see on Joan's face due to the fact that she hasn't landed any solid hit and also the fact that her theory could be true.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" A battle cry could be heard from Joan as she struggled to maintain utmost concentration and her consciousness while fusing with her scroll spirit.

Joan's kekai turned to a shade of green that almost looked white. The temperature the temperature also dropped further. At this point, Ethan's kekai was easily overpowered by Joan's freezing kekai causing Ethan to immediately become alarmed. The chemistry teacher also had a pretty good handle on the technique Joan was about to use. 'Don't tell me she is using that forbidden technique of old!'

Joan spoke her voice becoming one with Mia."Come to me I pray thee. That I may set my kingdom here. Terrain effect; world transfer."

Ethan stared in awe and terror at the frozen terrain surrounding him. Knowing that things will most likely not end well for him Ethan brought out his lucky coin.

The coin had the words 'yes' and 'no' engraved on both sides and its use i..s pretty classical. You flip it and then pray to God for your luck.

On that fateful day the Knight's luck was a 'good luck'.

"I am getting out of this alive." Ethan dashed forward at inhuman speeds intercepting the ice shards and icicles Joan fired at him.

"Scroll art; Elemental technique 8: Push." Black kekai poured out of Ethan's body eating all in its path whilst heading for Joan.

'This my first time using this technique. I have to be careful or my kekai gets drained out.' While trying to conserve her kekai Joan thought of different counters to Ethan's kekai.

Ethan did not fail to notice the opening Joan left. Gambling his life, Ethan moved to attack. It was either he immobilize her or she hits him with a forbidden technique.

*-*-*-*

While all this was happening John watched carefully.

'So Joan is already using her forbidden techniques, let me heat things up here as well. Scroll art; Forbidden elemental technique 1: The enchanters deceit.'

A burst of weird flames erupted from John's palm. It was like normal fire but what was weird was that it wasn't hot.

"What weird fire... Kill! KILL!!" A guy that got hit with the cold fire suddenly got violent and erupted blood lust. Others that was hit by the fire started behaving weirdly too.

"John what is this?" Peter asked.

"A forbidden technique akin to magic. It makes people act out their inner desires until they are satisfied. It is... Scroll art; Forbidden elemental technique 1: The enchanters deceit." John explained the technique and Peter immediately got what John was trying to do.

"I see." A mischievously evil grin found its way up Peter's face

*-*-*-*

Ethan sensed bloodlust rising in the forest but decided not to do any thing since he can't take his eyes of his opponent.

Joan came out her thought realising that Ethan had disappeared but the place was Joan's temporary territory made from her kekai, finding Ethan was like finding a glowing object in the dark. By the time she found Ethan, the man was behind her.

"Don't move." Ethan put a finger on Joan's head from behind..

'This man. This is a gamble. It is either I lose my head or he gets damaged beyond repair by my technique. He is well aware that he is my range isn't he scared to take risks like this.'

"No risk no reward." Ethan turned around to see the students doing all sorts of things. Some were fighting, some were going home, some were playing with snow and ice.

"The enchanters deceit!" Ethan yelled. Looking down at Joan's leg he saw the cold fire climbing up Joan's body.

"Win. Win! Win!! I MUST WIN!!!" The temperature around Joan and Ethan dropped by a lot while Joan's kekai became stronger with every passing second.

*-*-*-*

"Leave now enchanter. I won't let you have this girl." Space and time froze as the flames and Joan merged to form the image of a man.

"Who gave you the right to control me? Knight!" Joan or rather the enchanter exclaimed.

Ethan's bloodlust rose to the point that it was so strong the air was deprived of oxygen. The enchanter got the message and left.

"I'll be back Ethan. For the knights and the girl's squad." The enchanter gave his last words before leaving Joan's body and entering John's eye.

Time returned back to normal and all activities resumed.

Ethan carried Joan's unconscious body and rest it on a platform made from his kekai.

*-*-*-*

Ethan caught Barry's sword midway preventing the swing from reaching full speed.

"What happened to Joan? What is John's technique? And why are all these forbidden techniques existing anyway?" Barry asked with tears in his eyes.

"That is not for you to know at the moment so calm your anger. Now come at me."

'I have other things to do. I'll ask john about it later.' Moving slowly towards Ethan with his sword sizzling with black lightning, Barry prepared his technique.

The moment Barry noticed that Ethan no longer concentrated on him but his sword Barry let go of the blade. Like clockwork, Ethan's eyes followed the blade.

"Boo." Ethan's eyes went back to Barry realising how the boy got him with a simple trick.

'Crap.' Ethan cursed in his mind.

Moving at superhuman speeds, Barry caught his weapon and vanished.

Barry appeared behind Ethan aiming to cut him at the nape of his neck.

"What is this?" Barry's sword was met by a solidified lump of kekai preventing the attack from connecting.

"The nape of the neck is one of the most unguarded part of the body. I already prepared for it. Too bad, and you almost got me." Ethan grabbed Barry's wrist from behind while making use of his advantage in strength to toss the smaller boy across the field.

Barry quickly regained his balance and sense of direction. Coating himself with lightning, Barry wasted no time before charging at Ethan. 

"Scroll art: Shadow swordstep Form 1. Divine shadow." Shadows from the ground rose up to surround Barry's sword turning it into a staff.

Lunging at Ethan with the staff from all directions, Barry left Ethan no time to react or counter any of his attacks.

"Sengan." Barry hit Ethan's torso with a sengan out of the blue.

"I see. You forced a blind spot with your staff making me to lose sight of your left hand which I never expected you to attack with. So? Is this your best?" The teacher sneered.

"What?! You're joking right? What do you think I've been fighting with? 50℅?" Barry squawked indignantly.

"If that's all, hen I can't crown you. What a shame though. Scroll art: marionette." Ethan moved his right hand slowly to the left.

Chills ran through Barry's body as an eerie voice sang a song from nowhere.
🎵Look at your left arm! Look at your right arm! It's turning to wood! Look at your left leg! Look at your right leg! It's turning to wood! Your body! Your head! You have fallen under the spell of the MARIONETTE!! OF THE MARIONETTE!! Now dance my puppet for you are only wood🎵

Barry yelled in agony. The way he was being controlled was painful coupled with the horrific voices that sang in his head.

*-*-*-*

'That knight Ethan is cruel. Scroll art marionette. That technique was designed to kill the mind and the body. While it may seem like a kid's pathetic attempt at an horror story from outside, the one experiencing it is in hell.'

John immediately went into his scroll spirit's world forgetting the battles around him.

"Who are you?!" John yelled.

"Don't be so hostile. I am your scroll spirit. The enchanter." The mysterious voice introduced itself.

"Prominence burn." John's arm was set ablaze ready to burn anything. Condensing all the flames to a point John released a jet of super hot and condensed flames at the enchanter.

"Don't be so irrational John, it's unlikely of you. Stay calm and analyse. Isn't that what you'll tell Barry or Peter in a situation like this."

John broke the mind link with his inner world and put his attention on Barry and Ethan's fight.

*-*-*-*
Ethan jumped away to avoid a deadly gash from the twin blades ashiri.

"You've done well Barry. Rest." Peter hit Barry hard in the gut rendering him unconscious and also freeing him from the marionette.

"John! Take Barry to a safe place then back me up." Peter handed Barry's body to John before going for the knight.

"Don't die bro. Don't." John laid Barry's pained body on a bed of flames to supply warmth to him because of the cold.

Hurrying to the scene, John found Peter struggling even with the ashiri.

"John!" John got Peter's message and swiftly acted.

"Flame control: Fireball." Peter jumped out of the way leaving Ethan exposed to the technique.

'They are planing something. What can it be.' Ethan reasoned on what the boys could be planning and came up with an hypothesis.

'The fireball is obviously a front. They probably want me to dispel it and the the heat makes my eyes and throat dry causing me to lose focus.' Ethan dodged the fireball much to John's delight. Right behind the ball of fire the first blade of the ashiri.

"That was a nice one though." Ethan sidestepped the sword.

"Humph. You underestimate us." A few seconds before the sword passed Ethan, Peter and the sword switched places.

With his second blade in hand and his aim steadied, Peter swung his blade aiming for the neck of the examiner.

"Don't convert your body to kekai or you die Ethan." Ethan's scroll spirit warned.

'How nice of you to be warning me. Thank you though.' Ethan said to himself.

Ethan pulled out the knife he used earlier form his pocket to parry the ashiri. Putting his experience to use, Ethan used Peter's head as support to hoist himself above the boy. Sinking his knee into the boys back, the knight used his arm and knee to pin Peter to the ground and used his other arm go intercept John's attack.

"Prominence burn." Taking the full brunt of John's attack, Ethan's right hand was out of commission for a while.

When Peter noticed that the firm grip holding him down has been loosened, he took advantage of the situation to free himself.

"What is the situation John?" Peter asked.

"He is currently expending kekai and nutrients to heal himself so most of his metabolic activities has slowed down. You know what this means right?"

"That's where you're wrong. I brought up to ten bags of nutrient jelly with me in case I get injured or exhausted. Scroll user code of conduct 23: Be prepared." Ethan emptied two of the bags in his mouth.

"The situation now?" Peter asked.

"His metabolic activities has returned back to normal and his wounds has healed by concentrating all the energy and nutrients supplied from the jelly on healing." John updated Peter

"Thanks that's all I need to know for now. Applied kekai is so good. We move in sync." Taking a firm hold of his blades, Peter dashed out to attack the proctor while John stayed stationary assisting with flaming arrows.

"Prominence burn. Peter! This is my limit for prominence burn. My ultimate move."  Switching places with Peter, John appeared in front Ethan ready to attack but this time John's target wasn't the man but the ground.

The effect of the technique caused steam to rise obstructing vision.

'So it is heat based teleportation they are using anyway, I have to do something about this situation.' Ethan analysed the situation then came up with an inference.

A normal arrow came flying at Ethan and as expected he avoided it.

'So John is at the east. So that means peter will be west or south, that means Peter will soon move to attack at melee range. Is what Mr Ethan would have thought. For the last time.' Once again John thought a step ahead the teacher.

A strong wind blew away all the steam to reveal both John and Peter closing in on Ethan. A fireball was thrown at Ethan once again but the man paid no attention to it. At the same time Peter got into melee range John appeared beside him with a blade of the ashiri in hand. Channelling his kekai through the blade, John released his prominence burn through the blade. In an attempt to avoid the attack Ethan was thrown off balance. Peter took advantage of that slight opening to use his wind tho adjust the man's body to a position favourable enough for the boys.

"Bro!" Without wasting even a second the two boys attacked the proctor in an endless furry leaving him barely no time to react.

Ethan's intense kekai swept through the arena once again choking the weakened ones of the lot. Being the closest to it John and Peter were pushed away by its immerse power.

"John. His kekai is moving to his palm. What is the situation?" Peter asked.

"This is bad! He is condensing a large amount of kekai into his palm." John passed the situation and broke it down to Peter.

"How large?"

"Lyn." Peter's eyes widened in shock at John's word.

"Scroll art: Basic elemental technique three; Wind step." In the blink of an eye Peter's blades pierced through Ethan's arm causing the kekai to indiscriminately explode.

John and Peter immediately worked together to create a vortex of wind and fire around Ethan to contain the blast. After the kekai could no longer be felt, they released the technique.

"I'm impressed. An almost flawless teamwork. Perfect synchronization of techniques. Good flow of information. Perfect assessment of situations. Swift thinking. Fierce and powerful attacks. John Cater, Aldorado Peter. You both receive special promotion to the rank of JSU." Ethan handed over to them JSU files and told them the procedures they have to follow in order to get their ID cards and become official JSU.

"How did you preserve this anyway?" Peter asked.

"My bag isn't far from me and I wrapped the papers in a special anti-kekai material." Ethan brought out another bag of nutrient jelly from his side pocket and emptied the contents in his mouth.

"That's great. We'll meet at the end of the exams then." John and Peter jumped a good six feet off the ground due to Barry's sudden appearance.

"Earth control: multiple mud walls." Peter's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Barry using earth techniques.

"Bartholomew Kirk. You are a lightning user aren't you? Why are you able to use other elements?" Ethan asked.

"This isn't the time to be worrying about that right. Prominence burn." Barry answered.

'He trapped us in this structure in order to use John and Peter as bait. Not bad kid'

"My technique too?!"

'It is scroll seal most likely. It allows him to steal a technique from a person.' The enchanter informed John.

"Let's get out of here or else we'll be used as bait." Peter whispered into John's ear. Like clockwork flames came flying at their direction.

"Kyaa! You son of a..." John covered Peter's mouth while running away from the flames Barry kept sending to their direction.

Barry shot several lightning bolt into the sky along with several fireballs. Soon enough the sky got dark.

"In order to earth lightning, positive charges are used. Using my kekai as the the earth wire and the lightning bolts I shot up as positive current you know what I'm about to do right." Ethan scowled a bit at Barry's explanation about his technique.

"Fall! Tempest!" A huge sword of lightning and wind descended amidst the clouds to the ground.

"So you have awakened." A smile found its way up Ethan's face.

*-*-*-*
"Wow! Barry's putting up a show over there." Yuki watched as the battle went on among the two.

"I've been meaning to ask this for quite a while now. Senior do you know that man." Sean's question was thrown to Ethel.

"He is my father. You should have seen it already." Ethel's answer was a shock to the rest of the senzaikyo at the gathering.

"Wow. By the way. When are we going to leave this spot?" Tyler asked.

"We aren't. If we do we'll get caught up in his technique." Yuki explained.

"My father doesn't have any techniques. He just uses counters to your attacks that will make you use the next move in his mind." Ethel explained.

"Wow!" Sean exclaimed.

*-*-*-*

Ethan held the sword of lightning with his right hand and with his left, he dispelled the technique.

"Bartholomew Kirk. The title I am about to give you is not ordinary and can be lost at anytime. Many will come after it. Senseless battles will be fought over it. Can you keep it?" Ethan asked.

"Yes because if you won't give me, I'll take it from you. The title given to the fastest, the name flash master."

To be continued...
______________________________________

SCROLL CLASS

Swordstep: These are weapon based training that help change the flow of one's kekai giving rise to a new technique compatible with their element.

Prominence burn: This is John's ultimate technique. It is brought about by the compression of flames and heat to a single point then releasing it in a burst.
______________________________________

Sorry for the late updates I've been busy recently so the next update will probably be late too.

Thanks for reading.

Olasijibomi.