It was day two of the Ashbourne Academy end-of-year tournament. Kai felt restless as he sat on the bench inside the waiting area. There was little point to watching the current fight that was going on. Most of the first years had been uninspiring, boring even. He felt himself struggle to stay interested in most the fights going on. Only the Forging realm students would be worth taking note of but most of them would have byes during the first round.

He checked his status screen while he waited.

Name: Kaismo Cineris

Realm/Level: Foundation 98

Aspect: Gravity

Class: Vanguard

Race: Human

Health: 1150/1150

Stamina: 500/500

Mana: 900/900

Vitality: 110 (115)

Strength: 110

Dexterity: 60

Endurance: 50

Intelligence: 90

Wisdom: 90

Unspent Attributes Available: 40

Active Skills:

- Heavy Blow [2/10]

- Gravity Pillar [2/10]

- Domain [1/10]

Passive Skills:

- Burden [2/10]

General Skills:

- Identify

- Pain Tolerance 1

- Sense Improvement 1

- Soul Presence 4

- Elemental Magic Resistance 4

- Physical Resistance 4

The differences in magical classes were astounding. Some of the students fighting possessed an array of different active abilities, while others only had one. It was a curious thing to awaken to magic and yet possess three passive abilities off the start. It was rare but it did happen on occasion. On the opposite spectrum, some students at this time only had active abilities. Even if two students both awakened to the fire element and mage class, there was no guarantee they would unlock the same skills.

Gravity itself was a rare magic type. As far as Kai was aware, he was the only student with it in the academy, perhaps the entire city. And the vanguard class was even rarer. He had scoured the library looking for the vanguard class but never found it listed under known basic or advanced classes. An advanced class was available to those who upgraded their first class when they reached the Profound realm. It was possible vanguard was a specialized class, which was an even rarer version of a basic class. Specialized classes weren’t just offered like basic classes. There were unique requirements to getting offered them, which were always kept secret by families or clans that had knowledge of how to gain them. Only issue was, Kai had no idea what criteria he had hit to receive such a class.

Sadly, there were no extra abilities or attribute stats that came with the vanguard class. The only benefits that he assumed came from it were the general skills and class benefits. Kai was certain that no other Foundation realm students from the Ashbourne Academy could match his innate physical and magical resistances that were given to him by the vanguard class.

It was a strange thing to muse about before a battle. Kai’s mind wandered thinking about the possible upgrades that would come when he advanced to the Forging realm.

“Kai.” He heard his name, but it sounded slightly muted. “Kai.” Again, his name was called, but this time it was louder.

He felt someone shake his shoulder. Looking up, Nicolas was standing in front of him. “Kai, it’s your turn. They called your name.”

He nodded. “Thanks.” Standing, he smoothed his hair down. It had grown quite a bit and he hadn’t bothered to get cut it. Though it wasn’t quite in his eyes yet.

“Nervous?” questioned Nicolas.

Kai shook his head. He felt calm right now. The fight wasn’t for his life, but for the direction of his life. Perhaps he should have felt nervous, but he wasn’t. He believed he had prepared his best for this moment, short of venturing into the wilds and fighting monsters alone. Most of his free time had been spent training, and his level was nothing to scoff at with his lack of resources and connections after less than a year. The question was would it be enough?

Walking through the doors to the arena, the crowd roared. It was louder and clearer than when he was inside the waiting area. It felt warm as he walked out onto the dirt cover ground. Putting his helmet on, he felt the tell-tale signs of his armor absorbing the light from the enchantments above. Wispy patterns began forming all over his armor causing it to lighten. After a mere few seconds, the armor’s weight had been cut in half. There was a small commotion from the audience as he was sure, they were gawking at his unusual armor.

His eyes found his opponent. She was quite pretty with her black hair and sharp cheekbones. With only so many people among the first-year students, he had seen her in his melee tactics course, but he wasn’t familiar with her magic or skills. Since he had never talked to her before, there had been no point in learning or remembering her name. And now, because he hadn’t been paying attention when the announcer called their names, he still didn’t know it. Not that it mattered. She was an opponent to defeat, name or no name.

[Human – Foundation Level 68]

His opponent was 30 levels below his. There was a great chance he would win the fight without having to resort to spending his saved attribute points. The young woman before him was outfitted in a thin metal plate armor concurred to her body. Like his, it covered all her vital points. Equipped in her hand was a rapier with a fancy handguard. His eyes couldn’t pick up any signs about her magic element or class. Though Kai was certain she was a melee fighter.

Without knowing his opponent’s abilities and magic, it was futile to formulate a plan of action. It was entirely possible, that his opponent knew of his abilities since they were so unique among the academy students. But that was only a guess. Even if she was aware of his skills, there was nothing she could do to stop it. Gravity was inevitable.

“Begin!”

Immediately his opponent ran towards him. A warrior scream bellowed from her as she quickly crossed the field of battle. The wind seemed to gather around her, giving her a boost in speed. Amused, Kai let her come closer.

When she was only a few meters away, he activated [Domain]. Immediately, his opponent stumbled under the newfound weight of an additional 180% gravity that tried to pull her down to the ground. Robbed of her speed, her eyes widened with surprise and fear.

To Kai’s eyes, she appeared to be struggling to move. Trembling, she strained her body fighting the gravity. Her arm shook as she tried to lift her rapier.

Kai walked up to her slowly. With every step he took, he made an imprint on the packed dirt. Two meters from her, he was still unarmed. His sword was still sheathed, but he kept a hand on the handle, ready at a moment’s notice.

“Surrender,” he called out, offering her an out. He eyed his mana which was still sitting at 95% after 20 seconds of his domain.

He waited as she contemplated his question. Anyone reasonable person would surrender, especially when that person couldn’t even move. Only his opponent was apparently, anything but reasonable, as she shook her head.

Then came something he hadn’t expected. “Fight me without your gravity,” she yelled. Her face dripped with sweat, and her breathing labored as if just yelling had been a task for her.

Kai had been too shocked or else he would have laughed. He blinked. “Wait. You’re serious?”

“Yes,” she groaned. Her legs were beginning to buckle as they bent slightly.

“Why should I?” he asked. His curiosity had gotten the better of him, and she wasn’t going anywhere.

“My parents… are… watching…” she gritted out.

Recalling the first round of the tournament, Kai felt for the girl. It would suck to have to end the year with nothing to show for it. Kai mulled it over. I can just reactivate my domain if it’s going bad and I won’t have to fight again until tomorrow at the earliest. Which would give him plenty of time to recover resources. His opponent had to be pretty worn down already, coupled with the fact that his passive ability, burden, was draining her of her stamina even as she struggled to stand there. Kai still felt fine. He was used to this pressure. Although his body was heavy under it, he had trained quite often under such conditions often for the last five months. His body had gotten much stronger physically, not counting the attributes and gravity mitigation he had helping him. If she wanted to have a spar with blades, he would oblige her. He was confident he would win.

Kai sighed. “Fine… But first, what is your name?” he asked sheepishly.

Her reaction mirrored Jason’s when he often stared at Kai. “Emily,” she grunted, obviously unhappy.

“Alright, Emily. Let’s see what you got.” Immediately his gravity ceased.

Predictably, she launched across the remaining two meters to him. Her rapier aimed at his chest. Whipping out his cold iron sword, he parried the rapier, knocking it and her arm up and across her body. He didn’t counter despite the easy opening since he wanted this fight to last longer.

He felt the winds change when her arm quickly returned to position. Her element of wind seemed to help her maneuver her body. I guess we never discussed her not using magic…

He swung with a short compact swing, gauging her speed and response. Deftly dodging, she rapidly jabbed back at him, each strike was fast and swift in its attempt to break his defense. Every time his sword came up to block her strike, she withdrew her arm, then struck again in a different spot. She knew she was no match for his power. They played a game of cat and mouse. Emily’s sword strikes were too quick, but he managed to evade most of them. After half a minute of defending, he felt her score on his armor. Besides the sound of metal against metal, he didn’t even feel her strike.

A small smile came to his face. There was a certain enjoyment to be had just when sparring in a somewhat even exchange. Staying focused, Kai went on the offensive.

Emily flittered back, assisted by the winds as she evaded his strike. Like a hound after a bone, Kai chased after her. She began to solely evade each strike, not even attempting to strike back at him.

After a solid minute of dodging, he stopped on the field. Without his gravity to slow or stop her, he could do nothing about her superior speed. He wasn’t going to waste his stamina playing games with her.

She paused five meters away. A slight smirk was on her face as she stared at him. He felt a sense of foreboding at her smirk. Something was wrong. She isn’t trying to attack. How is this showing what she learned to her parents?

Whatever she was doing, Kai felt it was wrong to give her time to breathe. He charged her once again, this time putting all his energy into speed.

She was late to react as he reached her. His sword slashed down into the armor of her upper arm, connecting, Emily fell to the side by the force of his regular blow. Someone from the crowd called out, “Emily!” Her armor had blocked the strike, but a small dent had formed.

Even without his heavy blow ability, his strikes were a force to be reckoned with at this stage of fighting. He walked over to her prone form. His sword arm stretched out, waiting for the words.

“Surrender,” he stated more forcefully than before. He felt lightheaded and out of breath. Perhaps from all the chasing.

Emily looked into his eyes, searching for something. It was when he brought his free hand to his head, that she smirked widely.

Whipping her rapier across, she struck at his sword as she tried to bat it away, which gave her enough time to get up and run away before Kai could strike back. She sure is a fast one, he thought.

Taking a step after her, he felt the arena spin for a second. Dizziness enveloped his mind. Kai realized then he had been played. While he had been fighting and chasing her. Emily had subtly been reducing the oxygen he had been taking in.

Anger flooded Kai. He tried to be kind. He even sympathized that going home in the first round would be devastating. So, he thought to be kind-hearted and allow Emily to show her skills. But she had deceived him. Likely she had planned this from the moment he had her cornered, or maybe even before the battle began.

Kai decided then, that there would be no more games or niceties throughout the tournament. He would only be brutal and punishing to his opponents.

[Gravity Pillar] activated over the unsuspecting Emily, as she stood almost 15 meters away. Instantly, she collapsed to the ground on all fours. Inhaling deeply, Kai felt the spell broken, as his lungs filled with oxygenated air. His mind became more alert. Walking to her, he watched as she struggled not to attach herself to the dirt ground but failed as miserably.

He gave a brief look to the adjudicator who appeared to be contemplating his decision. If you’re not going to call the match now, then don’t complain to me later. Stepping onto the blade of her rapier, he looked down at her once more.

He offered no more surrenders. If she hadn’t given up by now, then she wouldn’t until he forced her. Shifting his blade in hand, he spun it around until the blunt side was facing downwards.

Lifting his sword arm, he felt the resistance of his arm being inside the gravity pillar, but it was only a minor inconvenience. His arm was steady raised above her. Still, no one called the match. So be it. He swung down hard, assisted by the gravity pillar. The blunt side of his blade smashed into Emily’s armored backside. Instantly, her body collapsed. Blood splashed out of her mouth.

Deactivating his gravity pillar, he turned and began walking away.

“Winner, Kaismo Cineris,” the announcer called finally.