"An hour and a half again. You'll have an hour break before we go over basic weapon styles and commence the fights. Dismissed."

Jenna looked to see that the other seemed to be finishing as well. While it was likely that Mr. Shields held them back to allow the other group to finish using the arena, it would only have the day become more interesting if they performed better.

Mathias had long-since collapsed and healers were already tending to his wounds. The three male water mages nodded in admiration and even Fara seemed impressed. No one else knew much aside from the fact it could appear anywhere, at any time, was unkillable, was near-impossible to slow, and genuinely cared so little about all outside her target demographic as to make the girl furious at the formation.

"... I think it is a bit much to have one person do it twice," Erik said after long deliberation and helped the passed-out Mathias up to his feet. "Let's go back to the dorms."

"Yeah, but I'm not dealing the sand one anymore - at all! I'm going back. I need to wash this sand out of my clothes!"

While the other students speculated about who else would deal with the creatures next time, they made their way to the dining hall.

Erik met Thomas' class as they walked into the room. "... You started training, right?"

"... Yeah. For real." He patted the simple sword on his waist absentmindedly. "... I didn't expect this," Thomas said before walking away, hardly aware enough to notice that Mathias was hanging off of Erik's shoulder, unresponsive.

Others followed after him. Some burnt, others cut, but the lucky ones were just the ones with bruises. It seemed like all the instructors stepped their game up, they would later learn. And all accepted the idea of the betting pools and such contests since it seemed there was a rivalry amongst the instructors as well.

A few went to clean their clothes, but most gave up since the day was not over. They ordered full meals, despite having lunch a short while ago. They exhausted so much of themselves mentally and physically that felt the burning desire to replenish their energy before their bodies gave up.

Erik, Mathias (after he woke up), Ayla (after she returned, water-logged but pleased), James, and Lisanna were all devouring their meals. Fara and Synthy, too, were doing the same, but at a distance. Their injuries did not slow them down at all.

Kahn and Akia, Justin and Midori, and their respective class appeared.

"..."

"..."

Erik brought his bloodied forehead up and saw Kahn was much the same. Justin fared a little better, but the boys exchanged a solemn, fleeting glance as the girls did the same with Ayla.

"... They put our classes together... for the Gauntlet..."

Just imagining fifty students trying to coordinate in the swirling mass of jagged spikes and other atmospheric abnormalities was enough to make even Erik look sympathetic. Since they were all a little delirious, Erik didn't prod for the details.

Justin added to Kahn's words. "We've lost twenty between classes... they're forced to redo it. Is that normal? I was fine, but...?"

Ayla looked directly into Midori and Akia's eyes and said, "you have time - tell everyone that you're not helping the next stage of the sandhill while you still can!"

She glared at Erik who just shrugged in response. "... Mathias did two and he's not complaining."

"... N-never... a-again..."

His words were muttered under his breath. They were lost on the entire group. He repeated the phrase at least a dozen times as this point as he double-checked the icy epaulettes he created, still feeling the ethereal fangs lodged into in his neck. His arms and legs were marred with scarlet lines, wounds just barely closed, but guaranteed to scar without his intervention. His chest (and uniform) opened up by razor-sharp claws, adding many to his back from before.

Ayla scanned the seventeen students that sat at the conjoined tables. "I propose an amendment to the cake-meeting!"

"Huh?! We're not getting rid of it!" A male student shouted.

"Yeah! Never!"

"No!" Ayla shouted back. "I'm saying that the cake-meeting will be as follows: it'll happen once a week! The first ten gold we make will be allotted to cake! And half of the day of the meetings' class-pot is for cake! And! And! Annnnd! It'll be all used up - not a single copper left unspent! Not one!"

Erik heard the fiery debate turn into a complete agreement. "I agree," he said after there was a break in shouted agreements. "Let's do it like that. Except we'll have to wait for the weekend to see if we want to do it on Wednesdays. There is-"

Ayla shouted overtop him. "We'll do something else every-other weekend! Wednesdays are cake-days!"

"...?!"

"Okay! We're betting hard today! More cake!"

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

"Mhmm!"

The amount of money they were given as an allowance was probably not enough to justify the long-term expenditures. However, as most would later tend to make as much as they lost, the percentage cuts just worked to add gold into the class-pots. Jenna began more regularly betting, Mr. Shields occasionally stepped in, and even some of the healers were included, influencing a new cash-flow - if admittedly having two being responsible for taking more out than they put in leaving the three to help elsewhere. Later on, even some of the second- and third-years would stop over to involve themselves, adding money for cake and other goods.

There were many students that came from privileged backgrounds, like Lisanna and Jasmine, but many more were just normal students - normal students who were bolstered by the Academy's scholarships, whose stipends included at least ten gold a month. The Majin Academy worked the students hard in the second and third years, claiming portions of their contributions to pay for the stipends which prepared them for high-society. Naturally, they also wanted them to learn the value of money, so they would be forced to pay for excessive repairs, additions to their rooms, and other discretionary expenses themselves.

Those who accepted scholarships would just contribute more to the Academy's treasury later on, whereas those who paid the (high) tuition, like Mathias, would be able to keep a higher percentage of their earnings. Except for the first year, it was unlikely that they would have anything significant to contribute to the world of magic, the creation of goods, and/or significant employment. On paper, that source of income was fair game for the students alone.

There were some like Mathias who did not fit the criteria for a scholarship and subsequent stipend, but since he was non-plussed about gambling in the first place, it was a minor difficulty.

The school sought to invest in youths, after all, but the students (or parents) they could not entice were a minority; this was even if the contracts the students signed were relatively fair and covered only the three years of school. Some just did not like to bound to an institution when they had the means to avoid it.

In general, they only profited from a small percentage of students. It was just that that percentage covered the costs of the investment and then some. It was said the recent first-year graduate, the one whose room Mathias and Lisanna once belonged to, had already paid off her entire first-year stipend in three days of work-placements in her second year. She was an alchemical genius - if one that took many, many risks. And that's with the damages factored in. Barring nothing catastrophic happening in terms of damage, she would be expected to cover the cost of about a thirty scholarship students per year at a bare, bare minimum.

So Majin Acamedy can gamble on nurturing more that might bear their brand.

It was for those reasons that weekly cake-meetings were possible.

Of course, that was conditional on the fights.

Ayla and Erik double-checked the roster, proposing amendments for those that were pre-disposed just in case, and reformed a full eighteen person division. Since he and Ayla did not have any matches together, due to yesterday, they split themselves up between two different arenas as the object of conversation fell on the necessary element of fueling cake-meetings.

Since the youths, with some exceptions, had unbridled vigour as their mana slowly returned, forgetting their own wounds due to the excitement generated, all were involved. All except Mathias.

"Okay! I think it is fair to have the ones who fought against those things to go last, in order of appearance! But...!" Ayla revealed a bright smile. "Let's do fun matches! For the first arena, Erik's one, we'll be doing this:

"Tanner and Jack! Friends who helped carry Mathias - who was rude and didn't help me in my time of need; his responsibilities will now cordially require sand-treatment for all afflicted! - and Erik! After they were soundly beaten up! Afterwards, we'll have Stacy and Jill! We also have Hana and Alfred after! Two water mages who managed to beat Mr. Shields' stupid test! Since Erik already fought against James and Mathias, we'll have him fight against Hunter!

"And for the main event of the arena! Synthy versus Mathias! The ever-cool Synthy who punches her opponents into submission! Versus Mathias who survived two battles with those things! And beat Jennifer - the most ridiculously overpowered one of us all!"

Ayla and Erik - and many other students - knew this was to increase the chances of bets going around, but it was fine since all the matches were fairly even. Even in Erik's case, since he was tired from the previous encounter, it should be a good fight with Hunter.

However, since it would just mean more time spent and enjoyed in the cafe, it was not that big of a deal to those who recognized the setup.

Ayla continued to more enthusiastically call out the order of the fights for the next arena.

She was put against a water mage since their other match-ups seemed to take priority. James fought against the other male water mage, but that mage did stand out as one who did not let any harm come to his escort in the fire formation. Furthermore, his escort did not collapse immediately after the ice mountain exploded and they were cast into the moat. However, it was a similar situation as to Erik and Hunter. The main event for the second arena was...

"Lisanna and Fara! Two beautiful girls who fought side-by-side against the phoenix! Will Fara homing ice make a mark in Lisanna's new spells?! The two that beat Mr. Shields' stupid test - and a giant fire-bird!"

Erik nodded in agreement. "Since we have the line-up fixed, let's get going! Someone carry Mathias!"

After they put away their trays, brushed off any crumbs on their uniforms, they went walking down the path. James took it upon himself to carry the despondent Mathias who still reliving the terror of that which cannot be beat and hunted his kind for sport and pleasure.

In his heart, he was not someone enjoyed fighting. A challenge, very much so, but it did not translate well to some things that were clearly impossible.

Even so, he was carried back to the training field.

What they saw was the beginning of the eight's nightmare. They just passed through ice and snow and Jenna smiled at them as she snapped her fingers.

The gorilla's roar sounded out as the man-sized body formed its torso, a stone dislodged from the peak to form its head, and revolving spikes melded into its arms and legs.

A slithering head appeared from falling sand making up the storm.

And rainbow sparks birthed the phoenix anew, screeching out its return.

Terror marked their injured faces.

Jennifer and Kira looked back to see the hail subsiding early. A glamorous body gave them an amorous welcome once they saw there was no males in their group of water mages.

Much to the original groups' three water mage boys' benefits, it seemed like the undine did not register the three who not part of the group running the gauntlet.

Jenna smiled. "You're back early. No matter. Elise Quinal, Robert Frae: please show them basic forms with their arms. If you're unaware of them, please ask Edward Shields."

"It's okay," Robert said. "I've spent enough time working with them to know the basics. I might not be able to spar with the weapons in particular, but I can read their forms."

Elise added, "I focus on techniques combining magic attacks with physical weapons so I can at least help their efficiency and effectiveness of the combination. Basic staff or blade forms are no issue."

"Okay. Find a partner and we'll get started. Pick whoever you like. Ten people max."

Lisanna looked to see James already talking with - or, specifically, to - Mathias who was still hung over his shoulder. She sighed since she wanted to cross swords with him again, but Fara tapped her shoulder.

"Shall we?"

"Y-yeah."

Since they were fighting later anyways, it would not be bad to work out any issues and have a more interesting match. As such, some of the groupings, like Tanner and Jack, opted to spar together. Erik was asked to be a partner by one of the male water mages and saw no reason to say no. Most of the all-girl pairings went to Robert, by convenience or ulterior motive.

Fara explained, "he's more knowledgeable." And left it at that. She seemed to prefer the academic aspect more than the combat-orientation.

The guys tended towards Elise who was more 'experienced' in practical combat. To say nothing of ulterior motives for some. Of course, there were exceptions. Ayla was clearly leading the water mage girl, Bella, and went to Elise since she was her idol.

Mathias and James went there as James wanted to learn how to use his sword more effectively and she explicitly mentioned she knew how to teach him. Of course, Mr. Shields was overseeing the two aids. However, he would likely be taking a floating role between all three fragmented groups.

Jenna was enjoying the struggles and perseverance of the second wave of challengers, after all.

In total, ten went to Elise and seven stood in front of Robert.

Mathias was even let down and begrudgingly stood on his own two feet after ensuring the undine's sight did not lock on him again. He kept a healthy amount of people between him and the undine's line-of-sight for good measure.

He asked James to make a wall, but it seemed Jenna cut in and rejected the idea. No safe-spaces exist in reality.

The two aids led them away from the training field, passing between the sand snake on their left and phoenix on their right.

They stopped by the first field's storage area, separated a hundred meters apart, and settled down into an open field with trees in the distance.

Elise stood professionally, scanning the ten individually before shaking the thoughts out of her head. Of the boys, only a few did not have lust in their eyes. It was tiresome. They might be at the age, but there was a time-and-place. Oddly, a few of the girls had the same expression.

She was an extraordinarily attractive girl, after all. However, it was not a trait Elise cared for. There were too many issues on both sides of the aisle.

"Okay." She said flatly. "Look closely. There are six sword users in the group so try to mimic these forms. You'll keep swinging until you do it right. If you pass, you'll spar. After sparring with your partner, you'll be shown how to reinforce your weapon with mana. Upon finishing that, you'll be expected to modify your spells for quick alterations and surprise attacks by using the path of your sword or another weapon. If you can do that, today's lesson will be just sparring with your partner.

"Watch," she said finally. She made a show of how to grip her plain long-sword, a vertical, horizontal, and then diagonal attack pattern. It would work with most cutting swords, but Ayla's rapier was more suited for the next pattern: a stab, slash, and quick step back. She also covered other forms, but since it was expected to be fluid, she repeated the two with a slight modification, and told them to spread out and repeat the first.

"... That's it?" Mathias asked Elise as she walked to the far side where he and James spread out to.

She was starting from one-side to appraise their forms before moving to the next. The three boys who were not staring at her wolfishly were there, so she figured it would probably be easier to give the others a bit to cool down once their blood started pumping and they concentrated on the task.

"That's it. We're working on foundations, but please demonstrate."

Mathias shifted the ice from one of the staves to the other. He did so to give the staff a proper sword-form since that seemed to be object of discussion. Furthermore, since James was watching him intently, he was going to do it anyway.

With a modified staff, he slashed down, across, and diagonally up while keeping the momentum steady. He used the generated force efficiently, but Elise pointed down.

"It could be because of the injury, but your footwork isn't ideal. Do the other one."

He did. He lunged forward, with a stab, shifted his weight from back and legs as he retracted his angled chest. He slashed firmly, and then stepped back.

"Better. Keep practising until your partner passes. You." She turned to James who nodded seriously and gripped the broadsword tightly. He had already set down his shield.

His first form received a, "do it again. Your wrists should not be locked and your center of balance is too low. It is a common bad-habit with shield-users."

Mathias watched James slowly tighten up his form, but she declared the third time she gave him advice that she would return.

She turned to Erik who was eagerly practising his sword. He was trying to mimic all the forms she showed before adding his own changes. The sword necessitated fluidity so he just did the basic form before he changed it up according to the areas he thought he needed to improve on.

"... Fellstone?"

"Yes!" He replied excitedly seeing her recognize the sword. He was about to ask her for specific comments, but she just nodded and said, "good. You'll learn that one eventually. It's quite difficult, I warn you. Wait for your partner."

The male water mage brought up his quarterstaff. Since he did not have a blade, she was a little more lenient on him. However, the forms applied to polearms as well. It just required the individual to learn how to apply it well.

"Keep practising," she said after he tried three times.

She moved onto Ayla who stared at Elise with a reverent expression. "Oh my! I'm so happy! Ah, you're so much more cute than I remembered! Ah, ah, ah! I'm so excited! Look! Look!"

She deftly copied the form with her rapier, but Elise narrowed her eyes slightly at the odd reverence. "Your balance it off. The weapon is too light to add excess momentum so you need to fix your positioning."

"Yes! I'll do that right away!"

She tried again.

"You're still over-reaching and relying on your strength to pull it back. There is no target in front of you right now, but you'll lose your blade if they parry or if it glances off. Again."

"Yes!"

She excitedly tried again. "The first form is fine, but you need to work on the second. I'll come back."

"Y-you will? Y-you r-really will?! KYA! Yah!"

While Ayla fixed her gaze on Elise, demonstrating the form again for Ayla's partner, the four boys were practising. Prior to starting school he had not been forced to pick up a sword in a month. So he was a little rusty compared to those like Erik who practised daily.

He was working on his footwork, while standing in front James. James was slowly improving by mimicking Mathias and Erik's forms. It informally become those who passed the first inspection stood across from their partner who did. This allowed James to see Mathias and Erik's emotions clearly, all from different angles.

Erik was making things somewhat difficult by changing up the attack rotation as he felt, however.

Ayla, too, was standing diagonally across from Erik as her partner passed since more leniency was given to those with staves. It let the water mage boy watch the water mage girl's form, in addition to Mathias who kept the standard form while concentrating on his legs.

Elise stopped and looked at the six after coming back from the other side. "Good. You six can spar. Go over there."

She pointed to were a pair that passed on the first round were exchanging blows. It had only been fifteen minutes, so it was a quick advancement all the same.

As the pairs were exchanging blows, parrying, blocking or dodging them, they saw Elise again. The first pair, as well as Mathias, Erik, and Ayla's group were pushed further to the side.

"Good. I'll show you how to reinforce your weapon. There are many ways, but I'll show you the easiest if you lack control." Since it was difficult to demonstrate, she said, "you can use spells like Wind Weapon or their variants to coat the weapon with your attribute and mana. Wind Sword."

Hurried gusts appeared from her sword. She pointed the sword towards the eight students - a harsh current of air washed over them, blowing away their sweat, slicking back their hair, and caused their uniforms to press against their skin.

"From there on, you condense the element." The howling winds whistled as they were pressed into the sword. She did not point it at them. Rather, she directed it to the ground. The earth was being channelled out, scattering dirt and grass. "This allows a slight reinforcement to the weapon. The elemental mana on the exterior also acts as an extension to your arsenal. There are two options from here on: You may release it as an attack if it is adequately charged-"

The channel in the dirt burst open, as if the earth below cracked under the weight of Elise's spell.

It was an inch long, four inches wide, and some twenty inches deep.

Wind coalesced on her blade once more.

"Or you can condense the mana from the attribute into the weapon.

The howling winds disappeared into the steel, and all that was left was a glimmering blade that shone a little more brightly in the sun.

"It rare for someone to not reinforce their weapons in any given conflict, be it match, excursion into the wilds, or war. Many intuitively understand the concept and do not need to utilize spells like the attribute weapons, even if their control is poor. Mathias, your weapon is already a manifestation of it, but I think you neglect the core of it."

Mathias blinked. Of course, he had long-since discovered how to make ice that could defend against his sister's blades if - or, more accurately, when - he was disarmed. However, he did not think to shift the mana to the core of physical weapon itself.

The frost he added on the transparent blade disappeared as he tried to set the target to the wooden core. It was strange, though.

It would just trickle in and seemed to be a little too difficult to permeate the wooden core. However, once it entered, it seemed like it refused to leave. The staves he possessed had strange qualities.

"Your face tells me you do not know what you are carrying." Elise sighed. "You are using a standard Juniper Wood staff. For reference, those of you who received staves as weapons here are likely carrying one as well. While somewhat insufficient compared to other materials, since it lacks natural defences against any particular spell, it can be tailored by the user.

"If it is taken care of, and absorbs enough elemental mana, it will become permanently affixed to the element and be sufficiently reinforced to deal with hastily-made reinforcement spells. This is with the added benefit of not having to actively input mana inside. Or, perhaps, minimizing the need to do so when it is active by attuning it and making it more efficient. They're also known to have very strange reactions when they encounter chaotic spells, from inexperience or intent, in their formative periods, but since they rarely are improved in that matter, it is often neglected for more consistent materials."

"They're pretty cheap though!" A male water mage shouted. "I got an extra one for just a silver!"

"... You probably overpaid. It is a common material for spears and other polearms since they're sturdy enough and don't negatively influence any spells that may originate through them," Elise said dismissively. "Anyways, is the core shifting yet?"

Mathias concentrated again on it. He felt that the wood was only becoming more difficult to pierce through. However, since he could see the wood through the transparent ice, he saw an azure veins twinkle just around his palm. It no thicker than a hair and he could only see it if he looked raised it inches from his face.

"... I think?"

"Well, no matter. It'll be a long-time before you see much benefit with one of those for that specific aspect. You."

James raised his sword, imagining the same path through it as he did with the shield the night prior. It seemed to shine a little brighter, but Elise said, "it's not even. It'll actually cause incremental damage to the weapon if you strike something with that. Again."

"..." He tried again.

"... Again. I'll come back. You."

"Yes! Me!"

Ayla wanted to do everything exactly by the book, but she was stopped. She just didn't want to do things in turn. "No. Him."

Erik was next in line. "Yeah! Don't skip ahead!"

"You'll fail anyway! Just hurry it up!"

The two were shushed by Elise before they could bicker too much and she saw the curved blade wrapped in wind. It condensed a little, but Elise shook her head. "Bring it inwards. That is essentially no different than adding an external layer, akin to the 'Wind Sword' spell itself. Go."

Try as he might, Erik could not do it. He was just average with his level of control - and wind was a particularly hard one. However, when Elise said, "forget about the wind. Focus on the mana," he got a 'better, I'll come back.'

"Water Staff!"

Water surrounded the staff as Erik's partner tried to work with it. However, since he focused on water rather than ice, he was at a loss as it was nearly impossible to compress water. Even ice expanded, unlike most other liquids. From there on, it was possible to condense it with magic, but the best he could do was to reinforce the water-tension to make it mimic a solid object. The tactic would not work for everyone, but he still tried valiantly.

Only then did Ayla's turn come.

"Okay! Watch me! Wind Sword! Shift! Compress! Gooooo!"

She narrated her thoughts in addition to casting additional spells.

She was the first to receive a "good. Wait for your partner."

Her partner did not pass this round.

Mr. Shields appeared as he sent the two forward to join the group practising reinforcements. Elise dutifully showed them the technique, offered an explanation, and continued back down the line when the two failed to meet her standards.

At this point, forty-five minutes passed.

It was 4:00. They only had an hour left in their scheduled time.

Accordingly, Mr. Shields said, "we'll be continuing this tomorrow. Speak to Miss Quinal or Mr. Frae if you wish for additional practice. They may discuss with you their rates, availability, and expectations. They are free to refuse all requests, as well." Mr. Shields added as he glared at two of the male students who were still undeterred in gawking at Elise. "We'll be moving onto the first round of matches."