Chapter 136: Behind the Scenes

Aurora applauded the students as they wearily emerged from the arena.

“Congratulations!” Aurora and Cithrel said in unison as the latter cast a recovery spell on the group.

Clémentine, Leslie, Nicole, and Dalia looked tired, and among all of them, Alice was the only one who was relaxed.

“That was exhausting. I didn’t think it would be that hard to fight a swordsman.” Clémentine muttered, exhausted.

The others plopped down on the couches in the break room.

This was the first group match of the week, and now it was safe to say that they were already in the finals.

Today they had faced two A-Rankers, and while Alice took on one, Clémentine had to deal with a swordsman who, with his sword aura, made her suffer.

As for the other one, he was a psionic who had recently ascended and could only face Alice until he was defeated.

The others also had their rivals that made them exhausted.

The group battles had started with twenty teams, and before Clémentine’s group fight, only five remained.

Technically, three teams would be left after the battles, as one would advance to the next round.

However, since that group had only B-ranks and they made it that way, they withdrew.

So depending on who won the other match would be their opponent for the final.

In the two remaining teams, there were two A-ranks in each team and, although remarkably, Marc was in one of them, the fight was going to be even.

It would have been another matter if another A-rank was involved. Unfortunately, the students of that rank prioritized individual bouts.

“The next few matches are going to be too exhausting,” Nicole muttered and, taking a deep breath, exclaimed. “I will strive to get as high as possible.”

An exclamation that was trying to encourage herself and elicited a few smiles.

“That’s a great battle spirit,” Dalia said, and scratching her cheek, she added. “I believe the next fight will be my limit.”

In group battles, they sent Dalia to fight hard against other mage opponents of her rank, getting her to gain experience.

However, it was hard to say whether she could win when they faced tricky enemies like fighters or swordsmen.

If those guys got close to a mage, they were a pain in the ass.

“Then we must keep training!” Nicole exclaimed, regaining all her battle spirit.

The two of them were the only ones in the group that remained among the B-Rank participants and while there were some freshmen as well, of this group, there were only the two of them.

Érica could not enroll, and Leslie was defeated.

So they had to work hard to make a place for themselves among the fifty remaining fighters in the B-Rank singles bouts.

“I will help you train,” Cithrel said, who was present and noticing Érica’s gaze was also directed at her, she added. “You can join as well.”

“Thank you!” Érica replied in a raised voice.

Cithrel was an eminent expert and knowledgeable in magic not only on the practical level when it came to casting spells but also in theoretical knowledge, and learning something from such a mage was always valuable.

“Would you like to join? It must be hard to take on A-Rank enemies individually.” Cithrel invited, looking at Clémentine.

“Yes, I would like to join. Although my opponents aren’t that difficult,” Clémentine replied, and looking at Alice, she muttered. “I’ve been very lucky this time.”

She wasn’t kidding.

While it was true that the A-Rank students were more experienced and skilled, there were some individuals that Clémentine could defeat.

She was matched against opponents she could take on and had a significant chance of victory.

Ultimately, she wasn’t up against Alice... That was the most important thing to her, and no one judged her.

“Well, Alice’s next match should be interesting,” Leslie muttered for her part.

Alice would face the swordsman who led the group of assailants to the academy’s commencement test.

Gregorio Bellucci, an A rank with high chances of being crowned champion.

He, along with Oliver and Niels, was the priority target to be champions or be among the first.

Alice had already eliminated one, and now the fight was approaching.

The entire group was waiting to see what would happen.

“As long as I get paid for the bags of chips they promised me, I don’t care who the opponent is,” Alice replied, eating her chips.

Aurora’s expression quivered, and she said nothing.

A highly recognized expert mercenary in Africa and feared by many people in those distant lands, was now facing students over bags of chips.

Aurora was sure that Alice would surprise many people if she was discovered.

Shaking her head subtly, Aurora looked at the time and noticed that the magical history class was about to begin.

“Are you going or staying for a rest?” Aurora asked curiously, pointing to the time.

The academy and the teachers were very lenient with those who took part in the tournament, allowing them to miss some classes to focus on the tournament.

Although the teachers always encouraged them to take part in class, if they ended a fight and were tired, or were the next to start one, the teachers were permissive.

“I want to train some more,” Nicole replied, giving a half-smile.

Clémentine was already an A-Rank and Leslie had shown frightening strength with her new team.

She had to admit she felt pressured to improve.

She may not have had a great rivalry, but her desire to become strong and be on par with her teammates was honest.

The only way to protect her companions was if she was strong.

“Then I’ll stay,” Cithrel commented with a smile.

“Me too...” Dalia murmured and beside her, Érica nodded as well.

“I have to get ready for my fight,” Clémentine said with a half-smile.

In the end, the only ones left were Leslie, Alice, and Aurora, who headed to the classrooms.

“Coming off a vacation and then having to train that sure is exhausting,” Leslie muttered as they were walking.

“You’re getting ready to steal a spot, too,” Aurora pointed out with a smile.

She had seen her training hard and although she was trying to do it in private so no one would discover her hidden card; it was obvious she was putting in the effort.

“I’m doing the best I can,” Leslie replied, a little embarrassed.

Aurora gave a smile at that humble response.

Each of the students was working hard and striving to train.

A goal was very important for advancement and personal development and each of the students was taking full advantage of it.

When they arrived at class, they didn’t have to wait too long for Professor Forde to arrive.

“Oh, the tournament was taking up a lot of the students’ time.” Professor Forde muttered as she saw that the class was half empty.

While the tournament had been focused on combat, as far as Aurora knew, other students also had their own participation in the international tournament.

Alchemy students, crafting students, or computer students were no longer just about helping out, but they had their own ‘tournament’ within the international tournament.

That meant that students from the different disciplines would compete with other academies that had similar disciplines.

Giving even more variety to the international tournament.

“Well, because of the low number of students, we will drop the exams for this year,” Professor Forde announced, and before the students could celebrate, she added. “But you will all have to give me a detailed report on a subject of magical history.”

Aurora didn’t mind the second word and celebrated not having to study for an exam.

She was used to making reports, and it was common as a leader of her mercenary group to gather information or organize it for missions, so it would not be too much trouble.

Being at the academy protecting Cithrel for her was a paid vacation, and she wanted to make the most of it.

******

Director Vincent checked a few messages on his holographic watch and then responded to each one.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Edward. I’ve been busy answering the questions in your remarkable report,” Director Vincent Said, stopping his holographic watch and looking at his apprentice, he commented. “Your report has caused a stir in the academic world. Even though you are a combat mage, many say you deserve the title of archmage."

Those S-rank magicians who could control the elements or could cast their spells without chanting, as if they were using magic, were naturally called archmage.

Although some magics did not have an ‘element’ such as illusion magic, summoning magic, spirit magic, or other magics, the concept still applied.

They had to study hard to grasp the theories by which they cast spells and in the end; they were like elemental archmages who could cast spells naturally.

However, some highly recognized mages only accepted the title of ‘Archmage’ to those who performed worthy research.

That means that they accepted the one who studied magic, improved, or created a new spell.

What they stressed was that a combat mage needed to study and learn, not just fight.

After all, even though archmages controlled the elements, in the end, when they attacked, they always replicated a spell in some way or another.

“It was only thanks to Aurora’s report and your information, master,” Edward replied in a humble tone.

Director Vincent looked at him for a moment and, in the end, didn’t say too much.

“By the way, how’s the tournament going?” Director Vincent asked, changing the subject.

“The week is still starting, but we are already conducting several matches. What we want is this Thursday or Friday at the latest to have the champions, and then reveal the positions so the students can challenge their peers,” Edward replied with a serious expression.

The individual B-Rank matches were the ones that had the largest number of participants.

What they were looking for was that they would be whittled down and go through the next rounds so that, in the end, they would reveal the champion this week.

The Rank-A fights were similar, but they were more distributed among the days since now there were ten participants left.

They also wanted to be decided this week.

Last, the group matches would be the same, but since they were fewer, they were spaced out well so they could entertain viewers throughout the week.

Edward explained all the details by projecting the Clémentine bout that was going on at the moment.

“That’s nice to see,” murmured Director Vincent, nodding softly at the prowess of that psionic.

It wasn’t just skill and overall strength.

What Clémentine was showing was a very serious attitude when facing her enemy.

If he were told she was carrying out an important mission, Director Vincent would believe it.

She wasn’t attacking to kill or anything like that, but it was just the attitude as she watched the tournament.

“I heard that Professor Miller has been quite surprised by the strength of the students who went to Aurora and Alice’s mercenary group,” Director Vincent said, and looking at his student, he muttered. “I wonder what they do to change them in such a way.”

Edward’s expression quivered for a moment, and at last, he replied. “They show them the reality.”

With that answer, he gave no further explanation and fell silent.

Inwardly, Director Vincent sighed for his student who liked to keep everything to himself and stopped himself from probing.

“Alice has been defeating all her opponents without them being able to put up any resistance. Her lack of seriousness in winning has gained her popularity in the academy network,” Director Vincent said, giving a half-smile and looking at his student. “It’s amazing that she’s still an A-Rank mercenary, don’t you think?”

Alice has officially registered a few years ago and was classified as Rank-A and since that time she had not updated her rank again.

The quests that officially appeared in the mercenary guild were also rare, even if they did a little more digging.

In the end, to get more information, one had to contact an information network in Africa or talk to the authorities in Zerzura.

Director Vincent did neither.

However, he could understand that, with Alice’s talent and ability, she would surely now be at an amazing level.

“She’ll say she’s an A-Rank no matter who asks,” Edward replied, scratching his cheek, not knowing how to react.

Even though he had more information, his apprentice was silent, keeping it to himself.

Sighing at his student’s loyalty to these young ladies, Vincent shook his head.

“Never mind. Let the authorities responsible for the international tournament take care of those things,” Said Director Vincent, without giving it too much thought.

Even though he was putting the matter aside, throwing the job to someone else, it wasn’t really as if he could do anything.

He couldn’t see Alice’s strength and he couldn’t see Aurora’s true ability either, even though he had noticed some traits of a swordsman in her.

They hid very well and were experts in that field, nothing new when they completely hid their personal information.

“Is the international tournament set?” Edward asked curiously.

“Yes, Emperor Victor has placed more importance on it. This is an event to put his nation before the eyes of the world and it is an important event for us,” revealed Director Vincent in an honest tone.

He accepted the tournament even though he resented this type of ‘event’ as it was beneficial knowing what was to come.

The abyssal portals were a problem that made even him tense.

Going from a mastermind and a conflict that ended with an unexpected and unexplainable outcome to the abyssal portals made him feel even tenser.

“Is that true?” Edward asked uncertainly and, seeing that his master was looking at him, he added. “The news of tensions between the two nations of the American continent still remains the focus of attention. And more so because of the Emperor’s own involvement against the drug cartels.”

Director Vincent nodded at those words.

The drug cartels and mafias were organizations trying to survive after the Great Cataclysm.

At the time they succeeded thanks to the corrupt governments of South America and in some cases took control, however, everything changed when the Emperor of South America appeared.

The conflict that everyone was talking about came from the Emperor crossing borders, generating diplomatic conflicts, but the truth was...

“This is all a political move. North America needs to lose focus on the abyssal portals to appease the nations that have recently joined. While Victor wants to prove that the pillar of South America is still just as strong as before, and no matter what happens, he will stand for his people,” revealed Director Vincent. and looking at his student, he clarified. “Believe it or not, behind the scenes, many people act to keep the panic from spreading and many things happen.”

Shifting the focus from abysmal portals to a political tension was most common among the rulers and powerful.

Perhaps they had their own reasons, but in a sense, it lessened the general panic about the abyssal portals and their arrival.

“So, the international tournament is the same?” Edward muttered, catching something of his master’s words.

Director Vincent gave a smile, not responding to that murmur.