Magic Duel Competition’s selected arena.

The audience was cheering for their favorite magicians as time passed by. Soon, ten competitors became 5, and through a lottery, one of them was able to rest while the other fours fought in turns.

“Ha… Shitty luck.” Shaking his head, Cristopher went inside the waiting room after finishing his second duel.

“…” Inside, he could see another cadet waiting for his turn. The cadet was frowning as he looked at him.

Ignoring him, he went to an empty seat, with his earphones still on.

“You’re going to be my next opponent?” As Cristopher sat, the frowning magician asked.

“No, that would probably be the guy that’s outside being checked by the medics.” Cristopher said as he changed the song.

“Tch. Did you pass again? Was it by luck?”

{Oh, right… There’s no way to see the fights from here for some weird reason…} Cristopher thought as a smirk slowly appeared on his face. “Well, yeah! It was quite the luck for me to be able to pass another turn.”

“Tch.” Clicking his tongue, the guy shook his head. “It’s so sad that I can be the one to teach you a lesson, I won’t even have the chance to fight against you once one of the other two has a turn with you.”

“Mm? Is that so?” Cristopher tilted his head. Shrugging, he simply focused on the song he selected and quietly closed his eyes to listen to it.

Time passed, and finally, only three competitors were left. Cristopher from Veritas Class, Jin Sang-ah from Friendship Class, and the guy that was left behind in the waiting room after the first round, Lock Arden from Cultivation Class.

[This has certainly been quite an interesting competition! We have seen a dark horse from the Hero class fighting against some of the most prodigious magicians in the freshman year, and yet, take the victory for himself!]

“Wah!” A deafening cheer could be heard all around the place. Different from what everyone expected, the duels they saw from the Hero cadet were quite interesting and surprising, to say the least.

It was already an abnormal thing that a Hero cadet could fight so well against a magician, using only magic, but said cadet didn’t just fight on equal grounds but won against them surprisingly easily.

[Now! The next duel has been decided! From Cultivation Class! One of the top contenders for today, Lock Arden!]

“Whoa!”

[And! From Veritas Class! Our Dark Horse of the day, Cristopher Lamas!]

“Whoa!”

[We have yet to see how our top contenders and our dark horse would fair against each other, so this will certainly be one amazing fight!]

“Haha… Who could tell?” Arden, arriving at his spot, started to talk to Cristopher with a mocking grin. “I guess luck is on my side today, huh? To have the chance to teach an arrogant prick like you your place, that’s something I’ll enjoy thoroughly.”

Cristopher tilted his head as he looked at Lock, taking out his earphones and putting them on. “Do you talk shit like this all the time? Because I’m already getting tired of you and I’ve only heard like a few sentences… I honestly don’t think anyone could tolerate having you around for more than an hour, and that’s putting the bar really high.”

“Tch. Speak all you want. I’ll soon teach you-”

“Yeah, yeah, enough of this carp.” Cristopher waved his hand as he turned on the music.

Gritting his teeth, Lock Arden took a small wand from a holster he carried on his side.

{Did I travel into Harry Potter again?} Cristopher thought as he grinned. “You know, I was expecting something more interesting, but who could tell that a Slytherin wannabe would be my opponent.”

“A Slyther-what? The hell are you talking about?”

“Are you both ready?” The referee intervened as he talked from his spot.

Both opponents nodded.

“Then… START!”

“Take this-” Lock tried to throw a spell towards Cristopher, but before he could even finish raising his wand.

“Agesta.” A raging fireball flew towards Lock at lightning speed. He couldn’t even finish his words as the fireball impacted him on the chest and sent him flying towards the wall, making it tremble.

“Argh!” On the floor, his body trembled and twitched.

“Mm?” Cristopher tilted his head. {Did I overdid it? I almost didn’t use Draconic Energy… As much as they don’t focus on the physical aspects, it’s not like their mana doesn’t give them some natural enhancement, by minimal they might be…}

“C-Cristopher wins!” At the words of the referee, the announcer soon spoke.

[And that’s another victory for our contestant from Veritas Class! He’ll now go into the next round to dispute the right for the first place!]

Less surprised than before, the announcer finally dictated the end of the round.

{Oh well, I guess it was a little bit too strong for him… I should have taken that into account.} With a shrug, Cristopher made his way towards the waiting room. Now there was a single duel for him to get the first place, and move to his next appointment.

As he walked out of the place, the medics went to check on Lock Arden, to see his condition.

[Everyone! Let’s take a rest of 30 minutes for our contestants to rest! Then we can start the decisive duel! But take note! That once the first place is decided, another duel will occur between the two remaining contestants for the second pla- What…?]

The transmission suddenly cut.

[W-Well, I’ve just received some news… It seems like the representative of Cultivation Class will need some more time to rest from his recent… duel…? Since that’s the case! The second-place duel has been moved to later today, to give him more time to rest!]

***

“Hey…” Shin Jonghak suddenly spoke, to everyone’s surprise, to Kim Suho. “It was that… Right?”

“...Yeah.” Suho, who was looking at the unconscious Lock, nodded as he rubbed his chest. “It was the same attack…”

“What are you talking about guys?” Yi Yeongha who was beside Suho asked as he tilted his head. “Wasn’t that a simple fireball? Well, maybe slightly faster than a normal one-”

“Ha… You wouldn’t know…” Yeonha, who was pale, shook her head as she interrupted him. “That attack is not something to scoff at… A fireball? It’s more like a fire missile impacting you with the speed of a bullet…”

“Is that bad?” Nayun, who didn’t know about Agesta as she didn’t receive it directly, asked.

“It’s worse than whatever you’re imagining…” A trembling Olivia said as she hugged herself.

““Haha…”” Hajin and Rachel, who were at the same place where he used it for the first time, couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.

“It’s just proof that Cristopher’s amazing!” Emma who was cheering since both participants entered the arena, smiled.

“Tch.” Clicking her tongue, Chae Nayun crossed her arms. “He’s just a lunatic with sadistic tendencies…”

“That’s not true…” A meek voice came from Rachel.

“What?”

“I said that it’s not true. Master is not a sadist.”

“Speak for yourself… He’s not normal in the head department…” Olivia said, her face even paler than before, as the trembling intensified.

“It’s no good Olivia! You can’t speak trash behind your teacher’s back.” Emma said as she shook her head and clicked her tongue.

“…” Glaring back at Emma, Olivia shouted. “It’s because you haven’t trained with him!”

“Um… But he’s not a bad teacher?” Rachel intervened.

“Humpf.” Crossing her arms, Olivia also glared at Rachel. “Only with you. With me, he goes hardcore mode and always bullies me.”

“Pfft… Who wouldn’t? You’re a pain in the ass. I would do the same if I could.” Yi Yeongha said with a smirk.

“Shut up muscle head, no one’s talking with you.” Olivia turned to glare at him this time.

“Hahaha are you-” He tried to retort but was interrupted.

“Yes. Shut up Yeongha.” Chae Nayun said with a slight glare. “Don’t you understand? It’s not her fault. It’s that bastard’s fault. He’s a sadist!”

“C-Chae Nyun!?” Surprised, Yeongha opened his eyes wide as he sat back, leaning slightly away from her.

“Shut up I said.”

“You… You understand me…” Olivia muttered as she looked at Chae Nayun.

“Of course! I’ve also suffered his bullying! I know how it feels.” Gritting her teeth, Chae Nayun grabbed Olivia’s hands. “That’s why… Let’s work together!”

“...Ah?”

“Yes! Let’s join hands together and kick his abusive ass!” Chae Nayun said with fire in her eyes.

“Mm… Kuhum...” But contrary to her expectations, Olivia wasn’t really convinced of her plan. “Haha… I’m sorry sister, but I’ll have to decline your kind offer… But if you want to, I will cheer for you from far, far away.”

“What are you saying? We HAVE to do it together!” Chae Nayun frowned.

“Um… No thank you, I still have something I need to do in this life, I’m not ready to die yet…” Pulling back her hands from Chae Nayun’s, Olivia quietly sat in her seat and started to drink from her bottle of water that had beer inside. Not even giving a glance to the others that were currently looking at her.

“…”

“…”

“Kuhum…” Hajin, looking at the weird atmosphere just coughed, and with an awkward smile, scratched the back of his head. “Well… It’s just that Cristopher has quite a temperament… It wouldn’t be a good idea to provoke him, really…”

“He’s not a bad person…” Sitting on her seat, Rachel muttered as she sulked.

***

Back at the VIP Observatory

“…” Ah Hae-In looked at the departing Cristopher’s back. Her eyes were sharp, and with a slight frown on her face.

“Aunty?” Moren, who hasn’t seen her aunt like this before, couldn’t help but shake her a little bit.

“Mm? Yes?” At her nephew’s shake, she turned to look at him. “Is there something wrong?”

“No… Not really.” Moren said as he shook his head. “It’s just that you keep staring at him… Each time he fights you just stare at him with a frown. Is he cheating or something, aunty?”

“...No.” She said as she shook her head. “He’s not cheating. Don’t worry dear, it’s really nothing. It’s just quite interesting.”

“Is that so?” Moren said with skepticism before shrugging. “If you say so, by the way, I’ll have to go to the restroom really quick.”

With that, he stood up and rushed towards the private restroom at one of the edges of the room.

“…” Ah Hae-In smiled while looking at him, and just as he went through the restroom door, she turned towards the attendant. “I need you to get me all the information you have on that cadet.”

“...Huh? Huh!?” Surprised, the attendant widened his eyes. “I-Is he cheating?”

“Ha… No. I’ve said he hasn’t. But that kid, he has a monstrous talent for magic…” She said as she looked at the arena. “He… He’s someone who might reach the 9th Star rank earlier than I could ever do.”

“...What?” With eyes wide-open and the mouth hanging lower as seconds ticked. “How…?”

His surprise wasn’t really unfounded. After all, in this world, there were only two magicians that could be considered prodigious, apart from the esteemed Sir of the 9 Stars that is now a ghost of the past.

One of those prodigious was Aileen, the Human Dragon. She was a magician that was out of this world, even if she was considered a Hero. The other one was Ah Hae-In. She might not be the only 8 Stars Magician, but she reached that point far earlier than anyone else. Both Aileen and her were considered to be geniuses that would be born every once or twice 1000 years, and both were born at the same time.

{And now you’re telling me there’s an even more monstrous genius out there…? This is too much for my heart!} Thought the attendant while his face still showed signs of being dumbfounded.

“Well? What are you waiting for? I need all the info you can get me about him.” Slightly irked, Ah Hae-In woke the attendant.

“Ah! Yes! I will, Duchess!” He said with a hurried nod as he quickly got to work on his smartwatch.

“Good.” She said with a nod, a frown still present on her face. {As much as I hate to admit, I can’t even see the depths of his talent… What is this cadet hiding? I want to find out.} She smirked before her smile shook.

A memory from the past suddenly came to her. This wasn’t the first time that someone picked her interest as a magician.

{Ha… Why am I’m remembering something like that at times like this?} She shook her head.

***

“You won...” As Cristopbher entered the waiting room, he was received by Jin Sang-Ah who was sitting down reading a book with her staff resting right beside her on the wall.

{Ha… Are all the magicians here idiots?} Cristopher thought as he sat down, looking at his smartwatch. “It seems so.”

“It seems this will be more interesting than I thought.” She said with a small smile.

“Mm… Is that so?” He answered as he picked another song.

“Yes.” She nodded. “I’ve felt it.”

“Right.” He lazily nodded before closing his eyes.

“And I’m scared.” She said, a smile still on her face. “Since I was a child I’ve been too sensitive towards Magic Power. It’s because of it that I’ve followed the path of magic even when my entire family is full of Heroes.”

She turned to look at Cristopher, and stared at his face, his eyes still closed.

“Whenever it’s your turn to fight, the Magic Power in the air trembles. It’s almost unnoticeable, even I barely feel it… But It stills scares me. I’ve never felt something similar. Even under the presence of 8 Stars magicians. Even the Duchess didn’t cause something like this during the Archery competition.”

“Then quit.” Cristopher said shortly with his eyes still closed.

“No.” She simply smiled at him. “I’m scared. But I’m not stepping back of this. I want to know. What is it that makes the Magic Power tremble? So, please don’t hold back during our duel.”

{Crazy. All of them are crazy! How can it be that Rachel is the only sane girl in this place?} Cristopher let out a deep sigh.

“Is that a yes?” She asked with her head tilted.

“Try your best.” Cristopher said as he shook his head.

“I will.” She said with a nod, before turning to her book again.

***

[Ladies and Gentlemen! We’ve finally reached it! The fight we’ve been waiting for!]

“Wah!” A thunderous shout could be heard all around the arena.

[Our final duel is about to begin! On one side we have Jin Sang-Ah! Representative of Friendship Class!]

“Go! Jing Sang-Ah!”

“You can do it!”

“Show that guy what a real magician is!”

[And! On the other side! The surprise of the day! Cristopher Lamas! Representative of Veritas Class!]

“Do you think he’ll win?” Back at the stands where Veritas Class sat, Emma worriedly asked Olivia.

“I guess so?” Olivia frowned.

“Jin Sang-Ah is not just any magician…” Yi Yeonghan intervened as he looked towards the black-haired girl that was reaching her initial spot at the arena. “She’s supposedly the strongest magician in our year.”

“Really?” Chae Nayun, who was also listening, tilted her head. “She didn’t look that amazing though.”

“Because she wasn’t using her full power.” This time it was Yoo Yeonha who intervened. “She made the bare minimum to defeat her opponents. She’s known as the Magic Marchioness because of her mastery over magic.”

“There was someone like that?” Chae Nayun tilted her head with a frown. “Is she from some noble family like the Princess?”

“She’s not part of some nobility.” Yeonha shook her head. “She’s called that because her talent in magic is said to be lower only to Ah Hae-In and Aileen.”

“Wait… Aileen? THE Human Dragon Aileen!?” Chae Nayun opened her eyes wide. “Woah…”

{If you guys only knew that there was a real Dragon in classes…} Hajin thought while he smiled wryly. {But now that she mentions it… I never wrote about this girl… How is it that an extra can have such a potential?}

As he looked at Jin Sang-Ah who was getting ready with her staff, someone shook his shoulder.

“Hey.” Chae Nayun said as she closed her head towards him. “Who do you think will win?”

“…” Hajin looked at her for a moment before turning towards Cristopher. Everyone looked at him waiting for an answer. “Ha… Cristopher, I guess…”

“Haven’t you listened? That’s the Magic Marchioness!” Yi Yeonghan said with a frown. “She hasn’t even been serious during the combat.”

Hajin smiled wryly, before shaking his head.

“Cristopher hasn’t either…”

“Ha…” A loud sigh resounded, making everyone turn to look at Shin Jonghak who was frowning. “Just what the fuck is that guy?”

Hajin looked at him for a moment, before shaking his head. Just as everyone was making the same question Jonghak did in their heads, the announcer spoke again.

[I hope all of you are ready! Because now… the duel STARTS!]

As soon as he spoke. Jin Sang-Ah moved her staff, and hundreds of Magic Circles of different colors surrounded the whole arena, some of them working as a barrier for her. This marked the start of their duel.