Hitori was headed for his school in the sled. Usually, Kiku teleported him to the academy, although it was not more than five kilometers from his house, he chose to take the snow sled.
He arrived at the academy's gates. The wizard and archer towers touched the sky, hidden in the mist, dark clouds had fallen over the academy. It was a castle with the city river around it.
Water monsters lived in the river, the only to walk inside the academy was through the planks. The entrance of Mahoutokoro was crowded today. Hitori joined the crowd, a few were hurrying inside, some were meeting with their friends after the holidays, and many were preparing for the trials.
When he saw two boys bumping fists, then hugging, he wondered how fun it would have been if he had come with Kamiya today.
The guards checked the students before letting them in, parents and relatives were also gathered in the academy for watching their children battle.
Everyone stopped in the courtyard, walls of ancient designs covered them, teachers were standing in the corners, and students were gathered in the middle of the courtyard.
They were free to sit under the trees, play with the snow, exchange friendly spells, or just sit and do nothing till it was eight-thirty and the gates were closed.
Hitori lifted his head to glance around him. The wizards and archers were ready with their wands and bows, scouting the misty area. Sometimes Hitori wondered whether the mist was created on purpose or was natural?
It could not be natural since the academy was not on top of a mountain. Behind the academy was the city border, and to the west side was the main building of the Mage Ministry.
Both the Ministry building and the academy building acted as the second barrier in case a legendary monster broke through the city border, which was a magic spell from the school of Abjuration-- Prismatic wall, followed by an invisible barrier, and stone walls, then the buildings.
When the guards closed the entry, a wizard created a portal at the front of the courtyard. Other wizards created two more portals on the two sides.
"Form three lines, parents on one side, relatives on the other, and mages in the center."
So they did. Hitori was in the middle of the line, his turn came soon, and he entered the portal.
He felt his head spinning, when he walked to the other side, he felt like throwing up, but the urge was not strong enough.
"You will get used to it, come on, move!" A guard standing beside the portal pushed Hitori.
He gulped and raised his head. This was his first time in the arena since the first year. Circular patches of grass marked the area two students were supposed to fight.
On the border were seats that were as tall but not tall as the four wizard towers in each corner. The slots have been revealed, fighters were meeting with each other.
The audience was buying drinks and food for them since there were hundreds of mages in the arena today. Some mages did not have to wait for their battle but some people like Hitori had to wait the whole day for their turn.
The battles start dot at nine and usually last till the sun sets. Sometimes longer. The longest battle recorded in history lasted one hour, whereas the usual time is ten to fifteen minutes.
Hitori's opponent Bijutsu Budo, whom he had never heard of, was probably not searching for Hitori either. He walked to the waiting area and pulled out a book to read while he waits for his turn.
This was Hitori's routine. He didn't go to the academy for three months but when he did, he used to read books all the time when he could not play Vr-games.
So while he was waiting for his turn, he decided to read a book. Other students were sparring in the sparring rooms, two at a time.
Time flew and it was time for Hitori's battle. The commentators called for Hitori and Budo to the arena number four. No one cheered, they were busy watching other matches.
No one knew him, Hitori knew that, but even Budo? Were two loners paired for the fight? Suddenly, a hand sprung from the crowd and shouted, "Remember the techniques, Budo!"
Budo was wearing the school uniform, robes, and a hood. While Hitori was in his usual outfit-- black hood and a black cloak over a navy shirt-- he looked at the grass as he climbed the stair.
Budo then removed his robes. Hitori pulled off his cloak and hoodie, he rolled his shirt's sleeves, a few people were wondering what kind of combat outfit was that-- a plain navy shirt?
Hitori cared less about them, he took a deep breath and looked at Budo. His head was shaved and he had grey eyes. He looked like a monk in his karate robes.
He raised his hand and waved to the old man sitting in the crowd. "I won't," he muttered.
Atama was watching Hitori from the top floor, he had a strangely cold expression on his face, and the way he glared at a Hitori would creep anyone.
The match started. They both drew their wands and cast elemental spells on each other. Hitori easily dodged and blocked the spells, although he had no fighting experience, he was confident about his skills.
Budo was fast for Hitori, when he took the chance and inflicted fire damage that burned his shirt's side, Hitori's eyes widened.
Budo disappeared. He did not teleport, he moved from his spot at a speed Hitori could not keep up with.
He stood steady and clenched the wand. This was unlike the game, he thought. He felt his presence but before he could move, Budo landed a chop on Hitori's neck.
The chop knocked him to the ground. If it was not for his system, he would have been unconscious. He heard a metal chain around his neck, he realized his locket was out, hanging from his neck, near his chest.
"Yeah!" the old mand cheered.
Hitori turned his body and he saw Budo's wand behind his head.
He reached for his wand, he knew he could only cast spells from the School of Elements without his wand.
Their wands came down at the same time. Budo chanted, "Petrify!"
A spell to turn your opponent to stone and then throw them off the arena. Game over, you win.
Hitori chanted, "Hi-Busou!"
Their beams went past each other. Hitori's spell crashed against Budo's hand and threw his wand out of the grassland.
Hitori closed his eye, he knew he was going to be petrified, the old man raised from his seat, and Hitori felt like a failure.
Does not matter if he gets petrified here, he will have a whole year to practice and beat teens younger than him. Hitori did feel he was betraying the mages who seriously attended the academy for a year and then came prepared to fight.
What about him? He never liked magic in the first place, he played games where he was supposed to practice. Even the night before the trials, he spent it thinking of a way to solve the dispute between him and Kamiya.
There was no way he was going to win this, he was never supposed to win this. He didn't respect the trials, skipped them, lied to Kiku, and then he suddenly showed up one day and thought he could win this?
Such a betrayal to the serious students-- like Budo, who worked days and nights-- if Hitori wins just like that, without any hard work.
But he never thought he would lose like this-- within five minutes-- without even making it through the first round, the first day.
Unknown to Hitori, Kamiya was watching the fights from the stands, just like Atama, Senso, and Mono were. They were disappointed by Hitori's performance.
He was strong during the battle with Kuzu, all he had on his face was confidence, fear did not glint in his eyes even for a second, and right now he was losing pathetically.
Senso had expected more from Hitori, and so did Mono. Kamiya knew Hitori's skills but then he realized he does not have any real-life combat... experience.
He did not know how the people fight in real life without any equipment and evolved weapons.
Kamiya watched from the stands, Mono watched from backstage, while Senso and Atama watched from the teachers' stands.
Mono closed his eyes and looked away, Senso kept staring, and Kamiya dropped his head.
Exactly when Budo's wand flew over his head, he petrified something he was not supposed to.
Hitori felt as if someone punched him in the chest, but he could feel his chest heaving up and down, he could feel his tight muscles. He opened his eyes, he was not petrified.
The old man went back to his seat, his mouth dropped open, Budo stared at him in disbelief, his mouth was half-open. Senso angled his brows, and Atama sat straight-- without any care.
That incident caught most the people's attention. They could not believe someone blocked the Petrify spell. How? They were not granted with counter-petrify armors, nor did any of them wield a blade, so how did someone block the petrifying spell?
Hitori lowered his eyes around his chest, the part where he felt the pain, his chest was still throbbing. He found he was not turned to stone but the locket dangling from his neck was turned to stone.
His head trembled in anger and his eyes widened. He was sure he would get back the locket but the fact that someone dared to do this to his locket was hard for him to digest.
When the audience went silent, Mono and Kamiya raised their eyes and looked at Hitori. Their eyes popped out when they found Hitori was not a statue of stone.
The person in charge of displaying the fight zoomed near Hitori's chest, Kamiya spotted the locket turned to stone. That is when it clicked for him.
Kuzu did the same to block the petrifying spell. He used an object that was not a part of his body-- he used his blades to block Kamiya's spells.
The locket Hitori was wearing, although he considered it as a part of his body, it was not a part of his body. It petrified his locket but could not petrify his body.
Budo had two options, attack Hitori or run for his life, Hitori looked angry. Getting his wand was not an option-- he would have to get off the ring to get his wand.
Hitori had to tighten his grip to get a hold of his wand. "You don't touch the locket." Hitori pushed himself off the ground.
Budo could not make a move, his mentor forgot to tell him to fight back, and everyone was lost in the moment.
Hitori had a frown on his face, he stood sideways and raised his wand at Budo.
His mentor realized he needs to guide Budo. "Budo, move! Fight back, use the secret technique!"
Budo snapped out of the daze, he glanced at his old man, then at Hitori. He closed his eyes and pulled his limbs together.
Hitori raised his wand. "Don't fuck with the locket!" he screamed as he jerked his wand down. "Levitate---!"
Budo rolled and dodged the attack, he rolled towards Hitori. He suddenly rose from below, he had aimed for Hitori's jaw with his bald head.
Hitori saw the incoming attack, he knew something was up with that bald head. But he was filled with anger to think straight.
Hitori struck his knee in Budo's lower jaw, then punched him in the face, he used his elbow to crack his head.
Budo fell to the ground, he swept and made Hitori fall to his knees.
Hitori pointed his wand again, Budo rolled away from him. Hitori fired fireballs and ice spikes and icicle spears at Budo but he dodged every single of them.
Budo got to his head and kicked Hitori's jaw. He flew from his spot, Budo kept spinning on his head.
The old man cheered, everyone could see where Hitori was going to fall-- out of the ring.
He got closer to the rocky ground, when he was inches away, someone stopped his body and levitated him back inside the ring.
Budo stopped spinning, he jerked himself and got to his feet. The audience broke into a cheer when Hitori staggered back to his feet.
Budo looked around, he raised his hand and shook at the audience-- little did he know. His eyes fell on his old man who was standing still, fear on his face, Budo raised his brows.
Hitori took a deep breath, loud enough for Budo to hear. He pushed his shoulders back and raised his wand.
"Fuck with my locket again, I will give you hell." Hitori jerked his hand. "Bakuhatsu!"
Budo turned around and the Bakuhatu hit him under the ribcage. He felt the air inside him being pumped out, blood flow stopping for a second, then his feet leaving the ground.
Budo fell out of the ring, on the rocky ground, he cracked his back when he landed on his butt. The referee raced to look at Budo but Hitori reached Budo before him.
Everybody's eyes popped. Hitori was standing at the end of the ring one moment ago and the next moment he was on the other side. Was he hiding his speed?
Senso suspected something, Mono did, too.
Hitori lowered his wand at Budo's face. "Petrify."
The referee threw a shield to cover Budo and save him from the spell. Referees from the other field jumped to grab Hitori.
Hitori did not struggle or else they would have to bind him. While they were taking Hitori, he glanced around the arena. His eyes fell on the stands, and a boy adjusted his glasses and turned around.
A smile spread on Senso's face when he noticed Kamiya, Mono was still confused till his eyes met with Senso. Senso nodded with a grin, and Mono smiled.
Mono grinned, he looked for Kamiya but he had already disappeared. Senso rubbed his chin and pushed his hair back. "Haha... Kamiya," he sighed, "it was illegal to help him. If anybody catches you, you will be eliminated for this."
The audience cheered for Hitori's win, Senso and Mono were trying to hide their joy.
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