Hitori was back in his room, and Reon was back in hers. They both were staring at their screens with their heads in their hands.
"Hitori-san..." Reon texted. "What just happened?" she asked.
Hitori lifted his eyes to glance at the screen. He rubbed his brows before stretching his hands to the magic keyboard.
"He used teleportation. He was above level thirty."
"Does that mean you burned nothing but the air inside the box and froze the fire?"
"It does."
"It is hard to believe but we lost, did not we? For the first time, we lost."
Hitori stared at the screen. He took his time to accept the fact. "We lost. Do not think about it, Reon-san, log out and take some rest. Focus on your studies rather than gaming."
Reon was not pleased with his reply, he was telling her what to do, it was against her will. So she said:
"Why did you start gaming, Hitori-san?" Her reply took him by surprise.
"All of a sudden?"
"I will tell you why I turned to games." And then she texted a long-ass message. "I was the glass topper, not to brag about, I loved Chemistry-- mixing chemicals, reacting them, noting the results-- I wanted to discover and react to every element that exists in the world.
"So after the three years of Science Academy, I wanted to go the US and do my own experiments, discoveries in Chemistry."
"That is good, you should focus on that. Remember, your dreams are and should always be bigger than anything else in the world."
She ignored him.
"One night, I heard my parents talk about their financial situation in the TV room. I still regret eavesdropping on that conversation, I should not have done it."
"What did they say?"
"Dad said, 'We will have to drop Reon out of her studies, we can not afford her further education.' I was broken. They talked about how their money went into the education of my elder brother and sister. Although they never said it, I knew there was no way I was going to America, so I dropped my dreams, I dropped the hope of becoming a scientist."
Hitori stayed silent. He was not sure what would be the right words in this situation.
"I was devastated. I was hurt, I had lost hope, and I did not want to live. But, I turned to the game. It released dopamine every time I leveled up, so I continued playing, killing, joining parties, winning dungeons, and making money. Till I met saw you, staring at me with innocent eyes, in an unexpected party."
"Your dream, Reon-san, you should not give up on it."
"Yeah? I went through a breakdown, this was the decision I made, and I will not change it."
"Is that your purpose? Many people do not find their purpose in life so early, very less do-- you are one of them-- you should follow your passion."
"Money? Will you sponsor me?" She sent a laughing face.
Hitori thought, 'I wish I could.'
"What then, will you spend your life playing games? Will you be happy with that, will you be content with your life?"
"I think... yes. If I play with you and Kamiya, that is, I will be content."
'With me and Kamiya.' Hitori looked at the ceiling. 'We can not even face each other.'
"I will see you, Hitori-san." She logged out.
On the third of June, Hitori found himself in the arena with a few other students, most of the students were waiting in the courtyard with the audience and teachers.
The students in the courtyard were the ones who lost their first-round but won their second-round yesterday, and the ones who lost both of their rounds were sent home-- they failed-- they will be held back in the second year.
The lots were revealed last night, Hitori was supposed to fight a mage who was ranked in the top ten last year, and was ranked in the current top ten.
The lots were displayed in the middle of the air for the audience to take a look at the rankings. Hitori went through the rankings and found his name on rank eighteen.
He forgot his opponent's name so he could find his opponent on the list, but his eyes caught a person right below him-- on number twenty was Kamiya Jigoku.
His heart skipped a beat. Was this a sign of resolving the conflict? Was this Kamiya's step to apologize and get back to Hitori? He did not know, but he could feel an immense amount of joy and relief.
The referee announced his name and the crowd went silent. He wondered whether it was because of his actions yesterday, but without a care, he walked to the grass ring.
His opponent, a bulky guy wearing robes and carrying a wand by the side of his waist, climbed the ring.
"Give your best, Saibai Hitori," the guy said.
Hitori nodded and grabbed his wand. At the referee's whistle, the battle started.
It did not last more than ten minutes. Hitori imagined his opponent as a minotaur and went all out. He used fire, ice, and water, but did not dare to manipulate the earth.
God forbid, but if he ever manipulates the ground while still in the second year, it will be suspended immediately. They don't teach the students Earth Manipulation in the second year, so if someone uses the un-taught, they are suspended or expelled.
Hitori watched as his name climbed the leaderboard and reached the eleventh spot. It was just like the game rankings, defeat someone more powerful than you, and climb the leaderboard faster.
When he was sent to the stands and given the option of returning home or moving to the restaurant for lunch, he decided to stay and take lunch.
After his lunch, when he came to the stands, he saw Kamiya fighting in the last ring.
On a closer look, Hitori realized Kamiya's opponent was lying on the ground and Kamiya was panting for air with his wand hanging from his side.
A smile spread. He wanted to confront Kamiya and ask him his reason for the change of mind. He even demolished his ego, but the bitter feeling from the past-- he could not cope with that.
It was afternoon, the time for him to head home and log in to train himself, just like he used to in the past.
He reached the gates. The guards opened the gates for him, a sled was waiting for him. Hitori got closer to the sled while thinking about Kamiya's words (he was trying to find a way to fix things when their argument flashed). He took a step, and suddenly, he stopped.
'Mages! Scientist! Kuzu! Kiku-san. Tengoku. Murderers.' He heard. 'Mages are behind you!'
He reversed his foot to the ground. The sled rider frowned. "Are you coming or not, kid?"
Hitori turned and sprinted through the stone pavement, he had confirmed his doubt. He had the cues lined up but needed proof, but it came to him when he least expected to. He had found the way.
Reon had said, 'The Vr-cade, you sit at the same console, she is too friendly, don't you suspect it? She saved you but did not save Kamiya, something it very wrong.'
Her theory might be correct, Hitori knew it was correct, but how could we just prove or confront those dangerous mages at the VR-cade's counter?
Reon's theory told in the courtyard, supported by Kamiya's words at the hospital, made more sense to Hitori than it did in the courtyard.
Senso and the other teachers got up from their chairs. Atama flicked his finger and the chairs disappeared. "I declare, Day 2 has come to an end."
The teachers smiled, the audience cheered, and they started leaving one by one.
Atama was sliming, staring at the dark sky, stars glimmering in the sky, the arena full of people, and the results in front of them.
Senso took a look at the rankings once again. Hitori was pushed to number thirteen, and Kamiya had climbed to number fifteen, he smiled.
Senso turned to see Atama standing behind him. "Whoa---" he was startled.
"Ah-ah, sorry, Guntai-sensei, did I startle you?" Atama laughed nervously. His beard bounced as he laughed.
Senso sighed. "I will leave, Atama-sense, waiting for the third day." Senso bowed and left the room after seeing off the other teachers.
After their bowing session, Senso was on his way to the restaurant. It was eight o'clock and he knew the other teachers would join him soon, but he had his game to worry about.
The restaurant was on the Academy's campus so teachers just had to walk to the other side or teleport. Most of the teachers refrained from teleporting as they needed to save their mana for an emergency, especially during the Trials.
Senso left the Arena, reached the plaza, and took a right turn. That was when he suddenly stopped and glanced over his shoulder, then continued walking.
He walked for five minutes, he reached the food court. The restaurant was only at a distance of fifty meters.
Senso kept glaring to his side, over the shoulder, without looking suspicious to anyone in the public. He reached the restaurant but walked past it.
He glanced to make sure the person was still following him. He took a right turn and entered an alley. He walked through the alley and took several turns till he reached an alley that had a dead end.
He took a swift turn. Yes, the person was with him, in the alley. That made one thing sure for him-- the person does not know the Academy, or he has not taken a look at the map.
"Spatial magic," he said.
A katana appeared on the right side and a wand appeared on the left. Senso crossed his hands and grabbed the katana with his left hand and the wand with his right.
He leaned forward and said, "Show yourself."
The person did not reveal him from the dark.
"I have sealed the way, think about running, you will get burned to death," Senso said, tightening his grip.
A shadow lingered in the dark. It was a man, somewhere around six feet, and he was wearing a hoodie. Just as much Senso could see.
He had guessed it right. When the man stepped out from the corner, he saw a hood loomed over his head, his face was hidden under the hood's shadow and his dark hair.
To his surprise, the man said, "Senso-san."
Senso pulled his katana and wand halfway out of their scabbards. He seemed to recognize the voice, he relaxed his brows and dropped his weapons back.
"Who are you?"
The man held his head low, his arms away from his torso, his shoulders lifted, and his chest proud. To Senso, it looked like a person from whom you would borrow money and then disappear without notice, now he will beat you to a pulp.
"Don't you recognize my voice?"
Senso released his grip. "Prove you are him."
The man lifted his hands and Senso grabbed his katana and leaned forward. He grabbed his hood and pulled it down.
Senso sighed, he leaned back to normal, and adjusted his katana on his waist. He saw his blue eyes glowing in the dark alley and jet black hair under the moonlight.
"Your style is the same in the game and in real life, Hitori." Senso rolled his eyes. "What are you doing?"
"I wanted to talk to you." Hitori pulled his hood. "Alone. Away from anyone."
"So you followed me? You should have come forward and talked to me."
"I did not want anyone to misunderstand our relationship. Would not they suspect you for being behind the student who came out of nowhere and entered the top fifteen in two days?"
"They would not…" Senso's eye twitched. "Alright, talk to me."
"I think you were headed to the restaurant." Senso nodded. "It is late, impossible to cook and feed myself at this time, I don't even have groceries. So let us get the dinner."
Hitori turned and walked on the way out of the alley. Senso caught up with him. "Would you deal with this seal, Senso-san?" Hitori pointed at the entrance.
Senso did not look at him and walked past him. "Never follow me again, I would have killed you if you had acted even more suspicious."
"Sorry. I wanted to see you alone, Senso-san."
Senso shook his head and walked out of the alley. Hitori was taken aback. "I am your teacher here, call me sensei."
Senso took a left. Hitori snapped out of his daze and raced to Senso. "You never sealed the way, did you?" he asked, catching up with Senso.
"There is no such seal, only walls to stop you, they can not burn you," Senso said.
Hitori paused. He shook his head and followed Senso out of the maze.
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