"So, let's see who's first on the list," Eric muttered aloud, glancing briefly at the parchnt in his hand.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it aside, guiding the paper with a gentle swirl of wind magic until it drifted safely to a corner of the hall.
"Dave Walter!" he called out crisply.
Dave stepped forward, his expression calm but focused as he took his place on one side of the wide, circular dueling platform.
Eric stood opposite him, hands still tucked casually in his pockets, eyes narrowed with mild interest.
"Rember," Eric said coolly, his gaze locking on Dave, "you have two minutes to land a single hit on my face that draws blood. Only then do you pass."
His eyes briefly flicked toward the grand clock on the far wall before snapping back to Dave. "Go!"
At the very second the clock ticked, Dave exploded forward, a sleek tal spear launching ahead at blistering speed.
The air whistled from the force of the throw, but Eric, hands still buried in his pockets, sidestepped with lazy precision, his movents almost too fluid to follow.
Another tallic weapon surged forward—a sword this ti—but a burst of wind erupted from Eric, blasting the blade aside just as Dave reappeared from the side, swinging a second sword in a surprise follow-up.
With wind magic coursing through his limbs, Eric propelled himself backward mid-air, avoiding the slash by a hair's breadth.
He retaliated with a razor-sharp wind blade, but Dave, unfazed, conjured a tal shield in a flash.
It clanged violently against the wind construct, hot air washing over the spectators in the front row as they instinctively shielded their faces.
'He isn't even trying hard,' Grey thought, arms crossed as he watched intently. Eric's movents were effortless, his attacks precise but clearly holding back.
"I'm not done yet!" Dave roared, his shield liquefying into a chain of gleaming tal that he hurled forward with stunning force.
The chain cracked like a whip, but Eric sidestepped once more, letting the strike slam harmlessly into the platform, kicking up another wild gust.
"tal Creation Magic!" Dave shouted.
Dozens of deadly spikes erupted from the ground and zood toward Eric at breakneck speed. The instructor nonchalantly pulled one hand from his pocket and made a sweeping gesture.
A roaring gust followed, hurling the spikes aside like feathers in a storm. Then, with a casual snap of his fingers, he launched wind arrows back at Dave, who quickly conjured another shield. The impact sent him skidding backward, boots grinding against the stone.
Dave's hands were already morphing again, tal swirling around them, thickening into cannon-like encasents with hollow tips.
From them, he unleashed a barrage of tal shards and jagged spikes that scread through the air.
Eric's smile widened faintly.
Raising his arm, the wind howled even louder—then ca crashing down.
A colossal gale slamd into the barrage mid-flight, scattering the tal constructs like brittle leaves. The shockwave shook the viewing stands, sending a wave of dust and displaced air over the front-row audience.
'Such imnse wind power. And he's still not going all out.' Grey's eyes narrowed as he analyzed every motion. 'I could take him… but I'd have to use at least three of my magics.'
"Wait… where's Dave?" Dante asked aloud. The dust was settling, but Dave was nowhere in sight.
"Tactics," Dave's voice whispered.
He appeared right beside Eric, eyes gleaming with determination, tal sword already mid-swing.
Reacting swiftly, Eric launched himself backward using wind propulsion—but not fast enough.
The blade grazed his cheek, carving a thin, crimson line across his face. Blood welled from the cut as Dave landed gracefully on the opposite side of the platform.
A triumphant smile tugged at the corners of Dave's lips as he watched Eric raise a finger to his face, examining the blood sared across it.
"Well done. You pass," Eric said with a nod.
Dave lowered his weapon, casually brushing past Vince on his way back to the stands.
"Top that," he whispered cockily.
Eric turned toward the clock once again. "Dave completed the task in one minute, fifty seconds. He passes."
Dave smirked as he rejoined his peers, visibly proud.
'Crap! Can I even beat that ti?' Vince's fists clenched, uncertainty flashing across his face as he stared at the instructor.
"Any healer here?" Eric asked, scanning the crowd.
Vanica raised her hand. "Here!"
"Co." He beckoned, and she hurried to the platform.
She placed her glowing hands gently over the cut on his cheek, and within a heartbeat, the wound vanished without a trace.
As she began to walk away, Eric's voice stopped her.
"Stay close. You're going to be my personal healer for the rest of the day. And who knows… if you do well enough, I might let you pass this third round too."
He smiled at her, and she bead with pride, nodding vigorously before taking her place at the edge of the platform.
'I have to get on that list,' Vanica thought with fierce resolve. 'If Grey can't enter the tournant, then I will. I'll help him win from the sidelines if I have to.'
She glanced at Grey, who stood with an unreadable expression, almost as if none of this mattered to him.
"Alright," Eric called, wind guiding the floating paper back into his hand. "Next up… Greg Truedeam!"
Greg cracked his knuckles, his expression lighting up with anticipation. "Oh yeah, it's finally my turn."
Then, a whisper floated to his ear—carried by wind magic.
"Weakling," ca Grey's voice, quiet but cutting. "Don't disgrace . Beat that upperclassman's ti. Knock that smug look off Eric's face."
"Tsk! I already planned to. And quit calling
weak, I could beat you anyti," Greg muttered, jaw tight as he stalked toward the platform.
"Ha! You wish," Grey chuckled from the sidelines.
"You ready?" Eric asked as Greg took his stance, feet planted, fists clenched.
Greg nodded once.
"Good," Eric said. "Let our spar begin!"
___
{A/N}
Sigh... Another month from 2025 has ended. And with it, we are going to be entering another month tomorrow ?? I just want to say thank you to all my active fans out there for supporting
throughout the month of May.
You have made
extrely happy seeing your comnts, power stones, Golden tickets and even unlocks. It warms my heart guys! Also, tomorrow is the deadline for voting on our new identity so guys! Vote and tell
what you think.
I already have two votes from Arcane and Nathan Sama... They chose different nas so I would need more vote please ??
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