ch 15: The One-Minute Storm
Shy rays of sunlight sneaked through the curtains, but what woke Elias wasn't the light, but a warm voice whispering his name.
"Elias..."
Elias opened his eyes with difficulty, seeing Charlotte's face filling his field of vision. She was smiling brightly, her golden eyes shining with morning vitality. Her golden hair was tied back carelessly, giving her a rare domestic look.
"Good morning, sleepyhead. Come on, get up and wash, I'll prepare the table while you finish."
She said her sentence in a cheerful tone, then turned and left the room with light steps.
Elias sat up slowly, his messy black hair falling over his eyes. He tried to push it away with his hand, hearing Charlotte's laugh as she returned to grab something from the table.
"Pfft! Look at your hair! You look like you just got struck by lightning! Hahaha."
Elias replied calmly, used to her teasing since childhood, "I'm going to shower."
She winked at him. "Alright, and don't forget to dry yourself well~"
Elias headed to the bathroom, and minutes later, he came out wearing the Academy's official uniform, looking energized despite the lack of sleep.
"Elias, if you're done, come and have breakfast!" Charlotte called from the living room.
Elias walked to the table and sat down. The smell was irresistibly delicious. Charlotte placed the last dish and sat opposite him, still wearing a pink cooking apron over her elegant clothes.
Elias looked at the food; it was a light but varied breakfast containing exactly everything he liked.
He picked up his fork and said in a quiet voice, but with a rare warm tone, "Thank you, Sister."
Charlotte replied with her mouth full of bread, "Oh, don't mention it. It's my duty, Eli."
Elias stopped eating for a moment. "I told you not to make up weird abbreviations for my name."
She pouted her lips. "Eeeeh? But the name Eli is so cute!"
"But it's not a man's name. Just call me by my name."
She shook her head childishly. "No no no. Your name is Elias, and your nickname is Eli. You're not a girl, but it's the name I like calling you~"
Elias sighed and gave up, continuing his meal in silence.
She asked him while cutting a piece of cheese, "So, what will you do now?"
"We were informed about the Combat Tournament a few days ago, and I registered my name. Today the qualifiers begin, so I'll be busy."
Her eyes sparkled. "Then I'll come to watch you! Are you aiming for first place?"
He nodded while swallowing his bite. "I will win, breaking a record."
She looked at him scrutinizingly. "Hmm... are you trying to attract attention to yourself?"
"Yes."
She smiled with satisfaction. "I understand. Come on, eat more. You'll need lots of energy for the tournament."
She proceeded to fill his plate with more food despite his silent objection.
After finishing, Elias stood up and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "The food was delicious. Thank you, Sister."
She stood up too and began collecting the dishes. "Don't worry about it, it's my duty. Go get ready, I'll wash the dishes."
Elias nodded, a very small smile appearing on his face before he turned around.
He returned to his room and put on the black "Robe of the Lightning Incarnate" over his school uniform, adjusted his collar, and left.
Before he closed the door, Charlotte called him from the kitchen, the sound of running water filling the place: "Good luck! Don't overexert yourself~"
He nodded to her and left, his steps becoming heavier and more serious with every step he took away from the safety of his room.
Elias entered the lecture hall quietly, and as usual, the students' eyes turned to him, a mix of curiosity and anticipation. He sat in his usual spot in the back, isolated from everyone.
Shortly after, Professor Valeria entered. She stood sternly on the podium and began without preamble:
"As you all know, today the tournament qualifiers begin. So there are no classes."
She paused to ensure everyone's attention, then continued: "The qualifiers will be held in the Third Training Arena. Magic Department and Knight Department matches will be separate. The qualifiers are a group 'Battle Royal'."
Murmurs ran through the students.
"The use of weapons and tools is allowed. Showing killing intent or causing critical injury is prohibited. Violators will be expelled from the competition and possibly the Academy. The qualifiers end when only 64 students remain standing."
She raised her hand. "Any questions?"
A student raised his hand. "How long are the qualifiers?"
"No time limit. The fight continues until 64 remain. Anyone leaving the arena boundaries is considered to have withdrawn."
Another asked, "Can we form alliances?"
Valeria smiled a faint smile. "Good question. The answer is yes. You can do whatever you wish within the rules."
She looked around, and when she found no other questions, she said sharply, "Since we are done, head to the Third Training Arena. The qualifiers will begin in half an hour."
The students left in groups, discussing and forming quick alliances.
Elias got up and walked alone toward the arena.
When he arrived, he found a massive open-air arena, circular and the size of two football fields, surrounded by huge stone bleachers. Professors were busy erecting magical barriers to protect the audience and reinforce the arena floor.
Elias sat on one of the side benches, closing his eyes, waiting patiently.
Time passed, and the bleachers filled with students from other departments and an enthusiastic audience.
When attendance was complete, Professor Valeria called for the first-year magic students.
The students gathered, and Valeria began placing protection magic on them one by one. "The tournament will begin in 10 minutes. This magic will activate automatically upon receiving fatal damage and remove you from the match. If you want to surrender, say 'I surrender' and it will also activate."
When Elias's turn came, Valeria looked at him deeply and said, "Elias Reinhardt. In the Illusion Test, luck was on your side and the Chaos Bear fell. This time, show us your true abilities. I look forward to what you will do, Top Student."
Elias nodded silently.
More than 300 students gathered in the center of the massive arena. The atmosphere was charged with tension. Cedric was there, looking around savagely, and Princess Celine stood quietly surrounded by a small entourage.
The announcer professor's voice boomed through magical speakers:
"The professors must have explained the rules, so I won't repeat them. If anyone doesn't know, that's their problem!"
He paused for a moment, then raised his voice enthusiastically: "Get ready! The battle begins in 10 seconds! Countdown starts... NOW!"
10... 9...
As soon as the count started, almost all students jumped and retreated back a few meters to create a safety distance.
Everyone... except Elias.
He remained standing in the exact center of the arena, motionless.
The monitoring professor looked at him in surprise and asked loudly, "Do you have a question, student?"
Elias shook his head in denial and said coldly, "I am already preparing."
The professor jumped into the air away from him, saying sarcastically, "Fine, that's your business. Only 5 seconds left."
Elias didn't reply. Instead, the "Robe of the Lightning Incarnate" began to flutter violently despite the stillness of the wind. Fine veins and complex networks appeared on the black fabric, glowing with an eerie purple light.
Above the arena, dense black clouds began to gather with unnatural speed in the clear sky, blocking the sun.
And in his mind, Elias spoke the usual words:
(Deal?)
The entity's reply came immediately: (Let me guess, you want to dodge the lightning striking you from the robe?)
(No. I want the lightning to miss me every time it strikes, no matter how close I am to it.)
(500 Gold Coins.)
(This is not the time for jokes.)
(But I'm not joking. 500 coins. Do you think interfering with the random path of lightning is simple?)
Elias gritted his teeth. (Then change the deal. Make it 'enhancement of my reaction and speed' so that I can dodge the lightning myself.)
(100 Gold Coins. And for one minute only.)
(You really are becoming greedier.)
(And you are becoming stingier and less valuable.)
(...Fine, agreed.)
The deal was done. Elias felt the world slow down around him. His senses became sharp as a razor.
In that moment, the audience and the professor shouted in one voice: "2... 1... FIGHT!!"
The arena exploded into chaos.
More than 300 students launched their spells simultaneously. Fireballs, wind blades, ice arrows.
Some engaged immediately, some tried to flee to the edges. A chaotic fight.
A student shouted pointing at Elias who stood like a statue in the middle of the storm: "It's the Top Student! If we defeat him, we get rid of a huge obstacle! Let's attack together!"
Dozens responded. An instant alliance formed, and dozens of spells and weapons launched toward Elias.
Cedric, who had been waiting for this chance, charged at him like a raging bull, his sword enveloped in a red aura, enhancing his body with strengthening magic.
Everyone thought it was over.
But before the first spell touched him, Elias moved.
It wasn't a normal movement. It was a disappearance.
He appeared suddenly in the middle of the group of students who attacked him, and whispered in a voice everyone heard despite the noise of battle:
"Too slow... let me show you how to attack quickly."
Suddenly, the robe exploded with blinding light.
The black clouds responded to their master's call.
A pillar of destructive purple lightning descended, targeting no one, but targeting everything in a 50-meter radius around Elias.
"Damn it!" a student screamed.
Elias moved with insane speed. Jumped, ducked, spun.
He was dancing with death.
Every time lightning struck the ground, Elias had left that spot a fraction of a second earlier, leaving the students around him to take the shock instead.
The arena turned into an inferno of electricity. Students' screams echoed around.
Protection shields activated by the dozens, and students were flung out of the arena unconscious.
Elias tried to move toward new groups. He was like a deadly magnet; wherever he went, lightning went with him.
Celine and Cedric realized the disaster.
"Scatter!" Celine screamed, creating a thick ice dome, but the lightning shattered it like glass, forcing her to roll on the dirty ground to dodge the next bolt.
Cedric, despite his physical enhancement, found himself jumping like a panicked rabbit to escape the random strikes.
Only 50 seconds had passed.
Elias stopped suddenly.
The lightning disappeared. The clouds dispersed. And the robe returned to its normal form.
The dust settled.
Everyone looked at the arena in astonishment.
The ground was scorched and cracked. Dozens of students lay on the ground or staggered outside the boundaries, smoke rising from their bodies.
Only a very few remained standing, panting and looking with horror at the monster standing in the middle, who hadn't suffered a single scratch.
The announcer professor announced in a trembling voice, forgetting his role for a moment: "Th... The qualifiers are over! Anyone who moves will be punished!"
Absolute silence reigned. No one dared to breathe.
The professor regained his composure and said: "Surviving students... only 48 students. The best performance... goes to Elias Reinhardt."
"This is obvious cheating!"
An angry scream broke the silence. It was Cedric, his face blackened with soot, his eyes burning with rage.
"He used a high-level tool! How is this a fair fight?! This is cheating!"
The losing students began to murmur and agree: "Yes! He almost killed us!"
The announcer professor looked at them coldly, and suddenly, released a terrifying pressure aura that made everyone shut up.
He said in a harsh, booming voice: "Enough! I will not hear any objections. Tools are part of a mage's power and preparation. The rules allowed it. Elias Reinhardt won fairly and squarely."
He scanned the terrified students: "This is a military academy to prepare leaders for war, not your mother's house to cry in because the opponent was stronger than you!"
He withdrew his aura, and said to the audience: "I will repeat myself. The qualifiers are over. Number of survivors: 48. And the first-place winner is Elias Reinhardt."
Total silence prevailed again. The audience was still trying to process what happened.
And in the midst of this silence, a single clapping sound was heard.
Clap... Clap... Clap.
Heads turned to the source of the sound.
In the stands, a beautiful girl with golden hair and golden eyes was clapping enthusiastically with a wide smile of pride. Charlotte.
Her courage broke the ice. The audience began to clap, slowly at first, then turning into a storm of cheers and encouragement, dazzled by the destructive power they witnessed.
Elias raised his head toward the stands. His eyes met Charlotte's.
For a fraction of a second, a warm glint shone in his dead eyes, an internal smile no one saw but him.
Then he returned to his cold mask, and turned to leave the destroyed arena.
He passed by Cedric, who was grinding his teeth until they almost broke.
"I'll show you, cheater..." Cedric whispered in a voice full of venom. "I will crush you in the individual matches. Just wait."
Elias ignored him completely, as if he were a stone on the road, and continued walking out of the arena, leaving behind the legend of the "One-Minute Disaster" that would circulate the Academy for years.
