ch 5: The Duel

Elias woke to the sound of birds in the private garden of Wing S.

He ate a quick breakfast in his room, then put on his Academy uniform and headed toward the Theory Building.

When he entered the lecture hall, the chatter cut off abruptly. All eyes turned to him. Glances of curiosity, envy, and suspicion.

He ignored them all, walking steadily toward the back row, where he chose a secluded seat by the window.

Moments later, the door opened, and Princess Celine entered. An aura of refined coldness surrounded her. She looked at no one and sat in the front row with perfect poise.

Then Cedric entered. His eyes scanned the hall until they settled on Elias in the back. His face scowled, and he exhaled sharply before sitting on the far opposite side, refusing to even breathe the same air as the "Cheater."

Professor Valeria entered, carrying a stack of books.

"Good morning. I am Professor Valeria, and I will be overseeing 'Mana Techniques' this semester."

She slammed the books onto the desk with a force that woke the sleepy students.

"This subject isn't about randomly firing fireballs. This subject is about Understanding. Control. And Precision."

She looked at the students and asked seriously, "A simple question to start: What is Mana?"

A student raised his hand enthusiastically: "It is the magical power flowing through our veins!"

Valeria shook her head. "Common misconception. Next."

Another raised his hand: "It is energy particles in the atmosphere that we condense to produce spells."

"Close, but not accurate," Valeria said, drawing a circle in the air with her finger, leaving a trail of light. "Mana is the fabric of existence. It is the primal atoms from which this world is built. The material that makes everything, from the air you breathe to the iron in your swords."

She extinguished the light with a flick of her hand.

"Magical power is merely our biological ability to 'persuade' this material to change its form. A powerful mage isn't one with a larger tank, but one with stronger persuasion."

The lecture continued, explaining complex theories. Elias listened with intense attention, even though he possessed not a single speck of mana. To him, knowing the enemy's laws was the first step to defeating them.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class.

"Time is up," Valeria said. "Gather in Training Ground One in 10 minutes. Do not be late."

Elias stood up and left the hall slowly.

In the crowded corridor, as he was thinking about his next move, someone rushed toward him from the opposite direction.

BAM!

A boy with messy green hair and wide eyes crashed into Elias's shoulder, dropping his books to the floor.

"Oh! I am so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!"

The boy stood up quickly, gathering his books nervously, then looked up at Elias. His green eyes widened in amazement.

"Wait... are you Elias Reinhardt? The student who got first place?"

Elias nodded coldly. "Yes."

The boy smiled a wide, innocent smile. "Wow! Nice to meet you! I'm Eden. Second year, Support and Logistics Division."

He extended his hand for a handshake but pulled it back quickly when he remembered he was in a hurry.

"Ah, sorry for delaying you! You must be heading to training. See you later, my friend!"

Eden ran off and disappeared into the crowd before Elias could say a word.

Elias looked at his empty hand, then shrugged and continued on his way.

He arrived at Training Ground One.

It was a massive hall the size of two football fields, with a solid stone floor, surrounded by circular bleachers.

Elias sat in the bleachers waiting, watching the students file in.

Minutes later, the instructor entered.

A giant man, his muscles threatening to tear his shirt, with a military-style haircut. He didn't look like a mage, but a veteran warrior.

"I am Instructor Marcus," he shouted in a booming voice without a microphone. "No time for fancy talk. Today we determine your combat ranking."

Marcus stood in the center of the arena. "The training is simple: One-on-one duels. Use everything you have. But remember: Any intent to kill or cause permanent injury means immediate expulsion. You have 10 minutes to choose an opponent."

While students whispered and looked for partners, Elias felt a shadow loom over him.

He looked up to find Cedric standing before him, an evil smile on his face.

"You and me," Cedric said in a low voice. "Let's duel."

Elias didn't hesitate. He nodded in agreement.

Cedric flared with anger at this provocative calmness. "I hope your 'luck' works today too, Reinhardt. Otherwise, you're leaving here on a stretcher."

"Time's up!" Instructor Marcus shouted. "Who's first?"

Cedric jumped immediately to the center of the arena. "Me!"

Marcus looked at him, then at Elias, who slowly descended from the stands.

"Alright. Cedric von Ignis versus Elias Reinhardt. Take your positions."

The two stood face to face, ten meters apart. The atmosphere was charged with tension. Students in the stands held their breath. The talented noble against the lucky "Cheater."

"BEGIN!"

Cedric didn't wait a second. He dashed backward quickly, raising his hands to gather a massive fireball. "I will burn you to the bone!"

Elias charged forward, running, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

In his mind, the Store opened.

[Enemy preparing a Rank 2 offensive spell. Do you want a shield?]

No, Elias thought, his eyes fixed on Cedric's hands. I want his spell to fail. I want a disruption in his mana flow.

[Price: 30 Gold Coins.]

Pay it.

Just as Cedric was about to unleash hell, something strange happened. The fireball in his hand flickered, then suddenly shrank and vanished like a candle in the wind.

"W-What?!" Cedric's eyes widened in horror. "My spell...?"

This confusion was all Elias needed.

He reached him in the blink of an eye.

Cedric expected a sword strike, so he instinctively raised his arms to protect his head.

But Elias slid low.

With a fluid motion, Elias kicked Cedric's legs hard.

The panicked noble lost his balance and fell onto his back with a painful thud.

Before Cedric could comprehend what had happened, the cold blade of Elias's sword was touching his neck.

Silence engulfed the arena.

Students whispered in astonishment. "Did you see that? His magic failed!" "How did he do that?"

Elias looked down into Cedric's eyes, filled with fear and humiliation.

"Match over!" Instructor Marcus announced.

Elias withdrew his sword, sheathing it with a quiet click, then turned and returned to the stands without uttering a word.

Cedric remained on the ground, pounding the floor with his fist in rage, his face as red as a tomato.

In the stands, Princess Celine watched him with narrowed eyes, analyzing every move. Magic failing at a critical moment... the bear stumbling earlier... this isn't normal luck.

Instructor Marcus clapped to get attention. "Good lesson! Cedric, check your mana flow; tension made you lose control. And Elias... a direct charge against a mage is suicide; if his spell hadn't failed, you'd be a pile of ash right now. Don't always rely on luck."

Elias nodded silently. It's not luck, Instructor. It's an investment.

The training continued. Celine defeated her opponent with a single icy touch. Other students showed good skills, but Elias's mind was elsewhere.

After the school day ended, Elias left the Academy heading toward the city.

He walked the main streets for a while, then suddenly veered into a narrow, deserted alley between old buildings.

Behind him, three shadows followed. Men in ragged clothes with hidden faces, holding short daggers. Thieves who had spotted the "rich student" walking alone.

Elias stopped in the middle of the dead-end alley.

He turned slowly to face them.

"Hand over everything you have, rich boy, and we won't hurt you," one threatened, waving his dagger.

Elias looked at them with dead eyes.

"Marinda... do you know this name?"

The thieves looked at each other in confusion. "What is this crazy kid babbling about?"

"Doesn't seem like you know her," Elias said in a calm, terrifying voice. "Then... die."

Before the first thief could blink, Elias moved.

There was no magic. Only speed bought with his coins.

The first head flew.

Before the body could fall, Elias had already buried his sword in the second one's heart.

The third froze in terror and tried to flee, but Elias's hand grabbed him from behind and slit his throat with one clean motion.