Two days had passed since Elric officially became a student in class 1-B, and the atmosphere at Zephyrus Academy felt different. The volume of the classroom had tripled, making Damian almost feel like his head was suddenly heavy during every class period.
"Why does my head hurt more every time I think about it?" Damian said to Liam.
"Because Master Damian sits too close to the source of the noise," Liam replied with a grin.
On the other hand, Elric seemed to be busy chatting with the other kids in class 1-B.
Not long after that, Instructor Van entered the classroom and raised a piece of chalk and said, "Elric, show me your mana control."
Elric stood in front of the blackboard, his muscles tensing as he channeled his mana aura into his palm. With a single breath, he lifted a wooden table full of books—books on basic magic, defensive strategies, and biographies of Academy heroes—to shoulder height, then spun it slowly in the air before lowering it back down gently without a creaking sound.
"Excellent," Instructor Van complimented with a curt nod. "Now… books."
A student threw seven books into the air, and Elric immediately channeled a thin layer of mana into his arm. One by one, he deflected them until they bounced smoothly into the corner of the classroom without a single scratch. A light cheer filled the room.
"Amazing…" Liam whispered.
In the hallway, Lucien walked slowly, glanced at Damian, and gave a small nod: an unspoken code to stay calm and keep in touch. Damian turned, returned the nod, then looked back down at his notes, trying to calm his mind amidst the unceasing noise.
The sparring class began…..
The lesson that day was tough. The class was divided into two: half sparring, half magic training, and everyone practiced in the Zephyrus Academy's open training arena.
In the magic training session, Damian, Tessa, and Rin gathered on the sidelines while Liam entered the sparring session. All the students gathered in the arena for light sparring, and those who were practicing magic control could also watch the other students spar. So they could learn at the same time. When his name was called, Elric smiled widely.
"Your opponent is… Liam Ashveil," the teacher announced.
Damian turned his head in surprise. Tessa gripped Rin's hand tightly, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. Liam stepped confidently into the center of the arena.
Whispers could be heard among the audience: "Who will win, Liam or Elric?"
Instructor Van clapped his hands to get attention. His voice was firm, but calm enough for the entire class to hear: "Light sparring begins. Remember: this is an evaluation of magic control and reflexes. No deadly moves, okay!"
Liam and Elric nodded simultaneously. A short silence enveloped the arena, only broken by the students' gasps as they waited for the signal.
Not long after, a small bell was rung by the assistant instructor beside the field. Its metallic clinking loudly broke the silence.
As the signal began, Liam reached into his waist, unfastened two holster belts on either side, then pulled out two magic revolvers.
Elric closed his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath. He slowly channeled mana throughout his muscles as a thin blue aura covered his skin like a protective layer.
Tessa stared in awe, her fingers clenched on the side of the bench. "Look at that..." she whispered in a choked voice. "Elric really coated his body with that much mana, but his control over his mana is perfect."
Damian nodded slowly, glanced briefly at Tessa, then looked back at the field. "It takes incredible mana control and power to do that," he muttered. Rin, who was sitting next to them, could only stare at him and be amazed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Without further warning, Liam twisted his waist slightly to increase his momentum. Both of his revolvers emitted a pulsating magic beam, and he quickly fired two light bullets in succession: PEW! PEW!
Two small explosions were heard, creating two short craters in the cracked ground. The ground rose slightly into the air before falling back to the ground. The explosions were strong enough to send dust flying, but not deadly.
Elric opened his eyes, his previously steady breathing suddenly quickening. In an instant, he moved forward, his body movements becoming lighter due to the layer of mana that protected and increased his body's strength. The first step hit the surface of the field with force, breaking the ground slightly.
"CRAAACK!" A long cracking sound broke the field, followed by a thunderous booming sound.
BOOOM! That confirmed the impact. Dust flew high, giving the impression of sand rain in the afternoon.
The students who were on the edge of the arena simultaneously moved aside, avoiding the debris.. Some closed their eyes while others stared with anticipation. Damian and his friends stood up, impatient to see what would happen next.
The dust slowly settled, and Liam was seen being thrown a few steps back, his body rolling on the cracked ground. He rolled once, then quickly stood up again without any visible injuries.
Elric was surprised not because he managed to hit Liam, but because Liam only bounced a little and immediately stood up again without looking hurt. Quickly, Elric turned around and ran towards Liam.
"Bro! Sorry, I didn't mean to be that hard!" Elric shouted
Liam coughed lightly, then took a breath before looking at Elric flatly: "Interesting fight. From now on, I will mark you as a high-level threat."
Elric chuckled nervously and said to himself. "Wow, you're really scary to talk to."
Seconds passed in silence. Then, one by one, applause echoed on the sidelines. Starting from the instructor, then friends in the magic training session, to the sparring students standing behind them. The cheers and applause sounded warm, emphasizing their appreciation for their skills and courage.
Damian, Tessa, and Rin joined in the applause. Tessa stared at Damian with sparkling eyes. "So cool," she whispered. Rin nodded, her lips smiling shyly. Both of them thought that if Liam, who was Damian's friend and assistant, was that strong, then how strong would Damian be if he were serious? And they both wondered who was stronger between Damian and Elric.
That afternoon, the class seemed quiet. Damian and Elric sat casually on the bench behind the school yard, while Liam was delivering the evaluation report to the instructor's room. They were the only two there.
"Elric," Damian greeted with a smile. "If I give you a hundred thousand yen, will you take it?
"I will..." Elric answered happily
But you have to jump from the school roof and land head first, and do it without mana, will you still take it?"
Elric glared angrily, but jokingly. "WHAT?! I WON'T—" His words stopped suddenly, his eyes staring at Damian with a mixture of shock and surprise.
"Those... jokes are just..." Elric fell silent, his lips moving to find the words.
Suddenly, Lucien appeared from behind the wall, pretending to look for a bottle. Elric took a deep breath. "Only my old friend likes to say that," he whispered softly.
Damian lowered his head and spoke in a low voice. "Elric, have you ever dreamed of five people you don't know? But you feel like you know them at the same time."
Elric was silent for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. Lucien sat beside them. "Same. Me too."
Elric's eyes filled with tears. "You guys…"
Damian nodded. "Yes. But we still have to keep this a secret, because if anyone finds out, it might be dangerous."
Then Elric cried and hugged Damian and Lucien at the same time and said, "Finally, after all the struggles I've been through, I can see you guys again. I thought I was alone in this new world, but even though you all have new appearances and names, I'm still happy to see you guys again."
After that, Elric smiled bitterly, then laughed softly. "So… we're together, huh?"
Lucien patted Elric's shoulder. "Welcome back."
"Welcome back?" Elric asked, hesitantly.
"There were 6 people in the dream, and there were all 6 of us. Were those 6 people in the dream were us?" Damian said.
Lucien stared into the distance. "Somehow, I feel like the words of that great entity are slowly coming true, and perhaps the great destiny that awaits the six of us in this world is a reality."
Before Damian could process those words, Instructor Drein appeared from behind them. "Damian Kade. Follow me."
Damian stood up in surprise. "Me?"
"Yes. There are additional sessions for certain students, those who show above average elemental control and stability." Instructor Drein led Damian through the training arena that was usually used by students for training, and then they walked into a hallway that led below the training arena. The magic lights began to dim, and the atmosphere became dark.
"Do you know why you were summoned, Damian?" Instructor Drein asked softly.
Damian shook his head. "Because of my magic?"
Instructor Drein nodded slowly. "Not only that. The internal observation system recorded several students with high synchronization between their mana power and one of the objects in the room."
They arrived in front of an old metal door carved with intricate magic symbols. Instructor Drein placed his hand on it, and the door slowly opened into a dark room, lit only by the light of a crystal chandelier from the ceiling.
Inside, there was a painting of six robed figures standing in a circle, their faces hidden behind dark hoods, but each aura radiating uniquely and powerfully. Damian stepped forward to the painting, his heart beating rapidly because he felt so connected to the painting.
Unconsciously, he touched the painting. Instantly, white light radiated, and the sound of low magic humming filled the room. Instructor Drein just turned his head and whispered, "Welcome Damian. It turns out you really are one of those people who can get the painting to react."