Edward, who was in a waiting room, presented attention to the tournament manager as he checked his equipment.
“This is the custom barrier. In case of extreme danger, it will activate and bring you back. It can also activate it on your own or it will activate when you become unconscious.” Informed the organizer passing a simple necklace.
Edward received it and put it on, feeling no change.
He was about to head to the Endurance Challenge.
He would be facing two opponents, which made the challenge very difficult and when it came to combat of his rank, it could become deadly.
Adding that they needed to do this challenge outside of the coliseum, it was normal for them to find a method to avoid death.
Although only death was avoided and as for wounds, as long as they were not fatal, they could be received.
Which meant that battles were dangerous and painful in equal measure.
“You don’t have to worry about your wounds or not being able to recover before the group challenge. Emperor Victor has arranged for healing archmages and other immediate healing measures,” warned the organizer and, with a smile, he announced. “That means you can give it your all to run away.”
This was the Endurance Challenge and he would have to face two S-Ranks for a period to survive or flee.
Looking at the time, the attendant tapped Edward’s shoulder and pointed. “You can go in.”
Where he had pointed him to was a platform with magic teleportation circle.
Edward, giving a grateful smile, stepped inside as his caution and defense were immediately raised.
Securing his spells in case he was suddenly attacked, his vision changed as he entered the platform.
The sounds of seagulls and the smell of the sea hit her senses and in her vision, a vast sea was revealed.
As he turned, he could see that several kilometers away was what appeared to be an island.
This was one of the difficulties of the challenge.
They did not know where they would be facing and so he had to plan quickly.
Now Edward was flying, but he wasn’t just watching, he was changing the weather using his overflowing magical energy.
In just a minute, black clouds became evident and this time the area affected was extensive and before he continued, his opponents appeared.
“And we who were giving you time, it seems you wasted it.” Said the fighter with a mocking tone.
“Don’t underestimate him. He is the student of Aaron Vincent, a Grand Archmage of SS-Rank. They say he has a huge source of magical energy,” reported the swordsman and, drawing a saber from its sheath, added. “It seems he intends to take us both on.”
Both the fighter and the swordsman wore a mask and equipment that concealed their identities.
Edward analyzed the situation and realized that they were talking to scare him.
That was another disadvantage of this scenario.
His opponents would know his background and abilities having information about him, while he was unaware of the enemies.
However, Edward gave a smile by manipulating a large-scale spell in secret.
“It’s nice of you to be so wary of me, but may I ask your names?” Edward asked with a friendly smile as he pulled out a wand for battle.
He was just trying to stall for time until his spell was finished.
An Archmage could stand still and cast a spell with ease, such was the advantage when one controlled the elements.
“Oh, the young man wants to hear from us,” commented the fighter, trying to calmly circle him, revealing his spiked gloves.
Those were small spikes would cause dangerous and painful wounds if they hit him directly.
Edward smiled without letting himself be surrounded on either side.
The sea churned, and the sky turned black as thunder began to rumble and as a gentle breeze swept through was when the swordsman’s expression changed.
The smell of rain, thunder, and lightning... The smell of a storm.
“He’s preparing a large-scale spell! Attack!” the swordsman commanded, swinging his saber sending a slash with his sword aura.
Even though he wielded a saber, they were all called swordsmen and their auras were known as sword auras because of the similarity.
This swordsman had keen senses and while a spell of the scale he was casting was difficult to detect, that he discovered it showed the man’s keen senses.
Lightning covered Edward and he dodged the slash by flying through the sky and immediately waved his wand.
Lightning struck in from the dark sky through the clouds and his wand released several bolts of lightning towards the fighter.
“Ha, that’s all you got?!” shouted the fighter, receiving the lightning bolts directly.
Even though the lightning burned the fighter’s skin, it wasn’t enough.
Such endurance was the difference of a fighter when compared to other professions.
*BOOM*
Throwing a punch, Edward, upon being hit, felt the shock-wave push him even as he dodged.
He flew backward and produced a lightning barrier to defend himself.
“HA!”
A murderous scream came from the swordsman whose saber collided with the barrier, and while it cut it, it stopped halfway through.
Edward caused the barrier to explode and, using the shock-wave, flew into the black clouds where lightning was forming.
He had cast a movement spell and his speed rose, allowing him to flee quickly.
He was showing the advantage of lightning magic.
While lightning magic was inferior in defense, the speed and attack were unquestionable.
As for flaws, it always depended on the mage and Edward was an excellent archmage.
Rising to the black clouds, Edward waved the wand, controlling the lightning element of those clouds and then waved the wand downward.
His pursuers were slower and were at his back, still not revealing their cards, and it was at that moment, where they saw several lightning bolts falling from the sky.
That was a thunderstorm, and they both had to dodge the lightning to avoid being hit.
Using the lightning element by strengthening it through a spell, those lightning bolts looked ordinary, but they would burn the fighter’s skin if he received it directly.
“Damn!”
A scream came from his back and before Edward could reach the black clouds, he could see the fighter in front of him.
He had an object with the ability to move.
“You fucking bastard!” Roaring with fury, the fighter threw a punch.
Edward produced a dense barrier of lightning and, sensing it wasn’t enough, he activated the barrier on his tunic.
*BOOM*
Without letting out a groan from the pain of the impact and the recoil, Edward in his flight concentrated and stabilized his position, knowing that the swordsman was close.
“...”
Just as he expected, the swordsman used his sword aura infusing it into his saber, increasing the sharpness to impressive levels.
Unlike the fighter’s punch, this time Edward could not defend himself, not unless he moved.
And Edward took advantage of his wand’s ability to create a water barrier to protect himself and surrounded that barrier with lightning, finishing, reinforcing everything with the recovering robe barrier.
The saber cut with ferocity and the water barrier, along with his lightning barrier, was completely split while his robe barrier was cut in half.
If he hadn’t used his magical energy on the barrier of his robe to strengthen it, that saber would most likely reach his body.
“A sword aura that adds sharpness to the blade of the saber...” Edward muttered in a serious tone.
He did not reveal fear, nor was he surprised by the swordsman’s ability.
A swordsman’s sword aura took different forms when one reached S-Rank.
Some had an elemental ability in them, others were more abstract ‘concepts’, but in this case, it was the ability to increase the sharpness of the sword.
That meant that this swordsman’s direct cuts could cut through most defenses.
Edward needed half a second to analyze the danger and the next moment, he fired the water barrier at the swordsman.
He was not an expert in water magic and was actually using the spells stored in the wand.
Although this attack only wet the swordsman, he decided not to dodge when he sensed danger.
And such an idea changed immediately when Edward waved the wand, launching several lightning bolts that flew at the swordsman, leading him to retreat and activate the barrier, realizing the danger of being wet.
Without giving him time to take advantage of his opponent, Edward sensed the fighter coming from above and he smiled, as he had his spell ready.
“[Storm Dominion]” Edward muttered, waving his wand overhead.
The swordsman’s expression immediately turned ugly, and he retreated even further, but the fighter that was falling on him continued and...
*BOOM*
A huge lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking the fighter, who retreated by using his barrier.
Then, the lightning struck Edward and instead of exploding him or hurting him in any way; it went around him acknowledging that he was the creator.
“This must be a joke.” The swordsman muttered as he looked up at the sky.
The black cloud was now not as small as before, but the entire weather for several kilometers was immediately changed.
Edward thanks to his immense source of magical energy could change the weather, but it was in a small area.
However, what if an area effect spell among the most powerful was added to it?
Edward took a deep breath as he looked at his surroundings.
Lightning began to generate in the sky, falling into the water or moving across the sky, covering the entire area.
Getting in would be an odyssey, and getting out would be quite an achievement.
Every mage had his own spells, some were personally created as his hidden cards, and others were learned from other archmages.
Edward was not only a battle mage but an excellent archmage who had designed two spells for himself.
The [Storm Dominion] reinforced his small domain and took it to a higher point... Comparable to the elemental domains that an SS-rank mage naturally formed.
His master Director Vincent as a Grand Archmage could not only create his domain of air magic, but he had his own powerful spell that allowed him to create an extremely terrifying hurricane.
One that could be considered a forbidden spell.
Perhaps Edward was not at the level of designing spells at the level of ‘forbidden’, but this domain was not that far off.
Such spells were the cause of those individuals being called calamities, and it was nothing unusual when at such ranks, they could mimic the strength of natural calamities.
“Let’s fight!” Edward announced, waving his wand again.
The lightning bolts that fell from the sky shot towards his two enemies.
The swordsman moved quickly, but the fighter a moment ago had just used the movement ability of his combat suit and could not move or ‘blink’.
However, he did not give up.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
The first explosion was his punch that spread a wave and pushed away several lightning bolts, but the second was the lightning bolts at his back that hit him.
The fighter flew downward and Edward, instead of stopping, flicked his wand with greater intensity.
“Shit...”
Waving the wand, Edward took natural control and moved his other hand to increase the lightning strike.
Before he couldn’t attack with his full power because of casting [Storm Dominion], but now it was different.
Raising his wand, a sphere of lightning grew as Edward used his immense power source to fuel the spell.
Growing to the size of five meters in diameter, Edward threw it at the fighter, who managed to stabilize his position in the air.
At this very moment, the advantage of lightning magic was revealed.
Unlike other powerful spells of other magics that would move slowly, his lightning sphere flew with great speed.
The fighter tried to fly away, but the sphere chased him, and Edward waved his wand again.
Lightning extended from his wand to the swordsman to hinder him, and he also used the lightning from his domain to stop the fighter and hit him hard.
*BOOM*
The fighter’s punch and his sphere colliding caused a thunderous explosion, and it was the fighter who flew into the sea.
Just as Edward wished, and even though he was sending lightning at the swordsman to stop him from moving, he waved his wand again.
This time, the black clouds were illuminated by the countless lightning bolts in the sky and, with a single command, were shot into the sea.
Water and lightning were a lethal combination.
The fighter tried to swim deep under the sea and, to the poor man’s lament; the lightning struck hard.
No matter when he tried to go deep, the lightning was innumerable and not an easy thing to take and reached deep into the sea.
In the end, the fighter’s barrier activated as he was paralyzed by the electricity and the last thing Edward saw was the fighter disappear.
Edward did not smile at that victory, but activated his barrier as he sensed the presence at his back.
The swordsman had made his move stealthily and slashed Edward’s back, causing him to feel a burning heat on his back.
Before the swordsman could make another cut, Edward used the movement ability of his tunic and moved a hundred meters away.
His back ached, but he just smiled.
A small price to pay for victory.
Watching as lightning struck the sea for several kilometers, Edward knew that his victory was near.
As if that wasn’t enough, thanks to his enormous source of magical energy, he wasn’t exhausted or tired, feeling that he was capable of casting even more spells.
Despite the closeness of his victory, Edward raised his wand again with his guard up.
He would not let victory slip from his hands.
******
Alice, after replenishing her stock of chips at the store, checked the messages in the group on the group chat.
“Apparently he won.” She muttered in disinterest.
The messages congratulated Edward on the splendid victory against two individuals of the same rank.
Just as they expected, they earned 15 points instead of 10 points for the victory.
Other academies also had their own challenges, and some won while others lost, but other challenges were also underway.
They were not the first to win and the first victory went to Merlin Academy, who also held the same challenge and whose S-rank ended up winning against two opponents.
However, the victories of the others didn’t matter too much as long as Heroes Academy kept the first place.
Alice stopped giving importance to the messages and after seeing that Vanessa’s tournament was continuing, she left the holographic clock.
Instead of wasting time with the tournament, she checked the spacer ring, checking the contents and the snacks it held.
In this world, there were many kinds of potato chips in bags and Alice liked them all.
Maybe ordinary people didn’t know it, but there was even a world day for potato chips.
Prestigious companies created their potato chips with different flavors, different added extras that gave them a unique touch, and Alice bought every packet.
From the new varieties that came out, from time to time to gourmet and magic potato chips.
Each food company produced its own potato chips with a different twist, and she liked to try them all.
One example was the Apicius company whose bags of potato chips cost a few hundred dollars, and that was because they were produced with ingredients that contained magical energy.
It was expensive for ordinary people and more for someone who ate a lot, but Alice could not put a price on her favorite and sacred snack.
Since she didn’t know the city and didn’t have the usual suppliers, she had to make a trip through different stores that took up several hours of her time.
“It was worth it,” Alice muttered, pulling out a bag of chips to eat.
Enjoying the snack, she walked in the direction of her hotel, not wanting to hail a cab.
After several minutes, she felt some very different looks than usual.
Now it was not a look given by her appearance or the strangeness of eating chips almost all day; this was a malicious look.
Simple and easy to notice, Alice didn’t even check who they were, as with her senses she could tell they were students of the Aetherium Academy.
She could fight enemies without needing to look, realizing who the students were was nothing.
Continuing on her way, when she was near the coliseums where the people were fewer, Alice stopped when she saw a figure.
On the other side was Xu Long, who was looking at her intensely without hiding his hatred and malice.
He was quite easy to see, and inside, Alice found it amusing to see him full of hatred.
When she defeated him, she didn’t do it with superior strength on purpose... Now his image was plummeting and the funny thing was that she had no admirers, but those who supported her were many.
It was all done by the same hatred that Xu Long had attracted to himself.
“Come with me,” Xu Long ordered in a serious tone.
Alice indifferently looked at him.
Xu Long’s expression was serene, as if he had everything in his control and his tone revealed confidence in his victory.
Hesitating whether to go or not, Alice finally gave in to her curiosity and followed him into the middle of the coliseums, where there were no people.
It was noticeable that Xu Long had been waiting for her and other students were helping him to keep the spectators away.
“Accept the duel.” Xu Long ordered and with an icy stare, he threatened. “Or else there will be consequences.”
“No,” Alice replied and as she was about to eat her chips, Xu Long caught the bag and threw them on the ground.
Alice’s expression immediately turned cold as she saw that he was stepping on them and when she looked up, noticing Xu Long’s expectant expression, she couldn’t help but tilt her lips into a small smile.
“Childish and useless,” Alice said with a certain contempt.
She could tell he had checked her out, maybe he even saw the video from the beginning of the year where she beat up Oliver and Jordan for smashing her chips.
“You think I’m going to attack you just for my chips?” Alice asked, amused as she looked at the idiot and, not caring about his look that seemed to want to murder her, added. “People like to hide their intentions behind something. Say a word to them and they get upset, take something away from them and they get angry.”
Simple and subtle observers would only think it was a weakness or a part of her personality she couldn’t control.
Alice resented anyone messing with her food and especially the chips, however, she could control her emotions.
She was not afraid of the consequences of attacking, but neither would she ruin other people’s fights just because of her selfishness and she needed a just cause to act.
At stake in the international tournament were elixirs that would help the students and while they were insignificant to her, it was not insignificant to the other students.
“Ha, you are quite intriguing,” Xu Long said, regaining his confidence and looking at Alice, commented. “You know, I belong to the Xu Family from China. We have quite a bit of power and authority.”
After the great cataclysm, specifically, when the Himalayan mountain ranges spread to western China, the most important families in China helped their nation.
However, the government was weakened and now those families gained most of the power and authority, extending the influence to the Chinese government itself.
In a sense, they were the ones who sometimes made important Chinese decisions and the Xu family was one of several families that controlled such a nation.
“Oh, congratulations,” Alice replied nonchalantly and sarcastically.
She didn’t care who he was or where he came from, neither did his supposed ‘power’ and ‘authority’ he had behind him.
“I understand you’re strong and think you’re invincible, but you’re not. For example, what if something happened to your friend?” Xu Long asked and, seeing Alice’s serious expression, he smiled viciously and commented. “Aurora is a very beautiful young lady, but she’s only a Rank-A. It would be very bad if someday something bad happens to her. You know, such things happen.”
Xu Long’s smile grew growing more mischievous and sinister.
“Young and delicate. I wonder what would happen if several men had her alone in a room.” Xu Long added and amicably explained. “Sure, anything can happen in this world, but we can narrow down those possibilities.”
Alice looked at him and laughed.
She understood the scenario and the threat behind his words, but she couldn’t help but laugh.
Not because she knew her sister’s strength and found the impossibility of anything happening to Aurora, who had fought against warlords, funny.
She laughed for another reason.
She was angry... Very angry at imagining the scenario and that anger led to her laughing.
She needed a valid reason to attack someone and him throwing her chips was a minor issue, but now... Alice controlled her expression, showing some coldness.
“I forgave you before, but now I’ll show you what fear is,” Alice said calmly.
The shadow on her back spread and Xu Long, with a smile, walked away to stand in battle stance, but his gaze froze.
A deep, murderous intent spread as, from the shadow at Alice’s feet, black hands reached out covering the young man.
As if wishing to pull him into the abyss, those hands reached out, trapping Xu Long’s body, who gave an incredulous expression at the speed of the movement.
And without waiting for him to react, the situation changed.
The shadow became darkness, and that darkness covered Alice as black arms formed around her original arms and then, as her body as a base, a creature began to form.
Five meters tall with thick muscular arms and legs, its humanoid-shaped head revealed two black pearl-like eyes that seemed to hold a deep abyss.
A mouth opened revealing black fangs and the five-meter tall creature grinned eerily.
The surroundings darkened before the creature as Xu Long trembled in instinctive fear at that smile.
“Come. I will teach you to fear me.”
A voice echoed, but it wasn’t Alice’s, it was a deep, thick voice that sounded like a demon out of the abyss itself.
Without giving him time to react, the creature rushed forward at a speed that made Xu Long’s eyes widen.
“Ugh...”
He released his electrical energy to defend against that large hand that was trying to grab him and even though it burned and disintegrated part of that black mass that formed the hand, in the end, the mana hit the barrier.
Before Xu Long could counterattack, from the black palm of that creature, an arm flew out and penetrated the barrier, trapping Xu Long’s neck, preventing him from escaping.
The barrier broke, and the creature caught Xu Long’s body with its powerful black arm.
“If you kill me, you’ll be in troub...”
*BOOM*
The creature threw Xu Long in against the coliseum wall, which was extremely tough, and then when that young man spat blood; he saw that creature’s fist.
*BOOM*
The blood intensified as several ribs were broken.
*BOOM*
Intense pain spread through the young man’s body, and at that moment he felt real fear.
The creature... Alice didn’t hold back, using brutal blows that made it clear she didn’t care about murder, let alone causing pain.
“I...”
The creature ignoring the words, grabbed him by the legs and slammed him against the floor.
*BOOM*
An S-rank was strong of body, but a psionic not so much and when it hit the ground, a crater formed.
Xu Long’s arm twisted as blood gushed out of the young man and Alice continued hitting him again.
*BOOM*
This time, Xu Long activated his barrier at the moment, just before his eye fell on a sharp rock protruding from the ground.
Unfortunately, his head was the only part of his body that was spared, as the stomach was pierced by several pieces of stone, pointed ones shattering the flesh.
Xu Long’s consciousness was slowly dissipating from the wounds and mortal pain and it was at that moment that Alice turned him over.
A cut, crushed, and bleeding face, a torso penetrated by several rocks that reached its organs, and an arm twisted in a way that was not human at all, with bone protruding into the flesh.
The twisted limbs were the least of it when one saw that he was vomiting blood, perhaps because of his organs punctured by the broken ribs.
At that bloody sight, the creature gave a gigantic grin as if it was watching an insect slowly die.
And just as a human stepped on ants without caring, the creature also did the same.
Extending its hand into the sky, its black arm transformed into a spear and dropped it in such a way that Xu Long saw it fall to pierce his heart.
Inches away from piercing his heart, the spear was deflected by a gentle breeze and hit the ground, penetrating the ground inches from his body.
The creature raised its gaze to the sky and all it could see was a glow of light and in response gave a smile.
Slowly, the creature dissolved, turning the black mass into a liquid and that liquid into a shadow that returned to the back of the young woman who had been inside.
Controlling and directing everything showing no hint of mercy.
“I couldn’t kill it and drew too much attention... Too bad.” Alice muttered, sending a few messages through her holographic watch, then looked at the approaching authorities.
They were armed and, seeing the victim’s blood and her smiling with some pity; they drew their weapons.
“I surrender,” Alice said, raising her hands in the air.
She didn’t even hide the amused and confident smile, revealing her amusement to Xu Long, who was barely conscious.
******
Aurora looked at Vanessa, who was participating in the tournament.
She was in the healing tournament, and Vanessa had to cure a patient within a certain time.
That meant she had to diagnose the disease and cure it immediately.
If she failed theoretically, the patient would die, but in this challenge, they would obviously just lose.
Vanessa was taking her job seriously, though, and was carrying out the measurements quickly and accurately.
Without fear or trepidation, anxiety over the time limit did not cause her to lose her caution.
From what she observed, Aurora knew that she would surely not be able to win first place because Paladin Academy was moving quickly and methodically.
Bored in her own personal room, Aurora heard rapid footsteps from outside and the door opened, revealing Nicole, who was agitated.
“The authorities arrested Alice!”
Aurora’s expression plummeted upon hearing those words.
Edward, who was in a waiting room, presented attention to the tournament manager as he checked his equipment.
“This is the custom barrier. In case of extreme danger, it will activate and bring you back. It can also activate it on your own or it will activate when you become unconscious.” Informed the organizer passing a simple necklace.
Edward received it and put it on, feeling no change.
He was about to head to the Endurance Challenge.
He would be facing two opponents, which made the challenge very difficult and when it came to combat of his rank, it could become deadly.
Adding that they needed to do this challenge outside of the coliseum, it was normal for them to find a method to avoid death.
Although only death was avoided and as for wounds, as long as they were not fatal, they could be received.
Which meant that battles were dangerous and painful in equal measure.
“You don’t have to worry about your wounds or not being able to recover before the group challenge. Emperor Victor has arranged for healing archmages and other immediate healing measures,” warned the organizer and, with a smile, he announced. “That means you can give it your all to run away.”
This was the Endurance Challenge and he would have to face two S-Ranks for a period to survive or flee.
Looking at the time, the attendant tapped Edward’s shoulder and pointed. “You can go in.”
Where he had pointed him to was a platform with magic teleportation circle.
Edward, giving a grateful smile, stepped inside as his caution and defense were immediately raised.
Securing his spells in case he was suddenly attacked, his vision changed as he entered the platform.
The sounds of seagulls and the smell of the sea hit her senses and in her vision, a vast sea was revealed.
As he turned, he could see that several kilometers away was what appeared to be an island.
This was one of the difficulties of the challenge.
They did not know where they would be facing and so he had to plan quickly.
Now Edward was flying, but he wasn’t just watching, he was changing the weather using his overflowing magical energy.
In just a minute, black clouds became evident and this time the area affected was extensive and before he continued, his opponents appeared.
“And we who were giving you time, it seems you wasted it.” Said the fighter with a mocking tone.
“Don’t underestimate him. He is the student of Aaron Vincent, a Grand Archmage of SS-Rank. They say he has a huge source of magical energy,” reported the swordsman and, drawing a saber from its sheath, added. “It seems he intends to take us both on.”
Both the fighter and the swordsman wore a mask and equipment that concealed their identities.
Edward analyzed the situation and realized that they were talking to scare him.
That was another disadvantage of this scenario.
His opponents would know his background and abilities having information about him, while he was unaware of the enemies.
However, Edward gave a smile by manipulating a large-scale spell in secret.
“It’s nice of you to be so wary of me, but may I ask your names?” Edward asked with a friendly smile as he pulled out a wand for battle.
He was just trying to stall for time until his spell was finished.
An Archmage could stand still and cast a spell with ease, such was the advantage when one controlled the elements.
“Oh, the young man wants to hear from us,” commented the fighter, trying to calmly circle him, revealing his spiked gloves.
Those were small spikes would cause dangerous and painful wounds if they hit him directly.
Edward smiled without letting himself be surrounded on either side.
The sea churned, and the sky turned black as thunder began to rumble and as a gentle breeze swept through was when the swordsman’s expression changed.
The smell of rain, thunder, and lightning... The smell of a storm.
“He’s preparing a large-scale spell! Attack!” the swordsman commanded, swinging his saber sending a slash with his sword aura.
Even though he wielded a saber, they were all called swordsmen and their auras were known as sword auras because of the similarity.
This swordsman had keen senses and while a spell of the scale he was casting was difficult to detect, that he discovered it showed the man’s keen senses.
Lightning covered Edward and he dodged the slash by flying through the sky and immediately waved his wand.
Lightning struck in from the dark sky through the clouds and his wand released several bolts of lightning towards the fighter.
“Ha, that’s all you got?!” shouted the fighter, receiving the lightning bolts directly.
Even though the lightning burned the fighter’s skin, it wasn’t enough.
Such endurance was the difference of a fighter when compared to other professions.
*BOOM*
Throwing a punch, Edward, upon being hit, felt the shock-wave push him even as he dodged.
He flew backward and produced a lightning barrier to defend himself.
“HA!”
A murderous scream came from the swordsman whose saber collided with the barrier, and while it cut it, it stopped halfway through.
Edward caused the barrier to explode and, using the shock-wave, flew into the black clouds where lightning was forming.
He had cast a movement spell and his speed rose, allowing him to flee quickly.
He was showing the advantage of lightning magic.
While lightning magic was inferior in defense, the speed and attack were unquestionable.
As for flaws, it always depended on the mage and Edward was an excellent archmage.
Rising to the black clouds, Edward waved the wand, controlling the lightning element of those clouds and then waved the wand downward.
His pursuers were slower and were at his back, still not revealing their cards, and it was at that moment, where they saw several lightning bolts falling from the sky.
That was a thunderstorm, and they both had to dodge the lightning to avoid being hit.
Using the lightning element by strengthening it through a spell, those lightning bolts looked ordinary, but they would burn the fighter’s skin if he received it directly.
“Damn!”
A scream came from his back and before Edward could reach the black clouds, he could see the fighter in front of him.
He had an object with the ability to move.
“You fucking bastard!” Roaring with fury, the fighter threw a punch.
Edward produced a dense barrier of lightning and, sensing it wasn’t enough, he activated the barrier on his tunic.
*BOOM*
Without letting out a groan from the pain of the impact and the recoil, Edward in his flight concentrated and stabilized his position, knowing that the swordsman was close.
“...”
Just as he expected, the swordsman used his sword aura infusing it into his saber, increasing the sharpness to impressive levels.
Unlike the fighter’s punch, this time Edward could not defend himself, not unless he moved.
And Edward took advantage of his wand’s ability to create a water barrier to protect himself and surrounded that barrier with lightning, finishing, reinforcing everything with the recovering robe barrier.
The saber cut with ferocity and the water barrier, along with his lightning barrier, was completely split while his robe barrier was cut in half.
If he hadn’t used his magical energy on the barrier of his robe to strengthen it, that saber would most likely reach his body.
“A sword aura that adds sharpness to the blade of the saber...” Edward muttered in a serious tone.
He did not reveal fear, nor was he surprised by the swordsman’s ability.
A swordsman’s sword aura took different forms when one reached S-Rank.
Some had an elemental ability in them, others were more abstract ‘concepts’, but in this case, it was the ability to increase the sharpness of the sword.
That meant that this swordsman’s direct cuts could cut through most defenses.
Edward needed half a second to analyze the danger and the next moment, he fired the water barrier at the swordsman.
He was not an expert in water magic and was actually using the spells stored in the wand.
Although this attack only wet the swordsman, he decided not to dodge when he sensed danger.
And such an idea changed immediately when Edward waved the wand, launching several lightning bolts that flew at the swordsman, leading him to retreat and activate the barrier, realizing the danger of being wet.
Without giving him time to take advantage of his opponent, Edward sensed the fighter coming from above and he smiled, as he had his spell ready.
“[Storm Dominion]” Edward muttered, waving his wand overhead.
The swordsman’s expression immediately turned ugly, and he retreated even further, but the fighter that was falling on him continued and...
*BOOM*
A huge lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking the fighter, who retreated by using his barrier.
Then, the lightning struck Edward and instead of exploding him or hurting him in any way; it went around him acknowledging that he was the creator.
“This must be a joke.” The swordsman muttered as he looked up at the sky.
The black cloud was now not as small as before, but the entire weather for several kilometers was immediately changed.
Edward thanks to his immense source of magical energy could change the weather, but it was in a small area.
However, what if an area effect spell among the most powerful was added to it?
Edward took a deep breath as he looked at his surroundings.
Lightning began to generate in the sky, falling into the water or moving across the sky, covering the entire area.
Getting in would be an odyssey, and getting out would be quite an achievement.
Every mage had his own spells, some were personally created as his hidden cards, and others were learned from other archmages.
Edward was not only a battle mage but an excellent archmage who had designed two spells for himself.
The [Storm Dominion] reinforced his small domain and took it to a higher point... Comparable to the elemental domains that an SS-rank mage naturally formed.
His master Director Vincent as a Grand Archmage could not only create his domain of air magic, but he had his own powerful spell that allowed him to create an extremely terrifying hurricane.
One that could be considered a forbidden spell.
Perhaps Edward was not at the level of designing spells at the level of ‘forbidden’, but this domain was not that far off.
Such spells were the cause of those individuals being called calamities, and it was nothing unusual when at such ranks, they could mimic the strength of natural calamities.
“Let’s fight!” Edward announced, waving his wand again.
The lightning bolts that fell from the sky shot towards his two enemies.
The swordsman moved quickly, but the fighter a moment ago had just used the movement ability of his combat suit and could not move or ‘blink’.
However, he did not give up.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
The first explosion was his punch that spread a wave and pushed away several lightning bolts, but the second was the lightning bolts at his back that hit him.
The fighter flew downward and Edward, instead of stopping, flicked his wand with greater intensity.
“Shit...”
Waving the wand, Edward took natural control and moved his other hand to increase the lightning strike.
Before he couldn’t attack with his full power because of casting [Storm Dominion], but now it was different.
Raising his wand, a sphere of lightning grew as Edward used his immense power source to fuel the spell.
Growing to the size of five meters in diameter, Edward threw it at the fighter, who managed to stabilize his position in the air.
At this very moment, the advantage of lightning magic was revealed.
Unlike other powerful spells of other magics that would move slowly, his lightning sphere flew with great speed.
The fighter tried to fly away, but the sphere chased him, and Edward waved his wand again.
Lightning extended from his wand to the swordsman to hinder him, and he also used the lightning from his domain to stop the fighter and hit him hard.
*BOOM*
The fighter’s punch and his sphere colliding caused a thunderous explosion, and it was the fighter who flew into the sea.
Just as Edward wished, and even though he was sending lightning at the swordsman to stop him from moving, he waved his wand again.
This time, the black clouds were illuminated by the countless lightning bolts in the sky and, with a single command, were shot into the sea.
Water and lightning were a lethal combination.
The fighter tried to swim deep under the sea and, to the poor man’s lament; the lightning struck hard.
No matter when he tried to go deep, the lightning was innumerable and not an easy thing to take and reached deep into the sea.
In the end, the fighter’s barrier activated as he was paralyzed by the electricity and the last thing Edward saw was the fighter disappear.
Edward did not smile at that victory, but activated his barrier as he sensed the presence at his back.
The swordsman had made his move stealthily and slashed Edward’s back, causing him to feel a burning heat on his back.
Before the swordsman could make another cut, Edward used the movement ability of his tunic and moved a hundred meters away.
His back ached, but he just smiled.
A small price to pay for victory.
Watching as lightning struck the sea for several kilometers, Edward knew that his victory was near.
As if that wasn’t enough, thanks to his enormous source of magical energy, he wasn’t exhausted or tired, feeling that he was capable of casting even more spells.
Despite the closeness of his victory, Edward raised his wand again with his guard up.
He would not let victory slip from his hands.
******
Alice, after replenishing her stock of chips at the store, checked the messages in the group on the group chat.
“Apparently he won.” She muttered in disinterest.
The messages congratulated Edward on the splendid victory against two individuals of the same rank.
Just as they expected, they earned 15 points instead of 10 points for the victory.
Other academies also had their own challenges, and some won while others lost, but other challenges were also underway.
They were not the first to win and the first victory went to Merlin Academy, who also held the same challenge and whose S-rank ended up winning against two opponents.
However, the victories of the others didn’t matter too much as long as Heroes Academy kept the first place.
Alice stopped giving importance to the messages and after seeing that Vanessa’s tournament was continuing, she left the holographic clock.
Instead of wasting time with the tournament, she checked the spacer ring, checking the contents and the snacks it held.
In this world, there were many kinds of potato chips in bags and Alice liked them all.
Maybe ordinary people didn’t know it, but there was even a world day for potato chips.
Prestigious companies created their potato chips with different flavors, different added extras that gave them a unique touch, and Alice bought every packet.
From the new varieties that came out, from time to time to gourmet and magic potato chips.
Each food company produced its own potato chips with a different twist, and she liked to try them all.
One example was the Apicius company whose bags of potato chips cost a few hundred dollars, and that was because they were produced with ingredients that contained magical energy.
It was expensive for ordinary people and more for someone who ate a lot, but Alice could not put a price on her favorite and sacred snack.
Since she didn’t know the city and didn’t have the usual suppliers, she had to make a trip through different stores that took up several hours of her time.
“It was worth it,” Alice muttered, pulling out a bag of chips to eat.
Enjoying the snack, she walked in the direction of her hotel, not wanting to hail a cab.
After several minutes, she felt some very different looks than usual.
Now it was not a look given by her appearance or the strangeness of eating chips almost all day; this was a malicious look.
Simple and easy to notice, Alice didn’t even check who they were, as with her senses she could tell they were students of the Aetherium Academy.
She could fight enemies without needing to look, realizing who the students were was nothing.
Continuing on her way, when she was near the coliseums where the people were fewer, Alice stopped when she saw a figure.
On the other side was Xu Long, who was looking at her intensely without hiding his hatred and malice.
He was quite easy to see, and inside, Alice found it amusing to see him full of hatred.
When she defeated him, she didn’t do it with superior strength on purpose... Now his image was plummeting and the funny thing was that she had no admirers, but those who supported her were many.
It was all done by the same hatred that Xu Long had attracted to himself.
“Come with me,” Xu Long ordered in a serious tone.
Alice indifferently looked at him.
Xu Long’s expression was serene, as if he had everything in his control and his tone revealed confidence in his victory.
Hesitating whether to go or not, Alice finally gave in to her curiosity and followed him into the middle of the coliseums, where there were no people.
It was noticeable that Xu Long had been waiting for her and other students were helping him to keep the spectators away.
“Accept the duel.” Xu Long ordered and with an icy stare, he threatened. “Or else there will be consequences.”
“No,” Alice replied and as she was about to eat her chips, Xu Long caught the bag and threw them on the ground.
Alice’s expression immediately turned cold as she saw that he was stepping on them and when she looked up, noticing Xu Long’s expectant expression, she couldn’t help but tilt her lips into a small smile.
“Childish and useless,” Alice said with a certain contempt.
She could tell he had checked her out, maybe he even saw the video from the beginning of the year where she beat up Oliver and Jordan for smashing her chips.
“You think I’m going to attack you just for my chips?” Alice asked, amused as she looked at the idiot and, not caring about his look that seemed to want to murder her, added. “People like to hide their intentions behind something. Say a word to them and they get upset, take something away from them and they get angry.”
Simple and subtle observers would only think it was a weakness or a part of her personality she couldn’t control.
Alice resented anyone messing with her food and especially the chips, however, she could control her emotions.
She was not afraid of the consequences of attacking, but neither would she ruin other people’s fights just because of her selfishness and she needed a just cause to act.
At stake in the international tournament were elixirs that would help the students and while they were insignificant to her, it was not insignificant to the other students.
“Ha, you are quite intriguing,” Xu Long said, regaining his confidence and looking at Alice, commented. “You know, I belong to the Xu Family from China. We have quite a bit of power and authority.”
After the great cataclysm, specifically, when the Himalayan mountain ranges spread to western China, the most important families in China helped their nation.
However, the government was weakened and now those families gained most of the power and authority, extending the influence to the Chinese government itself.
In a sense, they were the ones who sometimes made important Chinese decisions and the Xu family was one of several families that controlled such a nation.
“Oh, congratulations,” Alice replied nonchalantly and sarcastically.
She didn’t care who he was or where he came from, neither did his supposed ‘power’ and ‘authority’ he had behind him.
“I understand you’re strong and think you’re invincible, but you’re not. For example, what if something happened to your friend?” Xu Long asked and, seeing Alice’s serious expression, he smiled viciously and commented. “Aurora is a very beautiful young lady, but she’s only a Rank-A. It would be very bad if someday something bad happens to her. You know, such things happen.”
Xu Long’s smile grew growing more mischievous and sinister.
“Young and delicate. I wonder what would happen if several men had her alone in a room.” Xu Long added and amicably explained. “Sure, anything can happen in this world, but we can narrow down those possibilities.”
Alice looked at him and laughed.
She understood the scenario and the threat behind his words, but she couldn’t help but laugh.
Not because she knew her sister’s strength and found the impossibility of anything happening to Aurora, who had fought against warlords, funny.
She laughed for another reason.
She was angry... Very angry at imagining the scenario and that anger led to her laughing.
She needed a valid reason to attack someone and him throwing her chips was a minor issue, but now... Alice controlled her expression, showing some coldness.
“I forgave you before, but now I’ll show you what fear is,” Alice said calmly.
The shadow on her back spread and Xu Long, with a smile, walked away to stand in battle stance, but his gaze froze.
A deep, murderous intent spread as, from the shadow at Alice’s feet, black hands reached out covering the young man.
As if wishing to pull him into the abyss, those hands reached out, trapping Xu Long’s body, who gave an incredulous expression at the speed of the movement.
And without waiting for him to react, the situation changed.
The shadow became darkness, and that darkness covered Alice as black arms formed around her original arms and then, as her body as a base, a creature began to form.
Five meters tall with thick muscular arms and legs, its humanoid-shaped head revealed two black pearl-like eyes that seemed to hold a deep abyss.
A mouth opened revealing black fangs and the five-meter tall creature grinned eerily.
The surroundings darkened before the creature as Xu Long trembled in instinctive fear at that smile.
“Come. I will teach you to fear me.”
A voice echoed, but it wasn’t Alice’s, it was a deep, thick voice that sounded like a demon out of the abyss itself.
Without giving him time to react, the creature rushed forward at a speed that made Xu Long’s eyes widen.
“Ugh...”
He released his electrical energy to defend against that large hand that was trying to grab him and even though it burned and disintegrated part of that black mass that formed the hand, in the end, the mana hit the barrier.
Before Xu Long could counterattack, from the black palm of that creature, an arm flew out and penetrated the barrier, trapping Xu Long’s neck, preventing him from escaping.
The barrier broke, and the creature caught Xu Long’s body with its powerful black arm.
“If you kill me, you’ll be in troub...”
*BOOM*
The creature threw Xu Long in against the coliseum wall, which was extremely tough, and then when that young man spat blood; he saw that creature’s fist.
*BOOM*
The blood intensified as several ribs were broken.
*BOOM*
Intense pain spread through the young man’s body, and at that moment he felt real fear.
The creature... Alice didn’t hold back, using brutal blows that made it clear she didn’t care about murder, let alone causing pain.
“I...”
The creature ignoring the words, grabbed him by the legs and slammed him against the floor.
*BOOM*
An S-rank was strong of body, but a psionic not so much and when it hit the ground, a crater formed.
Xu Long’s arm twisted as blood gushed out of the young man and Alice continued hitting him again.
*BOOM*
This time, Xu Long activated his barrier at the moment, just before his eye fell on a sharp rock protruding from the ground.
Unfortunately, his head was the only part of his body that was spared, as the stomach was pierced by several pieces of stone, pointed ones shattering the flesh.
Xu Long’s consciousness was slowly dissipating from the wounds and mortal pain and it was at that moment that Alice turned him over.
A cut, crushed, and bleeding face, a torso penetrated by several rocks that reached its organs, and an arm twisted in a way that was not human at all, with bone protruding into the flesh.
The twisted limbs were the least of it when one saw that he was vomiting blood, perhaps because of his organs punctured by the broken ribs.
At that bloody sight, the creature gave a gigantic grin as if it was watching an insect slowly die.
And just as a human stepped on ants without caring, the creature also did the same.
Extending its hand into the sky, its black arm transformed into a spear and dropped it in such a way that Xu Long saw it fall to pierce his heart.
Inches away from piercing his heart, the spear was deflected by a gentle breeze and hit the ground, penetrating the ground inches from his body.
The creature raised its gaze to the sky and all it could see was a glow of light and in response gave a smile.
Slowly, the creature dissolved, turning the black mass into a liquid and that liquid into a shadow that returned to the back of the young woman who had been inside.
Controlling and directing everything showing no hint of mercy.
“I couldn’t kill it and drew too much attention... Too bad.” Alice muttered, sending a few messages through her holographic watch, then looked at the approaching authorities.
They were armed and, seeing the victim’s blood and her smiling with some pity; they drew their weapons.
“I surrender,” Alice said, raising her hands in the air.
She didn’t even hide the amused and confident smile, revealing her amusement to Xu Long, who was barely conscious.
******
Aurora looked at Vanessa, who was participating in the tournament.
She was in the healing tournament, and Vanessa had to cure a patient within a certain time.
That meant she had to diagnose the disease and cure it immediately.
If she failed theoretically, the patient would die, but in this challenge, they would obviously just lose.
Vanessa was taking her job seriously, though, and was carrying out the measurements quickly and accurately.
Without fear or trepidation, anxiety over the time limit did not cause her to lose her caution.
From what she observed, Aurora knew that she would surely not be able to win first place because Paladin Academy was moving quickly and methodically.
Bored in her own personal room, Aurora heard rapid footsteps from outside and the door opened, revealing Nicole, who was agitated.
“The authorities arrested Alice!”
Aurora’s expression plummeted upon hearing those words.
