Ranking Match

The next day, Thomas woke up and saw his hair as long as before. He tied it up and put on his uniform, went to meet Kevin. 

When Kevin saw his hair had grown overnight, he was very excited. 

"Woah! So what you said was not a lie! That's amazing! But why is that?"

Until that moment, Thomas also had no answer. Everyone said that nothing was wrong with his hair. 

"Today we must talk with Sheli or Lily. We have to know what happened."

The hair matter finished off. It was their time to worry about Nick. 

After their classes ended that day, Kevin and Thomas waited in the garden wishing Sheli and Lily would show up. Luckily, they really came there.

"What happened to Nick?"

As soon as they saw each other, Kevin asked them.

"I also don't know. All of us were doing okay. But suddenly Nick fainted on the spot. When Mr. Anderson tried to wake him up, he suddenly attacked him. Mr. Anderson was injured by his nails. Until the moment he attacked Mr. Anderson, he had no nails or teeth as we saw in the mirror. You remember, right? But suddenly they appeared out of nowhere and stabbed through Mr. Anderson's shoulder. We were really scared."

Sheli looked pale while she explained everything. It must have been scary for her.

"Then?"

Thomas and Kevin were so focused on the story.

"Then he fainted again. We were scared that he would attack us again. But Mr. Anderson said us not to worry. But how could we not worry? Mr. Anderson was bleeding very heavily."

Sheli started shedding tears. She was shaken by seeing Mr. Anderson injured like that. 

"So what happened next?"

"Then he asked us to be calm. After that, he did some kind of spell and teleported us all to the hospital along with him. While he got treated, Nick was sent to get examined by the senior magician. We were sent home after checking us."

Lily was the one who continued after Sheli became teary.

"Is it serious? What should have gone wrong?"

Kevin frowned his brows and asked. They had no idea something like that was coming, not only Nick getting fainted but also Mr. Anderson getting injured.

"We couldn't visit them after that. We were not permitted. But Mr. Anderson sent us a text fly telling him he is okay, and not to worry."

Lily coaxed Sheli while answering the other two.

"Text fly?"

Kevin asked with confusion.

"Ah... Have you not heard? It looks like a butterfly. It can carry voice messages. Once it delivers its message, it will turn into dust."

That's when Thomas remembered they also received that from Anderson. But they didn't know the name of that thing.

"Ah! We also got one from Mr. Anderson. So it's called a text fly? What a strange name!"

Kevin also remembered and jumped up.

"So now, you guys must be feeling very relaxed. Now you also have a beast form."

Thomas smiled, asked Sheli and Lily. They seemed to light up a little.

"We didn't get to finish things. Then that thing happened. We can't still transform because we haven't gotten used to it yet. So I think we will have to attend the class again."

Sheli said. Even though they already awakened the forms, even before they started practising, it was disturbed. So they still couldn't use their powers.

"Ah...Do you think Mr. Anderson will hold the class today?"

Not only Kevin but also others expected that the class would start after Nick recovered. But they didn't know what Mr. Anderson had planned.

"I also don't have any idea."

As they continued their conversation, Sheli seemed to notice something.

"Kevin! Is it a bruise on your forehead?"

Kevin touched his forehead and recalled that the healer said only one wound took its time to heal. So there was still a little bruise left there.

"You weren't here. Our hero Kevin got beaten up by a-"

Thomas teased Kevin. But before he finished his sentence, Kevin disturbed.

"just a guy who doesn't know his father."

Sheli and Lily knew Kevin always made fun of everything. So they thought Kevin must have gotten into trouble by himself.

Anyway, it was kinda like it. He brought it upon himself.

"I forgot to ask. Did your teachers also talk about the upcoming ranking match?"

Suddenly the conversation got hot. 

"Yeah! Yours too? Anyway, I and Thomas won't be attending. We haven't awakened our forms!"

Kevin leaned in and said excitedly. He also wanted to join the competition. But he was still a powerless guy.

This Ranking match was an event held every year. During the first month newbies came, the academy would hold this match to rank them. Then again the next match would be held in the last month of the year. After that again in the first month of their second year.

The purpose was to find the most powerful and encourage them to go high in the ranks. But most of the time it only caused trouble. Many of the students held grudges personally because of that. They would practise until they almost died. Then they would fight, risking their lives just for that rank. But some people still didn't care. They only follow the most powerful and get advice from them.

"I heard they had changed the concept. Our teacher said everyone doesn't have to fight on the stage. They would choose one student from every class to attend the competition. So the selection is on the teacher's hand."

Thomas didn't like the competition because it forced everyone to attend. But after he got to know it was not the same anymore, he was a little impressed.

The main reason he hated this competition was because it would make the lowest ranks get bullied. His father also had the same fate. Instead of staying aside, he had to fight and get himself hurt because of that.

"I will not get selected anyway. Our class has a tiger transformer. He is really powerful. Of course, our teacher will give him in."

Sheli's voice was full of admiration. 

"Eew! You sound like you have a crush on that guy!"

Kevin made a disgusted expression and said.

"Not he, but her. She is really cool. I want to fight her one day."

That was Sheli's dream. 

"Our teacher said he would hold a fight in the class and choose the final winner to participate in the competition. And he even said the students who don't intend to participate in any way, could just stay. He was really kind."

Kevin was really into his teacher. Because while everyone pushed him aside, only his teacher cared about him.

"Kevin, you sound like you have a crush on your teacher."

Sheli teased him back for what he said before. Seeing them acting like they have a crush on each other, Thomas and Lily let them brag as they wanted.

"So are you gonna participate?"

Thoma asked Lily.

"I am not. I already caused a big problem in the awakening process. Until I confirm there will be no harm when I transform, I won't act carefree."

Lily was a responsible girl. She always cared about others too.

"Mmm..."

This competition was the topic of the day. Even among the seniors. They could finally get some free time to watch the fights. The seniors' competition would be held after a week from the newbies. The winners of the fresh year competition would get a chance to watch the seniors' competition in the front row. That meant a lot for students who came there to be a legend.

Other than those annually held competitions, rarely they had a few more competitions for specific reasons. So almost everyone in the academy had competed in at least one.

But since the rules had changed a little, things also would be changed. Maybe some students would never fight on a stage. But Thomas felt it was respecting their personal opinion. So he admired the new method instead of forcing everyone to attend the fights.

….

As they talked, finally they separated on their ways. 

When Thomas finally sat down on the bed tiredly, he heard Simon calling him.

But he didn't sound well.