31 Examination Pt 7

Asia POV:

Announcer: The next match will be this years finals for the new faces! Our first fighter was given the privilege of skipping straight to the semi-finals... the 'flame prince' himself, FELIX!!!

The now large crowd roared as Felix swung his arms, loosening up his shoulders as the announcer continued.

Announcer: His contestant is the mage who has shown us all how age is just a number, winning through strategy and experience, mage ULMA!!!

Again the crowd cheered as the girl, Ulma, made her way back into the arena, looking over Felix with seriousness. Felix also looked over her warily too. Even if he's a battle maniac and has the edge in power, his opponent is no pushover. Her previous fight showed how she can come up with srategies in the heat of battle and keep her composure in dire situations.

As they both stood opposite eachother in the square, the announcer signaled the beginning of the match. They both stood there observing one another without making a move, the atmosphere tense.

Alice: Who do you think will win Big sis?

Me: Hmm... Felix will win this one.

Michael: What makes you say that?

Me: Well it's clear that Ulma has more experience and would likely win in any other situation. This will be a hard fight for Felix, but the power gap is just too great.

Mira looked puzzled: But aren't they both level 2?

I smiled at her: Yes, they're both level two, but Felix... well I won't spill his secrets, i'll just say he can content with anything up to high level 3. He'd lose against a peak level 3 though.

Michael narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously: And how do you know.

I gave him a smirk: Nothing can hide from me.

Right when I finished talking, the fight began. Ulma had impeccable control of mana as it flowed smoothly like water, especially when she uses her staff, wheras Felix's control was decent, but rough. I get the feeling that he isn't consciously controlling mana as it followed his movements sort of like a shell around him.

Closing the distance fast, Felix attempts to get in close to Ulma but she wasn't having it, creating multiple ice walls with a wave of her staff between her and Felix. Observing as he smashed through them with ease, steam coming off the impact points from the heat of the flames radiating off him.

Firing multiple spikes of ice at Felix, Ulma quickly changes to spikes of earth after watching how the ice sublimates immediately when near him in an exposion of steam. Water may be fire's opposing element, but she quickly realised the power gap is too wide and adjusted accordingly.

Now having to fend off earthen spikes and smash through solid rock walls instead of ice walls, Felix continues to close the gap between them, but it's futile as Ulma dashes around the square whilst enhancing her speed with wind. Now that he can't get close to her, he switches up his battle tactics for a long ranged battle. Bad idea.

It was clear from the start that Ulma was the more skilled opponent, but watching how she keeps him at bay, constantly changing her position with wind enhanced speed and hindering Felix's progress was spectacular.

Now stuck in a long ranged battle, Felix fires off multiple balls of flame, exploding as they intercept earth spikes fired from his opponent. Throwing fireballs at his enemy one after another in rapid succession, Ulma opts to dodge when and where she can in order to conserve mana as she constantly changes her position on the field.

Me: Have you noticed yet Michael?

Michael raised an eyebrow at me and looked back at the fight before a moment of realisation hit him and he smiled: I see. Interesting.

Alice: What? What?!

Me: Ulma's strategy. Look closely when she runs around the square.

Alice looked a little confused before her eyes lit up and she giggled. I highly doubt Felix has realised, but as she runs around the arena, Ulma is constantly setting down runes on the ground through her staff. I can't tell exactly what she's setting up just yet but I know that it's nature is ice and she's pouring in most of her mana into this magic circle. It's probably to trap Felix, that's why she keeps dodging and distracting him with low powered spells.

I continue to observe as Felix is being led by the nose like a fool by Ulma, constantly sending balls or streams of fire her way which she dodges effortlessly. This girl is something else, i'll have to speak to her at the academy one of these days, I could learn a lot from her.

Felix: Are you going to just keep running like this or actually fight me?!

Ulma stopped and looked at him, smirking, her preparations now complete. All she needs to do is to get him to move a few metres forward.

Ulma: Never heard of strategy meathead?

Felix flew into a rage: WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!

Ulma smiled as Felix fell right into her trap and ran at her.

Ulma: I win.

As soon as he was in position she slammed her staff into the ground, finally activating the magic circle she set up. Felix stopped running, ice holding his feet in place and crawling up his leg as the magic circle shows itself and shines brightly, 6 smaller magic circles glowing blue around him, along with one under his feet, connected in a large circular pattern about 100m wide covering a significant portion of the square.

Felix: WHA...

Before he could finish talking ice had covered his whole body and continued to grow, the air temperature dropping significantly, ice crystals forming in the air. More and more ice formed around him and continued to grow and grow until...

Alice: Wow! A mountain of ice!

Yup, with Felix as the centrepiece, the ice grew and grew until it became an entire mountain of ice! The runes on the ground flowed between the 7 basic ice magic circles connecting them, the thrum of magic flowing through the ground as the mountain of ice grows before finally stopping at a height of 50 metres with a diameter of 100m.

The crowd flew into a frenzy and cheered at the top of their lungs, with Ulma smiling at the audience, panting and sweaty, obviously worn out by the fight.

Announcer: A brilliant strategy performed by Ulma! Using her opponents lust for battle against him to create a trap! AMAZING! Well then everyone! It seems we have!...

*Crack*.... *Crack Crack*...

Before the announcer could continue, the sounds of ice cracking could be heard through the square as everyone, Ulma included, looked to the mountain of ice to see what was happening. In the centre, a pale orange glow was slowly getting brighter and brighter. Ulma's eyes widened in horrer at the development but before she could move to get away.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

The mountain exploded in an eruption of steam and flames! The temperature jumping sharply and continued to rise. Ulma was flungs across the dirt from the shockwave and could barely move from the previous exhaustion, and from the middle of the square, Felix finally showed himself. Covered in raging flames, it looked as if he was a walking bonfire as he stepped out into the view of everyone, the audience looking at him in awe.

Felix's rough voice sounded out: You almost had me there... almost.

Ulma struggled to get up despite this harsh development, shaking from exhaustion: H-how...?

Felix looked at her, and the respect in his eyes was clear as day: If I were anyone else, you would win. Unfortunately...

Ulma just shook her head and smiled bitterly: I lost huh. I concede defeat.

Standing up on shaky legs, she made her way to the edge of the arena and slumped against the wall to regain her stength. The crowd, too stunned to say anything, roared loudly at this development.

Announcer: A stunning comeback by Felix as Ulma admits defeat! The winner of this fight and the champion of this years new faces tournament is FELIX!!!

Despite winning, I could tell Felix wasn't happy from the complicated expressions on his face like he just ate something sour. The crowd too didn't cheer for him as loudly as they would have otherwise. The match clearly belonged to Ulma from the start, it's just that Felix was simply too powerful for her.

Michael: You knew this would happen?

I shrugged: I didn't think this would be the exact way it went. In all honesty I though that this would be a battle of attrition with Ulma using strategy to drag out the fight, in the end Felix winning through his higher endurance. Although, this is a better outcome really. Just some food for thought.

Michael nodded slowly and Harrison spoke up: That was a good duel. It's a shame about Ulma.

I nodded: Yeah... I kinda feel sorry for her. Well, nothing you can do really.

Michael: Ah look at that, the sun is setting now, I have to go prepare for my speech.

Me: Don't wait up for us then.

Michael: Will you stay for this evenings events?

Me: What's happening tonight?

Micheal: After my speech there will be a dinner party for everyone attending this event.

I thought about it for a moment but shook my head: Don't count on it. Not really my thing.

Michael looked a little crestfallen but went back to usual almost immediately: That's a shame. Well then, I will be saying goodbye to you girls here, I must go prepare.

I nodded: Sure thing. Good luck. I'll make sure to come say goodbye before heading to the academy.

Michael nodded before bending down and kissing the back of my hand. I just rolled my eyes at him as he smirked playfully, fully aware that that makes me uncomfortable.

Me: Go on then, get out of here.

Michael said farewell to Mira and Alice, giving me one last smirk before turning around and leaving along with Harrison.

As soon as they were gone, I turned to Mira and Alice: Well then, how about we head to the guild to get this whole contract thing sorted out. Can't have you left behind after all.

Before Mira could open her mouth to say anything, I butted in: Don't even. I'm doing this because I want to, 'nuff said. Anyway we better get going, people are going to realise soon that it was us with Michael, and I don't want to be swarmed.

Making sure we had everything, I put my arms through my overcoat as it was getting colder now that it's getting dark, we turned to leave. Before we could however...

???: Hey you were the one with Michael right?!

???: Hey how do you know Michael?!

???: THIS VIXEN WAS THE ONE WITH MICHAEL?!!!

???: Wow you're pretty! Who are you?!

Me: Oh fuck....