Chapter: 5 The First Spark

Akira and Risa entered the stadium, taking their seats next to each other and waiting for class to begin.

"So, are we officially friends, Akira?" Risa asked.

Akira shrugged. "I guess it does make us friends," he chuckled. "Although I never thought I'd make a friend as a nobody-ranked mage."

"Hey, don't say that about yourself! You are you, and that's what matters!" Risa said with a bright smile.

"Haha, thanks, Risa," Akira said with a thankful smile, and class began soon after.

Risa had her head down on the desk and was fast asleep within 45 minutes of class. Akira nudged her, but she didn't wake up.

"R-Risa, you're gonna get in trouble," Akira whispered.

Still, no response. Akira let out a sigh and let her rest until the teacher announced Akira's name.

"Akira! Would you like to do something for me?" Professor Asric asked.

"W-what is it, sir?" Akira stood up.

"I'd like you to come down to the stadium and do a one-on-one duel against someone that I will choose," Professor Asric explained.

Asric smirked as Akira came down to the stadium.

"After all... this will be your last time being in an F-rank class, so I'd like to get you going to use basic spells at least before... you head off to an S-rank class," Professor Asric mentioned, and the whole class was in shock.

"S-rank class?! This F-rank is going to S-rank classes?"

"I heard this kid wasn't even able to use or master any magic!"

The class was talking amongst themselves, and Akira started to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Alright, alright, class, yes, this young lad is going to be in all S-rank classes, so I'd like to give him at least a winning chance before he challenges the worst," Professor Asric teased.

All of a sudden, a student from the middle row of seats stood up and raised his right arm in the air.

"Sir! I'd like to challenge Akira in a duel!" he offered.

"Ahh, Kazuko Saito. You would like to challenge him? I'll say he is a tough opponent," Professor Asric explained.

Akira realized that Professor Asric mentioned Akira was strong, but in truth, Akira knew he wasn't even a strong opponent! More like a deer in a lion's cage.

"P-Professor Asric! Please do not tell anyone that I'm strong! I can't even figh-" but before Akira could finish, Asric cut him off.

"Do not worry, child. Just do whatever you can. Trust me, Kazuko isn't as strong as you think. I believe you can do this, child," Professor Asric said, looking at Akira with a smile.

Akira let out a sigh and basically gave in to Asric's plan.

"Very good! I love the confidence! Now, Kazuko, please come down, and you two will go on opposite ends of the battle arena. I'll explain the rules as well," Professor Asric said.

Within a few minutes, Akira and Kazuko were ready. Akira wasn't able to use magic to fight, but he was given a rapier to use.

"Huh... a rapier?" Akira thought in his head as he held the rapier in his hand, inspecting the blade and admiring it.

"Alright, the duel ends if the opponent cannot continue to fight, or if the opponent concedes! If the opponent shows any signs of blood or scratches, the duel will automatically end, and lastly, the duel will end if the opponent is outside of the perimeter," Professor Asric yelled.

"Akira, a word of advice. Do not panic in dire situations, do whatever it takes to win," Professor Asric told Akira.

Oddly enough, Akira felt something weird in the sword. Like the sword had a mind of its own.

"Is something wrong, Akira?" Professor Asric asked.

"N-no, we can begin," Akira said, locking in his answer and assuming a battle stance.

Akira and Kazuko looked at each other with fierce looks in their eyes, two of them ready and excited to clash against each other.

Akira thought to himself for a moment before Professor Asric lowered his hand.

"I have to be careful not to get hit once, but I'm at a disadvantage..." Akira thought for a second before Professor Asric lowered his hand, and the match started.

Kazuko began to chant fire spells, and Akira ran towards him with no ability to cast magic.

"I have to close the gap between me and him!" Akira thought quickly.

But Akira wasn't even close to Kazuko, and he had already unleashed a ball of flames towards Akira.

Akira had a devastated look in his eyes as the four fireballs came towards him, but Akira relaxed and quickly took a deep breath and pierced through two of the fireballs in the center while the other two fireballs on the left and right just barely missed Akira.

"I-I broke his fireball?!" Akira thought in shock.

But Akira wasted no time and kept running towards Kazuko without a second thought.

"W-what the hell?! This kid is just running towards me blindly!" Kazuko said as sweat started coming down from his face.

But in a mere second, Akira thrust the tip of his blade towards Kazuko, but Kazuko quickly dodged to the left and took a giant leap back.

"I must admit, Akira, you're actually pretty good with a rapier, maybe you should consider being one of those boring knights that can't use magic," Kazuko mocked and laughed.

"You seem to be panicked, Kazuko. Are you desperate to win? Or are you just scared that I'm somehow closing the distance between me and you?" Akira responded back.

"What do you know?! You're just a pathetic F-rank mage with no magic spells!" Kazuko shouted in anger as he launched a giant fireball towards Akira.

Akira stood there, and before it could barely hit Akira's face, Akira managed to pierce through the spell in a mere second, breaking the spell completely.

"W-what the hell?! HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT?!" Kazuko shouted in a confused manner.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure myself... for some reason, I'm just reacting to his attacks like nothing..." Akira thought in his head as he was rushing towards Kazuko.

But all of a sudden, Kazuko formed a red fire blade in the palm of his hands and lifted it upwards in the sky.

"With this! IT'S OVER!" Kazuko yelled as the blade burned even brighter and fiercer.

Akira looked at the fire sword in complete utter shock and stood still, not even thinking about dodging it.

"T-there's no way I can... dodge that!" Akira thought in his head as a massive strike was about to be blown towards Akira.

Within moments, Kazuko launched a massive red shock wave. Akira saw his life flash before his eyes...

To Be Continued