11 Adam Moire's Fall

"You can't back out of this one, Ray!"

Adam came before the third evaluation started in the break to make remarks.

If he hadn't proposed the duels, his life would be much harder to sustain and he only had to wait just another month for the exam for him to pass. But he was done with the countless embarrassments and teasing he had suffered and thought he would do the same to him.

The man in the black robes supervising the whole event, was coincidentally a royal mage to protect the noble families. Normally they wouldn't care about what the academy deals out with, but under commands of the Claude, he was forced in the role.

"To the third exam participants, three minutes left of your break."

"Ehehe, I can't wait to defeat you in this!"

'Same!'

Adam reached out for a lazed handshake and he quietly shook it.

The three minutes go by fast.

Adam was already recognized a genius among the students, even able to cast a Level 1 Gust, a spell that creates a powerful wind current in a 20 meter radius, it was a diluted Cyclone Spell of the Level 4 power, but still very intricate to learn, the power of the spell is more weak than any other spells of that level.

"Your break is up, please come this way."

The Level 4 Royal Mage led them to a tower with a spiraling dome on top, On top was two spires representing the moon and sun. A symbol of magic on time and knowledge.

The moment they entered, the hall was lit by dim lights before entering a more spacious area, filled with magic crystal lamps that illuminated the whole room.

It was in a circular format with seats lining the rims and stands watching over the stone format platform in the center that was lower than the rims. It looked almost like a small scale Colosseum.

'What's a Colosseum?'

He had no idea why he had a sense of deja vu and how he noticed the form.

"First pair, come to the stands and descend.

The walls of the center platform was made of black slick material lining the wall of the lower platform.

It was Bluorite, a manufactured magic material that has natural magic resistance from the multiple ores to make the wall.

It was the most common anti-magic material found in the kingdom and used to create many faculties related to the magic occupation, capable of withstanding a Level 4 Mid Tier Spell.

The first pair came up to the stands and jumped down the platform to the center. They both go on opposite sides before it would begin.

Both looked very tense holding their staves and looked at each other cautiously.

The royal mage soon began chanting a barrier spell only ceding that of the first level.

"You know the drill, no spells above the zero circle is allowed. If found using such, you will be charged with the damage of the student and will be unable to take further courses and unable to take evaluations for a year."

"No magic items can be used, if found out by any of the officials, you will be unable to take further courses and would be placed in detention for a month in the Tower of Solitude."

The tower was present in each academy and just merely holds detainees in emergencies.

"You can not attack the face or your lower regions, all attacks on the torso are valid and other attacks in other areas won't be allowed."

He began chanting once more and made some runic symbols both on the pairs' torso, it was a very simple Target Spell and once hit, would cause a large shattering sound when struck.

"Now that you guys are ready, you may begin."

Both began chanting spells at the instant.

The form of magic instilled in words were almost unintelligible to those who do not have understanding of such.

"Make my enemies falter, Grease!"

"Make my enemies slow, Mud!"

Ray didn't know, but something inside of him hearing this made him disgusted and in disdain.

In that instant, areas around their feet were covered in an oily substance and the other a muddy puddle.

Both looked at one another and cast more magic.

"O'Earth! Strike my foes, Pebble!"

"Clouds of the realm, rain down on my foes and wash them away! Droplets!"

Any attack would function easily as an attack, since in actual combat, the pebble might be a Earth Shard and the Droplets might even be a Torrential Storm, causing heavy rainfall and chances of storms as well.

Small droplets of water formed on top and a pebble to the other.

Both flew at each other in fast speeds, dodging both.

Ray couldn't handle the cringe worthy chants, Ray could easily cast spells without words, a certain ability seen in ancient times and master magicians still use them today, though almost extinct by now. With the current records as of now, they were able to reduce chants to a few words and that was seen as being a genius.

The battle concluded in just 10 minutes, one's mana at the 0th Level could barely withstand much, so it was just a battle based on endurance.

This goes on for about an hour before Adam and Ray were called up.

He had his arms crossed when he stood up and his face showed his boisterous expression.

"You are brave for challenging me! Come, let me show you what magic truly is!"

Many stayed silent hearing this as if they already knew of the bullying he does to Ray.

They though Ray would just lose or surrender on the spot.

But their expectations weren't met and Ray remarked back.

"Yes sir, please go easy on me!"

Both stood on their platforms and descended.

The mage copied the rules once more with little motivation and was bored out of his mind.

It was time for a true show of spells to be utilized.

Adam still held his awfully confident smirk as he merely said one word.

"Mud!"

Adam spoke one word and the area designated was made with mud.

The royal mage was impressed, Adam was one of the geniuses that was able to do much and the royal mage thought that Ray was done for, but that didn't work.

"Sunlight!"

He was masking his mind casting with the similar standards of a genius like Adam.

A small ray of light struck the area with the power of a magnifying glass struck the same area and hardened the mud. The original spell wouldn't hold that power but due to the superior method, he was able to control it.

Everyone was amazed by the feat performed by both.

'Oh my god! A battle between geniuses!'

This was a sight to behold which evened piqued the interest of the royal mage.

All the students were on the edge of their seats.

Even Adam was dismayed.

"You...."

He was infuriated at him. Who wouldn't be mad that his talent was the same as a mere weakling? All people except royalty at the least.

His veins bulged and he immediately casted more spells.

"Entangle!"

"Ignite!"

"Who told you can negate my spells!"

Adam was truly mad, he was lied to for the times he spent in the academy, getting all the praise from the magicians of his talent, and now someone was taking that away? No way!

"Pebble!"

"Droplets!"

"Entangle!"

Adam was speed casting his magic, his mana was at the standard of a Level 1 magician, so it was able to withstand the onslaught of slurred words.

"Barrier!"

A thin layer of mana surrounded his body,

"Accelerate!"

Both went against each other head on, Ray accelerated his body and went out the designated area.

Ray was charging towards Adam at his accelerated speed.

He was going for a knockout in terms being struck physically, which still counted as a swordsman could easily kill them in that time.

By all means, his mana standards was the same as Adam, a Level 1 Magician, but nobody knew about it as of now, so he still tried to hide it.

He was being ridiculed by his opponent, thought by Adam.

Adam smiled as he saw the charge.

'Fool, you're only getting yourself in trouble!'

"Mud!"

"Grease!"

The area he was sprinting to immediately turned awry and became as such.

But Ray simply jumped over it.

Nobody knew it, but he casted an elevate spell and with his acceleration spell, he masked it as a higher physique.

He gritted his teeth and proceeded to bite his lip.

Adam was getting desperate, his honor was on the line as a noble and genius of the academy.

"Breeze!"

When Ray was close to destroy the circle on his torso, a breeze hit him in his leap and knocked him back.

A small area near him would be struck with air and when closer to the center, the air would be stronger.

It pushed outward and Ray's magic circle was protected by the barrier spell earlier but due to him being mid air a bit, he was pushed back a considerable distance.

This was a spell questionable in use, as it had powers of a High tiered Level 0 Spell, and some magicians also regarded it as a Low tiered Level 1 Spell.

Adam had just used a questioned spell in use and the royal mage was stumped whether to disqualify him or not. But in his thought, he didn't realized Adam snapped.

"You made me do this...."

The only reason why it was questioned was because the mana intake to cast it was much higher than any other Level 0 Spell, he used a considerable amount of mana and barely had any left.

But a sliver of light was in his eyes in his ploy of anger.

"You won't be winning!"

Adam was able to use one word to cast Level 0 magic, but was unable to do so with Level 1 magic, the complexity increased.

"Fire! Burn my enemies! Fireball!"

The most standard fire spells with high power and standard speed and penetrating powers.

But something was happening with the spell.

A magic circle appeared on the sole of his feet and spread to form a much large circle.

A fire began sparking and ignited, slowly growing in size.

But this wasn't normal, the size of the fireball was growing in size and shrinking, as if compressing.

This was a sign of dependence of the outer system.

In the first session he remembered after his attempt of suicide, a magician would never rely on one system, either being the inner system or outer system. When one relies on their inner system too much, they would expend more mana then usual and if one goes pass the limit, the channel in their body that casts magic would then shrink and would lose their mana capacity at rapid paces. The channel itself was magic so it would then be expended in case the mana wasn't enough for the spell casted.

However, when one relies on the outer system, mana outside of the body isn't very pure. An influx of impure mana would clog the channel which would halt any progress in magic but could be used to cast magic. The impurities must be cleansed before casting more spells as it would have chance of failure and explode when cast.

This was the second case, and the fireball was still taking the mana outside. Which would increase its power by many folds since a balanced spell cast must be used for magic.

'Oh no!'

Many students didn't know what was happening other than the fact he was casting a level 1 spell.

But the royal mage knew better and tried to dispel the barrier magic to interfere in the match.

But it was too late.

The fireball came rushing at Ray and exploded.

Clouding the arena in smoke.