Chapter 2: Quick Test

LUMI KAI'S POINT OF VIEW

I had breakfast with my family, for some reason, which I believe was sleeping tense, I woke up at seven o'clock.

Sipping lattes in my signature piggy mug, I got distracted by wondering if the academy would accept one without magic, just to be a recruit.

"Mom, what do you think about me being an adventurer?" I asked chewing on my stuffed bread.

"You know it's a tough road, son. I'd have to at least train a little." Nessa responds by drinking her tea.

"I agree with your mother." My father nodded.

"Brother will you be strong?" Emy asked Nessa, who responded with a soft maybe.

Brushing my teeth brought me a beautiful view of myself in the mirror. First: My hair is short like a soldier's, it won't be long before I go bald - it was big and hideous, so they almost shaved it off. Damn hairdresser. Second: my normally brown eyes have a green tinge when I'm exposed to the sun for a long time; I would say it's a charm. As for the rest, I'm pretty skinny and I have a little belly.

After breakfast, I left the house, heading towards the gym within the city. In the morning the streets are less crowded, but still quite crowded. Walking around, I saw weapons and armor stores that caught my eye, I have a total of ten bronze coins in a small cloth bag. 100 bronze coins are equivalent to one silver coin, and 100 silver coins are equivalent to one gold coin. For some reason, gold coins are bigger than the others, making them even more valuable.

I entered a shop with some wooden and bamboo swords, a bell rang when I opened the door. The store is empty. I see several shelves of different types of weapons, it looks like the environment is focused on training, luckily that's what I need. I see some lamps in the corners of the walls, one on the counter, the polished wooden floor, this place has a certain charm.

"May I help you?". An old man asks from the counter.

"Well, I wanted to start training...Which sword do you recommend?". I ask approaching.

"A bamboo sword, young man. Do you intend to enter the knight's school?" he asks, with a look of sympathy.

"It's too much for me, uncle. I just want to be a city guard recruit since I don't have magic."

"In that case, let me show you the bamboo sword I recommend." The lord bends down, and comes back placing a bamboo sword with a slight curve on the table.

"It will be a bronze coin." I give him the money, then take the sword.

"Young man, never consider anything too big to do." He waves goodbye, and I respond with a simple gesture.

Being motivated by an old man from a gun shop definitely made my day, leaving the shop I saw two boys wearing their magic school uniforms. Unfortunately for me, they were what we call bullies.

"Look, a recruit?" The boy with beige hair and dark brown eyes, scoffs, holding a wooden staff.

"I'm passing through." I said avoiding looking directly at him.

I got punched in the face, knocking me to the ground, then a kick to the stomach.

"Fuck recruit". The boy and his friend leave.

With a slight nausea and a pain in my face, I sat on the floor, hoping the vomit wouldn't rise, my stomach was hurting so much. For those reasons, I don't think I could survive in magic school, but seeing them around town didn't put me in a good position either.

"Are you okay?". I turn to see a girl about my size, with light brown hair that reaches her shoulders and eyes that are similar to dark honey.

"Just a little dizzy, but I'm fine." I responded by getting up with her help.

"Thanks". I said looking at her.

"Have it. What's your name?" she asks, her voice lively and sly and gentle at the same time.

"Lumi, Lumi Kai". I replied.

"Aria Haria". We shook hands.

"That was Zelforne, he's an idiot at magic school, just because of his talent." She grumbles.

"And I didn't even need to spend a lot of time with him to realize that." I commented.

"Nice to meet you, Lumi Kai. Now I need to go to class, bye." I wave goodbye to Aria with a wave after her goodbye.

Until the school also has good people. With the old man, Zelforne and Aria, my day became a roller coaster. I picked up my bamboo sword from the floor, with the slight ache in my stomach I left a hand protecting it. I haven't made it to the gym yet and I'm already detonated.

After walking for a while I arrived at the south of the wall where the academy is located. There were two boys at the door holding wooden spears, it looks like it's for beginners.

"Hello, is this where the exam can be taken?" I asked for both.

"Yes, come in and sign up." One of the boys responds by being indifferent.

Upon entering the academy, there was a variation of wooden weapons in small barrels, the place had cut marks on the floor and some lamps around it. There were two instructors sitting behind a desk, looking at me like I was a complete novice not knowing what to do.

"Have you come to take the test?" One of them asks. His voice is as thick as his arms.

"Yea". I replied trying to keep a serious tone.

I signed a short form with some basic information, after that they asked about the weapon I would use, in this case the curved bamboo sword.

I heard whispers between them and people who passed through doors not too close, usually something around the name Kai and whether I was some kind of prodigy.

One of the instructors brought a blue sphere, which he had asked me to put my hand on. When I did what he asked, the light blue sphere turned completely black, due to their lack of reaction I didn't know what to expect.

"Your magic level is zero. Therefore, we will evaluate you in a simple fight." The muscular man spoke.

I walked inside, where there was a kind of backyard with a floor ring made with stone edges, it was empty. I entered it, stepping barefoot on the floor full of cuts and scratches, with a little sand. I looked around to see some windows, wooden puppet rooms, weights, people training...

My heart started to race and my legs started to shake, I was afraid to take this test.

Not long after the instructor called out number 23, a boy holding a stick emerged and entered the arena.

"I want a clean fight, it's not a fight to win, it's an evaluation. When I tell you to stop, stop. Understood?" The pumped up instructor said firmly.

We nodded, fixed our gazes on each other, he held the staff with both hands as if it were a sword, keeping it vertically. As for me, it was the first time I held a bamboo sword, I held the pommel with both hands and kept it in front of me, I took a deep breath to keep my cool, without any specific posture. The Instructor put his arm between the two of us, looking carefully at each of us.

I took a deep breath to try to ease my anxious symptoms and did my best to stop shaking. My hands can't seem to keep the sword still.

"Begin!" He said removing his arm between me and my opponent, withdrawing from the arena.

My opponent approached maintaining his posture, with the front leg pulling the back one, the movement was so slow that his feet never left the ground. I took a step forward and tried to attack him from above as he approached. He parried easily using his staff, taking my sword flying upward. Then he brought the gun down horizontally and slammed into my stomach, knocking me over.

"Stop!" The instructor said.

I grunted in pain as I fell, I looked up, my opponent reached for me, without a second thought I grab it and get up.

"Don't worry, it's part." The boy a little taller than me, whose eyes were purple and hair a different shade of brown, said calmly in his voice.

"One stick...Different style." I commented.

"There are different ways to get good at the sword. And next time, keep your eyes open, your fear has broken you." He responded by directing his gaze to the muscular man.

"I'm sorry boy. You didn't pass." The instructor said.

The boy who had fought me withdrew, taking his polished wooden sticks with him. I turned to my rater and sighed in defeat.

I was reflective of his comment; I'm fearful.

"Right". I nodded.

"Leave and come back another day, Kai." He said staring at me.

"I will try again". I replied, my gaze and voice expressing guilt.

"You're still young and immature, trying things prematurely will bring you another defeat. Get out." He ended the conversation.

I sighed cursing my weakness before crossing my arms and letting anger wash over my face.

I took my bamboo sword, now slightly broken, and was escorted by him to the exit. With every step I took, I thought about the fight. He was calm and certainly gentle in the attack, he could have hurt me a lot more, I believe the most impressive thing was not that he spared me; was that he was able to control the force of the blow.

Or maybe it's because I don't have the slightest notion of combat, this move I saw in an adventurers fight, and it had worked.

I'm afraid to fight and end up hurting myself, it makes me doubt if I have a vocation for these things. I cursed internally for the fight being over so quickly.

Passing the two child guards from before, I walked to a nearby fountain, it wasn't the main one but it was enough for me to sit down and take a deep breath. It was sunny, the weather really hot, few clouds for the sun, it's good weather to drop in the fountain for a girl.

I arrived at the house where I had to get the material, I knocked on the metal door three times with my sword and I heard an incomprehensible scream from inside.

The doorway opens, allowing me to see a blue-eyed lady scrutinizing me with her eyes.

"It must be the Lumi Kai son of Kan-ro". I nodded with a gesture.

"Wait".

A tall woman with

strong arms has brought a cart full of supplies for me, dropping it in front of the door, she gives me a paper with the address and goes back inside. Strange people.

I took a long journey to deliver it, it was heavy and I couldn't turn around, by the end my legs were shaking, my arms were tired and my breathing was heavy. I feel like I relieved all my stress on this order, but it still hasn't put an end to my bad mood.

After getting the reward of a bronze coin, I threw myself against a tree to rest, without realizing the time I ended up sleeping.

I woke up with a pain in my neck, got up, cracking my spine and giving a big yawn. This house is on a small hill, blessed with a view of the city full of lights and people. The magic school students are leaving now, from here I can see several heads at the gate, all in uniform.

Again, I walked through the city at the slowest pace I could until I reached the big gate, when I saw Bruno and João in a push-up position among several other recruits and an instructor - the one from earlier - standing in front of them.

"It's a great night isn't it!? I want everyone in this position until I'm tired, got it!? It doesn't matter your race or if you're male or female, I want you to stay in this position until your arms fall off!" He yells, and everyone responds in unison.

"Yes sir!".

I laugh at the sight of my friends sweating, their arms shaking, trying to hold themselves in the awkward position. One, two, three recruits fell, these were joined by four others, in a crouching position, this leader is thick-skinned, the training is very heavy.

"You're a soldier, brat!?". The captain's scream made me jump back in fright, looking scared at him, I replied hastily.

"No-No sir!"

"Puff". His attention returns to the recruits.

Trying to run to the house was a bad idea, I was out of breath after ten seconds of running slowly, to the point that I had to lie against the city wall because I was almost sick. I know my physique is not good, but this is already too much, I need to start a sequence of physical training for yesterday.

I usually read a book or another on magic theory, even without having it I consider it important to know the basics, one hour I may end up needing it. One thing that caught my attention was the "evolved" magic - or rather, modeled -, the famous divergent. The basic elements are: Fire, Earth, Water and Air. However, it's not even a limit, there are people who can manipulate pure mana, create illusions, use ray or gravity and even create magic weapons. It all depends on the affinity of the individual.

Particularly, in all my life, I've only seen users of basic elements. Here in Karin, there are several D- or E-rank adventurers, few at C-level, and I believe none above that - with the exception of a few specific and famous members of the guild.

"Man, the world is so cool...". I said to myself, watching the star that shines the most that night, called the Big Ladybug.

For some reason, from time to time, this star changes from its blue and white color to a red and black one. The event lasts around two minutes but is worth seeing.

I patted my ass to get the dust off when I got to my feet, felt my legs shake, and felt the sensation of being followed again. The fact that I can't feel magic makes me more scared, it's like a dark, cold aura, in which red eyes are in the middle of it. I looked in all possible directions, getting nervous, I leaned my back against the wall panicking.

"Hey! Boy! Is everything okay?" I heard the voice of an archer from above the wall, and honestly, it eased all the ruckus I was feeling.

"Yes, it is, I just thought I saw a big animal." I replied looking at her.

"It would be quite rare, in fact. I understand the reason for your fear." She had answered.

I returned home relieved after the short chat.

I greeted my parents and sister, tired, I decided to go up to my room and sit on the bathroom floor.

"So scary...". She said sinking her head between her legs.

I jump in fright at the knock on the door, until I hear Emy's voice.

"Brother, you forgot the purple towel."