Peaking at the void

(Elsewhere)

Shiki who was dozing off on the school coliseum seemingly annoyed that there are no worthy to watch matches couldn't hold his taught.

"Meh, boring so soooo boring"

"Common Shiki I've heard that the third years will be back today I think they will help you with the way you are feeling right now"

"I sure do hope so. too bad we were banned from participating in the freshmen's school tournament yesterday…"

"Well, I told you we should have waited our turn…if only someone didn't have to pick a fight with all those second years… we probably wouldn't have been suspended for fighting without permission…even I was dragged into that with you…"

"How many times do I have to say sorry? I didn't mean it but they were acting all high and mighty trying to bully us, freshmen…"

"But that doesn't mean you had to fry them. if anyone passed by they would think that you were the one doing the bullying…"

"I can't help it if they were weak…my only regret is that I didn't get the chance to fight that white hair girl WAHH she was so beautiful so elegant and strong."

"…you know flattering a girl in front of another one is bound to cause you trouble…and don't forget that I was dragged into this mess because of you, hell I was trying to soothe the pain of the upperclassmen that you fried and got labeled as accomplices saying that my water magic and your lightning magic were both used against the upperclassmen…so unfair…"

"Stop pouting you don't look cute at all…I can't help it if the upperclassmen were lying but in the end, we did fight them and ended up caught and banned …we just have to suck it up"

"Mfm…it was your fault, to begin with…"

"So any news concerning Nassi? I saw his gramps earlier, he seemed a bit agitated I couldn't give my respects due to his mood."

"ah well I think Nassi was still suffering from the burnout effects he did use a lot of mana and kept using it while suffering from mana poisoning, but he should be discharged today it's been enough time for the burnout symptoms to fad,"

"I don't know about that. his overprotective grandfather won't let this settle like this."

"Yeah, I shudder at the idea of him getting worked up, especially since Nassi's parent passed away leaving him the only heir to the clan, his grandfather grows restless if Nassi even gets a paper cut. Do you remember the day we got lost in the great forest?"

"Ugh… don't make me remember. getting lost for a few hours was enough, but having to listen to the scolding while getting spanked by that old man for an entire day, is a memory I don't want to remember."

"Hahaha, I couldn't even sit for few days because my butt was hurting none of our parents even bothered to complain to the old man, hell they taught we deserved it, though only Nassi got away with lesser punishment…I tell you that was clear discrimination!...but now that I think of it we did something stupid didn't we…"

"Ha, you are right we got lucky we didn't get to meet any rouge beasts that would have been the end of three future clan heads at once."

"Three? There was four of us at that time don't you-"

"Look, Look they are here!!!"

The coliseum's gates opened clearing way and heaving lots of dust on its sides. The ones to enter were students wearing the same uniform as everyone in the school with only their tie color as the differentiator between the students, green for freshmen and blue for the second years.

The students that got in were all wearing red ties on top of their white uniforms.

It appears that their camp finished today but without getting an ounce of rest they were all gathered in the Coliseum main square entering rectangular formation led by five students with distinct emblems on their collars they are the student council board.

A deafening horn blow resounded on the arena announcing the arrival of the students. And the beginning of the senior's school tournament to classify the order, rank, and strength of every individual.

Not getting any chance to rest, the tournament began. Giant board on the side of the squared arena showed all the names of the students that would participate in the competition. Making a total of 144 students would fight for the top spots. As everyone knows the Grad tournament will begin in one month period, all great magic school that represents their country will have to pick ten students to participate in it. Winning over one country will yield great recourses and benefits that would help further develop and sustain the winning country in these dark times.

Yet for Albion's case, the first five spots were already picked. They were the student council members.

They not only have great authority inside the school. But they can be exempted from participating in any interschool qualification tournament due to their position. However, being one of the school council members is by no mean a small feat or easy to accomplish. Getting that position is proof of hard work and great strength in both magic and academic scores. Only the top students the strongest and the smartest can get to those positions and they are undoubtedly the most vicious at this school. The five monsters.

"Finally I can get my rematch"

"You are still thinking of that…"

"Like I would ever forget that humiliation…"

"You know she only has the advantage of experience you don't lack in power but if you-"

"I know that…But even so, I can't stop my blood from boiling every time I see her."

"Well you did get your ass handed to you last time, are u sure you can take her on this time?"

"Of course…probably…I think?"

"See you are not even sure please stop doing reckless things…"

"I bet he can beat her up…"

"He?"

"Asura-kun. Remember he did a number on that metal mage."

"Ah now that I think of it where is Asura-kun he didn't participate in the freshmen tournament but I was told that the first place winner of the school event was guaranteed a spot at the international competition. Now that the second spot is taken by Yuna-san… three spots are left one for the winner of the second year and two spots for the winner of the senior and the runner-up of their competition."

"Yeah and you know why I don't mind getting banned from the freshmen tournament, heheh"

"Huh, why? Do you have something up your sleeves…?"

"Heheh let me tell you, the five monsters are guaranteed a spot in the grand tournament, what happens if one of them lost a challenge"

"Oh, now I get it. You are trying to bring down one of the five taking his place; but will it go as you wish it to be? They are no pushovers."

"That way it's even better getting to take down a senior to participate will make our house even more famous due to the difference inexperience. If I, as less experienced freshmen took down stronger opponents I'll get a lot of credit for it. And probably lots of girls yeah that should be a man's number one objective"

"…I knew you had another motive. you are the worst…"

***

"It's been three days since I last saw Osfor sensei… huff"

Inside the small cabin was a small bed two chairs and a study table with a crystal embedded in it. Nothing too glamorous, there were a couple of vials and a few specimen jars on a shelf, few books here and there. But it reeked of asceticism. Nothing too fancy and clearly lacked the necessary needs for a genius mage like Osfor but with the crystal marble that is linked to the school library and by providing a blood-print it can access the personal lab within the school, the mad scientist as he weirdly prefers to be called Osfor is never in need of anything besides the bed to sleep on and the food stored inside a makeshift mini-fridge at the side of his study desk.

Asura sitting on one of the chairs was right now training his Mana clad. The first day was rather exhausting but like always after a good night sleep, Asura miraculously manages to almost fully understand the basics of this spell. He noticed that he was improperly using his mana to coat his arm, what he understood after his trials and errors were that it was not about the quantity of mana used to clad oneself but rather the purity, complexity and most importantly the quality.

The first day he understood that lowering the input of mana managed to make a thinner layer of coating over his arm. Doing so provided a longer-lasting effect than when he was recklessly using mana. It indeed was thicker the first time but it was impure and consumed a lot of magic but now it was steady and then the consumption is far less and the utility is further enhanced. But Asura is greedy. Not satisfied with only one member clad he pushed his limits and exerted more mana covering his entire right arm. After a few trials, he managed to do it. Only to feel compelled to go all the way of making a full body clad. It took an entire second day to become successful, but the cost was rather great. The failed attempts left Asura extremely exhausted suffering from mental strain and a severe case of mana poisoning. Thanks to the bundle of plume-like fruit that was on the study desk Asura managed his training without dying from exhaustion.

The third day however he had full control over his mana clad covering him in a tint of purple aura.