Chapter 36

Phoenix Academy Training hall,

As soon as Lucas entered, a loud explosion occurred in the fighting ring. A girl with cerulean hair was standing on the stage with a wand in her hand. A boy was lying unconscious on the ground. The crowd cheered on her victory. The ending was already anticipated, and every bet was on her.

Unfortunately, no one was stupid enough to bet against a descendent of the Azure Witch. With their mastery over elements, unless it's somebody way higher in rank, it's near impossible to defeat them.

But that was not the real reason everyone bet on her. She barely even had to use any powerful spells. Unlike her opponent, she is an awaken. Meaning, she already reached F-Rank and got a Job class as well.

 Next duel began. Everyone started betting. But Lucas just silently waited. And waited.

***

"That was a great fight, Diana." Said Damian.

"Hah! You say that. But I didn't even get to do anything. He wasn't able to take a basic spell." Replied Diana.

"Did you notice that up until all these duels, you were the only one who is awakened?" Asked Novalie.

"Yeah, you are right. I don't think we should expect much from our opponents." Replied Diana. After all, the age a human can awaken is age 15. Even awakening at the age of 18 is counted as genius. And everyone in this group was awakened at the age of 15. So not many opponent can face them.

***

After many duel Lucas's waiting was finally over. It's time for the duel of one of the main cast. Rank 1 Damian Maximus AKA the black horse of academy entered the ring with a sword in his waist. His golden hair was shining brightly and his eyes glowed when he looked at his opponent .

His opponent Rank 7 Elias Alcaeus AKA The Impregnable Mountain entered the ring from other side with a gaint sheild on his back. Elias was fair skinned 6 feet boy who looks like a mini gaint even though he is only 15. Even though his body was very muscular his face was that like of a baby. Everyone in Alcaeus family is known for being huge.

The acclamation from the crowd was all over the hall. Both of the boys were awaken . Damian was a black horse who suddenly became well known after ranking first. Elias Alcaeus was already very well-known from the beginning.

Every started betting. While Damian was obviously ranked higher, some people thought that awakened Elias won't be that weak . The bet was set as most of the people betting on Damian and a smaller number of people still bet on Elias Alcaeus.

"Well, can't say no to some free money." Lucas bet all his points on Damian.

The battle began. Damian dashed at The Impregnable Mountain with lightning speed . Elias Alcaeus rised his gaint sheild to block the attack.

BANG!

The whole hall echoed with the loud noise of the clash. Elias was thrown two step backward.

'Such distractive power! What sword technique is this?' thought Elias.

But when he moved his sheild he saw Damian didn't even unsheathe his sword. It was still resting on his waist . What he did was just a normal punch. He didn't even use any elements.

The battle continued. Damian was going all out with his punches . Elias could only block and hold his position. Everyone watching had only one thought.

'He made him a punching bag.'

As Elias, bruised and battered, conceded defeat, a sense of admiration washed over the crowd. Despite his initial anger fueled by baseless rumors, Elias found himself humbled by Damian's strength and integrity.

"Ah man! You are really strong," Elias conceded, his tone filled with respect. "At first, I was angry at you because there were rumors all around saying you used some dirty tricks to be number 1. But now I see that we should never trust rumors."

"What? There are such rumors about me?" Damian questioned, surprised by the revelation.

"Don't worry about it," Elias reassured, offering a reassuring smile. "I'll help you set the record straight. Those are obviously lies. It was a great battle. I was able to notice a few of my shortcomings." With that, Elias left the ring, his respect for Damian evident in his parting words.

Lucas smiled. His points just increased by 40%.

A few duels later -

As the tension in the ring reached its peak, a handsome white-haired boy stepped into the spotlight, twin short swords gleaming at his back. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, their admiration palpable as they welcomed Rank 2, Holmes Jonathan, renowned as the epitome of male beauty within the batch.

With a flicker of crimson in his gaze, Holmes cast a smoldering glance over the crowd, igniting a chorus of blushes from the adoring girls in attendance. His suave demeanor exuded an air of refinement, earning him the title of the most handsome young man among his peers.

Opposite him, a tall figure with dirty blonde hair entered the ring to the cheers of the B-1 crowd. Despite his masculine physique, there was a softness to his features that belied his strength. This was Matthew Joseph, Rank 8, known as The Illusive Bowman.

While Holmes embodied the image of a courteous young master, Matthew exuded the charm of a captivating prince. Though Holmes may be deemed the most handsome, none could deny the ethereal beauty that Matthew possessed, earning him the title of the most enchanting figure in the batch.

The narrow gap of six ranks between Holmes and Matthew belied the equal fervor of their fanbases, spanning both genders. Holmes, a master of magic swordsmanship, and Matthew, renowned for his prowess as a bowman, stood poised for battle. Despite Matthew's reputation for unbeatable close combat skills, Lucas placed his bet on Holmes, confident in his abilities.

As the match commenced, Matthew swiftly released his arrow, its trajectory splitting into three mid-flight. With practiced precision, Holmes slashed his sword, effortlessly deflecting each arrow. However, as his blade made contact with the projectiles, a strange sensation washed over him—a sensation of tangible reality. To his astonishment, when he glanced back at Matthew, he beheld not one, but three identical figures.