Academic Competition

December 21 4005 4:20AM

In the depths of the night, inside the shared dormitory of Cain and Light, the two roommates were peacefully immersed in slumber. While Cain tossed and turned in his bed, Light lay undisturbed, completely still. However, the tranquility was abruptly shattered by an unexpected sound.

W-woof woof

The initial bark pierced the silence, startling the room's occupants. Yet, as suddenly as it had begun, the noise subsided, giving way to an eerie quietude. Neither Light nor Cain stirred from their sleep, seemingly unfazed by the disturbance.

But then, without warning, the barking resumed, intensifying in volume and persistence.

WOOF-woof-WOOF

Despite the heightened clamor, Light and Cain remained oblivious, their slumber undisturbed. Their minds lingered in the realm of dreams, shielded from the canine commotion reverberating through the dormitory.

Yet, the persistent yapping refused to relent, growing louder and more insistent.

WOOF!!! WOOF!!! WOOF!!!

Finally, the crescendo of the clamor reached its peak, shattering the veil of their unconsciousness. Light and Cain jolted awake, their senses abruptly yanked into a state of alertness.

"What on earth was that?" Cain questioned, his voice laced with confusion.

"In my calculated hypothesis, the sound we heard resembled that of a bark, possibly emitted by a mysterious creature..." Light responded with a hint of sarcasm, his tone devoid of emotion.

"You mean a dog, right?" Cain clarified.

"Oh, indeed, it is referred to as a dog. Fascinating revelation..." Light retorted sarcastically.

"Enough with the banter. I believe the sound originated from your backpack," Cain suggested.

With a strange mixture of dizziness, fatigue, and startled senses, both Cain and Light summoned their resolve to leave the comfort of their beds. They approached Light's backpack with cautious steps, the bag continuing to shake and shuffle until they neared its vicinity. Suddenly, the movement ceased, leaving an eerie stillness in its wake.

As Light gingerly unzipped the backpack, a dark figure sprang out, landing directly on Cain's face.

"OW!!! GET IT OFF!!! GET IT OFF!!!" Cain shrieked in distress.

Reacting swiftly, Light retrieved his phone and illuminated the area with its flashlight. The beam revealed the mysterious intruder to be none other than Ken, Light's dog.

With a startled expression, Light calls out, "Uh, Ken?"

Reacting swiftly, he switches on the room's light, illuminating the scene before him. To his surprise, he finds Ken persistently licking Cain's face, causing Cain to squirm and struggle in an attempt to free himself.

"AHHH!!! OW!!! OKAY!!! HAHAHAH!!! OKAY!!! OKAY!!! OKAY!!!" Cain exclaims, a mixture of discomfort and laughter in his voice.

As the dog draws closer to Cain's face, it suddenly realizes its mistake and abruptly stops licking him. A look of slight confusion crosses its features, and it turns its gaze towards Light, who reciprocates the bewildered expression.

Light, still taken aback by the sudden presence of Ken, manages to evade the dog's enthusiastic attempts to lick him.

"You came along?!?" Light exclaims, his surprise evident in his voice.

Ken, now focused on Light, lets out a questioning bark, as if asking for an explanation.

Light, still taken aback by the sudden presence of Ken, manages to evade the dog's enthusiastic attempts to lick him.

"You came along?!?" Light exclaims, his surprise evident in his voice.

Ken, now focused on Light, lets out a questioning bark, as if asking for an explanation.

Ken persistently attempts to reach Light, but Light skillfully evades the dog's exuberant advances once more.

"WOOF!!! WOOF!!! WOOF!!!!" Ken barks excitedly, expressing his enthusiasm.

After his playful outburst, Ken settles down and plops onto the floor, emitting a low growl from his hungry stomach—Growl

"Oh... You haven't eaten yet?" Light observes, recognizing the source of the growling.

With a soft groan, Ken confirms his hunger with a tired wag of his tail.

"It seems like he's hungry..." Cain remarks, noticing Ken's faint and sluggish demeanor.

"Woof... Woof..." Ken lets out weak barks, indicating his hunger—Growl

"Alright, fine. I'll go buy some food for him," Light agrees.

Light retrieves his backpack and phone, then opens the dorm room door, turning to face Cain.

"Cain, I'm going to step out for a bit. Can you keep an eye on Ken for me?" Light asks.

"Yeah, sure," Cain replies.

Light steps out of the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Ken under Cain's watchful eye. As soon as the door shuts, Ken jumps up energetically, barking excitedly.

"Woof... Woof..." Ken continues to bark.

"Ummm..." Cain utters, slightly taken aback by the dog's energy.

Meanwhile, outside the dorm, Light lets out a sigh and begins walking down the hallway toward the academy's exit. His expression remains emotionless as he walks, when suddenly, a familiar feminine voice calls out to him.

"Hey..." Claire's voice rings out from behind him.

Light turns around to face Claire, who has a smile on her face and her hand on his shoulder. Despite expecting some surprise or reaction, Light's face remains devoid of emotion.

"Oh, it's you... Hey, what's up?" Light asks with his usual emotionless expression.

"I expected to see a surprised face," Claire remarks.

"The only thing that would surprise me if you showed up with you're makeup off" Light retorts sarcastically.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice! I have natural beauty" Claire exclaims, feeling slightly offended.

Claire's cheeks turn even redder, a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance evident on her face.

"Anyway, why are you up this early?" Claire asks, trying to regain her composure.

"But the real question is, why are you up this early?" Light retorts sarcastically.

"Hey!!! I'm the one who's supposed to ask the questions!!!" Claire exclaims, raising her voice in frustration.

Claire delivers a light punch to Light's shoulder, her annoyance evident on her face.

"Ow... Fine, I was actually planning to buy some food for my dog," Light responds.

"You have a dog? And you brought it here?" Claire asks, curiosity replacing her annoyance.

"No, it somehow sneaked its way into my backpack," Light explains.

"It did...?" Claire asks, a mixture of surprise and confusion in her voice.

Claire looks at Light with amusement, slowly breaking into giggles. Light, feeling embarrassed, looks away and scratches the back of his head as Claire's laughter subsides, she smiles warmly at Light.

"Sorry for that... Ahem, anyways, I'll help you find food for your dog," Claire offers.

"Umm... Thanks, I guess," Light responds, still a bit flustered.

"You're welcome, Light. And please don't call me rudely," Claire says casually.

"Okay, then how would you like me to address you? Miss? Madam? Bo-" Light starts to retort sarcastically.

"You can call me by my name," Claire interrupts, asserting herself.

"Alright, alright, Claire. Thanks for, you know, helping me find food for my dog," Light responds, his sarcasm evident.

"Well, thank you. And you're welcome," Claire replies sincerely.

Exiting the academy, Light and Claire step out into the dark streets of Peltas. Despite the early hour of 4 AM, the streets are still bustling with pedestrians of various races, including humans, elves, and dwarves. They also spot a few majestic dragons soaring through the sky, alongside hoverships gliding effortlessly. Although some buildings have closed lights, the city remains illuminated by the glow of the remaining structures that still have their lights on.

The duo heads towards a nearby convenience store, which appears deserted and empty, as expected during the early hours of a workday. The few workers present seem tired and sleepy, their eyes blinking frequently, displaying a lack of vitality that somewhat resembles Light's usual expression.

The two navigate the aisles of the convenience store, searching for suitable food for Ken. Claire stumbles upon a section with cans of dog food and spots an orange-colored can adorned with a picture of a cheerful dog. Excitedly, she grabs the can and rushes over to show it to Light.

"Do you think your dog would like this dog food?" Claire asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he probably would," Light replies.

"Probably?" Claire chuckles, finding amusement in Light's uncertainty.

"Look, I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to dogs, okay..." Light defends himself quickly.

"Sure, Light..." Claire responds with a teasing smile.

They approached the counter, where a half-asleep worker was barely roused by their presence. They placed the five cans of dog food on the counter and the worker started scanning them, handing them over to Light for payment. Without wasting any time, the worker immediately fell back asleep as Claire and Light exited the convenience store.

Making their way back to the academy, they entered Light's dorm room together.

"Let's go in," Claire said, gesturing towards the door.

Scritch, scritch.

Inside the dorm, the sound of scratching echoed, sending shivers down Claire's spine. With caution, they slowly opened the door, which emitted a slight creak, revealing a chaotic scene within. Clothes were strewn across the floor, and scratches marred the once-yellow walls and the floor. In the midst of the mess, Cain lay on the ground, appearing disoriented with a blank expression. Meanwhile, Ken darted around him, draped in a partially torn, yellow blanket.

"Heh... heh... heh..." Cain chuckled, his voice unsettling.

Light and Claire looked at him in shock before Cain abruptly fainted, collapsing onto the floor due to dizziness.

"WOOF!" Ken barked cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to the situation.

Approaching the unconscious Cain, Ken sniffed him curiously before turning his attention to Light and Claire, who remained in a state of shock.

"WOOF! WOOF!" Ken barked cheerfully.

"Um... is this your dog?" Claire asked, her face still displaying astonishment.

"Yes," Light responded.

Light retrieved a can of dog food from the paper bag, carefully opened it, and then grabbed a plate to pour the contents onto it. He handed the plate of dog food to Ken, who happily barked and eagerly devoured the meal.

Meanwhile, Claire approached Light and Ken, her eyes scanning the chaotic room that Ken had caused, still in disbelief.

"So... should I help?" Claire asked.

"I don't think you can do much to salvage this wasteland," Light sarcastically remarked.

"Oh, come on, just watch me," Claire confidently replied.

Claire picked up a broom and began to clean the room slowly, while Ken fell asleep next to the unconscious Cain. Claire and Light gathered the clothes strewn across the floor and neatly returned them to Cain's closet.

"Phew," Claire sighed.

She noticed a photo frame hanging on the wall and used it to cover the claw marks left by Ken, while Light repositioned the carpet to conceal the claw marks on the floor. Finally, they picked up the yellow blanket that Ken had dropped and placed it back on Cain's bed.

With the room restored to its original state, Cain began to awaken from his fainting spell. Although his vision was slightly blurry from dizziness, he looked around in surprise, as if thinking he was dreaming.

"Am I still dreaming?" wondered Cain.

"Probably..." Claire replied sarcastically.

"Whoa, you're learning sarcasm?" Light asked.

"I mean, yeah..." Claire responded.

Cain glanced at the slightly scratched window and noticed the bright sun outside, as well as his clock pointing to 7 o'clock.

"It's... 7 a.m.! I'm going to be late for class," Cain exclaimed as he hurriedly rushed out of the room and headed to his class.

Claire looked surprised for a moment before turning to Light with a smile on her face.

"Your roommate is weird," Claire commented.

"Everyone is weird," Light sarcastically replied.

They both grabbed their backpacks and made their way to the designated arena where the teachers had instructed all the students to gather. As they entered the arena, they found the seats filled with students from both the Celestial Sword and Darkfire factions, creating a lively cacophony of voices and sounds.

December 21 4005 7:30 AM

The arena mirrored the one at the Celestial Sword Academy, albeit on a smaller scale. A battlefield stood at the center, surrounded by thousands of seats occupied by students from both academies. Light and Claire found their seats next to Rose, Liene, and Marcus, each wearing a different expression. Rose and Marcus appeared slightly nervous, while Liene remained calm, engrossed in her phone.

"Hey, you two," greeted Rose nervously.

"Hello," responded Claire.

"Hello?" questioned Light in his usual emotionless tone.

Suddenly, Isaac, accompanied by Ann and Herald, stepped forward towards the center of the arena, capturing everyone's attention. Gradually, the noise subsided, providing Light with a sense of relief.

"Everyone, may I have your attention," began Isaac.

"We have decided to organize a duel between students from both schools," added Herald.

"Now, Celestial Sword Academy, I know all of you are strong. Let us show Darkfire what we are made of," encouraged Ann.

"Likewise, Darkfire, let's show them what we're made of!" shouted Herald.

Students from both academies erupted in excitement, cheering, clapping, and even running around gleefully.

"Now, we need volunteers from both Celestial Sword and Darkfire Academy," requested Isaac.

Suddenly, the thunderous cheering from both academies subsided, leaving the arena in deep silence. A hushed atmosphere settled among the students as they glanced at one another, their anticipation growing. The stillness was eventually broken by a flurry of voices, as students began talking and asking questions to each other. The arena became alive with a cacophony of sounds, creating an atmosphere of excitement and curiosity.

In the midst of the bustling crowd, Marcus slowly raised his hands, capturing the attention of those around him, including Liene, Rose, and Claire.

"Marcus?" Claire questioned, her voice filled with surprise.

"Are you sure about this?" Liene asked, concern evident in her tone.

"Yeah... I mean, what could go wrong?" Marcus responded confidently.

Isaac observed Marcus with an intrigued expression, a grin forming on his face before he cast his gaze downward, pondering the situation.

"Well then, now that we have a student representing Celestial Sword Academy... Is there any Darkfire Academy student volunteering?" Herald announced.

Once again, a wave of silence swept over the arena, gradually giving way to a rising cacophony of sounds as the students deliberated and discussed among themselves. However, amidst the growing noise, a sudden cry of pain pierced through the air.

"OW!" a familiar male voice exclaimed.

The source of the voice turned out to be Cain, who was forcefully made to stand up by a group of larger men behind him. Reluctantly, Cain became a volunteer.

"Well... I-" Cain began to speak, but Herald interrupted him.

"Okay then, it seems one of our students has now volunteered," Herald declared.

"Now then... both students, approach the arena so we can proceed with the duel," Isaac commanded, a mischievous grin adorning his face.

Light turned around, glaring at the men who had pushed Cain from behind. They snickered and laughed behind his back as Cain and Marcus made their way to the center of the arena, each holding their respective weapons.

"Okay then," Marcus said, preparing himself for the upcoming duel.

With his scythe in hand, Marcus readied himself for the duel, carefully studying his opponent, Cain, who wielded a staff radiating a captivating purple glow. The two students locked eyes, their focus unwavering as they awaited the signal to commence the battle.

With Herald's resounding command of "GO!!!," the duel between Marcus and Cain unfolded with ferocity. Marcus, brimming with confidence, swung his scythe in a powerful arc, aiming to catch Cain off guard. However, to Marcus' surprise, Cain stood still, seemingly uninterested in fighting back.

"I think I have the upper hand," Marcus confidently stated, closing in on Cain with the intent to strike him with his scythe. But as Marcus prepared to unleash his attack, an unexpected barrier materialized in front of Cain, blocking Marcus' slash with a resounding CLANG.

"Ack!" Marcus exclaimed in confusion, his scythe bouncing back from the barrier. Seizing the opportunity, Cain retaliated by launching a barrage of fireballs towards Marcus. Swiftly, Marcus used his scythe as a shield, defending himself against the fiery assault.

Amidst the chaos of the duel, Light, Claire, Liene, and the rest of the audience watched with awe, captivated by the intense display of power between Marcus and Cain. Light, though mildly shocked, maintained a focused gaze, analyzing the unfolding battle.

"That's Cain's power?" Claire remarked in awe, her eyes wide with admiration. Beside her, Liene wore a concerned expression, her brows furrowing as she observed the toll the fight was taking on Marcus.

As the duel raged on, Marcus found himself growing increasingly exhausted. He tirelessly dodged and blocked Cain's relentless onslaught of fireballs, realizing that the tables had turned and Cain now held the upper hand.

"Oh no," Liene uttered with worry, her voice laced with concern for Marcus. She hoped he could find a way to turn the tide in his favor.

However, just as Cain prepared to cast another spell, he made a critical mistake. With a resounding WHAM, Cain faltered, unable to complete the incantation for his powerful spell. The audience gasped in disbelief as Cain fell to the ground, uttering an exclamation of pain.

"Well, that's Cain for you," Claire giggled, finding amusement in Cain's momentary slip-up. She glanced around and noticed the expressions of astonishment on the faces of the onlookers.

Lying on the ground in embarrassment, Cain slammed his hand down in frustration, dust clinging to his face. The audience watched from a distance, their disbelief palpable.

"Damn it," Cain muttered, his voice tinged with embarrassment. He felt the weight of defeat and the prying eyes of the spectators upon him.

Confused by the sudden turn of events, Marcus pointed his scythe towards Cain, who slowly looked up from the ground. Cain's face displayed a mixture of embarrassment and defeat, a realization sinking in.

Approaching the fallen fighters, Isaac, accompanied by Herald and Ann, clapped slowly, his expression revealing a mix of admiration and assessment.

"Match concluded," Herald declared, his voice ringing through the arena, bringing the duel to an end.

Amidst the prevailing silence, Marcus made his way towards Cain, undeterred by the lack of excitement from the spectators. Cain, slowly regaining his composure, brushed off the dust from his face. Marcus, extending his hand, offered a gesture of camaraderie and admiration.

"Good job," Marcus commended, his voice brimming with genuine appreciation for Cain's valiant efforts.

Cain, his voice tinged with embarrassment, humbly admitted, "I still lost though."

A bashful smile graced Cain's lips, prompting Marcus to respond playfully, placing his left hand on Cain's shoulder.

"Try not to slip while you smile," Marcus quipped, infusing his words with a hint of sarcasm.

Cain chuckled, his embarrassment fading away as he met Marcus's playful banter head-on. He gently nudged Marcus with his elbow, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Well, at least I can slip with style," Cain retorted, a playful smirk playing on his lips. "You can't deny that."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, a smirk of his own forming. "Style, huh? I guess I'll have to take some pointers from you, Slippery Champion."

The playful banter between Marcus and Cain continued, their friendly rivalry lightening the atmosphere around them. Liene, who had been watching with a smile just couldn't help but giggle

Suddenly, an air of unease fell over the arena. The once peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a resounding BANG, causing everyone to scream in shock and confusion. Eyes darted around the room, scanning the walls, the ceiling, and finally settling on the closed gray double door that had become the epicenter of the commotion.

"What is happening?" Claire exclaimed, her voice filled with worry.

The large gray double door began to show signs of strain, a slight dent forming from the force of impact. With each subsequent BANG, the dent grew larger, sending ripples of panic through the crowd. People instinctively reached for their weapons, preparing for the unknown. Light, feeling the tension in the air, slowly reached for the hilt of his sword, which had become stuck in its scabbard.

As the deafening BANG, BANG, BANG continued, the door groaned under the relentless assault until it finally gave way with a thunderous BAAANG!!!. A gaping hole appeared, revealing a monstrous creature ramming its way through, followed by a horde of other fearsome beasts ranging from tentacled creatures to a massive rhinoceros-like being.

Some of the students bravely charged forward to face the oncoming threat, weapons at the ready. Others, overwhelmed by the sudden danger, made a frantic dash towards the door, desperately attempting to open it. However, their efforts proved futile as a lock symbol materialized on the doorknobs, indicating a powerful locking spell. Only a mighty sword strike or an unlocking magic could break through it.

In that moment, without a second thought, Light leaped from his seat and onto the arena floor, his sword firmly in his grasp. With unwavering determination, he aimed his blade at the monster's exposed back and plunged it deep into its flesh.

"LIGHT!!!" Liene and Claire cried out in a mix of concern and fear, their voices echoing through the chaotic scene.

The students in the arena fought valiantly against the onslaught of monsters, but most found themselves struggling to make a significant impact. Their attacks were deflected or simply shrugged off by the formidable creatures, leaving them battered and bruised.

Meanwhile, Light retrieved his sword from the fallen monster and leaped into the air, executing a powerful stellar art known as -Nova Strike-, With a swift and precise motion, he cleaved through the enemy, dispatching it in a single, decisive blow.

In another part of the arena, Marcus and Cain hurriedly made their way towards Isaac, who stood watching the chaos unfold without any apparent intention of intervening. Marcus approached him with a mix of concern and suspicion.

"Sir, was this your doing again?" Marcus questioned Isaac, his tone laced with urgency.

Isaac's expression remained sincere as he replied, "This is certainly not my doing."

Meanwhile, Light continued to fend off the relentless onslaught of monsters, employing a variety of stellar arts such as -Nova Strike- and -Rage Ascension- However, amidst the chaos, he failed to notice a massive rhinoceros-like creature lurking among the horde. With a thunderous charge, the monster rammed Light into a nearby wall, causing him excruciating pain.

"Crap," Light groaned, feeling the impact reverberate through his body.

Liene and Claire, witnessing Light's peril, leaped into action, rushing to his aid. They interposed themselves between Light and the rampaging monster, deflecting its attacks with their own unique arts. However, Light caught a fleeting glimpse of Derek, seated in the distance, wearing a devilish smile before calmly leaving the room. It was a sight that unsettled him, but he had little time to dwell on it as the battle raged on.

As Claire momentarily pushed the monster back with her skill, "Focused Arrow," it shook its head in confusion. Claire quickly made her way towards Light, concern etched on her face as she held her bow tightly.

"Light, are you okay?" Claire asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

"Yeah," Light replied, his relief evident in his voice.

Unbeknownst to them, the monster Claire had knocked back growled menacingly, its attention fixated on her. It prepared to charge at Claire, poised to strike.