: Duel

The four of us were the first ones to arrive at the training hall. It only took us 6 minutes and so Sir. Archer gave us an additional score. I'm actually surprised how fast Cloe and Aries act.

I looked at our combat uniform. We're all using plain T-shirts and short pants, just that, the girl's pants are shorter than the guys. And again, the color is different, mine and Zein's black, Cloe's gray, and Aries's white. And oh, the sailor's cap.

The students are starting to arrive one after another and each and every one of them would stop and glare at us.

"You just gave these two new students an enemy on the very first day of class," Aries said while laughing.

Cloe pouted, "Then I'll protect them." she mumbled.

I and Zein looked at each other and also laughed. I feel like we'll gain more enemies because of this war freak girl.

"Time's up. Gather up!" Sir. Archer said. It seems like no one's late.

"From the past years, you learned to build up your stamina– oh, for the new students, you can use this room to practice after class and on weekends, call out to me if you need guidance to cope with the other students. Alright, so what I'm saying is, this year, your last year, will be an actual combat training. Today, you will first need to find a weapon that you think is fit for you and suitable enough to be able to fuse your magic on it. Choose wisely, I'm not giving you any second chance if you chose the wrong weapon. For barehanded combatants, you may take items that you think will help you and protect your body from any physical attacks. For students who already have a weapon suited for you, you may have a sit on the corner. The others, follow me." they walked towards a room a bit far from where we are. I just noticed how huge this hall is.

And again, the four of us sat on the corner with some other students.

"I'm starting to think that we're destined to be with each—"

"Shut your goddamn mouth, Collins." Cloe cut him off and Aries just frowned. "Btw, what weapon do you use? Or do you prefer physical combat?" she asked me and Zein.

Right, I never saw Zein use a weapon…

"I can summon chains… using black magic," she said. Our eyes widened.

"Seriously?! Let me see," Cloe begged.

Zein took a sigh and raised her arms in front.

A black smoke suddenly formed like a root on her right hand and it suddenly turned into a black chain. (P/s: It's almost the same as Kurapika's.) It has five rings wrapped on each of her fingers and the chains that were hanging on her hands have five designs. Before I could even see what it was it suddenly disappeared.

"I can extend it at will, but I'm not strong enough to release magic and summon my weapon for a long time, the longest I can use it is 15 seconds," she said bitterly.

"That was cool! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to unleash your magic and strengthen it in a matter of time!" Cloe comforted her. Zein just smiled at her.

"How about you, Azra?" Aries asked and Cloe looked at me too. Why this guy! Who said they can call me that?!

We all looked in front when Sir Archer and the others came out of the room. All of them have already weapons on hand. That was fast.

"Get up and gather everyone," he said. All of us started gathering in front of him, "This whole week all you have to do is train using your weapons. You can train alone or train with someone— but, no physical attacks that will lead to a serious injury. If you want to have a serious fight with someone, settle it on a duel. I'll be the one to arrange it. If you don't have any questions, you may start—

"I would like to set a duel, Sir." a girl suddenly spoke.

He walked up in front of sir Archer. She's wearing white clothes. Wait, she's the girl in the front class. If I can remember her name is… Yuki, Yuki Velmore. I also noticed how she stared at Sir Blaze in his class.

The hall was enveloped by the student's whispers. She seemed to be quite famous. I hear some students praising her and some bad-mouthing her.

"Here she goes again," Aries mumbled.

"Why? What is it?" Zein asked.

Cloe sighed, "She probably saw a certain someone stealing the attention of her self-proclaimed 'husband'." she answered.

"That's fast. And whom do you want to duel Ms. Velmore?" Sir Archer asked. Yuri scanned the students and when our eyes met, she suddenly grinned.

"Don't tell me…"

"AZRA Clementine, I want to have a duel with her," she answered, saying 'Azra' out loud while still staring at me.

I feel my blood boiling up but I held it in and grinned back, "Sure." I answered and walked straight in front of her, I put out my fake smile and let out the coldest stare I could give and whispered, "If you lose, I'll start calling you YOUKAI." I said and moved away from her. I saw how her expression immediately turned grimace.

"Interesting. Alright, all of you aside from this two, move back. The students followed him and stood a little away from us. Sir Archer took something from his pocket and started drawing a line on the ground. It's a square and inside it is me and Yuki. He then started casting something and suddenly, the line he drew glowed and became a glass. Oh… wow.

"Are you two ready?" Sir asked, and we just nodded. "Start." the moment he said that, Yuki moved far away from me. She's again, grinning. Too confident for someone who looks like running away.

I stayed in my position and waited for what she was going to do. The students outside the glass are also waiting for whatever's gonna happened inside here.

Snow started falling from above us. Each drop that falls on my body turns my skin into ice. I sigh and stared at her with a 'That's it?' look. This isn't enough to even scratch me. I just shook my hands and the ice are already gone.

That seemed to piss her off seeing how her scarlet eyes are almost burning flare. The temperature constantly lowered and the wind blew became wild and the falling snow turned into thin ice spikes. All of it instantly started coming towards me but I didn't move. I let it cut through me. I can hear Zein, Cloe, and Aries shouting. I'm gonna make Zein cry again.

I stared at my opponent, she already made two moving snow bears. Huge yet slow.

"If you can be this serious, you should have done it in the very first place," I mumbled.

I started running towards the snow bears and stopped two steps away. With the blood dripping on my hand, I quickly formed a scythe and slashed them in a half. Without wasting a second I ran towards Yuki and placed the blade of my weapon around her neck.

Her eyes are wide open and seemed to be stuck on freeze. I raised my weapon and acted like I was about to slash her.

I saw how her face turned blue and how she almost jumped after hearing the glass beside us break.

"Go back to your castle and just play with a snowman, Youkai." I said making 'youkai' sounds like 'yowai' to piss her off. She's strong, only if stops looking down on her opponent and taking a fight seriously.

The blood-formed scythe automatically came back to my hands. My cuts had also healed themselves. I walked to where sir and the dazed students are. Even Zein who have seen me fight looked so surprised.

"I'll leave first and lead myself to the shower room, sir," I said and he just nodded. I walked straight out of the training hall and quickly ran towards the vampire at the back of the hall.

I saw him leaning on the wall with his hands in his pants pocket.

"Stalker," I said.

He chuckled. "Aren't you being too self-conceited? What if it was Yuki I'm stalking?" he mocked.

"Oh yeah? It's pretty obvious that I'm the one you were staring at earlier 'cause I'm pretty gorgeous and pretty sure I'm about to kill you any moment from now if you don't answer me properly— Who are you?" I asked in a warning tone.

He doesn't seem fazed at all. He just laughed and stood straight while facing me, "I didn't know you were a narcissist."

I glared at him. 'Vamtard.'

"I'm Ezekiel Blaze Matthias." he introduced himself which just pissed me off but I was taken aback by what he said next, "Your father."

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"Ba…"

"B– BAKAYAROU!!"

Even though I'm past my limits, I forced myself to summon my scythe and attacked him with all my might.