A Ridiculous Bet

Around 20 seconds remained.

Only 200 people could be considered conscious.

Ophelia was about to finish Mika, who was still on his knees, but she stopped her movement after she noticed a strange atmosphere around Mika.

She felt confidence emitting from him even though he was about to collapse.

"Why are you smirking?"

Leaving her question unanswered, he slowly got up on his feet.

"Let's make a bet, instructor." Mika suggested composed as he reached his hand to her.

"A bet?"

She tilted her head.

"I don't have time for this." she denied his request half-heartedly.

"Then, let's forget about the remaining time."

He did not let her go.

"Hm?"

She glanced at him sharply.

"The rules are simple. I'll face you alone and if I win, those who are still conscious will pass the exam. The remaining time plays no role."

"And what if you lose?"

"Then everyone, including me, will drop out."

Her eyes widened.

Currently, nobody was near the two and therefore, nobody was able to hear the contents of their conversation. If someone heard what Mika just said, then there would be no doubt that he would face criticism.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha! What an amusing boy!"

She laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach.

"Why do you think you have the authority to make them drop out without their consent?" she asked despite not calming down yet.

"Knowing what you're capable of, it would be no surprise if you eliminated the rest in that short time."

Mika was sure that she could do it. After all, she took down more than 1000 people with just one attack. Taking out a mere 200 would be a piece of cake.

"Oh, is that so…" she acted surprised even though her smug face told otherwise.

"But who knows? What if some people could have survived until the end without you saying anything? Those people may hold a grudge against you. Are you fine with that?" she added.

"That's a pointless thing to think about." he replied confidently.

That's because he could not imagine him losing the bet.

And even if he would lose, he would accept their grudges. If he had not made the bet with her, then he would have been already finished off by her.

Would one prefer to die or to be hated? The answer was obvious to Mika.

"Heh, I see. Then, let me make this clear. You really want to face me one on one?"

"Yes, but rather than a duel, how about I will have to take on your attacks for a minute?"

"Hey…"

Her tone turned more intimidating.

"A minute? Are you underestimating me?"

She looked down at him with her sharp and enraged eyes.

Ophelia raised her index finger.

"One attack. If you can survive just one attack, then I will admit defeat."

"Sure then." Mika accepted without hesitation.

"But before we do that, would it be possible for your assistants over there to create a wall around us?" he pleaded awkwardly.

"Fine."

She thought that Mika asked out of consideration towards the others in the circle guessing that he wanted to avoid them getting caught up in her attack.

Unbeknownst to her, he had another reason.

After she ordered her people on the sidelines to create the wall, the earth around Mika and Ophelia started to rumble.

Thick walls began to rise from the ground surrounding the two.

The walls made by earth were about 20 feet high and provided more than enough space inside.

"Now you don't have to worry about the others anymore." Ophelia stated.

"Hm? Oh, sure…" Mika replied somewhat confused.

Meanwhile, outside the circle, the two girls, who passed the exam, looked at the walls.

"Just what is going on…" the blonde girl muttered.

The remaining time was already over, but it did not seem like the exam was finished.

"Maybe it's turned personal between those two… or they've made some kind of bet." The grey-haired girl said disinterestedly.

"Whatever it is, it's still suicidal to take her head on. I mean, we're talking about Ophelia Ross, an S-rank mage!" the blonde girl stated tensely.

Those two girls were not the only ones watching intensely. Even the assistants and the people, who regained their consciousness watched with anticipation.

"A-are you kidding me…?!"

"She can't be serious…!"

The bystanders got nervous and taken aback as they saw the sparkles in the air above the walls. Despite the high walls, it was even visible how much lightning amassed inside.

"I will ask you one last time. Do you really want to do this?" Ophelia asked indifferently.

She started to levitate a bit while she controlled the lightning swirling around her body.

"Yes." Mika responded firmly.

For the first time during the exam, he drew his rusty double-edged sword from his hip belt.

He took a firm stance grasping the sword with both hands and pointing the blade at her.

Ophelia sighed.

"Mocking me until the end, huh…" she commented disappointingly after seeing his so-called weapon.

Not wasting a single second anymore, Ophelia pointed with her index finger at Mika.

The amount of lightning she accumulated before, was now fired all at once like a beam.

The beam was so big and potent that her previous attacks looked like child's play.

However, it did not matter how big or how mighty an attack was. As long as it was a magical attack, it would not be able to harm Mika currently.

It took only one sword swing…

"What?!"

…to make the lightning beam turn into fine harmless shining particles.

Ophelia turned pale at the sight as she fell on her behind with her back leaning against the wall.

She was also too shocked to grasp the situation.

An attack that could even critically damage a demon disappeared into thin air.

"Looks like I won."

Mika walked to her with a huge cheeky and at the same time innocent smile.

But what caught Ophelia's gaze was the thing he held in his right hand.

She thought that he wielded a rusty sword, however, in its stead was now another sword.

Its double-edged blade was pure white and the golden hilt, which had the form of crosses, was embellished with green-looking roots.

The sword was radiating light, that soothed the soul just by looking at it.

"There's still one last thing you have to do."

Without realizing it, Mika already stood in front of her pointing the sword at her.

"As the winner, I order you to never tell a soul about what happened just now. If somebody asks, then say that I dodged your attack luckily." Mika stated sternly.

[You're not intimidating enough.]

Mika sighed.

And without further ado, he pierced the wall right next to her face.

He crouched down and lifted her chin.

"What's your answer?" he asked threateningly.

With his sword shining, the walls around them also commenced to turn into particles.

Although her mind was a complete mess, she looked at him with glittery eyes as she gave an answer without hesitating one bit.

"Yes." Ophelia said sheepishly.

She began to act like a young maiden as Mika was the first one from the opposite sex who touched her face in such a manner.

Her cheeks slightly heated up when she stared at his face, whose handsomeness was enhanced by the sparkling particles falling to the ground.

"Good."

Mika let go of her and went to pick up his sword, which turned back into the old rusty sword from the beginning.

[You did her good.]

"You told me to do that!" he justified his action embarrassed.

Ophelia, on the other hand, still did not move from her spot.

She was in deep thought while she looked stunned at the clear azure sky.

It was her first time tasting such an overwhelming defeat. On top of that, she lost to a mere examinee.

A mere examinee? She could not be more wrong.

She understood by now that there was something special about him.

Thus, something awoke in her.

Was it interest?

Or maybe something completely different?