The next morning, Belinda woke up early. After washing up and eating some fruits, she went to the Arena.

In front of the entrance, there were already a lot of familiar faces. They excitedly waited for the teachers.

Belinda walked around and looked for her partner.

„Bel, here!” Gregori waved not far from her.

She walked over and saw Dárius and the others. She greeted them, but they didn’t pay attention to her.

„I can’t understand, what’s so good about you...” Naómi looked up and down on her body. She was as high and mighty as always. „You are so little and fragile. Won’t you fly away after Gregi’s first attack?”

Belinda looked at her blankly. Naómi was a little taller than her, and maybe her bust size was a little bigger than her, but nothing else. Being Dárius opponent, Belinda was sure, the one who would fly away would be Naómi. She smiled commiseratingly and turned away.

„Hey! Don’t think, because you have a strong mentor you can look down on others!” Naómi was angry.

„Enough!” Gregori stepped between them.

„Why the hell do you protect him?! Aren’t we under the same mentor?!” she almost cried.

„...” Gregori was speechless. Knowing Belinda’s power, he was sure he protected Naómi, not the other.

„Okay, okay. Don’t cry!” Fatima hugged her. „The teachers are here. Let’s go!”

The others nodded and went into the Arena after the students.

Belinda stayed behind and walked slowly.

Gregori waited for her. „Sorry.”

Belinda shook her head. „It’s okay, I’m used to it.”

He patted her shoulder and laughed. „They will regret it after they see our duel.”

Belinda smiled too and followed the students.

They went into a big room and saw the 6 teachers stood on top of a podium.

„Good morning, everyone!” one of them spoke. „I hope everyone is here... Don’t waste the time! Stand on the right side those who have partner, on the left side those who not!”

The students moved right away and after 3 minutes, they stood in the right place.

On the left side, there were around 50 students. The teacher looked at one of his fellow workers. „You handle them.”

The other man nodded and walked over. He took out a box and threw into it some slip of papers. „Pull one.” he stood in front of them.

The teacher, who spoke before did the same. „Every pair can pull one. On the paper, there are 2 numbers. The first is the number of the stage, the second is your ordinal number. Come on! I don’t care how you choose who pulls. Let’s finish it in 10 minutes!”

Belinda didn’t care about it at all. „You go?”

„Okay.” Gregori nodded and left.

There were already a lot of students in front of the teacher. Gregori spent 6 minutes until he came back. He smiled. „Good! We are on the front! The 6th on the 11th stage.”

Belinda almost facepalmed. There were around 200 pairs and they had 18 stages. At worst, they could get the 12th place. So they were in the middle! She couldn’t understand. He was bad with mathematics?!

„It’s in the middle...” she murmured.

„? It’s under 10, so it’s good.”

Belinda gave up to understand him...

Everyone got their ordinal number and they left the room. The Arena was almost empty. No one fought on the stages. On the viewing platform, there were some older students.

Belinda looked around and recognized a lot of mentors between them. Some of them stood in groups and chatted happily. She saw Bertold stood alone. She found him easily because a shining person walked over to him.

Belinda rolled her eyes and walked to the 11th stage. „Your mentor here too.”

Gregori was stunned and turned back. He saw him right away. „Arrogant as always.”

Bertold sat down and closed his eyes. He was irritated by the light.

„Hey! We were always rivals, who thought our students will be too! Isn’t it fate?” Zotmund didn’t care about his behavior and sat next to him.

„... They are not.” Bertold denied.

„Not? Aren’t they stand on the opposite side?”

„Say it next time, after you spend some time to train him!”

„Are you kidding? You know the opposite powers can’t work together!”

Bertold finally opened his eyes and looked at him. „Really?”

Zotmund was speechless. Fire and water were opposite too. He didn’t know how to deny it.

„Good morning, Zotmund!” a girl walked out from a group and shouted.

„Good morning, sweetie!” Zotmund happily stood up and left.

Bertold snorted. Losers would be always losers.

Gregori poked Belinda. „What do you think, what they spoke about?”

Belinda narrowed her eyes. „I don’t know, but... Zotmund was on the edge of losing, so he used the girl to run away.”

Gregori looked at them blankly. He wanted to nod, but it was still his mentor. At least, in front of others, he needed to stand on his side. „... maybe he just had an appointment with her and left.”

„Hmm... maybe...” Belinda didn’t care about it. She watched the students in front of them.

In their group, Belinda saw Gara. He was the best in their class. Everyone was interested in his partner, but surprisingly he chose a little girl. Belinda didn’t know too many students’ names, but at least she remembered the outstanding kids’ faces. But that girl, she couldn’t remember anything about her. She wasn’t the only one. The others around them whispered and tried to find out any news about her.

The teacher clapped. „Stop speaking! Stand in line! The first pairs go on the stages!”

The students followed his instructions. It was easy to hear he was impatient.

Belinda stood in her place and calmly tied her hair on top of her head. She never cut it after that one time. It was long and she had a lot of problems with it. Sorrowfully, as in every cultivation novels, it was rare if she saw someone with sort hair.

„Hee, your hair has a nice color.” she heard a familiar voice behind her.

Belinda turned back and saw Fatima watching her hair.

„Hehe, surprise!” Szalvia stood next to her. „I didn’t think we’ll be in the same group.”