The announcer took the stage again, his voice booming around the audience.

 

"A wonderful show by the Flowing Water Troupe!"

 

He stayed still as the audience erupted in applause and cheering.

 

"That's my girl!"

 

"Wonderful dance!"

 

"What a group!"

 

"Not bad at all."

 

The announcer patted his gloved hands, clearing his throat as the troupe left the ground, much to the loudened murmurs of the rest of the group.

 

“Surely not! How could a mere group make Fourth Rank at this age?!”

 

“Haha old friend, the world is passing by us…”

 

“I refuse!”

 

“The truth is the truth, senior. This is Fourth Rank Healing Water. I would know, given my countless observations of students of the Medicinal Waters creating this very liquid.”

 

Galamod responded with calm. On the inside though, he was jumping with joy. Finally, he’d found something that would save them face after the big gaffe…

 

"Next, we continue with our usual schedule. Targets up."

 

At the announcer’s declaration, a group of people instantly rushed inside holding dummies made of wood and metal while Galamod took his seat and the elders quietened. The group staked the dummies in a long neat row in the ground, one by one, setting it in front of Erik and his seat mates. The old man chuckled.

 

"Front view, eh? Will be fun."

 

He muttered to himself as Erik gulped. He opened his mouth to ask the old man when the announcer boomed again,

 

"Trainees line up!" 

 

The trainees showed up, Jeria and Luke amongst them, making a row on the opposite end. They faced their targets and focused their eyes. The gathered seniors began to murmur amongst themselves as they looked over the less-prepared trainees. A select few of them were on the verge of tears, frustrated and unable to bring out their full power.

 

"His stance is misshapen."

 

"Her element is failing, poor girl."

 

"She should step back."

 

"He slipped? On what?"

 

"Hahaha, what a show."

 

One of the elders, a black haired eyepatched woman with a bountiful chest in red-black robes focused on Jeria, squinting her good left eye. She spoke to her companion, a blue-eyed blond in white and blue robes who had his gloved hand held to his chin.

 

"That girl... she has a monstrous aura."

 

"Hm? Her stance is alright, what are you on about?"

 

"She... there is something there."

 

"I wonder... maybe she picked up an elemental art."

 

"Ah, that could be it."

 

"Heh, the Volcanic Beasts Academy is interested in her?"

 

"Hmph, we shall see. Maybe if she uses an elemental art."

 

The blond senior chuckled. He turned his head to Luke, taking in his steady figure and piercing eyes and smiled.

 

"The noble, he's definitely practiced an art before."

 

"Oh? He seems like he's set his eyes on the Royal Academy."

 

"Mhm, but if he doesn't make it, we of the Water Strikers could use his status."

 

The woman chuckled, much to the ire of the blond.

 

“Well, what’s funny?”

 

“Oh just this is the difference between us lad. You’d do with status. We’d do with power.”

 

He rolled his eyes at her and crossed his arms, looking forward. His voice had a sliver of disdain as he continued,

 

“Some day, you’ll see that status is better than power.”

 

“May you have the power to live to that day.”

 

She joked as the rest of the audience cheered on their kids.

 

"Don't miss Bernie!"

 

"Give it your all Meera!"

 

"Destroy them all!"

 

The audience became unruly which didn't deter the announcer as he continued,

 

"Now remember, you have only one shot at your target. Do your absolute strongest attack and don't hold back. We have defenses in place for... much of the audience."

 

"Much of the audience?"

 

Erik exclaimed. The old man immediately turned around with wide eyes, grabbing his shoulders.

 

"Wait, you're an Unawakened?"

 

"Yeah."

 

The announcer boomed,

 

"Take aim!"

 

"Shit, get down!"

 

"What?"

 

The man shoved Erik down in between the seats as the trainees prepared their attacks. The atmosphere in the ground became charged as they took their attack positions. Water bubbles, fire balls, boulders of earth and sharp blades of wind.….. everything filled the ground, waiting to be fired. 

 

The man raised his hand, a faint symbol flickering in front of its palm. Erik peered upwards through his hand. Right at that moment, Luke snapped his fingers, a lightning bolt crackling as it danced between his hands before he grabbed hold of it.

 

"That's… That’s the Tamed Lightning Art!"

 

"An Art user?!"

 

"The atmosphere... His art is at Rank Two!"

 

"What monstrous training!"

 

Jeria's fireball shifted and morphed, lengthening and shifting. There was a low growl coming from the intense heat around her, her fireball enveloping and engulfing some of the other trainees projectiles, sending their casters to the floor in an exhausted sweat. The audience was in awe at the sight of her as they exclaimed,

 

"It's a Fire Art!"

 

"What is she making?"

 

"Is that..."

 

"That's a Tiger!"

 

"It can’t be… The-The Flame Tiger Art!"

 

"The heat... ah shit, my clothes!"

 

"Her art... it's on par with the lightning!"

 

"It's stronger you fool! It's… Rank Three!"

 

"Rank Three?!"

 

"Sit back down!"

 

Back at the seniors, there was much chatter. The eyepatch woman gripped the seat in front of her as she stood up, getting a better view at Jeria. Her companion, the blond, was in a similar stance.

 

"Hey lady! Sit down! You're blocking my view!”

 

The woman and blond turned and glared at the cranky old bastards making noise. They instantly quietened down, an intense aura coming from the two. 

 

“Ehe, it’s o-okay, you watch… ehe.”

 

They harrumphed and turned back to look at the two art users.

 

Meanwhile, the representative from Royal Academy looked on in muted emotions, unlike his maiden companion. She gleefully declared,

 

“They’re about to let loose!”

 

“Mhm.”

 

At that moment, Jeria’s fiery tiger took full form, now clashing loudly with Luke’s blue lightning, the crackling noises deafening the audience. The old man raised his eyebrow. He turned to face the veiled lady, who was on the edge of her seat. A tiny smile emerged on his face.

 

"That girl... do you think she'll get into the Royal Academy?"

 

He asked her. She nodded her head but responded with,

 

"It is... exemplary given this place. If she was to win, it wouldn't be a surprise."

 

"A surprise it would be... were she to not."

 

"And... I assume there is a surprise in store?"

 

She faced the black-clothed man. He simply nodded his head. After all, nobles couldn't stand losing to commoners. The announcer waved his hand,

 

"Fire!"

 

Jeria's tiger roared. Instantly, each and every one of the trainees fired their powerful bolts and balls and strikes, obliterating the ground and their targets. Strong shockwaves reverberated, making Erik's ears ring as they pounded at the seats, shaking everything. 

 

Jeria's tiger hit the target, the entire ground shaking as it tore apart. Some of the trainees were blown back as the announcer instantly vanished and appeared behind the targets, a blue symbol floated in front of his hand as the tiger collided with it, followed by a lightning strike. Another shockwave went out. 

 

Some of the people in the front row went flying out as dust filled the ground. Shouts and chaos filled the area as the audience was stunned. The announcer closed his fist around the symbol and instantly, all the dust and dirt floating in the air dropped to the ground, clearing the view. 

 

There, they could see Jeria still standing, huffing as her hair was singed from the blowback. Her entire being was smoking, sweat evaporating off of her. All around her, the trainees had fallen to the ground, some having fainted as the fires on their clothes were put out immediately. 

 

All eyes focused on Jeria and Luke, the two still standing. Both were huffing and puffing as they looked at each other, not bothering with the targets. After all, there was nothing left but burn marks on the ground where the targets stood.

 

"Its... gone."

 

"...There's nothing left."

 

"Dara! Help her up!"

 

"My boy! Somebody get to him!"

 

The announcer disappeared from his spot and immediately appeared in the center of the ground. He nodded to the side as many people in the same grey robes appeared, putting the few unconscious trainees on stretchers and taking them out. The rest of them stood up, coughing and wheezing, as they got back in line, faces and hair lined with soot and a crackling buzz. 

 

He nodded. Such a display of power was never seen before in Meero. At most, there was just one who was a Rank Two elemental art… but a Rank Three art? From a trainee? This was simply unheard of. The Royal Academy wouldn't miss out on such talents. Many of the elders and the seniors cast hateful and defeated looks as they settled down in their seats. The eyepatched woman muttered to her companion,

 

"I want that girl."

 

"We wouldn't hesitate to take her in."

 

“Not while I live.”

 

“...Mhm, alright. Only if you get her first.”

 

She nodded. Everyone was in agreement that Jeria and Luke had displayed peak performance… and the Royal Academy just has to take them both. It would be foolish for them not to.

 

They turned to look at the duo from the Royal Academy. At that moment, a shadow flickered past them as it reached the duo. The eyepatched woman blinked, her hand on the hilt of her sword when something hit it and she stopped.

 

'Too fast!'

 

She thought to herself. Her eyes widened as the shadow figure appeared beside the black-clothed man and knelt. He nodded and the man stood up, whispering a silent message. Instantly, he stood up and exclaimed loudly,

 

"What?!"

 

The veiled lady looked on with concern. He turned to her immediately and said,

 

"We have to go now."

 

"But what about the fighting round?"

 

The man cried out,

 

"A trainee has practiced an Elemental Art to Rank Five!"

 

"Here?"

 

"No! Pertull, we have to go now!"

 

The veiled lady nodded. She stood up as she exchanged a look with the announcer. He simply bowed his head as the duo left the ground, leaving the rest of the seniors, elders, audience members and sole announcer shocked and puzzled.

 

Before anyone could speak, the announcer boomed with his quick thinking,

 

"The Fighting Round has been postponed to three days from now!"

 

He took a deep breath before he continued,

 

"The Royal Academy is no longer taking a student from this test."

 

Silence descended on everyone gathered. Erik stood up from his seat, the old man sitting down catching his breath. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he laughed.

 

"What's so funny?"

 

The old man took a deep breath.

 

"This means... Those two... are up for grabs."