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“That was quick!” Professor Clair jumped around energetically. “That means I won’t have to choose instead.”

“So for this activity, we’ll be testing our ability to manipulate mana to our advantage…” She paused cheekily, “And the best way to test that is through a real situation against a monster!”

A ‘kind’ airhead with dangerous tendencies, that’s the best way to put it. And as if to accentuate her behaviour, the others in our class had made a ruckus.

“Finally, I get to kill one of those things!” Fen exclaimed next to Charles.

He firmly nodded, “Indeed, I will be able to see my knight in action.”

“You might ask, why have a pairing activity then?” She smiled. “It’s because naturally, one will defend while the other-“

“Attacks?” Mark ended her speech mocking her, “You think I need a partner? I’m the hero’s grandchild.”

Once again his edginess knew no bounds. One look at Clarisse and that was enough to figure out his fate. Hell was soon to see his face.

She was the kindest but had the lowest tolerance to annoyance. There was a reason this class was a colosseum and not a field trip location.

“Excuse me?” The last bit of patience was being seeped out of her.

“You heard me grandma,” He mocked recklessly.

“…”

“Cat’s got your tail?” Mark’s voice resounded among the silence he created. “Come on now, you’re a professor of the Hero’s Garden right?”

“Hahaha!” The smile on Clarisse’s face remained, but a sinister energy could now be felt. “Then, you’ll be first if that’s okay?”

“Of course,” Mark had sealed his fate with such words.

“Then, please walk to the centre of the colosseum,” She led the way forward revealing a magical structure with a standing pad in the middle.

Having stepped into the middle of it, a barrier of magic had surrounded himself.

“You can select from a variety of monsters shown by a projection, but because you seem to find this too easy…” Her devilish smile resurfaced. “I will be your opponent instead.”

The magic device heeded Clarisse’s words, beginning a countdown.

3… 2… 1…

“I’ll prove that I’m stronger than all of you, right now.”

0.

Following the magic barrier’s fall, a streak of lightning had been released from the professor’s hand. Mark however scoffed at it, merely tilting his body to dodge the attack.

“You think you could just hit-“

A flash of light burst from his side blinding his sight, and ending his monologue. Balls of lightning struck down, creating a gust of smoke from the ground below. Where in the middle of it, stood an enraged warrior.

“Who do you think you are!?” Mark roared, ignoring the visible charrs on his body.

In response to his charge, lightning surged in a circular area around the two of them trapping them in the process. 

“Haha! You must be stupid, trapping both of us here.”

“I don’t think that’s right,” Professor Clarisse had coldly spoken. “Because you’re trapped in here with little ol’ me.”

She raised her arm high in the sky, gathering the darkest clouds above. 

“Do me a favour, and resist for as long as possible,” Clarisse innocently smiled.

Thunder had struck down with the ferocity of a God’s rage.

“How do you get sat down twice?” I chuckled internally. “First by Haruto and now by Clarisse.”

From the sidelines, the expressions on everyone were less than savoury. All except mine. 

Uriel trembled beside Rodney, “She- she’s scary!”

Most gave a reciprocating glance of understanding. On the other hand, I was separated from the main group. 

“Serina, what do you think?” I wanted an insight from the supposed mage protagonist.

“Strong,” She answered with a single word.

I felt a slight disappointment and probed for more, “Is that it?”

“...” She nodded.

At times it felt like I was talking to a stone wall, but I had to push on regardless.

“I guess I should tell you what I wanted help with. Since we’re uhh… waiting.” 

In the far-off distance was a Hero’s Grandson screaming in utter agony.

“Ahem. Basically, I want to learn the spell [Magic Missle] and I’m not the best at magic… so I was wondering if-“

“Okay,” Serina accepted it without a second thought.

“T- thanks.” Even if she was different, her kindness remained.

“No need," She shook her head. "I will teach you now.”

Per her words, she gathered a clump of mana forming white balls of light in her hands.

“This is what you want to achieve.” She presented in front of me before dispelling it all together. “First, you need to realise how to control your mana.”

She saw right through my incompetence, which hurt in a sense. My hand was grasped by hers, generating a familiar warmth. From the sensation, a strange flow began to occur within me. It was as if something other than blood or oxygen was circulating in my body.

“Do you feel it?” 

“Yeah…” Before with enhancement, it felt as if an unknown part of me was being sucked out. “So, this was the feeling from back then.”

“Back then?” 

“Ah, it’s nothing,” I didn’t plan on telling her just yet.

She shot me a look of suspicion.

“Haha-“ I chuckled nervously. “Can we continue?”

“Mmm… okay.” She quietly gave up and told me, “Try and gather that new feeling into your hands.”

I closed my eyes, to aid with the process. Bit by bit the flowing feeling of energy was bent to my will, gathering in my palms.

“Hmm.” She watched on with a blank expression, which made me sweat a little.

The mana now in my hands, I attempted to expel it. A sliver of visible mana was retained, floating slightly above.

Eventually, she gave her approval, “Good.”

“Really?” I couldn’t be sure since this was my first try.

Serina nodded, her violet hair bobbing in the process. 

“Alright, I’ll keep trying then.” I had to make sure to master this before tomorrow.

My arm was grabbed suddenly. “No.”

“Eh?”

Serina pointed toward the now-approaching professor.

“Sorry for the delay everyone!” Clarisse clapped her hands together, “Please, come in your pairs.”

I looked behind her and saw a mess of a former classmate. I was now able to understand Uriel’s reaction.

“Who’s willing to go first?” She asked politely. “Oh- that was quick. Thank you for being the first ones.”

I looked to my side, seeing Serina with her arm raised. 

Certainly… she was eager, huh…

-x-

I was hunched over the unrealistic screen which displayed a variety of choices.

“Which one?” Serina questioned me from behind.

I had convinced her to play along with me playing attacker, while she would defend just so I could practice a bit. I figured one with high vitality would work, so I could test out critical hits.

“Maybe an Orc? Only a basic one of course,” I threw out the suggestion.

She stood still contemplating for a moment. “Okay.”

“Then it’s decided.”

I tapped the picture of an orc on the display, and the monster spawner began its countdown.

“Good luck you two!” Clarisse waved from afar with the rest.

“Luke, ready?” Serina asked with a hint of gentleness.

“Of course I am,” I exclaimed confidently, even if my hands were trembling. 

An orc was at least four metres tall, who wouldn’t be scared? Well, to the right of me was the stone-cold Serina.

3…2…1…

0!

Mana gathered all in one spot. A circle had been drawn, summoning a fiendish, overgrown pig. Its eyes were red, presumably with a thirst for blood.

[Orc]

[Attributes]

Vitality: 30

Agility: 10

Strength: 40

Mana: 0

It began rampaging, not spotting us at first. All brute, no smarts as expected. However, Serina seemed to care despite its lack of brains.

“Stay behind me,” She ordered, creating a block of shield of mana around us. 

As if it was a provocation the orc reacted, wildly running towards us with its club in hand.

Wham! Bam!

My body shivered from the impact made by the orc and Serina’s barrier.

“Don’t stall,” She commented on my shakiness.

“No worries, I got this covered,” I reassured that I was not a failure. “[Magic Missile]!”

I gathered mana and released it at once. The balls of clear mana rushed towards the orc’s meaty head.

Plop! Plop!

The orc abruptly stopped banging on the wall, confused if it was attacked or not.

“…”

The Colosseum was filled with silence. Serina looked at me blankly, while I could tell the professor was trying to contain her laughter.

“It’s okay,” My partner looked at me with empathy.

In a fit of embarrassment, I demanded from her, “Let me try again! This time I won’t fail!”

I wouldn’t let the embarrassment get the better of me. I had to look and find the red spots generated by [Enigmatic Chance]. It flailed around smacking the barrier stupidly, without form nor thought.

There! 

It was in a weird spot under his knee.

“[Magic Missile]!” 

Once again I unleashed the weak spell, only now aimed at what was essentially a vital point. 

Bang!

[Critical Hit!]

The orc stumbled onto the floor perplexed at its situation. A moment before it was breaking the shield for the food in front of it, but now it was down in pure seconds. Similarly to the orc, the once mocking glances of my class had now begun dropping jaws.

Finally, the orc looked down at its knee.

“Guuuaaghhh!”

The other half of its leg was laid out in front of us.

“Never mind.” Serina turned toward me one more time, “Good job.”

“Huhu.” Never underestimate me again! Who cares if it was from my cheat item or from having Serina here, I still killed it!