Chapter Four
(Correlated with the manhua's chapter 4)
"Brother Fan, look! We're both in class 8!"
Mu He kept his promise to Mo Jia Xing by assisting Mo Fan in being checked for magical potential and getting him into Tian Lan Magic High School, which Xiao Hou also entered. After meeting up at the school's entrance, the two went to check which class they were assigned. As if the Heavens smiled upon Mo Fan, he and Xiao Hou were placed into the same class.
"Oh, you guys are in the same class again?"
Or maybe the Heavens weren't smiling upon Mo Fan, because Zhou Kun San and Mu Bai arrived at the noticeboard to check their classes and ranks at the same time as he and Xiao Hou.
"Oooh, would you look at this?" Zhou Kun San pointed at the noticeboard. "As expected, you're in last place! Mo Fan, didn't you know that your rank is based on your test scores?" He laughed for a bit before motioning toward Mu Bai, who stood beside him. "Our Young Master is famed for being in first place!"
"Damn you, Zhou! Why are you here?! Do you wanna fight?!"
Xiao Hou began moving towards the haughty duo with the intent of planting his fist in Zhou Kun San's face.
"Calm down, Xiao Hou. The opening ceremony is about to begin."
As usual, Mo Fan stayed composed and reeled in his friend.
"Students, welcome to the Tian Lan Magic High Institute. All of you are presumably very excited right now because you are embarking on a journey, on the honorable and glorious path to becoming a magician! I will make this brief."
Atop a large stage stood a man with a mighty presence, Tian Lan Magic High Institute's headmaster, who was in the process of giving the opening ceremony speech.
"Magicians! They exist to preserve, allowing humanity to grow. They defend the human species! You should constantly bear in mind that there are countless magical beasts glaring at you like tigers, eyeing you like prey as soon as you leave the comfort of the city! In the end, I hope each and every one of you will become a rising star of this generation!"
Mo Fan was thankful that the headmaster had kept his word when he said he'd keep his speech brief, because the excitement within him continuously built, unwilling to wait any longer for the event to take place in class.
"Hopefully, everyone was inspired by the headmaster's speech. Now, we will begin the process of awakening your magic!"
*"Finally!"* For Mo Fan, the time had arrived for him to begin on his path to greatness!
"Excuse me, teacher."
But of course, Zhou Kun San had to take any jab he could at Mo Fan.
"If the awakening fails, then what happens? I heard that we have someone in our class who got in through the back door…does that mean he's likely to fail?"
Mo Fan's eyes were downcast and his jaw clenched as Zhou Kun San got under his skin for the first time.
*"Must that bastard waste time like this?!"* Except, rather than be angry that Zhou Kun San was trying to make fun of him again, Mo Fan simply did not want to take any longer than necessary to obtain magical powers. After all, Mo Fan was originally from a world which lacked any such ways to gain power. It was reasonable for someone in his position to hunger for his magic awakening to such an extent.
Trails of whispers sprang up around the classroom as the students discussed Zhou Kun San's question.
"Fail? I haven't heard about anything like that happening before."
"It would be huge news if someone were to fail."
"Err…" The teacher took a second to think over his response. "That's highly improbable. After all, everyone in this school had to be measured for magical potential before they could enter. It wouldn't make sense to enter without having tak-" The teacher paused, suddenly remembering a piece of information. "That's right, there was one incident in which a student was accidentally registered as having magical potential when they didn't. Unfortunately, the school had to ask the student to stop attending and stop the news from spreading too far to protect the student's reputation."
Zhou Kun San appeared disappointed at the teacher's response. "I guessed as much. But then again,"—he laughed—"it'd still be a shame if the student who got in through a back door either didn't take the aptitude test or their results were wrong."
*"You idiot… I will awaken a powerful element! Just you wait!"*
"Anyway,"—the teacher continued—"We will begin the magic awakening according to student ranks. Rank one, Mu Bai!"
Around the class, students gawked as their fellow classmate made his way to the front of the class to stand before a crystal ball.
"Wow, so he's Mu Bai. Not only handsome, but also ranked first!"
"Waa~ He's so cute! I wonder which element he'll awaken."
"It definitely won't be the water or light elements!"
Then, the teacher inquisitively asked, "Mu Bai, you wouldn't happen to be from that old, prominent Mu family who possesses the powerful ice element, would you?"
Clearly happy to have his background recognized, Mu Bai smirked. "That is correct."
"Well, if you awaken the ice element, then you will have an advantage over the others. But don't forget, natural talent is worthless without the effort to turn it into something great!"
"Yes, in the end, talent may not be everything…"—Mu Bai snickered—"but without it, one is destined to be insignificant."
Again, the members of the class were surprised! Although having any element was considered better than none, every mage, potential or otherwise, was aware that certain elements were more suited for combat than others, one of them being ice. Then again, simply because one's predecessors had a particular element didn't mean their successors would gain it. There was always a chance that the element they'd awaken was completely different.
Which is why Mu Bai was almost shaking from nervousness. "If I don't awaken the ice element," he thought, "I'll be considered worthless! In this awakening…I, Mu Bai, will definitely succeed!"
With that, Mu Bai placed his hand on the crystal ball and watched as it shined with a light blue, causing the class to exclaim their surprise.
"The ice element!"
"It really is the famed and powerful ice element!"