As blaze walk forward on the battlefield the only emotion he felt was fear but he did fear his towering opponent but instead he feared thought of losing and as this thought grew bigger blazed started to think back to the voice he heard in his dream at the infirmary and what it said "you failed" the voice started echo inside his head, it was the only thing he can hear but then suddenly blaze started to run like a mad men slowly gaining more and more speed and as blaze got close to Richard he pulled out his old and rusted sword and charged forward then Richard swung his giant axe with the might of a colossus and at the very last moment blaze slide underneath the axe and sliced Richard's feet causing Richard to stumble and fall over and as he was on the ground blaze jumped up into the sky and swung his sword downwards to Richard's chest but Richard blocked the attack and pushed blaze upwards sending him flying backwards onto the ground, but before blaze could get up Richard quickly charged at him and swung his axe downwards at blaze ready to split him in half but blaze rolled to the side and as Richard lifted his up blaze skillfully grabbed onto the axe and used the momentum of the axe to kick Richard in his head the blow sent him falling to the ground.
as blaze looked down at Richard unconscious on the ground he thought he has won his opponent was on the laid defeat underneath him and he wasn't getting up and crowd was cheering but unexpectedly blaze felt the ground shake beneath him and the wind blow him back and he felt Richard's axe hitting his back and for blaze time froze for a few seconds because he realised that he was going to lose again and he started to think "why, WHY is it everytime I fight someone I lose I'm meant to be one of the strongest in the academy but I always lose am I meant to be eternally second place my dream is simple I want to be a Knight not the greatest adventure not the strongest warrior not even the strongest knight but just a simple Knight, but how can i do that when a knight has to be strong a Knight has to be able to defend people garren said that I could defeat Richard he even put his bloody trust in me and I failed I jus... just want to win once why can't I even do that I just don't wanna lose I won't lose I REFUSE TO LOSE" as blaze was in the air he turned around and kicked Richard to ground and as laid confused, blaze quickly let out a flurry of strikes faster than the eye could see and like lightning blaze released a powerful blow onto Richard pushing him back then Richard attempted a counter attack to resist the constant attacks blaze was letting out Richard swung his axe with all his determination blaze tried to defend the attack by blocking with his sword but to blaze's horror his sword broke crudely in half and he was hit full force with Richard's attack but blaze didn't feel any pain though he just kept going the thought of defeat made him push pass his limits and so he grabbed the end of the axe and with all his might blaze twisted it, disarming Richard then he grabbed the axe and desperately swung it at Richard knocking him out and blaze realized he won he started to look around the arena as the crowd cheered but his injuries caught up to him and blaze collapsed to the ground.
blaze woke up in the infirmary the plain white walls gave him a strange feeling of comfort, blaze lifted up out the bed and walked slowly towards his sword or what's left of it but as blaze looked down at the broken pieces of his sword the door of the infirmary opened blaze looked over and saw Sophia walking over "why did you use that sword against Richard you almost lost because of how rusted It is, where did you even get that" she said looking at the rusted shards of blaze's sword "I got It from some adventurer who collapsed on the street everyone was walking past him I decided to help him up and give him some food after he devoured the bread I gave him he decided to give me the sword as a reward he said that it was the greatest sword ever made I was sceptical but I took the sword I have always used it but I guess it has fought It's last battle" blaze said grabbing the hilt and examining it but as blaze peered closer he noticed runes carved into the hilt
"Sophia do you know what these?"Blaze asked as he gave Sophia the sword hilt
"This is mana language that's rare to see" Sophia explained before she touched the runes caused them to glow but then suddenly the broken shards of the blaze's sword started to reform and change, the once blunt and rusted sword had turned into an elegant steel blade
"What just happened? how did my sword just fix itself" blaze exclaimed at of shock
"Well your "sword" was truly a change blade what you couldn't activate" Sophia stated well giving blaze the blade
"I had to fight Richard with a rusty sword when I could have used a change blade," blaze said slightly irritated
"you shouldn't have fought in the first place every time you fight someone you end up in the infirmary you need more practice" Sophia cried out with concern
"I want to be a knight I'm going to get hurt sometimes and didn't you say you would teach me how to use a short sword" blaze said excitedly
"fine I teach you but I need to go to classes first I teach you tomorrow," Sophia said leaving the infirmary but as she left the room blaze realised that he had nothing to do so he decided to leave the infirmary and explore the academy.
"Okay students today we are going monster hunting be sure to make a group before we head off" blaze heard a teacher say as he was exploring the Academy he realised that he couldn't join the trip since he was meant to be in the infirmary but when blaze was watching the group he saw one of the students going to the bathroom and blaze developed a plan he followed the student into the bathroom
"Exciting isn't going monster hunting," blaze said making small talk
"Yeah I guess I haven't joined a group yet so I better get back," the student said heading towards the door
"Hey what's that" blaze said tricking the student
"What do you mean…" the student said before blaze knocked him out and stole his equipment and clothes and changed into them, blaze walked out the bathroom search for a group he could join then noticed that snow and Richard had formed a group blaze walked over to them
"What about the strongest students if the Academy form a group" blaze asked
"Aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary?" snow asked confused
"Well you see I just knocked out someone and stole their stuff so please let me join" blaze begged
"You are honest I like that you can join us," Richard said dramatically
"I guess he can since we need a third member" snow mumbled
"Yes you won't regret it," blaze said with pure join
"Students we are heading off, please enter one of the carriages," the teacher said pointing to five carriages blaze, Richard and snow entered the fourth carriage and sat down and blaze realised that he was about to go monster hunting.