Do you know a good thing about nobles? They are prideful creatures. It can be taken as good or bad, but in this case good. Because if they got scared from that display at my first 1 v 1 match, they aren't even worth a chance to fight me. On the second day, I had become some sort of 'popular'. Rumours flew left and right and I couldn't be bothered. After mana control lesson was over, school ended early and the tournament resumed.
In the second 1 v 1, I was fighting a noble named clover von gulz. Clover was a wind type mage that manipulated well...wind. I hadn't actually watch his team match as it didn't really force the particularly strong individuals to reveal their skills.
Pushing energy into my legs, a rain of wind blades shot at me from every direction before I could run. "[Gale force]! [Gale blast]! [Gale rain]! [Acrobatics]! [Thunder blast]! [Electric step]! [Gale impact]! [Thunder fist]!" (Clover)
" Wow pushing me to reveal my cards this early with all this power. Not bad, but not good enough. Go sit at square rank forever. [Manipulate shadow-tier 3]."
With that, a single spell finished the fight. Manipulate shadow was extremely versatile. Blocking all the attacks from reaching me by forming a barrier, I forced tentacles of darkness to expand from the barrier and restrain Clover. When the attacks were over, I forced the rest of the barrier to sent a second wave of tentacles that pierced through Clover's limbs. That sent him below 50% health, though I could still see determination to defeat me in his eyes even after he was defeated. What a tenacious fellow, he will probably make it big one day. But what do I know, I'm just saying random crap to excuse his sore-loser face.
One disadvantage I have was that, the other nobles had servants to observe other people's matches and take note of their weaknesses. I couldn't do that since I don't have any servants. Technically I could finish my match early and watch the other participants, the problem was that the other competitors finished their matches just as fast, if not faster if their enemy was that incompetent. Though I doubt square ranks could be that weak.
Moving on to the next 1 v 1 match, my opponent was called Reswul von hyuvik. I started off with a simple chat. "Congrats huh~, we both made it to the top 10. Though my matches were so short that they didn't feel real."
"Mhmm."
Ehh? I go out of my way to start a conversation and 'mhmmm' is all I get? Is he perhaps the quiet type? Or is he changing his image for his future fans? His attire doesn't exactly look like the quiet type. Unlike the other nobles, his hair was an unkempt brown that swayed in the wind and he wore a loose neck tie for some reason. He donned a simple white shirt with the top buttons unbuttoned and his collars unfolded. His black jeans further solidified his image of a delinquent. Did he change his image a few times or was he just hesitant on being which stereotype for his future fans? Oh should I be a delinquent or the quiet type? Why not both! Was that his thought process? Maybe I'm just overthinking this and his fashion sense was just a bit...strange.
Whatever, the match was about to start and I needed to concentrate. I won't take my time this time round, shooting forward, I was about to punch his cheek when a pillar of fire shot up to seperate us. Tch, this guy is quite careful compared to his appearance. Using [manipulate shadow], I forced a barrier of darkness around him. If he used an explosive skill, he would cooked himself and die.
"[Flame spear]!" (Reswul)
Not just 1 that pierced the barrier, numerous orange spears packed with energy shot through the shadow barrier and headed towards me. What the hell is this explosive power?! I need to dodge this spears. Tch, how is he able to summon this many with his miniature mana pool.
"You're underestimating us nobles. Not all of us are level 1 you know? The top 10,no maybe the top 20 even, have also trained outside in dungeons, waiting for this day. Though our levels are not as absurd as yours, we still have good enough health and mana to take you down. "(Reswul)
" Tch, I'm also hiding my skills you know~. You think raw strength was all I had?."
Using [Stealth-tier 3],I kept dodging the flame spears raining down as I slowly come closer to Reswul. Another pillar of fire shot into the sky. What! It was automatic?! Now that I was invisible, it should be okay to go at my full speed. Circling around Reswul, I wrapped my hand in darkness and redirected a flame spear at Reswul. It pierced through the flame pillar, but he dodged at the last second. Think! What has enough piercing power to go through that annoying pillar! A light bulb pops up over my head.
Since the flame pillar shoots upwards, I just need enough power to pierce through that upards force. Easiest thing was to to aim for his legs as he can't block something his arms cannot cover in a second. Forming a small shadow dagger in my hand, it appeared in the air for a second before my [Stealth] kicked in. Immediately raining flame spears in my direction, I used my speed to dodge the spears and go around Reswul. Pushing all my strength into my right arm, it set off Reswul's [mana detection]. Too bad he reacted too slow as I launched the shadow dagger in less than a second.
Penetrating the fire pillar, the dagger embed into his heel and prevented him from walking properly. He lost his balance and fell onto the ground. Running by, I triggered the flame pillar and it swallowed Reswul. Since fire was his element, he had enough resistance to keep himself alive, but the flame pillar still caused continuous damage. Thanks to his resistance, I needed to deal a finishing blow. But he had face planted into the flame pillar, it gave me a pretty huge opening.
Filling my legs with energy, I rushed forward and punched the back of Reswul's head, creating a mini crater as Reswul was immediately pulled out of the match ground. Now I was on the last match.
Everyone was given an hour to recover their mana. It always takes 6 hours to conpletely refill your mana pool without the help of mana pills that nobles frequently use.
This meant that as you expand your intelligence stat, it also increases the amount of mana recovered per second besides your mana pool capacity at the same time. Mana pills generally don't help much unless you're high leveled and can earn back the price of the pill which cost decently high.
Anyway, all the participants were allowed to recover 1/6 th of their mana pool, though the nobles were usually given mana pills that were prepared by their servants. To be honest, I didn't spend much mana at all and was at 90% full by the time the final match was about to start.
My opponents were Zaltria von quis, someone who cannot be underestimated even though they are not from the 7 great families, they still made it to the top 5 regardless.
James keral von hisonne, from the 7 great families, James came from the one that ruled over the light element, said to be one of the 2 strongest along with the dark element.
Jessald von wasuri, one of the 7 great families that ruled over the water element.
And lastly my one and only rival, Fez drey von tsumond, from the 7 great families, said to be one of the 2 strongest, the tsumond clan that rulled over the dark element.