As soon as the elimination round ended, the new students who were able to pass the round were called above the stage. They numbered up to 20. It was clear to see how only a few managed to win three consecutive rounds as all of them were almost equal in power.
When they walked up the stage, the cheers on the audience's seat began to get louder. They were anticipating this today's event as it served as their only free time. Weekends in Magic Academy were unheard of.
Luna, who was now on the stage looked around her opponents. It seemed that none of them knew each other but some started to chat with their desired prospects.
She could feel some of their intense stares and her clean white and golden robe didn't help her. All of them have wrinkled clothes and bruises in some of their bodies while she was as clean as a newly bathed person.
But none of them attempted to talk to her until she felt someone approaching.
Luna turned her body towards that person.
"Greetings, milady. Will you like to team up with me?" he said.
He was the talented man that got the number 1 in this event. Though his words were a bit formal and his head even bowed a little upon talking to her.
She smiled awkwardly. "Uhm, just call me Luna. Well, I think I'll team up with you. It will be a waste to refuse a good swordsman," Luna said.
The man relaxed when he saw her calm attitude. Her appearance definitely looked that of a high-ranking noble and some of them were snobs.
"Then do you have some plan?" Luna asked.
The man with ashen hair and orange eyes innocently shook his head.
"I will only slash my way to the top," he said.
Luna's face twitched. She didn't know whether to laugh or be scared. The speed he was able to pierce his enemy was not a joke. Although she wondered why he even invited her to team up with him.
"You can heal. Can you do to others the spell you chanted in yourself?" he said.
Her healing spell was stronger and faster when she was healing herself. She could even set it up as a shield toward her whole body. That was why they weren't able to hurt her.
"I can't exactly do the same but I can heal you quickly at least at the whole arena's distance for how many times you want," Luna said.
He nodded his head. "I got another idea," he said.
Luna looked at him curiously. "What is it?"
"You can ride at my back. That way you will not be left too far and you can heal me better," he said.
Once again, Luna didn't know how to react. Her brows furrowed slightly.
'Just what is going on in his head?!' Luna thought.
She knew very well how dizzying it was to ride on someone's back who ran as fast as a vehicle.
"I won't do that. I can handle myself and as I've said I can still heal you. Just wait and watch. What's your name?" she said.
"Blair Rosenheim, Lady Luna," he said.
Blair didn't go on any further on his suggestion earlier though he felt they wasted such a good strategy.
"As I've said, just call me Luna," she said.
He nodded while slowly taking out a long sword inside its brown sheath. The metal was dark in color and a dark orange aura continued to surround the sharp weapon.
Luna gulped upon seeing the bladed weapon that was so close to her in a relaxed environment. Earlier she wasn't that bothered by her enemies' sharp weapons towards her because she was busy controlling her magic.
And it was scarier if the man who had it was this weird man who likes to slash everything in his way.
"Hello, promising new students, we will begin shortly in a minute," the vice-leader said.
All of them started to observe their enemies in vigilance once they heard the vice-leader. They were grouped in teams of two's or three's. There was not a single person who didn't team-up.
Somehow, Luna felt glad that this number 1 person, Blair, asked her to be his teammate.
Luna began counting in her head. Who knew that a minute could take so long with the heavy atmosphere circulating the arena.
'4, 3, 2, 1,' Luna thought.
"Start!"
Once the vice-leader said that, Luna could feel that all of them looked with hints of malice towards their way.
'Uh, oh,' Luna thought.
She immediately summoned her golden fire that surrounded her whole body in an instant. Her hands were ready to fire at anyone who would dare attack them. Although her other hand had a golden fire, ready to heal Blair at any given time.
Her guess was right. The other students were intending to eliminate the most evident strong individuals that could bring them down one by one.
"Here we go," Luna said.
Blair nodded as a response and ran towards the person who first targeted them. He slashed him without hesitation and went towards the next.
Luna decided not to focus too much on the details of how his enemies looked after he pierced them and instead just look at him occasionally if he needed heals.
In her right hand, she continuously fired the harshly burning white flames to the incoming person with a long silver spear.
The weapon couldn't hurt her but that spear was covered in dried blood that its owner didn't even bother cleaning.
'Will it hurt you if you clean your weapons?!' Luna thought.
She fired left and right, heal and offense until she saw that the last one was brutally slashed by Blair.
'Looks really couldn't define a person,' Luna said.
Blair looked harmless at first sight and there was not a single hint of malice in his eyes when he talked to her earlier. If she could comment, she would say that he behaved like a child.
Once their eyes met, Luna's eyes sharpened and whispered something when he walked at her slowly as if she was not an opponent.
"I would like it more if you fight earnestly against me," she said.
"As you say so, Lady Luna," he said.
Luna had her golden and white flames surrounding her quickly. She made it in time before he would slash at him.
No matter how good their cooperation earlier, she wouldn't give up. She wanted to prove the importance of a healer.
Although Luna was doing it along with other means, it wasn't that important.
'Don't mind some details, they won't know it either way,' Luna thought.
Blair's swings of his blade almost made her tumble. Even though his blades would not cut her, the impact was enough for her to lose balance.
With gritted teeth, she increased her flames while stepping backward. Her left hand hid behind her white robe and summoned her ace.
It's the golden pocket watch. Although, smaller its magic was still great as ever. She didn't have a choice for she badly wanted to win this battle.
'Akiro wouldn't get mad if I use this from time to time outside his work, right?' Luna thought.
The place was very quiet when she stopped the time. With small steps, she slowly strode towards Blair's position. He went to his back and summoned her white flames mixed with the golden ones.
She kicked him with all her strength and stopped pausing time. Blair eyed her with his widened orange eyes and slightly opened mouth. He just found himself tripping and Luna who was in front of him suddenly disappeared like a flash of light.
The harsh white flames prevented him from moving his body though something was especially soothing beneath the burning flames.
Luna watched him lying on the floor until the vice-leader stood up and declared her as the winner.
"Congratulations to this lady number 55! The winner of our single battle!" he said.
Luna soon heard thunderous claps and cheers upon the audience. Once the Advanced Mages walked towards Blair's way she stopped them.
"Let me heal him," Luna said.
Her golden flames restored his entire body like it was before the battle. He stared at her with his confused eyes.
However, Luna only smiled. "Is there anything wrong with helping a friend? The battle had ended so there's no meaning to being hostile with each other," she said.
Her heart tightened in delight that flashed towards her deep black eyes. Befriending a man full of potentials wasn't that bad at all. In this dangerous Magic Academy, she needed someone that could stand beside her at any time.
Blair took her hand and stood up.
"I'm very glad that you wanted me near your side, milady," he said.
Although his weirdness, once again, startled the whole out of Luna.
--To be continued--