"Ladies and gentlemen. As principal of Leviathan Academy, Estros will hereby begin explaining the rules of this fighting tournament. The only rule here is… to win no matter the cost. Of course that means win with your own power, not others powers…" Estros had said this while looking up at the VIP seating area.
"Oh? more guests…" Estros thought to himself seeing four familiar faces show up. These four were the family of the head of the Reinheart house, his eldest son Leopold, his second oldest son Vincent Reinheart and finally the head's wife.
Estros who had not stopped talking while noticing all of these people show up, had further explained that the match up's were going to be at random, that and that two matches were arranged under certain untold circumstances. All while he could very well see that the mages had been doing their jobs in using mirror, sound magic, alongside magic circles which were placed throughout Hydropolis, allowing all the citizens the chance to watch, hear and enjoy the fights as well. (All together, it's called Spellstream magic).
Surprisingly many of the students had no problems with this, and if they did, with royalty being present, those who'd dare speak up, thought twice since this might ruin the moment for them and cost them their heads.
With Estros's explanation coming to an end, he took his seat, glancing at the VIP area once again. "Now to enjoy this event." He muttered to himself as the random match ups were called, and the event finally began.
For the next two hours, first years fought for some time, some showing skill, and some embarrassing themselves. There were even a few who showed explosive talent. Maybe too much talent. One example being Iyashi, a first year who's very good with healing magic, and can even fight at close combat.
More interesting was his use of healing magic, covering his body with it, letting him heal from the wounds, damage and all other factors quickly in unison with his reflexes. "He shows great skill. Using healing magic to paralyze his opponents slowly too… haha, once these first years graduation comes around, try recruiting him to the royal healers." The Royal family member sitting in the VIP stands informed a royal knight, and his advisor.
After Iyashi's match, Estros stood up. "Now that the more or less boring matches are over with…" Estros fake coughed as what he had said was in his head, and not aloud. So now opening his mouth, words flooded out. "Alright students. Now for the two special matches. Kendred reinheart, top of the second years make your way to the field; and now Yoru~ one of our newest students and current first year, make your way to the field as well." Estros demanded in an authoritarian tone.
Seconds passed by as both students eventually made their way to the field. Now staring at each other, Yoru looked deep into Kendred's eyes, and clearly seeing this, he smiled. "Like what you see? my eyes and face are elegant, it's only natural you'd stare into them. Although… staring the way you are, is very unpleasant and disrespectful." Kendred Reinheart stated boosting his ego in front of everyone's eyes.
Many students chuckled, some even breaking out into laughter. Yoru not being fazed by the onlookers, only had a few words for Kendred. "Tch shut your mouth. You and your looks disgust me." Saying this she prepared herself for a fight. What Yoru had told this ego boosted Reinheart hurt his pride quite a bit, making him put on a more serious facial expression, leading him to ready himself as well.
Everyone could see that Yoru was given a short sword, maybe even a longer knife from what it looked like, and Kendred was given a spear as per his request. Now that both students had their desired weapons, both moved back thirty feet as per the instructions. Then the magic bell rang signifying the start of this battle.
Kendred deciding to take the lead in this battle began to do something odd. Around his body wind began forming currents surrounding his body. "Wind shield." He yelled aloud smiling elegantly as he then followed that up by chanting something else. "Oh honored ones above. King of light, our saving grace, grant this apostle the~" As Kendred was chanting, Yoru not taking chances began rushing straight for Kendred the moment the match started. But since he had seen the way she could be right behind someone, he held his spear in a way that would allow him for a quick almost instant response should she appear behind him.
Rushing at him, Yoru encased her short sword in darkness, and looked straight into the eyes of Kendred doing something that felt natural to her. Her eyes locked onto Kendreds every little detail in all, seeing Yoru approaching quickly and staring deep into his eyes, Kendred felt a sudden rush of anxiety and little fear.
She didn't know it, but what she had done was use something called fear. A much stronger version further known as Primal fear. This is unique to demi humans, and not all can use this intimidation tactic which could dull one's senses if not strong enough.
As for Kendred who had never felt the pressure of fear, felt frightened a little, but his mental defenses were backed up by one of his elements, that being light. So for the moment, his senses werent affected far too much, at least to the self noticeable stage.
But as Yoru shortened the distance between themselves Kendred began speeding up his chanting. "~protection of your warm radiant light!" Kendred finished chanting loudly. Yoru had nearly gotten to him, but felt a change in the air in the last moment, so she jumped backwards really quickly, her sense telling her to swerve to the side.
She did so, and that's when she could see the normal winds around Kendred beginning to add some light yellow color to themselves. Not only this, but Yoru could feel a tiny bit of heat come from them. "He got rid of his shadow…" Yoru pondered as to what she should do next now that most of her dark attacks were going to prove themselves as pointless at the moment.
Kendred with his spear in hand, smiled, shaking his head in circular motion once, followed by a laugh. "Did you think I was going to go down so easily?" he shouted for everyone to hear. Kendred then followed up his statement, stating that if Yoru surrendered, he'd pardon her for her disrespect to him and his house, the house of Reinheart.
"Not only will i pardon you, it'll be a very honest elegant act, should you do so, I'd consider giving you to my brother with a still pretty face." Kendred stating made many students laugh in the crowd, most of them being second and third years with right around half of the first years.
"Shut up." Yoru muttered pointing her short sword at Kendred from afar, the fingers in her free hand imitating a sword. For a moment Yoru whispered something unheard by anyone who could even notice that little fact. Yoru's finger sword gesture hovered right above the blade of her already darkness enveloped sword, but hand gesture hovering over the blade began to trail the blade from the point down to the handle, never making contact as her hand retracted.
Every step of the way she had done this, her sword seemed to light up even more so with a faint purple glow. "Shadow guidance" she whispered, completing the ability, or reinforcement on her short sword.
What she had done was condense the shadows of everyone in the arena adding it into her blade for a short moment, increasing it's cutting ability, cutting speed and just making the sword much stronger overall.
It was clear that from the time Yoru traveled with Koku, the way he dealt with things rubbed off on her, making her more crafty, and annoying to deal with once she'd begun gaining momentum with her thoughts.
Yoru gave Kendred a death stare, once which made him feel shivers go down his spine. "What's she planning?" Kendred thought seeing Yoru begin rushing full speed towards him with no regards for powerful light infused winds all around himself.
After getting as close as she could without taking any damage, she threw the short sword like a throwing knife, and this wasn't of any concern to Kendred since it was so easy to dodge. Choosing not to block the attack Kendred let the sword pass by since he had moved out of its way by an inch.
He himself thought that doing this made him look cool as he had kept a calm expression thus far. That however would change not even a second later when Yoru's body vanished, feeling a sharp abdominal pain.
He tried turning but then felt something start spreading throughout his body. Just then he was able to use his winds after gaining a short moment of composure. This saved him as Yoru was going for his neck the moment he pushed her away with the light winds.
Everyone was confused, and so was Estros. "How did she do that, when his shadow had disappeared entirely?" he kept looking at the battle, seeing Kendred cough up blood, as his winds began healing the open sword wound Yoru had inflicted on Kendred.
Estros's gaze followed the battle, and in the corner of his eye he noticed something odd about the whole seating area. "Hmmmm… something looks wrong here." It clicked right that moment. "The shadows of all the students." He looked down to see if his shadow was there, and as he suspected his shadow, like the rest of the clueless students, was not there.
"Ahh, so it looks like she can only walk through people's shadows, and by gathering all of our shadows and imbuing them into that short sword, she was able to throw the it and walk through it's condensed shadow… truly a cunning genius, or is this experience at play?" Estros thought to himself with a smirk growing on his face.
"But how will she deal with his defending winds, they heal him while protecting him continuously." Estros thought aloud this time, a few students hearing him. Some students commented to each other, on how Yoru the new girl was pretty strong but that this was her end now.
By the time his wound was gone completely, Estros and almost all the students noticed something off, that's when someone spoke up in the VIP area. "Leopold, your younger brother Kendred seems to be acting weird." the head of the Reinheart family said noticing something wrong with Kendred, seeing as he was clutching at his stomach while no wound was present anymore.
Leopold Reinheart the oldest of all the brothers, and the very first son, spoke to his father Balor Reinheart. "Father, the problem isn't that that young lady wounded him for a brief moment, but what she placed into his now sealed body. She allowed some of that dark mana inside of his blood and mana stream. He's feeling an explosive pain vibrating through his body. It's likely that all of his mana vessels are frying up as well." Leopold informed his father. "Will he be okay after this?" Balor asked worried for his children's future.
"Yes, this is a protected event, and they have modern artifacts here in place to return the body back to normal. Though... no mental damage will be fixed if any is done." Leopold sighed seeing his struggling younger brother, Kendred.
Currently Kendred was struggling to even keep the winds on, and at the defensive too. His thoughts focused on the pain kept him aware of the battlefield and not at the same time, Yoru on the other hand simply watched, saying something for everyone to hear.
"Surrender, and I'll elegantly forgive~ oops, sorry that's the wrong line. I'll be gentle as i elegantly beat your disgusting face into your ass." she stated with what seemed to be arrogance...