Seasons changes at school.
In the blink of an eye, Ernst stayed half a year in the institute.
At school, he is like a sponge, absorbing knowledge that he never learned from his mother and information not recorded in their family library. Generally, he stayed in the library to read books. Accompany his dorm mates to eat in the restaurants and shared what they learned in class. Occasionally, they will duel in the magical field.
During these past six months, Ernst always went in the back mountain behind the Ernst Institute. He stands with closed eyes while swinging his Blackshadow sword in the waterfall.
With his 'One with Nature' connection, he has perfectly merged his strength with his battle Qi. This was the most basic and the first stage of wielding weapons, using 'Strength and Qi'. In the second stage, 'Wielding something heavy as though it were light or wielding something light as though it were heavy'.
Suddenly, Ernst sat cross-legged, placing his Blackshadow sword across his lap. His battle Qi begun to boil, causing his blood vessels and heart began to change and transform.
In addition, within his dantian, the battle Qi begun to change as well. Excited, Ernst was pleased. He had a break through. "Who would believe a young 7th rank warrior is just an eight years old boy."
On the other side, "Grandpa Deohring. What is happening?" Linley asked.
Deohring Cowart touched his beard, he looks at the boy at his side. "Linley, the young boy in the waterfall, has just made a break through to a 7th rank warrior. He seems to be the same age as you."
Linley was stupefied. He can't believe it. "But Grandpa Deohring, Ernst Institute is a magic school and not a warrior school. How come there is a young 7th rank warrior in the campus?"
"Linley, you have to know that magus has a weakness, that is their weak bodies. The young boy in front must be the same as you, training both as a warrior and magus. He must be training since young and a warrior genius.
Linley pondered for a while, he believes in himself, but hearing there are students more talented than him, his pride was affected. "I thought Dixie is the best genius in the campus. Now there is another one. I remember now, he is my classmate at the earth magic class."
The soul body Deohring Cowart consoled him and smiles. "Linley, I know that this blow is hard on you, but remember this. The world is very big and there are many geniuses everywhere. Don't envy others. Just train hard. Looking at him, I'm sure he also a 5th rank magus."
"What?"
Linley is shocked. "I'm just 2nd rank magus, and he is already 5th rank magus. What's going on, Grandpa Deohring?"
Deohring Cowart just looked at Linley smilingly. "Linley, his spiritual essence is about seventy times more than average people, while you are merely eighteen times."
The young boy Linley just sighed. "Grandpa Deohring, is there is way to increase my spiritual essence?"
Doehring Cowart smiled playfully. "Linley, there is a way. In fact, it will be very fun, just like playing when you were young. Tomorrow, I will teach you stone sculpting."
On Ernst side, he still celebrates in his breakthrough. He makes sculptures of his family. He knows that he is not far from 6th rank magus.
On the way back to the dorm, Ernst passes the classrooms and pick up attribute bubbles if there are any.
Everyday, he would go to the back mountain at the back of the institute. Aside from training swordsmanship, he still trains in throwing stones. His stone throwing skills originates from his spear throwing technique he learned from his family guards. First he will throw a long spear. As he masters the skill, the spear becomes shorter and shorter until he can throw a stone, by flicking his fingers and hitting the target.
He wants to copy 'Precise Throwing Skill' from 'Zhang Tie' of the novel 'Castle of Black Iron'. Right now, he can hit the target accurately at the distance of fifty meters. Currently, he can flick ten stones per second on each hand. This is Ernst long-range skill to fight opponents in groups or individual. Now, he is improving the range and the number of stone he can flick per second. His main style of fighting is close combat as warrior and magic as support.
Six months past.
Ernst has been waiting for the yearly competition. He considers this as his biggest harvest this year.
This is a great day for every student in Ernst institute. A gathering of students who wants to show off what they learned throughout the year. Ernst will not participate in the yearly competition. He just here to watched and pick up attribute bubbles.
He first watched the first grade student's compete in the arena. The fights are good, but in terms of casting spells, they are far behind from higher grades. But some participants of the first grade are good, like Fire-style magus named Rand. He beats his opponent easily. After the first grade competition on the first day, Ernst shows a happy smiled on his face, seeing many transparent attribute bubbles on the arena floor. He picked it up very rapidly.
(Strength +78)
(Speed +51)
(Defense +156)
(Constitution +140)
(Perception +133)
(Spiritual Energy +202)
(Earth Elemental Essence Affinity +89)
(Fire Elemental Essence Affinity +77)
(Wind Elemental Essence Affinity +79)
(Water Elemental Essence Affinity +63)
(Lightning Elemental Essence Affinity +56)
(Light Elemental Essence Affinity +96)
Ernst watched the following battles for the higher grade students.
For the second grade, each and every battle is wonderful. But the battles from the third and fourth grades students were surprising. Various supportive spells and area of effects spells were used. Spell such as 'Shattered Rocks' now approaching hundreds of large stones to smash the heads of the opponents and lightning strikes down without stopping.
If the third and fourth grade students were spectacular. What about the fifth and the sixth graders? They are terrifying.
All sorts of spell continuously flashed, filling the arena with never-ending explosions. The watching students were roaring non-stop. Roughly, all the people in the institute were here.
The yearly tournament went on for a bit over a month. This period was naturally the wildest, noisiest month each year at the Ernst Institute.
Ernst is the biggest winner of the competition, though he did not participate, he collected numerous attribute bubbles for more than a month. He went to Huadeli hotel with his buddies to celebrate. His dorm mates participate in the competition, but sadly, they lost.
The Huadeli hotel.
The most expensive hotel and restaurant within Ernst Institute. Ernst with his dorm mates were happily eating and chatting, suddenly they heard a commotion. They saw Linley holding Rand's neck as he lifted him in the air with one hand. They seem to be arguing about who is number one freshman. To everyone's surprised, Linley slammed Rand into the floor.
"Boom!"
Ernst signals his dorm mates to follow him. They stopped where the argument is happening.
"Hey. Why isn't the manager of the hotel coming to calm things down?" Some onlookers said.
In fact, the manager was standingt far away, but he would rather not interfere. Because, he recognized these students.
Even aside from the fact these were students from the Ernst Institute, based on the status of these students, he wanted to avoid angering them. Especially Yale.
"Young master Ernst is also here? Forget it. They can do as they wished. Even if they smash the entire hotel, it's none of my business." He wouldn't dare to offend the two cousins.
"Rand, if we are going to engage in a magical duel, let's make it exciting. If you win, when I see you in the future, I'll have to take the long way and avoid crossing paths with you. If I win, you need to do the same." Linley said.
Rand couldn't help but sneer. "You call that exciting? When the loser meets the winner, not only he does he have to take the long way around, he also has to give a hundred gold coins. How about that?"
Ernst signals his dorm mates to get closer. "Do you want to win extra gold coins?" His dorm mate's eyes shined and nodded. "Give me all your gold coins." Ernst ordered. Randy gave him two hundred fifty gold coins. Oliver and Eugene both gave him two hundred gold coins. "Alright, trust me; we will earn more gold coins." Ernst smiled and reassured them.
"Hahaha! Rand, just a hundred gold coins? Aren't you embarrassed, saying such as number? How about this? Loser pays ten thousand gold coins. Deal?" Yale said loudly.
"Ten thousand gold coins?" Rand couldn't help but feel his heart shake.
"Haha. Don't have the balls?" Yale pulls out a magicrystal card, waving it around as he spoke.
Rand and his buddies glanced at each other.
"Fine! Ten thousand gold it is."
"Wait!"
Everyone looked at the back, seeing a blond boy smiling at them.
Ernst said. "If you want the duel to be more exciting. How about this? I will bet against all you. I will bet with this Linley, and you guys will bet on Rand who is these years freshman champion. If Rand wins the duel, I'll pay you double. The minimum bet is one thousand gold coins. Not a bad deal, right? Do you all dare?"
Everyone looked at each other. Ernst winked at Yale. Yale understands it.
"Haha" Yale laughed. "This is more interesting. Come on. Everyone who has balls can bet."
Every student inside the hotel was agitated with Yale's sarcastic remarks. They all bet against Ernst.
Everyone left the hotel, heading to the arena.
The entire hotel was crazed. A duel with ten thousand gold coins as a wager was rarely seen in school. Especially, there is also another bet that can double your gold coins if the side you bet on wins.
Immediately, many people paid their tabs and headed off to the arena as well.
During the duel, many were excited and bet on Rand, but the outcome is not they predicted. Rand lose in just three moves.
The audiences were unhappy because they loss the bet. They felt cheated and angry at Rand.
Ernst and his dorm mates were delighted and left the arena. Everybody was happy.