The student that had gathered and formed a crowd are now whispering some excited and hopeful that they were the ones that Noah Arcadios had his eye on. The whispers stop when Guro starts approaching Noah and his group. Guro stops in front of Noah
- Noah. Why do you have a sword in your hand?
The students finally notice the fact that Noah had brought back a sword from his little excursion during class hours.
- To fight with it, obviously.
- A magician holding a sword? What kind of joke do you think martial artists are?
- I don't remember saying such a thing
- That's what your action is saying, Noah.
- That is not my intention. I really wield the sword.
- Give it to me.
- Not happening. replies Noah
- I have an idea, teacher. says Aos
- What is it? asks Guro
- Since Noah insist that he can use a sword, he should show us that he can. By sparing with a martial artist student without using spells. says Aos with a devious smile
- It is quite a good idea. says Guro
- But that's not all.
- It's not? asks Gancelot
- Of course not. replies Aos. If he loses, he has to give his quest to the person that defeated him. Aos says with the same devious smile
Noah lowers his head...
- Master...
- Boss...
And a devious smile forms on his face too
{Noah}
" Everything is going according to plan!"
From the very minute Noah had walked into the training ground, everyone was dancing in his palm. Every single person in the training ground was but a chess piece to find out who was after him. Noah purposely showed his quest so that the other student could see the quest reward. Naturally, the students would get mad because if he hadn't left the class to do some quests, they also would have had a chance at getting the quest. Then he used Aos curiosity against him. Noah knew that everybody had noticed that Abel and him got closer, plus Abel started calling him Boss and before he left to take a quest, Aos had questioned them but he didn't ask about why Abel called him Boss. Therefore the question was definitely gonna be brought up. If someone asked Abel why was he calling Noah Boss he would naturally need to tell them about the squad that Noah was making. Obviously, every student present on the training ground would want to join the squad but one person more than anybody else. The son of a conglomerate family with other sons than him. He could use the squad to show off his power, and threaten others, however, obviously none of that mattered to Noah. That person, which is Aos, thought that since he would bring a lot of benefits to the squad, there was no reason to refuse him and Noah used that fact, he used that absolute confidence by rejecting him while saying that there were other candidates for the squad by that he wasn't a part of them. Aos would then get mad, and try to take his revenge against Noah by taking his quest with a spar that would have a few conditions. And that's where the person who is after him would step in. Because the condition of the spar would put Noah at a disadvantage, the person who is after him would either try to alter the rules or stop the spar from happening.
{Noah}
" Now.. show yourself!"
Somebody approaches the trio (Noah, Guro, and Aos) The person puts their hand on Guro's shoulder.
-Now, Now. You shouldn't act in such a way if you are a teacher, Guro.
{Noah}
" I had my doubts and suspicions but to think it really was you, Andre Layton! I will make you regret trying to mess with me."
- Andre?
- The rules of the spar are clearly not fair. Instead of making them fight with Noah unable to use spells, why don't you make them spar without using any energy?
- You are right, Andre. In the end, student Noah is still an 8-year-old kid. I shouldn't get angry like that at a kid. He still doesn't fully understand, I guess, what it means for a magician to hold a sword.
- So, who will be my opponent?
Aos heads toward the wooden weapon rack and takes a wooden rapier
- Of course, it's gonna be me. he says with another devious smile
- Wait! I also want to fight him. says Wilmo Parmekia
- Back off, Wilmo!
- Huh? Who are you talking to you fucking bastard?
- Tsk! This is annoying. I will take you both on. says Noah while taking a wooden sword.
- Huh? says Wilmo and Aos
- But first, there was something interesting that was about to happen before I got in here. he says while looking at Gancelot and Juliana.
- I almost forgot. says Juliana with an utterly pissed facial expression
- Master? Why? asks Gancelot
- I think I already told you not to let go of any chance to get stronger. says Noah with a smile
- MAAASSSTTTEEEERRRR! yells Gacncelot as Juliana drags him by the collar into the middle of the training ground
As soon as the twins make it into the middle of the arena, Turo activates the ancient artifacts that remodel the training grounds into the arena.
[In the stands]
- Boss, who do you think is gonna win? asks Abel
- I have no idea. answers Noah
- Really... but Gancelot beat me and I am pretty sure you knew back then that I wasn't gonna win
- Back then, it was a 72- 28% of chance that Gancelot would win. Of course, the odds were for Gancelot
- How did you know?
- I simply imagined myself as the both of you and ran simulations within my head. Out of a 100 spar, Gancelot won 72 times and you won 28 times.
- So why don't you do the same?
- I could only do it because of one important reason and that reason is bec-
- Oh! I know! It's because you fought us both! That is the only thing that Gancelot and I have in common.
- That is right. The only reason why I was able to run the simulations is because I experienced your strength and weakness firsthand. I never fought Juliana so I can't tell who is gonna win.
{Noah}
" But that's not all... Juliana... she didn't use her full strength in her sparring match against Sunev. As soon as she realized that Sunev was holding back, she did the same too."
[On the arena]
- Sis! How about... How about you try to... calm dooowwwnn.
- Oh! So now you are even trying to tell me what to do, huh!?
- THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT. desperately yells Gancelot
- Today, I am gonna teach you a lesson you will never forget.
[In the stands]
- But... Boss, doesn't Gancelot have an advantage?
- He does and he will realize it during the fight. says Noah
-1... 2... 3... GO! yells Turo
Gancelot is the first one to use a spell
- Wind Magic! Wind Shot!
A ball of wind shpes within his hand and he shots it at his sister
- Fire Magic! Fire Ball!
A ball of fire takes shape within Juliana's hands and she also shoots it. The two balls enter in contact and they both explode but the explosion strengthened the strength of the fire damaging Gancelot.
[In the stands]
- Is he that scared of his sister, Boss?
- Seems like it since he seems to have forgotten the relations between elements. says Noah. What the hell did she do to him?
{Gancelot}
" Why was I touched by her fire? Our spells were supposed to hit and create an explosion but I wasn't supposed to get hit by fire."
- "Why was I touched by her fire? Our spells were supposed to hit and create an explosion but I wasn't supposed to get hit by fire." Is probably what you are thinking right now. says Juliana. What exactly did I expect? she finishes with a sigh
Gancelot gets up
{Gancelot}
" I will show you! I will show you that I am not the same! Think, Gancelot, Think!.... Oh. I forgot about the relations between the elements! Wind spread and strengthens fire! That means I can't use any affinity spell during this spar."
- Mana Bullet!
Gancelot shoots a mana bullet while running to the left. Juliana uses
- Fire Magic! Fire Ball!
But she makes the fire ball explode when the bullet reaches her, changing its course. Gancelot that was running to the left starts running in a circle while continuously casts the Mana Bullet spell, however, each and every time Juliana uses her Fire Ball spell to alter the course of the bullets. Gancelot jumps and uses
- Wind Magic! Wind Steps!
Under his feet to propel him in the air and while he is in the air he charges another bullet
{Juliana}
" This is!"
- MANA BULLET! POWER VERSION!
*BOOOOMM*
[In the stands]
- You thought him how to use the power version of the Mana Bullet spell? asks Noah
- Yeah. He asked me plus while I was teaching him I was able to correct some stuff with the spell. So it was a win-win situation
[On the arena]
Gancelot lands back on the ground. His last spell lifted a lot of dust along when it landed on its target.
- What is that? asks Gancelot while squinting his eyes trying to look within the dusts
Something starts shining within the dust and the thing that is shining is closing in onto Gancelot. When the thing gets out of the dust that was lifted by Gancelot's spell what he sees is a big fire ball heading toward him. Gancelot turns around.
-Wind Magic! Wind Steps!
[In the stands]
- NO! GAN, DON'T DO THAT! yells Abel
- Too late. says Noah
[On the arena]
The wind gathers at Gancelot's feet and explodes, however, the explosion of wind also touches the fire ball and makes it explode which then, creates an even larger explosion of fire. One which Gancelot couldn't escape from. Juliana walks out of the dust and approaches her brother who is lying on his back.
- Are you ok? she asks
- My whole body hurts. he answers. You could have held back a bit, sis.
- Yeah that was not gonna happen after the way you yelled at me.
Gancelot sigh
- I am sorry.
Juliana helps him get up
- It's fine. You proved it to me. That you changed, that you have gotten stronger. she says with a smile
- Of course! Master, is amazing after all! he says with pride
They both walk up to the stands and join the two others
- You lost, Gancelot. says, Noah
Gancelot gulps
- Master... huuhh.... You got to understand.... Ever since we were kids my sister has always been better than me at everything. says Gancelot says while stammering
Noah tilts his head sideways a litlle
- Why would I care about that? Don't you know that today you lost because you kept making the wrong decisions? says Noah
- Master I am sorry! I won't do it again
- What is going on? asks Juliana
- You don't want to know. All you need to know is that he won't make the same mistakes for a long time
- I guess we need to double the intensity of your training. says Noah
- You know what. Scratch what I said earlier. He will never make these mistakes. Ever again. Abel says with a look full of sympathy while looking at Gancelot
Noah jumps off the stand and land in the arena. He looks up at Aos and Wilmo who are still in the stand
- What are you guys waiting for? Noah says with a smirk