The battle podium stood as a silent witness to the shocking turn of events.
A hushed tension hung in the air as Luna, Theo, the watching cadets, the instructor, and even the judge witnessed an unexpected twist in the competition. Azrael Akki, a formidable contender by all accounts, declared his surrender.
"What!"
His surrender sent shockwaves rippling through the entire arena, leaving both spectators and participants in bewildered astonishment.
Among the spectators, Luna and Theo exchanged puzzled glances, their faces reflecting their utter confusion as they tried to make sense of the unexpected turn of events.
Even the judge, a seasoned veteran of countless battles, couldn't conceal his surprise. "Are you sure about this?" he asked Azrael, his tone tinged with curiosity and puzzlement.
Azrael simply nodded in response.
With a mixture of curiosity and astonishment in his expression, the judge declared Thant Zin as the winner of the match. "The winner of this battle is Cadet Thant Zin!"
Thant Zin, who had been eagerly anticipating this duel against Azrael, stood on the battle podium in disbelief.
His emotions swirled with confusion and frustration. He couldn't fathom the sudden change in Azrael's decision. It was a moment he had long awaited, to face Azrael in a true test of strength, and now it had slipped through his fingers like sand.
As Azrael left the battle podium, a murmur of confusion and disapproval swept through the crowd.
"What's he thinking? Surrendering like that is just embarrassing." commented one cadet, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I can't figure him out. Maybe he got scared." speculated another.
"I don't get it. Maybe he's injured or something? We don't know it."
"Quit defending him; he's just a coward. I thought he was tougher than this," countered yet another cadet.
Concern etched across Luna's face, she turned to Theo and whispered, "Theo, is something happened to Akki?"
Theo shakes his head, equally worried. "I don't know. But he must have his own reason."
On a different part of the seating area, Leo tilted his head. "I wonder what's going on. What could be the reason behind his surrender?"
Yerin frowned, sharing Leo's curiosity. "I'm not sure, Leo. Maybe he got scared or something happened to him? Oppa, any idea?"
"I don't know either." Hyunwoo shook his head, equally puzzled. "But whatever it is, it's definitely not what we expected. Since he's quite an unpredictable guy."
As Azrael made his way through the hallway, Jing Qiáng's figure manifested, dressed in his white robe that matched his long flowing hair.
The man radiated an ethereal allure, resembling a celestial being. This quality made him not only beautiful but also enigmatic.
He levitated beside Azrael and asked, "Is that all right? The first-place reward is 1000 points."
Azrael replied in a calm and measured tone, 'I need to fully recover my body so that my entire plan can proceed without delay. I can't afford to waste any more time.'
Jing Qiáng nodded in understanding, giving his compliment. "I see. You had a well-thought-out plan. That's a wise decision. You're improving."
'Shut up, you old man.'
Nonetheless, Jing Qiáng maintained a warm smile and added, "You should learn more how to accept a compliment."
Azrael had already secured a place in the top 50, guaranteeing his spot in the Elite Class. He didn't need to push his body further, especially when the injected mana from the artificial healing realm had disrupted his body's natural recovery processes.
He needed to regain his health as quickly as possible to delve into mana manipulation techniques and avoid falling behind on his plan.
Azrael made his way through the hallway toward his seat. His seat was a bit farther down, so he started to walk.
And many cadets who had been eliminated had changed back into their normal academy uniforms: long dark chocolate coats worn like capes, and black shirts and trousers beneath them.
As Azrael continued his path toward his seat, the atmosphere grew tense.
Some cadets, unable to hide their disdain, whispered among themselves, casting judgmental glances his way.
One of the cadets, a tall guy with his friend, stood by the walkway.
He leaned over to his friend, he muttered, "You see that guy? He's nothing more than a coward, I tell you. All he can do is pick on weaker opponents. Now that he's up against someone strong like Thant Zin, he's probably terrified."
His friend, a smaller cadet, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. He's all talk and no action."
Azrael's strides slowed as he heard these words.
Without hesitation, he approached the guy, who continued chatting with his friend, seemingly ignoring Azrael's presence.
In a swift and dominating move, Azrael grabbed the guy's uniform collar, pulling it towards his face, which brought them uncomfortably close.
The guy was taken aback and unconsciously lowered his gaze, unable to maintain eye contact with Azrael's piercing stare. While his friend took a step back, swallowing hard as he recalled how Azrael had brutally defeated his opponent in a previous fight.
The onlookers fell silent as they observed the tense situation.
The situation appeared quite odd; although the guy was taller than Azrael, yet their behaviors were strikingly different.
Azrael exuded a more dominating and imposing aura than his own physique would suggest, while the guy, despite his height, couldn't withstand Azrael's overwhelming presence.
As the guy attempted to free his collar from Azrael's unrelenting grip, he quickly realized how extremely difficult it was. The guy avoided making direct eye contact with Azrael and kept his gaze elsewhere.
Azrael continued to lock his gaze onto him, his voice carrying a slow, dominant tone. "If you have something to say, say it to my face."
Azrael's hand remained enveloped in his potent mana aura, giving it an almost palpable strength that made it difficult to break free from.
Then, with a swift and forceful movement, Azrael pushed the guy, causing him to fall to the ground.
Theo had just arrived, concern evident in his voice. "Are you okay, Akki?" He had observed the incident from the beginning and wasted no time rising to his feet and making his way over to help his friend.
"It's nothing. Let's go," Azrael replied shortly.
Theo briefly glanced at the guy Azrael had confronted. The guy clenched his teeth, clearly grappling with a sense of humiliation over the recent exchange.
"Everyone has the right to make their own choices, and you should respect other people's choices," Theo advised the guy before catching up to Azrael.
Azrael walked away, and many onlookers remained silent, moving to the side clearing his path as they didn't want to get in his way.
"Is that part of your plan?" Jing Qiáng asked in Azrael's mind.
'Maybe,' Azrael responds shortly.
From a distance, Kim Yerin watched the incident unfold and clearly didn't like what she saw. "That guy is a troublemaker," she remarked.
"Yeah, he sure acts like a hooligan." Leo chimed in.
Hyunwoo, however, offered a more balanced perspective, "Well, maybe that's just his way of defending himself. Since you can't expect everyone to behave the same way."
As Azrael arrived at his seat, he sat down beside Luna. She asked, looking worried, "What happened, Akki?"
Azrael replied calmly, "Nothing. I just had a little talk with that guy."
**********
The battle arena was a hive of activity as the remaining elite cadets showcased their distinct fighting styles and classes. From enchanted fighters to summoners, shapeshifters, magitech engineers, elemental orators, and magic swordsman, each participant brought their unique abilities to the forefront.
As the battles raged on, the audience watched in interest as each cadet demonstrated their unique skills and techniques.
Among the memorable fights, was a shapeshifter class cadet, with African-American heritage. He just woke up from his sleep and lazily dispatched his opponent.
Transforming into a fearsome black wolf to wear down his opponent. Then, in a climactic finish, he morphed into a colossal grizzly bear, sealing the match with a resounding victory.
"Man, y'all gotta step it up, for real," he talks with a yawn, his casual demeanor contrasting sharply with the intensity of his battles.
Another striking duel featured a studious-looking Chinese cadet, sporting glasses perched firmly on his nose, and recognized in a class of magitech engineers.
"Ah, your elemental affinity is water. That's interesting," the cadet remarked with a discerning gaze, methodically dissecting his opponent's abilities.
With four levitating magic weapons at his command, he unleashed potent energy blasts while meticulously decoding his opponent's every movement, securing a well-earned victory.
Leo, a noble blood descendant and a magic swordsman of exceptional grace and flamboyance, took center stage in yet another captivating battle.
"That's a good strike. Then, allow me to demonstrate the true essence of finesse in combat," he declared, his words dripping with confidence.
His every movement exuded elegance, and his strategic insights were delivered with a poised precision that mirrored his polished swordsmanship, ensuring that victory remained firmly in his grasp.
As these elite cadets secured their victories and moved on to the next stage, Thant Zin couldn't shake the belief that Azrael easily surrendered, even before the battle began.
Fueled by frustration, he channeled his anger into his opponent, eventually claiming the top spot in the competition.
However, his victory brought him no satisfaction. His mind fixated on one thing: he needed to face Azrael head-on and settle once and for all who were truly the strongest between them.
As the battles continued, the final results of the placement classes were announced.
Thant Zin secured the first position, followed by Kim Hyunwoo in second place and Leo Harrington in third. As the list extended further, Azrael's name appeared at the 33rd position, marking the end of the battles for placement classes at the National Magicia Academy.
With the conclusion of the placement battles, the National Magicia Academy had selected its students for the upcoming year, each one showcasing their unique talents and abilities in the arena.
The tension in the arena gradually subsided as the battles came to a close, leaving the cadets and spectators to reflect on this eventful day.