There was a little girl named Renna. A curious little girl who always finds the challenge on every little thing. She was ambitious, passionate and most of all, much braver than other people.
She was talented enough to be called a genius by those around her. Showered with love and support, she did her very best to be number one at everything.
At a young age of five, she already had a clear grasp to the power of mana. With weeks of training, she managed to grow in a tremendous rate.
If she could only feel mana at five years old, it only took a few weeks for her to reach the beginner's level, where most people are struggling even at the age of Eight .
She did her very best to be the genius she was proclaimed. And her family was proud of her. Everyone was already calling her a future pillar. She would become one of the future guardians of the continent, and her family also thought so...until the day of appraising came.
Though she was a noble, her stature was much less than the Seven Grace families, yet her talent was not one to underestimate.
With the compatibility towards three elements, she was deemed the same as the Seven Grace's children, a rival to the others.
She proudly boast about it to her parents, and those who supported her, but that only lasted for a few minutes.
A girl with a hair like snow showed affinity towards five elements. Though she was much older than the other children in the church, there was no doubt that she was on a different level.
It gave Renna an eye opener. This was the first time she realized that the world was still vast, and there's still more yet to be seen.
With this, Renna worked much harder. She joined the next batch of trainees on the town of SilverCrest. Though she came from another city on the west, she managed to convince her parents to move to this town for the time being to show that she had more to learn.
She promised that she was going to take the first place on the trainees spar, but when she arrived here, she never caught sight of the gifted child with the hair of snow.
But what awaited her was another challenge. She challenged the most talented trainee in the area, and was met with defeat.
Another lost.
Yet, she still persevered. Though it was a bummer she lost, she's still young and have much to learn. So she made a vow that she would beat this kid, by the name of Xuruz, before this training is over.
Even if it would take years, she would still persevere.
Renna caught a few kid's her age with talent, though none caught her attention. The trainees were capable enough to wield mana to a certain level, but not as much as her.
But amidst this set of children on her eyes, one caught her sight.
A boy with hair like blood. His eyes were gray, as if you were looking at a thin layer of ice. He was the only one who picked a peculiar weapon that resemble both the sword and a spear. A polearm, you might call it.
The whole thing was made out of metal, even the handle. The tip was as large as a great sword, whilst the handle was four feet long.
She couldn't help but to be curious about the boy. After all, he looked small, but he held his weapon like his own.
And based on it's appearance, it must be weighing a ton on the tip. So Renna thought that this kind of weapon was used for wide swings.
Because who would think about thrusting such a weapon. If it were a spear, then it should be doable, but something this big would only become a burden.
A burden...that's what Renna thought.
So as curious as she was, she approached the boy.
And once she did, she was almost struck to the head.
She managed to block the accidental strike, but her arms shook at the sudden impact.
After this, she became more curious.
How could such a small boy wield such a heavy and long weapon? How could he swing it so fast that I barely managed to block it?
Questions filled her mind while hiding the fact that it took her all just to block that accidental strike.
If something like that was intentional, then could she manage to block it?
No....
She knows that she can't. She can only dodge the strike. It was the most optimal option she had.
She asked a few things about the boy.
Whether he would participate the spar tomorrow or not.
Though, she also wanted to ask if the boy truly did have no mana, but she was stopped as one of her close friends called her back.
Renna was curiosity at its peak. The boy might just be skilled enough to completely conceal his mana and never bothered to show his talent. But even with this thought inside her head, she already knew the fact.
After all, she was there that day. She was there when the boy of blood colored hair was deemed as Manaless by the priest amidst the crowd of people inside the church.
At the very least, almost everyone on the town know of him because of his peculiar trait.
But she couldn't believe such a fact. Because if the boy was capable of swinging such a weapon with only pure strength, what would happen if he was capable of using mana with it.
True, it was probably thanks to the weight of the weapon that it's swings was amplified, but....even with this, the boy showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
Renna kept her eyes on him after their short conversation.
He started swinging the polearm at exactly mid-day, and it was already after noon. Yet, the boy was still continuing his swings.
Amidst this, she had a sudden thought.
If the boy was gifted with mana, could she win if both of them fought?
She wouldn't.
Renna couldn't help but to shiver at the sudden thought.
She tried to bury the thoughts deep inside her mind. She already had a goal in mind and something like this must not bother her.
Xuruz was just a side goal, whilst Morgana, the girl with hair of snow was the final one. After that, she would strive on becoming more stronger until she become's one of the pillars of the continent.
She had two goals, and she wanted to focus on it, but it seems another one got added.
At the day of the spar, though the instructor suddenly turned it into a competition, she vowed to take first place, and she was confident to do so.
After all, her first fight was a breeze. She would continuously win the next spars, showing how large the gap between her and the trainees has.
She was respectful towards his opponent, she hoped that her family would come visit her today, but only the guards of her estate was sent. Though there were the butlers, her parent's was still nowhere to be seen.
Yet, with a happy and warm expression on her face, she buried her true emotions deep enough so that it won't resurface until the end of the day.
But thinking such things, her focus was once again moved to another. The boy with blood colored hair, Bane Pyrrus.
Though Renna saw him trembling earlier before the competition started, and he continued to do so while waiting for his turn, once he ascended the stairs, what was left was a confident young man, prepared for what's about to come.
Her attention to her absent parent's became a passing thought, and now all her attention has been directed towards the boy.
Now was the moment to finally know the truth, whether the boy was still incapable of using mana or not.
Thinking this, Renna was hoping for a faint glow of mana to show on the boy's weapon. After all, she couldn't believe all her thoughts about him being stronger than her.
"I refuse to accept it...."
The instructor raised his hands and made sure that the two participant's was ready before he begins the fight.
"He's up against Krill." Renna muttered.
Bane Pyrrus and Krill Herst.
Who would win and who would lose.
Krill was holding a sword and shield. One to attack and one used to defend, though the shield was without a doubt a defensive weapon, it was still able to harm the opponent.
Bash, Parry and Defend. It could deflect the opponents weapon, bash towards the opponent and even parry it completely and used his sword to counter.
Base on your imagination, it can also be harmful.
Krill placed his shield Infront of his chest and squatted with his sword just at the side. Based on his stance, he must be used to countering an opponents strike. A classic move for the sword and shield.
Renna couldn't think of a better way to counter a polearm. Though it's a mix of two weapons, it was still considered a part of the spear family.
'Now....what will you do, Bane-'
Renna's eyes widened as her eyes darted towards Bane.
If Krill was using a stance to counter. Bane on the other hand was on the ground. His left arm pushed forward as he opened his palms that touched the ground, the heavy polearm was being held with only one hand that extends behind his back, while his body was low, both his legs curled.
As if he was a tiger ready to pounce, this was the idea she had as she glanced at the peculiar stance the boy was doing.
It was a stance that Renna have no clue about.
Though she had knowledge of all types of swordsmanship and stances, this one was without a doubt something she had no idea of.
"What is he-?"
Her question was interrupted when most of the crowd laughed at how bizarre the boy prepared himself. Even the instructor who joked earlier with a straight face was curious about what the boy was about to do.
Chatter's began to echo.
On the other end, Krill who was serious about the whole spar, had the corner of his lips slowly rising. But even with this, he still showed seriousness on his face.
But, amidst this chatter, the boy who showed such a peculiar stance only looked straight. He showed no signs of joking around.
"Ehem!! Umm! BEGIN!" The instructor cleared his throat and dropped his raised arm.
And the laughing crowd turned silent after a few seconds. What was left was a silent arena, and a few jaws left wide open for fly's to enter.