After stepping away from the sparring platform, Mujin briefly notices that the color of his hair has turned black.
Mujin Daeho:
"Damn it! I'll have to hide somewhere else!"
Without hesitation, he swiftly moves to a nearby tree and takes a deep breath to compose himself.
Mujin Daeho:
"Shapeshift, Return."
"Shapeshift, Recrudesce."
As he leaned against the trunk, he exhaled a sigh, allowing thick smoke to billow from his body as he reverted back to Mujins appearance.
Mujin Daeho(INT):
"That was close. I'll have to be more careful–"
Mujin unexpectedly notices Kuro; she was staring at him with a surprised expression on her face.
Mujin Daeho(INT):
"Tch, I just hate people who are too curious."
Before he could even utter a word, Kuro shut him down with a smug smirk, refusing to let him speak.
Mujin Daeho(INT):
"What the hell is she doing–"
Kaimana Kuro:
"Shhh, don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
"I also smoke Guana."
Mujin Daeho:
"U– uh–"
"Right..."
Cut to a classroom with the 3rd year students(same time).
From the second floor of the building, a few third-year students observed the first-year students outside through their windows.
3rd Year Student #1:
"Hey, looks like the first years are taking the Combat Trials."
3rd Year Student #2:
"No sh##? I remember taking those classes two years back."
3rd Year Student #1:
"Yo, Jragun"
"What do you think of the first years?"
At the back of the classroom on a desk, boredly sat a tall and somewhat muscular young dragon-man lounged on a desk. He had dark skin, long black dreadlocks, piercing scarlet reptilian eyes, scales underneath his eyes and prominent fangs. Adorning his ears were black and gold earrings bearing the emblem of a scarlet circular dragon.
Jragun Onyekachi:
"..."
"Doesn't matter to me, they're the same as all of us."
His shoulder gets nudged on by a young dog girl with a slight frame. Long, pointed German Shepard ears, mid-length bushy and wavy royal blue hair,big and gold-colored eyes, and noticeably sharp canines. From a neighboring desk.
???:
"Aw, c'mon! There's no need for the same old broody attitude!"
"I think they look cool! Especially that dog-eared red head!"
3rd Year Student #3:
"Hey look! The second duel s'bout to start."
Cut back to the circular sparring platform outside at the field(same time).
Professor Raijiro:
"Haneul Yoon, and Yan Shi!"
"You two will be facing Huo Hao, and Ayumi Tokiko!"
Hao enthusiastically leaped onto the sparring platform, joined by Tokiko, who calmly walked over and stood beside him. After a brief pause, Haneul and Shi also stepped onto the same platform, positioning themselves opposite to Hao and Tokiko, exchanging glances.
Professor Raijiro:
"Five! Four! Three!–"
Huo Hao:
"ALRIGHT!!!"
As Raijiro was about to speak, Hao, squatting on the ground, suddenly roared, unleashing an intensely powerful, hot, and humid aura that cracked the ground.
Professor Raijiro:
"Ain't he just a bundle of enthusiasm?"
Haeun Ara:
*Sigh*
"That fool..."
"He's already going all out."
Haneul Yoon(INT):
"Based on my observations during the entry examination, while Hao's aura is described as emitting flames, this is seemingly a misnomer."
"Hao's element isn't fire, but rather—"
"The heat!"
Huo Hao:
"I've been starving for a fight! I feel exhilarant! I feel brilliant! I feel—"
"CARNIVOROUS!"
Stepping forward, a quiet figure emerged—Yan Shi. The entire class, excluding Hao, gazed at Shi in astonishment. Hao, detecting a scent, flashed an excited grin, shouting loudly.
Huo Hao:
"I smell a true flame!"
Shi, using his fist to crack his neck, directed his gaze toward Hao. Opening his mouth, he spoke with a voice that resonated deep and hoarse.
Yan Shi:
"Wuhua."
A colossal surge of black fire emerged from Shi. The dark, everlasting flames colliding fiercely with searing heat in a testament of raw power!
Haneul Yoon(INT):
"So this is what his Innate Magic looks like!"
"I don't remember seeing this much power during the entrance exams."
"This could only mean that Shi was holding back significantly during our initial bout!"
Professor Raijiro:
"Hey hey hey! Woah– now kids!"
"You don't wanna destroy school grounds now, do ya?!"
Hao forcefully slammed his feet onto the earth, shattering the ground beneath. His canine ears perked up with excitement, and he panted heavily.
Huo Hao:
"Enough dilly dally!"
"Now let's crank up the heat!"
Haneul Yoon & Ayumi Tokiko:
"Acceleration, Increase!/Augmence, Speed + Strength!"
Haneul and Tokiko darted across the circular arena, their movements swift and dynamic. In the center, Hao and Shi engaged in a fierce clash of auras, locking eyes before abruptly unleashing face-pummeling punches with no defenses in sight.
Haneul takes a punch to the face from Tokiko, followed by a blind strike to the chest. Swiftly recovering, he dashes back with blinding speed, then propels forward at an equally blinding pace, landing a clean, rapid punch to Tokiko's face.
In a flurry of strikes and blocks, Tokiko struggles to match Haneul's accelerated punches. Despite the challenge, Tokiko discerns Haneul's impending strike, swiftly dodges, grabs and hurls him between Hao and Shi, momentarily distracting them both.
Huo Hao & Yan Shi:
"?!"
Tokiko soared amid the clash of auras, launching herself toward Shi with a dropkick. Yet, Shi, foreseeing her move, effortlessly seizes her leg mid-dropkick, hurling her aside. As Tokiko rises, a searing agony courses through her leg. Glancing down, she witnesses black flames enveloping her limb.
Ayumi Tokiko(INT):
"My leg, although it doesn't appear to be burning, it damn well feels like it is!"
"Agh! F##k it!"
Bearing the pain in her leg, she persisted, by Hao's side. Together, they unleashed a storm of kicks and punches upon Shi. However, Shi adeptly thwarted their strikes, countering with forceful forearm blocks and swift leg sweeps to halt their attempts.
Shi executes a forceful push kick, stumbling Hao backward. Swiftly evading Tokiko's strike with a duck, and counters with a punch to her stomach. Hao recovers and lunges at Shi to tackle him, but a sudden low spinning sweep kick from the unexpected Haneul sends him tumbling to the ground.
In the chaotic swirl of Tokiko and Hao's clash, shadows of pitch-black flames engulf Shi's left hand and forearm.
Ayumi Tokiko & Huo Hao(INT):
"Physical Imbueation!?!"
With a casual face, he clenches his fist, propelling it forward with calculated precision aimed at Tokiko's face. The impact promises to launch her and Hao in a direction that ensures they're rendered unconscious and out of the battle.
Shi lunges to strike, but the bell tolls, signaling the end of the class session. Stopping mid-motion, his punch merely grazes Tokiko's face. The impact disperses the auras of both Shi and Hao. Lowering his fists, Shi offers Tokiko a subtle bow.
The black flames on the training ground flicker away along with Tokiko's leg. Hao casually nudges Tokiko aside, brimming with enthusiasm to converse with Shi.
Huo Hao:
"Woah! You're seriously strong! Like, so strong!"
Hao talked to Shi, who still remained mute and slightly confused. Raijiro spoke with Haeun Ara, Chiara Ricci, Kagetsuki Aya, and Kang Daewon.
Professor Raijiro:
"Sorry kids, guess we didn't have enough time to nudge you four's spar in."
Haeun Ara:
"Nah, it's alright."
"Chiara somehow fell asleep through the fight."
"It's just been a pretty busy day for everyone."
Perched on a separate bench, Mujin sat alone, chin resting upon clenched fists, immersed in contemplation.
Mujin Daeho(INT):
"Those black flames look unstoppable, but I wonder if my Absorption magic will hold up against it."
"Regardless, I have a feeling that Shi's innate magic will prove to be a significant challenge in the future."
Timeskip(30 Minutes later).
As Mujin and Haneul strolled throught the dorm corridors at sunfall, Mujin couldn't figure out why Wu was trailing them. He glanced back at Wu, and raised an eyebrow as he thought to himself.
Mujin Daeho(INT):
"What does this guy want? Why is he suddenly following me and Hay-newl?"
Hei'an Wu(INT):
*Scoff*
"As much as I hate saying this, I can admit that this mediocre-faced fool is far better at combat than me."
"And that fact alone—pisses me off!"
A moment of silence between the three fills the air, before abruptly being broken by Wu's voice.
Hei'an Wu:
"Oi."
Mujin Daeho:
"?"
Hei'an Wu:
"..."
"As of now, throughout our five years in this sh##-hole."
"You are my rival."
He paused, glancing at Mujin and Haneul, sighed, and then headed back to his dorm. Mujin scoffed in annoyance, and Haneul stayed silent as they walked through the dorm halls, both looking in the direction of their dorm room.
Haneul Yoon:
"I wonder what that was about?"
Mujin Daeho:
"It's nothing."
Haneul Yoon:
"Right..."
Mujin Daeho:
"..."
"Oi."
Haneul Yoon:
"Hm?"
They both paused at their dorm entrance before going inside, the sun now setting.
Mujin Daeho:
"You still got any clothes I can wear?"
Haneul Yoon:
"Are you kidding–..."
*Sigh*
"Yes..."
Mujin Daeho:
"Thanks..."