In an overlooked corner of the arena, Clark whispered to the referee as he held a bag brimming with coins.
"Like this... like that..." Clark explained to the referee how things should proceed next.
The referee nodded, accepting the bag with a smile and weighing its contents before agreeing with satisfaction.
Clark returned the smile, equally content.
What harm was there in a transaction both parties deemed worthwhile? For a scion of the Sahm family, a hundred coins meant little, but for this fifth-grade mage instructor, it equated to months of income. Though not a significant sum, who would refuse such an unexpected windfall? Moreover, in the midst of the match, the referee's actions were ambiguous at best; Clark merely lent a small hand.
Unbeknownst to Yann and Niya, a conspiracy was about to rear its head.
After a brief respite, Niya's third match commenced. Winning this would propel her from first to second grade!
Under Yann's watchful gaze, Niya ascended to the left side of the central stage, awaiting her opponent.
Before long, a nervous-looking youth wielding a magic wand appeared onstage, ready to face Niya.
Unnoticed by anyone, the youth exchanged a glance with the referee. Upon receiving the signal, his nerves seemed to ease.
"In this bout, first-grade mage Niya faces off against first-grade mage Bixide," the referee announced, then declared, "Begin!"
Upon the commencement signal, Bixide took the initiative, chanting for a few seconds before unleashing a Wind magic spell.
This wind magic, though not particularly destructive, was fundamental among basic spells, serving the sole purpose of stirring up wind before the caster. Naturally, every magic had its utility; there were no worthless spells, only inept casters. Even a basic spell like Wind could evolve into a Storm in due course!
As expected, Niya, caught off guard by this move, found herself caught in a gust of sand, forced to shut her eyes against the grains.
Simultaneously, a haze of dust enveloped the entire arena, obscuring visibility from afar. Raising such a cloud required considerable magical expenditure from Bixide. Though Wind required minimal magical power, raising such a substantial gust demanded nearly half the energy of a first-grade mage.
This was the chance Bixide had been waiting for! A glint of triumph flashed in his eyes.
"Silence..." Unnoticed by anyone, Bixide's wand, seemingly no different from an ordinary student's, actually concealed the Silence spell.
Silence, a powerful yet singularly focused spell, targeted only mages, rendering them unable to speak. It held no effect on non-magical professions.
Casting spells required a period of incantation. While higher-level mages could cast instant spells, for lower-level ones, being silenced was akin to having their martial arts crippled. What use was a mage who couldn't chant or cast spells? Fighters, on the other hand, relied on their physical prowess and martial techniques, unaffected by the need for speech.
"Hmm!" Yann, observing from below, furrowed his brow. Though unable to practice magic or martial arts due to his physical condition, his sovereign-level mental prowess remained intact. He keenly sensed that someone had cast the Silence spell on stage, and it certainly wasn't Niya.
Niya had never learned the fourth-grade Silence spell, and none of the magical weapons he provided her contained such an effect.
After deliberation, only one possibility remained—Bixide had used it! Yet, Bixide was merely a fighter; casting a fourth-grade spell like Silence was absurd. He must have cheated! He must have used a magical weapon!
Yann glanced at the referee, listening carefully for a verdict, but even after the dust settled from the Wind spell, the referee remained silent.
The referee must have noticed; the magical fluctuations were too significant to ignore. It was elementary for a fifth-grade mage to discern the intensity of a fourth-grade spell when cast.
Furthermore, neither of the two on stage was capable of casting a fourth-grade spell. Bixide, naturally, lacked the ability, and while Niya was skilled, her repertoire was limited to first-grade magic. In other words, neither had the capacity to cast a fourth-grade spell.
Yet, the referee, inexplicably, remained silent, defying logic.
Yann understood what had transpired, especially upon seeing Clark and Aksei on the observation platform, particularly the smiling Aksei.
Niya had fallen victim to another's machinations. Anger surged within Yann.
Despite having previously reprimanded Aksei, he remained unreasonably obstinate. First, he attempted to force Niya to drop out of school, only to be rebuffed by Yann. Now, he was scheming against her once more, this time with his brother.
Their methods were despicable, having not only bribed Bixide in the match but also corrupted the referee.
Now, Niya, silenced by the Silence spell, was like a lamb to the slaughter before Bixide, utterly defenseless, at the mercy of others' manipulations. And it was happening in front of thousands, after Niya's previous defeats!
They had failed to defeat Yann, so they targeted Niya instead!
This was something Yann couldn't tolerate. While he may indulge in some debauchery and occasional mischief, he would never allow others to harm his own people. In short, he was fiercely protective!
Sure enough, when the dust cleared, Niya stood dazed and apprehensive, her beautiful eyes silently beseeching Yann for help.
Meanwhile, Bixide raised his magic wand, poised to strike Niya, albeit without causing serious harm. With Niya silenced, the referee saw no need to intervene!
Yann's resolve hardened. With a signal to Niya, he indicated for her to use her magic weapon!
If they wouldn't play fair, then he wouldn't hesitate to resort to underhanded tactics himself! Yann was fiercely protective of his own!