"By the way, Zayn, where have you been since you left the village? What have you been doing for the past two years?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Well, I had to catch up to all of you. I left because I felt so far behind, especially with how talented you all are at manipulating Mana. Sophia, I heard from everyone in town that you awakened all four Elements on the Awakening Day, right?" Zayn said, looking at Sophia.
Sophia simply nodded, confirming what Zayn had said. "I've missed so many days with you all, and it's been hard without you, especially with my longing for my mother that hasn't gone away. I only managed to send her a message before coming to the Academy," she said, gazing at the ceiling.
"Every day I practiced manipulating Mana correctly and channeling it into a sword. Even after thousands of attempts on a practice dummy, I couldn't cut deeply enough. Isn't that right, Eizan?" Zayn glanced at me.
"That was before we learned how to channel it properly, though," I replied, slightly deflecting.
"True, but that doesn't change the fact that I couldn't surpass you back then. Each day, without you, I dedicated myself to mastering Mana manipulation. After two years, I've reached the point of maximizing my Mana potential. I won't reveal what I've learned and the techniques I've acquired until you face me in the tournament, whether it's you, Eizan, or Sophia." Zayn had a thin smile on his face, as if he felt he was now strong enough to face us directly.
"So, what Element did you get on your Awakening Day, Zayn?" Sophia asked.
"Shouldn't I have met up with you all if I had received my first Element? The Awakening was done simultaneously in our village, so I chose not to be present and gave up my first Element." His words shocked both of us, considering he missed his Awakening just to avoid meeting us.
I stood up and took a few steps closer to Zayn. "So how do you plan to beat us without an Element?" I asked, my expression serious.
Zayn stood and gave a thin smile back at me. "Do you think that only Elements determine who wins? In this world, there's also Magic that can make you stronger than those using Elements." He replied, his gaze sharp.
Sophia sat back, watching us debate as if it were from a long time ago. "Try not to be surprised later, my friend. I'll prove my training to you soon." Zayn patted my shoulder and then walked away slowly.
I just smiled and looked forward to seeing how things would unfold in the tournament. "Wait until that day, buddy," I muttered quietly.
"Let's prove who's the greatest!" Our voices rang out in unison.
The bell finally rang, signaling that all students should return to their respective dormitories. Sophia, Zayn, and I parted ways after our reunion.
I walked through the Academy hallways at a leisurely pace, observing the many students carrying books and those still chatting with friends even after the bell had rung. "Hmm, can they still act so relaxed even after the bell?" Just as I thought that, someone bumped into me, followed by a sizable group.
"Hey!" I scolded the student who had bumped into me, irritated.
Immediately after I scolded him, the student turned around, and his face was all too familiar. His long blond hair and cold blue eyes made him look like a deadly assassin. It was none other than Ikarius, the person who had planned to kill me that night!
"What did you just say, freshman?" One of his companions approached and pushed my shoulder.
"Can't you watch where you're going? Do you think I'm invisible or something? You could've avoided bumping into me," I retorted, with a hint of mockery.
The other students in the hallway watched us with fear, aware of Ikarius's presence. Whispers began to circulate.
"Hey, isn't he the second-year who won last year's tournament?"
"That kid seems to be in trouble now, facing the top student at the Axeris Academy."
Who are you to make such conclusions? I've grown quite a bit and I'm ready to take him down this time.
"What did you just say, you bastard!?" The second-year student named Gazel now conjured a fireball in his right hand, ready to attack me.
"Stop it, Gazel!" A firm voice rang out in Gazel's ears.
"Huh!? Who do you think you're talking to, you—" His words were cut off when he realized the speaker was his own leader, Ikarius.
"S-Sorry, Mr. Ikarius!" Gazel bowed deeply, his hands touching the hallway floor.
Ikarius ignored him and walked slowly towards me, his killing intent as palpable as it was two years ago. "It's been a long time, kid," he muttered with a chilling voice.
The atmosphere was tense, with all the students in the hallway watching the confrontation between Ikarius and me.
"Have we met before?" I asked with a mocking smile, confident that the Academy's system would intervene against any student who plans to attack another.
It seemed he knew about the Academy's system, given he was a second-year at Axeris. "The kid I almost killed that night," he clarified, having realized I had forgotten him.
"Sorry, but... that was a different person from who I am now." My gaze was filled with assurance, making it seem like I was belittling him again.
I could sense his frustration rising. Veins started to bulge on his neck, indicating he was struggling to control his emotions towards me. "Do you plan to die, both of you, you little bastard?" His friends behind him tried to calm him down, but it seemed no one dared to intervene.
"Go ahead and try!" I taunted him, aiming to provoke him further.
Just as Ikarius was about to unleash the fireball he had conjured in his hands, ready to throw it at me, his movement suddenly halted by the presence of someone approaching.
The students in the hallway immediately bowed their heads in respect as the figure walked by—it was Director Emilia, casually making her way through the Academy's corridors.
For some reason, I had a feeling that the Director wanted to speak with me, as if she had something important to discuss. "Stop your actions that would harm the students here, Ikarius!" Director Emilia's voice cut through the tension, causing Ikarius and his friends to bow their heads in response.
Director Emilia turned to me with a smile. "Don't tell me you've been keeping an eye on me all this time, Director," I said telepathically.
"That's correct. And it would be problematic if you fought Ikarius right now. There's something I need to discuss with you, Eizan." I had a feeling she wanted to talk to me about something important.