"What? It's time to get up already?" I groaned as the same old annoying alarm clock blared, its shrill tones piercing the silence of the room. Begrudgingly, I swung my legs over the side of the makeshift bed and pushed myself up. As I rubbed my eyes, I looked around the sparse room and sighed. The bare wooden floor, cold and hard, was my only resting place. The walls painted a dull gray, did nothing to brighten the mood.
Once again, I was reminded that I didn't even have a mattress. My back ached from another night of uncomfortable sleep. "I guess I have another thing I need to buy," I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling up.
With a heavy sigh, I stood up and stretched, feeling the stiffness in my joints. Today was going to be another long day. It took me about 30 minutes to get ready for school. Breakfast was a simple piece of bread and a cup of water. As I was walking, I heard a voice behind me.
"Hey."
'Koran?'
"You, join Team Scorn".
'Fuji and the gang put you up to this?' Honestly… I'm seriously considering it. There's no downside to joining them, and it would be a great opportunity to improve my fighting skills…
"Just join it"
'Alright, then, stop bullying Hugo'
"Eh, sure whatever, go to Hall 2 to find the HQ."
"Am I interrupting anything?" Hugo asked, appearing behind Koran.
'Nah... just got off work?'
"Yeah, brought a change of clothes," Hugo said, holding up a bag.
"Heh, better," I said, eyeing the soot-filled and crumpled uniform he was wearing. I turned back to look at Koran but he was already off.
'You happen to know where Hall 2 is?'
"Ye"
'Well, I'm going to need your help for something.'
. . .
So you actually got a draw against Koran?!"
"Indeed, my fellow fire manacian."
"That's impossible. Fire never beats any aspect of earth, or any of the other elements for that matter. You must be good…"
"I just caught him off guard, that's all," I said. And it's true—had it not been for the thin cloud of mana around me, it wouldn't have worked. Which makes me wonder if the mana around my body is part of my body's mana. Like, if the mana surrounding my body is x and the total mana inside my body is y, does that mean my total mana pool is x + y? Or is x just a part of y? This is so complicated. Wait, did I just have another revelation? What if I constantly pump my mana into a rotating orb that I carry with me everywhere? Wouldn't that mean I'd have more mana at my disposal?
"-onu!"
'Huh? Yeah?' I snapped out of my trance and looked around, realizing we were already at school.
"Well, we're splitting up here. Which class are you in?"
'Uhhh, 7,' I said, having to think for a second. Just my third day here, man, what in the world…
"Alright, I'll find you after school."
'Alright. Thanks'
. . .
'Damn, what was I thinking about mana again? Come on, remember! Ugh!' I muttered, lightly tapping my head.
"Uh… you alright?" Yunosuke asked, his voice tinged with concern.
'Haha… yeah. Anyway, so… I ended up joining Team Scorn.'
"Oh, congratulations—"
"Stop talking over there," the teacher cut in sharply, prompting me to quickly look back down.
'Oh yeah, Yunosuke…' I whispered under my breath.
"Hm?" Yunosuke glanced up, catching the teacher's gaze. Hastily, he refocused on his paper, and I wrote my question instead.
'How do you turn your water into ice? Like, how do you cool it with your mana?' I passed the note discreetly to him.
He read it, then swiftly jotted a response, passing it back as we kept an eye on the teacher.
"I imagine bringing the water molecules closer, using my mana to form bonds. Why the sudden interest?" his note queried.
In reply, I wrote, 'I want to vary the fire I create easily instead of just channeling it…' and returned it. Yunosuke penned another quick reply before refocusing on the front.
"Ah… I don't know about fire, but maybe try speeding up the molecules with your mana, making them spin faster. Avoid trying to transform your mana into something else. I've gotten caught in that trap before."
'Thanks,' I nodded in appreciation, then subtly gestured towards the front to signal we should pay attention to the rest of the class.
. . .
"This is it," Hugo said as we both stood in front of the imposing door.
'Thanks... uh, I'll take it from here,' I replied.
"Alright... and uh, thanks for saving me nonetheless... I won't forget this debt."
'No problem! It's a win-win situation in my book,' I said, turning towards the door.
"See you at the workplace next time."
'No problem. Bye,' I waved back. I lightly knocked on the door, the sound echoing faintly inside and out. Shuffling footsteps approached, shadows shifting beneath the door. Moments later, it unlocked.
"He actually did it," Jin Gamma remarked.
'Here I am,' I said confidently.
"Come in," Hyun beckoned from the couch. As I entered the room, my eyes took in the opulent surroundings. A chandelier hung above a table with two sleek red couches atop a black fur carpet. The glass table exuded elegance, adorned with glasses of red wine. Bookshelves lined one wall, while gigantic maps covered the other, marked with strings, circles, and symbols—evidence of mana beast Subjugation missions near the capital.
Turning back, I saw a marble-topped table with a computer, its polished wood gleaming. Yet what drew my attention was beyond—a giant white room with glass panels stretching high. Target dummies, scarred with fire burns, earth impacts, and water scratches, filled the vast space, transforming the pristine white into a testament of combat.
"Welcome to the Scorn HQ," Hyun greeted, sipping his tea.
'It's an honor,' I replied.
"Now that you're joining... sorry what's your name again I forgot haha?"
'Uh... Yonu Hachinan...'
"Alright, Yonu. Welcome officially to Scorn. This HQ houses our planning and rehearsal space for the 15 of us—5 combatants and the rest support," Hyun explained, rising. "We want you on the combatant team."
'Oh, I don't think I can live up to that role,' I admitted inwardly. A fire manacian with a weak mana pool hardly seemed fit for combat.
"It's okay," Jin interjected ominously from his seat. "We have a perfect role for you. We've considered your mana pool. What do you say?" He tossed a paper towards me, and it cut through the air before landing in my hands—a master air user.
'Haha, before I sign this, can I know what the role entails?' I leaned forward, curious.
"Our plan is a 1-on-1 duel between Jin, our leader, and Kami Ichizen, our rival's leader. You'll be the decoy," Hyun explained, looking directly at me.
The gravity of their plan sank in. 'I see... I'm in.'
. . .
"Magi Ichiro."
"Kami. I have some news… Team Scorn recently got a new member."
"Huh. Who is this guy and how did you even get this information?" Kami asked, his eyes scanning through the files on his desk. As president of Team Universe, he managed all mana beast subjugation requests and school matters.
"I heard it from some delinquents behind the school. It seems Koran requested this guy named Yonu to join."
"The recent transfer student," Kami muttered, looking up.
"Yes, he's a fire manacian."
"HAHAHAHAHA! What are they thinking... that Hyun..." Kami's laughter trailed off. "Also, have you found out from Arashi Sakata why I'm rejecting all these requests?"
"No... He's coming in person later. Perhaps we can ask him then."
"Yeah, he better have an explanation for why he suddenly asked me to cancel all the mana beast subjugation requests."
. . .
'What do you mean, Decoy?'
"You possess something crucial with your flame right now—its unpredictability. No one understands why your flames are blue, or so the rumor goes... We can use that to our advantage. Draw as much attention as you can."
"I'll handle the rest," Jin interjected confidently.
'I'm not sure I can just confidently draw everyone's attention,' I replied hesitantly.
"That's why we'll have you train against our top three, and more. I'm sure they'll benefit from sparring with you too," Hyun explained.
'Top three as in...'
"Fuji, Gino, and Mizu," Hyun confirmed.
'Alright, bring it on.'
(1 Week Later)
"Is that Yonu going off again?"
"I think so... Where has he been going?"
"You didn't know? He joined Scorn. He's been climbing the ranks incredibly fast. He's already 46th in the school ranking."
"What in the..."
'How much longer do I have to climb?' I asked, standing before the imposing door, stretching to the ceiling meters upon meters high.
"Until 30... That's when the school schedule eases up a lot. You'll have more time for training," Hyun explained. "If you can speed it up, the competition is in two weeks. We can still squeeze in a week of intense training if it helps."
'Alright, Vice,' I nodded, entering the room for yet another official duel, this time against another member of the combat team.
'Sorry to have you do this.'
"It's okay, I understand… and ever since I saw you fight the three in practice, I've always wanted to spar with you."
"Rank 38 Jun Ishida VS Yonu Hachinan Begins in 3…2…1"
'Then what are we waiting for?' I said, slipping into a stance, nothing extravagant.
"Alright." In a heartbeat, he launched a roundhouse kick, sending spikes erupting from the ground towards me. My heart raced as I channeled my mana—a thin, swirling cloud around me—and the spikes disintegrated into blue flames, crackling with fierce energy.
In the past few days, I've learned so much—how to manipulate mana, summon blue flames with heightened molecular energy, and even create walls of fire upon contact with other elements.
"The infamous Fire Clouds," he remarked, standing straight as if he had given up. But I knew better. He was planning his next move.
'It's nothing much… It still takes quite a lot of mana…' I muttered, focusing intensely. With a twist of my elbow, a massive jet of blue flame surged towards him. He countered with a ground-stomping move, summoning earth walls that split the sea of flames apart.
"HUP!" He stomped again, sending rocks flying, shaping them into deadly earth spikes that surrounded me.
'Okay, okay…' I muttered, winding up to counterattack. But before I could react, he slammed the ground with a thunderous crash. A massive wave of earth towered over me, ready to engulf me.
'ARGH!!' Panic surged through me as I tried to evade, but the wave was too fast, too overwhelming. 'ARGHUP!' I concentrated my mana into my palm, unleashing a searing ray of blue flame that melted the oncoming earth. Relief was short-lived as a spike pierced my calf.
'Ow!' I gasped, pain shooting through my leg. My eyes darted around frantically as more spikes hurtled towards me. Desperately, I summoned my flames, trying to block them. But there were too many. A spike stabbed into my shoulder, and I collapsed to the ground.
'Argh…' I groaned, the earth wave finally melting away. But he wasn't done.
"IRON MAIDEN!!!" he bellowed, stomping the ground once more. Walls of earth erupted, closing in around me like a deadly trap.
My heart pounded in my chest. Trapped and wounded, I struggled to summon my remaining strength. The walls loomed closer, and I knew I had only moments to act.
I burst upwards, desperately trying to fly out, but the earth moved too fast, cutting me off completely before I could escape. That was my last sliver of light before the earth engulfed me in a damp, oppressive chamber, filled with the smell of mold, dirt… and the faint stench of something burning. I ignited a flame in my palm to see what was happening.
But all I saw were spikes.
Everywhere. The walls were covered with spikes, and they were growing. Bigger and bigger, closing in on me.
'Ahh fuck,' I muttered out loud, panic surging through my veins.
What now? I thought frantically. I could try to melt the spikes, but he could keep creating them while I'm trapped. Or I could concentrate on making a hole. But I couldn't melt a hole fast enough before I'd be skewered like a kebab.
'Then there's no choice. Multi-tasking,' I resolved, my voice echoing in the confined space. I pointed both palms together, forming a concentrated ball of flame. Pouring more and more mana into it, I aimed at a spot on the wall, releasing a huge jet of fire. The spikes continued to advance, creeping closer with every second.
'Dome of Flames!' I yelled, activating the mana around me, causing it to flare up violently.
'Okay, rotate…' I focused my mind on the rotation of the flames. The high-pitched screeching of the jet fire became more subtle, but the spikes were relentless.
'FUCK!' I struggled to maintain focus, trying to balance both tasks. The mana was draining from me at an alarming rate, leaving me feeling weak and desperate.
I watched as a sliver of natural light pierced the room, now a scorching furnace. More and more light started to pour in. With a final burst of energy, I shot out before the hole could close.
The moment I was out, I extinguished all fire. With a sweeping motion, I sent all my remaining mana towards Jun, my heart pounding in my chest. I pointed my palm at him and rotated my hand, igniting the mana into a swirling vortex of flames around him.
I quickly descended, flames propelling me from beneath my feet. Jun struggled to break free, and I seized the moment. Summoning the last of my mana reserves, I ignited the ground beneath him, transforming it into a blazing inferno.
The intensity of the flames roared in my ears, and the suspense hung thick in the air as I watched, every muscle tensed, waiting to see if my desperate maneuvers would be enough to turn the tide.
"I give! I give!" Jun's voice echoed through the arena.
"Winner: Yonu Hachinan. Time: 10 minutes. Victory by Surrender," the announcer declared.
"You're too good, bro," Jun said as I released the flames relieved that I managed to win.
He stepped out, slightly singed but otherwise unharmed. "If you didn't ignite the ground, I would've burrowed myself in. Quick thinking."
'Haha, just making sure… good game,' I said, extending my hand. But it shook uncontrollably as the adrenaline wore off and the pain from the spikes in my legs kicked in. 'Sorry, I guess…huh.' I collapsed to the ground, the pain overwhelming.
"Haha, it's fine… go take care of yourself," Jun said with a reassuring smile.
The medics rushed over as I lay on the ground, exhausted but relieved. The suspense of the battle lingered in my mind, each moment replaying vividly. I had won, but the cost was clear. As they tended to my wounds, I couldn't help but think about the next challenge, and how I would prepare for it.
The thrill of victory was sweet, but the pain reminded me that there was always room for improvement. But of course, the sweet taste of my progress makes me excited for what's to come.
(West of the Xerathian Desert)
"What in the world is this…" one of the men exclaimed, his voice echoing through the dark cave.
"The big families warned us about this…" the other man said grimly. "SHIELD!" He raised his hands and spread them wide, forming a giant flowing water wall between them and the approaching beasts.
"Brace for Impact!" the second man yelled, slamming both fists into the air. The cave's ceiling began to shake uncontrollably, dust and rocks raining down.
"Let's go!" the first man commanded, swinging his arms in wide circles. The earth beneath them shifted, creating a wave that carried them away as the ceiling collapsed.
"What in the…" he gasped as a monstrous beast burst through the smoke and falling rocks. It was as tall as a three-story building, making the raid team seem like ants in its presence.
"No… Escape…" the beast rumbled, its voice deep and resonant. The team stared in shock as they neared the cave's exit.
"Hurry!" the Earth manacian urged, his voice edged with panic.
"ALRIGHT!!!!" another teammate shouted, winding up and swinging his fist with all his might. A huge gust of wind surged forward, propelling the earth wave faster and pushing the beast back just before the entrance was sealed shut.
"What the fuck happened there…" one man panted, his face pale with fear and disbelief.
"Did we just hear him… I swear I didn't imagine it," another whispered, his eyes wide.
"What in the world…"
"Report back to HQs," the leader ordered, his voice steady but tense. "The Sakata family was right... there IS a king."