The rest of the students were shocked on how high their mana level where. Everyone on stage was truly terrifying. I could still not understand why, to me my mana level was low based off of the old system I was used back at home.
When the assembly finished, and everyone went back to their dorms. I met up with the headmaster again and asked him about why my level was so low.
Mennis- Wait Kelvin, what system did you use at home.
Kelvin- The usual, the Elementix Measurement System (EMS).
Mennis- That explains it. Here we use the Mana Measurement System (MMS).
Kelvin- Wha?
I was a little embarrassed I did not notice that detail. That meant if my level on MMS, which is 3,101 was converted to EMS, it would be 802,000.
After the confusion was cleared up. I went to my dorm room where I found Timothy and Theodora waiting for me. She asked me why he took so long. I replied I was clearing up something. After that, Theodora suggested a sparring match before the tournament to evaluate each other's skills.
Everyone jumped to the idea and was on board with it. Requesting permission from the headmaster to use the training hall, Timothy and I were ready to begin our match.
Theodora stayed back and watched from a safe distance, examining each of us and our abilities in combat. "Are you ready!" Timothy shouted from across the arena. "Right," I responded. I picked a stance best suitable for defense.
Timothy dashed fast towards his opponent with a fist ready for a punch. I quickly used my [water step] spell, a spell that enabled the caster to smoothly move fast around the affected area on the ground.
I dodged his attempt of an attack and gained the opportunity for a counterattack. I tried to hit him with my knee, but Timothy blocked it by guarding his belly.
I instantly jumped back to gain more distance between us. It looks like his more situated to close combat, I need a distraction.
With my words I casted a long-range attack, [fire arrow] and fire formed in shape of an arrow. I pulled back the fire arrow as if imitating a bow. Then let go of the arrow and it was forced towards Timothy.
Timothy was fast enough to dodge the arrow, looking at it as it passed by his eye. When he looked back in the direction of his opponent, it was too late.
I successfully managed to land a blow on him. He fell back but managed to contort himself and balanced himself preventing him from falling. "I didn't see that coming, but things will get harder from here," Timothy said as he wiped his face.
"We'll see about that," I responded. I tried using the same spell for another distraction, but Timothy knew what to expect this time. He switched to long range too.
[Tempest whip], a lightening art spell Timothy casted, charged up mana and changed its form to lightening and blasted it at me.
Lightening burst out of the ground and charged towards me as if it was being plucked out of the ground, breaking through the arena floors.
I adjusted and shot my fire arrow making it bigger than before, equal to the oncoming spell. The two spells collided with each other and exploded, blowing us both out of the ring.
The explosion could be heard from outside, everyone wandered what that was. Both of us tried to get up and continue the fight, but Theodora stopped us saying that it was a draw.
"I think that's enough, you should save some for the tournament." After the sparring match, we all went to the cafe that was located on school grounds. we stayed and talked while they ate for a while.
Kelvin- Why do you think the school's holding this tournament?
Theodora- It's more likely because the master clans pressured them to.
Kelvin- and why is that?
Timothy- Think of it this way; the contestants are from the eight master clans...
Theodora- They want to see which clan as produced the best Dins. Or it could be because the school wants to boost excitement among the first years.