"What was that?" Nichole asked as she peeled and orange, "what kind of wolf was that?"
Finn laid in a bed, his hand and chest bandaged, "Not sure, but if it had to open a mind realm it must be above the G+ Rank."
"The nurse reported it to the office, some teacher might visit us," Nichole slowly peeled off the orange. She slowly pulled out a segment and handed it over to Finn.
Finn throws it up, before catching it with his mouth perfectly, "Whatever it is, we should ask for a big compensation."
"Still thinking about money? I'm glad we made it out of that alive, I was lucky thanks to you, and you were already injured from your outing with your professor."
"Whatever, but you were able to breakthrough, right?" Finn took another segment of an orange and pulled it open and drank the juice from it.
"I think, I don't know, I heard when someone advances, they always see a large lake and stars in the sky, right?"
"Mine was somewhat similar, what was yours?"
"Well, I was in this room with some sort of mannequin at the centre of the room and there was this one mask," Nichole scratched her head, trying to recall the situation.
"A special case," Finn thought.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Come in," Nichole spoke lightly.
The door opened and a familiar face walked in. It was the principal herself there to see the victims of the recent incident.
"Hey there special admissions," Shia smiled at the duo.
"Oh, mam," Nichole quickly got up and bowed.
"No need for formalities, besides I have to apologise," Shia slightly bows down, "I should have kept an eye on the barrier, and now because of me two children got hurt, I'm really sorry."
"Please raise your head mam," Finn smirked, keeping his cool as usual, "instead of an apology, a hundred ryū might be a better alternative."
"Hundred ryū each it is then," Shia took out two pouches and handed it over to them.
Nichole opens the pouch and sees it filled with gold coins, "Is this for us?"
"It's the least I can do, oh, and congratulations on killing your first Eonborn."
"Eonborn?" Nichole gasps in surprise.
"Don't be too surprised," Shia spoke, "the wolf was just a regular Niwolf, but you noticed how its spine was protruding outwards. It's because a parasitic creature took over, a G-Rank boneater."
"Boneater? Does that mean an Eonborn got into the academy, isn't there a barrier around us?" Nichole curiously asked.
"There is, but it seems to have slipped in somehow, anyways take a day off, I'll tell your professors," Shia walks off.
"We killed an Eonborn and got a lot of money," Finn laughed.
Nichole sighs at him, "You forgot the part where we almost lost our life."
"Who cares?"
"I do," a gentle yet familiar voice came from beyond the door.
"That sound? Professor?" Nichole walks up to the door.
Jack opens the door and looks at the two, his eyes softening, pausing for a moment, "Are you two alright?"
"Old man, what brings you here?"
"I heard you two got injured, I can't just stay behind now can I?"
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A week has passed since the encounter both me and Nichole had faced. Within a week's time things had changed, the academy had stricter security at night, but most of all it was time for the tournament team selection.
"The second years are really going at each other, aren't they," Finn bumped at Nichole.
"You, they're amazing," Nichole looked down from the balcony at the battle going on down there.
"Our seniors surely are strong, guess we'll also be as strong as them when we get to the second year," Aileen said from the side.
Donatello put his hands over Nichole's shoulder, "Hey, are you going to participate in the selection?"
Nichole looked up at Donatello and replied smiling, "Of course, I have my professor counting on me."
BOOM
The battle on the ground ended as one of the sides raised their hands in defeat.
The next person that walked into the ground was the former princess, Daniela. The aura around her had changed drastically as she stood there.
"Senior sister is looking a lot better than before," Nichole sat on the side rails at the balcony.
Donatello looked at her in surprise, "You know her?"
"Yes, Miss Daniela, she came to talk to me on the first day, and she even helped me out after that," Nichole looked at her in admiration, "why do you ask?"
"Friends with the princess isn't nothing to scoff at," Aileen taps on her shoulder.
"Princ—" her words couldn't form from the shock, "She's the princess?!"
...
"Let's do this, shall we, Francis?" Daniela looked at the boy in front of her.
The black haired boy grinned with determination. "Last time I lost because I underestimated you, that won't happen this time," he held up sword.
"Good," Daniela stretched as the judge came into the training grounds.
"Ready?" the man asked before bringing down his hand, "Begin!"
Francis's blade shone bright orange as a deep red hue enveloped it. Without waiting, he rushes forward holding his blade.
"Revolve and heed my call: Flame Revolver," Daniela points her extended index and middle finger, a small source code appears, before firing multiple small fire bullets.
"Energy bullet," a small amount of energy gathers around Francis's palm. He swings it forward, the ball of energy colloids with her spell cancelling it out.
"Spears of gust: Wind spear," multiple smaller arrows appear around her, "Fire." The small arrows shoot forward. Francis brings his sword down and cuts them all down.
I can't get close to her, if I'm careless I'll get taken down, just like last time, I should try something else, Francis watched her from a distance.
"Wow, she's not letting him get close to her," Nichole said.
"She's using One-Star spells, but her opponent is a two star," Aileen continued, "yet he is keeping his distance, maybe her spells are powerful."
"Thorns from the very earth: Earth needle," a long brown glowing needle the size of a sword appears in her hand.
"Are you showing all your cards, princess?" Francis asks as his sword glows brighter.
"Not yet, Water, formless and flowing: Aqua Blade," a long water blue blade forms on her left hand.
Before Francis could strike, Daniela rushes forward and thrusts her Earth needle, but he parries it off with his sword. In the single opening Daniela swings her water blade, but he ducks and swings his sword at her midsection.
As the sword almost struck her, she pushed the Earth needle into the ground. Multiple needles of the similar size plunge out of the ground stopping the sword.
Now's my chance, Daniela swings her blade once more now that his sword is stuck on the multiple needles, but the sword breaks all the needles and cuts her blade of water.
"That was a close one," Daniela sighs as Francis points his sword at her.
"That was a great match," Francis looked at the wind spears pointed around his head.
"Result, Draw," the judge announced. "Since it's a draw, Daniela and Francis shall be awarded 2.5 points each."
"Later," Francis walks off.
He changed because of my influence, I think that's a good sign, Daniela rubbed her chin as she walked out. She looks up and sees Nichole with Finn. Another change I brought about, I guess it's also my influence.
"That was amazing," Nichole's eyes shone with curiosity, "how did she do all of that without a wand?"
"A wand isn't really necessary in a small scale duel such as this, besides neither of them were serious," Aileen replied.
"Aren't we next?" Donatello asked Finn who had been quiet for some time.
"Yes," Finn replied, Donatello's words snapping him out of his thoughts, "I think it's you and Nichole first."
"Yeah, I've been wanting to have a match with her, especially after the incident from last week," Donatello said.
"I'm not joking, she's strong."
"Me neither, I want to fight strong people."
"I'm not that good, Finn's just exaggerating," her cheeks flushed lightly.
...
"No hard feelings," Donatello pointed his sword at her, waiting for the judge to start the match.
"I'll give my best," Nichole held out her own sword.
"Ready, Begin!"
Both rushed forward at the same time and swung their sword, resulting in an even clash. Sparks flared as the swords struck, Donatello pushes himself forward trying to gain control, but Nichole maintains form, not giving in.
Remember how his sword went, Nichole recalled Finn's movements, and swings it horizontally with her full strength, breaking the power balance and pushing Donatello back.
"That's...!"
"What's wrong Finn?" Aileen looked at Finn who was surprised at the swing Nichole performed.
"That's the art I used that day, she did it perfectly."
"Really? Wasn't it just a simple slash?"
"It is, but there is a level of mastery required to pull it off with the same mana flow," Finn watched her in surprise.
"That was good," a faint glow enveloped him and his sword, "let's try that again."
"Sure," word appeared on her sword as it lit ablaze, burning deeply.
Donatello swings his sword once again. Nichole meets the sword head on, blocking it once again, but Donatello pushes her back this time, his sword strike overpowering hers.
"Your student's looking pretty good, she's gotten better in a week," Thomas watched the duel from the balcony alongside Jack.
"She's a fast learner, she just used the core technique of Back Winter, I think she saw Finn use it," Jack said, his eyes fixed on her.
"You didn't teach her any magic?"
"I taught her how to form a source code, but everything else happened on its own," his voice was steady, yet a tint of weakness could be noticed.
"What's up with you today?" Thomas asked, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked, yet it didn't fit in with the idea of Jack, Thomas had on his mind.
"Nothing..." Thomas avoids the topic and looks down at the duel.
"Oh, sword and magic?" Donatello smiled as he saw Nichole pull out her wand.
"Canine Flame: The Exiled."
"Blossom Sword: Red Rose."
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