"Since you're in the Regular class, I'll let you off easy." Daniel said to Asher as he started charging up his mana.
"Easy?! He's actually going for his elemental attacks." One of the student mentioned.
"Daniel is the one of the best elemental magic users on the continent." Another one said.
Asher observed Daniel who kept on charging his mana for an attack. Daniel gathered flames in his hand and threw it at Asher like a baseball. Asher caught the fireball in his hands which shocked Daniel and the entire crowd that was watching.
"Interesting spell. What do you call it?" Asher asked Daniel who's face turned red with anger.
"Are you mocking me?" Daniel asked angrily and let out a torrent of his magical aura.
"Woah!" Most of the students in the crowd exclaimed upon feeling Daniel's aura.
"He has an aura equal to that of a Legendary class mage, he truly is impressive." Mr Roger said as he observed the battle from the commentary box.
Asher just stared at Daniel, he didn't flinch throughout what he thought was just Daniel showing off.
"Impressive." Asher said whilst still holding the fireball in his hand. He then sighed and threw the fireball back at Daniel. Daniel managed to dodge by a hair's breath and the fireball hit a part of the wall in the arena and dug a hole through it which shocked the onlookers.
"You're done!" Daniel shouted and gathered all four elements together into one big attack.
"Elemental Combination." Daniel said and sent the attack at full power straight at Asher who just stood there unfazed.
Asher sighed as he stared at the massive attack headed for him, he gathered his hand in a fist and readied for the attack. As the elemental attack got near him, he punched it and it immediately dissipated.
The jaws of every onlooker in the trial ground dropped. They were shocked that someone from the Regular class just stopped Daniel Lockhart's greatest attack with a punch.
"My turn." Asher said and at the same second, his fist connected with Daniel's face which sent him flying straight into a wall. Daniel wasn't able to continue as he was knocked out by that single action.
"A- And the winner is Asher Blackwood." Mr Roger said, astonishing by what had just happened. "He didn't even use any magical attack, he ended it with just one punch."
"Daniel Lockhart, lost?" Most of the students asked themselves as they looked upon the boy from the Regular class who had just defeated the number 2 student in the entire school.
"Up next, Nicole Jardel vs James Dickson." Mr. Roger's voice echoed throughout the arena.
Asher saw one of the contestants as he walked through the tunnels, she was the Jardel family's eldest daughter and a descendant of the founder of the Jardel continent as well as being the top student in the entire Academy.
"What trick did you use?" She asked as soon as she saw Asher.
"Whatever do you mean?" Asher asked back.
"What mischievous item did you use to defeat Daniel?" She asked, more specific this time.
"I didn't use any trick, besides I wouldn't cheat." Asher said as he started walking away from her.
"You were the only student from the Regular class who decided to participate in this competition and you defeated the 2nd placer with ease. Yet you say you didn't cheat?" She said again.
"Believe whatever you want. All I know is that I don't and will not cheat in this." Asher said finally before he walked away.
Nicole walked into the arena and stared down her opponent. James Dickson was a student of the Elite class but he wasn't on the level of Nicole Jardel, she was in a class of her own and the entire Academy knew that, including the teachers.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nicole asked James.
"Well, I know you'll win. But it win sit well with me if I just forfeit." James replied and moved with impressive speed. Nicole noticed that he was amped up by his mana.
He threw a punch which she dodged easily she gathered her mana in her hand and used it to form and bow and started shooting mana arrows at James.
"These arrows are moving stupidly fast." James noted as he weaved his way through them but it didn't seem like he was fast enough as Nicole amped up the speed of the arrows and they hit him with deadly precision, instantly knocking him out.
"And the winner. Nicole Jardel!" Mr. Roger said through the microphone. "Now, since Asher Blackwood is the only student from the Regular class participating, Nicole Jardel has a proposal for him. She offers to go one on one against him to see if he is worthy to participate in the International Mage Tournament."
The students in the stands expressed their shock as they stared at Nicole Jardel who stood in the arena awaiting Asher Blackwood's arrival.
Asher walked nonchalantly into the arena with his hands in his pocket and a tired look on his face.
"Are you taking this all lightly?" Nicole asked Asher angrily. "The reputation of our Academy, no, the entire Jardel continent is at stake at the International Mage Tournament and you're behaving like this?"
"The continent's reputation isn't any business of mine. It won't affect me in any way whatsoever." Asher retorted.
Nicole let out her magical aura which shook the arena, the students covered their eyes to ward off any debris coming into their eyes.
Asher just merely sighed and let out his own magical aura. The moment he let it out, the entire school was shaken to it's foundation, even outside the school, tremors were felt by people far away from the area.
"That- that is the type of aura that an Infinite Mage exudes. There hasn't been any Infinite Mage since Dexter Jardel, one of the seven founding Monarchs and the strongest of the seven." Mr. Roger thought to himself.
Asher's magical aura swept through the entire school and was felt by people across the Jardel continent and most people wondered who the owner of such intense mana was.