The Academy grounds were abuzz with activity as students prepared for the upcoming midterm evaluations. Sparring matches, group projects, and magical displays were scattered across the sprawling campus. Elias, as usual, preferred to stay in the background, watching the chaos unfold from the safety of a quiet bench near the training fields.
His peace was short-lived when Leon's voice boomed across the courtyard.
"Elias! Stop hiding and come over here!"
Elias sighed, pulling his hood up as he walked toward the commotion. Leon was standing in the middle of a training ring, his usual confident grin plastered on his face. Beside him stood a young woman, her fiery red hair catching the sunlight like a blazing torch. Her sharp green eyes and confident stance screamed "protagonist material."
"Elias, meet Seraphina," Leon said, gesturing to the girl. "She's one of the top students in the combat division and—"
"I can introduce myself," Seraphina interrupted, stepping forward. She looked Elias up and down, her expression skeptical. "So, you're the infamous Elgard? The one Leon won't stop talking about?"
Elias raised an eyebrow. "Infamous? That's news to me."
Leon laughed. "Don't be so modest, Elias. Seraphina, he's the one who helped decipher the runes in the catacombs and figured out how to disrupt the altar in the forest."
Seraphina crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "Deciphering runes and disrupting altars are one thing. But can he hold his own in a fight?"
"Probably not," Elias said quickly, hoping to shut down the conversation. "I'm more of a support type."
"Then let's see how good your support is," Seraphina said, a challenging glint in her eyes. "A quick sparring match. You and me."
Before Elias could protest, the system chimed:
Elias groaned inwardly. Of course, the system would make this a mission.
The sparring ring was quickly surrounded by curious students, all eager to watch the spectacle. Seraphina stood in the center, her posture relaxed but ready. She wielded a slender longsword that seemed to hum with magical energy.
Elias stepped into the ring, hands raised in mock surrender. "Let's keep this friendly, okay?"
"No promises," Seraphina replied with a smirk.
The match began with Seraphina darting forward, her movements a blur. Elias activated Silent Step, narrowly dodging her strike. He countered with Mana Disruption, aiming to unbalance her, but she sidestepped effortlessly.
"Not bad," she said, swinging her sword in a wide arc. "But you'll have to do better than that."
Elias gritted his teeth, activating Enhanced Perception to predict her next move. He managed to evade her attacks, using the momentum to create distance between them. The crowd murmured in surprise as he held his ground longer than expected.
Seraphina's smirk widened. "You've got some skill after all. Let's see how you handle this."
She unleashed a burst of fire magic, the flames roaring toward Elias. He quickly activated Mana Barrier, deflecting the attack but feeling the strain on his mana reserves.
I can't keep this up for long, he thought, searching for an opening. Then he noticed it—her footwork was slightly off after each fire spell. A small but exploitable weakness.
Waiting for her next attack, Elias timed his move perfectly. As she cast another spell, he used Silent Step to close the gap, then activated Mana Disruption directly on her sword. The blade flickered, its magical aura dimming.
Seraphina stumbled back, her eyes wide with surprise. "What—?"
Before she could recover, Leon stepped in, clapping his hands. "All right, that's enough! Well done, both of you."
The crowd dispersed, some students whispering about Elias's unexpected performance. Seraphina sheathed her sword, her expression thoughtful.
"You're more resourceful than I gave you credit for," she admitted. "But don't think this means I'm impressed."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Elias said, relieved the match was over.
As Seraphina walked away, Leon clapped a hand on Elias's shoulder. "See? You're more capable than you think. Keep it up, and you might even rival me one day."
"Let's not get carried away," Elias muttered, already planning his escape to somewhere quiet.
The system chimed softly:
Mission Complete!
Reward: +100 Survival Points.
Bonus: +5 Agility (for evading attacks).
Elias sighed. Another day, another step closer to the spotlight he desperately wanted to avoid.