Chapter 166.

PART 1.

Hatori, Josh, and Shin recover and train in different areas. While they could have used the room of frozen time, they agreed that it would be cheating. Therefore, they are not using that room. However, they would have used it without any hesitation if they were not competing or facing a serious threat.

Hatori is in the forest. This area has changed a lot ever since he was banished here the first time. for now, he is practicing his precision with bees, striking them with controlled lightning to stun them. he is confident that no one would dare to spy on him, since students do not come here often, and the elephants are keeping watch nearby.

DIMITRI WATCHES RAVINA FACING ADITYA. THOUGH THE BOY IS AN EXPERIENCED DUELER, HE DOES NOT LOOK HIS BEST TODAY. DIMITRI IS CONFIDENT THAT HE WOULD HAVE WON OTHERWISE BECAUSE RAVINA STILL HAS NOT CHANGED HER GAME.

DAPHNE IS FACING RANVEER. THOUGH HE IS ADAPTING TO THE RING, DAPHNE PROVES TO BE TOO STRONG FOR HIM TO BEAT HER DIRECTLY. AT THIS POINT, IT IS CLEAR TO DIMITRI THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO QUALIFY FOR THE TEAM.

THE THIRD DUEL OF THE DAY WAS ALSO BORING FOR THE RETIRED DUELIST SINCE TOM DEFEATED YATHARTH WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY. DIMITRI REMEMBERS THAT HE WILL HAVE TO IMPROVE HIS STAMINA ONCE HE MAKES IT TO THE TEAM SINCE TOM AND HATORI ARE PRETTY MUCH QUALIFIED AT THIS POINT.

SPEAKING OF HATORI, HE DESTROYED VIVEK. “WOW. HE PRACTICALLY ENDED HIM THERE,” SAID NANDAN. “DIDN’T THINK HE WOULD SURVIVE THAT.”

“I’M SURPRISED AS YOU ARE.” SAID DIMITRI.

JOSH AND SHIN ARE CHOSEN NEXT, AND THE MATCH STARTS. RIGHT OFF THE BAT, JOSH STARTED WITH SMALL-SCALE WATER SPELLS, TRYING TO BATTER SHIN WITH THE FORCE OF WATER, TRYING TO MAKE HIM UNCOMFORTABLE WITH COLD WATER OR DO SOME DAMAGE WITH BOILING HOT WATER.

WHEN THE LATTER ATTACKS CAME, SHIN HAD ONE THOUGHT GOING IN HIS HEAD. ‘MAYBE HE IS HOLDING A GRUDGE. I MUST SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT IT LATER.’

SINCE HE CAN’T USE HIS AIR MANIPULATION TO DO ANYTHING AGAINST THE WATER, SHIN DECIDES TO SHOW THAT HE CAN ALSO USE OTHER ELEMENTS, BY RETALIATING WITH FIRE AND USING THE WIND TO ENHANCE THOSE ATTACKS. MANY PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY THIS COMBINATION SINCE IT IS VERY HARD TO PULL OFF.

JOSH TURNS THE WATER INTO ICE, AND SHIN IS TRAPPED. JOSH WALKS TO HIM TO TAKE HIS FOCI FROM HIS HAND, BUT ONE NOTE FROM SHIN, AND THE ENTIRE ICE-COVERED RING EXPLODES, AND JOSH TAKES A LOT OF DAMAGE FROM THE FRAGMENTS. HE LOST HIS FOCI, AS THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION TOSSED HIM AROUND. WHEN HE COMES TO HIS SENSES, HE LOOKS AND FINDS IT IN THE HANDS OF SHIN.

“I SURRENDER.” HE SAID IMMEDIATELY.

HATORI SHOOK HIS HEAD. ‘DIDN’T THEY TRAIN TO USE THE FOCILESS MAGIC WITH ME? THIS IS NOT GOOD. WHAT IF THEY DO THE SAME THING DURING THE SCHOOL TOURNAMENT? I MUST SPEAK TO THE COACH ABOUT IT.’ HE THINKS.

DIMITRI CLAPS, AS HE IS HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF BOTH BOYS. THOUGH JOSH NEEDS TO GET HIS ACT TOGETHER, HE IS GOING THROUGH A TOUGH PHASE IN THIS TOURNAMENT. HE ALSO NEEDS TO PLAN BETTER AND LEARN TO KEEP HIS GUARD UP ALL THE TIME.

PRADUMAN FACES AVINASH, AS THEY ARE THE FINAL COMPETITORS OF THE DAY. THE MATCH STARTS, AND PRADUMAN ATTACKS, USING OFFENSIVE SPELLS. AVINASH, NEVER THE ONE TO BACK DOWN, RETALIATES IN THE SAME VEIN, BUT HE HAS BETTER CONTROL, AND MORE OF HIS SPELLS LAND ON THEIR TARGET AS A RESULT.

SUPPORT THE CREATIVITY OF AUTHORS BY VISITING ROYAL ROAD FOR THIS NOVEL AND MORE.

EACH TIME PRADUMAN INITIATED SUCH EXCHANGES, HE LOST THEM, EVEN THOUGH HE DID SOME DAMAGE TO AVINASH. BUT THE DAMAGE THAT AVINASH DOES TO HIM FINALLY MOUNTS UP, AND HE IS UNABLE TO GET UP, SO AVINASH WINS AS A RESULT.

AS HE IS TAKEN TO THE HEALERS FROM THE RING, PRADUMAN THINKS THAT HE HAS TO CHANGE HIS BULLISH FIGHTING STYLE, HE CAN’T JUST ATTACK AND LOSE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS PRETTY LATE IN THE TOURNAMENT, AND IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THIS DO NOT COME IN JUST ONE DAY.

JOSH IS ALSO WORRIED. IF HE KEEPS LOSING LIKE THIS, THEN THE CHANCES OF QUALIFYING FOR THE TEAM WILL SLIP THROUGH HIS FINGERS. AND EVEN IF HE DOES QUALIFY, HE WILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN A GLORIFIED SUBSTITUTE, WHO ONLY FIGHTS WHEN THE MAIN FIGHTERS OF THE TEAM ARE NOT READY TO COMPETE. THAT IS NOT HOW HE WANTS TO BE IN THE TOURNAMENT. THOUGH HE IS AWARE OF HIS PROBLEM, HE IS NOT CERTAIN HOW TO SOLVE IT, SINCE WINNING A DUEL IS NOT LIKE SOLVING A MATH PROBLEM, WHERE MOST PROBLEMS HAVE A SOLUTION.

PART 3.

THIS IS A ROOM NEAR THE DUELING ARENA. MUCH LIKE SINCE THE DAY THIS TOURNAMENT BEGAN, THE STUDENTS GATHER HERE TO MAKE BETS AND COLLECT ON THEIR PREDICTIONS OF THE PREVIOUS DAY. “ALRIGHT, WHOEVER BET ON SHIN WINNING TODAY PLEASE COME TO THIS CORNER AND COLLECT YOUR BET!” SAID ONE STUDENT.

“WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO MAKE NEW BETS PLEASE COME HERE,” SAID MARIA, WHO IS WITH LIANG. BOTH OF THEM ARE HANDLING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COLLECTING WHATEVER BETS PEOPLE MAKE.

CHAYA AND MAYA OBSERVE THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THE ROOM FROM THE CENTER. ALREADY THEY CAN HEAR THE WHINING AND CRYING OF THE LOSERS WHO REFUSE TO PAY, AND OF COURSE, THE AHEM. RECOVERY FROM SUCH DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS.

“SO, I THINK HATORI AND TOM GOING IN THE TEAM IS A SURE THING AT THIS POINT,” SAID MAYA.

“I THINK WE SHOULD REMOVE THIS ENTIRELY, PEOPLE WOULD BET ON IT ALL THE TIME OTHERWISE.” SUGGESTED CHAYA.

“DID YOU FORGET SISTER? NO MORE SUCH BETS ARE ALLOWED. BESIDES, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO BET ON TOM. WE’RE GOING TO MAKE TONS OF PROFIT FROM HIM.” SAID MAYA.

“FORGIVE ME, SISTER. THE CLINKING OF COINS CAUSES ME TO FORGET THINGS.” BOTH TWINS GIGGLE.

PART 4.

DHIRAJ IS HANDLING A COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF CORVUS. THE STUDENTS WHO WANT GREATER SAFETY FOR THE AUDIENCE HAVE LODGED A COMPLAINT TO THE HEADMASTER, FEELING THAT THE TOURNAMENT IS UNNECESSARILY DANGEROUS TO THEM. NEVER MIND THAT THEIR CONSPIRACIES KEEP GOING ON, WHICH ARE FAR MORE DANGEROUS. CASE AND POINT, UNDERGROUND BETTING GOING ON AT THIS TIME, WHERE BETS ARE COLLECTED FORCEFULLY IF THE GAMBLER IS NOT ABLE TO PAY.

“PROFESSOR,” LOOKS LIKE THE ARGUMENT IS COMING TO AN END. “WE FEEL THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE AUDIENCE SAFE, OR WHO ELSE WOULD WATCH THE MATCHES OTHERWISE? THIS IS BAD FOR THE DUELING SPORT AS WELL!”

“PROFESSOR,” SAID THE OTHER STUDENT. “WE THE MAGES SHOULD PROTECT OURSELVES. IF WE CAN’T DO THAT, THEN WE SHOULD NOT GO IN THE ARENA AND BE CLOSE TO THE DANGER!”

“WHY NOT DO SOME VOTING?” ASKED DHIRAJ.

“FINE!” BOTH BOYS AGREED.

VOTING IS DONE. AFTER THE COUNTING, THE ANTI-SAFETY PORTION WINS. BUT THE PRO-SAFETY STUDENTS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH IT, SO THEY EXPRESS THEIR ANGER MOST DEMOCRATICALLY: ASSAULTING THEIR OPPONENTS, AND BREAKING THE CHAIRS OVER THEIR BODIES.

BUT THE DECISION IS FINAL. THEY CAN KILL EACH OTHER ALL THEY WANT; IT CANNOT BE CHANGED. SO, LEAVING THEM TO THEIR HOMICIDAL ACTIVITIES, DHIRAJ WALKS OUT OF THE MEETING ROOM, READY TO REPORT THE SUCCESSFUL CLOSURE OF THIS COMPLAINT.