"The Zone? What is that," everyone questioned. "Fine, I will explain it to you guys."

  "In sports, the term "Zone" is when an athlete performs to his or her's best abilities. They're also fully immersed in that sport at that moment. They have a feeling of energized focus, unbridled bursts of rampant creativity, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. However, the Zone for mages is different. If you're a mage and you do enter the zone you have the highest level of concentration. So even if I do say that the match is over he wouldn't be able to hear me. He would only focus on the task at hand. Also, the Zone is when one's physical energy is at it's peak without the help of mental and spiritual energy," Katsumi explained.

  Everyone was taking the time to process what she was saying. Hiromi and Hikaru realized something and decided to talk.

  "Wait, if it doesn't have the help of mental and spiritual energy, that means" Hiromi and Hikaru said softly.

  "It seems you two figured it out. That's right, the Zone is the highest level of strength one's body can achieve without the help of magic," Katsumi stated.

  "Amazing, and if you can combine that with magic you could be invincible," a random girl yelled.

  After hearing that girl say that sentence, Hiromi and Hikaru couldn't help but look at the poor girl like she's an idiot. I mean what kind of question was that.

  "Are you an idiot," Hiromi stated.

  "Were you not listening at all," Hikaru questioned.

  "You know what? Never mind, Ms. Katsumi can you explain please," Hiromi asked.

  "Sure. The Zone is strictly controlled by physical energy. If you add any of the other energies then the system will break and you will just use regular magic. That is why the Zone isn't something you need or should learn to do. It's not a technique that you should use against a demon beast. Mostly mages that wants to be a body guard or fight other mages would learn this. There is many pro's and con's to the Zone. Some believe that there is more pro's then con's and the same could be said the other way around. It seems his master gave him the gist of how to use this power," Katsumi explained.

   "Then it's basically useless," a random boy said.

  "Not necessarily," Katsumi stated. "What do you mean by that Ms. Katsumi?"

  "Just watch, you will understand," Katsumi said with a smirk.

  Akemi is confused about what is happening right now. He knows that he has the upper hand but why, why does he feel a sense of discomfort every times he looks towards my direction. He can't help but feel like he's in the palm of my hand ready to dispose of whenever I feel like it. Akemi feared that If he confronts me he will ultimately lose.

Of course I knew this so I dashed towards him not allowing him to run.

Since he was surprised he created a sword out of wind and sliced of my head.

  "Shit, I didn't mean to do that," Akemi told himself.

I suddenly faded into thin air as if nothing was even there.

  "What, an after image, where is he," Akemi questioned himself.

Akemi was looking around and couldn't see me.

Suddenly his back felt heavy, like something was leaning against him.

He turned his head to the right slightly and their I was. My back leaning against his and my head tilted backwards resting on his shoulder.

  "Hey, you're using magic again, does this mean I can beat the shit out of you without worrying about your life," I said while looking in his eyes.

Akemi spun around and tried to use his elbow to hit me in the face.

I ducked underneath it and grabbed his left arm. I pulled him towards my direction to make him lose his balance.

I spun around and hit him square in the face with the back of my fist, which caused him to be launched into the air.

  "He's really fast and strong but why? He's not even using magic," Akemi told himself.

  "Dammit due to the injuries I got from Hiroto it's hard to think straight and control my magic properly," Akemi thought.

While in the air I threw a punch straight towards his stomach and landed the blow, launching him back.

He slammed into the wall causing it to get a crater and made him cough up some blood. Akemi got up slowly holding his stomach in pain.

  "Dammit how can he have so much strength without the help of magic," Akemi thought.

Akemi looked to his right too the area where Ezume was watching the fight.

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Ezume was fuming with rage with the outcome of this battle.

He made a gesture of his thumb running across his neck showing Akemi that there will be consequences for losing.

He got chills down his spine knowing what the punishment will be.

  "I can't afford to lose," Akemi told himself. "I need to win, no matter what!"

Akemi leaped into air and started charging up a wind magic attack.

When he was finished his whole hand was glowing green and he launched it towards my direction. I didn't move and just stood there.

The attack landed collided against me head on causing the floor beneath me to be blown to pieces and pushed away from the pressure.

In the end there was a smoke screen and everyone was wondering what just happened.

  "Did I win," Akemi questioned.

Akemi feel to his knees because of the injuries he sustained.

  "Dammit, because I couldn't use mana to protect myself the injuries I sustain are far worse then it should be," Akemi told himself.

After the smoke screen cleared I was standing in the middle perfectly fine.

Everyone was surprised and at a lost for words. Well, everyone except Akemi.

He was looking towards the ground thinking he has already won. I used my speed and in a blink of an eye I was behind him. I decided to take a seat on his back since he was already on his knees.

  "It truly is a pity that your injuries held you back. Not like it really matters, even if you didn't have those injuries the outcome of this battle would still be the same," I stated while looking towards the sky.

  "What how is he perfectly fine," a random boy yelled. "That attack hit him full on!"

  "No, he was able to disperse the attack," Hiromi and Hikaru stated.

  "Oh you were able too see that," Katsumi said.

  "Yeah we were however, how did he do that," Hikaru asked. "I told you there were many pro's and con's to the Zone, right?"

  "Yes, that is indeed what you told us," everyone responded.

  "Well he used one of the moves the Zone has," Katsumi stated.

  "What do you mean by that," Hikaru asked.

  "There is many advantages and disadvantages the zone has, an advantage it has is its extreme concentration. Due to that there is a specific area around you that you know what's happening inside no matter what," Katsumi explained.

  "Wait, that doesn't really make sense Ms. Katsumi," a boy stated.

  "Think of it like this. You are standing alone and there is a bubble around you. An attack comes from your blind side however, as soon as it enters that bubble you immediately know where it is," Katsumi further explained.

  "If that's the case then that means he basically has 360 degree vision," Hikaru and Hiromi exclaimed. "That is right!"

  "Please wait a moment, although he does have 360 degree vision, how can he disperse the attack," Hiromi questioned.

  "That is due to the fact you can find the weakness of anything that enters that area," Katsumi responded.

  "Then he basically has a perfect defense," Hikaru and Hiromi stated. "That is indeed correct."

  "What, then he's basically unstoppable," a random person yelled.

  "No, since you cannot wield magic in the Zone you cannot destroy the attack. You basically can only redirect the attack somewhere else," Katsumi explained.

  "Also, if the attack is powerful to the point where you can't redirect it, then you basically need to dodge it or you will suffer the consequences," Katsumi further explained.

  "What is this move called," Hikaru asked. "That move is called the Redirect Zone."

  "You weren't kidding when you said it had a lot of pro's and con's," Hikaru stated.

  "It seems this fight is over," Hiromi said.

  "Yeah, the Zone sounds very interesting," Hikaru stated.

  "Indeed it does," Hiromi agreed.

I got up from Akemi's back because the fight is already over.

I wanted to deliver the finishing blow just to make sure he won't do something sneaky.

Akemi turned his head to the right too see where I was standing.

Before he could react I kicked him in the forehead launching him backwards. He landed head first to the wall causing a small crater.

He laid there unable to move and speak.

  "Well then, lunch ends in ten minutes," I stated.

I decided to exit the zone and activated my magic. I turned my head to the right just enough to look behind me.

I looked directly into Ezume's eyes and started talking.

  "Ezume get your ass out here, let's finish this already," I said in a cold monotone voice.

  "Scary, scary, sorry but ten minutes isn't enough time for our fight. Let's finish this at the tournament," Ezume said with an evil smile.

  "Tournament? What is he talking about," I thought.

  "Are you running away," I questioned.

  "No, I just want our fight to be fair and not be weighed down by a ten minute timer," Ezume explained.

  "I have a question though. Why are you getting in between me and Hiromi," Ezume asked. "What" you're the person who came at me. I didn't do anything to get between you both."

  "Then why is she so cold to everyone but she talks to you and Hikaru with a smile," Ezume asked. "How am I supposed to know that? It's her choice who she enjoys to talk to and who she doesn't."

  "If Hiromi and I were to date, would you get between us," Ezume kept on asking questions.

  I took a minute too think and when I realized I definitely would get between them. No, not because I like her. Come on this isn't some cliche anime plot. Besides, romance will just get in the way of my goals. I believe she also thinks the same way I do. I mean after all, friends should keep other friends on the right path.

  "Well, I would be lying If I said no. I will definitely not allow that to happen," I stated.

  "So you do like her," Ezume said loudly.

  "Romance? Love? Don't mess with me, all of that sounds like a pain in my ass. I'm not interested in that. I have a promise to keep to my master and love will just get in the way of that," I explained.

  "Then why, why would you get between us," Ezume said, irritated.

  "That's because she's my friend and as her friend I won't allow her to date a cunning bastard like you," I said loudly.

  Hiromi's face turned bright red after hearing me say that. Hikaru and Ms. Katsumi noticed this and started to tease her.

  "Hiromi why are you so red," Hikaru asked in a teasing tone. "So cute, the cold Hiromi is falling in love."

  "Shut up both of you, me falling in love? That's impossible," Hiromi stuttered.

  "Then why are you so red," they teased. "That's because it was unexpected!"

  "So you admit that his words is what made you blush," Hikaru and Katsumi said simultaneously.

  They both started teasing her more and more until Hiromi had enough of it.

  "Hey, another word and you'll both be crippled for life," Hiromi said with a death stare.

  Hikaru and Ms. Katsumi both shut up immediately and sat there quietly. Ms. Katsumi realized that lunch is going to end soon so she got up and started talking.

  "As Ezume stated you two will just have to fight in the tournament to end this," Katsumi stated.

  I made a loud click with my tongue showing I was irritated.

  "What is this tournament you're talking about," I questioned. "We will be having a guest speaker to explain it to us in a week."

  "Whatever, let just head back to class," I said pouting.

Suddenly my body felt heavy and I couldn't think straight.

  "What's happening to me," I questioned myself.

Seconds later I collapsed too the floor breathing heavily.

  "Hiroto," everyone yelled, concerned.