"Hmm? Yes I would like to extend my lesson. What reason? Lets say I see some potential in todays batch." Kaius gives a slight chuckle "That's what I said last time? Eh don't remember saying anything like that before." Kaius adjusts his back, before droning more into the sending stone.

Alright it should take a while for them to finish that call. Almas looks toward all the other students chattering. All of them seem to be either talking about their strategies or how many will leave this class for the upper classes.

Heh, that poor instructor! Having to adapt to this many strategies without magic, can't wait for my free ticket out of the bottom! At that thought a epiphany hits Almas.

Wait, I'm the one that incited this so that means- oh crap! Almas's heart races as they turn to see the teacher almost done with his call.

Why did I make myself the scapegoat?! what do I do!

Kaius puts the sending stone into their pocket, then claps his hands to signal the students to assemble. "Alright everyone! We got a few hours to go through all 20 of you lets make this quick!" Kaius flips his wooden dagger then catches it as he makes his way toward the stone stage in the middle of the courtyard. After flipping it one last time they use it to point at Almas. "Let's see what you got!"

Dammit, okay relax, they still have all those handicaps on him, it would also be hard to break my shield using that dinky wooden weapon. Almas follows their lead, trying to make their best poker face without much success.

"Name!" Kaius smiles, preparing several component pouches.

Why does he want my name? Oh right it's a duel. "I'm Almas of house Tigan!" Almas readies his wand and bows.

Kaius Nods. "And you already know my name so lets begin?"

Almas looks at the other students, Gater standing out from the crowd due to his loud cheering and large stature. Almas's eyes then meet with Kaius's. Almas takes note of their low stance, his head was almost touching the ground, but still had his eyes towards him, he as also holding their dagger with a reverse grip. Hmm, Gater had a similar stance, are they planning to rush toward me?

"Lets begin!" Almas chants a short incantation and a ember forms at the tip of their wand immediately, but he waits for a few seconds instead of firing.

Kaius starts sprinting after the observing Almas's incantation. Almas reacts with one quick firebolts toward Kaius's legs.

Kaius can't turn in time, and instead jumps over the bolts, then whistles. "Wew that's some quick casting you got there."

Predictable! Almas fires another firebolt toward them. He's done for, you can't change your trajectory while in the air!

Kaius flicks his thumb and the firebolt explodes prematurely. "Wew, nice tactics almost got me there!"

Did he just use? No that can't be, there was no sign of him casting or preparing a spell. Almas can't think for long as Kaius closes the distance. Due to Almas fearing another encounter in close quarters the accuracy of their firebolt suffers with miss after miss, but even the ones that clearly wouldn't hit explode prematurely. As they do however they hear small clicks impacting the stone stage.

Almas tried to deduce of its orgin, but realized that Kaius was still closing in. Almas made another quick incantation, a bubble of force replaced the embers of the wand, and quickly expanded into a dome.

Kaius stops just short of impacting the dome. He makes a quick smirk, before dropping a pellet a thick fog erupts from it surrounding Almas's dome.

Dammit I can't see! Almas reignites the ember at the tip of their wand. What can he possibly do with a wooden dagger though? just have to wait until this fog dissapates.

Almas shifts uneasily. The fog clears slightly as the wind picks up, but then Almas hears a intense impact, then the sound of something shattering.

My shields been breached! The dome surrounding Almas disappears. Almas reacts immediately his body facing the direction where he heard the sound.

Kaius immediately takes advantage of this by amushing Almas at a full sprint. Almas tries to react with a firebolt but instead flinches. Almas had their eyes closed bracing for the impact of the incoming strike, but instead felt a soft tap on his head.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

What just happened? Almas's legs buckle.

"So, was that substantial enough?" Kaius delivers in a condescending tone, then offers his hand to help Almas up.

Almas snaps out of his stupor, quickly standing up on their own. "You were cheating right!?"

"Cheating? I would do no such thing." Kaius shrugged.

"Don't be coy my firebolts were exploding before they could reach you, and there's no way you broke my shield with that wood-" Almas was in shock to see the wooden dagger. It had a big crack in the middle of it.

"You're right, I couldn't have done that. I'll assure you that I didn't use magic to accomplish that though, nor was it brute strength you have a pretty tough shield." Kaius grins.

"Then ho-"

"You can figure that on your own can't you? Think you have a solid minute to look around that fight was quick." Kaius interrupts Almas as the fog dissapates.

Almas quickly looks around the stage now that it's clear, they start to see something that wasn't present before. Singed ball bearings littered the stone stage. He was throwing those to intercept my spells! The accuracy needed to do that is insane and he can do that effortlessly! But wait, how about my shield? Almas takes a quick glance at the area where the fog was and see glass fragments on the floor, along with some on Kaius's boot.

Is that some sort of spell compon- no wait that shattering sound.. It wasn't my shield it was them stepping on glass. I lost my concentration due to fear. That's why my shield disappeared instead of it shattering! "Goddammit!" Almas scream echoed through the courtyard.

"Seems you're very observant, though your fighting style is pretty rigid and you depend on that shield a bit too much to the point where a simple trick like that makes you quake, with enough guidance I'm you will get used to fighting." Kaius chuckles.

"Ahem, but anyway have about 19 more of you to go, so scram."

You co- dammit fine I was outplayed this time! "Okay" Almas gets out of the side of the stage. Gater approaching shortly after.

"So how strong was he? Couldn't see much due to the fog." Gater questions, as he observes the next student go into the stage.

Don't think I have that much specific information on them that would he- wait why would I want to help them get to the top! "He's more sneaky than strong from what I can tell, though they don't fight like any mage I've seen."

The student that Kaius was against was dispatched a moment afterwards without casting a single spell. Due to Kaius's fast approach, and the students broken concentration from the barrage of ball bearings being flicked onto their head. "Next!"

"Hmm I see so they rely on cheap tricks, that's kind of a bore would hope they would be more fun than that." Gater stares at the next 3 students being dispatched with the same method each taking a few minutes.

Gater hums to himself. "Isn't it a bit odd though?"

"What's odd?" Almas says as they stare at Gater with a confused look.

"Their fighting style doesn't seem to be suffering at all even without their magic. Hate to admit but I kind of suffer without my wind backing me up." Gater observes as Kaius disrupts a floating crossbow arrow by hitting it with a ball bearing.

Hmm true you don't get that much precision by just firing spells all day. They also haven't shown us their spells, or taught us a sliver of magic, but that might be asking for too much on the first day. "Seems a bit odd yes." Almas got enough of their bearings to watch the fights with Gater, they don't take much of a interest until.

The violin owner walks onto the stage, grabbing her instrument from its case.

"Name?" Kaius question slightly bored from the last few matches.

"Varis of house Schwartz." Varis bows tuning her instrument in preperation for the duel.

"Very well, just tell me when you're ready."

Why does she seem so familiar? Almas ponders this taking more interest in this duel.

"I'm ready." Varis says bluntly as she starts playing her violin.

Kaius starts his sprint, but just as they approached Varis stared onto his eyes and-

"You piece of @#@#!" Varis screamed a insult. Kaius clutched his head and gave a loud chuckle.

"Wouldn't count that as a clean hit, but wow what a mouth you have. You're really using that kind of magic on me?" Kaius uses a second smoke pellet.

Varis tries cussing again but her spell is ineffective without being able to see her target. Realizing this they change to a different tune to prepare another spell. Kaius leaps out and ambushes from the fog once again. Varis was ready to cast, however before they could play the last note to release the spell she realized a ball bearing made its way into her strings, jamming it. Instead of getting it unstuck Varis attempts to swipe Kaius with their violin case.

Kaius swiftly ducks below the violin case. "What the heck!" Kaius screams trying to regain his composure. Varis doesn't hesitate and starts using their other arm to slam down the violin. But Kaius intercepts Varis's wrist before it could make impact, then lightly taps Varis's neck with his wooden dagger.

"Damn I wasn't expecting for you to use your belongings like that, don't take those for granted!" Kaius seemed more panicked from that interaction than any other of his duels, but quickly regain his poise.

"That was a fine effort though, if that spell went off I would have lost. Anyways only got about 6 more of you to go, seems like I have only the upcoming magic knights left!" Kaius laughs as the students with practice melee weapons quake.

Varis went out of the stage screaming a few curses before simmering down.

Upon withnessing Varis's expression Almas remembers the sight of a broken violin at his feet.

What kind of memory was that?