Sigrun once again finds himself back at the Academy’s coliseum with Alisa and Reed on tow. Holding the Letter of Challenge from Seigen, Sigrun enters the establishment. It was just minutes ago since their last class finished and even though burnt out from his own studies, Sigrun walks with excitement.

A challenge from the Light Prodigy, Seigen Llyod, is bound to gather hundreds of audiences and the proof is the coliseum’s audience seat is already filled halfway and people are still coming. One more thing that pulled everyone is their curiosity of how strong the boy adopted by the Headmaster of the Estelle Academy, Sigrun Valker is.

As the figure of Sigrun becomes visible to the audience, everyone started talking among themselves.

“Everyone does sure have free time on their hands, huh. I haven’t even given my affirmation and yet, they came like the battle will actually happen. Not that I won’t accept it.” Sigrun said as he moves his sight from left to right.

“I think everyone is pretty much aware that you are a little shameless at this point. Constantly staring at breasts in the hallway and even muttering words of compliment…you are bound to come as impudent.” Alisa said with a palm covering her face with a perplexed countenance.

Sigrun immediately noticed that in the middle of the Coliseum, Seigen is already there, staring at him.

“Yo, little Valker.” The P.E. Teacher, Maine, came towards the trio with a casual greeting.

“Good afternoon, Miss Maine. May I ask, do you authorize this kind of battle?” Sigrun immediately inquired. Although he himself made a lot of trouble, he wanted to avoid them as much as possible.

“Ah, yeah, it’s not that rare here, however, it is rare of Seigen to challenge people. I can tell that he is probably a little frustrated that the Headmaster has chosen someone else other than him.” Maine said while shifting her glance to Seigen.

“What do you mean by that? I haven’t done anything yet to anger him.” Sigrun asked back with a quizzical tone.

“You…haven’t done anything yet? Ah, nevermind. What I mean is, Seigen and Headmaster Meld are both Serensis, see? The bigger picture here is that Seigen, as a Serensis, is aiming to be part of the Ten Paladins. Seeing that one of the Ten Paladins adopting a child means you are deemed someone capable.” Maine explained while looking somewhat distant.

“Ten Paladins…huh? There’s a lot of misunderstanding regarding that but I don’t think my words will convince anyone for now. Well, I’ll go there now.” Sigrun only said as he walked away from Maine with Reed and Alisa giving a slight bow to her as they leave.

Sigrun then separates from Alisa and Reed as he heads towards the changing room.

Incidentally, Alisa and Reed spotted Enheirt and Amaryl sitting with two seats vacant between them. At first, it looks like they are quite in a pickling fight, however, Enheirt and Amaryl know better and let Reed and Alisa take a seat side by side.

“Uwaah, I never imagined that my boy Sigrun would get invited out by the hottest guy!” Enheirt said with a light chuckle.

“Stop wording it like that! I’m going to break two or three arms of yours if you keep at it!” Alisa roared a little with a death glare.

“Alisa…he only have two arms…” Amaryl commented with a forced smile.

“Miss Sunset is brutal as always. Anyway, about this battle, is it really okay? Sigrun just moved here from the countryside, right? I’m a little worried, to be honest. The enemy is Seigen, a third year.” Enheirt asked as he takes a glance to Seigen in the arena.

“Hmm? I don’t think there’s any problem. For me, I’m not that worried.” Alisa bluntly laid out those words as she leans back.

“Alisa, little Sigrun will only be fighting for the first time here. I don’t think he has that much knowledge on how Seigen fights. I understand that from your confidence, Sigrun has some considerable talent that Sir Meld Valker adopted him, however, Seigen is nothing sort of short in both talent and skills too.” Amaryl anxiously looks at Alisa who is sitting beside her.

“I am more worried about how Sig will act…” Alisa said with a fleeting voice that is almost inaudible.

Suddenly, a cheer broke out as the other side of the arena’s door opens.

From there, Sigrun emerges, still wearing his uniform and walks towards Seigein without a single care in the world. Seigen is motionless and only stares at Sigrun with a default countenance.

“Hey, hey…really now?! Sigrun could have taken any armaments or weapons in the changing room an yet, he didn’t pick any. On top of that, he is still wearing his school uniform…” Enheirt said as he got up halfway from his seat.

“Seigen dons the same though…a school uniform. The difference is…he is using his personalizes weapons…” Amaryl pointed out the rifle in Seigen’s hand.

“Light Compressor ARMA. Augment Refracting Meta Arm, an extremely complicated weapon made for Seigen only. Using the power of light, he fires a ray of light that possibly decomposes or evaporates any of its targets. Without the magical barrier set up for the Coliseum, it’s no doubt, a deadly weapon.” Reed said as he stares at Seigen with fervor.

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Sigrun then made a full stop ten step away from Seigen.

“I’m glad for your arrival, Sigrun Valker. Your appearance only announces your willingness for this bout.” Seigen said as he made a courteous bow.

“This battle…is it because you can’t accept me for being adopted by…M--...Dearest father?” Sigrun asked.

“What are you talking about? I’ll be frank, this is all because of my selfish ego. I am sorry to impose it to you but, I feel that you are nothing sort of an ordinary magus.” Seigen expresses his blunt reason.

“I see, you are a warrior at heart, huh? I guess talking won’t amount to anything anymore. Let’s start.” Sigrun smiled as he jumps back and created a considerable distance.

The bell rang, announcing the start of the battle. The clamor and chatter earlier become an intense silence.

“Start!” Maine shouted from the control room through the announcer’s microphone.

As soon as the signal is given, Seigen Llyod, from all the watcher’s eyes, disappeared. The sudden phenomena held everyone’s breath.

“That’s…Bright Waltz at the start of the battle?! Seigen is not pulling any punches for little Sigrun!” Amaryl angrily snarls.

There are no traces of Seigen in the arena anymore. Not a speck of shadow or even presence, everything is erased. Meanwhile, Sigrun, to the eyes of the watchers, is unmoving.

Not even three seconds has passed and a bright ray of light comes bursting forth out of nowhere. It’s not only one, but dozens of light made their appearance and attacks Sigrun from all direction.

“Sigrun!” Amaryl shouted in distress as the image of Sigrun being pincered by the attacks came to her mind.

However, contrary to everyone’s expectation, Sigrun dodges the attacks rather easily.

Swift, agile, graceful, and no movements are even wasted. All the ray of lights didn’t land, it is no exaggeration to say that none even grazed him. It is apparent to his face that such attack is not even a slight problem to him.

Everyone just finds him dancing without moving too much from his place.

“Seigen Llyod is known for using the refraction tactic. Using the ability of light to draw his own image away from the eyes by blending his body with light. After that, with his ARMA, he’ll send a barrage of light attacks. It’s not cowardice, it’s just a display that Seigen is using his abilities to the right spectrum in battle. However…the enemy right now is…Sigrun.” Reed said while keeping his eyes to Sigrun. Amazement is swelling up from his chest.

The barrage of light didn’t stop from bothering Sigrun. More of it is coming, however, to no avail, none was able to even scratch him.

Enheirt and Amaryl, together with all the spectators, are amazed, flabbergasted, or even bewildered that one of the strongest in the academy, has his attack rendered futile against one boy.

“Then, to give an answer to your heartfelt and relentless attack, I shall strike back.” Sigrun said as he holds his arm in the air.

No faster than instant, a sword of pure blissful darkness emerges from his hand. A sinister slim sword made nothing but pure darkness and magical energy. Its power is felt all over the place.

“Lies! He just conjured a weapon out of thin air?! And on top of that, he is a dark elementalist?!

“Ah, Lord Valker looks so cool!”

“This is the talent of the next candidate of the Ten Paladins!”

“Who is more powerful at this point, Valker or Lloyd?!”

A wave of comment keeps piling up, however, neither Sigrun nor Seigen minded those words.

But before Sigrun could move from his place, Seigen appeared in front of him with ARMA set down. His eye is serious and his countenance is default as always, like a cold prince.

“I concede.” Seigen simply said.

After bowing lightly at Sigrun who has a dumbfounded face while holding the sword of darkness in his hand, turn his heels and walks away.

“Eh…?” Sigrun only muttered as he tilted his head.

Silence looms over the place as they watch Seigen made his exit. Even Maine, the teacher, is dumbfounded from such behavior exhibited by Seigen who she guessed as a battle-hardened freak. On the contrary, Reed and Alisa have an indifferent view apart from everyone.

“Seigen Llyod…conceded?” Enheirt said with his jaw gaping.

“Seeing what little Sigrun took out, I doubt there’s hardly any argument of why he did so, however, I don’t think that alone would actually make him back down without a fight…” Amaryl said.

Soon after, questions and amazement started flying around.

Meanwhile, at Seigen’s changing room.

“…” Seigen could only look at the ARMA on his hand.

“Yo, Light boy. Are you nervous?” Ezili made such remark as she tried peering at Seigen’s countenance by tilting her whole body.

“Ezili?! How should I put…” Seigen’s tone rapidly changes befitting of his youthfulness.

“Hmm?” Ezili put on a smug as her eyes inquire for an immediate answer.

“I’m really embarrassed! Ah, I just have to quit and Miss Hertuclaire has to see me that pathetically!” Seigen immerses in a crestfallen atmosphere.

“Again, Alisa, huh. You really like her that much. Just remember this Seigen, you are a third year and she is only a first year.” Ezili said.

“I know that…but…argh…I feel all fuzzy whenever I remember her beautiful eyes, fluffy ears, silky tail, and frail looking body! Having a gap in age is quite bad. Because of that, I’m really shy in making any move on her!” Seigen said as he reddens a little.

“The hard, cold, and princely Seigen that everyone knows…is actually a love-stricken man who is in love with an underclassman. I wonder what will happen if I made this into a headline.” Ezili teasingly said.

“Everyone just started misunderstanding me since I was a first year here. Now it’s hard to tell all the people off from following me around. Because of that, it’s harder to approach Miss Hertuclaire.” Seigen said dejectedly.

“And…Seigen…why did you concede? Sigrun Valker, Tier Four, Third Degree. From what he showed earlier, this is a blatant crap made by my father.” Ezili inquires.

“Sigrun Valker, he is stronger than you imagine…no…he is already out of our league.” Seigen’s countenance returned to a cold and calculative one.

“What do you mean by that?” Ezili asked for further explanation.

“Bright Waltz, is my trump card, as everyone knows. I disappear from everyone’s sight and attacks the enemy by bending the light all over the place to become a Photon Ray but…that Sigrun Valker…” Seigen hesitated for a moment and stares at Ezili’s eyes.

“Even with my refraction active…his eyes…are following me like I am there in a plain sight. No one may have noticed it but…he never took his eyes off me. On top of that, his power is considered threatening and his movements are not of someone newbie would have. It’s hard to draw out more conclusion but most likely, Sigrun Valker…is the closest to becoming a Paladin.” Seigen explained as he looks above him and stares at the light.

“Interesting. This may have been the trigger of why the Ten Paladins have come.” Ezili said as she crosses her arms.

“Yeah…I heard that…Lady Emeralda is already here at the Academy…” Seigen said while stretching his arms.

“Let’s go. I’m sure that someone like Sigrun Valker…will attract a lot of interesting events! I can’t wait to capture those moments in my lense.” Ezili said with a sinistrous smile.