8th August
After Lin, Rusty and Arnold were done with their three ways, Miss Iva now wanted the other students to fight tooーSo as you students saw, it was a grandiose fight, but I'm still not content so I'll have you all fight one-on-one. The rules are all the same. So, let's begin with the pairings.
She formed pairs and made the students fight. But as the students were newーbarely 4 days into the academy, they didn’t last long and mostly resorted to their physical calibre. One by one the fights proceeded and students fell to the ground like flies. These fights were like baby quarrels compared to Lin and Rusty’s fight.
After a few matches, Miss Iva glanced over the remaining students, her expression one of visible disappointment. She had been hoping for a more thrilling duel, something intense enough to truly satisfy her. She scanned the crowd for a while, then sighed deeply, her gaze dropping to the ground.
“Yer all a disappointing bunch," she muttered, shaking her head. “Fighting like a group of klošars.” She looked utterly drained, like she might collapse from sheer boredom. Her shoulders slumped as if she were ready to dismiss the entire class. “Maybe I should just let ya go… sigh…”
For a moment, she stood there in silence, as though wrestling with her own exhaustion. But then, just as the students began to relax, she suddenly lifted her head. Her eyes gleamed with renewed energy, her excitement back in full force.
“I’ve found a dragulj among ya klošars…” she announced, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. She extended a finger toward the crowd, pointing decisively. “Yo, boy.”
“M-Me?” John stammered, his face flushing so red it looked as if he might burst into flames. He was practically glowing with embarrassment, looking more like a ripe tomato than a student.
Miss Iva rolled her eyes, her tone laced with mock annoyance. “Not yo, ya dunce. The one behind ya.”
John quickly stepped aside, revealing Yuki standing in the crowd, who was looking equally surprised. "Me?" Yuki asked, pointing to himself, his brow furrowed in confusion.
“Aye, ya,” she confirmed, her gaze locking onto him. “What's yer name, boy?”
“Tachibana Yuki!” he answered, trying to mask the mixture of nervousness and intrigue in his voice.
“Well, come here then, Tachibana.”
Yuki stepped forward, standing in the centre of the training ground and facing Miss Iva with a slight bow. “Yes, ma'am?”
She looked him over with a scrutinising gaze, sizing him up. “You’ll fight next.”
“Huh? With whom?” Yuki asked, glancing around uneasily.
Miss Iva narrowed her eyes, scanning the crowd thoughtfully, her gaze landing again on John. She smirked and jabbed a finger in his direction. “Ya there—come here.”
At first, there was no response. John blinked, looking around, clearly not registering that she meant him. But as she began to tap her foot impatiently, her expression darkening, John’s eyes finally widened in realisation. “What? Me?” he blurted.
“Yes, yo!” she snapped, exasperated. "Quit gawkin’ and get over here already."
Flustered, John jogged toward her, almost stumbling in his eagerness to obey. “Yes, mo—uh, yes, ma'am?”
“Boy,” she said, with a smirk that hinted she knew exactly what kind of rivalry was brewing, “you’ll be fightin’ Tachibana here.”
John's eyes lit up, his initial shock melting away into something much more devious. He gave Yuki a look that practically screamed payback, a grin spreading across his face, his eyes narrowed with unspoken vengeance.
“Oh,” John blinked, caught off guard for a split second, before a slow, wicked grin crept across his face. His eyes glinted with a mischievous edge as he locked onto Yuki, practically oozing with smug satisfaction. His expression said it all: Finally, time to settle this, you little punk. He replied, his voice dripping, “I’d be happy to.”
Miss Iva, pleased by the tension simmering between them, turned and began to stride off the training ground, her back to the boys. As she walked, her gaze fell upon Lin, who was leaning casually against a pillar in the corridor, arms crossed and watching the scene with a look of profound boredom. She approached him, tilting her head in mild curiosity.
“Lin,” she greeted, her voice slightly teasing. “What are you doing lurking here?”
He looked at her with a hint of disinterest, then sighed. “I felt the need to escape the mind-numbing monotony of class,” he replied, his words laced with dry disdain. “Endless textbooks and the cacophony of petty arguments among classmates—it's tiresome. I thought perhaps coming here would afford me the opportunity to witness something noteworthy. Alas, all I've seen are mediocre skirmishes. Frankly, I’m... colossally disappointed.” He looked at her with faint disdain before straightening up as if to leave. “Staying here is a waste of my time.”
Miss Iva chuckled, unfazed by his indifference, and stepped in his path. “I’d suggest sticking around. This next battle might actually surprise you.”
Lin’s eyes narrowed, a faint glimmer of curiosity breaking through his usual detachment. He looked back at the field with a faint, disinterested frown. “I find that hard to believe, Kovač lǎoshī. These novices... they couldn’t possibly offer anything close to a real challenge.”
She raised an eyebrow, her tone playful yet challenging. “Wanna bet?”
“Hm?” He looked at her with mild interest, though he quickly brushed it off. “No, I don’t think it’s worth the trouble.”
Miss Iva smirked, refusing to back down. “What if I sweeten the deal? If you’re right and they bore you, I’ll treat you to lunch—your pick.”
Lin sighed, unimpressed. “I can afford my own meals, thank you.”
She rolled her eyes and nudged him lightly. “Oh, come on. Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud. I was very careful in pairing these two. I think you’ll find it... unexpectedly entertaining.”
He hesitated, letting her words sink in, then gave a reluctant nod. “...Fine. If you’re that insistent.”
Miss Iva’s eyes glinted mischievously as she added, “But what if, by some miracle, you lose this bet?”
He sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. “Then... the treat’s on me.”
“Perfect.” She extended her hand, sealing the bet with a triumphant grin. “It’s settled, then.”
✳ ✳ ✳
The battle between Yuki and John was about to begin. Both fighters were preparing themselves, physically and mentally, engineering their strategies. They both knew what the other was capable of and were scared of it. Miss Iva stood at the edge of the arena, her voice carrying a hint of a challenge. “Are you two ready?” she called, her tone daring them to show what they were capable of.
Yuki and John both nodded, their faces steeling in concentration.
“Then what are you waiting for? Start brawling!” Miss Iva’s shout cut through the air like a starting pistol, sending adrenaline rushing through both fighters.
Yuki’s thoughts raced, his heart pounding with excitement. Finally, the author is giving me some screen time. Now I’ll wipe the floor with John and impress the readers.
Yuki advanced towards John. In his accord he had seen enough fights by now to perform Crux Particles manipulation i.e magic, and all he needed was strategy. John decided to be on the offensive plan too, advancing to Yuki likewise. John charged his palm with Crux and created a fireball, Yuki manipulated his aura around his palm too but it still seemed to be empty. Yuki and John invaded each other's range. John pressed in on Yuki with a fireball punch to which Yuki responded with a palm block.
John hadn't realised that Yuki wasn't aiming to tackle his fireball with ice or some other party trick, the reason Yuki didn't form any magic with his Crux was because he was manipulating the air. He had created a vortex from the air surrounding his palm.
The two clashed mid-field, Yuki’s open hand meeting John’s flaming fist. As their palms collided, John’s fireball unexpectedly spiralled outward, swept up in the vortex of wind Yuki had created around his hand. The flames twisted and spun, a violent storm of fire whirling between them, singing the grass beneath their feet. John had been able to create a very strong fireball but Yuki was good as long as his aero-vortex was spinning.
John’s eyes widened as he felt his own flames being torn from his control, unable to penetrate Yuki’s air shield. Realising that Yuki was using the air itself as a weapon, John quickly cut off his fire and switched tactics. With a concentrated breath, he sent a pulse of Crux to his palm, attempting to switch from fire to ice, hoping to freeze Yuki’s vortex into submission. But Yuki’s vortex was too fast, shattering the forming ice into sharp, pellet-like fragments that scattered in all directions, like shards of glass splintering from an impact.
John gritted his teeth, recalibrating his strategy on the fly. Suddenly, an idea clicked into place. He took a deep breath, channelling his Crux around his fist and created a vortex of his own, spinning it in the opposite direction to Yuki’s. The counterforce sucked in both fighters' energy, causing their opposing whirlwinds to collide in an unstable, explosive spiral. The pressure surged between them, rattling the ground and hurling gusts of air outward in a frenzy.
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Yuki’s mind raced, feeling the fierce pull of John’s counterattack tugging at his own vortex. If I keep pushing, it’ll turn into a hurricane that could spiral out of control. But if I stop now, he’ll gain the upper hand. Refusing to be outmanoeuvred, Yuki adjusted his vortex’s direction, aligning it with John’s. This resulted in formation of a suction that sucked in all the destruction its creators had spun just a few instants ago.
The combined force created a fierce, high-speed whirlwind that destabilised John, nearly knocking him off his feet. The overpowering cyclone pulled John forward, sucking him deeper into its chaotic centre, his body flipping and twisting uncontrollably. His mind whirled, struggling to process the dizzying sensations as he was flung around like a rag doll.
Yet Yuki found himself in trouble as well. If he didn't undo the magic now he would put himself and John into grave danger, but that was easier said than done. Maintaining control over such high speed winds wasn't something he could pull off. He had no way of setting this down. He knew he was running out of time. If I don’t end this soon, the winds will consume me.
But in the midst of the chaos, an idea sparked.
Releasing his control over the winds, he allowed the vortex to spiral wildly. He then extended his Crux Aura around his entire body to send the dangerously fast winds in all directions around him. Instead of commanding the winds from one point, he spread them around his body, aligning himself with the turbulent energy around him. The winds swayed around in a dishevelled manner, crashing and clouting it caused absolute mayhem.
Miss Iva, observing from a distance, tilted her head in surprise. “What’s he doing now? That will only spread the danger—he’s practically surrounded himself with a tempest.” But Lin didn't respond, he just stood there examining the battle.
Yuki then manipulated his Crux Aura as a whole. Taking in the control of the wind around him using his body. “He curved the winds around so he could preside over them using his whole body aura, as doing so would reduce the tension over a single part of his body and would be comparatively easy. I didn't anticipate him performing that move.” scrutinised Lin with astonishment. “Fufu, it is indeed quite interesting. So, are you impressed now?” asked Miss Iva in amusement. “This isn't enough to hawk me.” responded Lin in complete seriousness.
Yuki stabilised himself in the eye of the storm, his Crux-controlled aura blending seamlessly with the roaring winds around him. The storm carried him upward, lifting him high above the ground as he stood, suspended at the centre of the spiral, like a force of nature incarnate. To the students watching below, Yuki appeared almost otherworldly, as though he were commanding the very elements themselves.
John was watching all of this unfold laying flat on the ground. He was devastated as he saw Yuki take over the winds. He couldn't let Yuki win. He had to think of something. The powerful winds swayed around him, the combination of their Crux put together had formed a storm of power not any random could sustain. Even though Yuki had managed to do so, he was still now out of the radar of danger. Controlling the winds by spreading the aura all around his body had put him into a very delicate state, any misstep would prove costly for him.
Yuki now decided to end the quarrel. Yuki conjured a blazing fireball in his right hand, letting the flames merge into the whirlwind surrounding him. The vortex transformed into a miniature firestorm, heat radiating with an intensity that rivalled the midday sun. With a final surge, he directed the flame-wreathed winds toward John, who was still struggling to regain control on the ground.
The flames shot toward John like the talons of a phoenix, a searing blaze spiralling with the force of a hurricane. Desperate, John reacted on pure survival instinct. His body, driven by fear and an instinct for self-preservation, summoned a wall of ice, taller and thicker than anything he’d managed before. It was too strong for John to pull off. Even he had no idea how it occurred. Perhaps it was just his body acting on instincts for survival. Or was it some greater force trying to save John. The barrier solidified just in time, absorbing the brunt of Yuki’s attack as the fire collided, hissing and steaming upon contact. The air thickened with vapour, clouds of steam rising from the impact, shrouding the battlefield in a thick mist.
Tch. If I don't break the ice wall, I won't be able to defeat him. I can't pull the flame wing as directing the winds consumes a lot more energy than maintaining them, let alone doing so while sustaining the flames.
That's when he was hit with another scheme. But if he didn't manage to pull it off properly he might completely change the face of the fight. However Yuki was persistent.
Yuki let go his control over the winds. And what followed rapidly was what all the bystanders could perceive was only a brown blur of Yuki's uniform. But that was not the case for Lin or Miss Iva. They could clearly trace the movements with their eyes. "No wayー" guaped Iva.
Yuki let go his control over the winds. Falling down into the spiral itself. But the strong winds picked him up, throwing him back and forth in the swirl. First sending him backwards, then right towards the wall. Yuki then reinforced his fist with Crux Particles and smashed them into the polar barricade accompanied by the momentum of the winds. Then using his Crux Aura to gain back the control over the winds, with the help of which he sent himself again towards the back of the spiral. And repeated the feat.
Everyone was astonished. All they had was a feeling of awe. But only Lin, Miss Iva and John actually understood what happened.
F0ckin' hell! At this rate he'll break through the wall in seconds. I hafta act fast. I hafta act fast. I hafta act fast.
John racked his brain trying to think of a way to escape. Finding no way out he even considered surrendering. What other option was he left with. He pondered. Growing oblivious to the environment. He pondered. Thinking about everything that led to this moment. He pondered. And finally. He schemed. He predicted the course of the next few seconds. He schemed. And now he had a plan.
As Yuki continued to bash the ice wall John again created two walls. One of fire, and one of ice and then hid behind the latter in a defensive position with his hands in a cross. Yuki finally broke the wall. Pieces of ice flew in, followed by a strong punch of wind sending Yuki towards John who was buried behind two walls of elements. The pieces of ice vaporised as soon as they touched the wall of flames. But the winds coming in from behind engulfed the wall over itself and hit the second wall of ice destroying it and sending John flying backwards curled in a defensive position. He flew back as if he was a ball, so far it was not possible for Yuki to reach as he couldn't go any faster while John was flying back with the same speed.
John then opened his legs, digging them in the ground to halt his movement. Then engulfing his arm with flames he went in to punch Yuki who was gliding towards him.
But Yuki knew what John was planning as soon as he set his foot on the ground. And so he did the same, halting his movements by digging in the ground with his feet. He then reinforced his fists with ice and grabbed John's arm, demobilising him, then stricked his knee in the lower right part of his rib cage, i.e, he sticked his liver. A precise knockout blow that sent John crumpling to the ground.
The field fell silent as the dust settled. Everyone was frozen, staring at the fallen form of John and the victorious Yuki, who stood breathless but triumphant.
Miss Iva blinked, momentarily speechless, before springing into action. "Get him to the infirmary, now!" she ordered some of the onlookers, who scrambled to carry John away.
She then turned to Yuki, her tone laced with approval. "Well done, Tachibana. I’m genuinely impressed with how quickly ya think on your feet—"
Before she could continue, the class bell rang, marking the end of the lesson. She sighed, clearly disappointed. "I would’ve liked to chat with ya longer, but it seems someone else is eager to have a word with you."
Yuki turned to see Lin stepping forward, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the field. His face was unreadable, his gaze fixed on Yuki with a new intensity.
"So," Miss Iva asked Lin with a smirk, "are you impressed now?"
Lin’s eyes flickered, a faint glimmer of excitement shining in their depths. "Yes. Impressed enough to extend a challenge of my own." He stepped forward, his voice low but clear. "Tachibana Yuki, I wish to fight you."
“Hey, hey, hey, hey! What?” Yuki exclaimed, his face twisted in both confusion and exhaustion as he processed Lin’s unexpected challenge. His heart was still pounding from the fight with John, and he was nowhere near ready for another match, especially with someone like Lin, whose reputation as an elite fighter loomed over the academy.
Miss Iva watched his reaction with an amused grin, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. “Seems like you left quite an impression, Yuki,” she chuckled, crossing her arms. “Though, if Lin’s this insistent, I suppose my treat should be collected today.”
“Fine, I’ll get you your treat, but right now, all I’m concerned with is challenging Tachibana,” Lin replied, his voice resolute, eyes locked onto Yuki with an intensity that made it clear he wasn’t backing down.
Yuki took a deep breath, feeling his exhaustion set deeper into his bones. “Look, I don’t care if you want to fight or not,” he muttered, frustration slipping into his voice. “I’m exhausted, I’ve got zero energy left, and honestly, all I want right now is to crash. So, get out of my way.”
Lin’s expression didn’t waver. If anything, he seemed even more resolute, his focus unbreakable. “I said I’ll deal with the rest later. Right now, all I care about is facing you.”
Miss Iva’s hand shot up, stepping between them like a shield, her voice calm but firm. “That’s enough, Lin. The class is over, and this challenge isn’t happening.”
Lin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I refuse.”
Yuki threw up his hands, incredulous. “Are you serious? I just said I don’t want to fight you! This whole drama—just stop!” He shifted further behind Miss Iva, using her as a protective barrier.
Miss Iva raised an eyebrow, smirking a little at Yuki’s reluctance. “You heard him, Lin. Now, head back to class.”
Lin stood there, his gaze unwavering as he studied both of them, as though he were calculating some unspoken decision. After a few long moments of silence, he finally gave a curt nod, his face still unreadable, and turned away, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor as he left without another word.
Yuki exhaled, shoulders dropping as the tension left him. “Thank the gods,” he muttered, relief flooding over him. The fight had been draining enough without the added weight of Lin’s challenge hanging over him.
Miss Iva glanced over her shoulder at him, a smirk still tugging at the corner of her lips. “You’d better head back too, Yuki. Can’t have you hiding out here all day.”
The bell rang for recess soon after, and Yuki took the chance to distance himself from Lin’s unyielding stare. He spent the break with Naomi, Tonio, and Joyce, swapping stories and laughing, though he found himself constantly glancing over his shoulder, half-expecting Lin to appear around the corner with that same unrelenting gaze.
Days slipped by, each one with Yuki doing his best to steer clear of Lin’s challenge. Whenever he caught sight of him in the hall, Yuki would divert his path, ducking into a classroom or blending into a crowd of students, keeping his head low. He even dragged Naomi and Tonio into elaborate detours, much to their amusement, just to avoid any direct confrontation.
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??th ?????
Yuki found himself in the heart of an unfamiliar, desolate forest, surrounded by towering, spectral trees. Their bark was blacker than coal, as though charred by some ancient fire, rough and cracked like the scales of a beast. Overhead, the branches formed a dense canopy, twisted and gnarled, yet thin enough for beams of cold, silver moonlight to pierce through, casting stark white rays onto the forest floor. The effect was almost otherworldly, a landscape of sharp contrasts—black bark and ghostly light, creating a monochrome, nightmarish tableau.
The ground was a graveyard of decay: fallen leaves turned brittle as cinders, rotting roots clawing out from the soil like skeletal fingers, remnants of whatever life had once clung to this place. Yuki’s footsteps crackled as they pressed against the crisp, dead leaves, and each sound seemed magnified, echoing through the emptiness, as though the forest itself was listening.
A cold sweat coated his brow, and his wide, darting eyes caught every flash of moonlight, refracting the pale glow in erratic directions. He was frightened—utterly, heart-poundingly terrified. He didn’t know how he had arrived here, nor could he discern any way out. His pulse hammered in his ears as he wandered through the endless trees, every rustle, every whisper of wind twisting his stomach with dread. He was utterly alone.
And then, he felt it—a prickle at the nape of his neck, a shiver that cascaded down his spine. It was an unnatural sensation, like icy fingers trailing over his skin. He stopped, muscles tense, then slowly turned his head. His breath caught in his throat.
Where moments ago there had only been darkness, now there was a swirling mist, thick and gray, unfurling between the trees like some ancient creature awakened from slumber. Within the fog, a shadow began to form, indistinct and menacing. And from the depths of that shadow, a pair of eyes glowed—a sickly, unnatural yellow, brighter than gold yet colder than death, fixed directly on him with a gaze so piercing it felt as though it could cut through his very soul.
Yuki’s mind struggled to comprehend, but his body knew what to do before he did. His legs moved on their own, and he bolted, stumbling forward in a frenzied sprint, pushing his body to its limit. He didn’t know where he was going; he only knew he needed to get as far away from those eyes as possible.
He ran, faster than he thought he could, ignoring the searing pain in his chest, the burn in his legs that threatened to tear his muscles apart. Each step echoed louder and louder, the crackling of leaves beneath his feet mingling with the ragged gasps of his own breath. But no matter how far or how fast he ran, those golden eyes pursued him, gliding smoothly through the air, effortlessly keeping pace. Their light stained the darkness, adding an unnatural yellow hue to the forest’s bleak black-and-white palette. He could feel them, closer with every heartbeat, filling him with a terror so profound it threatened to consume him whole.
Finally, Yuki’s sprint brought him to the edge of a cliff. He skidded to a halt, pebbles tumbling over the edge into a vast, endless void below. He looked down, chest heaving, only to find there was no safety in the abyss; it seemed to stretch forever, an endless chasm swallowing the darkness. Behind him, the shadow closed in, its presence a weight so heavy he could scarcely breathe. He was trapped—between a cliff and a force he could not hope to defy.
Despair settled over him. There was no escaping this. He could feel the shadow’s malignant energy bearing down on him, smothering him. His legs trembled, and his body slumped, every ounce of resistance draining away. He had no choice but to surrender to the unknown horror standing before him.
Slowly, the shadow stepped forward, as if savoring his capitulation. The mist around it began to recede, and the form within began to reveal itself, peeling away layer by layer, like some terrible unveiling. Two great horns emerged, towering and twisted, and with them came a vivid, blood-red glow that seeped into the monochrome forest, bleeding color into the darkness.
The mist ignited into flames of crimson, filling the air with heat so intense it was suffocating. The very atmosphere transformed; the cold forest became a cauldron of lust and greed, the air heavy with hatred and envy, each flicker of fire emanating a different sin. Trees burst into violent flames, their branches twisting in agony as if alive, while the ground itself seemed to convulse, consumed by gluttonous flames. Red, fierce, and unforgiving, the forest transformed into a landscape of wrath and despair.
Yuki could barely comprehend the transformation, his mind buckling under the weight of the horror before him. His brain struggled to form thoughts, to process the creature that now stood revealed. He could see its true form now, towering and immense, its skin dark as coal, its eyes blazing with a voracious hunger that seemed to burn through everything. Yuki’s mind cracked under the sight, leaving him paralyzed in fear, his entire body frozen as though gripped by an iron vise.
In the silence that followed, Yuki found his voice—small, barely a whisper, but the only thing he could summon against the overwhelming terror. He looked up at the creature, throat dry, and uttered a name, the sound escaping his lips almost involuntarily.
"Azazel."
THE LAND OF AVALONーEND