“YOU HAVE 20 MINUTES. CAN’T ANY OF YOU SLAY A SIMPLE HYDRA? PATHETIC!” The megaphone squeaked from the balcony.

Elly was halfway through his juice.

The hydra had a fair bit of small bruises around its body.

Students continued their relentless attacks. Some used wind magic and cleared the gas. Others took the chance to bash it with giant hammers and stab with spears and other blades.

So far, no one had used any magic circles. That was expected. Archaic magic users were extremely rare nowadays.

Many of the students had the speed and technique, but there was one important thing they lacked: power behind their attacks.

The hydra’s skin was just too tough. It was an unfair fight.

Three-quarters of them were down, injured with broken parts and could hardly move, though they hadn't spilled any blood on the ground. The prez was likely pleased by that.

“It seems your faith has failed you,” Suki commented.

“Quiet, you.” Elly pouted.

He got a few glances his way.

“Why’s he just sitting there? Stupid, worthless runt.”

A boy snorted. “He’s obviously given up already. He’s just a weak loser.”

His face turned sour as he mumbled. “I wouldn’t say I’ve given up.”

“You should correct their impression of you,” Suki said.

“You are not going to fight? I do not blame you.” The flat tone came from a pale girl who floated over to him. Once in a while, a faint, eerie light flickered in her pupils. And around her calm eyes were dark as if she was wearing eye shadow. Her white hair was long and extended down her back and stopped a bit past her waistline. He had seen her land a few blows, but nothing special.

She held a black umbrella in one hand as protection from the sun. Her aura was faint and calm. So quiet. But her shadow was… missing…?

Elly looked around her on the ground around her. What? And her accent…

“Vat?”

He stared at the floor.

“My eyes are up here.”

“...Right. Elly,” he introduced himself.

She only gave him a long, unenthused, unblinking look then turned her attention back to the fighting across the arena.

Rude. Whatever. I don’t want to be your friend anyway.

In 10 minutes, he would join the fight. He still needed the remaining students to stand clear of the hydra.

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10 minutes later

“10 MINUTES LEFT. PICK UP THE PACE! YOU’RE NOT WORMS ANYMORE. YOU’RE DIRT! USELESS DIRT! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE DIRT, GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND PROVE YOURSELVES!” Another squeak from the megaphone.

About a handful of students were still fighting with spells, but as time passed, the spells grew weaker. They were panting, exhausted.

The girl who had come to him sat beside him.

The rest had moved out of the hydra’s range.

Elly sat up and dropped his empty juicebox. It was time. He took a few steps forward. His eyes glowed. “STAND CLEAR!”

The remaining fighters looked at him.

“Shut up! We got this. Go sit down, little boy!”

“Haha! Yeah, go back to drinking your milk!”

Elly formed a left fist and held it up a few inches away from his chest. His right palm came to firmly press against his left knuckles. He held his head down and breathed in deeply then out, feet equally apart.

A magic circle formed over the hydra, wider than the whole body and all of the heads.

“What is he doing?”

They saw what was coming and ran out of the way.

Elly raised his head. Hellfire, tier 10. He channeled the energy through his arms and released it when he stretched out his hands.

A ruthless fire poured down from the circle onto the hydra. Everything in the arena got bathed in the fire’s bright orange light.

The hydra couldn’t scream or move.

Even from so far away, Elly felt the heat from the violent, hot air that scattered everywhere.

Gradually, the fire stripped away the skin, flesh, and bones.

People averted their eyes, unable to withstand the brightness.

He pulled his hands apart gently. The circle closed and the fire vanished.

The ground was scorched. He had a feeling the prez didn’t like that.

No one said anything. Those who were conscious either stared at him or the scorches.

I have not seen a spell as potent as that in over a thousand years! Suki, like everyone else, was in awe.

You can talk to people in their heads too?

I can.

That was convenient. Now no one would think he was crazy for having a conversation with a talking earring.

I suppose you are no longer dirt, she said again.

Maybe I’m a worm again, he replied.

“GOOD JOB, WORM.” The prez looked down from her balcony at him.

Yep. She confirmed it.

“BUT I’M DEDUCTING 10 POINTS FOR RUINING THE GROUND.”

“Ugh.” Irritating. Why don’t I just Hellfire your butt too, huh? Wasn’t there a spell or a special method to erase simple scorch marks? She was just looking for a reason to deduct marks. What a big meanie.

She looked around the arena. “MOST OF YOU ARE STILL JUST DIRT. YOU DON’T EVEN DESERVE TO BE STEPPED ON. BUT I SEE YOUR POTENTIAL. YOU’VE ALL PASSED. BARELY.” SQUEAK.

There were sighs of relief, weary smiles, and a few high fives.

He turned to the umbrella girl who was still sitting in her spot, expecting her to be in awe like the rest of them.

“You are good.” Expressionless as ever.

“...Thanks…” She might as well have not said anything. He couldn’t tell if she meant that.

A group of students appeared in the arena as a group in a flash of light, wearing silver armbands on one arm. They scattered and went to the injured.

“Drink this, you’ll feel better.” A girl wearing a silver armband crouched by a boy on the ground, lifting his head and putting a vial to his mouth so he could drink the potion. They looked like the prez’s subordinates. Members of the student council.

After that, they went in and got a tour around campus by the seniors.