500m East from the forest's center
[Julia Claudia (7 eliminations) vs Amber Shine (20 eliminations) ]
'Her magic is way too fast, I can't let her cast a single spell.' Unable to stick to her ranged strategy, Julia wildly swung her gladius at the Light Prodigy.
Knowing she'd be at a disadvantage if she engaged in close-quarters combat, Amber parried Julia's attack with her magic staff and stepped backwards.
"You're not going anywhere!" Julia channelled her sword with Earthly Aura and thrust her blade at her opponent.
'She's also inexperienced at martial arts, I could probably beat her in a full-on sword fight, but since I'm using a magic staff I'm unable to counter her blade.' Amber dodged the sword and swung her staff at Julia's legs.
WHOOSH
'I thought she'd be worse at martial arts...' Julia frowned and leapt backwards.
"Hm!" Julia sliced through the air, aiming at her adversary's neck.
Amber channelled her mana into the glowing pink magic crystal in her staff and evaded her blade.
"NO!" Unwilling to let the PTC cast a single spell, Julia slashed her gladius at Amber's staff.
'She's fast.' Amber dimmed the glow in her magic crystal and jabbed her staff forward.
THUD
'A feint?' Julia was forced to the ground as the sharp magic crystal made contact with her steel breastplate.
"Ah!"
"Light magic: Minor Beam." Reviving the glow in her magic crystal, Amber fired a small beam of light from her magic staff straight into her advesary’s gut.
[Julia Claudius, Class A has been eliminated.]
***
100m North from the Forest's centre.
[Maxwell Aster (13 eliminations) vs John van Ani ( 13 eliminations)]
"You're really strong!" Beginning round two of their strenuous battle, Maxwell dashed forward and brought his gigantic hammer down on his opponent.
Already aware of the might behind the attack, John coated the shaft of his spear in Earthly Aura and blocked Maxwell's assault.
BAM
"Don't speak to me so casually, commoner!" Using his spear, John shrugged off his opponent and kicked Maxwell in the chest.
THUD
"Ah!" Overwhelmed by momentum, Maxwell dropped his hammer behind his back and used it to launch himself into a backflip.
Middair, Maxwell created a few magic circles that ejected multiple iron rods to impale John.
Metal magic: incomplete iron maiden
With the aid of Wind magic, John rotated rapidly and used his spear to destroy the iron rods.
DUMMM
"Ani arts: Conquer!" Using the momentum from his Wind magic, John threw his Earthly Aura-coated spear at the commoner.
WHOOSH
"Fast!" Barely capable of tracking the spear with his eyes, Maxwell created a small iron shield and reinforced it with Earthly Aura.
DUMMM
Acting quickly, Maxwell deflected the spear to the side; the force sending him crashing to the ground.
CLANG
"I've got you now." Now unarmed, John rushed his opponent.
Failing to catch his opponent off guard, John fired a body hook toward Maxwell's liver.
"You're intense." After taking a second to complain, Maxwell deflected the blow and delivered a roundhouse kick at John's head.
Disrupting the kick, John extended his foot toward Maxwell's rear leg, sweeping him off his feet.
Capitalizing on Maxwell's temporary vulnerability, John summoned a boulder to crush his entire body.
Earth magic: Pseudo-rock slide
'Not again.' Maxwell shook his head and summoned a metal pillar beneath his body, propelling himself toward his hammer.
"I'll do the same." John held out his hand and commanded the nearby vegetation to throw him his spear.
"Ready for round three?" Flashing a toothy grin, Maxwell horizontally swung his massive hammer.
"I just don't get it..." Deepening his frown, John commanded the underground plants to block the attack.
Nature magic: Sanguinary creepers.
As the plants contorted to wrap around the hammer, John thrust the spear toward Maxwell's shoulder.
"Hm." Straining his muscles, Maxwell used his hammer to destroy the plants and slam into John's body.
'My attacks are failing.' Feeling the sharp pain reverberate through his body, John paused his attack and winced.
"Ha!" Maxwell pulled his hammer back and brought it down vertically, hoping to crush John's skull.
Nature magic: Vines of vengeance
Using a magic circle behind him, John created multiple thick vines to attack Maxwell's hammer.
"HAAA!" Maxwell created pronounced texturing marks on the blunt side of his hammer using metal magic and slammed it into the approaching vines.
DUMMM
SLAM
On contact, the intertwined vines reverted back into mana particles.
Although Maxwell's hammer didn't lose speed with the collision, the hammer continued on its path...
Heading straight for John's head.
"My defences aren't working..." John took a step to the side, dodging the hammer.
"As expected of a noble." Maxwell praised.
"I don't get it..." Ignoring his opponent's compliments, John used the blade of his spear to tear through a portion of Maxwell's armour.
RIP
'I need to be careful.' Brushing off the attack, Maxwell launched his own.
The commoner thrust the front of his hammer forward, staggering the noble.
THUD
"Why can't I beat these commoners? No matter what I do, I'm always losing." John whispered.
"Say... You're really strong. I finally understand what they mean when they say you're a prodigy." Using this as an opportunity to catch his breath, Maxwell placed his massive hammer on his shoulder and exhaled sharply.
"Oizys Hermes, a mere commoner became a PTC when I could barely read." Ignoring the compliments of the commoner, John gripped his spear tightly causing his knuckles to rapidly lose colour.
'Oizys? The famous PTC? What does this have to do with him?' Maxwell frowned.
"Every single fucking day we'd be compared to him." John grumbled.
"That's not even the worst of it, there's more of you..."
"Adonis Vindicta, an anomaly who came out of nowhere... He's my age and is already Tier 9. How the hell am I supposed to compete with a monster like that?!"
'Why's he suddenly bringing up Donny?' Maxwell tilted his head.
"Tarzy Goliath, an island monkey who's been recognized by the Imperial family." The more the noble spoke, the more the air around him vibrated violently.
DUMMM
'This aura?' Maxwell instinctually took a step back.
"AND NOW THERE'S YOU!" Letting his Earthly Aura explode, John dashed forward.
"What'd I do?!" Alarmed by the sudden attack, Maxwell added multiple large spikes to his hammer and swung it at his opponent.
"You commoners are everywhere, accomplishing things that I've been working towards since I was a child!" John easily parried the hammer with his spear.
Enhancing his spear even further, John jabbed it toward Maxwell's head.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
'If I hold back I'll lose. He's out for blood!' Intensifying his Earthly Aura cloak as well, Maxwell moved his head to the side; gaining a cut on his ear.
DUMMM
"Why?! Why are you ranked higher?! What makes you better than me!"
'Is that why he's mad?' Now adorning a serious expression, Maxwell stepped forward and slammed the decorated hammer into his opponent.
"Ah! I-I'm..." As the hammer collided with his figure, John's iron breastplate was reduced to mere shards of metal.
CLANG
"I'm a noble. I'm the heir to the fucking van Ani Dukedom." John swung his spear horizontally, tearing through the armour on Maxwell's lower abdomen.
RIP
"Argh." Holding his hammer with one hand, Maxwell crashed it into John's lower body.
'I've trained my entire life, practising martial arts since I could walk. Casting spells since I could read and learning politics before I even hit puberty.' To lessen the blow, John stuck the shaft of his spear between his arm and the hammer.
CRACK
"So Why?!" Utilizing his non-dominant hand, John punched the hammer away.
DONG
'Why's he so worked up?!'
"Now there's a new one who's going to take my place... Toni Modster! Why is this happening?! Why am I getting shown up by rats from the filthiest slums." In the hope of permanently limiting Maxwell's movement, John stabbed his classmate in the shoulder.
SPLURT
"Argh!" Realizing there was no time to dwell on his injuries, Maxwell used his dominant hand to punch John in the jaw.
BAM
"Is it because I'm inferior?! No, that's impossible!" Responding with a punch of his own, John struck Maxwell in the nose.
SPLURT
CRACK
'If I let this go on like this I'll lose.' Heaving his hammer with his injured arm, Maxwell swung at John's head.
"I'm a noble! I have divine blood in my fucking veins." John ducked swiftly and jabbed his spear at Maxwell's torso.
"?!" To dodge the spear, Maxwell was forced to ditch his hammer and dash backwards.
'I was saving this for the final stretch, but if I don't use it now...' As he dashed backwards, Maxwell clasped his hands together and let his mana overflow.
"Mercury." Maxwell whispered.
With his command and the aid of a grey magic circle, Maxwell's hammer turned to a grey sludge and leapt at his opponent.
'What?!' Before John could even react, he was encompassed by the liquid metal.
Metal Magic: Iron Maiden
Maxwell's hammer hardened into a thick solid metal shell in the shape of a large nun.
"All this time I was running from the truth, I've been in denial. B-but get it now..." The noble's voice broke.
"Seal." Maxwell commanded.
[The 9th Rising Star, John van Ani has been eliminated.]
Chapter 85- 9 vs 1
[Only 10 students remain.]
***
The centre of the forest varied slightly from the surrounding area.
Instead of the interconnected wide paths the students had grown used to, it featured a vast vacant space, approximately 1 kilometre in diameter.
The space was covered entirely in grass and a few large shrubs; being surrounded by hundreds of towering trees, dwarfing the rest of the fores in comparison.
In the centre of this expansive field were two Rising Stars, Amber Shine and Jerald Cecil.
Opting not to waste energy on speaking, the Light Prodigy dashed at her opponent; letting her actions speak instead.
'I know I'm not the physical type, but the gap feels like it's way too large.' Amber swung her magic staff.
"..." Unaware of the PTC's thoughts, Jerald swiped with his gladius.
CLANG
***
On the southwest edge of the forest's centre were two commoners engaged in an intense clash of wills.
"So you're the Top dog huh? I don't see the hype." Shaking his head disappointedly, Toni Modster swung his bludgeon/mace at the number one Rising Star's head.
"And you are?" Tarzy scoffed and punched the mace out of his trajectory.
"The one who'll bash in ya ugly ass face." Toni chuckled.
"Funny, I've heard several others call themselves the same thing... Do you know where they are now?" Tarzy retracted his arm and used the opposite one to launch an uppercut at his chin.
"Where?" Using the outer part of his shoulder, Toni nudged Tarzy's arm out of trajectory.
"Eliminated." Tarzy said bluntly and hurled a hook at Toni's neck.
"Shiver me timbers, I'm so scared." Toni mocked and ducked the attack.
"Clearly not, no worries... I'll help you." Tarzy shrugged.
"Be my guest." Still crouched, Toni pivoted his hips and horizontally swung the iron mace at Tarzy's sturdy legs.
***
On the Northwest side of the forest's centre stood two young ladies engaged in a graceful battle.
"Evergreen." As she confidently swung her gladius at the blonde girl, Marie sharpened her gaze.
"Call me Flora, we've known each other for so long now princess." Slightly offended by the Imperial princess's formality, Flora stepped out of the attack's path.
"I'll stick to Evergreen. It's not like we're friends." Adding another hand to the sword's grip, Marie swung the blade diagonally at her classmate's thigh.
"Ouch, I thought we would've grown close by now." To escape the vicious attack, Flora lifted her leading leg, using it to counter with a swift axe kick aimed at the princess's crown.
"No, I could never be friends with someone like you."
***
"Ahh?!" Maxwell who had only been in the forest's centre for a few minutes found himself caught in the battle between the second and fourth Rising Star.
"C'mon don't be a party pooper, Maxwell, join us. The more the merrier!" High off the exhilaration of battle, Luna cleaved her gladius at Maxwell.
"Don't get in my way." Rejecting Luna's idea of inviting the eighth Rising Star, Lutz thrust his rapier at Maxwell's head.
"Hey, this isn't fair!" Aided by his massive hammer, Maxwell defended against both the attacks.
***
700m south from the forest's centre.
[You are among the top 10 students, congratulations. Please make your way toward the forest's centre immediately.]
"Immediately huh? So basically you're saying I'm being slow." Adonis chuckled.
'I'm assuming the rest of the top ten are on their way there if they're not already.'
'Which means most of the Rising Stars will all be in the same place... It's time for that.'
Adonis snatched the three unopened vials that hung on his waist.
'I'm pretty sure everyone else had the same idea as me for this last stretch, I doubt they've already drank their potions... Which means I'll be fighting against people who'll be in peak condition. I probably won't have a chance to drink these at the centre so I should do it now.'
(Healing potion, stamina potion and a mana potion.)
GULP
GULP
GULP
'Other than my sword, I'm operating at 100%' He smiled.
'If I'm going to do it, I'm going to have to manage my mana properly; unlike what I've been doing today.' Adonis sighed.
[Please make your way to the forest's centre.]
"At least let me warm up first, this is going to be the toughest battle I've had."
"Hm." Adonis stretched his limbs and got into a running starting position, gradually gathering the strength in his toned muscles.
After a few seconds, the boy released all the tension in his body and began his flight.
BOOM
In under eight seconds, he had reached the centre of the forest, joining his classmates in the last phase of the battle royale.
"Watch closely."
***
In a large tent on the forest's outskirts.
While all the professors and instructors observed the battle royale of the first-year students through a large projected image created by a magic item, a single young man stood out with his burgundy hair and overwhelming presence.
"Show me, Adonis." Elder Mars smirked.
***
The forest's centre
"You!" Removing his attention from Toni, Tarzy glared at the approaching figure.
"Took you long enough, Grape!" Recognizing the Aura immediately, Luna smiled.
"Where's he been?" Amber muttered.
"How dramatic." Lutz also disengaged from the three-way battle and acknowledged the magic knight.
"Show off." Jerald set his eyes on the new target.
"He's finally here!" Marie looked to the side.
"Donny!" Maxwell chuckled.
"Thank Gods, I was getting bored." Unoffended by Tarzy's sudden disregard for his presence, Toni shifted his gaze to the sky.
"I've been waiting." Flora licked her lips.
The centre of everyone's focus was a teenage boy who exuded an almost divine aura.
His porcelain skin radiated softly in the sunlight, and his unruly Russian violet hair framed his otherworldly appearance.
His eyes, a chilling shade of silver, contained a hellish darkness...
'This is it.' Realizing he had finally reached his destination, Adonis shifted his luminous eyes to the other contestants from above.
'This is where I engrain it into all of your minds, changing it from mere speculation to an indisputable fact.' Adonis sharpened his gaze and released a sharp burst of aura, putting every single contestant on edge.
DUMMM
"I'll show you all... That I'm the strongest."
WHOOSH
"I was starting to think you got yourself eliminated!" Joining Adonis midair, Luna swung her gladius at the 7th Rising Star's throat.
"I've barely been here a second yet you're already attacking?" Adonis sighed and blocked the attack using his blade.
"You have no right to complain after you kept me waiting for so long." Luna grinned.
"At least let me land first, geez!"
"Sky fighting is much more fun, don't you think?!" Shocked by Adonis's lack of enthusiasm, Luna vertically slashed her blade at the teenager's shoulder.
"Not really, the looming threat of falling to my death doesn't excite me." Adonis used the flat side of his gladius to push the girl's blade out of the way.
"Don't be such a bore!" Reversing the grip on her sword, Luna drove the tip of the blade toward Adonis's liver.
SHING
"It's not fair that you're the only one who gets to fight him!" Using a large magic circle on the grass, Toni created a large eruption of magma to disintegrate both Adonis and Luna.
Lava magic: Explosive eruption
"Tsk, you all need to stop acting like my head is some kind of trophy." Maintaining composure, Adonis evaded the blade and delivered a kick to Luna's chest, propelling both of them out of the path of the oncoming lava.
"Hehe, it kinda is Donny." Preying on Adonis's midair vulnerability, Maxwell leapt up and brought his hammer down, aiming to crush Adonis's entire body into a paste.
WHOOSH
"Not you too Max." Adonis twisted his body and kicked the handle of Maxwell's hammer, disarming his friend and leaving him wide open.
"In case you haven't noticed you've caused quite the stir with just your presence." Flora smiled.
Accompanying Flora's sweet voice was the serrated steel arrow she shot at Adonis's head piercing through the air.
WHOOSH
"Flora?" Adonis narrowed his brows and plucked the arrow right out of the air.
"I don't need these distractions, I can do this myself." Tarzy joined Adonis in the air and fired a cross at his body.
"Good to see you too, Royal mutt." Adonis smiled and head-butted Tarzy in the nose, disrupting the attack.
SPLURT
"Argh!"
"Alexian armour." Gliding through the air using Gale's magic, Lutz thrust his Earthly Aura-coated rapier at Adonis's chest.
"You're really out for blood aren't you?" Suppressing his complicated expressions upon seeing Lutz, Adonis used Tarzy as a platform, propelling himself higher into the air.
"We are." From the comfort of the ground, Amber prepared to fire a singular ray of light from her magic staff.
"Inferno magic: Hell shroud." Demonstrating his superior casting speed, Adonis enveloped his entire body in a thick cloak of ivory flames, eradicating every single atom within range.
(Adonis used the matter variation of Inferno magic.)
Light magic: minor beam
A mere fraction of a second after Adonis cast his spell, Amber shot a beam of light at Adonis.
Instead of instantly eliminating him as she might've hoped, Amber's beam of light was destroyed as soon as it made contact with his Inferno magic.
"What the hell?" She whispered.
Gravity magic: Plummet
Using a large magic circle, Marie intensified the surrounding gravity; successfully snatching the silver-eyed youth out of the air.