Thursday.
8AM
'I'm late...' Opening Class 1A's sliding door, Adonis sighed.
{I told you to get out of the bath earlier!}
'It was so comfortable.' Adonis shook his head, walking towards his seat next to Luna.
"Good Morning Triksta." He smiled.
"Grape! You're a nerd right?" The girl panicked.
"Nerd?"
"Yes you are, now help me out!" Luna shoved a large book and pen into Adonis's face.
"Um...Okay."
Our planet has a mass of 2,12*10^24 kg and a radius of 20 000 000km. Consequently, the acceleration due to gravity is 35,37379 m.s^-2. Calculate the gravitational force acting on an object with a mass of 1000 kg at the surface of this planet.
'This is last week's homework.' Adonis shook his head.
"Thirty-five thousand, three hundred and seventy three point seven nine.” He muttered
"Thank you Grape!" Luna grinned, copying the numbers down onto the page.
"Now can you help me with this one no-"
DUNG
Interrupting Luna's demand was the academy's bell, heralding the entrance of both Professor Fitzburg and his assistant, Hiram Vindicta.
"Good Morning Class 1A."
"Good Morning sir!" The class collectively replied.
"Before I go over today's agenda, I would like to remind and inform you of a few things. "
"Firstly, the culprit of 'monday's magic circle incident' hasn't been found, but we have no reason to believe they are still on campus or pose any sort of threat."
Upon the words escaping the professor's mouth, the silence grew and the tension within the class became palpable.
"On a lighter no-"
DSSHHH
The class's door slid open slightly, marking the appearance of a limping well built youth.
'Max?' Adonis's gaze fixed on the boy with black hair and brown eyes, who walked with a heavy limp, his body covered from head to toe in bruises in cuts.
"S-sorry I'm late sir..." Maxwell muttered, walking towards his seat.
"No problem..." Professor Fitzburg said, hiding his concern.
"As you all know, next week will be your battle royale. I'll be announcing and explaining all the rules tomorrow so that you can have adequate time to prepare." He continued.
'Was he training?' Adonis frowned, his eyes still set on his injured friend.
{Don't be naiive, he clearly got his ass kicked. Kukuku.}
Adonis drowned out the rest of the announcements, a burning sensation churning in his stomach.
DUMMM
"Grape, what're you doing." Noticing the subtle wave of Earthly Aura emanating from Adonis, Luna snapped her head in Adonis's direction.
"Nothing..." Adonis managed a gentle smile, hiding his growing fury.
"That's all the announcements for today... As you all know, today is your first magic practical, so make your way to the shooting range immideately."
Following the professor's instructions, the class stood up from their seats and began walking towards the class's door.
"Max." Grabbing Maxwell by the arm, Adonis smiled.
"Oh, hey Donny." Maxwell said coldly, yesterday's events still leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
"What happened?"
"I just went overboard with my training. Hehe." Maxwel replied, swiftly escaping Adonis.
'Then why didn't you go to the infirmary?' Adonis frowned.
{You don't have time to be worrying about others, you have your own problems.}
'I know...'
***
All five first-year classes stood at the outdoor shooting range, all waiting for their turn to shine.
Objectives: Demonstrate magic accuracy. Demonstrate magic circle prociency Demonstrate maximum magic output. Demonstrate magic control. Grading: Students will be given a score out of 100, relative to their year/tier. > "Next up, Amber Shine the PTC." Professor van Ani, who held a large blue orb in her hand announced. "It's Amber Shine, in the flesh!" "She's so pretty!" "I can't believe we go to the same academy as a PTC!" Ignoring her fellow students, Amber approached a large square opposite dozens of targets from varying distances. "First, magic accuracy. Please shoot at the targets Miss Shine. " Nodding, Amber pointed her finger at the targets as a subtle yellow glow consumed her finger tips. "Light Magic: Holy bullets." She whispered. TSU TSU TSU TSU The words escaped her mouth along with the frightening bullets, which moved at speeds none of the students nor professor could register. "Twenty three out of twenty five." Professor van Ani acknowledged. *** This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Magic circle profiency, eighteen out of twenty five." *** "Maximum magic output, twenty one out of twenty five." *** "Magic control, Twenty four out of twenty five." *** "Amber Shine, eighty six out of one hundred." Professor van Ani nodded her head, impressed at the teenage girl's performance. "That's a new record." She continued. "As expected from a PTC." "She's amazing." "No one can compete with her in magic." 'My magic circle proficiency is pathetic.' Unsatisfied with her performance, Amber shook her head and returned to join the rest of the students. *** "Lutz van Alexia, seventy-two out of one hundred." *** "Jerald Cecil, sixty-five out of one hundred." *** "Marie Jupiter, sixty nine out of one hundred." *** "Up next, Adonis P. Vindicta." 'A commoner.' Professor van Ani announced, her eyes still fixed on the magic orb in her hands. "Here goes nothing, I guess." Hearing his name being called, Adonis stepped into the shooting range area. *** "You can't hide your magic affinity any longer." Luna's eyes trailed behind Adonis, curious to watch his performance. *** 'Let's see...' Amber watched. *** "Good luck Vindicta!" Vera whispered. *** {Just forfeit and stop wasting everyone's time.} The Devil God commanded. 'Aren't you supposed to be cheering me on?' Adonis sighed. {That wasn't in the contract, Mortal.} "This is the magic accuracy test. All you have to do is try to strike all the targets, you get one attack per target." The professor explained. "Got it..." Adonis muttered. Taking a deep breath, Adonis stared at his hand. Gathering his thoughts and calming his emotions, Adonis dived into his 'being' to confront his stubborn mana core. 'Today is the day I tame you.' Adonis stood in an empty void, occupied solely by a bright white orb that vibrated violently. As the orb moved, the space in which it existed in shook, its structural integrity being seemingly threatened. 'You're mine, so why not comply?' Adonis studied the orb. {Are you trying to seduce your magic core?} Ignoring the Devil God's comments, Adonis put his palms on the gyrating orb. When his palms made contact with the orb, hundreds of painful images and sounds overwhelmed his senses, taking him back to that dreadful day. "AHHHHHH!" "HELLLPPP!" "IT HURTS!" Hearing the screams of his deceased family, Adonis closed his eyes, refusing to see that event play out once more. *** 'What's taking him so long?' Professor van Ani arched her eyebrow. *** The mana core the boy held grew hotter, its temperature reaching frightening heights, scorching his hand and engulfing his entire being in a searing heat. 'T-there it is.' Adonis scowled. 'This terrible feeling, this tormenting sensation." 'Every day I wonder, what is it?' 'Whenever I face it, it constantly defeats me.' 'It's painful.' 'It makes me want to die.' He chuckled. 'It hurts...' 'But I know now, I know what it is... It's from back then.' 'A feeling I'm familiar with.' 'The only feeling I fully resound with... The feeling that followed me to hell.' 'It hurts...' 'Even as a phantom, it haunted me. Hurting me. Driving me. I don't like it...' 'Because it hurts...' 'I know what it is though...' 'It's simple really...' 'Only hatred hurts this much... 'Only hatred can destroy me.' 'Only hatred drives me...' 'It was hatred that brought me back.' 'But I refuse to be destroyed by it.' 'But I also refuse to let it go.' 'Because it's mine.' 'So I'll use it.' 'I'll use the very hatred that consumes me...' 'The very hatred I used to reject.' 'The sensation born from the pain of the Hermes clan. " ‘From those I love.' 'Embrace the chaos, the hatred...' "And set my heart ablaze." DUMMMMM {Kukuku.} Rather than calming down and coming to a complete stop, Adonis's mana core vibrated even more intensely. However, this time, it followed his commands, its chaotic energy harnessed and bent to his chaos. *** "Inferno Magic: Hell Grenades." 'Inferno magic? What's that?' Hearing the boy's words, Professor van Ani frowned and removed her gaze from the magic orb. Adonis curled his fingers and summoned a brilliant white flame, its form dancing wildly. BWSHHH *** 'Flame magic? No, flame magic is yellow or orange. It's not blaze either, that's red. What the hell is white fire?' Amber frowned, studying the boy intently. *** 'Is that what you were hiding Grape?' Luna grinned, curious to see the flames' capabilities. *** "What?" Lutz arched his brows, confused at Adonis's magic affinity. *** Adonis raised his arm and tensed his arm, preparing to hurl the ball of ivory flame. The boy flung the fireball rapidly, and with each toss, the size of the flames in his hand diminished. BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM "Magic accuracy, Twenty out of twenty-five." Professor van Ani announced, impressed by the boy's performance. 'Hm? Strange.' Professor van Ani observed something peculiar in the aftermath of the boy's strikes. Unlike Blaze Magic or Flame Magic, Adonis's attacks didn't entirely obliterate or scorch the targets. Instead, the Inferno Magic Adonis used kept the target ablaze, its ivory flames still dancing, leaving the target unaffected. *** "Next up magic circle profiency." Professor van Ani announced. "All you have to do is create a complex magic circle with a radius of one meter, your score will be based off of how complex the circle is as well as how fast you manage to create it." Professor van Ani explained. "Okay." Adonis nodded. 'Sounds easy enough.' "Begin." Professor van Ani lowered her head back towards the magic orb in her hands. "Done." Immediately after the Professor commanded him to begin, Adonis announced his completion with a blank expression. "Hm?" 'Is he joking?' Professor van Ani arched her brows, raising her head to face the boy. "What?" Struggling to conceal her astonishment, Professor van Ani studied the pale white magic circle above Adonis's head. "I'm done." Adonis shrugged. 'It's complex, really complex.' Professor van Ani determined, her seasoned eyes scrutinizing the boy's magic circle. "Magic circle profiency, twenty-five out of twenty-five." 'That's a new record... Not even I can do that.' *** "Huh?!" Amber frowned. ** "Maximum magic output test." "All you have to do is exert as much mana as you can in one go. Feel free to shoot it into the air." "Got it." Adonis nodded. Adonis's eyes ignited, his silver irises paling. The boy pointed both his hands into the air and summoned his magic affinity once more. "Inferno Magic: Hellish Eruption!" BWSSHH Adonis shot up a mighty flame into the air, his pale flames spreading like a grand mushroom cloud. "Twenty-four out of twenty-five. A new record." Professor van Ani stammered, struggling to accept the results. *** "Magic control, eleven out of twenty five." "Overall score, Adonis P. Vindicta: Eighty out of One hundred."