“That’s it for today. I don’t want to burden you, people………… Thanks, esla. Thanks, Mike”.

“Sensei, is this all about Norex true?” Xeron stood up and asked William.

" Who knows?’’William didn’t answer the question properly.

" Now all of you, leave your bags here and come with me to the training ground. Just knowledge won’t keep you alive in real battles”.

“It’s finally training time. I am so excited about it. I will not lose to you this time, Xeron” It was like Mike was challenging Xeron.

“Do your best, Mike” Xeron was always there to cheer him up whenever he needed it.

All the students reached the training ground. Training ground was a simple ground but with tyres hanging down from trees’ branches by ropes.

Each student was given 5 red balls which they were to throw and make them pass through the large gap in the tyres. All of them did it easily. Tyres were taken off and circular wooden pieces with their centre coloured red were fixed on the trees’ stems.

Each student was given 5 knives and they were asked to hit the wooden boards as close as the centre as they could. Many of them could not even land their knives anywhere on the boards while few knives touched the board and very few made it close to the centre.

Huge applause for esla captured everyone’s attention. 5 out of 5 knives hit the centre.

" That was easy” esla bragged.

“Wow..look over there. Xeron has also done it. 5 out of 5 at the centre” a boy’s voice diverted their attention towards Xeron.

Esla grinned her teeth.

" I don’t see rei here. Do you know where he is?” William questioned all of them.

“Sensei. I asked him to come to practice but he refused” Mike replied.

William in a surprise asked, “What?”

“I will go take him. You guys continue your practice”

After leaving the students on their own, William went to talk to Rei.

Finding him on the same level as her even at aiming, esla walked towards xeron.

“Wanna compete. To see who is better at aiming?” esla challenged him.

Xeron and Mike were standing close to each other.

“Who? Me?” Mike in a surprise asked esla.

“Not you. I am asking you, Xeron. You and me. To see who is better?”

“No thanks. I have no interest in fighting you” Xeron completely refused her request.

“If you don’t want to then accept in front of a whole class that I am far better than you”

“What do you want to prove? That you are better than us all?” Xeron gave a serious look.

“No. That I am better than you. Now make your decision quickly” Esla answered.

“(What should I do? I don’t think that she will let me go easily. And I don’t want to say it in front of the class that I accept my defeat. Should I accept her challenge? There should not be any problem….. Because you have made one fatal mistake. You shouldn’t have chosen to aim. As an undercover imperial soldier, aiming is the first thing that I mastered. Get ready, esla or whatever you are........for tasting defeat.)” Evil thoughts were rampaging his mind.

“OK. I will compete but on one condition. If you lose then you will say that I am better than you in front of whole class loud and clear”

"OK. Then the same condition goes for you too. You should prepare the words that you will be saying soon,xeron” Xeron’s condition was accepted without any hesitation.

“Don’t worry. I have already prepared words for both of you” Mike interrupted their talk.

“No one asked you” both replied at the same time.

“I, your commentator, Mike am glad to announce the match between Xeron and Esla” Mike continued his commentary,” As you can see we have hung the wooden board with rope and will make them oscillate like a pendulum. What you have to do is to hit it as close as the centre while it is moving. Each one of you has been given 5 knives. The more knives close to the centre, the more the chance of winning. Okay then. Let’s start the Imperial College of Saints’ first year’s first day’s first intraclass competition”

The bell rang and the wooden circular board started its oscillating motion.

Esla and Xeron both took their time to predict its speed. Again 5 out of 5 for both of them; all at the centre.

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Mike: “It’s a tie. Let’s proceed to the next level. Both competitors have to close their eyes and then hit the target. Starrrtt”

Same results again. 5 out of 5.

( This xeron guy, not only had he zi on my level but also has an incredible aiming ability. Just where did he learn that?)

( I didn’t expect her to last that far. She surely has potential. If my pride wasn’t on the stake, I wouldn’t have minded losing but all I can say right now is that I have to win)

“Another tie. What one would expect of two of the top three students on our first day. But we have to end it anyway. There is only one thing left to do. Now turn your backs toward the target and hit it with your eyes closed while the target will keep oscillating but we will stop it from time to time so that none of you can keep up with its periodicity.

" So let’s see. Will you be able to do this? Let the…”

Esla: Wait. I cannot do it. It’s impossible. How can I hit something that I cannot even perceive? If you don’t stop it from time to time then I can estimate its location based on its speed but in this condition. How will I?

“Have you the same thoughts too, competitor Xeron? ”Mike asked him.

The answer should have been It’s impossible to do it but his answer was,

"No, I will do it. Just watch and learn, miss stubborn”

All the students were shocked at Xeron’s announcement.

(“It’s impossible. How will he do it? Even I cannot”).

" So get ready. And start…”

Time passed as xeron kept on concentrating; with his eyes closed and his back towards the oscillating board. The entire class 1-A was gathered behind Xeron so as to see it happen with their own eyes.

Mike: “10 seconds have passed and as promised, its periodicity has been changed. Will he still be able to do it? Will xeron’s knife hit the wooden board? To know all the latest news please subscribe to our channel’’

“(It’s not like it is impossible to do such a feat. Imperial soldiers can do this with the help of their zi but my zi is not in an active state so it is impossible for me…..But......There are other ways to do it, like........)” Xeron had covered his eyes with the cloth himself so he bound the cloth loosely so as to see whenever he wanted to. The wall towards which Xeron was facing, was of glass and gave entire information about what was happening behind it.

It wasn’t a fair play but there was no rule that you can’t check in the glass.

" It cannot be…It can’t be. How can it… How can he” esla was left in a shock as all of them watched the knife hit the centre of the board

He tricked them all and won the challenge.

“What a marvellous feat done by him”

“I knew from the start that he will win”

“That esla. I don’t like her. She is so self-centred” all those voices only made her angrier.

“Now as decided, you will accept your defeat, miss stubborn”

Esla clenched her teeth. She didn’t want to but had got no other choice. She took a deep breath, “Everyone. I have something to say to you”

She was putting her all for uttering the words that she thought Xeron would say.

“Stop it.” Suddenly she got stopped by Xeron,“ You don’t have to do this for real. I just wanted to show you that there is always someone better than you. I am not merciless” the words xeron spoke ended the challenge and penalty, all of it. Everyone returned to their training leaving esla drowned in her thoughts.

Training continued for 2 hours and after that everyone returned to the classroom.

While in the classroom

William was about to start the lesson when someone knocked at the door and came in.

“You have been called by the principal, William sensei” a servant informed him.

“What’s the matter all of sudden?”

“I don’t know, sir. I was told to inform you”

“OK…………. I will be back soon so behave yourself until then” saying that, William left the classroom.

On reaching the office, he knocked at the door and on getting permission, entered it.

“You called me sir?”

The principal of the college was an aged person with a long white beard and was wearing a hat. He was sitting on a chair waiting for him.

“William. As you know, today is the meeting day of all the principals of well-known colleges at the Western City. A senior teacher must accompany the principal but as the previous first year is preparing for its exams so all senior teachers have gone home so if you don’t mind, will you accompany me today? We will be back in an hour”

William nodded in agreement. A teleportation device was fitted in the Principal’s room as directed by the government. Principal asked him to hold his hand while he enchanted a spell to activate the device that teleported them to the Western city, where the meeting was held.

On students’ side

“Did you know Xeron that we first-year students are the only ones that are present today as other classes are busy in preparation of their exams ( Mike) so their teachers are also at leave, meaning that there are only a few staff members in the college”.

" Where do you even get this kind of information, Mike? Xeron was surprised by his knowledge.

“Well, it is a secret”

“Whatever”

Both friends were busy in talking when revengeful esla butted in.

“Xeron. I have something to ask you. Will you give me some of your time?”

It was so much difficult for her to ask him but she gathered every bit of courage that she could summon as she wanted to know the answer.

“What is it? Ask me here whatever you want to”

“I cannot. I cannot do it in front of all of them or it will be a huge problem for you. So accompany me for a moment only. I am waiting for you in the training ground. Don’t make me wait because I know your secret” Saying that she walked out of the room.

“(Just what does she want to ask me about? How can she know my secret? I remember never letting myself get exposed then how can she? Calm down…calm down…. I guess I should hear her out)”

“Are you going Xeron?”Mike asked.

“Mm.Hmm. I will hear her out. Don’t know what she was talking about but… Wait here. I will be back”

Training ground

“So what is my little secret that you wanted to talk about?”

Esla looked carefully in all directions to ensure that only two of them were there.

“Your little secret…………………………………………………………………….Imperial Soldier”.