Kyle’s wooden sword cut through the air with a whistle, the sword blending with the rhythmic crack of practice dummies falling in sequence.

Kyle’s movements flowed seamlessly, each slash and strike enhanced by bursts of water magic that rippled with power. The repetition of such movements calmed him as it was a routine he’d gone through hundreds of times—until the sound of approaching footsteps broke his focus.

He turned, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as four figures approached. Two he recognized immediately: Erik Blake, whom he had challenged, and Colin, a troublemaker from the 3rd year who seemed to have calmed down recently.

The other two were unfamiliar. One was a tall girl with black hair tied in a loose braid. Her skin was different than most people in Draac, looking very tanned. She carried herself with extreme confidence, her golden eyes unfazed eyes the proof of it. The way she rolled her shoulders as she walked told Kyle that she was no stranger to combat.

The last was a girl clutching a pillow as if it were a lifeline. Her half-lidded pink eyes and lazy-like movements gave her an air of nonchalance, yet an unsettling calm radiated from her, keeping Kyle on edge.

Kyle planted his sword into the ground and leaned on it casually, an amused smile curling on his face. “You know, I thought this would be a duel,” he said, his tone calm but with a hint of mockery.

Erik stepped forward, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “I never promised to play fair.”.

Kyle chuckled, shaking his head as he straightened up. “Fair enough,” he admitted. “But even with four of you, this won’t end the way you’re hoping.” He tapped the bandana tied around his forehead. “You won’t be getting this off me.”

Erik’s grin widened. “Guess we’ll see about that.”

Kyle rolled his shoulders and adjusted his grip on the wooden sword. “Alright, just try not to get too hurt.”

Without hesitation, Kyle surged forward, his wooden sword arcing through the air as he charged into the group.

‘I'll defeat you first,’ he thought, aiming his sword at Erik. As his mana traveled through the weapon, water began dripping on it, creating a thin layer that enhanced its impact.

Kyle swung at him, but Erik managed to duck Erik below the swing in a fast movement.

“[Ablaze]” he shouted, fire enveloping his fist. Kyle could see the look in his eyes, that sharp gaze told him the boy would go all out.

“I’ll strike you down, boy,” Kyle said, a grin spreading across his face as he raised his sword.

“[Lesser Wind Blast]” the older of the group shouted, and just as Kyle shifted his gaze, the shockwave sent him away.

He tumbled, rolling on the ground, before catching himself with one knee down.

“You’ve got quick thinking!” he praised before getting up, patting down his clothes to show he wasn’t done. Despite taking that attack point blank, he didn’t suffer any injuries.

Erik and the black-haired girl exchanged a brief glance before stepping forward and standing side by side. Erik’s fists were ignited, while she cracked her knuckles, as a golden aura surged and overtook all.

“Ready?” Erik asked her, his tone a mix of determination and unease.

She gave a quick nod, her eyes locked on Kyle. “Stay out of my way, and we’ll be fine.”

Kyle laughed, raising his wooden sword. “Oh, this should be fun.”

Without waiting for another exchange, Kyle lunged at Erik first, his sword cutting through the air. Erik sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike, and retaliated with a fiery punch aimed at Kyle’s torso. Kyle deflected it with ease, the water coating his blade sizzling against the heat of Erik’s magic.

Before anything else though, he felt a sharp strike connecting with his liver. Kyle gasped his gaze on the girl that had closed the gap without him realizing. Before another word, she raised her fist but Kyle barely stepped backward in time.

“That was a good one—”

His words were stopped by her sudden charge. “[Axe Kick]” she shouted, lifting her leg up in the air, golden aura empowering it and bringing it down. At that moment, Kyle activated his barrier. The shock of the two attacks sent sparkles of water and light throughout the battlefield.

‘This one is strong,’ he mused as sweat started dripping down his forehead. If he didn’t end her quickly, he could get overwhelmed. In a normal situation, Kyle would have used a magic spell that send her away, however, he felt that would be admitting defeat.

He was a peasant who through determination and hard work rose to the top of the academy, he was at a level few could ever hope to achieve. He couldn’t accept defeat from her.

Before anything else though, Mist crept over the battlefield, dense and chilling, curling around Kyle and cloaking the arena in an eerie shroud that blurred his vision. He tensed, taking a step back before scanning the now-obscured silhouettes.

‘Mist element? I didn’t know anyone in this school had it—’

“[Inferno Strike]!” someone shouted, Kyle widened his eyes, glancing to where the sound came from but the way was already in striking position. He wouldn’t be able to dodge.

The intense wave of heat struck his water barrier, fracturing it into glimmering shards. The force sent a shockwave rippling through the mist, dispersing some of it and leaving him momentarily exposed.

Kyle stumbled but quickly re-centered himself, dispelling the remnants of the shattered barrier with a sharp wave of his hand. The attack was indeed powerful, but something wasn’t right. His limbs felt heavy, his movements sluggish, and a strange fog seemed to cloud his mind.

His breathing fastened. ‘What’s... happening?’ He blinked, his grip loosening on the sword as a wave of dizziness washed over him. The edges of his vision blurred, and for a moment, he forgot why he was even fighting.

‘Why am I even here… I want to sleep…’

That was when he felt it—a faint, touch near his forehead. His instincts roared back to life. Without hesitation, he lashed out, a powerful kick that sent whoever did it flying backward. The momentum of the kick helped Kyle snap fully out of the strange haze.

“Enough of this!” he growled, raising his sword high. Mana surged through him as he swung in a wide arc, releasing a torrent of water magic that burst outward, cutting through the mist like a razor.

The battlefield was clear once more, but the moment of reprieve was short-lived. He could now see Erik on the ground, clutching his belly, and that powerful girl was already approaching. Kyle knew he had to take her on quickly.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“[Hurricane Burst]!”

Kyle turned just in time to see Colin raising both hands, an enormous spiral of wind forming above him. With a roar, Colin unleashed the full force of the spell, sending a violent, roaring torrent of air barreling toward Kyle.

Kyle’s eyes narrowed. His mana surged as he gripped his sword tightly, water flowing along its blade with a powerful, rippling intensity. He stepped forward and swung his sword into the heart of the attack, slicing directly into the raging winds.

The collision was deafening. Kyle’s sword cut through the spiraling gusts, inch by inch, the pressure from the winds howling against him.

Sweat poured down Colin’s face as he strained to maintain the spell, but he could only watch in awe as Kyle carved through his magic with sheer precision and strength.

“You’ve really become strong, but you’re a year too early to fight me yet!” Kyle mused before with a final push, severing the windstorm in two, dispersing it entirely. Colin staggered back, his face pale with disbelief.

His hands trembled. “That was my strongest move…” he muttered as the powerful third-tier spell he knew was easily cut through,

But before he could even respond, and make his next move, something slammed into Kyle from the side.

It wasn’t a fist, nor a blade—it was soft.

Kyle stumbled, his balance briefly thrown off by the unexpected impact. He turned his gaze to the source and saw the sleepy girl wielding a pillow that shimmered with magic.

She smirked, her pillow already poised for another strike. “Sweet dreams,” she muttered, swinging again with surprising force.

This made no sense. How could a pillow ever be a weapon? And how was it so strong?

He tried parrying the attacks but it didn’t work. It was like the object had a mind of its own, stretching and avoiding his impact.

Before long, his movements became sluggish and he could feel the same dizziness as before. Kyle’s vision blurred briefly as the creeping fatigue returned.

‘This damn pillow… it’s making me weaker every time it hits. What magic is that… either way, I have to defeat her now,’

She struck again, this time catching his forearm. The enchantment surged, fogging his thoughts. Kyle staggered, shaking his head to stay alert.

He gritted his teeth, focusing through the haze. “You’re getting on my nerves,” he muttered.

Before he could retaliate, the black-haired girl, darted forward. Her golden aura flared as she delivered a lightning-fast series of punches. Kyle deflected most of them, but her sheer speed and strength forced him on the defensive.

Together, the two girls pressed their advantage. The pillow made it hard for him to think while the relentless assault pushed him to his limits and kept him at bay. Though those attacks dealt no real damage, sweat poured down Kyle’s face as he struggled to keep up, his sword started to become a blur as it parried and blocked.

Then, the pillow struck again—this time against his chest. The fog thickened in his mind. His knees wobbled, and his grip on his sword faltered.

Kyle clenched his jaw, summoning every ounce of focus he had left. He shifted his stance, preparing to counter her next move. He would end it all in one strike.

But before he could act, he felt something. First, the same mist rose again, and then.

A hand.

It was gripping his bandana.

“No!” Kyle shouted, twisting his body, his hands reaching up to stop the attacker.

But it was too late.

“Thank you for the distraction!” Erik’s voice rang out.

Kyle turned his head just in time to see Erik standing a few feet away, the bandana clutched triumphantly in his hand. A grin spread across Erik’s face, equal parts smug and exhausted.

Kyle breathed, exhausted before falling to his knees.

“You really… outdid yourselves,” he muttered between breaths. The strongest 4th year losing to a bunch of first years and a third year? This made no sense.

Perhaps this would be the start of a golden generation for the academy.

----------------------------------------

Erik clutched the bandana tightly in his hand, his chest heaving as he turned to face his team. The mist began to dissipate, revealing their weary yet triumphant faces. Emilia gave a slow, sleepy clap, her pillow tucked under one arm.

“That was exhausting,” she said, her pink eyes half-lidded but glimmering with satisfaction. “But fun.”

Aria rolled her shoulders, the golden aura around her fading. “I wouldn’t call it fun, I’d rather win by myself, but we got the job done,” she muttered, her tone steady, though a small, victorious smirk was on her lips. “Nice work, Erik.”

Colin stumbled toward them, his hair disheveled, but a wide grin spread across his face. “You guys were incredible! Did you see Kyle’s face when the pillow hit him? Priceless!” He threw a thumbs-up at Emilia, who returned it lazily.

Erik glanced at the bandana, then at his team, a rare genuine smile breaking across his face. “We couldn’t have done it without each other. Aria, your punches kept him on edge. Emilia, your mist and...uh… pillow are game-changers. Colin, that wind blast was the perfect setup.”

Emilia yawned, waving a dismissive hand. “It’s no big deal. Just doing my thing.”

The four exchanged tired but proud smiles, their bond solidified by the battle.

----------------------------------------

Erik had already received the news from Kyle. Helen as the house leader had accepted Erik’s admission into the dungeon. She said that if a few first years were enough to best the strongest 4th year, then perhaps they were ready for this experience.

Now, he leaned against a fence on the training grounds. Clara had promised him that she would get in the gauntlets in around this time, so he was waiting.

Then the faint crunch of gravel caught his attention. Erik straightened, his eyes locking onto the approaching figure. Clara emerged from the path, a faint flush coloring her pale cheeks

She carried a small bundle wrapped in cloth, her steps measured yet purposeful.

“Sorry I’m late,” she stopped a few feet away, holding out the bundle. “Here they are. Your gauntlets.”

Erik’s eyes widened as he took the bundle from her hands, unwrapping it with care. The gauntlets inside were as pristine as he remembered them. The steel now didn’t have the marks of battle, the broken parts now fixed, furthermore, he could feel mana pulsing through it, threatening to tug his mana along.

“They’re not at their full potential yet,” Clara said, her gaze fixed on the gauntlets. “But I did my best to make them usable for now. With better materials, I could enhance them even further.”

Erik stared at the gauntlets for a moment before looking up at Clara. “These are incredible. Thank you, Clara. Truly.”

Clara shifted her gaze, her hands fidgeting slightly “It’s nothing…” she muttered. “Just be careful in the dungeon, alright? I’ve heard they can be some of the most dangerous things you can go into.”

Erik chuckled, his hands nestling on his newly repaired weapons. “Don’t worry, I’ll come back with heroic tales to tell you!”

----------------------------------------

A few days later, the stone entrance to the dungeon loomed ahead. The structure went deep underground, making itself unknown to any person looking around.

Erik strapped his gauntlets tighter against his forearms. He grinned, knowing that his father’s valiant weapons fit nicely in his hands—due to the magical enchantment they had of changing size—and would be used in battle. This was his chance to make him proud, to be like him.

Aria stood at his side, she had a calm expression but sometimes trembled slightly. It didn’t seem like fear, however, but rather excitement.

“We’re really doing this, huh?” Erik muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

“Looks like it,” Aria replied, her sharp golden eyes scanning the group. “You ready?”

Before Erik could answer, a familiar voice called out. “Not without us, you’re not!”

Erik spun around to see Colin and Emilia approaching. Colin was grinning as usual, his hands casually stuffed into his pockets, while Emilia dragged her feet, clutching her pillow as if it were a lifeline.

“Colin? Emilia?” Erik blinked in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Emilia stifled a yawn, shrugging. “You didn’t seriously think you could handle this without us, did you?”

Colin clapped Erik on the back, nearly making him stumble. “You couldn’t have beaten Kyle without us. What makes you think you’ll survive this place solo? Face it—you need us.”

Erik shook his head, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. “I wasn’t planning to do it alone. But I’ll admit, it’s good to have you here.”

Aria crossed her arms, her gaze darting between the two newcomers. “Just don’t slow us down,” despite those words, she had a smile as the group had proven themselves to her already.

Emilia raised a hand lazily. “Not a problem.”

With a chuckle, Erik turned toward the dungeon entrance, his friends now at his side. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Together, they stepped into the darkness, the dungeon swallowing them whole as the adventure truly began. Sticking together was a smart choice to survive the dangers of the dark, however, no one could have ever expected just how outclassed all the students were in the deep lair.