As I let myself fall into the chair in front of the dining table, I felt all the accumulated fatigue of the day crash down on me like a stone golem diving headfirst. The stew I had bought was still hot. The aroma of meat cooked with wild herbs made me feel, for a moment, that the world was a safe and kind place.
"Tesline, do you want more bread?" I asked her while breaking off a piece from the last loaf we had bought.
"I've already eaten enough." "You should focus on recharging your magic and not on stuffing yourself," he said, sitting down in front of me with a cup of berry tea.
I'm serious. I earned this food. I survived two rounds of magical portals, a cave full of monsters, and almost broke my nose against a rock when they teleported me.
"That was funny," he said, unable to hold back his laughter.
"Very funny." "Let's see if I leave you without breakfast tomorrow," I murmured as I put a spoonful of stew in my mouth. Blessed be the potatoes.
While I was eating, I did what I had been postponing all day. I extended my hand and activated the system. A small blue glow appeared before my eyes, and with it, the system menus.
[-Sistema-]
A notification blinked insistently in a corner. I touched it.
[Rewards available!]
[You have completed the following missions:]
[Secondary Mission: Overcome the first stage of the competition.
[Secondary Mission: Get more than 300 points in the second stage.
[Secondary Mission: Not falling unconscious (congratulations!).
[To be completed:]
[Main Mission: Classifies in a high class upon completion of the restitution.
"Oh, yes!" I exclaimed, lowering the spoon with enthusiasm.
"What's going on now?" asked Tesline, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing, I just really like stew." I replied with a huge smile.
I tapped to claim everything, and I leveled up my spells.
[Frost Trap – Level 4 → Level 5 (maximum!)]
Fireball – Level 1 → Level 2
[Freezing – Level 4 → Level 5 (maximum!)]
[Mana Shard – Level 4 → Level 5 (maximum!)]
"Wooo!" "I already have my first spell at max," I said, almost jumping out of my chair. "And the fireballs already do more damage!" Now I'm a serious threat... more to myself, but I'm still a threat!
Tesline let out a giggle from her seat. "I do believe that last part."
But the best was yet to come. I opened the skills tab and saw that one of them had a golden glow.
Arcane Perception – Level 5 (Maximum reached)
[Unique Ability: Queen of Spades Jester – Level 2
"Tesline, my skill has leveled up!" I exclaimed, waving the interface in front of my face. "Now we'll get 20% more experience."
Tesline looked at me for a few seconds and then said in a calm tone. "At this rate, that ability of yours will allow us to level up more than the student council."
"I still don't understand what they're supposed to be doing." I raised my spoon and continued eating.
"I'm not sure what they do either, but I know they're among the strongest for a good reason," she replied, showing little interest in the student council.
"Anyway, we need to finish quickly; they are already preparing everything for the final event."
The principal's voice echoed across the campus like elegant thunder.
"Qualified students, report to the coliseum."
She used some kind of amplification spell, because even the birds stopped singing for a second. Tesline and I looked at each other. Well, she was resting. I had been checking my system to see if I hadn't missed anything.
"I suppose it's time," I said, brushing the crumbs off my pants.
"Come on." "It will be exciting," replied Tesline, more motivated than I expected. I, on the other hand... had that knot in my stomach. Like before a surprise exam.
The coliseum was new, probably created with construction magic. It had bleachers, a central arena, and many spells floating around keeping everything safe. Or well, more or less safe. We knew we weren't going to die, nor could we come out with bruises, broken bones, but definitely with our egos shattered.
As we were arriving, they began announcing the confrontations. My mind was trying to relax... until I heard:
"Tesline Drakemoor contra Darius Thorne."
My expression froze.
"What?" "Against him?" I murmured, looking at Tesline, who crossed her arms. She didn't say anything, but it was clear she wasn't happy. There was a strange tension on her face.
And then the second announcement came.
"Rurik against Rowen Ironheart."
I turned around, and I felt my blood pressure drop.
"Rowen!?" "The one from the student council?" I blurted out loud. A couple of students looked at me strangely.
"How am I supposed to win against someone with Ironheart as their last name!?" I heard several people talking about it.
I tried to find Tesline, I wanted to talk to her, plan something, tell her that I would probably die (figuratively), but I hadn't taken two steps when, as was customary, the ground turned to light.
"Not again!"
I fell. Or they teleported me. The important thing is that suddenly I was no longer in the coliseum, but in a small windowless room, with a countdown floating in front of me: 00:01:47
"Great," I murmured as I got up. The room had a chair, a table with water, and a kind of wardrobe with my name. Everything very formal... and silent.
I approached my things. First, the axe. The blade was still sharp, although it wasn't made for duels, but rather for chopping wood or large monsters. Then the staff, the same one I bought for a few coppers at the bazaar. Worn out, but functional.
Just in case, I took out the watch that allowed me to summon the armor. I didn't plan to use it, as I didn't want them to find out I had it, but I preferred to have it on hand. I kept it in the inner pocket of my tunic.
"Ok." Spells ready. Frost traps, fireball, change... I can do it," I said quietly. I don't know if I believed it, but it sounded good.
The countdown was going down. 00:00:20
I stood up, shaking my legs. I stretched my arms, rotated my shoulders.
00:00:10
Respiré hondo.
"She's just a student council girl with a steel surname," I murmured. "What could go wrong?"
00:00:03
I stood in front of the door.
00:00:02
The grip of the cane in one hand, the axe hanging on the back, the heart racing.
00:00:01
"Let's go," I whispered.
The door opened.
And the first round... had begun.
The platform felt immense as I walked towards the center. Each step echoed in my chest as if the very ground was judging me for daring to be here. In front of me, Rowen Ironheart was already waiting. Standing firm, as if the very breeze respected her.
He wore a short dark blue cloak, fluttering with each gust of wind. His eyes were cold and determined, his expression serious, without a gram of doubt. When he drew his sword, the air trembled.
A gust of wind hit my body and made me take a couple of steps back without even touching me directly. I lost my balance and fell backward.
"Was that just unsheathing...?" I murmured, getting up clumsily, shaking my hands, and looking with a bit of fear at the edge of that sword.
Before I could fully recover, the director's voice resonated throughout the arena:
"Begin the fight!"
There was no time. Immediately, I raised my cane with a tremor in my fingers.
"Frost trap!"
But I didn't get to finish the gesture. In the blink of an eye, Rowen was no longer in front of me.
I felt a presence behind me, and then...
¡WHAM!
His fist hit me square in the lower back, and I was sent flying like a rag doll, crossing half the sand before crashing violently to the ground.
The pain was instant. My whole chest burned, and when I tried to breathe, I felt a sharp stab. I coughed... and brought a hand to my side. I didn't need to be a healer to know it, at least one rib was broken. Maybe three.
"Ah..." I forced myself to get up, staggering.
The sand blurred before my eyes. Every movement hurt. I could see Rowen approaching step by step, unhurried, confident that this was already over.
And, to be honest... he was right.
I could have given up at that moment. No one would blame me. One more blow and I would be out. It could end quickly, with no more pain... no more shame. I could let this end in an embarrassingly quick way, and come out as "the weird kid who survived this far."
But then many things came to my mind. Everything I had lived through until now, everything I had to do to get here.
All that... it couldn't end here. Not like this. I'm going to lose, but I'll do it with dignity. With effort, I lifted my head. Rowen was just a few meters away.
"Wait...!" I shouted, barely out of breath.
She stopped, looking at me with curiosity. It wasn't mockery. It wasn't cruelty. Just... surprise.
"I already know I'm going to lose," I said, half hunched over. "I'm not on your level." I knew it from the first blow. But..." I forced myself to stand, even though my body was trembling. "Let me lose... with dignity."
His sword dropped just a few degrees. It seemed like he was considering my words.
"If you give me a few seconds," I continued, with a nervous smile, "I swear I can at least give you a worthy fight." Just... don't end it like that. Please."
Rowen remained silent for a moment. And then... he nodded.
"You have a minute," he said simply.
My eyes widened. I was surprised that he accepted.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed,
With difficulty, I took out my watch that I kept in the pocket of my overalls. I squeezed it tightly while invoking my armor.
A brilliant aura enveloped everything for a moment, and before me, my mechanical armor began to materialize. Metal plates, sparkling gears, and a central capsule where the control station was located.
I could hear the murmurs of the audience. Some stood up from their seats. I imagine not many had seen armor like this... or maybe none at all. While others might have recognized it from the event that recently took place at the museum.
However, Rowen didn't seem impressed at all. She simply watched me with her arms crossed, her sword still sheathed, as if waiting for the show to end so she could start again.
I sighed. "Well, at least he didn't interrupt me."
I climbed into the armor, adjusted the controls, and opened the compartment where the power source went. I placed the power source and the mechanism came to life with a pleasant hum.
The lights turned on. The arms were adjusted. The legs were reinforced. I felt as if, at last, I had a bit of protection.
"Come on, don't fail me now," I murmured as I closed the torso compartment.
The lights turned on. The arms were adjusted. The legs were reinforced. I felt as if, finally, I had a bit of protection.
"Come on, don't fail me now," I murmured as I closed the torso compartment.
The armor had accompanied me for a long time, and I'm surprised that it hasn't leveled up until now.
At that moment, my system appeared before me, like a floating message in the air.
[-System-]
[Notice: The armor's level is manual. You must level it up manually from the equipment panel.]
I stayed silent for a few seconds... then frowned.
"You could've told me that earlier!?"
[You didn't ask.]
I put a hand to my face. "Go to hell."
But well, at least now I knew.
[Level up: Temporary defense boost, auto-repair activation. Current maximum: Level 6.]
I glanced quickly at the level-up panel. I didn't have enough mana to waste right now. If this dragged on and I expected it would I'd use it at the right moment.
"I'll save that for later."
I took a deep breath. Rowen was still waiting. She wasn't being cruel or arrogant, just confident. Maybe even a little curious.
Then, with a small gesture, I extended my arm and called out to Aegis.
"Aegis, to the sky!"
My familiar shot up like an arrow, flapping its spectral wings as it soared above the coliseum. I closed my eyes for a moment, activating the shared vision spell. My field of vision doubled on one side, I saw through my own eyes; on the other, from above, a perfect aerial view of the coliseum.
From up there, I could see all of Rowen's movements her breathing, the tension in her muscles. It was like having a living map of the battle.
I closed the chestplate of the armor and sat down, gripping the controls. I pulled one of the front levers. The armor's right arm lifted, and with a mechanical snap, it raised the jagged mace I'd obtained in the fight against the goblin champion.
The weapon was crude, brutal… but heavy. Ideal for a suit like this.
"All right, Rowen," I muttered. "Maybe I'm not a swordsman, or a prodigy. But I can still fight… in my own way."
I activated full connection. The system beeped. All the interior lights came on.
My aerial view showed that Rowen still hadn't moved.
I moved the levers to approach her, raising the mace I'd taken from the goblin champion. It was heavy, yes, but it could stand up to a good sword… or so I thought.
As soon as I got close, Rowen drew her sword and a gust of air slammed into me. Something hit the shoulder of my armor full-force. I didn't see the attack coming. I stumbled inside like I'd been thrown into a medieval washing machine.
"Okay… this is beyond ridiculous," I muttered as I struggled to keep my balance.
I hadn't seen the movement. Not even with Aegis's shared aerial vision could I spot how she did it. It was like fighting the wind… only the wind had a sword and a really bad attitude.
I opened the system menu in a panic.
"Armor to level 2!"
The core hummed, the pieces creaked, and a surge of mana coursed through the conduits, repairing part of the damage.
"Come on, come on, just hold on a little longer…"
I moved forward again, raised the mace, and intercepted a thrust. For a second, I felt like a real warrior.
"Chain!"
The armor's hand shot out toward Rowen, but she sidestepped with insulting grace. I saw her spin and, before I could react, another blow landed on the torso. Internal alarms went off.
"Level 3, now, quick!" I shouted at the system, as the armor repaired some of its components.
I spotted a nearby wall. The arm shot out, latched on, and the armor was pulled with force. I launched like a projectile, getting just enough momentum to strike her.
I swung the mace.
CLANG!
Rowen blocked. Her feet slid half a step. I had her.
No. I didn't have her.
With a calm smile, her sword sliced the mace like it was a dry twig and slammed me back with force. Damn it, what level is she!?
"Level 4!" I shouted as I rolled across the metallic ground of the arena.
The armor adjusted and reassembled itself, but she didn't let up. She climbed on top of me and began striking the armor with inhuman speed. I could only watch the armor's health bar drop.
"Level 5!" I practically spat the words.
I couldn't keep this up. My eyes landed on a decorative statue. It held a massive stone sword.
"Chain!" I aimed.
The arm caught the sword and pulled it toward me. I gripped it with both hands. It was heavy, but solid.
"Time for payback," I murmured.
We charged.She said nothing, only attacked with absolute focus. Blow after blow, our swords clashed. I tried to find an opening in her defense, but it was like fighting a storm that already knew where you were going to move before you did.
My breathing grew heavy. I was overheating. My body trembled inside the armor. She landed another clean slash to the waist.
"Level 6!" I shouted one last time.
The armor hummed like never before. It felt stable. Fluid. For the first time, I didn't feel like it was about to fall apart.
I pushed her back. We exchanged fierce blows. Aegis, from above, gave me a privileged view of her movements, and for a few seconds, I thought I could keep up.
Then she stepped back, raised her sword, and a burst of magic swirled around her. She activated a buff.
"Oh no…" I muttered in resignation.
With three swift strikes, her sword tore through critical parts of my armor. The core overloaded. The system flickered. Everything collapsed.
The armor froze. Just an empty shell.But of course... I wasn't inside anymore.
When she stepped forward to confirm her victory, she opened the hatch… and found nothing.
I was already behind her, holding up my staff glowing with mana.
"Freezing!" I shouted with all my strength.
The spell hit. Rowen was trapped inside a block of ice. The crowd fell silent this was, without a doubt, my only chance.
I took one step, then another, thinking I'd end this like a real mage.But the ice shattered with an explosion of energy. She emerged wrapped in wind and determination.
"Ah… crap…" was all I managed to say.
Her sword slammed into my abdomen. The air left my lungs. Everything went black.I hit the ground I was out, but I wasn't sad. I'll admit, I was a bit frustrated… but honestly, it was all pretty fun.
My eyes closed, accepting the now undeniable defeat.
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
I wake up in what seems to be a white, silent room. My arms itch, my back burns, and there's a tremendous weight on my chest. The first thing I see as my vision focuses is Director Isilwen Dawnstar sitting beside my bed, impeccable as always. Her long blonde hair cascades over her shoulders like liquid gold, and her cold eyes look as though they could read me to my soul.
"You're finally awake," she says in her neutral tone, but she doesn't stop watching me as if analyzing my every thought.
I barely move my fingers and notice a bandage wrapped around my torso. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a few broken ribs. I try to sit up, but a lash of pain makes me groan and lie back down again.
"Where am I?" I whisper with a dry throat.
"In the academy's advanced infirmary," she replies. "You received immediate treatment after your match with Rowen Ironheart."
Ah. Right. The arena, the armor, the attempt to outsmart her… and then the staff, the ice… and the pain.
"And my armor?" I ask in a faint voice. It cost me blood, sweat, and a fortune I'm not about to lose it that easily.
"It's safe," she replies. "We stored it in a secure area. No one will touch it or study its systems… for now."
For now. Such a dangerous phrase when it comes from her lips.
The director watches me with a mix of irritation and curiosity. I know what's coming next. She's going to ask how in the world I managed to get something like that. The way she looks at me is exactly the same as when she interrogated other students using her lie-detecting artifact that stone that changes color.
And the worst part is… she still has it, hanging discreetly from her brooch.
"Where did you find it?" she asks bluntly. Her tone doesn't suggest there's an option not to answer.
I take a deep breath. I can't lie. Or well, I can't lie without the stone exposing me.
"I found it in a cave," I say firmly. "I didn't know if it worked or if I could activate it. I just took it and studied it on my own."
The stone on her brooch glows a greenish hue. Honesty. Good. Still alive.
Isilwen nods slowly, though she doesn't seem very satisfied with my answer.
"You got yourself into a lot of trouble, Rurik. You knew what you were doing. You used a high-capacity combat artifact without reporting it to the academy. And, more seriously, you were involved in the museum incident."
I swallow hard.
"I didn't get involved on purpose. I just… happened to be there. There were civilians. I couldn't let them die."
She looks at me, and for a second I think I catch a flicker of recognition in her expression.
"I won't deny that your intervention helped reduce the damage… and that you saved lives. So this time, I'll overlook the museum incident."She leans in slightly."But no more secrets. Understood?"
I nod carefully the pain still burns in my muscles.
"Understood."
"You'll get your armor back once you're medically cleared. Until then, you'll stay here. The priests will complete your recovery."
She stood up and lightly dusted off her robe.
"And one more thing," she added before leaving, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. "You have potential. But if you keep pulling stunts like this… I'll let someone else deal with you."
"Deal with you"...? What did she mean by "you two"? I was the only one here.
"And Tesline?" I wondered, shifting on the bed and feeling like I'd been run over by a drunk driver with bad intentions. Everything hurt. Especially my pride.
As if she had heard my thoughts, the curtain of the cot to my right slowly slid open. Tesline was there, tucked under a blanket up to her neck, with a bandage around her left shoulder. She looked at me with an embarrassed smile.
"I didn't last long either."
I let out a small laugh that quickly turned into a grimace of pain as my broken ribs reminded me they still existed.
"What a deadly duo," I said in a mocking tone.
At that precise moment, the door swung open and Aldwyn stormed in as if he were fleeing an awkward conversation. His expression was a mix of guilt and "please don't hate me for this."
"Ah, just the two I wanted to see," he said, crossing his arms. His eyes moved from one of us to the other. "Before you hear it from someone else, I need to apologize."
"What did you do this time?" Tesline asked suspiciously, frowning.
"So, it turns out the name you chose for your group was already registered by another team years ago," he explained, scratching the back of his neck. "Copyright issues. So, to avoid lawsuits, legal disputes, or intervention from the Adventurer Accreditation Council… we renamed you."
Great. Just what I needed.
"And what's the new name?" I asked, already fearing the worst.
"The Glacier Dragons," he answered with a proud smile, like he'd just saved our lives and expected us to thank him.
Tesline and I sighed at the same time, perfectly in sync.
There are copyrights here too... What's next? Summoning taxes?
Aldwyn waved goodbye casually and left the room as if he hadn't just destroyed part of our group's identity.
I looked at Tesline. Her gaze was lowered, visibly affected. And not because of the name, but because of what had happened in the fight. We were hurt... but it wasn't just physical.
"There's really a huge gap between them and us."
She looked up and murmured:
"Their strength… was overwhelming."
"Yeah, it was," I nodded. "But I'll tell you something until recently, I felt comfortable with the level we were at."
Her expression changed instantly. Her eyes widened in a mix of surprise and horror. Clearly, she thought that was all I aimed for. That I had already given up.
"After that fight, I realized the true standard of power in this academy. We're… way below it."
She lowered her head. And yes, that truth hurt. A lot.
"But if that's the standard, then let's surpass it. Let's become the new benchmark."
I watched as she slowly raised her head. Her eyes were regaining that signature spark, and her smile still crooked from the bandage was coming back strong.
"So, what's the plan?" she asked with that mischievous tone I loved so much.
"First, we find a good farming spot," I answered without hesitation. "It's no coincidence Darius levels up so quickly. He must have a place where he trains and grinds nonstop. If we want to be the best, we need one too."
"Do you have one in mind?"
"Yeah. I know the exact place. But it's not for beginners. We'll need a certain level and some key materials before we even get close."
She smiled like she could already taste the adventure. And so did I. Because no matter how much our bodies hurt, what burned the most was that desire to grow, to improve, to never fall again without leaving a mark.
"So… when do we start?"
I looked back at her. The bandages, the wounds, the bruises none of it mattered. Our sights were already set on what came next.
"As soon as we're cleared. Let them get ready. The Glacier Dragons are just getting started."