While I was still relaxing, lying up in a tree and doing nothing in particular, things were heating up somewhere else, right in the heart of the arena.
From above, the place looked chaotic. Groups of students were clustering together, even though they were clearly instructed to spread out. But none of them were fighting each other. Their attention was fixed on one person.
Instead, they were all surrounding one person, teaming up and working together on how to take her down.
Fireballs, throwing weapons, spells, everything they had, they threw it at her.
She stood there, perfectly still. Her uniform marked her clearly, a commanding figure. No fear in her stance. No sign that she was even considering stepping back. No intention to dodge.
"First years are so full of energy to earn some points," she said, like it were all just amusing to her.
She stomped her foot on the ground, and immediately the earth around her shot upward like a protective wall, completely blocking every attack thrown at her. Spells, arrows, physical strikes—they all crashed harmlessly against the barrier.
"She's really living up to her name… no wonder she's called the
One of the students who gang up on her muttered under his breath. The others nodded in silent agreement.
That was Alysha. The
Everyone knew her name. There wasn't a single person in this school, or even in this region, who didn't recognize her name. Taking her down wasn't something ordinary espers or mages could hope to do, even in a group of ten or more.
Still, the students surrounding her weren't ready to give up. They prepared for a second wave of attacks. This time, they decided to do a coordinated attack; close-combat fighters stepped forward alongside the mages who were trying to cast. Buff spells and incantations were already being chanted.
Elemental magic came first: flames, water jets, electric shocks, all launched at once.
"Elemental spells like these don't really work on me."
Just before the spells reached her, within two meters, they suddenly halted in mid-air. As if their momentum just… disappeared.
Everyone froze.
It wasn't just that the attacks had missed; they had been completely stopped. The cheers from the spectators echoed across the arena, but down below, the students looked stunned. Their spells had been crushed so easily without even breaking a sweat.
Still, the close-range attackers pushed forward, unfazed.
Looks like they are trying to use spell attack to distract her, but not like their expectation, Alysha breaks their attack pretty easily.
"Well then, I'll send it back," Alysha said casually, like it was nothing.
She snapped her fingers and pointed at their place.
The stopped spells moved again, but this time they were not toward Alysha.
They reversed mid-air, whipping around like an invisible string had yanked them. And now, they were flying straight back at the melee fighters who had just charged in.
For a second, they froze. Maybe they didn't realize what was happening. Maybe they thought the spells would vanish after Alysha stopped them. But they didn't. They accelerated. It even has more power than its original.
And then, impact.
Explosions lit up the field. A burst of fire, a crack of lightning, a sharp spray of ice. The frontline was hit hard, one after another. Some were thrown back, some collapsed immediately. A few just crumpled where they stood, weapons dropping from their hands.
When the smoke cleared, only two close-range fighters were still standing. Barely. Bruised, breathing hard, and definitely regretting their decision to attack one of the strongest Esper.
Those two turned and ran, heading back to the rear where the support mages were. Probably hoping to get healed.
But Alysha didn't plan on letting them go so easily.
She raised her hand, then brought it down like a signal.
The wind around her exploded outward, more like shockwaves than a breeze. Blades of air shot out like invisible bullets.
The students, too focused on retreating, weren't ready. One by one, they were hit and collapsed, including the mages in the backline.
Seeing that they didn't stand a chance anymore, the few who were still conscious chose to retreat completely. They ran out of the arena's bounds.
It was all over, in just a few moves, all challengers fled.
This time, Alysha let them go. They'd stopped bothering her.
"Well, now I can finally relax.~"
The audience cheered louder than ever. You could see awe written across their faces.
"Now then… I wonder what Brother and Vio are up to? I'll be looking forward to their matches~"
One hour had passed since the tournament began. Half of the students had already been eliminated. The numbers were announced every fifteen minutes over the speakers, and the count kept dropping.
Back to where I was.
"Huaah…~ This is taking forever."
I let out a long yawn, not even bothering to hide it.
Up until now, I hadn't done much aside from sitting in this tree and keeping watch. There was one short fight nearby earlier, but it ended so fast I didn't even have time to get interested. After that, silence. Peaceful, sure—but also boring.
I leaned back against the trunk, letting the breeze pass through. The branches rustled above me. Nothing was happening. Not even the sound of footsteps. It was too quiet.
Kind of weird to want something to happen while hoping it doesn't at the same time.
"Maybe I should move. Only half of us are left… yeah, I could use a bit of fresh air."
I stood up, swung lightly from a branch, and dropped down without much effort.
My current plan was to head toward the school building. Maybe I'd run into someone I knew. If I were lucky, maybe I could even ask them to grab me something to eat. I was starting to get pretty hungry.
I walked casually, not rushing, but still staying alert.
The walk was quiet. Not a single person in sight, though from time to time, I could hear distant clashes—spells flaring, weapons striking, shouts echoing through the trees. They were far off, but still there.
After so many participants had been eliminated, it felt like the frequency of battles had dropped. The chaos from the early phase was starting to settle. Now, it was quiet in a different way—tense, watchful. Like the calm before something worse.
Eventually, I reached the lake.
The water was calm, almost unnaturally still. Sunlight shimmered faintly across its surface. I walked to the edge and crouched down, thinking I'd wash my face to shake off the dullness.
I looked down.
The water was clear enough to reflect me perfectly. Almost like a mirror.
But right before I could splash my face, something shifted.
That feeling again. Subtle, creeping, heavy. Something was wrong.
I paused.
The air felt too still. The reflection looked too perfect. It wasn't just calm, like it was watching.
The moment the thought hit, I didn't hesitate. I pushed myself back in a quick jump.
Then the water broke.
Ripples exploded across the surface, turning into violent waves. The lake that had looked like glass just seconds ago was now churning like something had just surfaced from its depths.
"You've got sharp instincts. Impressive."
A voice echoed as a figure slowly rose out of the lake. Like he was being lifted by something invisible beneath him. He held a knife in his right hand. Standing atop the water like it was solid ground. Not even wet.
He looked… round. His outfit was a weird mess. A polka-dot shirt, shorts, a vest, and bright white shoes that didn't match anything else.
That uneasy feeling from earlier—it was coming from him. And no, not just because of his fashion. Well… maybe a little.
"So, what do you want with me? I doubt you're here just to eliminate me."
I crossed my arms and kept my voice firm. Maybe he'd be a bit thrown off by that.
"You catch on quick. Not bad for someone who just relies on a bit of strength and muscle."
The sarcasm in his tone was obvious. He stepped out of the water, looking down at me with that smug, punchable face.
What's with this guy? Ever heard of basic manners?
"Well then, how about you introduce yourself first, Mister 'So-Great'?"
I threw a mocking grin at him. He clearly didn't like that, clicked his tongue, but forced a smug in his face.
"Guess I can show some charity to someone small like you."
He pointed the knife at me. Clearly trying to look superior.
The way he emphasized "small" was annoying. Physically, yeah, he was bigger. But still.
"The name's Ashgar. I'm with the Magic Community. Let me make it simple—you don't belong next to our princess. Stay away from her. Maybe then I'll consider letting you walk away."
First off, his name doesn't suit him. Ashgar literally means "junior" or "small." Doesn't really match that ego or belly. And if you are talking about a mighty Ashgar myth, his prestige will not be able to reach it.
Second, this guy was clearly one of the people Putri warned me about back in the park. His goal had something to do with Violet. And this is the first time I heard, Magic Community. Looks like they are not just stalking people.
And third, he clearly had no clue what he was getting himself into.
I wasn't going to waste time.
While he kept running his mouth, I let my eyes wander, checking everything I could without looking suspicious. No one else is around. Just him. That made things easier. The area was clear, and I didn't sense any other presence nearby.
His emblem was clipped neatly on the chest of his vest, front and center, like he wanted someone to go for it.
Too easy.
He probably thought talking down to me would buy him some kind of upper hand.
The moment his tone shifted into another self-important lecture, I moved.
I sprinted straight at him.
He wasn't ready. Panic flashed on his face. And since the distance between us was short, I closed the gap fast.
He stepped back and wildly swung his knife in a horizontal slash.
"For someone who talks big, your skills are pretty average," I said, dodging under his arm easily.
His form was full of openings. His panicked expression just made it worse.
I grabbed one of my throwing knives, gripped it tight, and struck at the emblem on his chest.
The blow knocked him backward, making him lose balance and fall.
"How does it feel losing to someone small like me?"
I held the blade inches from his neck. He braced himself with both hands, trying not to fall completely or get any closer to the knife.
"COWARD!! What kind of sneak attack was that?!"
He screamed in frustration. His face turned red, veins bulging.
"This is a tournament. If surprise attacks make you cry, maybe you weren't ready in the first place."
This was all still part of the match. In a real fight, he'd be dead by now.
I pulled my blade back and returned it to its sheath. I didn't plan to stick around long. People nearby probably heard the noise.
I grabbed his collar, leaned in close, and gave him one last warning.
"And by the way, about what you said earlier. I'm not staying away from Violet. If any of you try something... I won't let it slide. Make sure your little group hears that."
I pulled my fist back.
"Oh, also, you might want to grit your teeth."
Then I slammed my fist straight into his face.
He hit the ground hard, groaning once before going completely limp. Unconscious.
He is just a first-year student. Most he knows is not really relevant to talk about. He is also mostly just being used. It is not really worth taking my time with him.
Good. Maybe now he'd finally shut up.
If he had stayed awake, I probably would've hit him a few more times.
One of them is down. Just like I thought, I knew I was going to punch one of them if I ran into them face to face.
I stood up and dusted off my hands. As I looked around, I spotted a surveillance camera nearby, pointing this way. Good enough.
I walked back to the edge of the lake and finally washed my face.
Then I left Ashgar there, passed out with a bruised face, and continued on my way.