At the training grounds of Astrong Academy, one day before Enrico left Tsuyokuni, the students were training. Serenya was leaping between invisible platforms she had created to enhance her movement. Spinning mid-air, she tried to send two commands to her brain to become faster and stronger. But only the strength command worked, and she ended up breaking a platform when stepping on it, slamming into the wall, and falling to the ground.
"Huff... I still can't send two commands. Maybe only when I reach second circle?"
She stood up, dusted herself off, and looked to the side, seeing Professor Virelle with her hands behind her back dodging multiple attacks from Kai's sword and Valença's magic. Serenya raised her hand, wanting to join in, and threw several wooden swords that were stored away. They flew toward Virelle's back, but she simply stepped to the right, causing the swords to hit Valença, who was coming in to support Kai.
"Hey, you idiot! If you wanted to join, you should've said so from the start!"
Valença shouted from afar, lying on the ground. Serenya didn't care and just waved her hand like it was nothing, trying to hit the professor by creating a platform behind her. But Virelle broke it with a backward kick. Kai appeared above her.
"Crescent Slash!"
A vine appeared behind Virelle, and Kai was hit, sent flying, and nearly crashed into other Class A students before hitting the wall and creating a hole.
"That must've hurt."
"Do you think he's okay?"
Serenya attacked using control magic on her own body to move however she wanted, but she was flicked to the ground by a simple tap.
Valença, seeing this, smiled while rubbing her forehead where the wooden sword had hit. She couldn't help but smile because since the day Enrico had explained Ego weapons, Serenya had started acting like this with her. Serenya wasn't annoying, but she acted in an irritating way.
She grabbed her staff and pointed it at Virelle, who was turned away, focusing on Kai, who had returned. She began to cast a fire spell she had been practicing a lot recently.
A flame shot from the tip, highly concentrated, like a burst. Virelle sensed it, turned her hand, and stopped the attack, which exploded and caused a cloud of dust. Kai was surprised by the magnitude of the attack, along with the other students. Serenya stood, pouting.
"That's a pretty strong attack for a first circle. But be careful—not only does it consume a lot of mana to cast, but the damage it can cause could affect your allies."
Virelle stepped out of the cloud without a scratch as always and brushed the dust from her clothes. The bell rang, ending class.
"Very well, students. Analyze all the fights I had with you today carefully and don't forget the notes on elemental magic control."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The students replied in unison and began to leave the field. Today had been a tough day because Professor Virelle had recently been pushing them harder, and they didn't know why. The reason was that Virelle had received a message from Angela that Enrico hadn't gone to the Solcren house, but instead to a dungeon and then to Tsuyokuni. It seemed the boy was getting stronger, which pleased her—but she didn't want him to think training elsewhere was better than training with her once the family accepted him as a disciple. So, she trained the students to show that the best training was with her. Also, she didn't want weak students, especially in Class A. She thought they were quite weak—but that was because she was comparing them to the three students she had just sparred with.
"And to think that boy would use the week meant for rest to train even more..."
Well, the students were dissatisfied, but at least those three seemed satisfied with this training. Looking to the side, she saw Serenya, Valença, and Kai walking away—but they looked like they still wanted to train.
"Well, I better give that girl a few more tips again today."
The girl she referred to was Seraphina—the one Enrico had asked his friends to help. So Virelle decided to do the same. She had to admit, that girl had potential and was evolving fast. But like all previous students, she lacked the intelligence and mindset Virelle wanted.
She left the training field to head to Class B, which Serenya had reached the day before, while Kai walked ahead of the two girls, who had started arguing about Valença's earlier spell. Kai looked at his sword.
'I'm still using the hero's magic in the sword and haven't managed to unlock my own yet, even after learning about the elements.'
What he knew was that when Enrico had given him a training plan, he told Kai that he was close to awakening, and the delay in drawing the magic from the core was because it was a unique type of magic.
'He said I'm close, so it must be true.'
Kai kept walking but saw two of his Class A companions kneeling and injured. In front of them stood five people. He immediately ran and stood in front of them.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The five people before him were three girls and two boys, with the girl in the middle looking at him with irritation. Kai didn't understand—it seemed she got even more annoyed upon seeing him, and she briefly covered her eyes.
"I hate your type of light. It's too bright and irritating to my eyes."
"What?"
Kai didn't understand the girl's words, but then a surprise kick from the boy beside her sent him flying toward the wall—only for him to be stopped midair by Serenya's control magic as she arrived with a raised eyebrow.
"What's a noble doing helping a weak commoner?"
The boy who kicked Kai asked.
"Because my subordinate likes him."
That comment surprised the five. Valença approached and helped the two injured companions stand up—they seemed to be an orc and an elf. Serenya released Kai, who stood up, surprised, while thinking:
'I couldn't see the attack… This is the first time since I fought Enrico and that gravity-controlling zombie that I've felt this way.'
Kai looked at the boy, who wore an arrogant smile, and became irritated. Even though he felt that way, the boy had no qualities Kai could respect. Serenya calmly looked at the girl in the middle, remembering Enrico's words.
"So, what's one of Sanos's heirs doing near Class A? Care to tell me, Princess Elowyn Pendrave?"
Immediately, Valença and Kai turned serious, remembering Enrico's words. Elowyn scratched her eyes with a hint of disdain, as if trying to clean them after seeing Kai.