The massive dojo wasn't just another training ground that any one could attend, just because they felt like it. It was specified for talented students that wished to become stronger. After spending a year in the academy, the students would have to leave, and fend for themselves.
Some would decide to join guilds, or become part of a group of adventurers, in search of special artifacts that might be of help to the world. They would travel through portals, fight and kill dangerous beasts, and harvest their crystal. This process was very dangerous, but it was also a good way to make a fortune.
Other people, not wanting to venture into extremely dangerous grounds, will join the military. The military, of course, were the ones keeping law and order alive in the world, because in a world with powerful mages, there will also be the corrupt people that will stop at nothing to cause chaos.
And there are also the locals. Mages that didn't want to live the life of mages. They didn't want any affiliation whatsoever to magic, hoping to live a long and peaceful life with their loved ones.
But the students of any academy the world had to offer didn't want to live a normal boring life. They wanted to explore the world, and create a strong legacy that will be remembered in the years to come. In order for it to happen, they had to train, fight, and grow stronger.
Since not all mages were equal in terms of power and might, the academies made a system that divided mages according to their strength. The combat classes were designed for the strongest of the strongest, and no weakling could survive in such an intense division.
But that didn't stop Chuck from attending the class. He was determined to grow stronger with the help of this strange system that he stumbled upon. He needed to prove to everyone around him that he wasn't as useless as they thought he was.
The combat lesson had begun, as the trainer, teacher Zhul graced everyone with his arrival. Chuck thought he was mentally and physically prepared to get beaten up, so he could gain some experience points, and maybe level up as quickly as possible.
But that determination crumbled to pieces the moment he was called out to fight one of the most talented students in the class.
The moment Zhul pointed his skinny fingers in Chuck's direction, his pulse immediately quickened as he got extremely nervous and scared.
"I'm sorry sir, do you.. do you mean me?" Chuck nervously spoke out.
"Are you deaf, or are you deaf?" Zhul said in a serious tone.
"I haven't seen someone like you here before, so you must be from a non combat class. Come up at once, let me see what you're made of"
Chuck could no longer protest, as she slowly made his way through the crowd, to the middle.
"Hey isn't it that weakling that gets his ass whopped around everytime?"
"Yeah, I recognize him. I beat the shit out of him four days ago, I think. Maybe he's because he wants to grow stronger."
"Well in that case, what better way to teach a weakling a lesson, than in a combat class. It's gonna be a perfect excuse to end him."
More and more chatters reverberated across the hall, as few of the students recognized Chuck. At this point, Kaiden was already getting bored of the whole thing, as she had expected a worthy opponent to fight.
"Really? This is what I'm going to have to fight against as a form of warmup?" Kaiden pointed at Chuck with a disappointed look.
Laughters erupted as Kaiden's comment was heard by everyone. Chuck, feeling embarrassed, lowered his head with a hint of anger.
"The next person that I see laughing will come out to face Kaiden next," Zhul said with a commanding time, "I dare you all, make one single noise."
The whole hall went silent, as no one wanted to face the lightning goddess. Chuck tried to prepare himself for the upcoming humiliation. He stepped on the podium, and stood in the opposite direction of Kaiden. Kaiden still kept her disappointed look as she stared at Chuck, like he was some helpless person.
But it didn't matter to Zhul. He saw that the two were ready to spar, so he gave the approval.
"Fight!"
Chuck took a fighting stance, as he waited for Kaiden to throw the first attack. Kaiden looked at Chuck with a slightly curious expression, as she could fathom why someone would be willing to get beaten up.
"Maybe he has some hidden magical potential that nobody knew about," Kaiden thought. But that thought was short lived as she prepared her attack.
Slightly raising her right hand, a ball of pure energy, with a blue glow formed and hovered palms like she had all the control the world had to offer.
In less than a second, the glowing ball enlarged and transformed into an enormous fire ball that looked like it was ready to consume everything in its path. Everyone in close proximity could feel the heat coming from the attack. They knew that she wasn't going easy on her opponent, regardless of the fact that he wasn't strong enough to stop her attack.
Kaiden threw the ball of fire in the direction of Chuck with a careful precision, as it was ready to engulf its target.
Chuck, ready to receive the attack head on, braced himself for the aftermath. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, and prepared for the worst.
The flaming ball, with an intense speed, hit Chuck with a devastating force, and sent him flying backwards. His whole body was engulfed in flames, as an excruciating amount of pain took over his entire body.
Seeing Chuck covered in a searing flame, everybody around him backed away, not wanting to get cooked from the heat. In an instant, Zhul flew over to Chuck's position, and conjured a pool of water over Chuck, quickly putting the fire out before it could cause serious damage, or worse.
He looked at Chuck who was passed out on the floor with a dissatisfied look.
"I thought he was going to counter that flame. That's precisely what I decided not to get involved"
"He has this energy inside of him, and he can't harness it can he? I can sense it. It's almost… divine," Zhul thought.
I must keep a close eye on this kid.