Scene 1
Javi POV
"Rage. Rage, my dear fire brat, is a double-edged sword. For you, it's the furnace or forge, if you'd like to think of it that way."
I glanced at my master, who was seated at the head of the cave the tribe had prepared for us to train in.
He sat on his golden mat as he smoked from his pipe. The smoke curled upward, covering his face, while his tattoos of falling stars matched the colors of his gold and crimson eyes that pierced through the smoke and into me.
"Unlike that fire beast who had to swallow two Suns and build a house on it, your rage is human. So it can be stoked into the largest flame you've ever held, or it can burn you alive. Choose wisely which flame you choose to harness as your own, my boy."
His grin grew larger than normal as smoke began flowing from his open mouth, like it normally did whenever he spoke of that hybrid beast, as if he were a dragon.
"Mast—"
"Javi! Wake up! Ms. Tia is staring at us."
I felt a hand pulling on me as I lifted my eyes from the textbook. Glancing around, I saw everyone's eyes on me.
"Javi and Xavier, is there anything you two think is worthy of passing between each other instead of the class discussion on emotional advantages with astral energy?"
I heard Ms. Tia challenge us as if us not paying attention was an issue.
"The emotional state concerning astral energy is low-level theory concerning the idea that emotions can help break through limits or even forcefully enter the next rank."
I spoke as the memory of that training from the dream replayed.
"Rage is a double-edged sword. It can either be the greatest motive for pushing harder, but it can also lead to overdoing it. If I decided to use rage to power my energy, it'll work, but I'll also burn myself in the process."
I felt something click, almost like it was praise, as my eyes finally glanced back up to Ms. Tia's eyes. I looked around and found the same shock in their eyes.
"Great insight, Javi. Pay attention so you can keep adding your personal insights. It'll make it easier for your classmates to understand if you keep thinking like that."
I got a verbal thumbs-up as Xavier gave me a physical one for saving us from additional training.
Scene 2
"Ahhh, why didn't I answer?!"
I watched Xavier bang his head against his locker as Gabe pinched his nose.
"Quit being stupid. You weren't going to make her go crazy by proving how dumb you are."
I chuckled as I grabbed my things out of my locker. Gabe didn't spare Xavier's dignity in even the smallest way.
"You're only saying that so you have less competition for her. Fight me if you dare!"
I laughed at Xavier as Gabe shoved him back before they grabbed their bags and we left for the sparring halls.
"Did you check the ranking apps yet?"
I shook my head as Gabe tossed me his phone.
"Oh, all three of us placed in the top five. Even some of TJ's group made it into the top 100."
I nodded my head at the app as I realized Xavier had been placed lower despite having a higher-ranked core.
"Gabe got third and Dixie got fourth. How'd you rank lower than both of them, Xavier?"
He clenched his jaw as he kept his eyes forward, trying to ignore me.
"Dixie whooped his ass, is what I heard. Apparently, she uses a lightning technique to run circles around him."
I grinned at the idea of Xavier going from getting beat up by the second years to this.
"You know Thomas is going to focus on you, right?"
I watched his skin go pale as he kept walking, while Gabe and I shared a smile at his future pain.
Scene 3
"So, all 25 of you made it through the test. But only 10 returned. Oh well, double the effort for each one. Xavier, you're with me today. Ron, you go with Javi this time."
I heard Xavier swallow as we looked around at the lack of first years while TJ still had his full group.
"But—"
"Nope. You said you'd win your group, so out of the loudmouths here, you're the only one who said it. So we're going to make sure your promise is fulfilled. I'm your tutor, so you're my student."
I glanced toward Thomas as I thanked Xavier for taking my spot.
With all three of the Demon Stars making it into the Top 3 of their class, I could only offer a silent prayer to my buddy.
TJ POV
"Dixie was using her older brother's technique. Against you guys, it's more than enough to break your spirits. So, since this has become an arms race, the first one who can learn the basics of silent casting, which I call skip casting—
I'll gift one of you a high-tier B-rank core.
"Since casting is a general skill, it's not locked behind affinities or cycling methods like the lightning steps Dixie used. So, if you can do it, you'll be proving you're better than the Junior Society faction."
I nodded my head as they began to flip through the new notebooks like crazy.
A.N.: Didn't realize I had collectors already. This book will be rewritten from Chapter 1 onward.
A.N for the A.N.: Went on political binge to clear that itch. Still experimental. Stay safe