SYSTEM ASCENSION

The training was more gruesome than the students had ever faced in Ringoff academy. They were made to run several laps. This also involved climbing rocks and passing bridges were creatures who could end them with a single breath, lucked beneath.

Halfway through, many students passed out. By the time they were done, many of them could barely walk.

”That’s all for today!” Rona grinned. ”Let’s do it again tomorrow.”

”No!” A few students yelled.

Claude was still catching his breath, when he glanced at Kael who was sitting on the ground, almost crying.

”What are you doing?”

”I miss Elias! That girl is just bullying us!”

”Bullying?”

”Yes!”

”A child...is bullying you.”

Kael pointed. ”There is no way that’s a child.”

”I’m eight years old.” Rona smiled.

”What?!”

A few students laughed.

Kael’s face turned red.

He stood up and stomped off.

”Ha!” Rolarza ran after him. ”Wait!”

He didn’t stop. Instead, he teleported to the nearest possible turning and continued to walk away.

Pain shot through his ankle, making him twitch. He ignored it and continued to limp away.

Rolarza continued to follow him. She increased to running, until she caught up.

”Kael.” She grabbed his hand.

He spun around, and the sight made her recoil in shock.

His eyeballs were white, glowing with an eerie energy. He stared at her for a moment before blinking severally.

”Sorry, it’s...”

He covered his face. ”Going out of control. I can’t seem to control it...yet.”

”What is that?”

When he opened his eyes, they were back to normal. ”Just my ability.”

”Oh...” she nodded and fell into steps beside him.

”Are you alright? You were complaining throughout the training.”

”I was?” He chuckled softly. ”It’s just...”

He sighed. ”Nothing. I’m just having a hard time.” ℴ

”I see,” she ran forward and turned around to face him. ”Maybe I can help.”

He shrugged. ”It’s a personal problem.”

”Tell me about it?”

He folded his lips for a while and then opened it. ”I...”

”I?”

”Nothing. It’s nothing.”

”Oh...” she tilted her head and leaned closer. ”Then, whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m always available, yes?”

”...”

He smiled.

”Yes.”

His eyes wandered off for a second, and he saw the silhouette of some people walking on a bridge in a far distance. It was Quil, Mona who had left before the training and—

”Elias.”

She turned sharply. ”Where? Where’s he?!”

”Oh...over there.”

He hadn’t spoken further before she dashed off to the direction, leaving him standing and pointing.

”I guess she’s obsessed with him.” he laughed softly, but even as he did, it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He slowly turned around and returned to the direction he came from. Since he was confident in his ability, he used it a few times to warp from one place to another, getting back to the yard in a blink.

He saw a scene.

The students were gathered together, murmuring words, while a boy was standing before Jordan. Rona stood beside Jordan along with the seven maidens that accompanied him.

Just as they had met Jordan before, he was extremely bored. Dark eyes were hazy. He looked entirely smug, in his layered robe.

Kael approached the closest person to him.

Coco.

”What happened?”

”Don’t ask me!”

He flinched. For some reason he had no idea of, she had been extremely snappy.

”That boy found out that prince Jordan’s sparing partners are those maidens behind him,” Lane said. ”So he said they were weak and Prince Jordan should spar with us instead.”

”Oh. I see.” Kael glanced at the maidens.

He activated the vital eyes, and for a moment, all he saw was a suffocating darkness crawling at him. The maidens were no joke. He staggered back.

Lane was still talking and glanced at Kael, only to see the boy staring with white eyes, while having a nosebleed.”

”What?”

”Shake him out of it.” Tyler bluntly said.

Lane slapped Kael a few times, and he jolted awake.

”Errk!” He ran back and announced. ”I’m not interested in sparring! I’ll sit this one out.”

He glanced left and right, then went off to sit on a bench.

”Me too.” Coco walked away.

”I’ll just watch.” Tyler stepped back.

The rest of the student council slowly retraced their steps leaving their classmates standing. Bora saw this, and also stepped back.

Jordan seems to agree to the spar. With a casual wave, he dismissed the maidens and Rona.

The students who had initiated the challenge smirk, and took a stance.

”I’ll go first! Let me show you—”

”All at once.” Jordan interrupted calmly.

”What?”

”All of you. All at once. Come at me.”

The world exploded behind their ears.

All of them? It was an insult their brain couldn’t sit with. The air turned hostile in a second.

Kael shifted on the bench, and this caught the attention of the council.

”Is he really that strong?” Fayera asked Kael.

”I didn’t check him out,” Kael replied, folding his trembling fist. ”I only check the maidens.”

”And?”

Kael glanced at her. ”One of the maidens can solo all the students here.”

***

The fight had been decided. The students had all taken their stance. Some of them had taken out their weapons, while Jordan just stood there with too many openings.

He didn’t look like someone challenged to a duel. He didn’t ever look like someone who had come out for a spar.

”Shouldn’t you get ready?” The male student who had instigated the duel, yelled.

Jordan didn’t even react, which somehow fueled their anger more.

Rona stood far behind and raised her hand.

”Start!”

At the sound of her voice, all the students charged towards Jordan, abilities activated or weapons drawn.

They got closer and closer. When they were a few inches away from him, he simply stretched his hand, and released his vital energy.

The energy in the air was disrupted and overrided. All the energy coating the students body shattered. His own piercing energy invaded their space and body.

”Aaarrrggghhh!”

The boy who instigated the duel was the first to drop to his knee, clawing at his throat for air. The rest followed, gasping for breath beneath the suffocating energy.

They bleed from every possible hole. Eyes,nose, mouth. Jordan himself didn’t react to their suffering. He just stared.

One of them managed to force herself up. She bit on her sleeve to stay sane, and glared at him.

”How...could you ...resort to pretty tricks...”

Jordan moved, calmly watching towards them. ”Pretty tricks. Pardon me, for I am simply preparing for our fight.”

She got confused. ”What?”

”We all release essence energy when we fight, right?” He stood before her, among the students wheezing and gasping.

He leaned forward with the same absurdly bored gaze. ”That’s simply what I did.”