Shinji's POV:
"Hey, Shinji! How's it hanging? I heard you really showed them up yesterday! They say even the principal was impressed!"
"Yeah. I guess. Though it's today I'm more worried about!"
I was currently on my way to the combat tournament that will act as the final selection of the spellcaster division. On my way there I ran into Kenji, and we started talking on the way to the dueling arena.
"I heard you guys won by a landslide yesterday. Everyone is talking about how the class 2F duo won thanks to a certain professor bending the rules."
"Haha! Like hell! If only they knew the truth!"
"This is my stop."
"Okay. You better win or who knows what the boss will do to you." Kenji said as he left to look for that mad professor.
I don't know why but ever since we got back from that mountain of death, he has been clinging to that mad professor every chance he gets. At first, he seemed to only attend the classes because he wanted to learn about those body enchantments, but at some point after that camping trip, he started changing. Now all he wants is to be praised by him. I still don't get why they want to stay with him so bad. Sure, he changed our lives a bit, but it's basically the same. Instead of running from bullies, we run from his golem wearing a mask and axe in P.E. Instead of being beaten by bullies we get beaten by him in his practical magic classes. Instead of having our reputation slandered by the students, we get slandered by our own professor's fanfiction. I am sick and tired of hearing people talk about the new guy or girl I'm allegedly dating. He is way worse than any bully we had to deal with before.
As I continued my internal monolog about how terrible my professor is, I entered the locker room for the participants. But right after I opened the door, I saw a fist flying at me. Having suffered numerous surprises while attending class, I reflexively dodged to the side before preparing a counterattack spell. Just as I was about to fire a 2 tier Air Burst to push back the enemy, I could feel someone grabbing me by the shoulder.
"That's enough you two! Haruto! You save it for the arena!"
It was one of the senior students participating in today's selection. The 3rd tier magician Yoshida Sato from 3rd year class 2B. He was a rather angry-looking guy with glasses and short brown hair.
"What? I was just giving him an appetizer of what's to come." My brother said.
Haruto had apparently waited near the door just so he could clobber me before the match. He is probably just pissed about the family disgrace being considered on the same level as him and wanted to take out his frustrations on me while trying to reestablish his dominance.
"Yo, what up newbie! I heard you're the newest member if the tier 3 club!" Another 3rd year said as he waved at me from the bench.
He was sitting rather relaxed on the bench in a well-worn student uniform. He had rather pail skin, while he sported long black hair that was hanging over the right side of his face. He gave off a relaxed and playful attitude, that said he looked more like some ghost of a student you'd see wandering at night.
"Hey, newbie! I saw that cool light show from yesterday, and I was wondering. Do you have any other cool spells?" He said, as he appeared right next to me and put his arm around my neck, while the illusion of him on the bench faded away.
"Daiki! Stop bullying your junior! You should know better!" Sato said.
"What? I'm just trying to make new friends! Can't you see, we are already buddies?"
Kobayashi Daiki. A 3rd year student of class 3A and a 3rd tier spellcaster. If I had to name the biggest nuisance in this academy, after my professor, I would have to name this guy. He was known throughout the school for pulling pranks with his illusion magic. If he wasn't a 3rd tier spellcaster he would have already been expelled.
"You know how inappropriate it is to ask a mage to show their spells!"
A spellcasters greatest strength is their arsenal of spells. To a mage, showing their spells to an opponent is like showing your weakness to an enemy. Part of our strength comes from catching our opponents off guard, with our various spells. It's like using a hidden weapon. If you reveal it, then you lose the element of surprise, and it becomes just a regular weapon. That's why it's an unspoken rule for a magician to never reveal his tricks.
"THAT-"
"Yoshida Sato! And Kobayashi Daiki! You are to put on your protective suits and enter the arena at once!" A professor yelled as he entered the locker-room.
"Well, looks like we're up first Sato!"
"You better not cry after I beat you!"
"Haha! You said the same thing last year, too!"
They bantered as they put on the padded full body tights that were littered with protective enchantments. The combat round is a one-on-one duel between candidates for Walpurgisnacht. The candidates are all the best the academy has to offer. Hence, the academy doesn't skimp on the safety measures, as we are all required to wear armor with high elemental resistance to prevent any serious injury. A professor will be present to stop the match if the armor's effects get damaged or to stop any excessive violence. Even still, there has been cases where students have suffered heavy damage and even death. Hence, we are all cautioned to show some restraint before the match begins.
"Okay! We'll be off now! You two play nice okay!"
"Shut up and go! Oh, and Haruto!"
"Hm?"
"Remember, you'll be disqualified if you try and pull anything before the match!"
"Hmph!"
And with that the two left for the dueling arena. Leaving me and my half-brother alone. We sat in silence for a while as we could hear the cheers of the students watching our seniors duel outside.
"So, who was that guy who took you in?" My brother finally asked.
"Who?"
"You know damn well who! That lunatic that attacked on Christmas!" He raised his voice.
"Ah! Right! Him!"
It had completely slipped my mind that the mad professor had worn a disguise back then, when he kidnapped me. I was the only one who knew the true identity of the self-proclaimed spirit of Christmas.
"You think just cause some hidden master is helping you out, you can just waltz around as you please? Well, if it wasn't for that weirdo professor you would already be dead. But he can't help you outside the academy."
"…"
"You can't stay at the academy over summer break, so enjoy your life while it lasts!"
"…"
After a round of threats, we continued to sit in silence until the professor returned to tell us to get ready.
After I got dressed, I walked to the exit, but…
"Out of my way!" Haruto said as he pushed me aside to go ahead of me.
I stood up as I moved towards the exit after him.