"It's an illusion, nothing that happens to you in that world will happen here."
The black tail moved slightly.
I touched my neck; the pain was gone.
—This academy is truly another level.—
"So the sense of pain, the professor's illusions, the violence against the weak, it's all on purpose?"
The black cat's tail in front of me stopped moving.
"Yes, this is a world for the strong.
Based on what I've seen and your magical abilities, I recommend you leave this school and join one specialized only in magical research."
She spoke calmly, seeming to see right through me.
—So I have no future as a magician.—
I looked down slightly at my hand resting on the ground.
—If only I were more talented.—
I clenched my fist tightly.
"Although, even a magician like you can become strong in this academy, but it will be much more difficult.
You can come back whenever you want.
I will make you strong, but you will have to pay with blood and tears."
Her body began to disappear slowly.
I extended my hand to stop her, then hesitated and stopped.
I looked at my trembling hand and clenched my jaw as hard as I could.
"Hey!"
She shouted cheerfully while walking toward me.
"I haven't seen you all day."
I looked at her, surprised.
"How did you find me?"
Her smile widened.
"Well, those are the tricks of a magician."
She said, winking flirtatiously.
I sighed.
"Magic, huh?"
Her face filled with surprise.
"Don't tell me some magician is bothering you!"
She moved her body closer to me; I stepped back slightly, surprised by the sudden closeness, something I wasn't used to.
"No, it's not that.
By the way, I saw you had friends even though the school just started. How's that?"
She put on a thoughtful expression.
"Well, at the academy I used to go to, there were many talented people who ended up being accepted here."
—Why does she have her eyes closed?—
Seconds passed as I watched her keep her eyes closed without moving.
"Tell me, is it true you got expelled from a class?"
Camila's eyes suddenly opened wide, filled with anger.
Before I could even open my mouth, she said indignantly,
"I can't believe it! How dare they treat a student like that!"
"Wait, this academy is like that?
At least let me talk to an authority first before you cause trouble on the first day with the disciple of the Steel Witch!"
I spoke hastily, trying to stop her but it was useless—
She was too strong!
I held her hand as tightly as I could.
Before I knew it, Camila was dragging me somewhere I feared—where Raul was.
Clap!
I stopped, horrified by the scene in front of me.
The optional white gloves that come with the academy uniform were on Professor Raul's right cheek.
"I challenge you to a duel."
Raul clenched his teeth with a fierce expression.
"You have courage, I accept."
From what I could tell, classes had ended for most students because of the large number gathered in the stadium.
—Who comes up with the idea of a stadium for people to watch battles between students? What kind of academy is this?—
I looked at Camila worried, suspecting she was going to suffer a terrible defeat.
—A novice magician can't fight an elite magician on equal terms; it would be like a child facing a giant.—
—Is this my fault? No, no, no, no.—
I shook my head from side to side.
—First of all, no normal person would think of fighting an elite magician.—
On the giant screen placed in the middle of the stadium, text appeared:
[Student Camila will face Professor Raul. Conditions giving Camila an advantage are:
Raul cannot cast lightning magic
He cannot move from his place
Raul cannot use barriers or physical reinforcements]
"Begin!"
A robotic, energyless voice shouted.
"Come on Camila, you're strong!"
I heard students shout encouragement to Camila.
"Come on Camila, beat that grump!"
I shouted, raising my arm to cheer her on.
As soon as the fight began, Camila lunged at Raul with terrifying speed.
Black chains extended from Camila—
"Too fast, I can't understand what's happening!"
Camila soared into the sky, dodging.
She was exactly above Raul, who, without looking up, launched steel spears.
They were as big as three people stretched horizontally and one wide, with lightning speed.
A semi-transparent barrier surrounded Camila before she charged at the spears.
Her speed was comparable or even greater than the spears.
I only saw a transparent flash moving and a large amount of dust rising.
When I realized it, Camila was standing in front of the professor, looking him straight in the eye.
Raul's spears lay broken in half on the ground.
The fear and anticipation I had vanished instantly, replaced by admiration.
"Ha ha ha, smash him, Camila!"
"Come on, you've got him now!"
"She's still incredibly strong!"
"Who would have thought she could face a professor like this?"
Words of admiration for Camila spread throughout the place.
—I will never be that strong.—
I understood with just one glance at her fight.
I clenched my fists with frustration and admiration.
—Someday I will reach you, no matter what it takes.—
Camila simply extended her hand, pointing her finger at the professor.
A brutal flame gathered at the tip of her finger, while Raul did the same with his other finger.
Black metal swirled around Raul like a raging sea.
"Bang!"
The fire exploded against the steel.
Neither seemed to give in, but a steel tip struck Camila, who didn't even try to raise a barrier to dodge it, letting it pierce through her.
Blood splattered from her mouth.
I was greatly frightened seeing that.
—Is this a fight to the death? If so, I have to stop them.—
I thought before a loud beep sounded.
The screen, previously blue with battle details, turned black.
The spear embedded in Camila's abdomen disappeared as if it had never been there.
The blood leaving her body also began to vanish.
"Phew,"
I murmured in relief.
"The winner is Camila."
The machine said unemotionally, contrasting with the victory cheers of the students.
—How?—
I barely noticed Raul had moved a few steps, at most two.
I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
"You won!"
I shouted, amazed, next to Camila, who struck a triumphant pose.
Students swarmed around her, so under normal conditions, I wouldn't have approached.
But she risked fighting a professor for me; I had to get close.
"I'm awesome, aren't I?"
She said with her chin high and a big grin from ear to ear.
"Yes, no doubt about it.
How could I be friends with someone so awesome and not have realized it before?"
Camila smiled widely before starting to speak to the crowd.
I could hear her typical jokes and high self-esteem about her magic all in one sentence.
I smiled ironically before leaving.
I found myself next to Shadow.
"Train me, I need to become strong."
If Shadow were a person right now, she would be smiling—or at least, that's what I thought.
"Alright."
The world changed back to the same forest.
I immediately started running.
"Don't run, it will be easier to hear you."
I nodded before stopping and preparing to react.
"Get your combat magic ready, it's coming."
I heard the same pattern as before—branches breaking.
My body, now strengthened, was able to react to the water bomb that burst the tree behind me with ease.
"Come on, why don't you show yourself?"
I said, pointing with my hand toward the spot where the attack came from.
"Above," said Shadow indifferently.
I jumped, crashing into a tree.
There was my enemy, who had crashed to the ground, holding a water sword in his hand.
The ground was cracked.
Just as I was about to run,
"Don't run."
I stopped, looking cautiously at my opponent.
"Lightning," I murmured, clenching my fist as I ran toward him.
I applied the knowledge I had gained from the magical combat book:
[In close combat, the advantage comes from predicting the opponent's movements. Any magic is useless due to its long duration; one must keep in mind the basics of magical martial arts.]
The basics were in the book, and I knew the book.
The soldier's sword lightly grazed my cheek, moving diagonally down to the left and touching the ground.
I immediately counterattacked with a right hook directly to his face.
The soldier moved his left foot backward, rotating and hitting my side with his left elbow, pushing me back and making me lose my balance slightly.
He moved his head to the right, completely dodging my punch.
—Did he predict my moves?—
It was a perfect combination to stop my right hook and strike me at the same time.
I clicked my tongue in frustration.
I kept my fists up, protecting my head as I approached the edge of his sword's reach.
My body was on extreme alert; I knew one mistake could cost me great pain.
In the blink of an eye, the soldier lunged at me, taking three steps forward suddenly.
Supporting himself with his left leg, he launched a thrust forward.
I moved to his right in an elegant motion, kicking his supporting leg with my right leg from his heel to the left.
The soldier lost balance, doing a semi-split.
I gathered magic in my fist to deliver a decisive blow to his face.
Before I could strike, he planted his sword on the ground.
Immediately, spikes of pressurized water pierced me from below.
"You lost."
I saw Shadow scold me, sitting in her usual position.
I touched my head, which had been pierced.
—At least it was so fast I barely felt it.—
I began to regulate my heavy breathing.
"Do you know what you did wrong?"
I shook my head.
"No."
Shadow's tail stopped moving.
"You can never lower your guard against a mage."
I immediately remembered the words from the combat book engraved in my mind—they said the same thing.
"Yes, this time I'll do it right."
I said with a determined look.
"Good."
That day, I tried to attend one of my chosen classes.
Yesterday I hadn't been able to do it, but this time, I said firmly, clenching my fist with stars in my eyes—
—I will do it!—
I entered confidently, only to witness a shocking scene.
My classmates were using "dangerous" magic—or at least that's what I considered it.
On walls, ceiling, and tables, some lost control of their magic, which exploded, leaving them slightly singed.
Laughter around them could be heard, mocking their bad luck.
"Hey you, you don't have a uniform, are you going to be alright?"
I was surprised—did a uniform really mean that much?
I stood out sharply with just a dirty t-shirt instead of the academy's elegant uniform.
I smiled, thankful for their concern.
"Yes, don't worry, I'll manage to get one."
He just shrugged.
I sat fearfully at the farthest side from the chaos that was taking place.
I could see the students, upon seeing me approach, move away or directly stop their magic.
"What's wrong? Do I have something on my face?"
"Don't mind me, will you continue practicing?"
Asked a tall, strong boy—something unusual at a magic school.
"Of course, continue."
I nodded, and without further ado, he began to strengthen his body.
I discreetly began training my body reinforcement, sadly the only magic I was capable of using.
I closed my eyes, sinking into deep concentration.
I felt my whole body swelling from inefficient magic use.
I moved my hand, which felt much faster.
But if I did it as the book indicated, it should be even faster.
A loud bang sounded behind me.
I opened my eyes to find the entire class staring at me.
—Do I really have something on my face?—
Even the professor, who had just arrived, looked at me intently with a finger pointed at me.