The days go by in a flash. A whole week of training to polish on the fundamentals. In a world where magic is the norm, not having it means you have to work twice as hard. Luckily for Seito he wasn't opposed to hard work especially when it meant making his family happy.
He'd remember days helping his father on the farm or bringing the harvest in town to help sell with his mother. This was the norm for him and that wasn't about to change now.
Sitting on the forest's cold ground, sweating from head to toe, he wipes his face with the shirt he took off to cool off, Seito looks up at the night sky looking onward to new beginnings.
Fuxemia Magic Academy, it was the second largest spectacle on the continent, losing only to the 500m tall Pope's Cathedral, the largest in the world. Most of the continent's talent flock here to hone and improve their gifts, hoping to be the main characters of the country's future. Here stood Seito, now eager to write his story in history.
He walks up from the long passageway that leads to the school's tall white walls. A gate made fully from titanium that stands between him and his new life. As he steps he sees his array of people, mostly humans but with the occasional elves, dwarves and even beastmen. Hitsaria had evolved over its illustrious history, from corrupt governments that condoned the trading of slaves to now the boom of the economy and emphasizing that all life is precious and equal.
Now all walks of life lived merry with each other. Not to say that there obviously were those that disagreed with this fact but the majority far outweighed the minority.
As he was walking Seito realized the difference between him and a lot of the students there. The contrast between nobility and low born was like night and day, but he wouldn't let this get him down, he had conviction.
"Woaaaah." Seito stood and gandered at the main hall of the school. Perfectly white and gray walls with beautifully stained glass, truly a spectacle.
"Close your mouth, you're drooling.", Seito is told by Belze.
He continued walking to where a congregation of persons were standing. He walks up to see a stage and above it, a raised platform housing 12 seats, representing the heads of the school, but only 11 were currently occupied, 2 of them further up than the rest and centered. One of those seated in the middle gets up and slowly walks to the front of the area where a communication magic device was placed.
"Good morning, I am Getserai Minatsu, the vice principal of this academy." A tall lady with the beauty of an angel. Her hair as grey as ash, her body robust yet alluring, carrying herself with grace and decorum showing why she was in a role of power.
'Wow, she's pretty hot.' Seito, mesmerized by her beauty, was stunned in place, as if he was being petrified. However this was a general consensus as so were most of the other boys in the vicinity. During this Hima, who was studying herself, felt a sharp pain in her chest, knowing something was amiss, she held her chest. "Seito, how could you?", in a distraught voice, as she fell to her knees.
"You are the young ones of tomorrow, we are here to help you bloom into the best versions of yourself, however, not everyone was made for this. Will that stop you from trying? From clawing your way through thick and thin? I certainly hope not. The exam consists of two parts, the first part which is a written test to judge your aptitude. Papers will be graded as soon as you are finished. Those who fall short here will be deemed unworthy and will be notified that they will not take part in the second exam. I wish for your success"
Hearing this, students all over began to chatter and mumble amongst themselves. It was already common knowledge that this was the case, nonetheless, knowing if they fail here they would only have one final chance to enter filled them with fear. They worked tirelessly to get here and wouldn't want to stop this early.
Everyone began to head to the large auditorium where the test would be held. Chairs lined off behind each other with their names on the table so everyone knew where they were sitting. Seito finds his place and has a seat. The nerves start to settle in, the first step.
"You are going to pass right?" Mic questions him quickly. "Definitely…. I hope.", confidence was not being exhibited from this response from Seito but it was too late to turn back now, mostly because he'd be too embarrassed to go back home like this. "Yep, you're doomed." the puppy replies with a dispirited figure.
"I studied okay. Besides, I have you guys to help me ace this."
"You will most certainly get no help from us.", states Mic.
"Guys stop joking around."
*silence*
. . .
*more silence*
. . . . .
"Guys."
*even more silence*
. . . . . . . .
"YOU TRAITORS!!!", he shouts aloud. A large number of students turn and stare at him. Faculty staff, with a look of concern on their faces, carefully watches him. Beautiful girls start to gossip with each other about him. Was his school romance over before it even began?
He lowers his head in utter shame, embarrassed, he felt like he died a second time. Maybe dying would've actually been better.
A lifeless Seito sluggishly walks out of the auditorium, seeming he could fall down at any moment. He passed, but just barely.
"So pathetic"
"Oh shut up, you abandoned me in there. I went to war by myself" he says, wiping his tears as he and other students walk back towards the stage. As the last of the students were trickling in, a different voice could be heard.
"Hmm. There's less than before."
A young lady was already standing at the podium. Her hair was long and luscious, reaching the middle of her back, golden, just like the sun. There she stood wearing the school uniform, a white top with a light blue skirt that reached at her knees which only gives a little space between it and her black, thigh high stockings and a light blue tie with the school's insignia in the middle of it.
"Good morning everyone, I am Lamia Horsth, a second year student and also the Student Council President."
"Wow, only a second year and already the Student Council President, she must be talented.", says one random person.
"Of course she is, didn't you know? She's from the Horsth family", said another.
In Hitsaria, there are those that are higher than everyone other than the King himself. They are considered high nobles. Due to their impact and status in the Kingdom's economic build-up they have a lot of power throughout the nation. To avoid a power struggle, each family keeps one another in line. The Horsth family is considered to be the 8th most influential of the 10 high noble families.
"Wow, she seems amazing." Seito can't do anything but stare. The Vice Principal was astounding but Lamia was his agemate, she seemed more approachable, even though she was nobility. Hima, now recovered from her previous episode, uses both hands to hold her chest.
"Seito not again.", she said in an agonizing voice as if she was in real pain. Her "brother senses" were off the charts, she was slowly losing.
"Seito, by chance, is this love at first sight?" asks Mic.
"What?"
"What?"
…
Lamia continues.
"The Headmaster, Sir Masta, was to give a short speech and instructions for the second part of the exam, however, due to unforeseen reasons he could not be here so I shall proceed on his behalf. You may have passed the written exam but that is nothing but the starting line. If you fail to impress the heads of the school sitting before you, then you will be shown the way out. Recommendations and anything of the sort doesn't mean anything at this point. Only your skill and talent will be recognized."
"My hard work will be recognized here." Seito tenses up as he clutches his palm in excitement. "Easy tiger", Seito is told by Mic.
"It is simple. Two persons will be randomly chosen to spar with each other. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, your skill is what will be graded. The time limit is five minutes. Don't let yourself down"
"So I can lose and still be accepted but I don't plan on losing."
"One of our professors will use his magic to put up a special barrier where damage inflicted will be displayed. Once it is seen that you are in the red the test will be over."
One of the seated teachers stands up and walks forward. "Clear the area", he tells them. Students closer to the stage slowly backs up. He raises his wand and starts to chant a spell. Slowly a green barrier could be seen erected around the stage. He finishes and goes back to his seat. Lamia starts calling out names from a list on a paper she received from one of the professors.
"First. Atsutoya Shin vs. Megaline Sine."
One after another students are called up to fight each other. Students fight and show excellent strength and magic skills. Skills that Seito has never seen before were on full display. It was definitely a big world. Then finally…
"Next. Seito Ken vs. Layla Muchi."
"All right."
"Hmm.", says the unknown girl.
They both step up to the middle.
"You might as well forfeit as you have no chance of winning.", states Layla.
"Well see about that." retorts Seito with a smirk on his face.
"I'm going to wipe that smile off your face. Come, Cerebra." A black magic circle with a large fang symbol appears at Layla's feet. A large, three headed beast, with the skin color of lava arises out of the circle. (Cerebra is her name for the Cerberus)
"So she uses a familiar."
"And a strong one at that, she must be a noble.", says Belze.
"How strong?"
"At your current level it'll definitely give you a fight."
"Good. Belze."
"Okay…. Wait, don't boss me around."
"Alright." Seito cracks his neck. "Let's cause some chaos"
"You sure talk tough for someone who is unarmed. Aren't you going to show me what you've got", says Layla while she gives Seito a superior gaze..
"Who knows? I probably won't need it."
"You're seriously pissing me off."
"Bring it."
"Cerebra. Attack."
Cerebra scratches its left back foot on the ground as a bull would which creates small clouds of dirt. He gave a huge exhale through its nose and charged at Seito. Seito bends his knees and slaps them twice and raises his hands as if he was setting to grab the creature. "Hmm, child's play."
"You fool. Cerebra's charge is as strong as a Rhino's."
As Cerebra was about to charge into Seito he grabs it by the head in the middle. The force of the impact is so strong it pushes him back against the ground slowly but not hard enough to cause a concern.
"What!?", shouts a surprised Layla.
He bends his knee further and stops his backward movement. The muscles of his biceps start to budge. He fully stops, seeming to be unaffected by its charge. A monster that weighs around 1600KG (3500lbs) was being manhandled by one person.
"Woah…", says a couple of the students outside the barrier.
"He's strong", states another.
"Hah!" Seito starts to slowly push the creature back towards Layla. Left foot, right foot, one right in front the other, he treads forward. The monster tried to push forward but to no avail. Then he arrives in front of Layla, gives her a smile, and simply walks back.
"He's really strong.", says a girl who was talking to her friend.
"Not bad.", says a female teacher on the stage area.
The creature not understanding what just happened to it shakes itself off.
Layla who was left speechless regains her mettle. "Tch. Cerebra, tri-fire explosion.", Layla orders her familiar. The three heads close their mouths. After a second their cheeks give off an orange glow. They open their mouths and begin to spit balls of fire . Seito dashes around, dodging away from the balls of fire that exploded upon impact. After a few seconds they stopped.
"All right." He holds his right hand as a fist, at his side then places his other hand over it. Black aura starts to emit from his right hand and slowly the Sin sword and the fang mark materializes.
"Look at that sword."
"So cool."
People stand around fascinated.
"So why don't you use all of your power. I feel disrespected because I know you're hiding it."
"How did you know?" Layla questioned him. "Someone as prideful as you must have more to show. Or are you really this weak?", he says with a smirk on his face.
"Fine, but consider this where the exam ends for you. Cerebra, Dame's Bow."
A full white body robe with a hoodie seems to materialize out of thin air, maybe created by magic, and covers here. The Cerberus erupts into flames and after the flames die down you can see that it has transformed into a red bow with spikes and vines surrounding it directly in Layla's hand.
"Well, here I am."
"This is going to be fun."