“Our first competitors shall be, class 2-B’s Ms. Yudeen Belesda and Class 2-E’s Ms. Sophide Frauide!” 

“Yudeen?”

Hearing the competitor's name sparked something in his mind. He recalled the first time he heard of Yudeen’s name. Rose told him all about it last year, after their first MCS (Magic Combat Simulation). Although Yudeen ultimately lost, she was able to make Rose take the match more seriously. Something she never does, unless she gets backed into a corner. However, what surprised Rose the most was that Yudeen was smiling even as she lay in defeat. She suspected that Yudeen had not given it her all for their battle. Rose is incredibly talented, that goes without saying. But, even she had to be wary of the individual known as Yudeen. In fact, Rose herself stated that, had Yudeen fought with all her might, there was no telling how their match would've ended.

“How interesting...”

Last year, he didn’t attend the Magic Combat Simulation event as it only made him even more envious of those who had what he didn’t. Even now, he didn’t wish to go, except he had to find Rose and figured that she would be here today. At least, that was his only purpose in the beginning. But now, he was overwhelmed by curiosity. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the student who may be on Rose’s level and perhaps learn why she wasn't in class A. 

“Please enter, Ms Belesda and Ms. Frauide!”

Hearing her name, a girl with chestnut-colored hair, rose from her seat. Seeing her, the crowd cheered as they watched the student from class E calmly walk to the stage. The cheers continued even after she entered the stage, but she paid no heed to them. As far as she was concerned, it was just common courtesy from the spectators, nothing more. However, the crowd’s resonating applause and voices were suddenly hushed, as if the clamor from earlier was naught but a dream. All eyes went to the northern part of the stands, watching as a lone, captivating figure floated in the air. The student from class B gracefully descended from the stands like a feather, gently gliding to the ground. The audience watched with stilled breaths as the fairy-like beauty stepped foot on the stage.

“OOOOOOHH!!”

The stadium roared after watching Yudeen’s entrance, inspiring even louder cheers from the crowd than before. Once the two were inside the stage, six people erected a large, translucent barrier around the stage in order to protect the spectators. The six nodded to each other and simultaneously raised their hands with a thumbs up to each other, signifying that the barriers were completed.

“Hmph, is it fun? Watching those mindless little toys of yours, eating out of the palm of your hand?” Inside the stage, Sophide broke the silence.

“Hm? You speak as if I wished for this. They, alone, decided for themselves do as such. For I am simply that breathtaking.”

“Keh, whatever you say. I’ll enjoy rearranging that face of yours!”

“Oh my! Are you perhaps… jealous?”

A vein visibly bulged from Sophide’s temple as she positioned herself. 

“Let’s see if you can mouth off like that later…”

Yudeen simply smiled at Sophide's remark.

Seeing both competitors stand ready, the referee raised her hands in the air.

“Ready… Fight!!” The referee swiftly brought her outstretched arms down in an exaggerated manner. 

Immediately, Sophide placed her hands on the floor, setting forth countless stone columns above, painting the skies brown with dirt. Yudeen easily managed to dodge through the side but-

“You're done!”

Sophide suddenly emerged above her, having predicted her movements. With her right arm clad in a cluster of rocks, she slammed her fist on the startled Yudeen, crushing her face into a bloody mess.

Or so it should’ve happened.

Instead, an invisible force prevented Sophide’s fist from swinging downwards. Though she swung with all her might, her hand just seemingly froze in midair. She felt something, but at the same time nothing, yet her hand and body remained suspended all the same. 

“That was pretty good. But not good enough.”

“Kuh!”

As she heard Yudeen’s voice from beneath her, an incredible blast of wind sent her soaring above the stadium. 

(“W-What power!!”)

“Incredible! Ms. Belesda’s gale lifted Ms. Frauide’s body soaring through the skies!”

The crowd’s frenzied cheers intensified alongside the announcer’s commentary. 

“What will she do now!?”

Once the vicious draft had let up, Sophide’s curiosity got the better of her as she felt the urge to glance below, but this action of hers soon proved fatal. Sophide’s expression contorted to indescribable shock as she realized that she was flung at least 50 meters in the air. Being so far away from the earth, she couldn’t cast any other spells. All she could do was keep her rock fist intact. She was truly and utterly left at the mercy of her opponent as she plunged from the air. 

Below her, a small vortex was forming around Yudeen. The vortex howled furiously as it grew bigger and bigger by taking in the surrounding air in the stadium. 

(“That form… she’s definitely gathering enough power to launch an even stronger gust of wind!”)

As she came to that conclusion, Sophide tensed up her entire body and used the rock covered fist as a shield.

 (“Give it your worst! As soon as I land, I’ll grind you to dust!”)

As if in response to her thoughts, Yudeen flew towards her along with the still-forming current. Sophide grit her teeth, struggling as she took the full force of the spell’s impact. She had her entire body committed to defending against the vortex. However, something unexpected occurred.

“Eh?”

The wind suddenly died down. Did she misjudge her capacity? Did the spell malfunction? These kinds of thoughts ran rampant in Sophide's mind. Confused as to what was happening, she tried to take a peek. In front of her, Yudeen was floating. Her fingers gently ran across the rocky surface of Sophide's spell.

“It’s over.”

!!

Suddenly, another blast of wind, much more powerful than the one from before, assaulted Sophide. Only this time, it was unceasing. Due to the tremendous force that was being generated, Sophide was mercilessly blown all the way towards the transparent barrier.

“Guh!!”

The gust further intensified as her back was slammed onto the barrier's surface. Sophide was right in assuming that Yudeen was gathering enough power in order to create a powerful gust. However, she never thought it would be for an unrelenting one and not an explosion like what flung her to the air. Sophide was left unable to even cry out in pain, as her spell, which should have been protecting her, was now threatening to squash her body with the barrier.

“That’s enough! Yudeen Belesda of 2-B wins!”

The announcer’s voice rang across the stadium as Yudeen’s win was announced. The crowd erupted in cheers once again as the first match had come to a close. Yudeen quelled the onslaught of her spell once her win was announced, lowering both herself and Sophide slowly to the ground. Yudeen waved back towards the crowd who were congratulating her for the win. 

(“What a monster... “)

Jenyx, who watched the entire fight from his seat, had a serious look on his face. 

(“There’s no denying that what the class E student did was the best way in order to fight a wind mage. Had she let the wind mage fly away, she would’ve been bombarded with spells at the caster’s leisure...”)

When in battle against wind mages, all students were taught one crucial thing; to never let them take flight. Or if they do, they must either wait for them to lose mana or somehow make them descend to the ground. Amongst all elements, wind is the only element that allows users to move so freely in the air by creating an updraft to lift them. While it is by no means an easy feat due to the amount of mana it consumes, as well as the essential skills to use it efficiently, those that are able to can hone it through practice and become deadly when mastered. Once in the air, they are able to stay in the offense and dodge enemies without using their bodies at all. 

(“However, the most surprising thing is her ingenuity. Right at the beginning, she didn’t use that spell just to get the crowd’s attention. By that time- no, maybe even before that, she was already gathering the necessary wind in order to cast that continuous blast.”)

The slight fluctuation in the air that seemed to blow towards Yudeen’s direction didn’t escape Jenyx’s attention. He wasn’t surprised Sophide hadn’t noticed it because one could have simply thought it was just windy today. That way, even though her clothes swayed slightly, she didn’t pay any attention to it. However, because she was unable to grasp that crucial detail, she was defeated.

“Who is she, really?”

Students like them don’t usually get much experience in battle as they are more concerned and focused on learning about magic. However, the tactics Yudeen employed in that match was something he'd never seen before. 

“Well... that was definitely worth watching. Now then...”

Jenyx then stood up and started walking to the other side of the stadium.

“I finally found you...”

Jenyx heard a familiar voice behind him. However, despite the calmness, it held a suffocatingly hostile atmosphere. As he slowly turned to confirm it, he was suddenly lifted by the collar and that made him all the more certain who it was.

“Just what did you get Rose into!?”

Ria’s piercing stare that seemed to peer deep into his soul, made Jenyx shudder as he was faced with the entirety of her fury.