Part 27 – New Grouping
Hardy: "Damn it, all of this is your fault!"
"Me? How is it my fault? Who was the one who mocked me in front of everyone first?"
Hardy: "Who called me a clumsy redhead?"
"Who called me a pervert?"
Agnes: "Pervert."
"Redhead."
She summoned fire in her hand to attack, and I summoned a whirlwind spell in mine when—
Clap.
I turned my head and saw Master Joe leaning against the hall door, clapping with a smirk on his face.
Master Joe: "Well, well… bravo. Continue. Just like little kids."
Hardy: "Master, all of this is Tom's fault!"
"Haha, what? Master, this creature seduced me!"I pointed at Agnes.
Master Joe: "Bravo. Just like little kids—blaming each other.I came here to tell you something, but because of you…Fine. I came to say: Tom, after today's training, go see the principal. He needs you, baby boy."
Hardy burst out laughing.
Master Joe: "And you—stop laughing, clumsy redhead."
This time I laughed.
Eventually, during the second period, we went to the magic training grounds where Master Ziar taught.
To our surprise, all four of our instructors were present:Marin, Ziar, Joe Hyper, and Karsh (Nikolai Markov).
Everyone wondered why.I finally asked the question.
"Excuse me, Master Ziar… why are all the teachers gathered here? What's happening?"
Ziar: "Good question. Today we're going to assign your new groups."
Selif: "Excuse me, Master… weren't we already grouped before?"
Ziar: "Another good question. No—those groups were only to determine your magic type, magic level, and how many of you fall into each magical category.This is different."
Selif: "What's the difference, Master?"
Ziar: "This time, you will be placed in two‑person groups for the rest of the semester.These groups will be used for competitions and research—inside the Academy and the Walls,and outside the Academy and the Walls.Your partner will be chosen based on magical compatibility."
Then he snapped his fingers.
A mutated creature appeared in the middle of the battlefield—a Mahak:1 ton weight, 6 meters tall, pink from head to mid‑body, and with only one tooth.
Everyone froze in shock.
Disgusting.
Ziar: "Whether it's disgusting or not, young lady, you must fight.If you were in a battlefield full of blood and severed limbs, what would you do?"
"Now, without wasting time, let's begin the grouping and battles."
Joe added:
Master Joe: "And every two‑person group must start fighting immediately without any extra talking. Understood?"
"Group one!"
Marin began reading the names:
"Den Hyper and Rose Tarin."
What a perfectly matched group…
They entered the battlefield.
Joe: "You must defeat the Mahak in under ten minutes."
Rose Tarin: "But Master, according to my precise calculations and observations, ten minutes is too short. Thirty minutes is required."
Joe: "Stop this nonsense and just fight, General Manuel the Great."
Rose: "Even an ant knows the greatest need of a human is knowledge, Pope Nate the Great."
Joe: "Knowledge makes humans doubt their own existence and their world, General Torge."
Rose: "Only idiots who know nothing about life fail to understand knowledge, Great Ancestor Flor."
Our honest reaction—mine, Den's, the kids', and the teachers': "…"
Joe: "You—"
Ziar smacked him on the head.
Ziar: "You idiot. You said no one should talk and start fighting immediately, and now you're reciting poetry? Idiot…"
"Now you, Den and Rose Tarin—go to the battlefield and start fighting."
Den and Rose prepared for battle.After Joe's signal, the fight began.
Den, as usual, attacked without any strategy.The Mahak, despite having its eyes closed, struck him with its tail and sent him flying out of the battlefield.
Rose…You think she continued fighting and won?No—she surrendered instantly.
Joe's honest reaction after Rose surrendered:
"Hahaha!You idiot!I told you—nothing scientific works on the battlefield!"
Rose had no response.
Joe stopped mocking her when he saw Ziar's expression.
After Den was healed by the medics, he returned and stood with us to watch the rest of the battles.
Next group: William Jordan and Denris Falkeon.
After the battle started, William whispered something in Denris's ear—I could feel Harry's jealousy.
Suddenly, Denris placed her hand on the ground and summoned a massive spiral plant spell.The vines wrapped around the Mahak, immobilizing it.
Then William leaped forward to strike the Mahak—but his plan had a flaw.
His attacks had no effect.The Mahak head‑butted William, sending him out of the battlefield.Then it tore through the spiral plant spell, causing Denris to faint.
(In reality, the plan was good, but William was from the lineage of Church knights.Their power source was the Light and the honor of the Gods of Light.All their strength was in their swords.Without their sword and armor, they had no power.)
Marin: "Next group: Adriana Flor and Steve Afrina."
Steve attacked, and Adriana attacked from the other side—but neither had any effect.Both were knocked out after receiving heavy blows.
Most of Adriana's power, like William's, was in her sword—unlike most Flor family members.Without it, she had no strength.
Steve's magic was water—instead of harming the Mahak,it healed it.
Next group: Harry and Nikola Jarna.
Harry: "Excuse me, Master… may I make a request?"
Ziar: "What request?"
Harry: "Since neither I nor Nikola know anything about each other's magic,wouldn't it be better not to fight until you explain why our magic is compatible?"
Ziar: "Good request.But no—you must fight too."
Harry and the rest of the kids were crushed.
Then it was my turn—and the turn of the person I hated most.
Marin: "Last group: Tom Breach and Hardy Melodia."
End of Part 27