A new year at Nine Petal Academy means a new crop of students, including a boy who can't control his magic, a thief, an angel, and even a suit of armor? Adela, Lei, and their friends are tasked with welcoming the new class of first years and helping...
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I held out my hand and ejected flames from my hands. It's the attack that Hinote had used on the train. Kanja had explained to me how it worked. In principle, it was an easy spell, but one with many utilities. Its usefulness was only limited by one's imagination. Sadly, I wasn't as imaginative as Scarlet. Knowing her, she would've tried making a fiery cat guardian. Wait!
The flames flew in front of me, moving around and taking on the loose shape of an enormous lion.
Jude raised his hands in front of him. "Speculum glacies!" A large wall of highly reflective ice appeared in front of him. The lion struck the barrier, pushing it back. One could hear Jude gasp from behind it. Both Carter and he underestimated me!
I took a deep breath as the flame lion disintegrated. The ice mirror glowed and launched the lingering flames back at me. Holding my hands out, I captured the fire in my palms. Last night, Lidia told me to remember how Hinote, Nate, Koukyuu, and Carter fought. I spun the fire, forming a sphere of concentrated fire.
"Huh?" Jude said, poking his head out from behind his ice wall. His wide eyes gave away his shock. That mask of his made it easier to fight him. Unfortunately for him, I had a photographic memory. Though, there were times when I wished I didn't.
I winced as the crowd broke into cheers. Ugh, couldn't they keep quiet? If only I hadn't forgotten my headphones back home.
"Are you okay?" Jude asked.
I shook my head. "Yeah, don't worry about me," I said, throwing the fireball at him.
Jude leaped into the air as the ice mirror shattered. Yes, I did it!
"Why are you happy? You missed me."
My cheeks reddened. True, but at least I'd broken Jude's spell. I winced again as more cheers followed, but it didn't dilute my joy.
I formed another set of fire pillars on my palms and launched them at Jude. He gasped as they spun around him. His eyes focused on me. Creating an ice knife, he dashed at me.
"Not so fast!" I yelled, forming additional 'branches' on my fire whips. I gasped as something cold pressed against my back. Jude was no longer in front of me. Had I been trying to capture an afterimage?
"Checkmate," Jude said as he pressed the blunt side of his knife against my back, his eyes cold.
I sighed and snapped my fingers. Fire rose from underneath the ground. If not for his prana veil, he would've been incinerated.
"Ahh," Jude said, jumping back. He'd covered his mask in frost to keep it intact.
"Like Carter said, this is a battle of geniuses!" I said, raising my hand. More flames erupted from the ground.
Jude moved across the field, producing multiple afterimages. Just how quick was the kid? The crowd's outburst made tracking the kid down harder.
I curled up on the ground and covered my ears. Why couldn't they stop cheering until the match was over?
