Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol. 1- Novus Magus

[Revised/Edited] Episode 81: Striving Forth!

"Falling cherry blossoms petals dance their ethereal dance"

*Lei*

After school, we all went our separate ways. Nyima said she was going to go check on her project. While Orion went straight for the dorm, too tired to check out the Rank Battle Ring. The one who did rush toward it was Ayawamat. As for the others, I had no idea where they ran off to.

I would've checked it, but honestly, I too needed a break after such a hectic first day.

"Which club should we check out next?" I said, looking around the various verdant grass, and cemented fields of the school. According to Lucette, the area was called 'the Sports Arena'. There were some actual arenas not so far from where we stood, one of which was built to host a game for the Mahoulympics around eight years ago.

Adela eyed the soccer field in the distance with interest.

"Want to go there?" Iah asked.

"Did you hear? There's a freshman going around the various sport clubs," a passerby girl whispered to her friend.

"Various clubs?" her friend said, eyes wide. "How does anyone have the stamina?"

My ears twitched. Someone with a lot of stamina? Did that mean that they had a lot of prana? Perhaps there was something that I could learn about prana control from observing such a person.

"Let's check out the club they're going to," I said, rushing off after them.

Adela, Iah, and I followed the girls to the outdoor soccer field that Adela was glancing at a moment ago.

***

"Go, Ren!" we heard a girl yell as soon as we arrived at our destination.

Ren was running around an emerald field of grass. His eyes darted left, right and forward as he avoided the other players with the precision and grace of a professional player. How had he learned to play like that? Not to mention at so young an age?

'If only I could play sports that didn't involve using magic.'

"Lei," Adela said, touching my shoulders. "Are your lungs hurting?"

"Huh?" I gazed down and saw that I was gripping my shirt like I usually did when I could barely breathe. "Oh, it's nothing major."

'Why had I been born with asthma and a frail body? Why was I so weak?'

I looked up and saw Ren kick the ball toward a lanky boy with cat-like eyes.

Adela shivered as she noticed his eyes too. "Cats."

"Are you afraid of cats?" Iah asked.

She shook her head. "I didn't get a chance to tell you or the others, did I?"

"Tell us what?" I asked as I turned to face her.

"I felt someone following us when we were searching for Nyima. That was the real reason why I left. The person was dressed in all black clothing and had on a cat mask. I couldn't capture him. Somehow, this person knew about my weakness to fire as he taunted me about my inability to move after seeing his blue-flamed kunai."

"Woah, a real ninja?" I said, shiny-eyed. I lowered my head as Adela maintained a stoic face. "I mean, it's too bad that he got away. I should've gone with you, maybe then I could've battled a real ninja."

Adela smiled and chuckled. "Thankfully, Ren came, causing the ninja to flee."

"Ren did?" Iah asked, his eyes directed at the game. "That guy sure does seem to follow us."