The world is so vast that we don't know what lies outside our haven— maybe we will encounter more magical situations aside from this, however, what matters the most is that we will enjoy.
The surroundings changed without me getting dizzy by it, which indicates that we didn't teleport— we remained inside the academy and I don't know how the heck it happened, really. From school's spacious grassy field turns into a forest with abundant trees and flowers and when lifting my view above, my eyes found a huge floating blue-light glistening above the sky.
How did it happen? I don't know, but I remembered Ultima Imperium, which means Ultimate Power, which every creature holds in this world. However, only those skilled enough to reach the maximum level of their ability are the ones who could do this.
Ultima Imperium is like creating a world you're the most powerful with; a territorial expansion where you can control everything, including your opponent's actions and mental health, as in everything, and Calixus said that if someone entered an Ultima Imperium by the will of its creator, that someone would die without questioning why.
Because inside the Ultima Imperium, you'll be stuck by the creator's power with all direction— typically no chance of avoiding them.
There are types of Ultima Imperium and some of them are harmless, with the intention of helping others, thus, this Ultima Imperium exists.
An ultimate power that will take you away from reality to the world of intrigues and fantasies inside that the creator generated, with the sole purpose of getting lost.
“You are now in a forest in the Lunar Nexus, outside the academy, but be careful; you might encounter some mythical beasts of a human inside. The whole forest is protected by the official so be at ease, my students.”
A voice boomed at the horizon, having me look above and saw Principal Lockéhart on the middle part of the hologram, exhibiting the image of where we were before being transferred here, as, on his back, other officials are sitting on a chair that I didn't notice earlier.
Indeed, they will watch.
Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa paligid at napansing ako lamang ang nandito sa pwestong ito. Pinaghiwa-hiwalay kami, at doon pa lamang, alam kong nagsisimula na ang laro.
Katahimikan ang namuno sa kapaligiran, tanging tunog mula sa malamig at preskong simoy ng hangin, ang mga munting huni ng ibong malayang naglalaro sa kalangitan at ang pag agos ng tubig hindi kalayuan rito sa aking pwesto.
Naramdaman ko ang mabagal na pagbigat ng aking katawan, senyales ng pagkawala ng aking kapangyarihan, at ang pag iinit sa aking loob na tipong nagtipon-tipon doon hanggang sa bigla itong sumabog na parang bula; na nagbigay ng mas magaang pakiramdam sa akin.
I don't know how to explain the feeling, but I suddenly felt alive, and the thought that I'll have a chance to reach the top with this situation thrills me. I still felt normal as I've been using my physical abilities ever since.
“Don't be too pressured about your surroundings. Ease yourself to feel the presence of incoming danger even you don't have abilities,” ani ng boses mula sa isang banda, na nang magawi ang tingin ko roon, nakita ko sya, ang aking kapareha.
Nanatili syang nakaupo sa ilalim ng isang malaking puno na may masaganang dahon, tumatakip sa sinag ng araw kung nasaan ito, at ang anino nito ang nagpoprotekta sa akin. Nakasandal sya habang pinapanuod akong nanatiling nakatayo. . . siguro'y iniisip na ang weird ko at hindi man ako umalis sa aking kinatatayuan.
Napanguso ako.
“We're going to wait here,” ani ko sa napansin kong gusto nyang gawin, na ang kanyang hindi pagsagot ay nakumpirma ko iyon. Tumango-tango ako at naglakad palapit sa kanya.
Fine, gawaing tamad para sa tamad magsalita tulad nya.
And because he wants us to stay here and wait for enemies to come, I need to find my base, after all, I shouldn't just stay here in the ground, standing for enemies to easily notice me. I need to be in something. . . high.
I walked closer to him, particularly to the tree where he's leaning with. As to when I'm on it, raising my head to look at its height, wondering how to get on top of it.
“Don't tell me you're planning to climb to that one?” I heard his voice, with a little disbelief mixed.
I didn't answer him and jumped on the nearest trunk, putting all my force on my lower body, making my upper body light jump as high as I could. And when my hands hold the thick trunk, I placed all my force on my arms, making me lift my body and successfully climbed above.
Nakangiti ako nang maayos na magawa ko iyon ay pinagpag ang aking kamay, inaalis ang munting dumi at pinunasan ang aking noo na may munting pawis gamit ang aking braso.
I halted from what I'm doing when I heard his voice.
“Your brother's right. You really are troublesome,” he said as to when I looked below to see him, he's looking at me with his sharp, penetrating gaze that made my heart jumped a little, the reason why I hold onto the trunk at my side.
Shit.
Bakit ba lagi itong galit kung tumingin?
Pinilit kong ngumisi at nag-iwas ng tingin, nagpapanggap na may hinahanap. “Not expecting from a Princess?” ani ko habang hindi nakatingin sa kanya.
Hindi ito sumagot na ikinabalik ko ng aking tingin, at halos mapasinghap ako nang malakas ng makitang lumundag rin ito upang abutin ang malaking sanga na aking tinatapakan, dahilan upang bumugso ang aking damdamin sa kabang aking naramdaman.
Mahigpit ang pagkaka-kapit sa sangang nasa aking gilid, habang pinapanood itong iangat ang sarili, na halos ikanganga ko nang makita ang pagbakat ng kanyang muscles dahil sa suot na damit! Sa aking kaloob-looban, ang panghihinayang para sa mga taong hinihiling na makita ang aksyong iyon ay sadyang paulit-ulit.
That's what those women are waiting for!
“Would you mind?” Tanong nito nang makaakyat. Napailing na lang ako at tinalikuran ito. He really asked that right after he climbed already? Unbelievable.
Dahan-dahan akong umupo at sumandal sa pinaka-katawan ng puno at pumikit habang nakahalukipkip. Hindi sya nagsalita ngunit naramdaman ko syang gumalaw, ngunit hindi ako nagbukas ng mata dahil ayokong masabing pinapanood ko ito.
Katahimikan ang namuno panandalian sa aming gawi, at tanging ang tunog ng pagsayaw ng mga dahon dahil sa malamig na hangin ang tanging maririnig. Hindi mainit ang sikat ng araw na siyang nagbibigay-gaan sa aking pakiramdam. Nanatili ako sa pwestong iyon hanggang sa marinig ko itong magsalita.
“We haven't formally introduced ourselves yet. I'm Nixon Kaellus,” aniya na parang hindi nakatiis sa katahimikan.
Dumilat ako at tumingin sa kanya na aking nasa harapan ngayon. He isn't looking at me, but looking straight as if watching our surroundings. Sige, sya ang watcher ngayon.
“Kaia Xiel.” Pagpapakilala ko. That's when he looked at me.
“I'll call you Asteria instead.” He suddenly said. Tumingin ako sa kanya at nakitang nakatingin na ito sa akin.
Maybe all those times, he knew my full name and he just wanted us to introduce for formality, this time, for ourselves.
It's the first time I'm talking to him, like, for real.
And he feels humble na hambog pa rin.
“Bahala ka,” sabi ko na lang at muling pumikit. I heard him chuckled so deep and low that shiver ran down my spine. A sexy laugh.
“Call me Kaellus, to be fair. I know you don't want people calling you Asteria.”
“Okay.”
Katahimikan ang muling namuno sa aming dalawa. Only that, it isn't an awkward silence. I actually felt peaceful with it, after all, silence became my friend for the past few years.
Tanging ang simoy ng hangin at ang tunog ng paligid lamang ang aking naririnig. It's calming my soul as if attracting me to sleep.
Ang hanging nanghehele, preskong humahaplos sa aking katawan, nanghahalina, at gustong ako'y sumuko sa munting musika na ang kagubatan ang may obra.
Unti-unting bumigat ang aking mata kasabay ng paggaan ng aking pakiramdam, at mga oras na mabagal na pagsuko ng aking katawan, bigla akong nagising sa pamamagitan ng pagkagulat na nagmumula sa aking katawan. Nanlalaki ang aking mata sa nangyari at kahit ang aking kasama'y napatingin sa akin.
Mabilis nyang nakuha ang pangyayari dahil nanliit ang kanyang mata at nagsalita. “Don't fall asleep, we're inside someone's territory. Sleeping here means you'll lose,” aniya.
Hindi ko maiwasang samaan ito ng tingin. “Bakit hindi mo sinabi kaagad?”
“I thought you knew.” Ngumisi ito pagkayari iyong sabihin. Napairap ako at deretsong napaupo. Right. This is training, and it wouldn't be called like that if he'll be easy on me.
He wants me to solve everything on my own.
Nabaling ang aking tingin sa isang gawi nang makaramdam ng presensyang palapit. In my peripheral vision, I saw him smirked, though my attention is fully focused on the place where I felt some presence heading to this place.
“256° from the East. Male and female. Wind and Earth Wizards bases from their scent.” Scent? “Freshmen and Sophomore, both Class C+.” I secretly applauded him with the details he gave, though I'm a bit curious of how he smelled them even though they're far from us. . . nevermind.
“Ako nang bahala,” wika ko. “Huwag na huwag kang lalabas.” Pagbabanta ko sa kanya at sinamaan sya ng tingin na kanyang ikinangisi at nagtaas ng kamay na parang sumusuko.
Mabilis akong bumaba mula sa aking pwesto upang harapin ang bagong dating. From the distance, the girl instantly tensed at the sight of me. They instantly clutch their backpacks where their weapons are inside.
A hologram appeared in front of us. From there, written the word, Duel.
“Ready?” I asked them, feeling slight anticipation and excitement. Maybe that explains the big grin on my face.
“Ready,” sabay na sabi ng dalawa na medyo nautal pa. I licked my lower lip as I positioned myself. Of course, I'll do it fast and at ease to make the man who's watching us above the tree to be proud of his student.
Ngunit bago pa man kami magsimula ay biglang may lumabas na bagay sa aming harapan. A gold shining oval floated in the middle of us, as it glows beautifully under the shade of the sun. A dragon egg. My forehead creased at it.
A quest?
Umalog ito na para bang may gustong kumawala mula sa loob, at pinanuod namin itong mabasag sa aming harapan kahit hindi naming ito hinahawakan. Sumabog ang liwanag mula sa loob nito at ang tunog na parang nakakuha ng jackpot.
At mula doon, may dalawang gintong scroll na lumipad sa magkabilang gilid: papunta sa akin at sa aking makakalaban. The scroll immediately rolls to open while it's still floating mid-air.
Temporary Power. That's what I've read.
Then, the sudden feeling of heat came gushing inside me, as if my blood came back on my body as I gasped, the feeling is pleasurable and petrifying. A light headache entered my senses from the sudden comeback from my abilities, making my face cringed in pain, but not as painful as these people in front of me are feeling. I could tell it by their shouts.
My eyes found Kaellus and my sight instantly zoomed that I felt dizzy from having it uncontrolled, making me close my eyes tightly and calmed myself. And once I'm calmed enough, I opened my eyes again and this time, I fully controlled my ability, as to see him watching us with his forehead creased as if annoyed by something, as to when he felt my gaze, he instantly calmed as if he doesn't want me to see if.
How painful is it, Nixon Kaellus?
You're our top one, the strongest.
I turned my attention back in front when seeing the pieces of dusk floating amidst the breeze, as the scroll turned into dusk as if it was getting burned by an invisible fire, as I watched it being blown by the dancing wind on this forest full of wild animals.
I'm at disadvantage.
Now that the abilities are back.
I don't need power but my opponents need them because they are wizards.
“Terram Spicae!” An enchant of spell echoed in my ears, causing me to look back to my opponents again.
The woman swings her wand in a circular motion that I don't know where she got it, as to she pointed it to the land, with a green flare appeared from the tip of the wand, indicating that the mana circulating around this nature has been borrowed by this woman. The dusk started to form into a large chunk of rock, bigger than my upper body that for sure, it will hurt.
My hand began to shake as I remained on my spot, unmoving. Calm your head, Kaia Asteria Xiel, fucking calm down.
I closed my eyes, concentrating, and clenched my fist alternatively as I communicate with the nature that's surrounding us. I'll just borrow a little bit of your mana, motherland.
Something on my back felt hot, particularly at the lower part where my marks are fading, yet it wasn't new to me because I've always felt it every time I'm trying to use my ability. It's my push button, indicating that my time has started and I should only finish this in five minutes.
Fucking five minutes or else, I'll die in exhaustion.
Nature and I became one, as the warm feeling encircling my slightly shaking body made me open my eyes and was welcomed by the huge rock heading my place. The air that's surrounding it was the product of the male, my other opponent is, acting as support from the one who attacked first, which I learned who's the Sophomore between these two.
The feeling of my energy getting drained so fast has overtaken my body, the reason why I must do it now.
“Daemon Furtitudo,” I whispered. From my right hand, a black and violet mist surrounds it.
Napangiwi ako nang maramdaman ang pagkirot ng aking kamay sa itim na enerhiyang pumalibot rito, ngunit mas matindi ang pag-iinit ng aking likod na para bang ilang minuto'y mag aapoy na iyon.
I concentrate, with eyes locked to the object reaching my place with the velocity of 287 m/s, calculating the distance where our powers would contact without harming each of us: 84° slanted towards the x-axis.
I punched to the air, slightly slanted towards what I planned, and even though it hasn't come contact with my fist, the force exerted from them gives off a vibration to the air, shaking the wavelengths of the surroundings, the reason why my attack penetrated the sharp air circulating the rock, act as its support, at the same time, would cut my skin if it came to contact with those small spears.
Followed by the destruction of rock from unable to withstand the effect of my Demon's strength.
†
Free Physics lesson by hikariwanders charot.jp3g