Succubi Chapter 114. Rejected Vigilante
I swallowed.
He smiled like a man who just explained the concept of gravity to a skydiver mid-drop. "If shit happens, I will step in to save you. You'll lose the match. It'll be a blow to my reputation. But I'd rather take a hit to ego than a student death. So yeah… don't die."
"Noted," I muttered.
"We don't aim for a win tonight," Callahan went on. "We aim to show people what you're made of. And more importantly… for you to feel what a real fight tastes like."
Adrian snorted beside me. "I hope it tastes like garlic bread."
"More like blood and anxiety," Kyra replied dryly.
The floor flared again. The platform's magic circles surged with pale gold light, humming under our feet like a giant beast waking up. The light folded over us, not burning, not warm, just… direct. Like being vacuum-packed in intent.
Then…
Flash.
Not like a flash of light. More like the world blinked.
I blinked with it.
We were gone from the training hall.
And somewhere new.
Somewhere I'd only seen in streams, recordings, or the occasional "leaked" duel clip on the forums. The kind of place people whispered about but never admitted watching.
We weren't in the arena yet. Not on the main ring.
We were at the platform, one of the elevated wings that circled the battlefield like jagged teeth. The arena was shaped like a crescent moon, with high walls layered in obsidian and mana-forged stone. Banners hung from glowing sigils. Not academy banners. Sponsorships. Guild symbols. Some I didn't even recognize.
And from the far end of the tunnel?
Cheers.
Like, actual cheers. Clapping. Screaming. Spell-enhanced loudspeakers playing some kind of pumping bass music.
Holy hell.
I stared.
"A real arena…" I whispered. "With spectators?"
Callahan grinned from behind his half-mask. "Yup. Smallest one. You're still weak."
We all turned to look at him like he just insulted our bloodline.
"I know we're weak," I said flatly. "You don't have to say it out loud."
Adrian nudged me with an elbow. "He's got a point though. You almost died yesterday."
"Looked like I almost died! I wasn't actually dying," I hissed back.
Callahan waved us forward to the viewing edge. From here, we could see the battlefield. An open ring lined with runes, glowing circles, and four glowing crystal towers, one on each corner. A standard defense grid.
"The rules are simple," he said. "This isn't a deathmatch. It's a four-versus-four 'Protect the Rune' match. Your goal? Defend yours. Destroy theirs."
Kyra tilted her head. "So… what we did in combat lesson today?"
"Close," Callahan replied. "But more dangerous."
"Of course it is," Felix muttered, adjusting his wand case. "Why wouldn't it be."
Callahan reached into his coat.
"I've prepared these for you," he said.
He pulled out four cards.
But instead of staying as cards, they shimmered in the air, stretched, and reshaped. Each one twisted and morphed, turning into… masks.
Yeah.
Black, angular masks with a glowing rune-letter right in the middle.
Just one letter each.
No face paint. No cool adornments. No class-specific markings.
Just one letter. Mine said "E".
They all looked the same.
He handed them out one by one like we were picking up helmets at a construction site.
I stared at mine.
So did the others.
Adrian turned his around like maybe the back had something cooler. "Seriously?"
"Why does this look like a rejected vigilante cosplay?" I asked.
Callahan ignored our disappointment. "You wear those to protect your identity. People love mystery. And mystery sells."
"You mean we look like your minions," Felix deadpanned.
"Also true," Callahan agreed without shame.
Kyra exhaled slowly. "Fine. But I'm not calling you 'boss' out there."
"No need," Callahan said, pulling his mask lower. "Out there, I'm Cradlestorm."
Of course he said it like a movie title.
I muttered, "You've been waiting all day to say that, haven't you."
"I rehearsed it," he replied without blinking.
We pulled the masks on. They weren't uncomfortable, but they weren't stylish either. The inside was etched with a small illusion ward, probably to hide our voices slightly too. I could still feel my breath hit the inner surface. Warm, damp.
"You'll be paired with a support magic," Callahan said, stepping back. "It will change your voice and all. Sometimes it will give you another support. Don't rely on it. It's not smart."
"Like Adrian," I added.
"Rude," Adrian said, flipping me off through his glove.
"Focus," Callahan said. "The enemy team is also new. But they've been practicing for weeks. You'll be the underdogs. But, don't worry, they are also young like you guys."
"Oh, great," Felix muttered. "Nothing inspires confidence like the word underdog."
"They've got a Necromancer," Callahan said calmly. "New necromancer."
We all turned.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"And a Spirit Channeler. One of them is rumored to be part banshee. The last one's a Hexblade. Possibly Fae-touched."
Adrian stared at him. "And we have… us."
"Yes," Callahan said. "You're my students."
"That means nothing," I said.
"Not yet," he replied.
A loud bell rang from the tunnel entrance. Mana light pulsed through the floor, signaling the countdown.
Callahan stepped aside.
"They'll call you in as the 'Rogue Mask Quartet.'" He grinned under his half-mask. "Not my name choice."
"What would you have picked?" Kyra asked.
"Team Cradlestorm."
"No," all of us said at once.
"Good luck," he said. "If you make it out in one piece, I'll consider letting you skip your written finals."
"Wait, really?" Adrian perked up.
"No," Callahan replied, vanishing into the shadows like a smug myth.
The arena buzz shifted.
We could hear the announcer now. A booming, enchanted voice.
"Tonight's rookie match! Four versus four, battle of the runes! From the south gate… we have—!"
The crowd roared.
We didn't hear the names.
We were too busy breathing.
I closed my eyes.
The mask felt tight now. My pulse echoed in my ears.
But I wasn't afraid.
Not really.
Nervous? Sure.
But I'd seen what fear looked like. I'd fought real terror. I'd seen what happened when people underestimated what lurked in mana.
This?
This was a spotlight.
I opened my eyes, looked at the others.
Adrian nodded. Kyra looked half-bored, half-murderous. Felix sighed like he was about to walk into a muddy puddle with designer shoes.
I smiled.
"Ready?"
They nodded.
Then the announcer called us.
"From the north gate… the masked rookies! The unknowns! The… Rogue Mask Quartet!"
Even the crowd sounded confused.
We walked into the light anyway.
Because sometimes?
You just gotta show the world how dangerous a student can be.
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