The classroom buzzed like a beehive on caffeine. It was almost break time, and no one — not even the top students — could focus.
The mock battles were coming.
The day every student waited for.
The day reputations were either made… or destroyed.
Lilia stood at the front of the room, chalk in hand, trying to ignore the growing restlessness.
"Alright, class—" she began.
No one listened.
Half the students were whispering battle strategies. The other half were fantasizing about taking a Saint's spot.
She exhaled deeply, setting her chalk down. "Do you guys want me to explain the rules of the mock battles?"
The room went dead quiet — then exploded with life.
"YES!" students shouted.
Light practically jumped up from his seat, grinning. "Please do! Finally something worth learning!"
Magna folded his arms, trying and failing to look calm. "Sure, why not…" He was practically vibrating in his chair.
Even Ragnar leaned forward, interested for once.
Lilia crossed her arms and smiled faintly. "Alright then. There are twenty of you in total. The battles will be one-on-one — ten versus ten. Winners move to the next round, where it becomes five versus five. Each round, you'll fight individually."
The room went still.
Everyone's smiles faded — except for the Saints sitting in the back, who already knew what was coming.
Lilia continued, tone serious.
"And during these matches… the Five Saints will not fight each other."
A chair screeched back.
"What?!" Alys shot up, eyes wide. "That's ridiculous!"
Light frowned, leaning forward. "What type of messed-up rule is that? You're killing all the fun!"
Ragnar and Yuuki exchanged a sigh at the same time.
"I thought as much," they muttered together.
The class turned toward them, confused.
Ragnar looked toward Lilia, his tone calm but his eyes sharp. "The school board wants to see who's the strongest among us… and who's the weakest."
The entire room froze.
That single sentence shattered the cheerful mood like glass.
Whispers started immediately.
"So… we're just practice dummies?"
"Then what's the point of us even fighting?"
"They already decided we can't win?"
Before Lilia could respond, a girl slammed her hands on her desk and stood up.
She had long crimson hair that shimmered in the sunlight, and eyes full of fire — Camila Bloodworth.
"Why are we already ruled out?" she shouted. "You're treating us like we've already lost!"
The other students murmured in agreement.
Lilia turned toward her, expression cold as steel. "Do you think you have what it takes to beat them, Ms. Bloodworth?"
Camila didn't flinch. "Yes. I do."
A few students gasped — no one had ever talked back to Lilia like that before, well except the Five Saints.
For the first time, the class wasn't scared of the Saints. They were angry. Determined.
Camila clenched her fists. "We may not have fancy titles or ridiculous mana reserves, but we've worked hard. We're not stepping stones!"
Alys stood slowly, her tone icy and regal. "It's true what they say — the weak are always the loudest."
Camila's glare sharpened. "Say that again."
Light stretched his arms lazily. "She's not wrong, though. It's not your fault you're weak, but don't embarrass yourself trying to fight above your level."
That was enough to spark the room.
Desks creaked. Students stood up one after another, rallying behind Camila.
Yuuki tried to step in, sweating nervously. "H-Hey, everyone, calm down. This isn't—"
Ragnar and Magna were both laughing in the corner.
"Man," Magna grinned, "I've never seen the class this fired up before."
Ragnar nodded, eyes half-lidded but amused. "Guess they finally got tired of being background characters."
Camila's eyes darted to Alys. "You won't be laughing when our fight is over, Snow Princess."
The room erupted in laughter.
Ragnar nearly choked. "Snow Princess? What's with formalities?."
Alys' face darkened. "Say that again, I dare you."
Before it could escalate, another voice cut through the chaos — calm, smooth, and sharp.
A boy with short black hair and glasses stood from his seat, adjusting them with a glint. "For someone called the 'Child of Mana,' you don't seem all that impressive."
The laughter stopped.
Ragnar's grin vanished instantly.
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"
The boy's tone was cold, deliberate. "Your mana levels might be high, but power isn't just about energy. It's about control, strategy, precision. And if you must know—" He pushed his glasses up. "My name is Valentin Windsong."
The class whispered. Even Alys looked a little surprised — the Windsong family were known for their spellcraft precision.
Ragnar's expression hardened, a rare seriousness surfacing. "If you somehow manage to win against me, I'll admit you're right." His tone dropped low. "But for now… you're just full of shit."
The tension was suffocating. The class was split right down the middle — the Five Saints versus everyone else.
And Lilia?
She just stood there smiling.
This was the kind of energy she wanted to see. Pride. Rivalry. Fire.
The bell finally rang for lunch, snapping the tension in half.
The Five Saints gathered at their usual spot under the big oak tree, their trays loaded with food.
Magna was laughing. "Did you see Camila's face when she called Alys 'Snow Princess'? I almost lost it!"
"Keep laughing," Alys muttered, stabbing her salad with her fork, "and I'll make you eat snow for real."
Light stretched, yawning. "Man, I can't wait for these fights. Finally some action."
Yuuki, still nibbling nervously on his sandwich, looked around. "Light, you always say that before breaking half the field."
Ragnar stayed quiet, staring off into the distance.
Yuuki tilted his head. "Ragnar, what's wrong?"
Ragnar sighed, his tone defeated. "Yuuki… the entire class got a month's detention, right?"
Yuuki nodded cautiously. "Yes… why?"
Ragnar dragged a hand down his face. "We already had two months worth of detention… which means…"
Yuuki froze. Then his eyes widened in horror.
"...Three. Months," Ragnar whispered gravely.
There was silence — and then Yuuki suddenly stood up and screamed, voice cracking like glass:
"NOOOOO!!!"
Every head in the cafeteria turned.
Alys buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I share a title with you two idiots."
Magna was wheezing with laughter. "Three months?! You guys are officially part-time staff at this point!"
Light chuckled. "Guess you'll have plenty of time to 'reflect on your actions.'"
Ragnar just groaned. "I'm gonna start paying rent in that detention room at this rate…"
Yuuki sniffled dramatically. "Three months… I'll die before then…"
Alys rolled her eyes. "Then make sure to leave me your textbooks."
Magna smirked. "Nah, leave them to Ragnar — he might actually need them."
The entire table erupted in laughter again — and for a brief moment, despite the tension, it felt like any other lunch break.
But in just one hour, when the mock battles began, everything would change.
Lunch had ended, and the air around the academy buzzed with nervous excitement. The Saint High training field was massive—an open expanse of polished stone tiles layered over reinforced mana circuits that shimmered faintly beneath the surface. Around the field, floating orbs of light hovered like miniature suns, illuminating every corner. The seats were filled with students from all classes, their chatter blending into one loud wave of anticipation.
The sky was clear, but the faint distortion of mana in the air made it feel heavier, thicker—like the atmosphere itself was preparing for battle.
Lilia Meldric stood at the center of the field, clipboard in hand, her black hair tied up, eyes scanning over everyone gathered.
She cleared her throat, her voice amplified by a faint pulse of mana.
"Alright, everyone! Listen up!"
The noise died instantly. Even the birds in the nearby trees seemed to stop.
She smiled faintly. "We're starting the mock battles now. These matches will determine your ranking for the next evaluation period. Remember the rules—no lethal attacks, and no spells below 8th grade unless approved by me or the supervising instructor."
She glanced at Ragnar, who was leaning lazily against the fence, hands in his pockets, his usual laid-back smirk plastered on his face.
Lilia continued, "Okay then—first match… Ragnar Wryd vs. Thane Frostfire!"
The crowd erupted.
Gasps. Cheers. Shouts.
One student yelled, "Let's go Thane! Show him real fire!"
Another chimed in, "That kid Wryd doesn't stand a chance—Frostfire's a 9th-grade dual caster!"
Magna folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "Hmph. They're underestimating him again."
Light chuckled while munching on a sandwich he hadn't finished earlier. "Yeah… poor Thane."
Yuuki adjusted his glasses nervously. "Still, Thane's strong… his mana control is way above average."
Alys crossed her arms, her gaze locked on Ragnar. "If he loses, I'm never letting him hear the end of it."
Lilia turned toward Ragnar and Thane. "Both of you, step forward."
Thane walked up, tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp silver eyes and hair that shimmered between icy blue and crimson red. Mana practically danced around him, flaring with both heat and frost. He stopped at the center and cracked his neck.
"I didn't think they'd pit me against you first," Thane said, smirking confidently. "Guess I'll make this quick."
Ragnar's grin didn't fade. "You can try."
Thane frowned slightly. "You really don't take this seriously, huh?"
Ragnar's tone softened, but his eyes glowed faintly gold. "You'll see when the match starts.
Lilia looked between them, sensing the tension thickening. Even the air seemed to hum with energy now. "Both of you, take your positions!"
Thane turned and strode to one side of the field, his boots echoing against the tiles, faint traces of frost following his steps. Ragnar walked in the opposite direction, hands still in his pockets, his hair brushing lightly in the wind.
Lilia raised her clipboard high. "Combatants ready?"
Thane's aura flared—half his body radiating heat, the other radiating chilling frost. The sight drew a chorus of cheers from the crowd.
Ragnar just rolled his shoulders, that lazy grin still plastered on his face.
Lilia's gaze flicked between them, then she stepped back. "Begin when the signal flares!"
She glanced toward the rest of the class—almost all of them were cheering for Thane, their voices echoing across the field. Only the Five Saints stayed silent, watching quietly.
The wind blew softly across the field, carrying the scent of magic in the air.
The mana circuits under the ground began to glow, and a faint crackle of tension rippled through the atmosphere.
Both boys locked eyes.
Thane's confident smirk met Ragnar's calm, unbothered stare.
The field fell completely silent.
And as the signal orb floated between them, pulsing brighter—
The battle was about to begin.