The announcement crystal pulsed in the sky.
[Interdisciplinary Exhibition – Round Two Begins!]
Team Match Mode: Random Duos. Objective: Victory by any means necessary.
Pairings finalized. Battlefields ready. Public humiliation imminent.
I stood at the edge of the dueling ring, sipping citrus tea like a noble on vacation. My cloak billowed just enough to suggest wealth, danger, and sarcasm.
System Notification: Partner Assigned – E-Class Duelist: Mirell Kade
Affinity: Earth (Rank D)
Unique Power: "Stone Maw" – Can summon biting rock formations. Bad temperament. Zero chill.
Known Issues: Antisocial. Aggressive. May attack partner if provoked.
I blinked.
Then sighed.
"Oh good. A walking temper tantrum made of gravel."
Team Formation – Awkward Introductions
Mirell stomped up, arms crossed, eyes already narrowed. She looked like a war golem had tried to cosplay as a student.
Her first words?
"Don't get in my way, Duskblood."
Charming.
I gave her a lazy smile. "Lovely meeting you too, Rockslide. Here's hoping you don't bite your own ankles trying to show off."
She growled.
System Notification: Team Morale: Poor.
Bonus Objective Unlocked: Win the match without direct cooperation.
Reward: 75 Points + Petty Satisfaction
Opponent Team
Jex Arven: Fire Affinity (C-), hot-headed prodigy with pyromania issues.
Calla Fenwick: Air Affinity (D), technical flyer, smarter than everyone in the room, and she knows it.
Perfect.
We were outmatched in every way that mattered.
Which only made it better.
The field was a ruined crater with ash pits, loose stones, and pockets of rising heat. Wind swirled unnaturally. Fire cracks glowed beneath cracks in the stone.
We were made to lose.
Mirell cracked her knuckles. "I'll crush the air girl."
I raised an eyebrow. "Then I guess I'll play with fire."
Match Start Countdown: 3… 2… 1… BEGIN!
Round Two: The Glorious Chaos
Jex opened with a fire lance — textbook overkill. The explosion sent shards of scorched stone at my face.
I ducked behind a half-melted boulder, flicked my finger, and—
[Crimson Thread – Shot Mode Activated]
Thread fired: connected to opponent's boot laces. Very effective if opponent wears shoes. Fortunately, Jex did.
I gave a hard tug.
Jex tripped mid-flare.
Fire blasted into the ground. He backflipped unintentionally, landed face-first in a boiling mud pit.
Audience Reaction: Wheezing laughter
System Tag: "Prank Wizard" applied
Calla flew overhead, dancing on currents of wind.
I launched an air burst beneath my feet — badly. It flung me sideways into a wall.
I groaned. Spat dirt.
Calla snorted above me. "Stick to crawling, Duskblood."
System Suggestion: Shut her up with improvised tactics.
Fine.
I tore a piece of blood-soaked cloth from my sleeve, focused, and spun a thread toward her.
She was too fast.
But that wasn't the point.
The thread looped around a floating ember pillar, tugging it mid-flight—
—and slammed it right into her back.
She squawked and tumbled out of the air.
System Notification: Physics +1
Meanwhile: Mirell Being a Menace
Mirell fought like an avalanche.
No grace. Just rage and giant teeth made of rock.
She tackled Calla mid-recovery, slammed her into a wall, and summoned two jagged stone maws that bit the air girl's boots off.
Calla screamed. "What is wrong with you?!"
I muttered, "We'd need another exhibition to cover that list."
Finale – Improvised Team Finish
Jex recovered and launched one final attack — a spiral inferno meant to roast both me and Mirell.
She raised a stone wall.
I didn't hide behind it.
Instead, I shot three threads into the fire—using my own blood to wrap around the flames—
[Crimson Thread + Arcane Interaction: Improvised Elemental Link]
Result: Flame Veins – Unstable fire-thread control
I spun the bloodfire like a lasso and slammed it forward—
—into Jex's pants.
His trousers ignited. He screamed. He rolled.
Then he ran, still smoking, off the battlefield.
[Match End – Team Theo/Mirell: VICTORY]
Reward: 100 System Points + Bonus: Team Win Without Cooperation (75 Points)
Title Gained: "Backhanded Genius"
Post-Match Debrief
Mirell shoved me.
"I still don't like you."
I wiped soot off my coat. "That's fine. Most people don't."
She hesitated… then nodded once.
Respect. The violent kind.
New Tag: Mirell – "Mild Tolerance Achieved"
Across the field, Elaris stood on the viewing platform. Her eyes followed me.
Cool. Unreadable. And—just for a second—almost impressed.
Interest Level Raised: "Moderate Fascination"
Theo's Dorm – Late Night
System Window Opened:
System Points: 450
Available Purchases:
Air Technique: Gale Palm (200 Points)
Minor Arcane Booster (150 Points)
Skill Unlock: Crimson Trap (Set delayed thread traps) – 300 Points
New Unlock: "Villain's Flair Pack – Cosmetic Cloak Trail" – 100 Points (Purely dramatic, no effect)
I didn't even hesitate.
[Purchase Confirmed: Crimson Trap – Skill Unlocked]
You may now set delayed Crimson Threads at fixed points. Can be triggered remotely. May cause injuries, accidents, or dramatic reversals.
I leaned back.
Grinning.
Muttering to myself.
"Sooner or later, someone's going to figure out I have no idea what I'm doing."
Pause.
"But by then… I'll already have their shoelaces tied to a wall."
!