"A war game?" Tori blinked, confused.
Issac gave him a look of disbelief. "I'm surprised you don't know what that is."
Grandmaster Bishop's face twisted into irritation. "I'll explain it!" he barked, slamming his fist down—right onto Tori's already bruised head.
Tori winced, clutching his scalp. "Ow…"
"A War Game. A mock war between schools. Five of the strongest students from each academy. One side defends a flag atop a building. The other side attacks. No weapons. Just raw power." Bishop said with his arms crossed.
"The Prince of Aspin will be visiting our school," Bishop continued, smoothing his white-grey hair back and crossing his arms. "He'll meet the strongest student here." Bishop added.
Tori's eyes lit up. "So me!" he declared, hand raised, sparkles practically gleaming in his gaze.
"No," Bishop said flatly. "The strongest senior is Issac. The strongest sophomore is Sunless Reglard. And frankly, our sophomores are weak. Sunless pales in comparison to Issac."
Tori frowned. "Hey, Sunless is really strong. He's smart too. If anyone can lead us to victory in this War Game, it's him."
"Yeah, yeah," Bishop muttered, dropping a book on Tori's head. "For now, you two are suspended. I'll tell Sunless to meet with you in two weeks."
With that, the principal turned and left the room.
Tori stared out the window, a rush of exhilaration flooding his chest. A War Game. A chance to prove himself. He grabbed his things and bolted out the room.
"See ya, Issac!" he called, not waiting for a reply.
Down the hall, he nearly collided with Mica and Sunless.
"Oh hey," Mica said, handing him a cherry-flavored soda. "We were just coming to get you."
The trio walked together, the chaos of the day slowly fading behind them.
"So… how did you lose?" Sunless asked, side-eyeing him.
Tori scratched his head. "My Authority surged. I lost control. The mana recoiled and clashed with Issac's Authority."
"I don't care," Mica said, smiling. "To me, you won."
Tori's chest warmed. "Thanks. That means a lot."
They walked through their neighborhood as the sun dipped below the horizon. After dropping Mica off, Tori and Sunless returned home.
"Hey Mom, Dad—we're home!" they called.
Eric Reglard peeked out from the kitchen, spatula in hand. "Another duel, Tori?"
"Yeah," Tori said, kicking off his shoes. "That makes the 235th loss."
Sunless followed suit, placing his bag on the rack.
Alice wiped her hands on her apron and pulled them both into a hug. "Welcome back. Sit down and tell us about your day."
Tori launched into the story, animated and proud. He described the fight with Issac, how close he'd come to winning. Beatrice let out a soft "Kyu," almost like a laugh.
They bonded over dinner, laughter filling the room. Of course, Tori was scolded for being suspended—again.
Two weeks passed.
Tori returned to school, the day unfolding like any other. Around 12:34 PM, he wandered the halls, hands in his pockets, yawning into one.
Then he saw them—Issac and a stranger.
The stranger had sharp green eyes and long, spiky hair. He carried himself like royalty. Because he was.
Ryan. The Prince of Aspin.
Everyone knew his name. Five hundred duel wins. More than Issac. And over 237 War Game victories. His academy reigned supreme.
Ryan glanced at Tori, then turned back to Issac.
"I'm surprised I've never heard of you," Ryan said. "One of the nation's strongest students. Oh, and your brother—an SSS-ranked adventurer with countless dungeon clears and a guild that could rival armies. But you? Kind of disappointing."
Issac's face darkened.
Ryan kept going. "I mean, you don't compare to your brother. Aren't you just a lesser version of him?"
Issac's grip tightened around his books.
"What did you come here for?" he asked coldly. "You're not just here to run your mouth."
Ryan raised his hands innocently. "Of course not. I came to scout my opponents. See what the strongest student here is like."
"Well, now you've seen him," Issac said, brushing past him.
Ryan touched his chin, side-eyeing Issac with a smirk. Then he turned to Tori.
"Oh, and you are?"
"Tori Reglard," Tori said, extending a hand.
Ryan walked past him without a glance. "Sorry, I wouldn't dare touch commoner filth."
Tori's smile twitched. His jaw clenched. He stomped away, muttering under his breath about how badly he was going to beat Ryan in the War Game.
As he walked down the hall, Ryan's words echoed in Issac's mind.
"Aren't you just a lesser version of him?"
His brother's name—Isaiah—hung heavy in the air.
Issac clenched his fists.
He made a silent promise.
In one week, during the War Game…
He would crush Ryan.