After the headmaster left the classroom and announced the details of the annual tournament, chaos erupted throughout the academy. Every student in the advanced class began preparing:
– Some busied themselves with their individual training.
– Others started devising strategies to identify their opponents and avoid them, ready to face their rivals.
– Meanwhile, some of the heirs were studying their opponents' movements and tactics as if they were about to engage in a major war.
Everyone understood that this tournament was not just a school competition, but a true test of strength and status, and that whoever failed would lose their chance to enter the treasure room.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, Saruto sat in a corner of the arena, contemplating his two swords as they swiveled in his hands, testing their strength and reshaping them repeatedly. He wasn't just thinking about winning, but about how he would balance maintaining his true identity in disguise while asserting his power before everyone.
Just then, Lucian, the Ice Heir, approached him, his footsteps leaving a trail of frost on the ground. He stood before him, smiling a smile that held a mixture of defiance and arrogance. "Hey, Saruto… or whatever your real name is. I've got an idea that will make this tournament even more… fun."
Saruto raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"And what is it?"
Lucian crossed his arms. "A special wager between us. Whoever wins this tournament becomes the other's servant for a whole week."
A short silence fell between them, until some of the nearby students began to turn around to listen. The wager seemed so audacious that those who heard it couldn't believe that the heir of one of the eight families would dare such a challenge.
Saruto smiled coolly, then stood up to face Lucian. "Servant? An interesting idea… but rest assured, Ice Heir, you'll be the one who's entrusted with this wager."
Lucian chuckled softly, flakes of ice falling from his fingertips. "Don't be so hasty… the tournament will decide that. And then you'll see for yourself who the servant is and who the master is."
The two exchanged intense glances, as if a spark of fire and ice ignited between them. It was clear to everyone that their rivalry extended beyond the academy's walls, and that the upcoming tournament would be a test of their pride, perhaps even the birth of an eternal enmity… or an unexpected bond.
The news spread quickly among the students: "Saruto and Lucien have made a bet; the loser will become the winner's servant."
This bet became the talk of the entire academy, adding a special flavor to the anticipated tournament.