Midyear Battles

After returning to Guidon, Will split his time between sparing, meditation, and the bank. In less than a week, one-fifth of the people living in Guidon had chosen to open an account. It only took Will three days to shut down the money lenders and hire them as loan officers.

People walked in and out depositing, withdrawing, and applying for loans, and a few companies took the opportunity to sell shares after hearing about Will's windfall.

The companies that created shares, Will naturally bought their shares. Depending on the company Will bought as little as 1% or as much as 30%.

The cartwright company decided to sell shares instead of taking out a loan. Due to the increased demand for tires, they took this moment to expand their business.

Otis was thrilled when the stockbrokers valued his company at 800,000 gold. That meant a 1% was valued at 8,000 gold. Will congratulate Otis, by buying the entire 30% up for sale.

The Silver Phoenix Bank and Trust Guidon branch was much smaller but still had three floors. The bank in Guidon, looked similar to Yorkshire, except Guidon's roof was triangular.

Will ride to the bank on his bicycle. People loved watching Will ride his bicycle. Especially, the academy cadets and mages who begged their parents. In less than two weeks, bicycles were considered the trendy young noble must-have luxury goods.

Nobles who had won bicycles during the auction were looked upon with envy. Those who learned to ride rode their bicycles proudly through the city. However, no noble admitted to the difficulty of learning to ride. Every day, desperate nobles asked to purchase a bicycle.

What they didn't know is that Will had built up an inventory of over 20,000 bicycles. Truthfully, he was running out of the storage room in his warehouse.

Will put that problem on hold, as he had another headache to deal with. After his return to Guidon, the Church of Gaia announced Will as their new champion and his gift of 1,000,000 gold to the church.

These two announcements, along with his building an orphanage in the capital help cast Will in a new light. He was no longer greedy, wealthy noble; now he was a kind-hearted, benevolent champion. The religious, and the commoners were now squarely in his corner. Especially, the Yorkshire commoners that remember Will sharing his wealth. Public Relations was underrated in medieval times.

Yet, the group that Will underestimated was devout and religious, most likely because he was an agnostic.

As he rode his bike, the devout upon seeing him would immediately stop and pray. It was a rather uncomfortable feeling, but it helped many people explain his inventions as gifts from Gaia.

As the church's champion, complaining of threatening him was the same as conspiracy or blasphemy against the church.

Conspiracy and blasphemy were crimes and the guilty would be branded with a hot iron and lashes. Moreover, the guilty party would be stripped of their hands and holding, effectively making the destitute. Only nobles, hidden from the church, would still scheme.

It was in this background the knight and mage battles took place.

Will took a deep breath as he walked through the Coliseum tunnel and stepped onto the arena stage. As last year's champion and ranked first, he was awarded around one pass.

Will walked slowly into the Coliseum, he eyes his opponent a boy named Chacko. Their eyes locked in the center of the Coliseum as they approached Marshall Cheng. Will could feel the crowd's gaze on his back.

"Cadets, the rules are the same as the last tournament," Cheng said. "You may stop the fight by forfeiting at any time. The fight will continue unless one of you is rendered unconscious. Do you both understand?"

"Yes, Marshall," both shouted in agreement.

People wondered whether Will had gotten stronger or focused too much time on his business.

Chacko smirked. "Today, I become ranked first!" Will did not pay much attention to this blowhard.

"Bow to the crowd," Marshall Cheng said. Will bowed respectfully to the excited crowd.

"Bow to me," Marshall Cheng ordered. This time, both bows were equal.

"Bow to your opponent," the Marshall said. Will bowed respectfully, but Chacko gave a shallow, mocking bow in return. Marshall Cheng's lips thinned as he watched Chacko's rudeness.

Marshall Cheng stepped away from them, and raised his right hand, dropping it a second later to start the fight.

In a half-second, Will cast [Iron Armor] unsheathed his sword, and closed the gap between them. In the next half-second, Chacko lay on the ground with a gash from his left shoulder to his waist split open.

After sparing with Elder Thaddeus every day for three months, this was a battle between an ant and a dragon. In a blink, the battle was over.

Back in the waiting room, his classmates looked at Will respectfully. In Terra, only the strong were respected.

Will's next match was against Samuel. Samuel quickly blended into the shadow dispersing before the crowd's eyes. Will cast [radar] and immediately saw Samuel walking along with the shadows in an attempt to sneak attack Will from behind.

After Will located Samuel he ran toward a surprised Samuel. Now exposed, Samuel tried to kite Will by throwing daggers. Each dagger was blocked by his [iron amor] or [earth wall]. Trained as an assassin, Samuel was skilled in close combat. Will exploited the one flaw for every assassin, time. Fighters like Samuel used stealth, poison, and quick surprise attacks.

Assassins are not suited for long draw-out battles like knights. Will and Elder Thaddeus would battle in the backyard for hours. By the time Samuel canceled his stealth to save mana, the battle was already over. With cuts all over his body, Samuel forfeited.

Will's third opponent, Evan, attacked him before feinting and rushing to the left. Two steps later, Evan pivoted and went hard right trying to throw Will off guard. Will backpedal dodging Evan's strike.

"Nice, you've gotten a lot better. When you became a champion, did you get any special powers?" Evan, the battle maniac asked.

"No, Will said. Kicking Evan in the chest, causing him to cough up blood.

"Ha-ha! I'm not done yet!" Evan smiled.

Will returned his smile and two classmates sparred.

"Thanks for the fun old friend but it's time to end this match," said a happy Evan.

"May the best man win," Will said laughing enjoying himself. Evan, Chloe, and Mark were the three strongest swordsmen in their grade.

Evan grunted as he poured more mana into strengthening his body. His muscle bulge and speed doubled.

"Very impressive," Will said.

"While you were away, I broke through to journeyman. I'm the second in the entire class," Evan boasted proudly.

"You're third," Will said.

"What do you mean?" He said confused still fighting Will.

"I broke through this summer," Will smiled, and pouring in mana to his muscles, he also activated Gaia's blessing.

Before Evan realized it Will's sword was at his throat. Evans beating Adam's Apple pressed firmly against Will's blade.

"I forfeit," he said smiling and congratulating Will.

In the semifinals, Will and Chloe walked into the Coliseum.

"Will are you upset that the rumors about us of are over?" Chloe teased.

"Are you?" Will teased back.

"Do you Anne confronted me about the rumors, my best friend!" Chloe said in disbelief.

"We made a convincing couple," Will said.

"Just like the rumors, your reign as rank one is over," Chloe said fiercely.

Will laughed at Chloe's passion.

Chloe wore her black leather tunic, which was cut short showing her legs just below her ankle. He had twin short swords and along her belt. On her face was white war paint and her hair was plaited.

When Marshall Cheng's hand fell. Chloe and Will rushed to the stage.

"Don't use magic against me this year? Fight like a knight, not a spellsword?" Chloe asked trying to goad Will.

"I use magic when I need not before," Will said inciting her instead.

Chloe cast [warth], which quadruple her attack power and speed for a short time. The spell [wrath], and [berserker] were similar both amplified the caster's attack power and speed for a brief time. The differences had to do with the weapon and caster. The spell [berserker] worked best for strength-built casters with heavy armor and weapons like bastard swords, clubs, or axes.

The spell [wrath] worked best for agile dexterous casters. Most women knights learned the spell during their second academic year. However, the problem with both spells was that the after-effects were a caster's strength or dexterity would decrease by 50% for 24- hours.

Once Chloe cast [wrath] she would either gain second or fourth place.

Chloe and Will fought in a randomly zigzag pattern. Chloe started to panic and fought more fiercely as her timer counted down. Will could have ended the match sooner, like with Evan, but Chloe had not broken through to journeyman and he thought it would be unfair. Instead, Will fought Chloe head-on. Will watched as Chloe she increasingly frustrated as her sword strikes missed Will or blocked.

"No! Dammit! I can't lose, yet!" Chloe screamed as her timer expired and she collapsed unconscious.

The final match was between Will and Vincent.

"How did you beat Mark?" Will wanted to know if Vincent did something devious.

"I'm noble and he's a commoner. There are still pieces of his flesh in the Coliseum if you like to offer him a prayer to the afterlife," Vincent sneered.

"You killed him?" Will asked in shock.

"One can only hope Champion Baronet vont Ballard, Lord of Games. Your list of titles is almost as long as your wealth," Vincent said mockingly.

When the match began, Will dodged in place as two fireballs zipped past him on either side. Will knew Vincent wasn't a mage, which meant he bought a magic artifact that let him cast spells.

Will moved three meters away from Vincent and enhanced his body. Will planned to go all out. Will thought about nobles like Vincent caused trouble for people like Teacher Li. Then Will thought of her death and his ineptitude. Will bloodlust and killing intent soared, and Vincent looked alarmed.

"Wait what's going on?" Vincent said nervously. He could feel Will's bloodlust and killing intent, it was utterly terrifying. Will knew the difference between the two was similar to heaven and the earth, how could they be compared.

Vincent felt the ground quake, looking a Will rampaging at him.

"Stay away from me," Vincent said casting several [fireballs] talismans at Will.

Seeing Vincent growing fear, Will cast [Earthen Dome] and [Quicksand].

All the crows could see and were screaming coming from inside the dome.

"Fuck you, let me out of here you bastard son of a goat! I'll kill you and your whole family. Argh, I take it back, I take it back. Please don't kill me, I don't want to die. You fucking nitwit didn't you hear me say let me out? Oh, goddess what if he can't hear me? Help! Help! I forfeit! Someone save me!" Vincent screamed.

"The winner is Cadet Baronet vont Ballard!" Marshall Cheng shouted.

Once Will canceled the spells, Vincent saw the crowd mocking his cry for help.

"So help me God! I will destroy you, Will!" Vincent said.

"Marshall Cheng, what is the penalty for threatening the Church of Gaia's champion?" Will asked a horrified Vincent realizing the crime he committed.

"Conspiracy and blasphemy against the church?" Will asked innocently

"People found guilty of conspiracy and blasphemy are branded a 'HERETIC' with a hot iron and lashed 100 times. Moreover, the guilty party will be stripped of their lands and holding," the noble marshal said before the crowd.

"Please no Baronet William vont Ballard, we humbly beg forgiveness. Please spare my only son!" Vincent's father, Dwight, knelt on the ground begging for mercy.

"Baron, your son made a conspiratorial and blasphemous statement in front of everyone here, he must be punished! As Gaia's champion, I am fit to merit punishment on behalf of the church," Will said.

"Please, I beg you spare my family. I will do anything, please I beg of you!" The crying begging Baron asked.

"Gaia is merciful, is she not? Donate 300,000 gold to the Church of Gaia," Will said dismissively.

"But, I do not have that much gold?" The Baron said sadly.

"Then you must make arrangements, or have your son branded and your family holding striped," Will said forcing the Baron to take out a loan from his bank to pay the church. It was a win-win for Will. He looked merciful, while set to gain interest from a sizable loan.

"I agree then. Thank you for your mercy, champion," the Baron said through gritted teeth. He also knew he'd have to have to purchase a loan through Will's bank.

With the midyear battle over, Will had retained his first-place rank.