Nine - News Flash

The announcer took the stage again, his voice booming around the audience.

"A wonderful show by the Flowing Water Troupe!"

He stayed still as the audience erupted in applause and cheering.

"That's my girl!"

"Wonderful dance!"

"What a group!"

"Not bad at all."

The announcer patted his gloved hands, clearing his throat as the troupe left the ground.

"Next, we continue with our usual schedule. Targets up."

Instantly, a group of people rushed inside holding dummies made of wood and metal. They staked them in a long neat row in the ground, one by one, setting it in front of Erik and his seat mates. The old man chuckled.

"Front view, eh? Will be fun."

He muttered to himself as Erik gulped.

He opened his mouth to ask the old man when the announcer boomed again,

"Trainees line up!"

The trainees showed up, Jeria and Luke amongst them, making a row on the opposite end. They faced their targets and focused their eyes. The gathered seniors began to murmur amongst themselves.

"His stance is misshapen."

"Her element is failing, poor girl."

"She should step back."

"He slipped? On what?"

"Hahaha, what a show."

One of the elders, a black haired woman with a bountiful chest, red-black robes and an eyepatch focused on Jeria, squinting her good eye. She spoke to her companion, a blue-eyed blond in white and blue robes who had his gloved hand held to his chin.

"That girl… she has a monstrous aura."

"Hm? Her stance is alright, what are you on about?"

"She… there is something there."

"I wonder… maybe she picked up an elemental art."

"Ah, that could be it."

"Heh, the Volcanic Beasts Academy is interested in her?"

"Hmph, we shall see. Maybe if she uses an elemental art."

The blond senior chuckled. He turned his head and smiled.

"The noble, he's definitely practiced an art before."

"Oh? He seems like he's set his eyes on the Royal Academy."

"Mhm, but if he doesn't make it, we of the Water Strikers could use his status."

"Mhm, they do seem plenty strong. We shall see."

On the other end,

"Don't miss Bernie!"

"Give it your all Meera!"

"Destroy it all!"

The audience became unruly. This didn't deter the announcer as he continued,

"Now remember, you have only one shot at your target. Do your absolute strongest attack and don't hold back. We have defenses in place for... much of the audience."

"Much of the audience?"

Erik exclaimed. The old man immediately turned around with wide eyes, grabbing his shoulders.

"Wait, you're an Unawakened?"

"Yeah."

The announcer boomed,

"Take aim!"

"Shit, get down!"

"What?"

The man shoved Erik down in between the seats as the trainees prepared their attacks. The atmosphere in the ground became charged as they took their attack positions. Water bubbles, fire balls, boulders of earth and sharp blades of wind… everything filled the ground, waiting to be fired. The man raised his hand, a faint symbol flickering in front of its palm. Erik peered upwards through his hand.

Right at that moment, Luke snapped his fingers, a lightning bolt crackling as it danced between his hands before he grabbed hold of it.

"That's the Tamed Lightning Art!"

"Two Art users?!"

"The atmosphere... His art is at Rank Two!"

"What monstrous training!"

Jeria's fireball shifted and morphed, lengthening and shifting. There was a low growl coming from the intense heat around her. The audience was in awe at the sight of her as they exclaimed,

"It's a Fire Art!"

"What is she making?"

"Is that…"

"That's a Tiger!"

"The Flame Tiger Art!"

"The heat… ah shit, my clothes!"

"Her art… it's on par with the lightning!"

"It's stronger you fool! It's a Rank Three!"

"Rank Three?!"

Back at the seniors, there was much chatter. The eyepatch woman gripped the seat in front of her as she stood up, getting a better view at Jeria. Her companion, the blond was in a similar stance.

"You're blocking my view!"

"Sit down!"

The two turned and glared at the cranky old bastards making noise. They instantly quietened down, an intense aura coming from the two. They harrumphed and turned back to look at the two art users.

The man from the Royal Academy raised his eyebrow. He turned to face the veiled lady, who was on the edge of her seat. A tiny smile emerged on his face.

"That girl… do you think she'll get into the Royal Academy?"

He asked her. She nodded her head but responded with,

"It is… exemplary given this place. If she was to win, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"A surprise it would be… were she to not."

"And… I assume there is a surprise in store?"

She faced the black-clothed man. He simply nodded his head.

After all, nobles couldn't stand losing to commoners.

the announcer waved his hand,

"Fire!"

Jeria's tiger roared. Instantly, each and every one of the trainees fired their powerful bolts and balls and strikes, obliterating the ground and their targets. Strong shockwaves reverberated, making Erik's ears ring as they pounded at the seats, shaking everything. Jeria's tiger hit the target, the entire ground shaking as it tore apart. Some of the trainees were blown back as the announcer instantly vanished and appeared behind the targets. A blue symbol floated in front of his hand as the tiger collided with it, followed by a lightning strike.

Another shockwave went out. Some of the people in the front row went flying out as dust filled the ground.

Shouts and chaos filled the area as the audience was stunned. The announcer closed his fist around the symbol and instantly, all the dust and dirt floating in the air dropped to the ground, clearing the view.

There, they could see Jeria still standing, huffing as her hair was singed from the blowback. Her entire being was smoking, sweat evaporating off of her. All around her, the trainees had fallen to the ground, some having fainted as the fires on their clothes were put out immediately.

All eyes focused on Jeria and Luke, the two still standing. Both were huffing and puffing as they looked at each other, not bothering with the targets. After all, there was nothing left but burn marks on the ground where the targets stood.

"Its… gone."

"There's nothing left."

"Dara! Help her up!"

"My boy! Somebody get to him!"

The announcer disappeared from his spot and immediately appeared in the center of the ground. He nodded to the side as many people in the same grey robes appeared, putting the few unconscious trainees on stretchers and taking them out. The rest of them stood up, coughing and wheezing, as they got back in line, faces and hair lined with soot and a crackling buzz.

Such a display of power was never seen before in Meero. At most, there was just one who was a Rank Two elemental art but a Rank Three art from a trainee was simply unheard of. The Royal Academy wouldn't miss out on such talents. Many of the elders and the seniors cast hateful and defeated looks as they settled down in their seats. The eyepatched woman spoke to her companion,

"I want that girl."

He nodded.

"Even if her element is fire, we wouldn't hesitate to take her in."

She nodded. Everyone was in agreement that Jeria and Luke had displayed peak performance. A shame the Royal Academy would take them both.

They turned to look at the duo from the Royal Academy.

At that moment, a shadow flickered past them as it reached the duo. The eyepatched woman blinked, her hand on the hilt of her sword when something hit it and she stopped.

'Too fast!'

She thought to herself. Her eyes widened as the shadow figure appeared beside the black-clothed man and knelt. He nodded and the man stood up, whispering a silent message.

Instantly, he stood up and exclaimed loudly,

"What?!"

The veiled lady looked on with concern. He turned to her immediately and said,

"We have to go now."

"But what about the fighting round?"

The man cried out,

"A trainee has practiced an Elemental Art to Rank Five!"

"Here?"

"No! Semundum, we have to go now!"

The veiled lady nodded. She stood up as she exchanged a look with the announcer. He simply bowed his head as the duo left the ground, leaving the rest of the seniors and elders and audience members shocked and puzzled.

Before anyone could speak, the announcer boomed,

"The Fighting Round has been postponed to three days from now!"

He took a deep breath before he continued,

"The Royal Academy is no longer taking a student from this test."

Silence descended on everyone gathered. Erik stood up from his seat, the old man sitting down catching his breath. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he laughed.

"What's so funny?"

The old man took a deep breath.

"This means… Those two prodigies… are up for grabs."