Ch 48 : Underground Fighting Stage

Auron and his friends gathered at the cafeteria before heading to the ancient tree where Auron used to attend his club meetings. Together, they descended the dark staircase beneath the tree, making their way through the tunnel until they reached the Underground Fighting Stage.

The arena was bustling with people. Ten fighting stages were spread across the area, some attracting large crowds, while others had smaller gatherings.

"So, where do we go first? The stages are divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2 fights," Walter asked.

"How about we start with the Tier 1 stages to see where we rank among the other students?" Alice suggested confidently, certain that she was among the academy's top.

"Sounds good to me," Eliot agreed. "We've got plenty of time to check everything out."

They made their way toward the nearest Tier 1 stage, which had a smaller crowd.

"Oh, they have betting counters too?" Auron raised an eyebrow. "Isn't gambling prohibited here?"

"Maybe it's part of the lesson—showing us the consequences of gambling," Eliot joked.

On the stage, two Tier 1 magi were locked in a duel, hurling spells at each other. It was an uninspired match, with both combatants simply casting spells without much strategy or movement.

"Is that all? Why aren't they dodging when they can? Such a waste of mana," Alice complained, crossing her arms in frustration.

Thyra nodded in agreement. "They could easily dodge and conserve mana for later."

"Heh, what do you kids know?" a sneering voice came from behind them. An older student, clearly unimpressed, stepped forward. "Conjurers don't need to dodge like Augmenters. We use shields to block attacks."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Sure, when a spell's too fast to dodge, you block. But that Fireball Toss was so slow—if you have real combat experience, you'd know it's all about mana efficiency."

The older student, irritated by her retort, narrowed his eyes. "What would a brat like you know? If you're so confident, why don't you come fight me? I'll show you a thing or two. I'm at the 7th layer of Tier 1 magus, by the way."

"Hmph, sure. Don't cry when you lose to a 'brat' like me," Alice shot back angrily.

"Oi, kid, do you really want to take on Marcus?" one of the older student's friends, Fred, chimed in, laughing. "Don't say he bullied you when you lose."

"Don't worry about it," Auron said calmly when Thyra looked to him for input. "That senior isn't even that strong. He's just using the fact that he's older to act tough. He's probably nine years old and still stuck at the 7th layer of Tier 1. Alice can handle him easily."

"You better watch your mouth, kid. We'll see who's laughing when your friend loses," Fred sneered.

Auron just smiled and said nothing, confident in Alice's abilities.

The referee approached Alice. "Are you sure you want to fight him, child? Maybe wait until you're a little stronger."

"Nope. I'm beating him today," Alice replied firmly, her eyes blazing with determination.

"Alright, enter the stage," the referee said, stepping aside.

Alice and Marcus stepped into the arena.

"How about I give you the first move, kid?" Marcus taunted, smugly crossing his arms.

"Fight!"

"Fireball Toss!" Alice cast immediately. Rows of fireballs surged toward Marcus as soon as the referee started the match.

"Heh, too easy. Flame Shield!" Marcus summoned a shield of flames, effortlessly blocking the attack.

The explosion from the fireballs obscured Marcus's vision, but he stayed relaxed behind his shield, chuckling. "Is that all you've got, kid? That didn't even scratch me!"

Unbeknownst to Marcus, Alice had already moved. The moment she cast Fireball Toss, she used Fire Dash to slip behind him, her movements hidden by the explosion.

"Fire Bolt," Alice whispered. Two fire bolts shot from her fingertips, striking Marcus from behind before he could react. She didn't put too much force into them, ensuring Marcus wouldn't be severely injured.

Boom! Marcus was knocked off his feet, collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

"Alice wins!" the referee declared.

"Hmph. What an easy win," Alice scoffed as she left the stage, the crowd cheering at her overwhelming victory. "He was all bark and no bite."

"You were amazing, Alice!" Thyra said as soon as Alice rejoined them.

"That guy was too easy. I didn't even need to try hard to beat him," Alice replied, looking proud.

Auron turned to Fred, a sly grin on his face. "So, what were you saying about 'senior' just now?"

Fred's face turned beet red with embarrassment. Without a word, he slinked away, avoiding Auron's mocking gaze.

The group couldn't help but laugh at the sight, the thrill of the fight and Alice's victory fueling their excitement as they looked forward to more challenges at the Underground Fighting Stage.

They moved to another Tier 1 magus fighting stage, this time featuring a match between two 9th-layer magi. The atmosphere was more intense, and the strategies employed were noticeably more refined than in the previous fights.

"This one's much better. Look at how he's using Rock Shard and Earth Bind. His timing is flawless. The water magus barely has time to react, only managing to throw up a Water Shield just in time," Eliot commented, clearly impressed by the battle.

"Yeah, the water magus is totally on the defensive. He's being bombarded with Rock Shards, and—there it is. He couldn't keep up. Another shard knocks him out," Walter added, intrigued by the clever tactics on display.

"It's a pity I'm not a Conjurer," Walter sighed, watching the fight with a bit of envy.

Auron clapped him on the back. "Don't worry. In the higher tiers, Augmenters can make earthen armor and bulldoze through all kinds of spells. You'll have your chance."

"Yeah, and when you reach that point, you'll be able to smash any Conjurer standing in your way with that hammer of yours," Alice chimed in with a grin.

Walter chuckled, his spirits lifting. "True enough. I'll just need to be patient."

Auron glanced at the stage again, considering. "Does anyone want to give it a shot? Even if you're only at the 5th or 6th layer, with good strategy, you could win."

After a moment of hesitation, Thyra raised her hand. "Can I try?"

Auron smiled. "Of course! There's no harm in trying."

With a look of determination, Thyra nodded, and they all accompanied her to the referee's station.

The referee raised an eyebrow when he saw them approach. "You want to join the fight? This is the top Tier 1 magus stage, and you're still pretty young for this. Are you sure?"

Thyra met his gaze confidently. "Yes, I want to fight. Even if I lose, it's all part of the learning experience, right? I won't get seriously injured, will I?"

The referee sighed but seemed to admire her spirit. After a moment of thought, he nodded. "Alright, you can join. Don't worry—I'll make sure nothing too serious happens."

Auron, Alice, Eliot, and Walter gathered near the stage to cheer her on, watching with anticipation. Thyra stood on the stage, her small figure radiating resolve as she faced her opponent, ready for the challenge ahead.