SSS-Rank Fireball?
Zofia spun her head around, having listened to Ashrosaliera's mean words and relentless taunting. Zofia gritted her teeth, her blue eyes lit up with fury as she glowered. The girl stomped her feet, walking over to Ash.
"Did anyone ever teach you manners? What made you think you could say that?"
Ash didn't respond to her; her gaze locked into the air, all emotionless, as if her mind wasn't in the same room.
The chaotic gremlin wasn't paying attention to what the other party had to say, and Zofia didn't know if Ash was intentionally mocking her or if the girl was spacing out, which made her even more frustrated.
"You!"
Zofia Adinberg raised her arm with an open palm, fingers spread wide, wanting to send another lesson down Ash's cheek.
'Just one slap, that ought to shut this brat up!' Zofia thought.
But her entire body trembled, her hands were violently shaking as she bit her lips and darted her eyes to the ground.
"Excuse me, Ms. Alasta, is there any bathroom nearby I could use?"
"Oh… Just behind those stairs and to the left," the principal answered.
Zofia sprinted away, both hands on her face.
[Medium] Punishment initiated
Punishment: ???
Only after Zofia was gone did Ashrosaliera return to her senses after processing the whole [Punishment] thing. She shook her head as if she were focusing on something really hard, then turned to look at Zofia's silhouette from afar.
"What's with her?" Ashrosaliera asked, sounding genuine.
"Ms. Säpphroaleryst, your behaviour is unacceptable!"
Alasta spoke up in a commanding tone, she then used he thumb and index to grab onto Ash's ears and punch them as a punishment of sorts, continuing:
"I can excuse being late and being rude. But hurting another schoolmate with such mean words is a no-no! You are expelled from the Royal Magic Academy!"
Ash's was yelping in pain, but then her jaws dropped. Her red, energetic eyes widened as she stuttered.
"E… Expelled?! You can't do that! I'm really strong! I need to study here! I can't go anywhere else!" Ash exclaimed, trying to convince the principal.
"I'm so sorry, but I can't help you," Alasta replied.
"No! Please reconsider this!" Ash yelled.
"I will stop you right there."
When Ash was about to start pleading, a voice echoed through the grand hall, and she felt an overwhelming presence coming down from one of the staircases just behind them.
"clack… clack."
Boots echoed down the stairs—cold, deliberate.
Ash turned and looked out of curiosity… It was a man, a human man in suits and gloves, he had sky blue hair and wore a black suit. His eyes gleamed behind square glasses, name badge glinting: "Pearl Magmal"
"Ms. Alasta, do you think we're being too strict?" The man spoke.
"Guidance counselor Magmal, you've been here longer than I; you should know the standards the academy set out to have."
'The guidance counselor?' Ashrosaliera looked him up and down, thinking about how he was more the image she had imagined of a valued figure in the magic world.
"The academy values talent, because that can't be improved," he said, looking down at Ashrosaliera with great interest, "While attitude can be corrected. What is your name, young woman?"
Finally, someone who recognized her talent! Ashrosaliera thought, immediately feeling all prideful and smug.
"Ashrosaliera Inmopotalten Empyreanel Säpphroaleryst! The strongest [Fire] user that will one day take down the current [Fire Emperor] and be the [Elemental Empress]!"
Alasta felt defeated, seeing that this kid wasn't remorseful and that the guidance counselor was interested in her. The elf sighed, held her head, and turned towards the bathroom.
"Excuse me, I'll check on Zofia." Alasta sighed.
"You do that."
The guidance counselor Pearl Magmal nodded before immediately turning to Ashrosaliera.
"Ashrosaliera, are you? I'm only here because the letter of recommendation suggested you're a one-in-a-million talent, so any other introduction is unnecessary. Now show me what you can do, you have one shot, go."
"I didn't know I had a letter of recommendation?"
Ash was confused, so she tried asking a question. Still, Pearl didn't want to answer, as his eyes were fixed on the 3 strawmen across the room, as if awaiting Ashrosaliera's performance.
"Alright, I'll show you!"
Ashrosaliera got into her stance, going low with both knees spread. She aimed with the palm of her right hand, and the left hand was placed on her wrist as support.
She vividly remembered her conversation with her parents when they first made the Fire necklace she was wearing.
'I'm allowed to use my Fireball once because they knew there'd be a Class Evaluation test and would keep track of it when I'm there. So now I can go all out. It's time to show these people what I'm made of!" She thought.
"Fire Magic!" Ashrosaliera exclaimed in excitement, "FIREBALL!"
[Medium] Punishment initiated
Punishment: …
The system suddenly flashed red before her, diverting Ashrosaliera's attention. She refocused on reading the text.
Punishment: Your highest-ranked spell will be de-ranked by half for 24 hours.
Spell chosen: Fireball (SSS) > Fireball (B)
Time remaining: 23:57:13
"What..." Ashrosaliera gasped in dismay.
The [Fireball] that came from her palm differed from her memory.
She remembered a literal compressed flaming sun that could scale an entire mountain even when controlled and contained with only one-sixth of the damage. She remembered how it was brighter than the sun the first time she unleashed it at a young age.
Not this thing, it was strong indeed, stronger than most [Fire] mages out there, but it was pathetic in her eyes, it was nothing! It wasn't as bright, it wasn't as majestic, it didn't melt the floor and her clothes off, it was… Just hot, she felt disgusted at herself.
"No..." she muttered
"It looked like a B-Rank, or maybe even C-Rank Fireball. You wanted to defeat the [Fire Emperor] with that?" Pearl said, shaking his head, "Kids these days…"
"NO! You don't get it!" Ashrosaliera screamed at the top of her lungs, "I have an SSS-Rank [Fireball], I swear! I am not a stupid mere B-Rank sorcerer! I've been sabotaged, let me retake the test!"
Frustrated, she tried casting her spell again, thinking the system must be messing with her.
'What do you mean "punishment"? You never did this to me! I trusted you for 18 years, and now you'll betray me like that?'
"Fire Magic: Fireb-"
But Pearl Magmal grabbed Ash by the wrist, startling her.
"You are embarrassing yourself, young woman."
The guidance counselor held her up with her arm to stop her from doing anything stupid. Ashrosaliera's eyes widened. She was panting heavily, sweat rolling down her cheeks, and her legs shaking. Ashrosaliera could see hundreds of eyes judging her. It all came from upstairs, the other students, from first to fourth year… They were all looking down at her. She had never felt so humiliated before.
Ashrosaliera started ugly crying.
===
Name: Ashrosaliera Inmopotalten Empyreanel Säpphroaleryst
Age: 18
Unallocated System Point: 0.95
Status:
- HP: 150/150 (Requires minimum of 1 system point to upgrade)
- MP: 300/300 (Requires minimum of 1 system point to upgrade)
Skills:
- Fireball: S̶S̶S̶ B (Unable to upgrade any further)
- Fire Flight: B (Requires 2 system points to upgrade)
- Blazing Blade: F (Requires 1 system point to upgrade)
Ongoing Quest: Path To Greatness
Details: Get admitted into A-Class
Reward: 0.10 System Points
Status: FAILED
Ongoing Punishment: Your highest-ranked spell will be de-ranked by half for 24 hours.
Spell chosen: Fireball (SSS) > Fireball (B)
Time remaining: 23:55:11
===