Chapter 19 Duel

"Fight me, you bitch!"

The guy with a frozen hand spewed curses in Rose's direction, but she ignored him and walked away from the situation.

The guy saw that she was still ignoring him and growled, his eyes burning with malice.

"I challenge you to a Formal Duel!"

The whole cafeteria went silent, and even Rose, who was about to leave, halted. She turned around to face the guy, a mixture of shock and disbelief on her face.

A Formal Duel was a duel that resembled a spar, but with higher stakes. The participants risked losing their rank. Rose was a first-year and was yet to take the midterm exams and earn their rank.

It wasn't common for a senior to bet their rank against a junior, but trouble had a way of finding Rose, because she was one of the protagonists.

"I accept your challenge!"

Rose declared, looking directly into the eyes of the guy who had challenged her. She knew that he was trying to bait her into a battle, but she couldn't let this chance to gain a rank slip away.

Ranks were crucial in this campus, as they determined the resources and privileges that one received from the academy. For instance, the First Rank was awarded an orchid flower every month, which boosted their Mana Control. These benefits were essential for one's growth and development in the world of Leclentia.

As the group and Rose made their way towards one of the arenas, where a teacher could oversee their duel, the entire cafeteria began to follow them. Despite the commotion, I remained seated, calmly enjoying my chocolate pudding.

"You really don't care..."

Oscar watched me as I savored each bite of my dessert, and spoke.

Despite the commotion caused by the group and Rose heading towards the arena, I couldn't bring myself to care all that much. All I wanted was to ensure that everything remained as it was in the game, and that the future hadn't been altered.

The outcome of the spar had already been predetermined, and my presence there wouldn't make a difference.

"You wanna bet on who's going to win?"

I gave Oscar a sidelong glance and asked, but to my disappointment, he shook his head and declined my offer.

"You sound too confident... I don't want to lose my money."

Hearing his answer, I shrugged my shoulders and made a mental note to act less certain the next time I wanted to scam someone.

After bidding each other goodbye, Oscar quickly ran towards the arena, while I stayed behind to continue savoring the delicious food served by the Academy.

"This is delicious!"

***

Rose quickly entered the circular arena and gave a nod to the overseeing teacher, letting him know that she was ready to begin the duel.

Her opponent on the other side of the arena gleefully nodded back, a twisted smile spreading across his face. Rose couldn't discern whether he held animosity towards her race or was simply jealous of her strength, but she knew that she would have to use all of her might to defeat him - he was strong.

Swish...

A massive war axe materialized in her opponent's hand from a Spatial Ring he wore.

Rose took a moment to study the weapon's surface, noticing the various ornaments that adorned it. Some featured monsters, while others depicted animals from the era before the Mana Age, all crafted from some sort of metal.

Rose recognized that a single hit from the war axe could cause significant damage, potentially leading to her defeat.

"Cryokinesis: Icy Blade!"

In an instant, the temperature within the arena dropped a few degrees, causing nearby students to shudder from the sudden cold gust of wind.

A longsword materialized in Rose's hand, extending over 1.5 meters in length. The entire sword was crafted from pure ice, with the blade appearing in a darker shade and the hilt in a lighter hue.

Some of the students were surprised to see the unique weapon Rose held, but the overseeing teacher simply nodded in acknowledgement.

He was already aware that one of the combatants was from a royal blood and was proficient in Cryokinesis, a powerful magic art that allowed her to create and manipulate ice. However, the intricate details of the ice sword Rose had formed were a testament to her exceptional Mana Control.

"Ready... Fight!"

The teacher raised his hands in the air, and quickly dropped them down, signaling the start of the battle.

Clash...

Rose charged towards the guy, her legs quickly bringing her near him, before she struck him with her Icy Blade. Unfortunately, her opponent was prepared, easily deflecting the by using the hilt of his massive war axe.

It made Rose, slightly worried, since the smile on the guy's face didn't even face as he received the hit, not showing any signs of flinching or retreating.

"You cannot run now!"

He swung his hand that was previously frozen by Rose's touch and tried to punch Rose in the abdomen, but she swiftly retreated avoiding his knuckles.

It was clear that, while Rose may have had a slight speed advantage, her opponent's strength was superior.

As the battle raged on, the crowd around the arena erupted into cheers. Even some of the senior students made their way over to watch, shaking their heads at the sight of a junior fighting against someone of a higher grade. Some even cursed the guy for lacking any sense of shame.

Clank...

Rose's weapon was knocked out of her hand, causing her opponent to smirk.

"It's over!"

He exclaimed, dashing forward and ignoring the signals from his lackeys who were watching from behind.

But Rose was not finished yet. She quickly conjured a projectile with her Cryokinesis magic.

"Cryokinesis: Icy Spear!"

The spear appeared before her opponent, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. But before he could react, the spear was launched at him, forcing him to block it with his axe.

Clank...

As the Ice Spear collided with her opponent's weapon, he couldn't help but flinch, his vision momentarily obstructed.

"Cryokinesis: Ice Spike!"