Same chapter but in order so those who unlocked this chapter already don't need to unlock again.
"M-Mother, Scary Man!!" A child's voice echoed, breaking the tension.
Eli turned his head and found a group of children huddled behind an elderly woman, their eyes wide with fear as they stared at him.
Glancing at the elderly woman, dressed in a white nun's attire, Eli noticed her trembling figure as she attempted to shield the children and push them back.
"Sigh" Eli sighed, releasing his hold on Kyra.
"..." Kyra didn't utter a word; she merely rubbed her now-released cheeks, a mixture of irritation and repulsion evident in her expression.
"cough-cough" With an awkward cough, Eli attempted to approach the elderly woman;
however,
"M-Mother, RUN!!!"
"S-Some one Help us!!"
"You bastard, I will kill you if you hurt my mother!!"
"ggrrrr"
"aawwwaaawwwwww!!"
Eli halted his advance, observing the children...some crying, some desperately calling for aid, others bravely trying to protect the elderly woman.
"It's all a misunderstanding--" Before Eli could clarify, the elderly woman interrupted,
"P-Please leave, sir. Children are scared, please!" The elderly woman bowed deeply, her plea carrying a sense of urgency.
"..." Witnessing the distress around him, Eli had no other choice but to withdraw.
"Fine" Eli muttered, a sense of resignation evident in his voice, before turning to leave. The weight of annoyance lingered; he was frustrated that his day couldn't begin as planned.
He wanted to focus on Mastering his Arts rather than doing some menial tasks. He wanted to know what kind of things Lilith was hiding from him, and for that, he needed to learn every art and master every form.
Even more, he wanted to spend some time with research as well as some time with his family.
Scarlett didn't even speak to him after he got back from the Dawn Kingdom; he knew her intuitions were as sharp as a knife that sliced through his neck.
If Eli wanted, he could have used some force and some pleas to coax her; however, he wanted to be true to her and he would accept any punishment from her as long as it was only on him.
But he also knew about his sister.....she was just showing off and throwing a tantrum to get his affection and attention, that's all.
"Excuse me, Sir?"
Interrupting his thoughts, a small voice brought Eli back to reality.
"Yes" Eli turned to the blindfolded cleaning woman, who appeared breathless as if she had rushed to deliver a message.
"M-Mother said you can-ha-come tomorrow early morning, and if that's not possible, then -ha- around the night time so that the children wouldn't see you" she explained between pants.
"I see..." Eli smiled, intrigued by her dedication despite the hindrance of blindfolds, 'How did she navigate through here wearing those blindfolds? Did she also use arts like me?' he wondered. Tempted to ask, he refrained, acknowledging the potential rudeness. Thanking her for the message, Eli left the premises.
As Eli's silhouette faded from view, the honey-haired woman watched with a curious gaze.
"-ha-"
Amber panted heavily, her body showing signs of burn injuries, while Mia, with a knife stuck in her body, fought valiantly despite deep cuts.
Amber gasped for breath, each inhale and exhale strained as if she had been tirelessly evading a barrage of relentless fire attacks. Her once pristine body now bore the marks of battle...burned skin as well as her burned fluffy white tail as a testament to the intensity of the combat.
On the other hand, Mia struggled against the odds, a throwing knife embedded in her body. Blood seeped from the wound, tracing a crimson path down her form. Deep cuts adorned her body, pushing her to the brink of losing consciousness.
Eli stood frozen, shocked by the sight before him. Every instinct urged him to intervene, to put an end to the brutal confrontation....
Yet, the unwavering determination etched on Amber and Mia's faces held him captive, rendering him helpless in the face of their resolute expressions. Eli, torn between the desire to stop the fight and the respect for their tenacity, reluctantly watched as the battle unfolded.
"Let--'s finish -ha- thisss" Mia muttered, blood flowing from her mouth.
"snort" Amber disdainfully snorted, a clear sign that she wasn't accustomed to being on the front lines. An illusionist by nature, she excelled in diverting and manipulating enemies from the shadows. Direct confrontation was not her forte, and she knew that engaging in such a battle would likely lead to her defeat.
Despite the predetermined outcome, both combatants threw everything they had into the fight.
/"Mysty"/
Amber conjured a mesmerizing storm of snow particles, creating hundreds of illusory versions of herself. The ethereal clones sprinted toward Mia, their movements synchronized in an attempt to overwhelm her.
Mia, anticipating this moment, seized the opportunity to unleash her final spell.
/"Shadow Sphere"/
A profound darkness enveloped the arena, obscuring Amber's vision. The obsidian shroud made it impossible for Amber to discern Mia's location
/"Umbraform Spikes"/
Eli arched an eyebrow in surprise as Mia employed a technique, The dark mist transformed into a delicate sphere with spikes extending outward. The deadly spikes sought out and obliterated the illusory copies of Amber.
'chukkk'
"AArrrhhh"
A pained cry reverberated within the black mist before swiftly fading away. The onlookers stood in awe as Amber crumpled to the ground, defeated. In contrast, Mia, though visibly fatigued, stood with undeniable elegance and victory.
Pride surged within Eli's heart, mirrored by the ecstatic cheers of the students who witnessed the intense confrontation.
In that moment of reflection, Eli realized that if Amber's team hadn't used him as bait and diversion, his team might not have faced elimination because of him during the training program. Despite Mia bearing some scratches, she exhibited remarkable resilience and still managed to defeat Amber. Similarly, Scylla emerged victorious without breaking a sweat.
Eli initially believed this marked the conclusion of the skirmish, only to be proven wrong when Mia, undeterred and resilient, shouted defiantly,
"C-come, I-I can still fight!!"
"...You guys are really stubborn" Pearl, the next opponent, stepped forward.
Now, even if Mia pulled off something extraordinary at the end...Pearl would still be victorious.
On the other side,
"Alysia, come at me" Scylla beckoned Alysia, who was reluctantly pulled into the antics.
She was searching for her best friend, she didn't how she was being pulled into the drama and even wondered why they kept provoking her, especially by saying she kissed him.
'arh' Alysia gritted her teeth, it was him who initiated the kiss when she was unconscious, 'Why are they so unreasonable!!' She thought trying to calm her nerves.
'Sigh, I just want to find my Tiana. What's wrong with these people? And where the hell is Tiana hiding now!!' Alysia screamed inwardly.