Nick spent the next two weeks setting up over one hundred of his improved mining magic formations. The last improvements that he made were relatively simple ones and they were to make the space bubbles that his magic formations produced persistent when separated from the magic formation and to increase their holding capacity to about ten thousand liters each. That way, he could store the space bubble containing the oil within his space band where each space bubble would remain intact for a long time. They would probably only last about two weeks outside of the space band, however.
Nick walked up to the last space bubble present as it hovered over one of the magic formations and immediately stored it into his space band. Keller looked on with a blank expression but inwardly, he was filled with bitterness. He had stayed with Nick in excess of his original two day limit in order to gain an opportunity to make a deal with Nick regarding the stubborn oil but who would have guessed that Nick would extract and collect it all.
Keller and Veera had seen Nick generate over six hundred of those space bubbles, all filled with stubborn oil and stored within Nick's space band. Keller was inwardly shocked by the holding capacity of Nick's space band and had to assume that it was an advanced grade space band.
That thought really did a number on him since he new that advanced apprentice grade space bands cost billions of pounds which meant that Nick had access to that kind of money. To make matters worse, now Nick had about that equivalent value of gold in the form of stubborn oil stored within his space band. Keller was envious to say the least.
(Comparisons are odious.)
Keller also noticed something about Nick. The magic formations that he created were not static and that the magic formations that Nick placed down after the initial one were all improved versions of the first. What did that mean?
(It means that Nick is a formation path Magician or at least he has been trained as one. Sigh. Honestly, if anyone tells me that this man is not a member of the British royal family after this, I would spit in their face and call them a liar. Nick's skills are just too good for his apparent age.)
Unlike her father, Veera watched Nick's actions with complete glee. It was her first time seeing someone use magic formations to do something practical out in the field and she was impressed. She finally got to see how someone could make a great living by being skilled in magic.
She knew that based on Keller's position and income that they were relatively well off but Nick's ability to extract and collect the stubborn oil by himself showed that a single Magician could be more than well off without being a part of some kind of organization. Veera ran to Nick and asked:
"What are you going to do with all that oil?"
Nick replied without thinking much:
"That's a secret."
Veera pretended to be upset by Nick's mysteriousness and adorably stuck out her tongue at him. Nick simply shook his head and said to Keller:
"I'm ready to go now. Are you ready too?"
Keller was an old veteran so he knew that Nick would have realized his intentions for staying with him until now but something like that was not enough to ruin the relationship between two Magicians. Keller voiced his intention to leave:
"We have been in this valley for too long. We need to set off now and we should fly from here on out."
Although riding in the armored truck was great, Keller felt sick of this Valley. Nick nodded in understanding, then moved to store the armored truck into his space band, following which he destroyed the top soil that the magic formations were painted on. Although Nick did that, he knew that Keller and Veera probably already memorized his formation's laws even if they did not understand them.
(It takes more than memorizing laws and materials to set up or understand the design of a formation so I am not too worried that these two will be able to make use of it. I have been in Forgotten Peril for over six months now. It's time to move on.)
Within a few minutes, Keller, Veera and Nick flew out of the valley and rose above forty meters before setting off towards Sidon. Veera flew under the influence of her father's magic and Nick summoned twelve of his grey blades and practised manipulating them using Space. Keller saw Nick practising and really wondered if he had wasted most of his youth.
The three flew towards Sidon for nearly a week before finally reaching the settlement. They had only made camp at night and flew off towards the settlement again as soon as the sun rose. Nick did not speak to Keller and Veera all that much during the journey because he focused religiously on his cultivation. When he wasn't practising with Space and the grey blades in the day, he was reading books within his armored truck at night.
Nick's evident obsessive commitment to his learning and training made the father and daughter pair go into despair for some time but soon, it stoked Veera's competitive spirit so she started pestering her father more to lecture her on magical topics even in mid-flight.
When the three flew within five hundred meters of Sidon which sat on flat, rocky terrain, they were forced to continue forward by traveling on the ground because no one was allowed to fly so close to the settlement. Nick could view the quality of Sidon's high walls even from such a long distance away.
To be polite, Nick kept pace with Keller and Veera. Keller was forced to walk normally because his daughter did not know a good movement spell and he did not want to take away the chance for her to exercise by carrying her because of her already low stamina.
The three walked pleasantly along for twenty minutes until they reached the settlement gates where two men wearing Magician's robes stood guarding the gates, one dressed in red and the other dressed in white.
Upon seeing Keller and Veera, the two guards greeted them, intending to let them pass without paying the entrance fee but the Magician dressed in white robes at the left of the gate demanded two hundred grams of gold from Nick as his entrance fee. Nick had no scale so he just handed a large chunk of gold that he had refined to the Magician and asked for change.
The Magician's right eyelid twitched as he complained:
"Who in their right mind would walk around with their gold like this. You do know that coinage devices are cheap, right?"
Nick shrugged his shoulders and waited until the two guards handed him change in the form of unmarked gold coins. The guards apparently had a method to easily check the authenticity of gold.
Nick then walked into the settlement along with Veera and Keller. The buildings were mostly tightly packed together and made from brick, having been built along cobbled streets. Keller asked Nick a question before he left him out of politeness:
"Do you need anything before we leave you?"
Nick thought for a moment before he said:
"I want to buy a house within the settlement and I need help finding a place to sell my stubborn oil."
Keller replied:
"Buying a house is no problem but because of the limited space, the available ones are outrageously expensive. As for selling the stubborn oil, I have a friend that buys it for the Ministry of Magic at market price. I will introduce you."
Nick realized that if he sold it to a private company, he could probably get more for the oil but he actually liked dealing with the government more. After all, it was the government that gave him a chance to become a Magician by granting him a scholarship. Nick asked:
"Mind leading the way?"
Keller didn't have to go to his office to begin completing his administrative duties immediately and so he thought he might as well do Nick a favor since the young man was clearly a good investment. Keller carried Veera along as he led Nick to the local real estate broker that his office regulated.
The real estate broker was a grumpy, old woman with a thin body and wrinkled skin. She wore a loose burgundy, cloth dress and kept her hair in a bun. After showing Nick pictures of the houses that she had available, Nick chose the one located closest to the gates of the settlement and she did indeed ask for an outrageous price:
"I want two hundred kilograms of pure gold, no negotiations."
Keller shook his head at that price because it was clearly extortionate but since his office collected taxes from this place, he was not going to beg on Nick's behalf. Besides, plenty of companies were willing to pay such a price equivalent to about £50,000,000 if it suited them.
Nick did not care about spending the gold since he basically just found the gold lying around anyway. He needed a house since he planned to stay within this settlement for a few months. Nick summoned large chunks of gold from his space band and asked the old woman to weigh them.
Keller and Veera were not surprise that Nick had so much gold since he obviously had the means to extract minerals from the ground. The old woman clapped her hands in delight and weighed the gold up to the required amount using a large electronic scale. She had Nick put each piece onto the scale using his magic until the weight amounted to two hundred kilograms. To Nick, using Space to perform this easy task was nothing to mention.
After the woman stored her gold in a large vault, she handed Nick the deed for the house and waved the three goodbye as they left. Keller then led Nick to his military broker friend who bought materials for the Ministry of Magic. The man had a small office in the center of the settlement located close to the central administrative building where Keller's own office was located.
The broker actually wore a standard Ministry of Magic military uniform and seemed to be in his late thirties; he had sharp but aged, dark eyes and his short, brown hair was a muddy-brown color. He spoke to Nick:
"Since Keller brought you to me himself, you must be important enough to warrant my time. Baron Tully at your service. What do you want to sell?"
Nick explained:
"I actually want to barter with you. I want a certain mix of magical metals, materials and equipment in exchange for stubborn oil of equivalent worth."
The government's ability to get him the materials that he wanted was also one of the reasons that he chose to deal with them, that is, since he didn't really want money. Baron then asked the obvious question:
"How much stubborn oil do you have?"
Nick calculated a number in his head and reported:
"I have about 3,120,000 liters of it."
When Baron heard that, his eyes opened wide and he looked at Keller to confirm. Keller awkwardly affirmed:
"I saw the young man extract all of it from the ground with my own eyes. Its good quality is unmistakable."
Baron instructed Nick:
"Show me a sample."
Nick proceeded to summon one space bubble filled with 10,000 liters of the oil and then he siphoned a small amount of it into a dish that Baron gave him. Baron used a device that looked like a baking mixer to test its quality and then he asked:
"What are the materials and equipment that you want in return?"
Nick had written up a list before he got to the settlement. t was easy since the entire reason that he had for wanting materials and equipment was that he wanted to make more blades while he was here in Sidon and the books that he had read since coming to Forgotten Peril had given him many ideas.
Nick handed over the list and after the man looked it over, he said:
"I can get you all of these using our space path magic formation but it will take a while for you to collect it all if you're really exchanging as much stubborn oil as you say that you are."
Nick replied:
"No problem, I don't care how long it takes."
Keller and Veera left a few minutes later since their presence was not needed and Baron had Nick empty all his oil into a special vault that had space path laws that gave its interior an impossibly large space.
After he was done unloading all the stubborn oil, Baron used his military issue cell phone to contact the ministry's logistics division so that he could have them send all the materials and equipment that Nick requested and in specific quantities. Baron then guided Nick to a space path formation that was laid in the basement of the office and Nick was made to collect and store into his space band all the materials and equipment that the ministry sent over using the magic formation.
The sheer quantity resulted in Nick remaining at the office for almost one day. Apparently, most magic metals were relatively cheap.
(That is probably because truly powerful weapons and magic tools are usually mostly made from magic beast parts, not mined metals. These materials will do for now though.)
Nick left Barons office and made his way to his new house. When he entered inside, it was completely empty and only had two storeys. The bathrooms and bedrooms were up stairs while the ground floor was just an empty space surrounded by brick walls with a total of two glass windows and a chimney.
"This is great."
Compared to the house that he grew up in, even this empty place felt like a better home. Nick started summoning all sorts of equipment from his space band which included two forges, two melting stations, three cooling stations, ten molding stations and other assorted equipment meant for blacksmithing.
At the end, Nick summoned a small, wooden dining table and a padded folding chair as well as a meal of turkey and Italian pasta from his space band. Nick spent the rest of the day eating and reading books that he had not yet finished.
The next day, Nick began his good work. He took out many kinds of metals from his space band and became familiar with each one based on the information that he obtained from his textbooks; there were over twenty varieties of magic metals. Nick then spent some time familiarizing himself with the non-metal materials which were mostly blade path and metal path materials.
After he was done doing that two days later, Nick familiarized himself with the equipment that he would be using to manufacture blades and that took him about one day. Over the next month, Nick did not leave his house and spent his time purely melting, mixing and forging metals and materials into metal alloys. He tried different mixtures of metals in an attempt to create strong alloys but most of his attempts ended in failure, wasting hundreds of kilograms of metals and non-metal materials.
By the end of the month, Nick was only able to create a few viable metal alloys but they either suffered from brittleness, softness or were poisonous to the touch. Nick had to continue working from there in order to come up with a very strong alloy made up of four different kinds of metals and several kinds of blade path and metal path materials two months later.
"Black star steel, crow iron, rust iron and purified poison mineral steel. These are the main materials necessary for a new alloy that I developed but they would have never come together like they had without the specific mix of blade path and metal path materials that I melted into their mixture. I can thank Eyes of the Fated for guiding me on the mixing in of the blade path materials but the metal path materials, including the different metal ingots required alot of trial and error to find a good formula for their mixture. Now, it's time to manufacture finished blades with what I've learnt."
Nick then spent the next three months in solitude manufacturing blades made of his new alloy. His chimney gave out smoke at all hours of the day for the entire period. At he end of the three months, Nick had produced about two hundred and fifty blades and the number was only that low because he had to spend time creating the alloy before blacksmithing it into a blade.
Nick held one of the double edged, sharp blades in his two hands and examined it carefully.
"Each blade has the consistent texture that steel should have but has a ghost-white color. None of the blades can withstand a focused strike from Failed Tool and would end up cleaved but that is natural since Failed Tool is an advanced grade weapon made from magic beast materials. At best, these blades are basic grade but they are certainly deadly if used appropriately."
Nick thought for a while and realized that storing the blades within his space band and using Space to manipulate them every time he summoned them out was an inefficient way of fighting with them, at least that style left many gaps that could be exploited by a fast or physically strong Magician.
"I need a better way of storing, mobilizing and manipulating these blades. Throughout this process of creation, my blade path attainment has definitely increased but not enough to the point where I can freely create blade path methods to satisfy my needs. Space path is my most reliable route here."
Space path was a path of great utility because it's nature allowed you to get many things done with very little effort. Even though Nick had a higher attainment in soul path, soul path wasn't as versatile and was more geared towards killing and combat than anything else.
Nick sat at his table for another month trying to figure out ways of better storing, mobilizing and manipulating his blades. After a while, he not only thought in terms of space path but also in terms of formation path as well as how the two could complement each other. This was the advantage of being a master in a path, one good idea usually led to another good idea until a cascade of viable options encompassing even other paths present themselves.
"I wonder how many people alive have ever felt the wonderful feeling of high attainment that I am experiencing."
Before Nick could actually start working on his ideas, however, a knock was heard at his door. Nick frowned and thought:
(Who would that be? I've been isolated in this house for months and I don't know anyone around here.)
Nick went to the door and opened it and saw the smiling face of Veera Oxar. She was wearing a set of light-grey leather combat armor and a pair of hardened leather shoes; her dark hair was tied up in a pony tail. She greeted Nick warmly:
"Hello Nick, it's been such a long time since I last saw you."
Nick replied politely:
"Yeah...it has. I hope you've been doing well."
Veera spoke cheerfully in the face of Nick's politeness:
"I am doing well. Pops has been training me even more intensely than before since we returned to Sidon..."
Seeing the tired look on Nick's face that did not dim his strange spiraling eyes, Veera went straight to the point:
"A little over a month from now, my father will be having a banquet to honor the settlement administrator of Mertel, Aston Casper. Aston is planning to bring along a rank 2 Magician from a very prominent British family that he is affiliated with for a showing of strength. This person is being instructed by an academy supported by the British royal family and old aristocratic class and so we need a person of equal standard to face off against them. My pops thought of you and would like you to be at the banquet to humble Aston and his guest."
Nick didn't expect this and had planned to leave Sidon at around that time. He thought about Veera's request for a few minutes before deciding that there were reasons for him to attend the banquet:
.(Even I am curious about the standard of the so called elite class. Keller said that the academies that trained them were special. I might as well see how special.)
Nick replied to Veera with certainty:
"I will attend the banquet and participate as a favor to you and your father. In return, I just want a meal of the tastiest dishes that your staff can prepare."
Veera was overjoyed that Nick accepted their invitation and didn't even really try to request payment, only wanting a good meal in return. She promised him:
"We'll make sure that you have the best platter at the banquet. I'll see you then, Nick."
Veera spoke her peace and then ran off to inform her father of the good news. Because of the lack of availability of rank 3 Magicians to take up posts in places like Forgotten Peril, most officials here were rank 2 and so a relatively close relationship was required between settlement administrators to help keep the total peace within the region. Banquets like the upcoming one were one means of fostering good relations or settling old scores.
Veera's thoughts spun as she ran along and remembered Nick's tired expression:
(What has he been doing in the settlement all this time?...)
Nick closed his door and went back to his work. Nick summoned many stacks of blank papers from his space band and started to make notes. With blood shot eyes, Nick worked for days until he had a workable plan and then he spent the rest of his days executing on said plan...
One month later...
Nick used his special space in order to carve the magic sub-formation into the last blade made from his newest alloy. He left the blade on the table and picked up a badge beside it that was made of hard, black leather and metal. The badge had a leather base that had a silver colored metal emblem attached to its surface; the emblem was in the shape of dragon's scaled claw.
Nick looked at the badge with pride and then he poured his magic energy into it. At that moment, ten ghost-white colored blades appeared in midair, seemingly out of nowhere, remaining upright and lined up beside each other. At the same time, the ghost-white blade on the table identical to the already airborne ones floated up in order to join the others in their line, the small magic formation carved onto its visible side subtly shimmering with dull-silver magic power.
Nick looked at the results of his work for the last month and his tired eyes no longer felt so tired.
"My intention was to create a better way of storing, mobilizing and manipulating these blades and I did so successfully. My method works by using a main space path formation in order to control space path sub-formations that I have carved onto each ghost-white blade. The sub-formations are fed magic power from the main formation which will remain in constant contact with me and is used to regulate and manage the sub-formations' powers."
Nick took out a bag of butter bread from his space band and ate while explaining internally:
(The main formation creates a special space ten meters in all directions of myself as long as there is no obstruction at a particular space; the special space is connected to an adjacent space in another dimension so to speak. Just like the principles involved in Grey Room, the adjacent space is very much related to this one that I am currently in but different. The main formation allows whatever object has its sub-formation carved into it to be stored indefinitely within that other space and that object can be withdrawn from that other space into this one using my own will, creating a convenient spacial storage and deployment system. The sub-formations also produce a special space around each blade that is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and can be used to move the blades around as readily as I move my own arms.)
Nick looked at the badge in his right hand and used its rear clip to attach it to his belt like what Nick has seen detectives in police dramas do.
(This badge has the main formation embedded into it and as long as it is attached to my body, it is constantly fed with my magic energy. The main formation also has an imperceptible holding space for magic materials that help to minimize the drain on my magic energy that allows my passive regeneration to exceed its constant consumption but I'll have to periodically load the main formation's special space with magic materials which will be expensive in the long term.)
Nick sighed at that thought. During his work throughout the past few months, he made one painful conclusion:
(Strong Magicians require money, alot of it in order to maintain their strength. No wonder so many Magicians remain at rank 2 for so long without advancing. It is not a lack of will but a lack of resources. Cultivating required money, getting information required money and the requisition and proper use of materials and research results required money. There doesn't seem to me to be a way around spending large amounts of money in order to make decent progress in a reasonable amount of time. I've also noticed that spending the money may not guarantee you results but not spending the money will likely result in your stagnation.)
That was a brutal life lesson that Nick knew that he had to come to grips with in order to mature. In contrast to his poor upbringing that taught him that money was scarce and precious, he would have to completely change his mindset to one that characterized money as abundant and worthless if not spent. Nick finished eating the butter bread and said aloud:
"It's a good lesson for a poor boy like me. No more will I hold back by trying to save money. I have to use it freely and productively by investing it in the only thing that I will have for a life time - myself."
Nick flicked his right index finger and all eleven upright blades slashed downward in unison with no need for Nick to influence them with Space or touch them. Nick willed and they all moved closer to him before vanishing completely when they reached within a few feet of him. Nick got up from his chair and waved his arms around himself, saying:
"They aren't there."
Nick looked at the shimmering badge at his right side and patted it with affection.
"I have over two hundred ghost-white blades at my disposal and that I can mobilize at any time from any angle. I've ended up creating a very deadly combat system that requires minimal magic energy usage and that is only limited by my resources, preparation and the quality of my blades."
Nick burst out laughing maniacally. At this time, he swore that his feelings right now were the most enjoyable he had ever experienced in his life.
***************************************************
Two days later after the sun had gone down...
"Ha, ha. Keller, my old friend, how have you been?"
Keller, who was dressed in a three piece dress suit consisting of a pair of black pants, a black vest, a white shirt and a pair of black dress shoes, greeted the other man warmly:
"I've been better that most, Aston. I see that you've brought fine wines to the event. Let's drink together when the opportunity presents itself."
The two stood outside of Sidon's only mansion and this was where the settlement administrator was allowed to live during the period of his appointment. Right now, many persons that were similarly dressed like Keller Oxar were standing around the two, having there own little conversations in the wide street in front of the mansion; the street had many street lamps shining down on it so the fact that it was night time did not affect the group's liveliness.
The women at the event wore dresses and Veera Oxar, who stood at her father's right side, was no exception. She wore a plain, navy-blue dress and a pair of matching nave-blue heels. Although Veera was uncomfortable with her attire, she still smiled warmly at those who greeted her, even at the young man at Aston Casper's left side who looked at her lustfully from time to time.
Aston Casper was a chubby, short man that sported short, black hair on his head with a receding hair line and he arrived at the event dressed in a three-piece dress suit consisting of a pair of gold colored pants, a gold vest, a white shirt and a pair of gold dress shoes.
The young man that stood at Aston's left side was completely composed except for the persistently smug look on his face. This man wore a three-piece dress suit consisting of a black vest, a pair of black pants, a red shirt and a pair of black dress shoes; the man had a pale-white complexion and short, silky, black hair. Aston soon introduced the young man with great care in his tone:
"Keller, Veera, I want you to meet Harvey Nefari. He is visiting from Grim Lord Academy and is on a mission to hunt a certain magical beast. He came to this realm through my settlement and we became acquainted."
Keller immediately recognized the name 'Nefari' once it was said and he thought:
(Why would someone belonging to one of the richest families in the United Kingdom...no, the world, be doing on a mission to hunt a magic beast?)
Harvey took another swift glance at Veera before addressing Keller:
"It is great to meet you Keller Oxar. Aston has told me many great things about you but they clearly don't do you or your fine daughter enough justice."
Keller's right eyelid twitched when he heard the phrase 'fine daughter' but he let it past since he was no stranger to suave Magicians. Almost everyone present, both men and women turned their attention to Harvey when he spoke because of the young man's apparent pedigree.
Everyone knew that Grim Lord Academy was ranked 11th in quality throughout all of Grand Earth and was the 'birth place' of many powerful Magicians who maintained a strong relationship with the school.
Aston soon suggested:
"Why don't we get out of the street already and go inside. I was the one that suggested having a show of strength between Harvey and your chosen competitor so I don't want to stall the event. Not to mention that we still have to eat after that. I brought enough bottles of fine wine for everyone!"
The well dressed crowd positioned around the four VIPs cheered but Keller's brows creased as he looked at Veera and replied:
"I actually have another important guest arriving. He will be the one competing with Harvey today."
To Veera, her father staring at her with his current expression was basically like asking her, 'Where is Nick?', but she did not have an answer.
(I had already sent someone to remind him of today's events yesterday. He should be here. Maybe I should have gone myself.)
Just as Veera had that thought, a young man that had a head full of white hair and strange spiraling eyes suddenly appeared at the back of the crowd as if out of nowhere. Keller, Aston and Harvey were all strong rank 2 Magicians and so they noticed Nick's arrival immediately since the residual power of space magic was unmistakable.
Keller laughed heartily and yelled:
"Nick, come over here and meet our honored guests."
The surrounding crowd opened a path for what they thought was a strange looking young man and he effortlessly walked towards the four VIPs. Aston and Harvey frowned when they saw Nick's attire.
He was currently dressed in a pair of black, leather work boots, a pair of fitting dark-blue jeans pants and a striped black and white polo shirt that clearly had a small stain at its right breast area. Veera was glad to see Nick but she noticed the tired look on his face even though he looked alot less tired than when she last saw him.
Nick stood at the side of the VIPs and greeted:
"It is great to be here to participate in the festivities."
Keller smiled and introduced Nick to Aston and Harvey, ignoring his inappropriate attire:
"This is Nick Capitol of Richter Order Academy. I have found him to be a very strong and capable Magician despite his young age and he will surely give Harvey here a worthy challenge."
Keller pointed at Harvey and Nick glanced at the prim and proper young man and Veera ran to Nick's side in response and whispered the man's identity into his ears. Harvey frowned at seeing Veera and Nick's closeness but like a true aristocrat, he hid his displeasure perfectly one moment later.
After being informed about who the young man was, Nick greeted him specifically so that he could make a way to ask a few questions later:
"Greetings, Harvey Nefari. I promise that I won't dirty your suit too bad when we fight."
Harvey's right eyelid twitched in response to hearing that but he returned Nick's greeting cordially:
"I hope that polo shirt can handle the effects of my power. That stain on your right breast seems to be ruining it already."
Nick actually laughed in response to Harvey's jab at his attire.
(What can I say? I was eating an entire turkey smothered in gravy before I got here and lost control of myself.)
While Nick laughed, Harvey noticed the slightly shimmering silver badge clipped to the right side of Nick's waist and he was intrigued:
"It feels like space magic is being emitted from that badge. Is it some kind of magic tool?"
Before Harvey could ask, Keller demanded that the entire party follow him inside to the dining hall. Veera, Nick, Harvey and Aston followed closely behind Keller while the rest of the crowd carefully tailed them. Soon, everyone arrived into a large dining hall that had an assortment of tables all around the hall, organized in an interesting pattern that would allow everyone to have an unobstructed view of the twenty meters squared battle stage at the center of the hall.
The hall's floors were tiled with a fine, white ceramic material, its walls were lined with hard wood and oil paintings for decoration and a set of large chandeliers provided light to the hall from above at about thirty meters above ground. There was an obvious table of honor positioned ahead of all the other tables and also facing the stage. All the other tables were covered with table cloths of either red or black color but the table of honor was covered with fine, black, soft leather. All the chairs were identical and made of polished and strengthened dark brown wood.
Everyone soon took their seats with Keller, Aston, Veera, Harvey and Nick sitting at the table of honor in that order. The other guests that consisted of company executives, rank 2 Magicians and journalists sat quietly, waiting for Keller to kick start the event.
A few minutes later, after everyone was settled, Keller stood up and announced:
"We will not waste anyone's time and kick things of with a bang, not a whimper. Nick Capitol of Richter Order Academy will have a spirited contest of power with Harvey Nefari of Grim Lord Academy."
Harvey's brows creased because of the fact that Nick's name was mentioned before his and his emotions quietly surged before dying down the next moment. The listening guests made comments:
"A contest between two academies, huh?"
"Richter Order Academy isn't even ranked within the top one hundred academies on Grand Earth. There is no way that someone from Grim Lord Academy will lose against one of their students."
"Stop talking nonsense. If social status could determine someone's ability, then the United Kingdom would still be ran by the British royal family and not parliament."
"Right. There's only one way to see who is the better man and that is to let them duke it out on stage."
...
Keller kindly motioned for Nick and Harvey to go to the battle stage. Nick cast Blink and arrived at one of the far ends of the stage in no time flat. Harvey however got up from his seat ant walked to the other far end at a noble pace.
(I don't need to rush this nobody's defeat.)
As soon as Harvey stood in place on the stage, Keller commanded aloud:
"Begin the contest."
Veera's eyes gleamed with excitement as she thought:
(I bet that Nick will win this match.)
Harvey was the type of person to always seek the initiative so his body erupted with a pitch black magic power that faintly enveloped his body and spread out to cover the battle stage half a meter all around him, forming a shallow pool of darkness. Black mist emanated from the pool of pitch black magic power that seemed like sludge.
Harvey then waved his hand and willed for his magic power to take shape and the pitch black pool on the ground gathered behind him and formed the shape of a cloaked skeleton who rested its right arm bones over Harvey's right shoulder and rested its head on Harvey's left shoulder.
(Dark Abomination Level 1)
The whole room was taken aback by Harvey's spell. Keller quickly commented:
"A rank 2 advanced grade spell as his first move. Is your boy looking to end the battle early?"
Aston laughed, replying:
"No need to guess, my friend. Just watch"
Veera watched the scene without even blinking, afraid that she might miss something.
Nick looked at the creature lurking at Harvey's back and thought:
(That thing is hella creepy. Must be a darkness path spell of some kind.)
Nick didn't hesitate to mobilize his own method in response to Harvey's presentation. Suddenly, at Nick's two sides and above him, a total of forty five 0.6 meter long, ghost-white, double-edged blades appeared out of seemingly nowhere, fifteen floating quietly at each place and positioned upright.
Each ghost-white blade radiated space magic and seemed potentially lethal if used correctly. Nick waved his right hand downward and the forty five blades suddenly changed their orientation in order to point at Harvey.
The whole room was shocked by the development, especially the rank 2 Magicians present. One of the latter in the audience asked:
"What spell is that? It clearly has elements of space magic but something doesn't feel right. Those blades just came out of nowhere like phantoms."
"You could be right. It is difficult to say what the grade of Nick's spell is, but I would bet that it is also advanced grade judging by the magic power that is being emitted by all forty five blades."
...
Keller and Aston observed Nick's method and spoke the same words simultaneously:
"Magic formations?"
Harvey looked at the forty five blades pointed at him and the saliva in his mouth started tasting like iron.
(That is no ordinary method. The magic power felt from those blades feels the same as the magic power being radiated from that badge at Nick's right side. He is using a magic tool to effect this method. This is not a spell directly cast by him.)
As expected of a student belonging to one of the top academies in the world. He saw through the nature of Nick's method after only a few seconds of seeing it but his battle intent did not waver even when facing down so many lethal instruments.
(Hmph! You'll need one thousand more of those blades to beat me. The Nefari name is no joke.)