The four friends entered their classroom, chatting excitedly before taking their seats. Alaryc, Jake, Alicia, and Silvarya sat side by side, eagerly awaiting the start of the lesson. Moments later, their professor walked in, her gaze sharp and full of determination.
– My dear students, she began, I have exciting news to share with you!
The entire class fell silent, their attention fully captured.
– Every year, the elemental academies of each kingdom organize a prestigious event: the Eternal Arcane Tournament. This tournament is exclusively for first-year Class S students.
A murmur of excitement spread through the room, but the professor raised her hand to command silence.
– The winner of this tournament will be awarded an incredibly valuable artifact: the Dragon's Eye, an S-rank artifact.
At these words, a stunned silence filled the room, followed by an explosion of enthusiasm.
– However, the professor added firmly, to stand a chance in such a tournament, you will need to train relentlessly. I expect every one of you to give your best. One of you must bring this artifact back to our academy.
In unison, the students responded with an energetic voice:– Yes, ma'am!
Alaryc and his friends exchanged knowing looks, a determined smile on each of their faces. Each of them thought the same thing: I will be the one to win this tournament.
A few hours later…
After class, the four friends gathered in the cafeteria. The atmosphere was electric, every table buzzing with discussions about the upcoming tournament. Alaryc, Jake, Alicia, and Silvarya grabbed their trays, loaded with food, and sat by a window.
– This tournament sounds amazing, Jake exclaimed. Can you imagine? We'll be facing the best students from every elemental academy.
– Yeah, but that means we'll need to prepare seriously, Silvarya replied, her eyes shining with determination.
Alicia nodded.– I agree. We need to find a way to push ourselves beyond our limits.
Alaryc, after a moment of thought, suddenly proposed:– What if we trained together? We could combine our strengths and prepare for every possible type of battle.
The other three exchanged glances and immediately agreed.
– Great idea! Alicia said. If we train together, we can better anticipate our opponents' strategies.
– Yeah, added Jake, and we can spot each other's weaknesses and work on them.
Silvarya, ever pragmatic, added in a serious tone:– In that case, let's set a date and place to start our training. We can't waste any time.
They discussed for a few minutes, laying out a precise plan for their training sessions. The excitement was palpable, and each of them was determined to grow stronger.
As the sun began to set, the four friends left the cafeteria, ready to face the challenges ahead, united by a shared will to triumph.
To be continued...