That morning, a crackling announcement blared across the dormitory through an old wall-mounted mic:"Before 10, all names on the selection list must be present on the training ground. Be ready."
Jimmy didn't waste time. He quickly washed up, packed Luna's satchel pouch, and headed for the ground by 9:30. The training field was mostly empty, the rising sun casting long shadows across the arena lines. He found a shaded bench near the edge and sat quietly, Luna curled on his arms like a sleepy kitten, blinking slowly at the morning light.
Five minutes later, a girl with a high red ponytail walked toward him. Her steps deliberate, her gaze sharp. She stood before him, arms crossed.
"Hey, can't you see a lady is standing in front of you?"
Jimmy glanced up once, nodded slightly, then resumed stroking Luna's fur.
He pulled out his notebook and wrote:
"Go away. I know you didn't come here for friendship or talk. You want something or like a deal maybe."
She leaned forward, smiling faintly. "No… I came here to be your friend."
Jimmy's pen scratched the paper again.
"Lie."
She raised a brow. "Then how can I earn your trust?"
He didn't write anything this time. Just stared at her until she awkwardly sat down beside him. The moment she reached out—perhaps to touch Luna—Luna responded with a sudden splash, spraying water right into her face.
The girl shrieked, half-joking, half-offended. "You… how dare you use your filthy Whisp's attack on me? We'll see each other on the battlefield."
Jimmy didn't react. Just tilted his head and offered Luna a nut.
The red-haired girl pouted but remained seated, drying her face. Inside, though, she made a silent note—so that's how fast his Whisp reacts... a natural reaction ... and without a command. Interesting.
By 9:50, all the boys had arrived. Jimmy's teammates—Velka and the quiet boy, Aaro—gathered nearby. The teacher stepped up, clipboard in hand.
"We'll begin now. This time, the matches will be 1 vs 1."
That announcement caused a stir across teams. Jimmy's lips curled into a small laugh as he saw the panic spread. Velka narrowed her eyes.
"You knew this would happen?"
Jimmy wrote:
"No. Just a hunch."
Velka frowned. "Your hunches are starting to get creepy."
He only shrugged.
The teacher raised a hand. 'Remember life is unexpected. Now start'
"Here are the rules for today's combat trials:
Opponents will be selected by staff.
No use of talent abilities.
If one side is unable to stand or continue, the match ends.
No mechanical props or external devices. Cheating is strictly forbidden.
The winner might not be selected. If the performance is poor, we may pick a loser if they impress us. Give it your all."
At that final rule, Jimmy's face turned serious. It wasn't just about winning—it was about being seen. He glanced at the judges' panel in the distance. Almost all were from high backgrounds, wearing fine clothes and gold-marked armbands. He knew what that meant.
Background mattered. Not just performance.
The final rule caused an uncomfortable murmur. Jimmy's brow creased. He glanced at Luna, who looked up from his lap.
She laid back down, unimpressed.
Jimmy remained silent, but inside, something tensed.
.........................
As the clock struck 10 a.m., again teacher's voice echoed through the central speakers of the training ground, sharp and commanding:
"A total of 16 teams have been chosen for today's trials—15 from the Elite Class, 23 from Class A, and 10 from Class B. Good luck to all of you."
The crowd stirred with murmurs and shifting feet. A few hopefuls pumped their fists; others looked pale. Jimmy simply exhaled, brushing Luna's fur gently as she perched on his shoulder, watching everything with wide, watery eyes.
Suddenly, a whir of energy lit up the arena.
Six Lingrithms floated in from the upper towers like celestial librarians. Their glowing runes pulsed in sync as they hovered above the centre field. Then—click—they locked into position, forming a hexagonal prism of pure light. A massive digital screen flickered into life, displaying the match routine in glowing script, shifting between languages, even Whisp-glyphs.
Match Display
Blue Team 🆚 Red Team
T1: Jimmy – Aaro – Velka 🆚 Krav – Henry – Saya
T2: … 🆚 T15
T3: …(and so on)
A rush of whispers swept through the crowd.
"Wait, they're facing Team 16?"
"That's Krav's team. That guy's whisp is brutal."
"Didn't he hospitalize someone's whisp last month?"
"Yeah. Broke a Class A's tingling whisp ribs in a sparring match."
Jimmy, Aaro, and Velka walked to their assigned bench—on the blue side—while their opponents took the red side. As each student stepped forward, they picked up a color-coded badge corresponding to their team. Jimmy clipped his on without a word.
Opposite them, the red-haired girl—Saya—gritted her teeth.
"Krav you have to eliminate him most dangerous way." she muttered to her team. "We were supposed to avoid direct confrontation. Just… give your best. One more tip she has quick reaction amongst I have seen all."
He looked at her with a calm stare.
"She's a bad girl" Jimmy scribbled on his notepad and showed it to Velka.
Velka raised a brow. "How can you tell?"
"I feel something is bad about her whisp. Be careful." Velka said. "First take care of yourself. Tip don't see into that whisp's eye."
Jimmy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Should I let her wear same eye band?"
Luna tilted her head and whispered, "What happened?"
Jimmy smiled faintly and whispered back, "She's just angry. Maybe she needs the Most Holy Water Spray."
Luna gave a mischievous smirk. "With extra pressure?"
Aaro chuckled, catching the joke. "You two did something." he said, then bumped fists with Jimmy. "Best of luck, my friend."
But this time… the atmosphere wasn't heavy.
No pit in the stomach. No icy fear crawling up the spine.
Just… resolve.
The announcer's voice returned as the match countdown began.
"All match players—step into the ring. First duel: Jimmy vs Krav."
A mechanical referee drone descended, its limbs folding out with blinking lights and a scanning eye. It hovered between the two.
Krav was already in the centre, arms crossed, grinning like he already saw the outcome. His Whisp—Hauntusk—stood beside him: a ghastly beast with skeletal limbs made of black mist and a cracked ivory mask, flickering in and out of visibility.
Jimmy walked in slowly, Luna hovering at his side. Her blue-and-purple scales shimmered like liquid crystal under the morning light. Tiny sparks of mist danced around her body as she floated forward.
Krav sneered. "Brought your plush toy to fight?" Luna stared at him angrily.
Jimmy patted her gently, calming her down. Then he looked up at Krav—not angry, not afraid. Just… observant.
"You ready?" the drone asked.
"Ready," Krav said, cracking his knuckles.
Jimmy simply nodded.
The drone beeped.
"Begin."