A jagged stream of water split the sky. Dozens of shark-shaped torrents arced down like diving missiles, each fin cutting through the rain with murderous intent.
Muscles coiled, and I desperately wove a huge liquid fist around my body, its fingers rippling like living eels. Before their teeth found me, the water-fist snapped shut around me, its grip like iron. It hurled me sideways in a blistering spray.
Behind me, the sharks slammed into the stone arena in thunderous crashes, fountains of mist erupting with each broken form. I skidded to a halt in the cradle of a water net, droplets pinpricking my grazed skin as I forced myself to get up.
I'm not done yet!
"Lastly, you can prepare large scale spells." Low thunder grumbled as swollen clouds bunched overhead, each pressurized droplet pulsing in the dim light. "If you can defend this – then I'll consider it your win Cindy."
Smug and composed.
"Fine then teach, I'll take your spell head on!" The sky cracked with black lightning and gale-force winds howled as if acknowledging my declaration.
The situation couldn't be any more hopeless. But for some reason... I was looking forward to it. Looking forward to experiencing the apex of magic first-hand.
"You stubborn child. Don't you know? After pride comes the—
—flood!
A small coastline on the horizon. Then a storm surge. Then a tsunami. And finally – a flood. I watched as the body of water behind me grew exponentially till it consumed that entire side of the arena and surpassed the limits of my vision.
Only thirty percent mana left. I channelled my mana into the ground in a quick last-ditch effort before the storm arrived. I summoned a pack of water wolves using twenty five percent of the mana I had left.
This had to work.
Even apex mages would struggle against a coordinated assault on all fronts. Dozens of water wolves surged from every angle. Some dashed straight for the headmaster with snapping jaws, others veered to the sides, flanking low and fast, while a few held back, circling like liquid phantoms waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The flood drew closer.
She moved like clockwork, spells flaring, arms sweeping in fluid arcs. Every gesture summoned crashing waves to scatter the wolves or called up armoured sentries of water that met their charge with clashing shields.
But even for an apex mage, the sheer number was relentless. She was... backing away.
"Not bad Cindy, so you still had a trick like this I'm impressed." Step by step, she retreated. Her footing cautious, her breathing sharp. "It must be quite mentally taxing to control this many at once."
She could say that again.
The pressure wells I'd hidden were primed. Mana laced the arena in invisible threads, an intricate trap masquerading as scattered battlefield runoff. Just a few more steps. A little more. She was nearly there.
The wolves had cut off her path, she was surrounded. She turned to face me beyond the park, her options bleak. A flicker of recognition flashed in her eyes.
"It's too late, professor." I smirked. It was my win. "You're already fallen for my trap."
"Is that so Cindy? Because I was about to say the same thing."
"Wha—"
A rumble tore through the ground as it collapsed under me. Stone gave way like sand, and a yawning whirlpool snapped open. I threw out a desperate surge of wind magic to create some distance, but the whirlpool was too wide. It was sucking me in.
I plunged.
She hovered above the chasm, the sky behind her lit by lightning and mana residue. Her arms folded casually, as if this had all been part of a demonstration.
"Did you think you were the only one setting arena traps?" She called down. "And did you really believe I wouldn't notice you obviously placing pressure wells all around the arena?" She sighed in fake disappointment.
The whirlpool howled louder, dragging me into the abyss. I struggled to steady my limbs, but the currents coiled like iron chains. The flood was coming.
"From the spacing, depth, and density, I figured you were trying to mimic a volcanic eruption. Ingenious." She gave a thoughtful nod. "But without fire magic for the extra power and earth magic to hide the wells, your execution was… incomplete."
I gritted my teeth, seething at her analysis. She'd known all along. She'd played along. And worse of all, she was right.
"Once I saw that," she continued, "It was obvious you'd try to herd me somewhere central. A place surrounded by wells. So, I laid down a little insurance of my own."
Ah, how frustrating.
"This is my original spell," she said softly. "Emperor-tier. You'll be the first to survive it. But don't worry, I'll teach it to you one day."
She raised her hand, as if she was calling on the tide. "I call it: The Abyss."
The flood swallowed me.
The figure above me quickly vanished. Darkness consumed the world. No light, no sound, no surface. Only a deathly stillness, and a lone hum echoing through the deep.
The voice of the ocean.
It was my loss. A complete, utter loss.
'Woaaahhh'
'That was amazing!'
'Did you see Cindy's Water Golems they were so cool!'
'What about the Headmaster's shark spell? That was straight up insane!'
'Today's hero wasn't the headmaster though.'
"That last resort with the Water Wolves really won us all over.'
'I'm glad I didn't miss this one!'
'We love you Cindy!'
'Stand proud Genius Hater, you are strong.'
When I came to, the darkness of the abyss was gone and the familiar afternoon sun was beaming. A roar of cheers echoed around me congratulating me on my hard-earned defeat. It was bittersweet.
A familiar hand reached out towards me as I lay on my back basking in the moment. "You fought well Cindy I'm proud of you." She said with her usual smug smile. But this time it seemed a little more sincere.
"Who cares about whether you're proud or not. Hmph! I want a rematch!"
"Pffft! Haha, I thought you'd say something like that. I'd love to teach you some more manners but I'm a head teacher, and I don't have as much free time as it seems."
"So?"
"So how about third year – before you graduate. At that time, you can tell me whether you want it to be another water duel or just a normal duel."
"Deal!"
"Unfortunately, before that, you've got a promise to fulfil."
"Oh right yeah, I forgot." I scratched my head. "So what is it you want me to do? More homework? Clean the courtyard, do two culture projects?"
"No, no and no. You'll work as a recruiter."
"If every teacher is as strong as you I don't think I'll be a very effective recruiter."
"You needn't worry about that. You'll be recruiting future students."
"What?"
"Yes. Geniuses."
"But why would you ask me to do that? You do know my nickname right?"
"Why of course – you're the infamous Genius Hater."
"Then why?"
"You know – not all geniuses have it easy and they're not all arrogant, entitled and lazy. Cindy I think you'll make a great teacher one day. You complain a lot but you are actually very patient."
You act cold to others but actually care a lot. And best of all you have a passion for magic. If you meet the right kid I know you'll fall in love with teaching. You and I are the same Cindy."
So she said anyways. I thought she was the arrogant and prideful one, but it turns out it was me in the end. With a sigh, I grabbed my treasure bag and began rummaging through it until I found a colourful notepad.
I flipped through its sections, skipping over 'Notes on Mana Absorption,' 'Chaos Leaves,' 'Ideas for New Spells,' and 'Mana Domains,' before stopping at the section labelled 'Child Prodigies.'
I'd scribbled down notes as I recruited, making sure to capture the full picture for each child. Somewhere along the line I started to really feel for these kids. These weren't just names on a list to me anymore—they were future mages, each with a unique story.
Tiffany – five years old. Superior soul strength.
Extreme fire affinity.
Medium mana pool. Can already cast a fireball spell (ten percent success rate).
Recruiter Note: Exceptional potential in fire magic. Needs to learn control to ensure her explosive power doesn't literally backfire one day. She needs to space out her practice sessions more as she's very prone to burn out.
Chovey – six years old. Medium soul strength.
Quadra element affinity: Water, Fire, Earth and Light.
Superior mana pool. Predicted to cast first spell by age eight.
Recruiter Note: Seems overwhelmed by all his elements. Needs advice on how to prioritize and channel his powers effectively. Since he's quite introverted, someone extroverted with multiple affinities would be a good fit to mentor him.
Phelette – five years old. Semi-superior soul strength.
Triple element affinity: Water, Wind, Light.
Semi-superior mana pool. Expected to cast her first spell at age six.
Recruiter Note: Very cautious and logical. Her strength lies in analysis, but it's a double-edged sword. She's way too slow and meticulous to react quickly. She needs to learn how to trust her instincts more and figure things out in the moment.
Leiz – seven years old. Medium soul strength
Triple element affinity: Fire, Wind, Earth.
Semi-superior mana pool. Can already cast fireball, waterbomb and earthblast.
Recruiter Note: Creative, but overly stubborn. Needs to learn to compromise. His ideas aren't always brilliant, but he's fixated on them. He needs a mentor who can teach him flexibility and that other people's ideas are valid too.
Kruiz...
Velonica...
Weiss...
.
.
.
Those were just some of the more promising young geniuses I'd recruited over the past month. How I recruited them was different for each kid. Some I saved from monsters, others I taught briefly as a hired tutor and some I cold approached simply out of intuition.
Still, there was an important name missing from the list.
Reno Frostworth – five years old. Weak soul strength.
No element affinities.
Inferior mana pool. Can already cast Waterbomb and Fireball.
Recruiter Note: Has incredible reaction speed and high intelligence for his age. The only kid so far to be able to instinctively cast spells under pressure. His battle IQ is off the charts, but the kid's got zero confidence. If I could just get him to believe in himself...
Personal Note: He's my one and only disciple.
I clicked my pen. There, now it's up to date.
The moment I saw Reno, I knew he was magically gifted. How could I not notice the fact he was gathering mana as he walked? Any mage worth their mana crystals could tell. It was slow, excruciatingly slow, but it was certainly there.
Most kids his age can't absorb mana unless they're sitting still, eyes shut with someone chanting instructions over their shoulder. Being able to do it so casually – however gradual – means he's already miles ahead.
Mana absorption is like learning to speak a new language. At first, your body fights it, stiff and uncoordinated. It takes focus, concentration, and endless hours of practice. But after a while, it becomes something you do naturally, like walking.
If mana's the alphabet all mages use, then spells are the words which make up the language of magic. Reno was nowhere near effortlessness or fluency, but the fact that he was already moving in that direction? It was more than impressive for his age.
I had to recruit him. Well, not really. By then, I'd recruited more than enough people to say I'd completed the assignment. Technically, I didn't have to recruit him or anyone else anymore. I'd already met the quota.
But... I couldn't help it.
Honestly, geniuses are nothing but trouble! Always demanding attention, always pushing you to keep up. And child geniuses? They're the worst. Entitled, arrogant, and impossible to handle.
I should know. I've seen more than enough of them. They make everything harder than it needs to be. If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have gone anywhere near these kids. And yet, there I was, about to recruit another one of these monsters. It didn't make any sense, but I couldn't stop myself.
Was it the swirling mana around him, or was it just pure curiosity? Or maybe it was his striking blue eyes, eyes that mirrored my older sister's, drawing me in. It didn't matter now.
The real reason was simple: that old hag would never stop nagging me if she found out I didn't at least try to recruit someone as talented as Reno.
With a heavy sigh, I shook my head. Fine. One more time.
My recruitment plan was simple. First, I'd showcase my magical prowess to spark his curiosity and establish myself as a high-level mage. Then, I'd assess his constitution to gauge his talent. Afterward, I'd tell him he barely missed the cut to be my disciple but offer him a chance to study under my teachers at the academy islands.
It was a failproof plan. One I'd used before with a high success rate. I mean who wouldn't want to be the disciple of a mage even better than me? Not that there are any mages better than me on the islands, except potentially one, but it's not like they know that right?
But this time... it was different. Something was off. The analysis should've been predictable: medium soul strength, single or dual affinity, medium mana pool. It's always something along those lines. But Reno's evaluation shattered all my expectations.
Most people had at least one strength. A sizable mana pool, a resilient soul, something to lean on. It was almost unheard of for someone to lack any at all. Almost.
Usually, if someone's born with severely weak traits, it's because they're compensating for something exceptional, like multiple affinities. Nature tends to balance things out.
But Reno? He didn't even have any ordinary traits let alone extraordinary ones. Just abysmal readings across the board – barely measurable. As if magic itself wanted nothing to do with him.
I knew all too well someone like that would only be called one thing in this world: talentless.
How could someone cast spells at age five, after only a few days of learning, and be 'talentless'? I didn't believe it. I couldn't. But the appraisal wasn't wrong.
Talentless.
That word. I hate it. It's the kind of word that leaves a scar, not a sound. Just the thought of it makes my stomach churn. It's a label. A label society clings to, pretending it means something. But it doesn't.
I know what it's like to be labelled. To be told what you can't become before you've even begun. But I also know what it's like to overcome that. And I believe Reno can do the same. I'm sure of it.
Somewhere in that moment, thinking about him, recalling the look in his eyes, I changed. I remembered. It wasn't enough that I believed in him. I wanted Reno to believe in himself too. That's when I made my mind up.
Reno Frostworth was going to be my disciple.