The Mage Who Went to High School: Chapter 11
"BANG-!"
A long, sharp bell echoed through the hallways, finally silencing the clamor of the sophomore classrooms. It wasn't just a bell to signal the start of class. It was a bugle call to a three-day-long war, a prelude to the judgment that would determine the students' fate. Students who had been lingering in the hallway fell silent and returned to their seats as if on cue. The classroom, which had been boisterous just moments before, was now filled with a tense, palpable quiet. A complex mix of anticipation, anxiety, impatience, and a touch of resignation was etched on their faces.
I sat at my desk, feeling the subtle change in the air. I had experienced countless battlefields in my 500-year-long life, but this peculiar tension was new to me. There was no smell of blood, no clash of mana. Only the intangible pressure emitted by paper, ink, and young souls dominated the space.
My gaze naturally fell on the two people in front of me. Sora sat with her hands clasped together as if in prayer, and Kevin adjusted his glasses, taking a deep breath. Their backs seemed smaller and more vulnerable than usual. In the back of the classroom, Tyler sat at his desk. Our eyes met across the room. The hostility was still there, but a flicker of unease danced in his eyes as well.
I looked at my desk. The test paper was placed in front of me, its blankness seeming to demand an answer. I picked up my pen and waited for the teacher to hand out the tests. I had nothing to fear. I was prepared. I knew the "right answers." The fear that filled this classroom was a foreign emotion to me. My heart was as calm as a still lake.
The teacher finally started handing out the tests. The atmosphere in the classroom grew even more intense. Each rustle of paper, each step of the teacher felt like a prelude to a storm. I received my test paper, my eyes scanning the questions. I began to write.
My pen moved across the paper at a breathtaking speed. I didn't need to read the questions twice. The answer was already there in my mind. I was a machine, a human computer, spitting out the right answers for the exam. Question after question, I filled in the blanks and circled the correct options.
When the bell rang for the end of the first period, my test paper was filled from top to bottom. I didn't even notice the other students' shocked stares. They were still struggling with the last question, their faces pale with anxiety. I simply stood up, handed in my test, and walked out of the classroom.
The hallway was filled with the usual hustle and bustle of students heading to their lockers. I was lost in my thoughts, thinking about the last question on the math test. It was a trivial problem that could be solved in an instant if you understood the concept of the derivative, but the students of this world seemed to solve it through a long and convoluted process. It seemed inefficient.
The first day of the exam was over. The morning sessions had tested us on language, history, and math. The afternoon sessions would test us on science and social studies. I had no doubt that I would get a perfect score. I had to. I had a bet to win.
I met up with Kevin and Sora at the cafeteria. They looked worn out, their faces pale.
"Oh man, I totally bombed the math test. I couldn't even finish the last problem."
"And what was that on the history test? I swear, half of that stuff wasn't in the textbook."
Kevin and Sora slumped into their seats, their faces full of despair. I felt a strange pang of sympathy. They were so fragile. So easily defeated by a mere test.
"Did you do okay, Arcane? Was it hard?"
Sora's eyes were filled with worry. I paused, considering my answer. I couldn't tell them that the test was easy. It would only make them feel worse.
"It was... okay."
My answer was simple, but it seemed to reassure them.
"See? I knew you'd be fine. You're different, Arcane. I couldn't even get started on the last math problem."
"The last problem? That's an easy one. You just need to understand the concept of inflection points. It's a simple two-step derivative function..."
I started explaining the problem, but Kevin and Sora's eyes went wide. I had already analyzed and solved every single problem on the test. They stared at me, their mouths agape.
We walked to the cafeteria together. The room was filled with the usual chaos. Students were loudly discussing the exam, their voices a mixture of relief and disappointment. I was sitting with Kevin and Sora, and I felt a strange sense of belonging. It was a new feeling, but it wasn't an unpleasant one.
Suddenly, a group of students approached our table. It was Tyler and his friends. Tyler's face was pale with a deep scowl. He looked defeated. His friends were equally pale and silent. They had overheard the rumor that I had aced the math test.
"Hey, what's up with that guy? He's supposed to be an idiot, right? So why did he get a perfect score on the mock test? Did you cheat or something?"
One of Tyler's friends, a tall, burly guy named Mike, confronted me. I looked at him, my expression unreadable. I had no reason to answer his question. I didn't care about his insults. But Kevin and Sora stepped forward, their faces filled with anger.
"Back off, Mike! We studied together all week. Arcane is just super smart!" Kevin said.
"Yeah! He was helping us all week. He's not a cheater!" Sora added.
Tyler just stood there, his face a mix of fury and disbelief. He had believed that I was a simpleton who would fail the test. But now he was faced with the crushing reality that I was far more intelligent than he could ever imagine.
A deep sense of disappointment and anger spread across his face. But he didn't say anything. He just looked at me with a cold stare and then walked away, his friends following him like a pack of defeated dogs.
I returned my gaze to my lunch. I felt a small, unfamiliar flicker in my heart. Was this what it felt like to be a part of a team? To have people stand up for you?
After lunch, we had the afternoon sessions. Science and social studies. I aced them both. I didn't even bother to recheck my answers. I knew they were correct.
The first day of the exam was a triumph. I had proven myself. I had won the first round of the battle against Tyler.
But as I walked home with Kevin and Sora, I felt a strange sense of emptiness. The victory was sweet, but it didn't feel as satisfying as I had expected. It felt like winning a game that had no meaning.
"Dude, we did it! We totally killed the first day!" Kevin cheered.
"Yeah! You were amazing, Arcane! I told you you could do it!" Sora said, her face glowing with pride.
I just smiled faintly.
"So, what do you want to do tonight? Want to celebrate?" Kevin asked.
"I have to get back to studying for the next day's exams," I replied.
"Oh, right. Me too. And you, Arcane? Are you going to study all night again?" Sora asked.
I thought for a moment. My mind was already filled with all the knowledge I needed. I didn't have to study. I could rest. I could go to my room and be alone. But the faces of Kevin and Sora, looking at me with such genuine concern and camaraderie, made me change my mind.
"No. Let's study together. We still have two days to go."
My words made Kevin and Sora's faces light up. They smiled, and their smiles were so bright, so genuine, that they almost blinded me. For the first time, I felt a deep sense of purpose that was not related to my past.
That night, in Kevin's room, we studied together again. The room was filled with the same laughter, the same passionate debates, and the same camaraderie. The war had just begun, but the three of us, the most unlikely team in the history of high school, were ready for it.