Chapter 99 - The Elementalist And The Waverunner (1)

"Brother, were you trying to spice up the match?" Shin laughed out loud the moment Elior came into the dressing room. The others were looking at him too, not at least worried, but interested in what went through. 

"Did it look that way?" Elior asked and touched the bruises on his face. "Well, if I planned, I wouldn't take those punches in my face."

"Still you looked cool there," Shin said in envy. "In the end I mean."

"You could look cool too if only you took my classes seriously," Elior snorted and looked around for the healer. "Where's Enna?"

"But I take the training seriously," complained Shin. "And Enna, she was probably with the other girls. Still, brother, your injury is like a pinch compared to what the others have been through."

Elior acknowledged that. After the end of the lunch break, things had not been easy for the freshmen. They did claim victory, at least the ones that were running for the trial, but defeat was not far away either. Other than Shin, Leroy and Lara, everyone else got defeated at least once or twice. Still, their victories have not come easily. 

The upperclassmen were far more aggressive than they were in the morning. Losing to a freshman was the most disgraceful thing of all. They did not just come aggressively, but planned through their matches on how to handle their juniors. At least, Enna was happy doing her healing for everyone. Yes, she got her hands on everyone by now. Everyone but Elior, but that will change soon enough.

Shin was royally lucky in his matches, but that luck won't last that long. 

"Five match five wins. Maybe I need to win one or two more to get me to the next round." Elior eyed Shin again. "Can you get to the next round? Even though you have not lost yet, two of your later opponents were not battle oriented."

"To the top sixteen?" Shin swallowed a little. "Perhaps, if my plan went well."

"Well, you better be there. I already prepared the surprise for you. If you fail to get there, all of it will be nothing."

"That warmed my heart knowing it," Shin said, acting as if he was really touched. Perhaps he will be after he saw the surprize. Well, as far as Elior was concern, there were no better prize for SHin currently than what he had planned. "But I would have appreciated if you just made me a sword instead. Do you know how hard it's to fight with this junk?"

Elior took the sword from Shin and checked its blade. This was really on the verge of turning into junk. It had not been taken care of in the slightest. The blade will turn blunt in a few more matches easily.

"I can't believe you." Elior shook his head and gave the sword back. "You have not taken care of, nor have you sharpened it before the match?"

"I did not know how to, and I was looking out for you to make me a new one."

"You could have asked me. I could have taught you that at least. It is not that hard if you try it once or twice." Elior sighed. "You got to know, weapons are the most external thing for a guardian. Without it, you are half the man. So learn to take care of it." 

"Still," Shin whined, showing the dull blade. "This is barely usable. Can't you work through something fast?"

"I could." Elior raised an eyebrow and saw the girls coming back. "But I won't do it. It will only be a waste of my effort and those good alloys. Don't forget those things were for trial." 'Though, I reckoned they won't be useful before the trial, most likely, I have other plans for the metal. Rather than just having a good weapon, it's better to have a great weapon.' Then he remembered about the sword that was rotting in his room for over a month—the sword that he took away from Renal in the last trial. It was a fine weapon, though rather bland. "Shin, come to my room after this ends for today. I'll solve your problem with weapons, then."

"Really, brother, you are the best."

"I know," Elior realised. And found the girls staring at his face as if he was the hottest piece in the market. Or not. "Ahh, Enna, would you mind working on my bruises a little?"

"What happened to your face?" Ileana asked, knitting her brows at once. "The matches did not come easy, I reckon."

"You can say that," Elior muttered and saw Enna coming before him. She touched his bruises slowly as a golden light released from her palm, healing the bruises in the naked eye. In a few seconds, his wound all were gone and so did the slight pain in his muscles when conversing.

"Better?" Enna smiled, as she finally healed the one that she had not so far. Currently, her work had progressed on everyone of the freshmen. Even Leroy, who came with a few cuts with his acting in the match.

"Much better, thanks." Elior nodded and saw the match between two upperclassmen end as well. Then he chuckled. "Take care of yourself though. We will need you tomorrow for more."

"Maybe not," Enna chuckled back. "I don't see many of you going to the next round. Perhaps two or three."

Shin's eyes glinted as he heard her, but her next words disappointed him again.

"Other than Leroy and Elior, I meant for Lara." 

Shin grumbled a little that he had been wronged.

"Ileana, you are next," Elior said, pointing at the screen where the players were showing. She had only been duelled once, and that was a disaster against Katherine. Fortunately, this time her opponent was not a combatant, but a auxiliary class of the upperclassmen. 

"Good luck," all the students present there said one after another as if she needed luck the most.

"Don't worry, I will at least cast a few spells here."