Chapter 16 —The Dojo competition (1)
The Dojo Master's sharp eyes settled on the boy standing at the entrance.
He wore simple but decent clothing—clean, well-fitted, carefully chosen. His posture was straight, his expression calm and confident, neither arrogant nor nervous.
For someone standing before the entire dojo for the first time… he looked oddly prepared.
---
A brief memory surfaced.
"Ugh... Ma...!"
Rowan sat on a chair inside their small hut, groaning as his mother vigorously wiped his face with a towel.
"Mom, that's enough," he protested weakly.
She ignored him completely, smiling as she dabbed away imaginary dust.
"You said it's a competition, my son," she said cheerfully. "You have to look good."
Then—without warning—she applied a little makeup.
Rowan froze.
"…Mom."
Rowan shot an annoyed look toward his father.
His father stood nearby, silent, arms crossed, a faint smile resting on his lips—as if this scene was entirely normal.
then suddenly a memory surfaces on his mind
"Ahh ma! come on it's enough."
it was a memory when his elder brother was also about to leave the house to go to a mage academy and his mom was doing his make up too.
Looking at his father Rowan remembered that at that time he was standing in the same place as their father with the same expression.
"—And here."
The memory faded. His mother's voice snapped him back from the flashback. She stepped back, nodded approvingly, then cupped his cheeks.
"There. A finishing touch. You look very handsome."
"…Yeah," Rowan muttered with a faint smile. Then he looked back at his mother's warm, proud expression.
"Thank you, Ma."
His father finally spoke.
"Good luck, son."
---
Back in the present—
The Dojo Master's gaze sharpened.
"Who are you?"
Rowan's eyes moved from the towering man before him… down to the Vice Master Eldric.
Eldric was still lying flat on the grass floor, staring at Rowan with wide, horrified eyes, like he was witnessing the end of his career.
Rowan paused for half a second then spoke calmly.
"My name is Rowan."
The Dojo Master nodded once.
"Are you a new admission?"
Rowan looked at the Eldric who was shaking his head left and right.
"…Yes."
Eldric's mouth fell open.
"Did you take in a new student while I was away?" Master Garrick asked calmly, turning toward him.
"Well— Master— I— well—"
"Hmm... So you did," the Master nodded, half-impressed. "Looks like you weren't entirely useless while I was away."
Eldric froze. 'Wait… he thinks I brought that dolt? Oh no, this is worse…'
"Well— Master about that..."
Master Garrick turned to the students.
"Did the Vice Master take in someone new?"
A few students exchanged glances before one spoke up.
"Well… yes, Master. He was teaching this kid in the backyard for some time."
Eldric nearly screamed internally.'I'm going to strangle this boy in his sleep.'
The Master nodded slowly.
"Ah." His gaze returned to Eldric.
"That explains why the backyard was looking like a battlefield."
Eldric's soul nearly left his body.
'Damn it. I'm screwed.
This dolt—why did he even come today? I never expected him to enter the competition seriously!'
"Alright," the Dojo Master said, turning back to Rowan.
"New student. Show me what you've learned."
"Yes, Master," Rowan said firmly, stepping forward.
He unslung his axe.
Eldric's eye twitched.
'Why.'
'Why are you taking that out.
It's a fighting competition, not a woodcutting festival!'
Master Garrick stared at the axe.
"…Why are you taking out an axe?Where is your wand?"
Rowan blinked.
"This is my wand. I mean— my stick— I mean— my wand."
"Hahaha... Haha... hehehe..."
A ripple of giggles spread through the students.
A single tear slid down Eldric's cheek as he mentally prepared for execution.
'Here we go…'
The Dojo Master's voice dropped.
"What kind of magic have you been teaching this child?"
His eyes bore into the Eldric.
"I told you magic is an art. Were you messing around with new admission while I was away?"
Eldric said nothing. He lay there, face-down,burying his face in the grass, accepting his fate.
"Master!" Rowan interrupted, stepping forward confidently. "May I show my magic, Master?"
"What?" The Dojo Master blinked. "You're going to use magic… with that?"
Rowan nodded firmly.
Eldric buried his face into the grass. 'Please no. Please no more damage.'
"Fine," the Master said, gesturing toward a wooden training dummy. "Hit that target. Show me what you can do."
His eyes flicked briefly toward Eldric.
'Stop looking at me like that.', Eldric begged internally.
Fwoom!
CRACK.
A loud sound echoed.
Everyone turned.
The dummy was gone,Shattered into pieces.
Rowan stood there calmly, axe in hand.
"…What happened?" Master Garrick asked slowly.
"I did what you asked, Master."
"No. Wait."
The Master shook his head.
"I didn't see it. Do it again."
He pointed to another dummy—much farther away.
Rowan inhaled, adjusted his grip, and swung.
A crescent of fire erupted from the axe, slicing through the air and obliterating the target in an explosion of flame and splinters.
Everyone stood frozen — mouths open, eyes wide. Even Eldric looked like he'd seen a ghost
Eldric's thoughts spiraled.
'I didn't teach him anything like that! he thought, stunned. Even I don't know what that was… and did that really come out of his axe?!'
"I've never seen magic like that," he thought faintly.
The Dojo Master turned.
"Eldric."
"Yes—!" the Vice Master croaked.
The Dojo Master broke the silence, his voice trembling slightly. "remind me… how long does it usually take for students to cast and launch a fireball spell?"
"Uh… five seconds barehanded, three with a wand," the Vice Master mumbled.
The Dojo Master took a deep breath, eyes gleaming. "Two seconds."
The Vice Master frowned. "Two... what?
"That boy took two seconds."
"That's just a one-second difference, Master."
The old man turned sharply. "A one-second difference in magic can decide the outcome of battles! And that wasn't just a spell, at first it looked like some basic fire spell. But the execution, the power, the shape... — that was art!"
He strode up to Rowan, gripping his shoulders with both hands. "That was art, my boy! You're a goddamn artist!"
He looked at Rowan again—eyes filled not just with shock, but admiration.
Rowan blinked.
'Artist? I thought I was gonna be a mage.
What is this old man talking about?'
"What did you said your name is?" the Master asked.
"…Rowan."
"Yeah Rowan"Master Garrick smiled.
"I can tell—you are a very fine artist, Rowan.
Nearby, Eldric lay on the floor with a deadpanned expression and tired eyes.
Sigh.
'Damn old man... always art art art art then why didn't you became an artist instead of mage huh... did you failed art school or something.'
---
Chapter Ends