Chapter 18 — The Dojo competition (3)
From high above, the Darve Dojo looked almost peaceful.
The wide backtyard lay open beneath the pale sky, its circular arenas glowing faintly as barriers shimmered in and out of existence. Students moved like pieces on a board—some preparing to fight, others recovering, all watched by unseen eyes that weighed their futures with quiet scrutiny.
Down below, Rowan stood where his match had ended.
His axe rested against his shoulder, breath still warm in his chest.
Across the backyard, his eyes found Riven.
That familiar face.
Before Rowan even realized it, a genuine smile tugged at his lips—soft, unguarded, the kind that came without thought.
He lifted his hand.
"H—"
Riven's gaze met his.
Just briefly.
A single nod.
Then Riven turned away and walked toward the other students.
Rowan's hand hovered awkwardly in the air before slowly dropping back to his side.
"…Ah."
He hesitated, then raised his voice anyway.
"Hey! Thank you—for your advice back then!"
Riven paused mid-step.
He turned his head just enough to glance back, his eyes unreadable, measuring Rowan like a stranger he hadn't decided on yet.
Then he turned away again.
Said nothing.
And sat down among the other students.
One of them leaned closer.
"Hey, Riven. You know that newbie?"
Riven replied without looking up.
"Not really."
Rowan watched silently.
Something in his chest tightened—just a little.
'Guess I imagined it.'
"HEY, DOLT."
SMACK!!
Pain bloomed at the back of Rowan's head.
"Ow—!"
He spun around, rubbing the spot as Eldric stood behind him, arms crossed.
"How long are you planning to stand there like an idiot?" Eldric snapped. "Move. Other students have matches too."
Rowan glanced sideways and noticed two students stepping forward toward the arena.
"You could've said that without hitting me," Rowan muttered.
Eldric scoffed. "You were lost in your own head. You weren't listening."
Rowan grumbled but moved aside.
Soon, he sat with the other students, eyes glued to the ongoing battles—his first time watching from the sidelines as part of a group.
'It's strange,' he thought. 'My heart's still racing.'
---
At the edge of the backyard, dojo Master Garrick sat firmly on his chair.
Beside him, Eldric sat on the grass, legs stretched out, watching the matches with half-lidded eyes.
"The students have grown quite a bit," Eldric said casually.
Master Garrick nodded. "They have."
Then he paused.
"…But many of them are still not ready for the Grand Aetherion entrance exam."
Eldric didn't look at him. "You think this much growth still isn't enough?"
The dojo master inhaled.
"Grand Aetherion is a place where—"
"Yeah, yeah," Eldric cut in lazily. "A place where prodigies from academies, dojos, sanctums, and elemental houses gather. A battlefield for monsters pretending to be students. Too harsh for toddler mages. Blah blah blah."
Master Garrick stared at him with wide eyes.
Eldric kept his gaze forward. "Aren't you tired of saying the same lines every year?"
Master Garrick raised his hand.
Eldric instantly covered his head ready for the impact.
But the strike never came.
"Match concluded!" a voice announced.
The dojo master exhaled sharply, folding his arms across his chest instead.
Eldric peeked through his fingers.
"…Huh."
---
"Next match," the announcer called.
"Rowan versus Beren Brenwick."
Eldric straightened.
Inside the barrier, Rowan moved with practiced ease.
Fire chop after fire chop tore through the air—clean, precise, overwhelming.
Beren's Flame Shots shattered one after another, unable to keep up.
Watching closely, the dojo master asked quietly, "Just what did you teach that kid?"
Eldric sighed. "Believe me, Master. I didn't teach him that. I don't even know how that spell works."
He rubbed his face. "All I taught him were basics. He struggled just to maintain fire for three days. Then suddenly—This.
Eldric looking cresent of fire toring through the spells, took a long sigh.
"Sighhhhh!!"
"I don't know from where did he learnt such bizzer spell."
The dojo master hummed. "Hmm...The kid has talent."
Eldric scoffed. "Taking three days just to maintain fire is talent now?"
"Maybe," Master Garrick replied calmly, "his teacher was a drunkard who couldn't see it."
Eldric twitched. "…Hey."
"After all," Master Garrick continued, eyes never leaving the arena, "creating new spell forms after learning only the basics can only be done by a truly talented artist."
Eldric muttered, "Yeah, well. His spell names are trash."
The dojo master ignored him.
Inside the arena, Fire Chop tore through Beren's defense and struck cleanly.
The barrier flashed.
Beren was ejected.
Rowan exhaled slowly, swinging his axe once as embers faded, eyes shining with quiet excitement.
Eldric watched him thoughtfully.
"What do you think, Master?"
There was no response.
Master Garrick remained quiet.
Eldric frowned and turned.
"…Do you really think," he asked seriously, "that kid has already reached Stage Two?"
The dojo master rubbed his chin, gaze sharp.
"The speed and power are equivalent to Stage Two," he admitted. "But…"
His eyes shifted to the students entering the barrier for next battle.
"To the next match."
Riven Valemont stepped into the arena.
Opposite him stood another student—tall, sharp-eyed.
"Riven Valemont versus Leonhart Vale."
The dojo master's gaze fixed on Riven alone.
Eldric waited.
"…But what?" he pressed. "Master?"
Silence.
"Damn it, old man, at least finish your line don't go quite all of a sudde— Mmmph. "
Realizing too late that he said it out loud—
Eldric clamped a hand over his mouth.
Slowly, he turned.
The dojo master was staring at him with piercing gaze daggers in his eyes.
Eldric smiled weakly.
"Heh…Hah."
Dojo master lifted his hand and punched his head.
"Smackkkk!!!!"
Eldric layed slumped on the ground after getting hit.
Inside the barrier, Riven and Leonhart took their stances.
Mana stirred.
And the next battle began.
---
Chapter Ends