The twenty students who had been told they would move on to the next stage were absolutely overjoyed. It had been expected that the top five students would be selected, but when the five
transfer
studentsā names were also picked, the atmosphere shifted.
Although many in the crowd were disappointed, none of them could argue. After witnessing the transfer studentsā performances firsthand, it was clear they had earned their place.
Chiba was the first to suggest they should all come together and celebrate, and so, they did. They decided to head out for a meal just outside the Academy walls.
They chose a magical barbecue spot, where enchanted utensils cooked and carved the meat to perfection. The students simply selected their dishes, and the food was prepared right before their eyes.
As the others watched the floating utensils move gracefully through the air, preparing everything without them lifting a single finger, they had to remind themselves not to look too surprised.
Eventually, Chiba lifted her glass high in front of everyone, her cheeks already tinged pink. She had a few words she wanted to share.
"Whether we won, lost, or drew today, it doesnāt matter," Chiba announced, her voice ringing with energy. "Because going forward, we are all in this together!"
There were a few exchanged side-eyes, but reluctantly, everyone raised their glasses and cheered along.
"You really managed to pull it out of the bag right at the end there," Yolden said, turning to Dame. "I was getting worried for you when Piba started using his Moon Magic. I thought you wouldnāt get a chance to really show what you could do."
"Youāre telling me," Dame replied, shaking his head. "I still havenāt fully gotten the hang of these gloves, but it worked out in the end."
As the night carried on, both the Pagna warriors and the Academy students enjoyed a large quantity of drinks.
What surprised the mages most was how well the Pagna warriors were handling their alcohol. It was as if it wasnāt affecting them at all.
It was all thanks to their warrior bodies. Each time they reached a new stage in their cultivation, more and more toxins were purged from their systems.
This not only contributed to their long lifespans, but those who neared or even reached the Divine Realm were essentially immortal.
"Do you guys know some kind of cleansing spell or something?" Chiba asked, her face flushed as she hiccuped softly. "No... no, that canāt be possible."
"Arenāt you kids just students?" Dame said with a chuckle. "I think you should take it easy with your drinking." He gently placed Chibaās glass down on the table. "Especially with your small body, itās going to hit you harder than the others."
Chiba glanced at her drink... and then back at Dame.
She couldnāt help but stare at his strong, handsome features, and her tipsy mind compelled her to speak.
"Oi... do you think just because youāre handsome you can tell me what to do?" Chiba teased. "I mean... itās working a bit. But I heard you rejected everyone, so Iām not going to try. And besides, I have a rule. I donāt date anyone weaker than me."
Dame shook his head with a smile and decided to let her drunken ramblings go.
"I mean, you
lost
to Piba, whoās the number one ranked student, sure, but I can tell... I could totally kick your ass. You barely did anything apart from that
Fiery Hands, whoo!
" Chiba said, waving her hands wildly in the air. "And where was your Windy Windy Strike, huh? Not
one
of you used it."
As the evening wore on, the gathering shifted into more of a
look after the drunk ones
kind of night for both the warriors and the mages.
"Should I use my Light Magic?" Safa whispered softly. "I think I could cleanse them of the alcoholās effects."
"Itās okay," Raze replied calmly. "They did this because theyāre happy, and they wanted to drink. When we take them back... just before they fall asleep, thatāll be the best time to cleanse them. That way, theyāll be ready for the assessment tomorrow."
"Ahhh... if only you hadnāt lost. If only you hadnāt lost to Piba... then Iād make you mine," Chiba giggled, hiccuping again.
Eventually, Dame had had enough. He leaned in closer. As he did, Chibaās face grew warmer by the second. Then, she heard Dameās whispered words.
"The truth is... I still had a lot more to show," Dame said softly. "I lost on purpose. I was perfectly fine."
Because of the System, Liam had picked up
every single word
he said.
"And Raze said he trusted you the most! Youāre going to blow our cover!" Liam nearly shouted, panic flashing in his eyes.
"Cover? What cover?" Yolden asked, frowning.
Now it was Safa shaking her head at Liam, giving him a clear warning look.
And as usual, when situations like this started to spiral, everyone turned to look at Raze.
He stood up, his face serious, his presence commanding the room as all eyes fell on him.
"Iām sorry," Raze said simply.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared. Raze had been mostly silent the entire evening, and when he spoke, he had a way of pulling the roomās full attention.
Raze... are you really going to tell them the truth?
Safa thought nervously.
Right now, Iām not sure thatās a good idea.
"Haha! You cheated, right?" Moze burst out, laughing. "Thatās what you want to say!"
Yolden quickly slapped a hand over Mozeās mouth to shut him up. She was now staring deeply into Razeās eyes. To her, it really
did
seem like this was something important.
She had always thought it strange, five powerful transfer students arriving at the Academy like this... it had never sat quite right with her.
"Iām sorry," Raze said again. "But the truth is... us transfer students, weāre really poor. We have no money. So... weāre going to have to make you all cover for us."
*************
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