12. Arena
1306 Words
Rivan quietly exclaimed, "Stop!"
His eyes shone brightly as he watched the flower in front of him cease moving, as if time had frozen.
"Good," said a man, his eyes filled with appreciation. "You have progressed rapidly."
Rivan turned, a proud smile blooming on his face. "Of course! There's nothing Rivan Aster can't master."
The man smiled faintly and gently patted Rivan on the head. "Hm, you're excellent."
This feeling again, from both Nathan and Lunara. Their presence always made him feel safe, and this strange feeling had made Rivan addicted.
"How big do you think my chances are of defeating Noah?" Rivan asked.
"30%," Nathan replied. He glanced briefly and swallowed the following words. It would be different if you were in the state you were in that day.
"Noah awakened his power earlier. He has a stronger foundation than you," he added.
Nathan stood up, picked up his book, and said, "We won't be training for the next five days. Focus on the monthly exam."
Rivan happily agreed. Training was enjoyable indeed. Feeling himself grow stronger every day was satisfying.
Before leaving, Rivan turned around and said, “Oh! I’m going to visit the market today. Do you want to come along?”
Nathan immediately refused. "No, I have a mission soon."
"All right, see you later." Rivan waved and hurried off.
After running for a few minutes, Rivan stopped five steps away from Isla's stall. His eyebrows lifted slightly when he saw two girls arguing.
The girl with the large hat grumbled angrily. Her eyes blazed as she repeatedly pointed at Isla's beads. "The quality of your beads is terrible!"
Not to be outdone, Isla retorted angrily. "You're the one who can't control your power! I don't care; you have to compensate me!"
The argument drew a lot of attention, but no one intended to separate them.
Rivan whispered softly. "Isla and... Talia Solan?"
Rivan slowly approached them, choosing not to interrupt. It wasn't because he was scared; it was because the intense argument between the two girls made him slightly hesitant to interfere.
Rivan stood not far from Isla. He deftly tidied up the beads scattered by the two girls. He listened in silence to their fierce debate.
Isla folded her arms across her chest and said cynically, “Do you think wearing a hat that big makes you look elegant? You look more like a peacock."
"A peacock?" The corner of Talia's lip twitched. "An old, noisy woman who shouts every time she watches a movie has no right to say that!"
Isla gritted her teeth in anger, suppressing her voice. "YOU!"
"Let's fight, Peacock," she snapped, her breath sharp and ragged.
"Bring it on. Who's afraid? Let's go to the arena now." Talia replied haughtily.
They both walked quickly, occasionally shooting angry glances at each other. Rivan quickly packed Isla's merchandise into the box and carried it.
"Wait for me, Isla," he said. Rivan followed them, along with other curious onlookers. Fascination was clearly visible in his blue eyes.
The arena was circular with a large stage in the center surrounded by sturdy walls holding the audience seating above.
Many students flocked in; news of his friend's fight had spread widely. Whispers and discussions from the other students were faintly audible.
Rivan's gaze was fixed on Isla and Talia, who stood facing each other on the arena stage.
"Isla Lorne challenges Talia Solan to a fight," Isla shouted.
"Talia Solan accepts Isla Lorne's challenge." Talia's answer drew many cheers.
DING!
"Request accepted. Both fighters are asked to prepare." A cold, mechanical voice echoed loudly.
The arena could be used by students for sparring and for settling disputes legitimately. So it was only natural that other students liked watching arena fights, especially with the monthly exam approaching.
Especially with the monthly exam approaching, some students watched to relax, while others watched to study their opponents' fighting styles.
"1."
Isla drew her bow and took a defensive position.
"2."
Talia's whip cracked through the air, emitting a faint hum.
"3! The fight begins!"
A second later, Isla pulled her bowstring. An arrow shot out quickly, which Talia immediately parried with her whip.
An idea sparked in Rivan's head. He approached the nearby students who were busy discussing the fight.
"Hi, guys," Rivan greeted them lightly. "Do you see the girl with the bow over there?"
The students followed Rivan's gaze, then said, "Yes, her wind control is great."
"I'll tell you a little secret." Rivan's voice wasn't loud, but it successfully drew several curious eyes toward him.
"Look at the bracelet she's wearing." The student nodded in agreement.
"That girl uses these beads to improve her wind control." Rivan opened the box he was carrying and took out a bead shaped like a bracelet.
"Really?" One student asked skeptically.
With a firm nod, Rivan spoke again. "On the first day of school, her arrow almost hit me. But now, look how skilled she is."
On the arena stage, Isla dodged Talia's whip. Rolling sideways, she drew her bow again.
"He's right. I'm in the same room as him. Isla Lorne really did almost stab him in the head with an arrow," another student chimed in.
Secretly, Rivan gave the student a thumbs-up. He didn't know the student, but he was grateful for his words, which immediately convinced the skeptical students.
"How much does it cost?"
A triumphant smile played on Rivan's face. "Two points."
The Academy had replaced money with points that students could earn by passing exams, completing assignments, and carrying out missions. Students could also earn points through the illegal market, as Isla was doing.
Afterward, Rivan continued to move around, offering the beads. His smile widened as he watched the number of beads in the box decrease.
A loud thud from the arena made everyone turn. Talia struck water from the air and threw it at Isla. A thin blue wave curved beautifully before breaking like rain. The students exclaimed in admiration.
Finally, Rivan sat down in the middle row and cheered along with the other students. "Come on, Isla! Defeat her!"
The box of beads was completely sold out. Rivan deliberately placed the empty box on the seat beside him.
"Whose is this?" The grumble made Rivan look up. At that moment, his smile vanished.
His annoying roommate – Noah, was also stunned to see him. Then, he snorted irritably and threw the box at Rivan.
Afterward, Noah sat down arrogantly, exuding an air of superiority, as if to say, "You are not worthy to be beside me."
Rivan's hands itched to hit something. He regulated his breathing; his training with Nathan had not been in vain. Rivan managed to suppress his emotions and the urge to curse.
Days were spent avoiding each other, and finally, they met and stared at each other again today. He shouldn't have agreed to Nathan's suggestion to confront unpleasant people to practice his emotional control. Rivan forced a smile and spoke stiffly. "Hi, long time no see."
The next second, he wanted to sink into a river. What did he mean by "long time no see"? They met every night in the dormitory, ignoring each other and snorting irritably whenever their eyes met by accident.
Before they could reply, they both simultaneously turned to the opposite side. A man stood there in a black shirt rolled up to the elbows and black pants.
His black-and-gold hair swayed in the wind. His handsome, artistic face was framed by golden eyes that stared sharply at them.
A few seconds later, the man turned away and left the arena. Rivan felt a cold, terrifying sensation as if he were being watched by a snake. His face turned pale. Next to him, Noah had the same expression.
One question echoed in their minds:
Who is he?
- Writer
