The Infinite Realms

Chapter 29: Change

By the end of the day, everyone went to their respective rooms to get some rest.

Those who attended their Illusions classes practicing the lessons, they had that day.

Trevor wasn't an exception.

He tried his best but yielded no results.

"Isaac," Trevor called out. From the very first time he heard of a tasbar, he has always wondered what that was.

"Yes."

"Uhmm... What's a tasbar?" he asked. But in return, all he got was a dazed expression from Isaac.

That look someone gave to a stupid person.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeas I am. What's a tasbar?"

"..."

"Check your upper right arm. i***t" Isaac let out a burst of loud laughter thinking of how stupid Trevor was.

Without hesitation, Trevor checked his arm; "What's there on my arm?" he asked in a confused expression when he saw nothing there.

"Crap! Are you blind!" Isaac promptly stepped out of his bed on the lower bunker to see the crazy fool who sleeps above him.

Trevor also climbed down still confused.

Issac couldn't hold his frustration any longer as he pinched the skin between his brows.

He pulled Trevor's sleeve up; "Then what the heck is this?" he pointed at his upper arm without looking.

Trevor followed where his finger was pointed and saw nothing. Only rising his confusion more.

"Boy, I think your...."Issac almost yelled but when he saw that nothing was there, his lips parted in shock.

"That's not possible!" he even blinked twice to make sure he wasn't sleepy, "But I just saw you use magic previously. Why don't you have a tasbar?" he racked his brains trying to figure out what the hell in the universe was happening.

Trevor rolled his eyes at Issac. Up until now, his question hadn't been answered.

"Alright, alright.... Look here..." Isaac rolled up his right sleeve revealing a golden dark tattoo.

The golden part was rather minimal.

"See this...." he pointed at the vertical bar-like tattoo, "This is a tasbar. And the golden part, that's how much mana I have cultivated. The more I cultivate the mana around me, the more it rises. And if I use magic, well naturally it will decrease."

"Hmmm..."Trevor pondered on something for a while," Why is Tony's horizontal?"

"Well, that's how you tell ranks. There are many ranks and with each rank, the shape and size of the tasabar vary."

For a full ten minutes, Trevor watched on as Isaac's lips moved non-stop as he explained the different ranks.

"Blah. Blah blah... Knight. Blah blah. Fifth class... Blah blah blah... Bronze rank... Blah blah blah... Summoner... Blah" during this whole period that was all Trevor heard.

But never the less he nodded affirmatively pretending to understand whatever Issac was saying.

It was like that thing in school where someone pretended to pay attention but in reality, they didn't hear anything the teacher said at all.

"What the hell is all this crap!" he said thought to himself," Looks like I'll have to make my way to the library. "

" Did you get that?" asked Isaac.

" Yeah yeah... Totally. I understood everything. thanks. "

"Okay. But we need to find out what's going on with you. Why are you able to use magic yet you don't have a tasabar."

And with that, they both climbed to their beds and slept off.

*Screeeeeeechhhh! *

The loud unpleasant sound everyone hated sounded early in the morning. Long before the sun had risen.

"What the hell is going on? It's still way too early. Why has the gile been sounded?"

"Na... It might be a mistake, let's go back to sleep."

"You're right. Maybe"

Everyone in the Rachuos school hostels wondered what was happening but they quickly neglected it and went back to bed.

But right before their eyes could close again, loud and violent knocks disrupted their peace.

"EVERYONE OUT! EVERYONE OUT!" Loud deep voices yelled from outside their doors.

"What the hell is happening today!" this time they couldn't just ignore that.

This had to be serious.

Immediately everyone hurriedly left their rooms and assembled at the assembly grounds.

Dira the wizard who stood at a raised platform had a mischievous smile ok his face when he saw the confused look of the students below him.

He drew a couple of golden runes in the air before speaking. "Everyone... I know your all wondering what's going on."

His voice was as loud as if he were on a microphone.

Mummers filled the atmosphere after the wizard said those words.

"Well, you won't like this... We're changing the system. The Rachuos school of magic is now both magic and gladiatorial school. From now onwards you'll be undergoing laborious training..." he paused and the confused murmurs of the students filled the air again, but as soon as he spoke again, they dissipated.

"If you feel you can't do it," he pointed towards the school gates, "You're free to leave. If you're a slave, well you have no option. This is your only way to freedom. If you feel you can't do it. Simple, we'll just sell you off."

Everyone's expression turned for the worse once they heard that.

"I knew it wouldn't be this easy," Trevor said to himself with a helpless smile.

"Good. Perfect. You can all start now. Daksh..." the wizard called out before leaving.

A muscular middle-aged man stepped up right after him.

He wore a full set of Roman soldier uniforms.

" What! Now! Why? "

"Is he trying to torture us!"

Everyone expressed their displeasure, but as soon as the man in front of them started talking, fear crept up their spines.

"All to their respective training grounds now!" he yelled.

And with that, everyone ran to the, said locations as if they were avoiding a deadly disease. When they got to there favorite training grounds however, some noticed they weren't on the list supposed to train from there; so they moved from one place to another looking for their names on the list pinned to entrance.

This caused a bit of a delay and commotion but in half an hour, everything sorted.

After everyone was settled in, the respective trainers for each training ground arrived.

The training ground Trevor was allocated, just like the other training grounds was as large as a stadium only that it was all flat ground and no seats. There was a translucent fence that surrounded the area indicating the area of the field. Although it looked thin, Trevor knew he shouldn't underestimate its strength.

For a moment everyone chatted with themselves about the drastic change. They did not even notice Daksh who had come a short while after them.

" SILENCE!"

The students couldn't help but shudder a bit after when they heard the yell. When they got to there training area, they didn't expect Daksh to be their Trainer.

Daksh coughed twice before smiling at the students, "Wow. Yelling is hard yet effective."

The students before him couldn't help but blink their eyes twice at Daksh.

He really knew how to change his aura.

"Was he pretending to be tough all this time?" this was the question that everyone asked themselves.

" Now. Can we all start? One by one, come up. I want to test your combat power. "

" What a loser! Who does he think he is. " Jastrick muttered.

Daksh simply smiled when he heard this. Shifting his gaze to the direction of the voice.

"Good...you'll be our first victim."

Jastrick simply flashed an arrogant smile as he walked to Daksh.

As he pulled out his signature magic weapons, Daksh said, "The rules are... No spells no magic weapons. Everything else allowed."

"Crap!" Jastrick cursed in disdain but he still put away his weapon, "I don't need a magic weapon to defeat you."

"This boy sure is arrogant. How strong does he think he is?"

"If the wizard Dira can recommend Daksh to this school, he must be powerful."

Hearing these mummers from behind him, Jastrick only became prouder; With his lip lifting to one end forming a dangerous smirk. He wanted to prove all of them wrong and showcase his talent.

At this point, five other gladiators no one had seen before arrived and were standing a short distance away.

One of them walked over and yelled "Begin."

Without wasting any more time, Jastrick launched an attack instantly at Daksh.

Those who had fought with Jastrick before hand to hand knew how much his punches weighed.

They were like human sled hammers.

And now Daksh didn't mind the attack at all. Not even raising his arms to guard against it.

Just as Jastrick punch was one centimeter away from Daksh's face, Daksh stepped aside gracefully.

Now Jastrick was in a rather awkward situation.

He tried retreating his hand back when he realized he struck air but the momentum he used wouldn't allow so immediately.

Daksh revealed a killing sneer before kicking Jastrick lightly at the back of his knees forcing him to kneel.

"Now that's more like it. You need to learn some respect."

Everyone gaped when they saw this. Jastrick was defeated in merely one move.

If Daksh wielded a real sword right now, Jastrick would have been already dead by now.

Everyone was pleased with this scene, mostly those who had been victims of Jastrick's bullying.

Jastrick frowned hard when he saw the other chuckle at him.

"I can't let him defeat me like that," he said to himself abruptly standing up.

He couldn't just let his reputation go down the drain just like that.

Immediately he swang in a fist to Daksh's face.

But this time, it did hit something.

But unfortunately for him, it. Wasn't Daksh's face.

Daksh had grabbed his fist in his palm smiling at Jastrick.

"Your turn's done....step aside boy. Next."

Daksh threw Jastrick's fist away, swaying his body to the side in the process.

Jastrick was faced with so much humiliation that he his face turned red. "You are nothing, you just know how to fight well but so what I can learn that too. I can still beat you if I used my magic. I doubt you even wield magic Daksh." To get rid of the embarrassment, Jastrick found excuses for his failure. His disrespect didn't come as a surprise to the students who knew him. Jastrick was extremely arrogant since he came from a wealthy family. Even the teachers had some reverence towards him.

But Daksh didn't know this. "Looks like you want me to teach you how to respect your superiors better." he said in a colder tone this time, but his playful smile was still on.

Everyone gasped when he later unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards Jastrick. It was a broad long sword with a diagonal ending. It's edge had a white light that emphasized its sharpness.

Jastrick on the other hand, also pulled out his magic weapons fearlessly, still holding his ground and staring at Daksh in the eye.