After the intense battle between Atticus and Aurora, it was the second years' turn to fight. There were more trainees in the second year than the first years, with their numbers reaching 30.
Their battles went by quickly, and Atticus found them rather boring. Just like the first years, most of the second years were still at the novice rank, so the fights weren't as interesting as he would have liked.
With novice rank individuals only able to learn one art, they each attacked with a single move, which could get repetitive as they yelled out names each time they launched an attack.
However, when it was time for Sophie to fight, Atticus snapped out of his daydreaming and decided to observe her battle. She was the 5th rank among the second years and was challenged by the 6th rank.
As she stepped onto the stage, Sophie's usual cheerful demeanor faded, replaced by a serious expression. They both readied their weapons, Sophie with her trusty bow and her opponent wielding a sword.
"Begin!" Reed's voice rang out.
Sophie, quicker than Aria, simultaneously drew and fired five arrows from the quiver on her back. Each arrow targeted a weak point on the boy's body.
Her opponent was no pushover, and he moved with deft agility to evade the arrows. He successfully dodged them, but before he could catch his breath, another three arrows materialized in front of him.
His eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately called upon his art, shouting, "Swift Strike!"
Suddenly, his speed doubled, and he used his sword to parry the arrows with swift precision. However, before he could even catch a breath, another three arrows suddenly manifested in front of his face.
This time, he couldn't react in time. Before the arrows could skewer him, the runes on the stage lit up, protecting him from harm.
"Winner, Sophie!" Reed declared.
And immediately, Sophie's bright and cheerful smile returned as she walked back to her seat, leaving the frustrated boy gritting his teeth in frustration.
Reed promptly continued with the fights, which went by quickly. When it came to the third-year students, the intensity of the battles changed significantly. All of the third years, even those with the least talent, had already awakened their bloodlines, making their fights colorful and filled with intensity.
Atticus also noticed that most of the third years were using multiple arts. Intermediate-ranked individuals were able to learn a total of 3 arts, unlike novice ranks who could only learn one.
When it reached the 4th rank, Hella stepped forward with a confident stride, her expression as bossy as ever. "Rank 3!" she called out as she reached the stage. Orion stood up and confidently walked forward to join her.
The trainees were equally interested in this particular battle. Every three months, Hella challenged Orion, but she had consistently lost each time. Their fights were known to be hardcore, and everyone was curious to see if anything would be different this time around.
Atticus, too, watched with interest. He had already witnessed how Hella fought, but he was curious to see Orion in action. The boy had been taunting Atticus for a fight, and he wanted to even see how strong he was.
"Do you think you can win?" Orion asked her, smirking as he stepped onto the stage. Hella didn't reply, which seemed to irk him.
They both brought out their weapons, Hella her sword and Orion a pair of sabers. He smirked at Hella and only unsheathed one, seemingly not taking the fight seriously.
"Begin!" Reed's voice rang out, and they both immediately manipulated the air to increase their speed, dashing towards each other at surprising speeds.
Orion slashed diagonally towards Hella, and she easily parried the attack. Unfazed, Orion unleashed a flurry of strikes, but Hella continued to parry effortlessly, frustrating him.
"Let's see if you can keep up with this," Orion taunted with a smirk. He invoked his elemental mimicry, harnessing the power of his bloodline to mimic the swiftness of the air.
The third-year students had been training in the Elemental Mimicry art for approximately two years. It was no surprise that the effects of art started showing within a matter of seconds
His strikes gained a noticeable surge in speed, yet Hella remained entirely unperturbed. Responding in kind, she infused her bloodline with mana, matching Orion's newfound velocity without breaking a sweat.
Orion clicked his tongue, growing tired of this exchange. Deciding to end it, he quickly unsheathed his second saber.
Hella had been expecting this move, intending on taking advantage of this opportunity, she immediately deployed her art, muttering, "Cyclone blade." Her sword transformed and was immediately enveloped in a fierce whirlwind, which descended rapidly toward Orion.
Reacting with swiftness, Orion deftly employed his specialized movement technique, smoothly evading Hella's strike. With both sabers now in play, he assumed a distinctive stance, one sword held above his head and the other poised below his back. He muttered, ""Swift Vortex."
In an instant, he became a blur, spinning at an astonishing speed. Hella struggled to react in time, and before she could make a move, Orion's saber reached her neck. A brilliant flash of runes lit up, creating a protective barrier just in the nick of time, deflecting the lethal strike.
"Winner, Orion!" Reed declared.
The trainees began to murmur, impressed by Orion's skill.
Meanwhile, Hella clenched her fists in frustration and exited the stage. Orion, on the other hand, glanced in Atticus's direction and offered a smirk. Atticus, unperturbed, maintained his neutral gaze, a reaction that seemed to irritate Orion. Without any intention to challenge anyone further, Orion left the stage.
He and every third-year student recognized that the first and second ranks in their class operated at an entirely different level.
While it was no surprise that Ember from the main family held the top spot, the general expectation was that the second rank would belong to Orion. This was what everyone had predicted. Yet, they were shocked when the boy, William, effortlessly defeated Orion.