"What's up, buddies! It's been awhile!"
"No. We met yesterday."
"That's what I said! It's been awhile!"
I abandoned understanding Tyler since I was losing my neurons.
"What are you doing here, Tyler?"
Jayden asked.
"Come on, man! I want to join this amazing club, of course!"
"Oh! You too?"
Jayden seemed happy that he wasn't going to be alone.
Well, he still doesn't know that I will join as well.
"Oh man! That's fate!"
How come?!
"Oh, we got three juniors there."
A man approached us.
He was wearing our uniform. The only difference was that he was wearing a blue tie, so he was a third year.
"Are you interested in joining our club? Then please follow me. I will register you for the next friendly game."
Jayden and Tyler followed him and I followed behind them.
"We have a lot of demands so we are only picking the best ones. Be ready to show your talents."
I sighed.
No choice but to go all out to get a place in the club. Jayden and Tyler were going to pass the test easily but I don't know how it would go for me. I have never played that sport before but I have confidence in my speed.
"Professor, three juniors want to join our club."
The man called out to a dark-haired woman.
The woman's blue eyes turned toward us and a smile appeared on her face.
"We are popular, aren't we? Welcome boys. I am the teacher responsible for this club, Julia Stormdila."
Oh, yes, she was also Miranda's aunt, but not only that.
"I'm also the Homeroom teacher of the Second year's Phoenix class. Wait in the line, the match is about to end. Theo! Come here."
Professor Julia called out to another man.
Theo?
Feel like I heard it somewhere?
I didn't have to think long as Theo appeared.
I couldn't mistake him for someone else as he was one of Miranda's friends. I met him in the Enigma Dungeon but also at some banquets.
"Professor?"
"Help them to wear the equipment and call Dylan. He will be the examiner."
"Yes, professor."
Theo nodded and turned toward us.
"!"
The moment he met my eyes, his face went through several emotions before he recovered his usual smile. Well, Theo was also living in the territory of my father, so he knew me very well. Moreover, I was very close to Miranda in the past, who was his friend.
Theo brought a box filled with bracers and something like rollerblades but without wheels and explained to us how to wear them.
He helped Jaydena and Tyler before coming towards me.
"How long was it, Edward? I'm glad you are back."
"No need to show your poor acting skills to me."
I stopped him before he further embarrassed himself with that fake smile.
He was a good guy but he didn't have a good opinion of me.
"Yeah…"
He kept his smile though it was awkward now.
Few minutes later, we were ready.
I glanced at my bracers and my rollers and boots.
I checked they were firmly clasped on my limbs and nodded.
"Oh, Edward, what happened to you?"
Julia finally talked to me.
I had a good relation with Miranda's aunt until I snapped…
The last time I saw her was when I was twelve.
"You look better than before, but you still have that arrogant gaze."
What arrogant gaze?!
"What is that sudden desire to join my club? Do you want to chase after my niece after taking her innocence away?"
Don't spit lines that could lead to misunderstandings!
"Or maybe you are her for Kleah?"
She held her chin in wonder.
"I hope in four years you have changed a little Edward, because I will not tolerate any reprehensible acts."
"Good to see you as well, but I assure you that I changed not like a woman using her own niece as a tool to seduc-"
"Edward."
I tried to retort to her on a sensitive subject but she stared at me coldly with a smile and I got cold feet.
"Y-Yeah, good to see you again, aunt Julia…"
[<Pathetic.>]
Shut up!
"Theo."
"Yes Ma'am?!"
It seems that Theo also understood that professor Julia wasn't in good mood anymore.
"Put Edward in the other team. His two friends will be in Dylan's team."
"Yes!"
"..."
Dylan?
That annoying guy who was with Miranda back then?
Then she put Tyler and Jayden in his team and I was on the worst team with only newbies?!
[<You reap what you sow.>]
She started it!
"It's a shame Edward."
Tyler patted my shoulders.
"We could have formed a deadly trio with us three."
"No, forget it, I'm okay being alone."
"Why?!"
I think there is a good side to not being in Tyler's group.
I don't want to die from cringing during the match.
"Don't hold back, Edward."
Jayden put his fist on my chest.
"I won't."
I smiled and walked away.
I mean I had to join this club by any means, so I had to give my all to make aunt Julia and the others accept me.
"Do I have to remind you of the rules, Edward?"
"No need."
I waved my hand at Theo.
I already knew it.
Sky-Ball.
It was a mix of Basketball and Handball.
The ball we were using was as big as a basketball and it had a floating function you could activate with your mana.
The main rules are the following ones:
1-The game lasts an hour with a break every twenty minutes for a total of three breaks.
2- If the ball touches the ground while being in your possession, then you give the possession to the opposite team.
3-There are two circular square goals: One is big and white while the other small and red. If you score in the white one, you earn 1 point and if you score in the red one, you earn 3 points.
4-It's strictly prohibited to use large-scale attacks on players.
5-You can't use your feet.
These were the main rules.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The next match is starting soon! On one side we have Dylan, an expert of the skyball. He is accompanied by two of the most renowned juniors of the first years!"
The third year student was shouting with a mike as he introduced the first team.
The fifty or so students were eagerly waiting for the start of the match.
I looked above me.
The playing field was surrounded and delimited by several pillars floating in the sky. Behind those pillars were several stands for the spectators. It was like a floating basketball field but large in size.
"The other team is filled with newbies who want to show off their talents and prove that they deserve a place in the club! Among them is the famous…"
Damn…
I closed all my senses, it was too embarrassing.
"The famous Edward Falkrona!"
-OHHHHHHHHH!
There were fifty or so spectators but their voices still boomed around.
"Uum, Edward…"
I turned around and saw my teammates.
Skyball was played at eight.
It was an 8 vs 8.
All my teammates were freshmen like me.
Three girls and four boys were looking at me.
No confidence emanated from them at all.
Can I really win with them?
Honestly, I think it's impossible.
Dylan was experienced and Jayden and Tyler would quickly get the hang of it.
"Just give me the ball as soon as you have it. Five will guard the goals. Understood?"
""""Yes!!""""
When I stared at them with a frown, they quickly agreed to my plan.
"Good."
I smiled.
[<Do you really not want to take Game Edward's path?>]
Any means to win this game, useless Goddess.
It was a matter of life.
I have to join this freaking club.
Miranda and the last Main Heroine were in it.
It was important for Jayden, no, for this whole kingdom to form a connection between Jayden with Miranda and Kleah.
I closed my eyes and channeled my mana in my bracers and boots.
Slowly I felt the floating sensation.
I rose to the sky, though awkwardly.
It was hard at first but I somewhat got an understanding of how to control my body while floating.
It's really hard…
When I looked on the TV or simply read it in the newspaper, this sport seemed simple but you had to have great control over mana and your own body to move around.
I finally reached the floating stadium.
Before me were the other team with a smirking Dylan with crossed-arms.
I ignored him and looked below at my teammates.
"..."
They were…
…pathetic.
The girls were slowly but surely joining me, but the men…
It was really a disaster.
One of them were hanging upside down while floating, one was throwing up and the remaining two were clinging to each other.
[<Good for you Amael. The spotlight is on you now.>]
What is good for me?!
I can't fight them alone!
"U-Um Edward…"
I saw the three girls of my promotion looking at me.
Or tried.
They were all averting their blushing faces as I scanned their shivering figures.
What the hell?
"Defend and I will attack."
I said before moving to face Dylan.