"Let’s have a spar!"
Zion suggested to me all of a sudden with a huge smile on his face.
"Huh?"
I was taken aback, I didn’t expect this at all.
I stared at him for a second, my mind freezing up completely as I tried to process his sudden outburst.
But then again, I looked at the surrounding—students from different classes and grade levels are training everywhere. The sight of them aiming to be stronger was in full display.
The arena floor below us was alive with raw energy. Fireballs exploded against heavy protective barriers, swords clashed with metallic rings, and trainees were pushing their bodies to their absolute limits in every single corner.
I guess seeing them ignited something inside Zion. I just didn’t expect him to casually invite me into a spar, he’s really getting all comfortable to me fast, huh.
He wasn’t acting like a stranger who had just met me a few hours ago at the academy gate.
I looked back at him, and his eyes were basically shining; looking at me expectantly. I then turned to my side and saw Cindy glancing at me, waiting for my answer.
She was leaning against the metal railing, crossing her arms as her eyes shifted back and forth between Zion’s grinning face and my completely speechless expression.
Honestly, I want to decline... I’m tired.
My muscles were still sore from the tension of the morning, and my mind was practically begging for a long rest back in my empty dorm room.
But at the same time—I already told myself that I need to get stronger.
If I wanted to survive the assassins sent by the elders, the upcoming academy combat evaluations, and the chaotic events of the main story, I couldn’t afford to waste any chance to grow.
And what’s better than having a sparring match against the main character of this world? He’s literally destined to be the greatest and strongest of all time—having a bout with him without our life on the line—it’s an opportunity too good to decline.
Zion was the protagonist of this universe, blessed with incredible growth rate, sheer combat instinct, and a bound artifact that made him an absolute powerhouse.
I looked back at the students training as well, and just like Zion—I also felt something inside me lit up. I don’t know if it’s competitiveness, passion, or even just my imagination.
A faint heat spread through my chest, my hand instinctively resting on [Frost} tucked at my hip.
I faced Zion again, and with a smile on my face—
"Sure, let’s go find an empty arena."
I responded to his suggestion.
... ... ...
*****
After agreeing to the spar; Zion, Cindy, and I headed down the spectator platform and went straight to the training area. The Training Dome was big, bigger than what I expected.
The high arched ceiling stretched far above us, equipped with massive mana-lit chandeliers that illuminated the entire floor in bright white light.
And what’s more—there are more facilities just like this in the academy. Multiple training grounds as massive as this.
The Star Academy spared no expense when it came to its combat infrastructure, giving thousands of students access to high-tier facilities every single day.
Anyway, we found an empty training arena not long.
It was Ring 14, located near the far corner of the dome, surrounded by low stone walls and four metal pillars.
And just like an excited kid—
"Let’s go!"
Zion just jumped in and exclaimed that to me.
"Wow, I can’t believe I’m going to see a battle between two bound artifact users on my first day in the academy."
Cindy said, looking at me and Zion.
She stopped right outside the spectator line, crossing her arms as she watched us prepare with a look of genuine anticipation.
"Don’t expect much, you know I’m not that strong."
I chuckled quietly, waving my hand as I stood near the edge of the ring.
"..."
She just stared at me after that. I was about to walk inside the arena and join Zion, but before I could even take a step—
"The arenas here apparently use artifacts, so that any attack from the inside wouldn’t get out—it’s so that you can train and fight to your heart’s content without worrying about damaging anything."
Cindy suddenly stated that.
"...?"
I turned back to look at her, confused.
I raised an eyebrow, pausing right at the boundary line as I waited for her to elaborate.
"You don’t need to hold back with your ice abilities."
Then she declared that.
"..."
I didn’t say anything back to her, but I nodded my head.
And after that—I stepped into the arena and joined Zion.
Tap-
I walked toward the center of the ring, stopping about ten paces away from where Zion was bouncing on his feet.
"Are you ready?"
He asked me excitedly.
He grabbed the grip of his white and gold sword, his body leaning forward slightly in a low, natural combat stance.
"Huff...!"
I just smiled at him and started stretching my arms—I also did a few squats. And once I’m all done—
I rolled my shoulders, rotated my wrists, and loosened up the tightness in my legs, taking a deep breath to settle my nerves.
"I’m ready."
I declared that.
*****
So apparently... we need a staff member to watch over us to use the arena. Luckily, there are a lot of them in the area so Cindy called for one and asked permission for us.
A staff member in a dark grey academy uniform walked over, holding a heavy clipboard under his arm.
"I can’t believe it... you guys are freshmen and just got here a few hours ago, why are you two already trying to use the arena?"
"Are you both training maniacs?"
The staff said to me and Zion when he got to where we are, he was just teasing us. After that, he activated the artifact so that our attack will be suppressed inside the arena.
He laughed for a bit, placing a bronze key-card into the control pillar near the boundary line, causing the four metal towers to glow with a brilliant blue mana field that enclosed the entire ring.
"I will be watching the sparring; if anything dangerous comes up, I’ll handle it—that’s our job after all."
The staff then told us with a smile on his face.
He stepped back outside the barrier line, keeping his eyes fixed on the two of us as he crossed his arms.
As he was setting up the barrier, his eyes suddenly caught sight of the sheathed weapon in Zion’s hand and the stick resting at my waist. His eyebrows twitched in instant recognition.
"Wait a minute... those weapons..."
The staff officer muttered, his eyes widening in complete shock as he looked closer.
"Are those... bound artifacts?!"
He asked, his voice rising in utter disbelief.
"Yup! They just got them at the armory earlier!"
Cindy chimed in from the side, puffing out her chest with a proud look on her face as if she was bragging about her own achievements.
"Two freshmen holding bound artifacts... unbelievable... are they from the [Z-Class]?"
The staff asked.
And with an energetic shake of her head--
"They’re both from [Class 1-F]."
Cindy declared that with a slightly bragging tone.
SWISH—!
Anyway, Zion unsheathed his newly acquired weapon—[The Excalibur]. It was literally named that in the game.
The pure, white blade gleamed with golden runes along the center ridge, radiating a warm, comforting aura that filled the entire ring.
FWISH~
On the other hand, I firmly gripped [Frost] and after inserting my mana into it—it transformed into the elegant rapier that it took form before.
A soft surge of my ice mana flowed from my palm, causing [Frost] to instantly dissolve into a blinding burst of deep blue light.
In a fraction of a second, the light condensed, morphing into the pristine, translucent blue ice rapier with its intricate snowflake handguard.
It really looks cool doing that.
"That’s really awesome! I still can’t believe a stick turned into something like that!"
Zion complimented my weapon, saying it looks cool, and I did the same for his sword.
"Thanks, you have a really cool sword there too, Zion."
I said, looking at the radiant golden blade in his hand.
After that, we got ready.
Zion shifted his weight, gripping his sword with both hands as his cheerful posture transformed into a focused, battle-ready stance.
I raised [Frost] in front of me, keeping the tip pointing straight toward his chest while lowering my center of gravity.
As we were doing that, Cindy’s words earlier entered my mind.
’You don’t need to hold back with your ice abilities.’
I thought of that.
Until now, I had always been forced to limit my mana output to avoid drawing attention or destroying my surroundings.
’For the first time... I can actually go all out.’
I let a small, genuine smirk slip onto my face as cold frost began to coat the soles of my shoes, sending faint cracks of ice spreading across the concrete floor beneath me.
And the next moment I knew—
"Start!"
The staff started our sparring.