Chapter 320 - Bliss the Talented
Everyone's eyes were looking above the field as they waited to see what number would be revealed. As the firework-like magic burst away, the first number was 54.
"Wait a second, how do we know whose number belongs to who?" Max asked as he looked around.
Then from their group that were sat together, the white uniform that Bliss was wearing was starting to glow.
"Ah, Bliss." The little tower master said, "Looks like you will be going first, I have high hopes for you."
Bliss stood up confidently and walked past the students in the stands to head down the field. She was now stood on one end of the area near the tower masters.
"So who wants to be a judge first?" Roy asked with his feet up on the table.
"Well, if you're volunteering for us," Mia replied.
"Tut, Fine." Roy then stood up from his seat and walked to the centre of the field.
"Please declare what class of opponent you would like to go against."
"The middle-class students please," Bliss said.
It was suspected. Only in very rare circ.u.mstances did a lower class move up straight to the upper class and Bliss was a cautious person. She was always going to choose to go against a middle-class student.
Once again, one of the students from the middle-class uniforms started to light up, and he made his way to the opposite end of where Bliss stood around ten meters apart.
"Now remember." Roy said, "We will be looking at both of you for this assessment. This isn't about beating the other person or overpowering them, but showing us what you can do, understand?"
The two of them nodded and got into their fighting stance. The boy she was going up against had a glove with a beast crystal imbedded inside, while Bliss held onto a long staff with a beast crystal just at the tip.
"She really does remind me of that witch even more now with that staff," Ray said.
Before the twos fight was about to begin, Ray received a strange message from the system.
[Direct communication magic is trying to be used, allow?]
[Yes] [No]
Ray was trying to figure out why he was suddenly getting a message from the system like this. He looked around and then he noticed that the Tower master Mia was looking right in his direction.
'Is it form her?" He thought.
Meanwhile, Mia was stumped herself.
"Can he not here me, it's like somethings blocking my magic. I could use a large speaking array like the other tower master, but then the others will hear?"
Just then though, Ray had clicked yes on the other end, and it felt like her magic had gotten through.
"Speak," Ray said.
"I've been told by Lenny to help you locate the divine being, I'm assuming Springett has brought you up on the details. Lenny also informed me that you have the skill to form decoys."
"Decoys?" Ray thought, "Oh, he must be talking about my cloning skill."
"When it's your turn to do the assessment, I will be the judge. You need to make a big enough distraction and replace yourself with the decoy. At that moment, I will help the two of us leave the arena."
"What about you, won't they notice your gone?"
"Don't worry, I have prepared a doll beforehand. It's tricky to control at the same time while using my actual body, but no one should notice I'm not there."
The tower masters did really have some useful skills, Ray thought. Once the plan was set between the tower master all that was left was to put their plan into action, but there was one more thing Ray wanted to do as he looked to his right, Van was there sitting by his side.
"Are you able to prepare one more of those dolls, and can you make them look like anyone?" Ray asked.
"I had a spare one for you just in case you said you weren't able to make a decoy," Mia replied.
"Good, because there's one more person I want to take with us."
The communication between the two had ended, and somehow, he was now meant to take Van with him to see the divine being. Ray was still unsure why in his vision a while ago he was seen fighting by his side and more importantly, just why was the shadow after him. The only thing he could do was take Van with him to see the divine being hoping he could get answers.
The match below had started, and Bliss immediately started with her trademark skill. Shooting three energy blast from her staff at once and all three of them flew in different directions.
"Oh this girl is impressive, no wonder you liked her Betty," Mia said.
Betty was the head tower master. She was short in size and looked like a young girl but was actually one of the founders of Roland academy and was originally born in the Empire.
"Yes, I have been keeping an eye on her ever since she entered," Betty replied. "To be able to control three different energy blast and have them move independently. One must have a great mind."
As the energy blast came towards the student, he remained calm though. He didn't try dodge any of the strikes and instead stood there still, allowing all three of them to hit at the same time.
A cloud of dust could was formed as the energy blast landed on its targets, and when it finally settled, a small cracked golden barrier could be seen.
"Haha, so what if you can control and move all three, all I need to do is block them from all directions."
Bliss facial expression didn't change one bit though, she swung her staff once again, and the same thing happened again, three energy blast came out at once.
The student seeing this, allowed his barrier to crack and disappear and he formed another wall blocking the attacks. The same thing had happened again. As the dust settled, the cracked barrier could be seen behind it.
"Useless, only an idiot does the same thing again and again."
The boy then dropped his cracked barrier onto the ground to ready himself for his own attack, but as soon as he did, he noticed another energy blast directly in his face.
"Only an idiot, huh? If I'm an idiot, then what are you." Bliss said as the energy blast hit him directly in the face causing him to fall to the ground. Then before the boy could get up, another 6 energy blasts were floating in the air hovering above him.
"No way!" Mia said, jumping out of her seat. "She has complete control."
It was one thing to control the direction of your energy blasts but to also allow them to stop and move about, was another. And she was doing that with 6 independent energy blasts.
"Why didn't she just go up against one of the upper-class students," Mia asked.
"That's the only problem with her." Betty said, "She's too cautious, she never takes risks and always thinks before she acts. It's a good quality to have in a mage, but there will be times when you have no choice. The hesitation and her cautious nature could be the death of her."
"Winner Bliss," Roy announced. There was no need for the fight to continue on until one of them got knocked out. It was clear that Bliss was allowing the student to go free without too many injuries.
Once the two students returned to their seats, they were treated for any injuries via a white mage and then the next contestants were announced.
This time it was a student from the middle class.
The judges had swapped as well. Instead of Roy, it was the tower master who wore green and was by Blakes side named Dez.
The middle-class students had no choice when choosing to go up against someone, they had to pick one of the upper-class students.
"Your opponent has been chosen," Dez said, then from the upper-class area, Blake stood up.
"I guess now we'll get to see what his new power is? Max said.