Late Morning - Mid Winter : Atlas Academy | Atlas, Bahamut
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"If you want to test you, I can, but don't expect to pass."
The whole room fell into silence instantly, with the only person even moving being Evodiá, who quickly darted over to . "I apologize, everyone. It seems Professor Whyte is unaware of Sir Sídero's 'reputation'." She seed a little panicked.
The student, however, wore a greedy expression. "No, no. He already said he would test , so now he must follow through with his word!"
He was clearly trying to lure into what he thought was a trap, but I had too much on my mind to even consider caring. "Alright, whatever you want, kid. I hope you don't regret it." With a path clearing between the student and , I changed to my humanoid form.
Almost imdiately, everyone's eyes went wide, and Evodiá's face turned pale.
But shockingly, it was a student who tried to convince to change back. "P-Professor Whyte! You need to be in your dragon form, especially for Sir Sídero! He has a reputation of not holding back, even if it ans his opponent gets hurt..." It was a young girl with white-ish silver scales, seemingly from Krystallo's age group.
-So he's one of those guys...- I put on a smile as I glanced toward the girl. "Thank you for your worry, but it's the only way I can give him a chance." -Although even with this, it cos down to whether I let him pass or not...-
Sídero imdiately burst out laughing. "Hahaha! To think such an arrogant half-breed could beco a professor! I guess the standards of this academy truly are beginning to fall."
-How ironic...- With what was going on behind the scenes, I couldn't exactly disagree, but to also call arrogant was like a pot calling the kettle black. "You should learn to be more careful when judging people. You won't make it very far outside this academy if you arrogantly try to look down on everyone." Quickly sheathing my sword with my aura, I continued out into the arena.
"Strength is everything, is it not? If I am stronger than my opponent, who is to tell I cannot be arrogant?"
"Haah..." While I wasn't originally planning to actually fail him, I changed my mind at that mont. -He needs to learn a lesson.- Finally reaching the center of the sandy arena, I turned back to him. "Alright, since a handicap spar like you would do with a different professor would be unfair, we will do this..." *puff* Using my aura, I created an indent in the ground around , marking off a 10-ter-wide circle. "To pass, all you have to do is get out of this circle; there are no other rules."
Everyone looked at like I was crazy, including the professors and staff in the stands.
"You have 60 seconds. You may begin."
He stared at in shock for several seconds before moving. "Huh? You're being serious?" He quickly looked around before looking into my eyes and smiling again. "Haha! And you tried to lecture on arrogance!" He promptly walked over to with his head held high, not bothering to lower it even though he towered over . "Even if you wish to back out now, it's too late!" As he raised his paw, he seed to watch for my reaction, but it never ca.
*CRACKLE* The noise of sothing breaking echoed through the arena the instant he swung his paw into , forcing several of the students to look away.
But as the dust settled, people finally started to notice that my figure hadn't moved.
-Wow...- "You're even weaker than I expected..." All I did was stretch out my arm and stop his paw, but it shattered his scales and even drew so blood. "Well, give it another try."
*FWOOSH* He hastily leapt back with a bit of bloodlust before lunging back at and using his speed and body weight to slam the top of his paw into . *CRAACK-WHAAAM* Expecting to fly away and let him follow through, the mont his paw ca to an abrupt stop, he slamd face-first into the ground.
The impact cracked the ground slightly and kicked up another dust cloud, but yet again, I didn't even budge.
-That was a bit better though...- I was the only one to break the silence after several seconds. "30 seconds left."
Everyone stared at the scene with wide eyes, either not believing what was happening or struggling to even register it.
There was, however, soone in the stands who seed especially displeased. "To think a professor would cheat in order to fail a student..." It was an older man, likely an older elder with crimson scales matching Síderos.
-Is he Sídero's father?- "There are no rules on what he can and cannot do. If he wants, he could even get soone like you to try and move , but don't expect to treat you so kindly."
*flap-Fwoosh* Hastily flying into the air, Sídero threw himself down on , but the result was the sa, leaving him to jump back and recollect himself.
But now his expression had beco much more serious. -Much better...- He was finally using his brain.
But before he could co at again, the Elder in the stands hopped down into the arena and darted at .
However, the mont he threw his heavy punch at , I simply turned and caught it. *CLAP* "Hey, I don't rember hearing this student say you could do anything." Gripping his fist, I threw him to the side like he was so kind of paperweight.
*FWOOOSH-WHAAMM* The entire arena shook as he hit the wall, leaving everyone watching in silence.
But Sídero seed unfazed.
-Wow, is he actually putting aside his arrogance?- It was quite a pleasant sight, but he was still unfit to pass. "You have 15 seconds left."
The next thing I knew, I was getting barraged by spells I had never seen before, zapped by lightning, burnt by fire, and even sliced by water.
He was simply throwing everything he could at , even if it seed shaless, but while it was certainly comndable, I didn't step out of the circle. "3.. 2.. 1... Ti's up."
*VWOOM-WHAMMM* The ground shook violently as I slamd my aura onto him and pinned him to the sand.
"You have failed your examination."
A look of fear started coming to his face as I walked over to him.
"Your strength and determination are certainly worthy of praise; however, your character needs work."
*crumble* Hearing so noise behind , I looked at the opposite end of the arena and saw the Elder I threw back in his dragon form.
He looked truly furious. "You failed my son because of his character?!"
"Haah..." I could only let out a sigh. -I guess it runs in the family...-
"You think you have the authority to do that?! How dare a re fake prof-"
*FWOOOSH* Instantly appearing in front of his face, I stared into his eyes with narrow pupils oozing bloodlust.
-How does he know about that...- Clamping his mouth shut with my aura, I changed back to my dragon form. "I apologize, everyone. It seems there is sothing I need to discuss with this man here."
However, before I could actually do anything, soone interrupted. "Professor Whyte, I can deal with him if you would like to continue testing other students." The man's voice was deep and smooth, and when I turned around to see who it was, I saw an elf in a white Sirathian priest's robe in the back of the stands.
He looked like a man in his 70s with white hair and a thick beard. -Who is that?-
Several students imdiately spoke up in unison. """ Headmaster?!"""
"Hoho~; I'm glad you all can still recognize ." The light around him quickly started to warp, revealing a draconic man that looked like a 25-year-old human with the air of a prince around him.
However, even though he looked young, his aura was enormous, even beating out Myles by quite a margin.
-So that's him, huh...- Mother had given a very detailed description of him before I left; the only difference was his deanor. -Didn't Mother say he was typically stern and cold to new people?-
He looked at with a wide, pleased smile. "It seems I didn't go wrong in choosing you as a professor, Sir Whyte. However, I believe it would be best to leave this matter to ." *FWOOSH* Instantly disappearing from where he was, he appeared in the center of the arena, kicking up a huge amount of sand. "Although I certainly understand that you could handle this matter, I believe it would be better for you to test the other students as well."
The students all tensed up instantly, but I couldn't bla them. "I can test those who wish to be tested by , however..." I quickly turned to the students. "I don't think there is any-"
Krystallo imdiately threw her wing into the air with an expression of pure excitent.
People looked at her like she was crazy, but it just made the headmaster chuckle. "See? How could I dare let my professor handle sothing so tedious at the cost of bonding with the students?" He imdiately probed my aura and used a bit of wind magic to speak solely to . "Let handle this. That man has very close ties to the upperclassman's current combat instructor and is a very well-known and respected man in Atlas. At least in front of others, this matter must be handled delicately."
I hesitated for a mont before nodding. "Haah, alright. In that case, I will leave this to you." Finally backing away, I used magic to silently speak to the professor as well. "Make sure to tell what you figure out."
He responded in kind. "Of course."
Walking back out into the arena, I looked over the students. "Since Miss Krystallo is the only one that wishes to get tested by , the tests will resu normally." I quickly looked at the professor who was standing with the upperclassman. "If you need any help, just let know."
He reluctantly nodded before trying to break the ice off everyone by resuming things as usual, but almost everyone was still tense.
Scanning over the rows of seats in the stands as I walked back into the crowd, I noticed several people I had my eyes on had disappeared, with a few others watching with condescending looks. -It seems like there are indeed more rats than we originally thought...-
Finally finding a place to lie down, I spent my ti watching the student's tests while carefully observing those in the stands, and while there were certainly a few that I needed to keep my eye on, the most suspicious ones had already left. -I should tell the Headmaster about it when I get the chance...-
Before I knew it though, the upperclassman had finished, and it was my turn to test Krystallo.
But now, with most of the bad actors gone, I had to admit that I was quite excited. "Alright, Miss Krystallo, I hope you aren't expecting to go easy on you."
She quickly showed a competitive smile. "Of course not!"
I gently motioned to her, having her pull out the bag of steel beads I had made her last night. -Let's see how she has progressed, shall we?-
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