Don't Mind Me, I'm Just A Mystic arts Major

The next day arrived quickly.

Zach dragged his feet like a zombie through the crowd, exhausted.

He only had about a few hours of sleep before he was woken up by the sound of the maid hurling breakfast.

That place was a temporary dorm where they would reside for the rest of the dwell.

Zach walked over to the destination, his eyes dozing off occasionally.

Around, students glanced at him with all sorts of emotions—jealousy, anger, even hidden excitement.

"Hey, Zach!" Angie called out. Zach glanced at the petite young girl walking up to him.

"Oh... hey." He spoke lazily.

The entire group of cadets gathered around in a massive circular field, with multiple arenas in the center on an elevated platform.

"Cadets, listen closely. The first trial is about discipline, reflex, and composure." A voice boomed across the crowd and a robed gentleman appeared in the sky.

A figure appeared in the sky, black robes hovering in the wind.

"Wait a second, that's an Awakened." Everywhere burst into murmurs.

The man in the sky hovered to the earth, his sharp gaze piercing the soul of any cadet he looked into.

Zach could feel it instantly—that feeling that traveled from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet, that made his soul tremble.

"An Awakened..."

Those who have surpassed the human limits and can now be confidently referred to as demigods.

"No Astras are allowed in this stage, nor abilities. Your skills alone determine if you succeed or not."

"Each of you will be armed with a wooden weapon of your choice. Consider it as a weapon of restraint, yet a tool for precision," he looked around calmly.

"The rules are simple," he spoke again, landing on one of the arenas.

"Once a duel begins, the fight continues until one of the following occurs:

• A candidate steps out of the dueling circle.

• A cadet formally gives up or yields.

• Or one of the fighters loses consciousness," he continued.

"Fighting with the intent to cripple or kill is strictly not allowed. This is an assessment, not a war."

"The first round will consist of everyone. If the instructors aren't able to fully grasp your combat prowess, you will be recalled for another duel. If you get below the 250 mark you will be disqualified and sent out of Saint Academy," he said, then walked away.

Zach was wondering what the first trial would be. Thankfully, it wasn't anything crazy, just a 1v1.

The match started with students doing initially well. Instructors were placed around the vicinity to monitor this as names were being called.

Zach grimaced as he realized.

'They're being called alphabetically!!'

There was a total of ten circular platforms and 500 students, so the first set was 20 cadets.

Thankfully, the duels didn't last long, with the match either ending quickly or in a draw.

Aurora stood opposite a male student gripping a bamboo staff.

The student swung his wooden weapon but Aurora dodged it effortlessly, weaving in between strikes like a master of grace. She delivered a graceful sweep to the cadet's legs, making him stumble down to his back.

"I.. yield," the kid shouted.

Zach's face twisted in disgust.

"Why are they so weak..?"

This was Saint Academy for crying out loud. SAINT ACADEMY!!

The students here couldn't possibly be this weak.

Zach could tell his movements were sluggish, predictable, and full of holes to exploit. That kid would be an afternoon snack for a Thyxar if he ever encountered one.

"Winner, Aurora!"

More and more people adored the peerless princess, as was befitting for a leader.

"Winner, Arid."

"Winner, Nathan."

Zach waited until his name was called.

Zach yawned, walking into the circle with slow steps. Onlookers watched, all anticipating what the mysterious seeker would do.

Opposite Zach stood a burly man, 8 feet in height, towering over him like an immovable boulder.

Zach just stared into the brute's eyes calmly.

"So you're the princess's boyfriend I've been hearing about."

Zach nearly coughed.

'What..?'

"Don't worry, I'll defeat you and claim Her Highness's attention," he sparkled.

"Aren't you way too old for this..." Zach pursed his lips.

The brute looked at Zach with disdain, wearing nothing but a shirt.

Zach was given a wooden katana, and the brute was handed a club.

"And... begin!"

The brute instantly launched an attack, but Zach dodged it skillfully. Using the techniques he copied from the silhouettes in his internal world, he ducked under a slash by a hair's breadth, taking a step back.

The crowd watched in amazement.

Zach dodged all the attacks, making it seem as though he didn't want to move from his position.

The brute swung down his blade again and Zach stepped to the side, tapping the brute's knee so lightly with the heel of his foot.

The brute's sheer force collapsed into the earth, making the concrete shatter.

Everyone was stunned.

Zach just smiled in fulfillment.

That was something called Jujitsu. He was taught that in the M.A. (Mystic Arts) University.

It deals with applying the lightest pressure and getting devastating results.

Less effort, more results.

Zach used the advantage to trip the brute under his own weight.

The matchups were quickly finished and the instructors called out people whose abilities weren't fully gauged.

"Aurora Elixion."

Aurora walked out.

"Charles Greylash."

A blond-haired kid stepped out, wielding a rapier.

"So what is your affiliation with that commoner?" he snickered.

"Are you going out, selling your body to just anyone now?" he taunted, grinning widely as he brandished his weapon.

Aurora didn't reply to him, just pointed her bamboo stick at him.

The duel began and the black-haired kid dashed forward, swinging his weapon with such speed it became a blur.

Twack Twack

The sounds of wooden swords clashing echoed, as Charles darted in for the attack. His figure became blurry as he moved.

Aurora blocked with precision and a tempered stance, swinging her staff like an extension of her reach.

Charles stopped at the other end.

"It seems you won't give up that easily, princess," he smirked.

Aurora looked around, holding the staff behind her back.

Whoosh He dashed forward.

Eli threw her staff towards Charles, shocking the charging cadet. The rim of the weapon hit him dead in the stomach, bouncing off and landing back in her hand due to the rebound.

She swung again, hitting him on the neck.

He fell groaning.

The instructors automatically stopped the duel, giving the win to Aurora.

Zach stared from the sidelines, actually kind of impressed.

Now that he thought about it, she was a confident leader and an advanced strategist.

Zach was called up once again. This time his opponent wasn't as weak as the last.

"Nathan Calloway." A noble stepped into the ring, wielding a straight wooden longsword.

"So, you're Zach huh..." He scanned Zach from head to toe.

"Even without any catalyst I know you are from the slums," he scoffed.

"People from that place carry this stench that's difficult to bear," he covered his nose.

"Come on, let's get this over with," he taunted Zach.

Zach was actually quite stunned.

Finally, someone who had also weaponized the art of trash-talking.

"Oh, I'm from the slums? I bet you won't last a second against this slum rat," he grinned.

"We'll see about that."

"Begin!"

Nathan walked forward wielding his blade.

Then the duo dashed in. Their wooden swords cracked on impact as they moved around the arena.

Zach, incorporating the movements from his silhouette, dodged most of Nathan's flashy attacks, ducking a blow that missed him by barely an inch.

Zach didn't want to show off in this fight, so he just dodged and backed off, slowly being pushed back.

Zach's feet were inches away from the line as Nathan dashed forward, intent on pushing him off.

Zach just grinned, stepping to the side and holding a leg out.

Nathan tripped out of the arena, landing face-first into the green fields.

"Watcha doing down there? Eating grass?" Zach smiled.

The match ended and they all went to where results were announced.

Aurora: Rank 1

Zachariah: Rank 136

Zach didn't really care about the rankings. In fact, this was his version of laying low. He wanted it to seem he got through the first trials by sheer luck in order not to raise suspicion about his identity.

Not that it would've done anything, but at least mediocre results meant fewer people saw him as a threat.

And that meant fewer enemies he'd have.

Now he'd just rather not engage with the princess—at least not in public.

Most of the candidates immediately left, so there were significantly fewer than before.

Zach finished in the cafeteria and returned to his dorm. The next challenge would start tomorrow, and that was the real test.

Zach remembered the instructor's words.

The next trial was the artificial tower.

Zach decided to hurry and take a shower before the princess would enter, then change and lie on the bed, exhausted.

Night fell.

And he passed out.