The Most Satisfied Reincarnate

On the opposite side, Desmond responded with a serene smile, his eyes carefully studying Elizabeth's every move. A sense of curiosity stirred within him, prompting him to voice his query. "Miss Elizabeth, may I pose a question?" he inquired, his voice laced with a touch of intrigue.

Elizabeth, her elegant demeanor intact, shook her head gracefully, causing Desmond's brows to furrow. There was an unmistakable barrier between them, an unseen wall that separated them even before their imminent clash. The realization struck him with newfound clarity.

As the crowd witnessed Desmond's failure to salute or acknowledge their princess, a tide of fury surged through them. Murmurs spread like wildfire, particularly among the senior attendees, though Alice's fierce glare silenced any further dissent.

"Of course," Elizabeth replied with a swift, elegant motion, her hand gracefully retracting from her mouth. Her expression shifted, adopting a serious demeanor as she perceived the intensity in Desmond's gaze.

A hush fell upon the colosseum as the spectators eagerly fixated their attention on Elizabeth and Desmond. The air grew heavy with anticipation, each onlooker keenly awaiting the first move in this enthralling duel.

"Can you fight?" Desmond's voice resonated throughout the entire arena, instantly shattering the invisible barrier that had confined them. In the blink of an eye, a trail of fire materialized before him, hurtling toward Elizabeth.

The crowd gasped collectively, their astonishment mirrored by Elizabeth's own shock. Caught off guard, she barely had time to react, feeling the scorching tickle on her smooth skin before mustering the energy to chant a spell.

"Light barrier!" she cried, a shimmering magic circle manifesting above her head. Slowly descending, it enveloped her body, emanating a radiant light that repelled the encroaching flames.

"Despicable!" The scornful whispers of the seniors echoed through the air, their disdain for Desmond palpable.

Undeterred by their disdainful comments, Desmond muttered, his attention focused on his gathering energy. A magic circle shimmered above his outstretched palm, condensing raw power into a swirling white sphere.

As the energy coalesced, it surged through the magic circle, Desmond's hand expertly directing it toward Elizabeth. A wave of elemental force was unleashed, causing Elizabeth's face to pale further. Still reeling from the previous attack, she found herself confronted with yet another onslaught.

The flickering barrier strained against the assault, her body ablaze with the battle between light and fire.

"Light barrier!" she cried out once more, her voice tinged with urgency. Yet, her attempts to draw in the surrounding energy to fortify the barrier were in vain, as the dissipating energy evaded her grasp. Beads of sweat cascaded down her forehead as she struggled to quell her mounting panic.

Unconsciously, her eyes darted toward Clark, who watched with a mix of concern and apprehension. Elizabeth's gaze returned to Desmond, observing him calmly awaiting her resolution to his attacks.

The panicked crowd witnessed their beloved princess facing imminent peril, their hearts gripped by helplessness. They could only bear witness to the unfolding drama, unable to intervene.

"Hea—" Before Elizabeth could complete her plea for assistance, Desmond's attack struck her weakened barrier with a resounding boom. The light shield that had enveloped her began to melt away, and with a heavy heart, she shut her eyes, bracing for the searing heat that threatened to consume her.

A faint pop reverberated through the air, perplexing Elizabeth. To her surprise, she remained unscathed, her clothes still within her grasp. Squinting her eyes, she discerned Desmond's triumphant smile and the sudden absence of the surrounding inferno and his attack.

Confusion gnawed at her as she struggled to draw a breath. It was then she realized that the air had grown thin, her lungs starving for oxygen.

"This concludes the match," Desmond's voice resonated in Elizabeth's mind, his words a harbinger of darkness. Slowly, her vision dimmed, her body growing limp.

The crowd stood stunned for a moment before a realization rippled through them. "The fire!" one student exclaimed, clutching his friend's shoulder with trembling excitement.

However, the students remained oblivious to the student's attempts at explanation. "You know," he began, struggling to find the right words, "when there's fire all around you, engulfing everything, the air... it's like it disappears. It's as if you're lying in bed and suddenly your home is ablaze. You'd be desperate to escape, gasping for breath, but there's no air left!"

As his words hung in the air, the students, including the seniors, listened intently, their expressions shifting from understanding to sheer amazement. They hadn't considered such a method before, and their gazes turned to Desmond with a mixture of fear and newfound respect.

Now, the seniors understood why the prospective students had remained silent, fearing Desmond's potential retaliation within the academy. Only Clark regarded Desmond with a hint of suspicion, his gaze scrutinizing him deeply before shifting to the unconscious form of Elizabeth.

"The winner is student Desmond!" a booming voice announced, although Desmond and Elizabeth had already vanished from the spot by then.

Returning to his previous seat, Desmond was met with the enchanting gaze of the girls who had been watching him with admiration. Elizabeth, on the other hand, had been whisked away for medical treatment under the academy's care.

"You're amazing, Master Desmond!" one of the girls exclaimed, her eyes shimmering with excitement.

"G-Good job," another stammered, clearly impressed.

"Amazing as always," chimed in another girl, while even the shy one, who had been hiding behind her friends, peered out and clapped her hands in admiration.

Desmond offered them a humble smile and expressed his gratitude. To him, this test, no, the entire competition, had hardly pushed him to his limits. It would have been embarrassing for him to lose against youngsters who lacked the life experiences he had faced.

Nice one, brother... Alice's voice resonated in his mind once more. Desmond glanced at Alice, observing her hands trembling with excitement as she cheered for him.

Thank you, sis, he replied, sending a telepathic message to Alice, before reminding her about the importance of privacy.

...

Meanwhile, after Desmond's match, the other prospective students battled one after another throughout the entire day. The younger generation, whom Desmond was familiar with, emerged victorious in most cases, except for Elizabeth, who had fallen to his skill.

However, the passing of time went unnoticed by them, as the sky stubbornly remained bright. Only Desmond, the chosen one, had been forewarned by the system about this peculiarity.

The following day, as all the prospective students gathered, including Elizabeth and those who had faced defeat, Jessy and the other white-robed figures appeared in the arena, marking the end of the grueling day-long test.

"The arduous test has finally come to a close! I congratulate all of you for choosing North Academy as your future!" Jessy's voice resonated with unwavering enthusiasm, causing the entire colosseum to tremble.

The structure itself seemed to come alive, as the ground beneath Jessy and the white-robed figures transformed into a gleaming wooden floor. The audience seats, which had previously encircled the arena, began to move, positioning themselves in front of Jessy as the sky darkened, shrouded in an ethereal shadow.

"To all of you, we shall now announce the students who have been accepted into the academy!" Jessy's voice reverberated through the hall, leaving the prospective students astounded as they found themselves in a grand chamber.

The hall boasted a polished wooden floor, with a central podium that shimmered with a delicate coating of glitter. Expansive glass panels lined the sides, offering a crystal-clear view of the sky, its cerulean expanse and the warm rays of sunlight cascading upon their bodies.

After what seemed like an eternity, they once again felt the comforting warmth of the genuine sun. Throughout the entire test, an artificial sun had illuminated their surroundings, leaving them curious as to how it was created.

Behind Jessy and the white-robed figures, an imposing structure caught their attention. It resembled a colossal furnace, but it emitted a pulsating energy while drawing from the ambient surroundings. Countless magic crystals were embedded within its intricate design, adding a mystical aura to its presence.

The hall was divided into two levels, with the second floor noticeably occupied by the seniors. Their faces were adorned with amusement and smirks as they observed the reactions of the prospective students.