Kota: Sigh. So you're really serious about never using your insignia again?

Master: As serious as I can be.

Kota: Fine, whateva. But you still have to attend the meetings and do your duties. Light saint Taizawa.

--- Chapter 83 ---

Announcer: LLLLLLLADIES AND GENTS, BOYS AND GIRLS, GATHER ROUND, GATHER ROUND FOR THIS YEARS ANNUAL A RANK EXAMS!

Red: Man, I’m pumped!

Luna: Really? Aren’t you nervous?

Red: Nope! Not at all!

He says, his legs shaking.

Luna: Right, either way, we are going to do great.

Hiro jumps in the middle of them, putting his arms around their necks.

Hiro: Hell yeah we are!

They laugh a little bit. The maskrah guild pulls up, and their participants pour out. A man wearing noble clothing with a small half-mask steps out, and two people with trumpets. The men wielding trumpets play a little tune to get everyone’s attention. As they do, a red carpet is rolled out. The man in noble clothing unravels a scroll.

Noble: Presenting, Jural, the most favored to win this tournament!

A boy walks out and waves to everyone, some of the girls swoon, and the Maskrah students golf clap.

Red: I wanna kick his ass.

Hiro: Yup.

Announcer: If you haven’t signed up yet, please direct yourselves to the front desk as we will be starting shortly.

The group makes their way to the line. Multiple lines converge into a couple sign-up booths. The lady directs Red over, but a white-haired boy cuts in front of him from the line next to him. The boy looks back at Red with a sly smirk. It’s the kid that made fun of Red at the royal decree. Red glares back at the kid as he signs up. Red rejoins the group and they begin talking. The master is standing nearby, and he looks at a group that had just shown up. Red notices this.

Red: Do you know them, master?

Master: Indeed I do. Well, the old guy at least.

He waves them over. An old man, around the size of the master, but seemingly way older, walks up. He wields a cane, and a taller cloaked figure about the size of the Red stands beside him. The cloak completely obscures their face and any other defining features.

Master: It's been a while, hasn’t it.

Old guy: Indeed it has young Taizawa hehe.

Master: Not so young anymore, master. Seems you aged quite a bit yourself!

Red: This guy, is our master's master?!

Old guy: Ehehe, yah, but I can still kick ass.

Master: Though I thought after us you quit teaching.

Red: Us?

Old guy: Yah, well this youngster inspired me to break out the old moves.

Master: He must have impressed you if it made you take your lazy ass out of retirement.

Old guy: Ehe, yah I guess you could say that.

A cart pulls up, and an older gentleman, a kid in his early 20s, and three kids in their teens get out of a cart. Red saw the guy in his 20s and the old guy before. That's the vector guild, from the royal decree.

Master: Victor.

Old guy: You know him Taizawa?

Master: Yeah, he is a powerful SS rank mage that only became a guild leader to teach that older boy. The kids a monster. He rose from the lowest rank to SS+ in less than a year. The boy is naturally gifted and has a strong arcana as well. And with a teacher like Victor… Red. Be careful of those three. If I know Victor, he only taught them because of their raw power and talent.

Red: Right.

He walks back to the group when a girl with thick, circular lens glasses walks up awkwardly close and starts examining the three of them.

Luna: Can we help you?

Girl: No, you can't. Hmmm, mhm, mhm.

They look at each other in confusion.

Hiro: Ok, what are you doing?

Girl: Analyzing.

Hiro: Why?

Girl: Just checkin out the competition. You sir are the only one I fear.

Hiro: Why me?

He says laughing at the others.

Girl: Well, it’s quite simple really. Judging by the symbols on your palms, you’re a Sataro, correct?

Hiro: Yeah I am-

Girl: I know you are, I’m never wrong. You see that means your a body seal user, and body seal users naturally have more mana than the average person. So it’s not a surprise you have so much mana. But when someone has an incredible amount of mana, more than one’s body can handle, their hair loses pigmentation. Causing them to be white, in layman’s terms. And pure mana takes on a green coloration, despite it being referred to as white mana. And since your hair has a green streak, it could be a mana leakage. So what I’m saying is you have incredible mana.

Hiro: T-thanks.

He laughs nervously. Ryan walks over and picks the girl up by her hair.

Ryan: Apologies. This is my sister and she can be nosy.

Hiro: N-no problem.

Girl: Hey! Put me down!

Ryan: No.

Hiro: Wait if she’s your sister, why isn’t she in the guild?

The girl stops struggling and just hangs there.

Girl: Because! Academy is where all the smart people go.

Red: Permission to punch her?

Ryan: Granted.

Girl: Hey wait a second!

Announcer: Allllllll righty! Everyone, please make your way to the forest gates!

Ryan drops her as they all head over to the gates. A woman stands in the front.

Woman: Everyone! I will be your proctor today. This year’s first challenge will be finding me at the exit of the forest behind me. But, it will be harder than you think. Everyone will have to find a partner. One of you will be the runner, the other will be the fighter. The fighter will ride on the runner’s back, and if the fighter touches the ground, you, and your teammate lose. The exit will be randomly placed in the forest. Fighting is allowed, and anything goes from here on out. The forest has many obstacles, traps, and monsters. There are around 500 of you, and only 125 teams will pass, meaning more than half of you will be eliminated. The spots are first come first serve. I will give you ten minutes to find your partner, and make a plan. Your partners don’t have to be from within your guild.

Luna starts to turn to Red.

Luna: Hey Red do you want to-

As she fully turns, Red and Hiro already have their hand together in a fist bump.

Red+Hiro: Hell yah, we are going to win this for sure!

Luna: Oh.

She turns to looks at Cari, but she high fives Ava. She then looks over to Romeo, who is finger gunning Geno with a smile, while Geno rolls his eyes. She then looks over at El, who is talking with a girl who has very long purple hair, and long bangs to where you can barely see her face but has a satellite-like disk on the side of her head. She is incredibly scrawny and small. Suddenly she gets shoved forward, with a girl’s arm around her neck.

???: So it looks like it’s just me and you huh?

Luna: Oh, your Togi right? From our guild?

Togi: Yup! And you must be Luna.

Luna: Mhm, so you want to be my partner?

Togi: Of course! We Elune members gotta stick together.

Luna: Yeah haha.

El: Hay Togi! Luna! Come over here!

They walk over to El, and her purple-haired partner.

Togi: What’s up?

El: You two want in on our plan?

They begin to talk over their plan, as does every other group. After the ten minutes are up, they all line up at the starting line in front of the gate. A man walks up.

Announcer: Are you, ready everyone?!

Everyone: Yah!

Announcer: I can’t hear you! ARE! YOU! READY!

Everyone: YAH!

He lifts his flare gun and fires.

Announcer: GOOOOOOOO!