After the smoke faded and the explosions stopped, I walked onto the plains and towards the others.

“Leo!” Lucy yelled from in the middle of the lane, waving at me with an idiotic smile.

Tsk. Don’t act like we are close. If I had it my way, I would not have brought along such baggage. Didn’t I mention that before?

I walked along the line and caught Leah from the corner of my eye.

Oh? Is the fire princess ignoring my presence all together? At least that makes it simpler. I don’t have to tell her ‘piss off’ every time she comes looking for that pathetic fool.

Walking up the professor in the brown trench coat, it didn’t seem like he was phased by my entrance.

“Leo, I’ve been looking for you.” Professor Arbanes said with a sly voice.

He brought his hands together and turned around towards the open field. Placing his hand on the ground, concrete walls erected from the ground.

The walls must have been over twenty feet. They towered over us, shaking the ground.

“You ruined some of the magic traps I set in preparation but that’s fine. I created new ones just now.”

What? How was this goof able to create traps from a single spot? I could definitely sense something so he’s not lying… the teachers at this school are somewhat capable.

“Now then, form groups of three and enter inside the maze whenever. This will be a practical test. There are six badges scattered within the maze and only six. Collect them all with your team and find your way out. No flying or digging will be allowed. The walls are created with a magical barrier so they cannot be broken. Now then, that is all, good luck to you all! Oh and remember, the whole team must cross.” The professor said, clapping his hands that led to only awkward silence.

Muttering between the others grew loud. I could feel the animosity as everyone looked at the people next to them. The professor is pitting everyone against each other. Everyone is an enemy.

Only six? There’s twenty-four of us here… Eight teams fighting for all the badges is fucking chaotic. Ha. Then again, I feel better than ever. Let these bastards come.

I proceeded to walk into the maze but a hand dropped on my shoulder.

“Leo, Professor Maevis has told me your recent new found stubbornness, but you cannot participate until you form a group.”

“We’re with him!” Lucy yelled, running with her sword over her shoulders. “Right Leah?”

The princess nodded and glanced at me before walking in first.

What is this? Why does she seem so cautious? It’s starting to irritate me even more.

“Very well, proceed on in. Oh, and try not to kill anyone. Would put a damper on the upcoming festival.”

***

“The maze can’t be that big right?” Lucy asked as she tapped her sword along the walls.

“Mm.” Leah replied.

A deafening silence befell the group. The only sounds being the clink clink clink of Lucy’s blade and the rustling of the sticks beneath our feet.

Sigh. This atmosphere is ruining my good mood. If she was going to be like this, she should have not followed Lucy’s whims.

“I’m going up ahead, let’s meet later.” I said, going the opposite direction from them when we reached a cross point.

“Wait, but what if you run into another group?” Lucy asked, stopping the tapping.

“I’ll take my chances.” I said, walking away and turning a corner out of their sight.

As soon as I turned that corner, I realized it was a dead end. I turned back around but a wall erected from where I came. I could hear the rumbles as the once dead end, sunk into the ground revealing a new path.

The maze is changing? I wonder what other magic the Professor knows.

When the wall fully came down, a group of three guys I didn’t care for, stood holding a piece of object towards the sky.

“Let me see it, give it here!” the stubby one exclaimed, jumping onto the shoulders of the stick figure.

“Calm down, calm down. Here. It’s a badge alright.”

“I wonder if we’re the first ones to find one. Wouldn’t that mean others will come after us?” the more chubby one asked.

“Not if we hide it right? I don’t think the professor said anything about conceal magic.”

I let a smirk take over my face. Aiming a finger-gun towards them, a giant icicle began to form at my fingertip. The stubby one turned to me, a look of shock.

“Guys! We have company.” he yelled out, hovering in the air with wind beneath his feet.

“Oh fuck. Hurry up and conceal it.” the chubby one said, mud starting to creep over his body until he was fully covered in it. Soon it hardened, creating some armor .

The one with the badge was behind them, drawing a circle on the floor with runes.

Was he that much of a novice that he couldn’t even do a basic conceal spell?

My grin faded.

These pathetic excuses that call themselves mages don’t even deserve to use magic. Die.

I poured a hefty amount of mana into my finger-gun and soon, the particles all came together, creating an icicle almost the size of the wall.