The warm orange sun peeked through the window of Jayden's room, casting gentle rays across the floorboards.
Dust motes danced in the golden light as he sat cross-legged on his bed, circulating mana through his body.
Marigold hovered above him, her tiny wings glimmering like shards of morning dew.
A soft marigold glow surrounded her as she guided his mana flow—faster, smoother, more refined.
Being a fairy, she naturally possessed exceptional mana control, though her mana core was small and limited in raw output.
Still, her precision was unmatched.
Feeling he had gotten the hang of it, Jayden exhaled softly, stood up, and picked up the instruction book resting on his bedside table.
He flipped to the next page, and his eyes widened in excitement at the bold title written there: Special moves.
"This guy really knows how to make things interesting," Jayden muttered with a grin as Marigold fluttered to his shoulder. Together, they leaned over the book and started to read the text.
'At a point in time, a special move—whether a finishing or a supporting one—must be created to gain an edge over your opponents.
Luckily for you, I have already developed a few. Instead of wasting time trying to create your own for now, use the ones I've made.
The first two skills were titled Eyes of the Gods and Ten Step Destruction.
Jayden straightened, his focus sharpening as he read the first set of instructions. Surprisingly, they were short.
To use Eyes of the Gods, one had to channel as much mana as possible into the eyes and focus intently on the chosen target.
You'll know when you've done it right, the note mysteriously promised.
The second technique, Ten Step Destruction, required channeling mana to the legs. But unlike the first, this one came with detailed warnings.
Once the move begins, with each step, the pressure around you will increase. If you're knocked off your feet, the technique resets to the first step.
This move cannot be used on a single person. Its damage radiates to everyone within its area of effect.
Meanwhile, Eyes of the Gods starts as a single-target ability, though it can later be expanded into an area attack.
At the bottom of the page, a small note caught his attention:
'When learning a move for the first time, calling out its name isn't just for dramatic flair like in the storybooks—it's vital. It helps you visualize the ability and strengthens your focus.
In short: calling its name is essential.'
Jayden flipped to the next page, expecting more—but stopped short. It was completely gray and blank, unlike the earlier pages' light golden hue.
"Huh… why can't I see anything?" he muttered. He tried tracing mana lines along the surface as before, but nothing worked.
After several attempts, he sighed and closed the book. "Guess I'll deal with it later."
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the classroom windows. The week had been long, and everyone was restless for the weekend.
"Remember," said Mr. David, tapping his desk, "if you want to compete in the Mages and Sword Tournament, you'll need to train harder. It's only a month away."
The students groaned as the bell rang and the class emptied in a wave of chatter.
Jayden, Nadia, and Ren were just about to leave together when Mr. David called them back.
"Sorry to take up your time," he said, folding his arms. "But are you three interested in participating in the tournament? You've all been recommended by your teachers."
"Of course!" Nadia and Ren said in unison, grinning.
"Good," Mr. David nodded. "Train hard. And you, Jayden?"
Jayden hesitated. "I'll pass," he said after a moment's thought.
Mr. David arched a brow. "Alright, it's your choice. But may I ask why?"
Jayden scratched his head nervously. "It's… kind of complicated."
In truth, Jayden wanted to join, but he knew his power level far exceeded that of the others.
He didn't want to feel like he was cheating. Mr. David, however, saw through him.
"How about a wager?" Mr. David proposed. "I'll wear a binding seal that suppresses seventy percent of my magic. If I fail to make you surrender in three minutes, you can skip the tournament. Deal?"
Jayden's lips curved into a small smile. "Sure. I'm not one to run from a fight."
"Finally, this time it will be my victory, not Fantasy's." Jayden thought.
They moved to the training room. Nadia and Ren watched from a distance while Mr. David clasped glowing bracelets around his wrists.
"Let's begin," he said.
"Break."
The lines flew for a second before breaking.
Jayden barely had a second to react before a silver blur sliced past his cheek.
He leapt backward, wind swirling beneath his feet. Mr. David stood, sword drawn, his expression unreadable.
"Visualize… move like Fantasy did," Jayden reminded himself. "Graceful, seamless."
He fired off small bursts of wind to obscure Mr. David's vision, mimicking one of his father's old tactics.
Closing the distance in a flash, he gathered lightning around his fist and struck—but invisible strings stopped his punch mid-air.
"Strings?" Jayden gasped, realizing his limbs were bound. Mr. David yanked him closer and swept his leg, knocking him off balance.
Jayden flipped in midair and landed on his feet—but too late. Threads snared his legs, then his arms, trapping him like a fly in a web.
"Eyes of the Gods!" Jayden shouted in desperation.
The air trembled.
"The power of the strongest one presses down on you." A deep, demonic voice boomed.
The sky outside the training hall darkened for a few seconds. Mr. David froze, overwhelmed by the sudden pressure.
Though Jayden couldn't maintain it for long, that brief moment was enough—he launched forward, lightning igniting beneath his feet, fire flaring at his fists.
But before he could land the blow, the timer beeped softly. Time's up.
Mr. David smirked. "Good, he won. But I can't let him get too cocky."
Using Jayden's own momentum, he pulled him forward and drove his knee hard into Jayden's stomach.
The impact forced the air from his lungs as Jayden dropped to one knee, gasping.
"Don't think being gifted makes you invincible," Mr. David said calmly, extending a hand to him. "With enough skill, even a mid-tier magic user can defeat someone way stronger."
Jayden grasped his teacher's hand and stood shakily. "Guess I lost. Thank you for sparring with me."
Mr. David simply nodded and walked out—trying, quite successfully, to look cool.
"I can't believe you fell for that," Nadia sighed as Jayden approached them.
"Fell for what?" he asked, confused.
Ren laughed. "That was the most basic psychological trick ever. He let you win so you'd agree to join."
Jayden blinked. "Wait—so that means—"
"Yes," Nadia interrupted, smirking. "He played you like a lute."
"Let's go home," Ren chuckled as he picked up Jayden's bag and hoisted it over his shoulder.
"We can keep laughing at him on the way back."
"Carry mine too," Nadia teased, tossing her bag to him.
"I didn't see your guts get kneed in," Ren sighed but slung her bag over his shoulder anyway.
Jayden laughed softly as the three of them walked out into the fading evening light.
And so, Jayden officially became a nominee for the Mages and Sword Tournament.