<strong>Heavenly Academy of Arcana, Central City, Arcana world;</strong>
There is a group of students similar in age and soul power was having an afternoon tea session at a secluded place in the academy.
It was a wooden house purposely built for the tea ceremonies that was located at a 3000ft altitude.
The tea house wasn't that big either. Barely enough for ten-fifteen people to sit inside. If anymore, they would feel it is overcrowded. And yet, it was so popular that people would have to book it in advance by at least two weeks before they get the chance to even enter the place.
So, what was so special about it?
Well, aside from the fact that this normal-looking tea house is actually more than a hundred thousand years old, it was a place where once, nine rank-10 Arcana masters used to gather for the tea ceremony.
No one knows who they are or whether it is even true or not, but the fact that this simple structure stands for that much period of time without getting damaged from any beast attacks tells its specialty.
On the left, one can have a breathtaking view of a group of waterfalls of the twin peaks falling from more than ten thousand feet above. Even though people would often have tea ceremonies elsewhere, here, the morning time is considered the best spot.
From the tea house, one would be able to see the sun rising between the two peaks. Maybe, this is the reason the rank-10 experts of the past came here? Who knows…
Outside of the tea house, there was an outer garden with a gate and covered arbor where guests wait for the invitation to enter. They then pass through a gate to the inner garden, before going into the teahouse itself.
The path is always kept moist and green, so it will look like a remote mountain path, and there are no bright flowers that might distract the visitor from his meditation.
Right now, the tea house was occupied by a group in which all of them are the direct descendants of their respective royal families, and are in a line of succession to become the next King/Queen…
While the four princes sat cross-legged on the floor, their eyes were glued to the princess who was serving as the tea master.
She was beautiful with fair skin and bright eyes. She was dressed in snow-white robes with an aqua-blue transparent vest. Her silk-like hair was let down and allowed to hand free behind her.
After serving the tea to everyone, she took a sip from her cup and watched the rising sun and the beautiful waterfalls.
However, the Princes don't seem interested in the scenery. Although they seemed like they are watching the view, each of them is glancing at this beautiful princess of Camelot from the corner of their eyes.
After a while, she started the conversation, "Prince Light, I heard that you applied for Champions League."
"Ah, Yes." Coming back to his senses, Theodore replied, "After all, our country is hosting it. As the crown prince, it is my duty to represent our academy. So, I applied for it."
The other princes rolled their eyes. Everyone knew that this Prince is a scared cat who never dares to battle the same level person or the beast unless a person is helping him out. He was probably forced by his father to attend the League.
"Then, I guess we would become teammates," Leah smiled as she looked at him.
"Eh?" The four princes were taken aback. "You were attending the League, Princess?" Almost all of them reacted at the same time.
Leah giggled while covering it with her hand in response, "of course. Didn't you know that I'm the team captain?"
"Oh!" The exclaimed at the same time once again. Then, one of the princes spoke, "if Princess Leah will go to the Champions League, then, I will also apply for it."
"Me too..." "Me too…"
Princess Leah once again giggled finding their reactions amusing. Just then, a deep voice commented in her head, "These worthless fools want to accompany my host? Dream on… Leah, you should never take them. They are nothing but an embarrassment.
"C'mon, don't be a grumpy old man. Didn't you tell me that we aren't going for a competition but to meet someone?" Maintaining her usual smile on the outside, she took a sip and replied in her head.
"Well, to get that person to our side, shouldn't we need to impress him by showing our strength or else, how else, we would achieve it?" The Arcana spirit, which is in the form of a golden sword, argued that she should take his words seriously.
However, Leah also didn't back down from the argument, "We only need to get that person to my side. Doesn't matter as long as I can win. You are a celestial grade spirit and I'm a peak-rank-5. Don't you have the confidence to win against weaker Arcana spirits when you are called the sword of victory? Or maybe, the effect has been diminished because your age has been caught up. Well, that's understandable…"
"I'm not old…" The spirit roared in her head. Leah can't help but giggle, looking at the reaction of this ancient sword, which was once wielded by the legendary King Arthur that ruled the Empire of Arcana, more than a hundred thousand years ago.
***
In the skies of Northern Qudour, a supercar is flying towards the border.
Looking at the Arcana masters that are traveling on the flying cards, Neal shook his head, "Look at these people. Why don't they just buy cars like these? There are affordable flying cards available in the market too…
As long as they can spend 10 million credits on this, instead of spending it on gold-grade flying cards, they can comfortably sit and drive without soaking in sunlight while listening to music and at the same time, turning on the AC.
How cool is this technology made by the mortals… Speaking of it, I wonder whether my order for the custom-made soul-energy FAL gun has been ready yet. After finishing my business at the Headquarters, I need to drop by the store…
Once it is ready, I can just sit back and shoot down the opponents with soul energy bullets. Man, just thinking about it makes my blood rush…" A grin appeared on his face he was imagining the scenario of sitting on the Salamander while killing his opponents before they even close their distance.
His daydream was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of another message card.
As he poured the soul power, it disappeared and a video message from the president played in his head.
"Neal, you are ordered to return to the base. Whatever report you are preparing, scrap it away. We no longer need to change our decision. The Heavenly Academy and the Central Academy withdrew their complaints. Aclein will host the tournament as it was originally decided."
"Eh?" Neal was taken aback to hear that the two top academies withdrew their complaints at the same time. He remembered Barton. When he left the academy, he heard Barton say that he will never let the academy lose its hosting rights. "Did Master do something?" He wondered for a second.
"No way. Master is only a low-rank-8. His strength wasn't enough for those both academies to back down. Hmm, is it Leonard maybe? Surely, his father can do something about it… Anyway, it doesn't matter…"
Shrugging his shoulders, Neal accelerated and the car zoomed past the Arcana Masters in a flash.
***
<strong>Grade-8 classroom, Elite division;</strong>
While everyone else doing things like celebrating because of the Annual tournament, getting prepared for the Champions League, or just having fun, Azzy, on the other hand, sits inside the classroom all alone and is working on the problems from trigonometry.
"To think I was called the smartest kid in my elementary school… Sigh…"
It was the most difficult topic for him. When asked for the Reaper's assistance, the latter simply reminded him that he's only a personification of Death and Time, not an omniscient God.
Azzy was delighted to know that this deity who keeps on pouring knowledge to him is also helpless with mathematics formulas. But at the same time, he wondered how come the Reaper is knowledgeable in things like atomic science, chemistry, and even robotics but not good at mere algebraic equations and trigonometric formulae...
Putting away the useless thoughts, he began to concentrate on the subject. However, just then, he was disturbed by the forceful opening of the door.
"Thank goodness, you are here…" He saw Lark breathing heavily.
"Hmm, what is it?" Azzy asked him.
Lark answered, "Gideon is in trouble."
"What did you say?" Azzy immediately stood up from the seat.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦