Merlin checked himself out early the next day and hurried to his dorm room. Chima and Hakyun were there in the parlor, unsurprised as he walked in—as they were already expecting him—but that didn’t mean they didn’t have things to say.
“Professor Jung will end up killing you one of these days,” Hakyun was the first to speak. “You should have told her, or one of the nurses. You don’t just get up and leave. Are you even fine?”
Chima flexed his biceps as Blue flew off from his chest and zoomed through the living room. Merlin dropped his bag immediately and caught the dragon as it crashed into him. Then Blue crawled around his shoulders, settling upon there like he used to when he was smaller, only this time his body was as long as a snake’s, and it fell over Merlin’s shoulders like a scarf..
“Hey, little guy,” Merlin patted Blue’s head, inciting a purr. “Missed me, did you?”
“Well, answer the question,” Chima joined in the conversation. “Are you fine?”
Merlin eyed the bandage covering Chima’s right arm and winced. “I could ask you the same.”
“The nurses were willing to discharge me yesterday, and I’ve also been cleared to participate in the final stage. I suppose you understand what that means.” Chima retorted. “And besides, it was just a little burn, which didn’t even affect any of my nerves. It’s healed already, to be honest; just waiting for my skin to return back to its original vigor.”
Merlin sneered and dragged a stool from the kitchen area to the center of the living room. “Lucky you.” He sat down. Then he sighed. “I’m fine,” he said. “The infirmary’s treatments coupled with the one from the System made certain of that.”
Hakyun’s brows twitched. He jumped up from where he was lying on the carpet in the center of the living room.
“Hold on. The System treats you?” His eyes were sparkling.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but, nah,” Merlin replied. “At least, not in the manner you’re thinking about. I never told you guys about how assigning my free points to my Attributes kinda acts like first aid if I sustain an injury, huh?”
“Well, duh?” Hakyun rolled his eyes.
“I’m just hearing that for the first time,” said Chima.
Merlin downturned his lips and shrugged. “It’s as you’ve heard. Depending on the kind of injury I sustained, the free points given to me by the System after a fight can help me heal it, or just lessen the pain as a first aid would do. So, yeah, I’m a bit early on the getting-better curve because I used it yesterday. I suspect I should be fit before Saturday evening, and then I can hurry back to the infirmary and clear myself before Sunday.”
Hakyun and Chima nodded. And then Merlin recalled that he had somewhere to be.
He pressed his lips together slightly as he added, “That’s if Yuri doesn’t burn me into a crisp in a few hours time.”
Hakyun frowned. “Why would she burn you into a crisp?”
Merlin shrugged. “Personal lessons? The one I told you guys she asked me about and I’ve been helping her with?”
“Oh. Yeah. The personal lessons.”
“But would it be wise for you guys to have one when Sunday is approaching?” Chima asked.
“Those Crown Academy guys breezed through the first stage. I honestly don’t think we’re prepared enough for them,” said Merlin.
“They do seem strong, yes,” Hakyun agreed. “But it’s not like we’ll be able to do much in the next two days?”
“Yeah. But even the little things count. If we could make our mana control even a bit more efficient, then maybe that’ll be what earns us our win. Or a skill we picked up when training. Anything. It could be anything.”
Merlin’s chest rose and fell as he uttered those words. His passion and desire to win and prove himself to his parents was bleeding out a lot more than he had expected. He took a deep breath and sighed.
“Yeah. You’re right,” said Chima. “Me and Yuri fought the fire girl from the Russian Academy together, and we still couldn’t defeat her decisively. She was very good. Very strong. And sharp and smart. It shows that we lack so much skill at the moment. And I assume that was why she called you in for training. So, yeah, four-eyes, we should train like Merlin said. You’ll be my partner for that.”
Hakyun inclined his head. “I’d very much love to train with you, brute, but we’ve been doing that since last term and there’s only so much skill I can help you improve. I think you’re lacking behind because you’ve been training with a D-Class Mage.”
Chima frowned. “Don’t say that.”
Hakyun raised his hand. “I’m not seeking empathy here. I’m only saying we should make our training more…efficient. Instead of training together like we always have, why don’t we seek out a senior to help us. It’s for the sake of taking Prestige Academy to the top of the rankings, after all. I’m sure they’ll be keen to.”
Merlin had wanted to say something after Hakyun’s first words, but now he relaxed. And if seeking out seniors to train them was what Hakyun was proposing, then he could help.
“Can I recommend two seniors?” Merlin asked. “Well, one of them was an obvious choice, but I just thought to recommend them anyway.”
Chima shrugged. “Why not? Shoot.”
“Hakyun, I recommend training with Senior Will,” Merlin said. “He uses Earth magic, or at least that’s what I’ve heard. Never actually seen him in battle, but he’s in the disciplinary committee just like I am, and Senior Sakamoto blurts it out in his rambles sometimes. On that note, I think you should train with Senior Sakamoto, Chima. I think he’s the best fit for you. I even get this vibe from him, like he’s a lot stronger than he lets off. Well, considering Dragon Eye is also first in the Cohort rankings in the second year, then maybe he is.”
Hakyun frowned slightly at Merlin’s last words, but he shook the expression away quickly.
Everyone knew the second year rankings too, and it was kinda absurd that Dragon Eye was first in both the first years and second years rankings.
However, that was not what was important at this very moment.
“Gotcha,” Hakyun said, rising to his feet. “Get up, brute. We’ve gotta seek them out now. Time waits for no Mage.”
“Speaking about training, how’s Nora?” Chima asked, dropping the bomb on a conversation Merlin had been wanting to avoid, subconsciously.
Merlin gulped. “She’s still in the infirmary. Hurt very badly too. I’m somewhat scared she won’t be cleared to fight in the second stage.”
“Will she let that be though?” Hakyun asked. “No offense, but your sister is quite stubborn.”
“I don’t know,” said Merlin. “I don’t know what goes on in her head sometimes. But I doubt she can question school authority.”
Hakyun snorted. “She questioned the headmaster on her first day in the academy. I think she can question them if she wants to.”
“Fair point.”
“I wonder what will happen if she doesn’t fight, though,” said Chima. “Will they swap her out for another person, or that’ll be a null match.”
Hakyun hummed. “I think they’ll swap in another person. But it’ll still be a big blow to us. Nora’s like the strongest in our year. No offense, Merlin.”
Merlin blinked owlishly. As if he would ever take offense at that.
“Ah, yes. I’ve also been meaning to ask. How strong even are you, Merlin?” Hakyun went on. “Yeah the System gives us numbers to look at, but what do they translate to.”
Chima perked up at that question, and as usual, Blue had fallen asleep wrapped across Merlin’s shoulders.
Merlin cleared his throat and tried his very best to explain what his levels meant when translated into words. His current Strength level, which was at level 41, meant that he was nearing the apex of peak human strength—of his weight class. He could lift heavy things, like full armor, and sprint without it weighing him down. But, obviously, he couldn’t lift a boulder and do that, or a car. Considering what Kieran had ended up doing, perhaps he would get there one day.
Then his Agility, which was at level 46, simply made him more, yeah, agile. Like, gymnast-agile, able to run on walls, and balance on ropes, only coupled with the fact that he could do it while fighting. So he was basically like a super gymnast.
His Intelligence was at level 37, and was the most complex Attribute to explain to Chima and Hakyun because of how it acted based on the Class of the Mage he was up against, as well as its restrictions. He just summed it up to him being able to deconstruct the Advanced Tier I spells of A-Class and B-Class Mages. Injuries may apply.
His Perception and Resilience were at level 21 and 60 respectively. With the former, his reflexes quicken, because he could sense someone’s approach a few seconds just before they got to him. The feeling was different for everyone, depending on how close they were to him, but it was useful nonetheless. As for his Resilience, it was another complicated Attribute. He was able to fight on for hours without getting tired, was immune to harsh weather, mild poison, and blunt attacks, but piercing attacks and attacks that directly affected his organs were not restricted from making an impact on him.
It was a funny Attribute, but Merlin had honestly given up on trying to understand the System.
The System did what the System wanted to do.
“You know, I might have to withdraw my previous statement,” Hakyun began. “You might just be stronger than Nora.”
Merlin snorted. “Again, you haven’t seen her fight—at least compared to me. How would you know?”
“I watched the replay of her fight with the Russian Blood Mage guy,” said Hakyun. “So I have a good say.”
Merlin waved the boy’s words off and rose to his feet. “I have somewhere to be. That’s enough of the chat. You guys should also get started with your training.”
Before Merlin could go to his room to change though, their smartwatches beeped, and he froze in his steps. The three of them glanced at each other, before quickly checking what message had entered, and then their eyes widened.
“Hold on. What’s this?” Hakyun asked, his voice quivering slightly.
“The Academy won’t make the choices for us?” said Chima, clicking his tongue. “What are they thinking?”
Merlin’s brows furrowed as he stared at the message staring right back at him. Prestige Academy had sent in the matchups for the final stage, only that it was blank. The matchups would be made based on matching selections, like in a dating app. Those who would face each other will have to select one another to be paired against each other.
It was something that would make anyone else even a bit angry. But Merlin’s lips twitched in excitement.
He had kept it to himself all this while, but he had been hoping to face Marcus Reed in the tournament.
This was his chance.