Extra Of The Magus Academy

"Haa… haaaa…"

Dustan panted as he stared at Arius, his mind racing.

The malevolent aura around his opponent made it clear—this was no ordinary fight. The corrupted energy that oozed from Arius felt suffocating, and the dim lighting of the deserted pathway only amplified the chilling atmosphere.

Arius stood with a crooked grin, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with greenish-black malice.

"Running won’t save you, Dustan. I’ll hunt you down until there’s nothing left."

Dustan swallowed hard, his fingers twitching as he clenched his fists.

’I can’t run. He’s too fast.’ @@novelbin@@

"[Water Spear Barrage]!" Dustan shouted, summoning dozens of glowing blue projectiles from thin air.

The water spears hovered briefly before launching toward Arius in a synchronized attack.

Arius laughed, raising his hand. "[Abyssal Barrier]!"

A black shield of corrupted energy erupted around him, swallowing the water spears with ease. The projectiles vanished as if devoured by the darkness itself.

"Is that all you’ve got, little worm?" Arius mocked, stepping closer. "You’re an insult to Spirit Arts!"

Dustan cursed under his breath, sweat trickling down his brow.

’He was already stronger than me when I fought him in the Promotional Exams, but now he’s unbelievably stronger. If I don’t do something different, even if I use [Externalization], I’ll lose badly!’

He needed to switch tactics.

Reaching deep within himself, he connected to his Medium Grade Water Spirit and High Grade Ghost Spirit, their energies surging through him.

’If I use too much of the Ghost Spirit’s power, I might get caught… but I don’t have a choice.’

"[Phantom Drift]!" Dustan whispered, activating a spell tied to his Ghost Spirit Art.

His body shimmered, becoming translucent and ghostly.

He dashed forward, weaving through Arius’s next wave of corrupted wind spikes with unnatural agility.

Closing the distance, he thrust his palm forward. "[Spectral Shard]!"

A dagger of ghostly energy materialized in his hand, glowing faintly with an eerie light. He aimed for Arius’s chest, but his opponent sidestepped with startling precision, countering with a strike of his own.

"[Dark Fang]!" Arius’s hand became cloaked in black, claw-like energy as he swiped at Dustan.

The ghostly state of Dustan’s body allowed him to phase through the attack, but even so, the dark energy left an icy chill that gnawed at his very core.

He’s too strong… stronger than I imagined.

Summoning his focus, Dustan pivoted, using his Water Spirit to unleash a tidal wave.

"[Torrential Surge]!" The massive wall of water crashed toward Arius, momentarily engulfing him.

But Dustan didn’t stop there.

He raised his hand again. "[Spetral Chains]!" Ghostly chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around the stunned Arius as the water dissipated.

For a brief moment, Dustan thought he had gained the upper hand.

"Got you!"

"You think that will hold me?" Arius’s voice boomed, layered with something inhuman.

With a violent burst of energy, Arius shattered the chains, the corrupted power sending shockwaves in all directions.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

"Ack!"

Dustan was thrown back, skidding across the cobblestones and gasping for breath.

Arius emerged from the dissipating mist, his grin wider than ever. "Impressive… you’re more fun than I thought. But this ends now."

Raising both hands, Arius began chanting, a swirling vortex of dark energy forming above him. The air grew heavy, the ground trembling beneath their feet.

Dustan’s heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the overwhelming power radiating from the spell Arius was preparing. If it landed, it would be the end.

’I can’t let him finish!’

Dustan made a split-second decision.

Channeling his Ghost Spirit’s power once more, he shouted, "[Ethereal Blink]!"

In an instant, Dustan disappeared, reappearing directly behind Arius.

"[Phantom Strike]!" He plunged a ghostly blade into Arius’s back, the spectral energy erupting into a burst of light that forced Arius to stumble forward.

"GRAAAH!" Arius howled, his spell fizzling out as the pain momentarily overwhelmed him.

Dustan didn’t wait.

He summoned another wave of water, this time infused with the chilling energy of his Ghost Spirit. "[Spectral Flood]!"

The wave crashed into Arius, its dual nature of physical and spiritual damage forcing him to his knees. Dustan used the moment to retreat, his chest heaving with exhaustion.

Arius slowly rose, his eyes blazing with fury.

"This isn’t over, Dustan. You can’t run forever."

But Dustan had no intention of sticking around. The heavy use of his Ghost Spirit Art had already pushed him to the brink, and he could feel the faint traces of its corruption lingering in his Soul.

’Besides, even without the alarm, our fight would have caused quite a bit of commotion already.’

He couldn’t afford to stick around for much longer.

’I used my Ghost Spirit Art. If this situation is investigated and my Magia Signature is found out, I’ll be done for.’ Sweat trickled down his brows. ’But I had no choice… I had no choice!’

All he could do now was keep his fingers crossed and hope that no one would tie him to the events of the night.

If anyone did, he would be done for.

Without a word, he turned and sprinted into the darkness, vanishing into the night.

*******

[The Next Day]

’So far… so good.’

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Dustan tightened his grip on his satchel as he walked the bustling paths of the campus.

The morning sunlight painted the Academy grounds in golden hues, but to him, it might as well have been a stormy night. His encounter with Arius the previous evening lingered like a dark cloud over his thoughts.

’Did anyone see me? Did anyone sense it?’

The faint chill of the Ghost Spirit’s power still resonated in his body, despite his efforts to suppress it. Every step he took felt like walking on a tightrope, balancing between calm and panic.

’I was able to get rid of the tainted energy in my Soul last night before it spread, thanks to my knowledge of the novels, but… that was really a close call.’

Just when he began to feel relieved, his heart skipped a beat when a shadow fell over him.

"Dustan."

The voice, cold and authoritative, made him freeze.

He turned slowly to find Raven Nightshade standing before him, flanked by two members of the Order of Shadows.

Their dark uniforms and intimidating presence made Dustan’s stomach churn.

"Y-yes?" Dustan stammered, his throat dry.

Raven’s eyes narrowed as he gestured to the members of the Order.

"We need to talk. Come with us."

A cold sweat broke out on Dustan’s back. His legs felt like lead as he took an involuntary step back. "I-I have class—"

"That wasn’t a request," Raven interrupted, his voice carrying a quiet menace. The two Order members stepped closer, effectively cutting off any escape route.

Dustan’s mind raced.

Did they know? Had someone seen his fight with Arius? Did the traces of his Ghost Spirit’s energy give him away?

’I’m screwed… damnit!’ Dustan wanted to cry. ’Ashfelt… where are you? You have to help me!’

He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out.

Realizing resistance was futile, Dustan nodded weakly and allowed himself to be led away. The stares of passing students burned into his back as the group vanished into a secluded corridor of the campus.

***********

[Meanwhile…]

In the grand arena, the air buzzed with excitement.

The second day of the Tournament had drawn an even larger crowd than the first, with students, faculty, and visitors eager to witness the Quarter Finals. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, and whispers of predictions and strategies filled the air.

Ashfelt Zephyr stood calmly near the stage, his arms crossed as he surveyed the crowd.

His emerald eyes gleamed with confidence, though his mind was far from idle. He had spent the previous evening preparing for this moment, running countless scenarios through his mind.

’Fey… this won’t be easy,’ he thought, watching his opponent approach the stage.

Fey, a student from the Orion Sage Academy, had already made waves in the tournament with her exceptional combat prowess and mastery over her Spirit Arts. She moved with a graceful determination, her piercing blue eyes locking onto Ash with a quiet intensity.

"She’s good," Seth said from behind Ash, his voice low. "Don’t let your guard down, brother."

Ash smirked, not bothering to turn around.

"I never do."

The announcer’s voice boomed across the arena, silencing the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Quarter Finals of the Inter-Academy Tournament!"

Cheers erupted, shaking the very foundations of the arena.

"Our first match of the day features Ashfelt Zephyr of the Akashic Magus Academy against Fey of the Orion Sage Academy!"

The two competitors climbed onto the stage, their steps deliberate and measured. The tension between them crackled like lightning, drawing the audience to the edges of their seats.

Ash and Fey faced each other, their gazes locked.

Fey’s expression was calm, almost as if she was nonchalant about the whole fight. However, her fierce eyes told a different story.

It seemed like they were saying:"I hope you’re ready, Ashfelt. I won’t hold back."

Ash’s smirk deepened.

’Well… this should be quite an interesting fight.’

The announcer’s voice rang out once more, signaling the start of the match.

"Let the battle… BEGIN!"