Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 43: Fears

*Boukyaku*

"The next match will be among the fifteen year olds," Father announced.

"What about the fourteen-year-olds?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Seems none decided to participate this year, not sure why," Same said as he took a seat next to me. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "It's very rare for an entire age group to skip out like this. Though the vast size of seventeen-year-olds compared to other years makes up for it."

"Well it's my turn," Eien said. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" Shiro said as he returned before his mother even had a chance to go after him.

My brother snickered. "Thanks kid." He jumped into the battlefield and took a look at his various opponents. He was meet with ten rivals. "Well let's begin this thing." Flames covered his arms. "I skipped past the strongest freshman tournament in the boat as I didn't want to overshadow the foreign students but this is made up of fellow natives. Those foreigners though will also face my true power at the games. Pyro Draco." A flaming dragon emerged from his arms and decimated the enemy in a matter of seconds. He scoffed. "Seriously? You got be kidding me! I have such week classmates..."

"Well that was lovely and quick. Eien is the third member of Kyuu Seishin's team! Next up are the twenty year olds."

The twenty year old battle just like Same and Eien's battle went by fast. A masked girl from the Hebi clan won. I had never seen her prior to the games, she must've decided to barely participate in the tournament this year, her last possible tournament as she'll be past twenty one by the next games. Though her movements in battle were just like those of Mayu, she moved swiftly and decisively, not wasting any chance to take down her opponent.

"Seems we either have amazing talent this year or we have grown weaker," Father said, tilting his head at the battle field. "The fourth member will be Orochi. Now for the sixteen year olds."

"Why are we jumping back between youngest and oldest?" Ashynna asked.

"It's because the largest age group is the seventeen year olds. The closer you are to seventeen the more challengers there are. So we're actually going from least participants to the most."

"I see," she said, nodding.

A young man with brown hair stepped up. As soon as Father began the match, he clashed with Zion Rikimaru, Nobuyuki's sister. The boy was Iwao Enkaku, Yuta and Yuto's cousin, and the one who replaced Nobuyuki on the council. He had almost made it on the team last time but had lost against Zion.

"Terra Draco," he chanted, causing a dragon made up of rocks to rise from the ground to guard him. "Ventus Draco." Another dragon formed around him, this time made out of wind.

"Wind and earth, Lei and Iah," Eien said, smiling. "I wonder if either one of them is better than that guy at wind or earth magic."

"Iah's the winner of the foreigners isn't he?" Orochi asked, shifted her purple eyes toward us.

"That's correct." Eien smiled. "I didn't expect you'll be the talkative type."

She crossed her arms. "Why, because I'm of the Snake clan? The stereotype of all of us being stoics is false. So this Iah kid, where is he from?"

"Our arch enemy, Mina," he said. "However, like usual they'll only be drafting five people for these games. If so Mina might not be much of a challenge. Now Wahkan has more of a chance to push us having several powerful mages on their team. I would say four powerful ones. All acquaintances of her."