As Kara hesitantly walked through the bustling corridors of the academy, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sea of unfamiliar faces.
Her heart raced and her palms grew sweaty as she scanned the crowd, searching for a friendly face or someone who might be kind enough to say hello.
"No way?! It's her again..!"
Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a commotion up ahead. A group of students had gathered around, whispering excitedly. Kara ignore it for a moment, before curiosity got the better of her, and she cautiously made her way towards the source of the excitement.
As she pushed through the crowd, Kara's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her. A tall, muscular boy with an arrogant smirk stood facing off against a petite blonde girl with fiery blue eyes.
The girl's long wavy hair cascaded down her back like a golden waterfall, and there was an aura of confidence and determination that surrounded her.
"Serina Einhart," the boy sneered, cracking his knuckles.
"I should have known it's you, Senior Peulo," Serina said with a grin, her grip tightening on the hilt of her great sword. "Always looking for a fight, aren't you? But this time, I'm not going to hold back."
The air silence with tension as the two opponents circled each other, their eyes locked in a fierce glare. The crowd murmured excitedly, anticipating the impending clash.
"This is your last chance Serina, go out with me! What's there to lose? I'm the son of a Duke. With me, i can give you everything!"
"No, I'm not interest in arrogant rich boys. Specially those who insult my friend." She replied, her head tilted sideway in after thought. "Beside, it's former duke right? Because nobles and commoners don't exist anymore."
The boy face darken at her word, "Fine. You leave me no choice then."
Just as the older boy was about to make his move, a loud explosion rocked the ground. Smoke filled the air, and when it cleared, the blonde fighter was left dazed and disoriented. Serina stumbled backward, her sword slipping from her grasp as she struggled to regain her bearings.
Seizing the opportunity, Peulo charged forward with a fierce roar. "Don't keep your eyes away from your opponent!"
But instead of landing a decisive blow, his dagger met only empty air as the girl suddenly vanished from sight. Leaving only her sword stabbed on the ground.
"Right back at you," Serina reappeared behind him, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she imitate his tactic and use dirt to blind the senior.
"Gah—!"
With lightning-fast reflexes, she twist down and swept the Peulo's legs out from under him. He crashed to the ground with a thud, the wind knocked out of him.
The crowd gasped in surprise, their eyes wide with awe as the blonde-haired girl grabbed a hold of her sword and spun around, using the sword as a pivot point to launch herself into a breathtaking aerial kick.
Despite the size difference between her and the sword, she perform an extraordinary technique on using it as a momentum.
Just as the older boy regain his footing, she struck a powerful kick to the senior's chest, sending him sprawling backward.
"Oof!" Serina gracefully landed, she quickly adjusted her skirt with a practiced motion, maintaining her composure despite the intense movement.
She strode confidently towards her steady sword.
"You little—!"
As the senior struggled to his feet, his face twisted with rage and humiliation.
"Damn it!" He snarled, his hand shaking with fury as he pointed it at her. "I've had enough of your tricks!"
Just as Serina reached for the hilt, Peulo lunged at her with a desperate swing. The blonde-haired girl's reflexes kicked in, and she ducked just in time to avoid the blow, then drove her elbow into his gut with a sharp crack.
"Can't you wait a little? Give a girl some time to fix herself."
Peulo doubled over, gasping for air. But Serina wasn't done yet. She grabbed the hilt of her sword and used it again to launch herself upward.
With incredible flexibility, she flipped backwards to strike his jaw and landed gracefully on the weapon almost her size, balancing herself with perfect poise.
The older boy looked up, gritting his teeth.
"Hey, eyes up here, buddy," Serina teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she caught him staring. "Unless you want a repeat blow of that elbow to the gut? Just kidding!"
Peulo face flushed red with embarrassment, but he couldn't help sneaking another glance at Serina's toned legs beneath her short and skirt. She noticed his wandering gaze and rise an eyebrows.
"Really?" she laughed, shaking her head. "But seriously, learn some respect. Not every girl appreciates being stared like a piece of meat."
With a graceful leap, Serina dismounted from her sword and landed lightly on her feet. She finally took the sword out the ground and pointed the blade at Peulo's chest, her blue eyes stared at him coolly.
The senior's face contorted with rage, his earlier embarrassment forgotten. With a snarl, he extended his hand towards Serina, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"You think you're so clever, don't you?" he sneered. "Well, let's see how smug you are after I show you what I've been working on."
He slammed something on the ground, with a shattered noise purple smoke began to filled the air, Serina eyes widen and coughed, stumbled backward as her vision become blurring.
The crowd of students began to stepped back, some fleeing in panic while others struggled to breathe. Through the haze, Serina saw Peulo extend his hand, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
His palm crackle, and a massive energy erupted from his fingertips.
"EXPLOSION!!"
The blast sent shockwaves rippling through the air, engulfing Serina in a fiery inferno.
The crowd gasped in horror, expecting the worst.
"Oh my goodness, that was a direct blow!"
"Do you think she'll be alright? Should we call a professor?!"
When the smoke cleared, the ground was left in ruins. Debris littered the floor, and scorched covered them like marks. They all saw Serina pushed back a few paced behind amidst the chaos
"You still haven't learned, have you?"
She said in a calm, collected eyes as she stared into him, holding her great sword to protect herself. But alas, it's still not enough to prevent damage to her clothes and her hair become disheveled, but otherwise unharmed.
Serina looked at Peulo with a mixture of disappointment and annoyance.
She sighed, shaking her head. "Now look at what you did to my uniform, I'll expect compensation."
With a flick of her wrist, Serina extend her hand. A spark erupted from her hand, "It's my turn.."
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[Mimicry]
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"Explosion."
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BOOOOM!!!!
But instead of a similar explosive, a colossal blast erupted from her palm, dwarfing Peulo's earlier attack
The students scream and cry out, overwhelm by the power in both size and intensity. Some were pushed back, others stumbled and drop to the ground as they lost their balance.
The shockwave slammed into Peulo like a freight train, sending him hurtling backwards through the air. He crashed into the wall with a sickening crunch and slumped to the ground unconscious.
"T-This is it. Serina's Arcana no one can handle.."
The crowd stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief and awe. The blonde-haired girl's demonstration of her Arcana had left them all shaken, the sheer power she possessed was almost unimaginable.
"W-What the hell was that?!" someone whispered, their voice trembling.
"That's...that's impossible. No one can mimic another's Arcana like that!"
"I-I've never seen anything like it..."
The crowd murmured amongst themselves, their faces a mix of fear and admiration. They had all heard rumors about the blonde girl's ability, but witnessing it firsthand was a completely different experience.
Meanwhile, Serina herself seemed unfazed by the chaos she had caused. As the dust settled, her gaze drifted to the spot where the red flowers had sprouted, she recall it shielded her from Peulo's explosive attack earlier.
A mysterious red flower with stems like spiders.
"That was... close," she murmured to herself, her heart still racing from the adrenaline.
She hadn't summoned those flowers, they had appeared on their own, as if guided by an unseen force.
The blonde girl's brow furrowed in confusion as she examined the red flower now lying scattered across the ground. Their vibrant petals seemed to glow with energy as if fresh.
It's unlike any flowers she had seen before.
Serina's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a figure darting away from the scene, hiding behind a nearby tree before fleeing. She narrowed her gaze, trying to get a better look at the mysterious individual.
"Wait a minute..." she muttered, her heart skipping a beat as she noticed something peculiar about the stranger's— a colored hue she only seen once.
Silver eyes.
The blonde girl's mind raced with possibilities as she looked back at the strange flower on the ground.
The coincidence of their sudden appearance and the stranger with silver eyes was too great to ignore.
She took a step forward, intending to give chase.
...
In a quiet corner of the academy grounds, Kara sat on the grass with the canine curled upon her shoulder like a scarf. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant murmur of students provided a soothing remedy as she gazed at the silver staff in her hands.
The hologram of Lamia flickered to life, her blank gaze fixed on the brunette. "You're late."
"Ehh..Weren't you asleep just this morning? You even missed saying goodbye to Mom and Dad."
Ancestor paused, "Hush, forget what i said.." She command in defiant, ignoring her descendant's jab.
"Anyway, you saw that duel right? Tell me your observation."
"It was pretty intense." Kara say thoughtfully, "But, that guy was definitely a cheater.."
"Peulo, as i heard correct?" Lamia raise an eyebrows, "He's nothing more than a brat with an inflated ego. His Arcana may be powerful, but he lacks the discipline and control to wield it effectively."
"However, his desperation could make him dangerous. So keep your distance."
Kara nodded, "Good thing you give me the headstart earlier. Who knows what damage he could have caused to her face."
"Oh, right. Serina girl, was it? She has a powerful Arcana, I'll give her that."
Lamia's eyes narrowed."But there's something else about her. I sense an unusual aura during that duel.." the demon looked at her descendant.
"What do you think about her, Kara?"
"Me?" The silver-eyed blinked, taken aback. "I was just observing the fight, that's all." she stammered, trying to play it off.
Lamia raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Is that so? Because it seemed to me like there was something more to your interest in that girl."
Kara sighed, realizing there was no use in denying it further. "Fine, you got me. She reminds me of someone I used to know."
"Someone from your past?" Lamia asked, her tone softer than usual.
"Yes... We played together once when we were little, if I remember right. We went on vacation that time." Kara recalled with a small smile, her fingers unconsciously tracing the silver staff. "It was a few months before I awakened my Arcana..."
She stared at the academy grounds, the sound of distant chatter fading into a soft hum.
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The forest floor is soft beneath Kara's small shoes, dotted with moss and fallen leaves that crunch under her careful steps. Sunlight filters through the canopy in thin gold streaks, painting shifting patterns on the dirt path she'd lost ages ago.
"Where did you go, Marri?" she whispers to the quiet trees, her small voice barely carrying past the rustle of branches.
Groaning, she scolds herself soundly. "If i hadn't zoning out earlier! Dang it me!"
Back in her previous world, she'd spent most of her days cooped up at home, poring over her phone or watching her animated shows.
Group practices in the city always ended the same way, wandering down some side street she'd mistaken for the meeting point.
Now here she was, lost in a forest looking for her caretaker.
She stops, chewing on her lower lip as she scans the green around her. Every path looks the same, twisted roots and thick undergrowth stretching in every direction. Just as her eyes start to burn with frustrated tears, she spots it.
A faint flicker of light, warm and steady, tucked away behind a cluster of long leaves bushes.
Curiosity wins out over worry. She creeps forward on tiptoe, pushing aside broad greens that brush against her cheeks.
Through the gap, she saw a little girl.
Hair like spun sunlight, sitting cross-legged on a flat rock, eyes fixed intently on a glowing Slate held in her small hands. She's muttering something under her breath, too quiet for Kara to hear.
Then, she sets the device down carefully, never taking her gaze off the screen as she pushes herself to her feet.
She shifts her weight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands coming up in a stance that's almost comically serious on her tiny frame.
Kara feels a smile tug at her lips, she looks so cute—but the thought fades fast. The stance is familiar, like something she's seen in those old match videos of her father's youth.
Then the light comes.
A soft white aura blooms around the blonde girl, warm as morning sun and bright enough to make the brunette squint.
It swirls and twists at her back, gathering into shimmering shapes that stretch outward—wings. Not solid, but made of pure, glowing energy, delicate as spider silk and strong as steel.
Kara's breath catches in her throat. Her heart hammers against her ribs with the same wild fascination she'd felt on her first birthday, watching the hologram of her father and Uncle Mikhail face off in the stage—watching Davel's own wings blaze to life under those scary waves.
She'd never thought she'd see anything like it again, let alone out here in the quiet woods.
The little girl spreads her arms, and the energy wings flex with the movement, catching the light like crushed diamonds…
If her father's wings made him looked like a phoenix.
Then she's..
". . .Like an angel." She muttered before she could stop it.
Kara's hands flew to cover her mouth, but the sudden motion threw her off balance. Her feet tangled in a thick root, and she tumbled forward into a patch of damp earth with a soft thump.
"Ahw.." she cough, dirt puffed up around her in a fine cloud, and a gritty speck stung as it found its way into her eye.
She squeezed her lids shut, tearing up as she rubbed at the irritation, scrambling to push herself up on one elbow.
"Hello? Who is there?"
The voice was clear and bright, cutting through her frustration. Kara froze, still blinking back tears as she heard the soft crunch of footsteps on leaves drawing closer.
She tried to blink away the dirt, but her eye was watering too much to see clearly. Through blurred vision, she could make out a shape moving toward her, the warm presence she'd seen moments before.
Then the footsteps stopped right in front of her.
A small hand extended downward, palm open and steady.
Golden hair catching the dappled sunlight.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"