Extra Of The Magus Academy

The arena was thick with tension as Seth Zephyr stepped onto the stage, his signature calm yet imposing aura radiating from him.

Across from him stood Malik Zelik, a prodigy of Nirvana Gate Academy, his sharp eyes filled with confidence. The murmurs in the crowd grew louder as whispers of Malik's lineage spread—his older brother was the strongest in their academy, a figure of legend. And while Malik was not yet at that level, his talent and strength were undeniable.

Ash watched from the sidelines, his arms crossed as he studied both fighters.

A bead of sweat trickled down his face, not from the heat of the battle but from the pressure of what was to come.

"This is going to be interesting..." he muttered under his breath.

Beatrice stepped forward, raising her hand.

"Semi-finals match: Seth Zephyr of the Akashic Magus Academy versus Malik Zelik of the Nirvana Gate Academy. Begin!"

In an instant, Malik grinned and shot forward, his hands weaving intricate sigils in the air.

His movements were precise, practiced—every action oozing confidence.

"[Infernal Tempest]!"

A swirling vortex of wind and fire erupted from his hands, tearing across the battlefield with an intense roar. The flames intertwined with razor-sharp gusts of wind, creating a spiraling inferno that hurtled toward Seth with devastating speed.

The audience gasped in awe at the sheer power behind the attack, the blazing tempest illuminating the entire arena.

Seth, however, didn't move.

He simply watched the incoming attack with an almost bored expression, his jet black hair swaying lightly in the wind. His eyes, deep and calculating, remained locked onto Malik, who smirked with satisfaction.

"You can't avoid this, Zephyr!" Malik shouted, his voice echoing through the stadium. "My wind feeds the flames, and my flames thrive in the wind. It's the perfect combination!"

But before the attack could reach Seth—

BOOM!

A sudden burst of azure energy exploded from Seth's position, obliterating the incoming tempest in an instant. The audience collectively gasped, eyes wide with shock as the swirling inferno was snuffed out like a candle in a hurricane.

Malik staggered back, his confidence shattered in an instant.

"W-what?!"

Seth finally moved.

He raised a single hand, fingers lightly crackling with vibrant, electric-blue energy. The sheer pressure in the air intensified as a faint humming sound resonated from him.

Then—

"[Azure Rupture]."

A blinding blast of blue energy erupted from his palm, tearing through the air like a divine decree. The force of it was beyond comprehension, slicing through Malik's defenses effortlessly and engulfing the entire stage in an overwhelming wave of power.

BOOOOOOM!

The explosion shook the arena, sending shockwaves rippling through the stands. The audience shielded their eyes from the intense light, and when the dust settled—

Malik lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, a crater beneath him.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

The crowd was frozen in shock. Even the commentators were left speechless, their voices caught in their throats as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Seth, standing amidst the destruction he had wrought, brushed some invisible dust off his shoulder before turning his gaze toward Ash.

A confident, almost cocky smile played on his lips.

"Looks like we'll be facing each other in the finals, brother," he said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ash, still standing on the sidelines with his arms crossed, felt another bead of sweat roll down his face. His expression remained stoic, but deep down, he felt the weight of what had just transpired.

Seth's power was monstrous.

He had known his brother was strong, but to this extent? It was overwhelming.

'How am I supposed to beat that...?' Ash thought to himself, his fingers tightening slightly around his folded arms.

He wasn't surprised, but the sheer difference in power was still hard to ignore.

Seth's gaze lingered on Ash for a moment longer before he casually walked off the stage, his victory having been sealed in mere seconds. Beatrice, still stunned, hesitated before raising her hand and announcing the inevitable.

"Winner: Seth Zephyr of the Akashic Magus Academy!"

The audience finally erupted into cheers, but Ash could only watch his brother's retreating back, a whirlwind of thoughts running through his mind.

The finals were set.

And he would have to face this monster.

*********

[Moments Later]

As the echoes of the cheering crowd died down, Ash and Seth found themselves in a quiet corner of the arena grounds. The energy of the tournament still lingered in the air, but in this brief respite, the brothers stood apart from the excitement.

".... So, yeah. I'm surprised, but in a good way, actually. Who would have thought you had already mastered [Externalization]? Amazing!"

Ash was silent even after being praised by Seth.

The latter leaned casually against a marble pillar, his azure eyes calm yet piercing as he studied his silent brother.

"You don't look too thrilled, brother," Seth said, his voice carrying a hint of concern. "What's on your mind?"

Ash folded his arms, his gaze fixed on the arena below where workers were resetting the stage for the Intermediate and Expert rounds.

"Just thinking," he replied, exhaling slowly. "We both made it to the finals. But... it won't be easy." Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Seth smirked.

"That's an understatement. If you plan to beat me, you better be prepared for hell."

Ash gave a wry smile, shaking his head.

"You really don't hold back, do you?"

Seth pushed off the pillar and stretched, his muscles rippling beneath his Academy robes.

"No point in holding back. You should know that by now. Complacency leads to failure, and failure leads to weakness." He jabbed a finger at Ash's chest. "Don't let this little tournament go to your head. If you slack off now, you'll regret it when we fight."

Ash chuckled. "I won't. Tomorrow's a rest day, but I plan to train through it. No distractions."

Satisfied, Seth nodded and adjusted his collar.

"Good. I'm heading off to train now. Watching these other matches would just be a waste of time."

"I'll stay and observe," Ash said, glancing toward the arena. "There's something off about the Nirvana Gate Academy. They've been... different lately."

Seth shrugged, uninterested. "They've always been arrogant. Just make sure you don't waste time overthinking things."

Ash watched as Seth walked away, his brother's confident stride carrying him toward the exit of the arena grounds.

Once Seth was out of sight, Ash turned back to the arena, his eyes narrowing.

The Intermediate and Expert Quarter-Finals were beginning.

*******

As the matches unfolded, Ash noticed a disturbing trend.

Nirvana Gate Academy students were fighting with an unusual level of aggression. Their spells were laced with excess power, their attacks aimed not just to defeat but to hurt their opponents. There was an undercurrent of hostility in every movement they made, every strike they delivered.

They weren't just trying to win.

They were trying to dominate.

"Something's not right..." Ash muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening around the railing.

He observed match after match, noting how Nirvana Gate Academy fighters targeted weaknesses ruthlessly and even employed subtle underhanded tactics—like manipulating the battlefield, forcing opponents into bad positions, and using deceptive techniques that bordered on foul play but remained within the rules.

Despite the brutality, the referees weren't interfering.

The Nirvana Gate Academy students advanced swiftly, reaching the finals of both the Intermediate and Expert Stages.

If they won tomorrow, it would solidify their status as the top academy in the empire.

Ash rubbed his chin in thought.

"Is this just ambition... or something more?"

His mind drifted to the recent events in Akashic Academy—the White Death Incident, the mysterious murder of the former Head of Student Affairs, and most recently, the death of a Beta Class student.

The Apprentice Wing had been in turmoil ever since, but the Intermediate and Expert Wings were supposed to be unaffected.

And yet...

'The Nirvana Gate Academy is definitely taking advantage of the chaos in our Academy, and while a few things seem to be different from the novel, it seems like their endgame remains the same.''

The more Ash watched, the more convinced he became.

The timing of their aggression was too perfect.

If they crushed Akashic Academy now, when morale was already low, it would deal a huge blow to the institution's reputation and influence across the empire.

He clenched his fists.

"I can't let this happen."

Ash already knew that in the novel, Nirvana Gate Academy was involved in darker dealings.

'But with so many things shifting and changing, I couldn't rely solely on my knowledge, which is why I had to watch things for myself.'

'They're planning something,' Ash thought grimly. 'And if I don't stop it, Akashic is doomed.'

******

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the last match ended, Ash turned on his heel and left the arena, his mind racing.

He needed to prepare.

Seth might have raw strength, but Ash had something better—strategy.

He would train harder than ever tomorrow, but at the same time, he needed to uncover what Nirvana Gate Academy was truly up to.

He was sure that they were conspiring something, so he simply had to make sure their plans came crashing down.

'How hard could it be?'