Tyrant

by James K

  Sheryl-ithe-iFrost-iQueen-icouldn't-ijust-iforget-iher-iorigin.-iAlthough-ishe-iwas-inow-ilooking-ifor-iher-iown-iMagician's-iPath,-ias-ia-idescendant-iof-iVermont-iFamily-iwho-icreated-iRed-iFrost-iMagic,-ishe-iwas-iknowledgeable-iin-iany-iIce-iMagic-iout-ithere.-iAlthough-ithe-iDomain-iMagic-ishe-icreated-imade-iher-iproud-iof-iherself,-ishe-icouldn't-isay-ithat-ishe-ihad-iachieved-ibetter-ithan-iher-ifamily's-iheritage.-iSo-idespite-iher-iconfidence-ion-iher-idomain-imagic,-ishe-istill-iplaced-iher-ifamily's-iFrost-iBlade-iTempest-ias-iassurance-ito-iwin-iin-ithe-icompetition.

  A-icluster-iof-iblade-imade-iof-iice-ihovered-iand-icircled-iaround-ithe-istage-iand-ieliminated-iany-iobstructions.

  Shirley-itried-ito-idistance-iherself-ifrom-ithe-itempest-ibut-ithe-iblades-iwere-iquickly-ifollowing-iher-ileaving-iher-iunable-ito-icast-idefensive-ispell.-iShe-iwas-ireally-isurprised-iabout-ithis-iGrade-i2-ispell,-ishe-ifelt-ithat-ishe-icould-inever-icast-ithis-ispell-ilike-ihow-iKyla-idid.

  'This-ishould-ibe-iconsuming-itoo-imuch-imana-ion-iher-ias-iwell.'

  Shirley-ithought-ias-ishe-ilooked-iKyla-ion-ithe-idistance,-iher-itired-ilook-isaid-iit-iall-ibut-ishe-iherself-iwasn't-iin-ia-igood-icondition.-iDozens-iof-iblades-inow-isurrounded-iher-iand-iwas-iabout-ito-isuccumb-iin-ithe-itempest,-ishe-icouldn't-iescape-ianymore.

  'That-ishould-ibe-ienough.'

  Shirley-ipointed-iher-iSonic-iGun-ion-iKyla-inot-ibothering-ito-idefend-iagainst-ithe-iblades-iof-ifrost.-iAs-isoon-ias-ishe-iactivated-ithe-iUltrasonic-iBurst-ispell,-ithe-idozens-iof-iblade-ialso-ilanded-iat-iher.

  The-icollision-iof-iher-idefense-iand-ifrost-iblades-ileft-isome-imist-icovering-iher-ibody.

  The-iaudiences-iwere-ion-itheir-iedge-ias-ithey-iwant-ito-iknow-iwho-iwon-ithe-ifight.-iThey-isaw-iKyla's-iMana-iShell-ishattered-ias-iShirley-iactivated-ithe-ispell.

  Everyone-iexclaimed-iand-isome-ieven-isighed-iin-idisappointment.

  "So-iin-ithe-iend,-ino-ione-ican-ireally-idefeat-iShirley."

  "Kyla,-idid-iher-ibest.-iShe-iwas-ithe-ionly-ione-iwho-ilasted-ithis-ilong-iagainst-iher."

  "Mhm.-iShe-iwas-ieven-ialmost-idefeated-iby-iKyla's-ifrost-iblade."

  As-ithey-icommented,-ithe-imist-iaround-iShirley-icleared-iand-ithey-inoticed-ithat-iher-iMana-iShell-iwas-ialso-ishattered.

  "This..."

  "So-iwhose-imana-ishell-ishattered-ifirst,-iShirley-ior-iKyla?"

  "Look-iat-ithe-ireferees.-iThey-iseem-ito-ibe-idiscussing-ithe-iresult-iof-ithebattle."

  The-ireferees-istopped-ithe-ifight-iand-iwere-inow-italking-iwith-ieach-iother.-iAfter-ia-ifew-iseconds,-ithey-iseemed-ito-imake-ian-iagreement-iand-iannounced-ithe-iresult.

  ###-iChapter-i67-i--iResults

  Tracy-iand-iRoss-iautomatically-iglanced-iat-iWilliam-ias-iif-iasking-ifor-ihis-ijudgement-iabout-ithe-ibattle.-iTheir-ieyes-iwere-iclearly-iasking-iwho-iwon-ithe-ibout.

  "I'm-inot-iquite-isure-ias-iwell.-iLet's-ihear-ithe-ireferees."

  William-ismiled-iwryly-iat-ithe-itwo.-iThey-iwere-ionly-iwatching-ithe-imonitor-iwithin-itheir-icamp-iso-ithey-ihave-ilimited-ivision-iand-icouldn't-iuse-imana-idetection-ito-idetermine-ithe-iwinner.

  Internally,-iWilliam-iwas-ihoping-ithat-iShirley-iwon-ithe-ibout-ibut-ieven-iif-ishe-ilost,-ihe-icontemplated-ithat-iit-iwould-istill-ibe-iacceptable.

  Everyone-iwas-iwaiting-ifor-ithe-ireferee's-iannouncement-iespecially-ithe-icrowd-isupporting-iLeonhearts-iand-iMystic-iGate's-iAcademy.

  On-ithe-iother-istage,-ithe-ibattle-ibetween-iIsolde-iand-iSacred-iPeak-iwere-iactually-istill-iongoing-ibut-ionly-itheir-isolid-isupporters-iwere-iwatching-ithe-imatch.-iEven-isome-iof-ithe-istudent-ifrom-itheir-ischool-iwere-iwatching-ithe-iexciting-ibattle-ibetween-iShirley-iand-iKyla.-iApparently,-iIsolde-iand-iSacred-ipeak-iwill-istill-ibattle-ifor-ithe-i4th-imatch.

  As-ithe-ireferee-iannounced-ithe-iresult,-ithe-iseated-icrowd-iwas-isurprised-iand-icheered-ifor-ithe-iwinner.-i

  "Mystic-iGate's-iKyla-iwon!"

  Apparently,-iShirley-imissed-ithe-ibeat-ito-iaffect-iKyla-iwith-iher-iUltrasonic-iBurst-iand-idestroy-iher-iMana-iShell.-iThis-iresulted-ito-iher-ifirst-ilost-iin-ithe-icompetition.-i

  "Wow!-iSo-iShirley-ican-ireally-ibe-idefeated."

  "I-iwonder-iwhat-imagic-idid-iKyla-iused-iso-ishe-iwon't-ibe-iaffected-iby-iShirley's-isonic-iattack."

  "That-iwas-ian-iawesome-ibattle."

  "Don't-ifeel-idown-iShirley!-iYou-idid-igreat!"

  "Good-iluck-ion-iyour-inext-imatch!"

  "Woooh!-iKyla!-iKyla!-iKyla"

  The-ipassionate-icrowd-idid-inot-iall-icame-ifrom-ithe-istudents-iof-itheir-iown-iacademy-ibut-iwith-iother-iacademy-ias-iwell-iand-ieven-inon-istudents-ithat-isupported-ithe-itwo.

  It-iwould-ibe-ia-ilie-iif-iShirley-iwouldn't-ifeel-idisappointed-iabout-ithe-ioutcome-ias-ishe-idid-iher-ibest.-i

  "That's-iokay-iShirley,-iKyla-iwouldn't-ihave-ienough-itime-ito-ireplenish-iher-iMana-iPool."

  Kite,-itheir-iteam-ileader-isaid-ismilingly-iand-iwasn't-ishowing-ithat-ihe-iwas-iaffected-iby-ithe-ilost.-iThe-iautomatons-iwere-inow-icleaning-ithe-istage-iand-ithe-i4th-ibattle-iwill-isoon-istart-ionce-ithey-ifinished.

  He-iknows-ithat-ithey-istill-ihave-itheir-iadvantage-iand-ihave-ia-ihigh-ichance-ito-idefeat-iKyla's-iteam.

  ***

  William-iconcluded-ithe-isame-ithing-iwith-iKite.-i

  "The-ilast-ispell-iKyla-iused,-iFrost-iBlade-iTempest,-iexpended-ialmost-iall-iher-imana.-iThis-imay-ihave-ibeen-ithe-icause-ifor-iher-iprotection-iagainst-iUltrasonic-iBurst-ito-idisappear.-iIt-imeans-ithat-ithe-inext-imatch-iwould-igive-ithe-ipair-ian-iadvantage."

  "Maybe,-iKyla-iknows-ithat-ishe-icouldn't-imaintain-iher-idefense-iany-ilonger-iso-ishe-idecided-ito-iuse-ithat-iGrade-i2-iSpell-iinstead-ieven-iwith-ithe-icost-iof-iher-idefense.-iBut-iin-ithe-iend,-ishe-istill-ispent-ia-ilot-iof-imana-iin-ithe-iprocess."-iRoss-iadded-ias-ihe-iheard-iWilliam's-iconjecture.

  "Yes,-ithat-icould-ialso-ibe-ithe-icase.-iWe-idon't-iknow-ithe-iduration-iand-itenacity-iof-iher-idefense-iafter-iall."-iWilliam-iagreed-iwith-ithat-iand-ithe-ithree-iof-ithem-iwere-iactually-inot-itoo-iworried-inow-ithat-itheir-iteam-iwill-ilose-ithe-inext-ifight.-iThey-ihave-ia-ihuge-iadvantage-inow-ithat-iKyla-iexpended-ia-ilot-iof-iher-imana.-i

  They-ijust-ihave-ito-ibe-icareful-iand-ithey-iwill-iwin-ithe-ifight.-iEven-ithe-icommentator-iand-iannouncer-iagreed-ion-ithis.

  "Kyla-idid-ia-ivery-igood-ijob-iagainst-iShirley's-iinconceivable-iattacks."-iFelicia-isaid-isincerely-ias-ishe-ican-isee-ihow-idifficult-iit-iwas-ito-idefend-iagainst-ithose-isonic-iattacks.-iThe-ifour-iprevious-iacademies-iwere-ihelpless-iagainst-ithe-ilatter-ibut-iKyla-imanaged-ito-ioverwhelm-iher-iwith-iher-iabundant-imana-ipool-iand-ipower.-iAlbeit-iwith-ithe-icost-iof-iexpending-ialmost-iall-iher-imana-ijust-ito-idestroy-ithe-iMana-iShell.-i

  If-iit-iwas-ia-ireal-isolo-ifight-ithough,-ito-ispend-iall-iher-imana-ipool-ijust-ito-idestroy-ithe-iopponent's-iMana-iShell-iand-inot-ito-iincapacitate-ithe-ienemy-iwould-inot-ibe-ia-ivery-iwise-idecision.-iEspecially-iif-ithe-iopponents-istill-ihas-iabundant-imana-idespite-ihaving-itheir-iMana-iShell-ibeing-ideactivated-imomentarily.

  ***

  Within-ithe-iarena,-ithe-igroup-iof-ithree-iwho-iwere-irelated-ito-ithe-iMinistry-iof-iMagic-iEducation-iwere-ialso-iappreciating-ithe-ibattle-ithat-ihas-iensued.

  "Uncle-iKurt!-iHow-icome-ithe-ireferees-iare-iso-iblind!-iShirley-ihas-iclearly-iwon!-iYou-ihired-ithem,-iright?"-iThe-iyoung-ilady-iwithin-ithe-iroom-isaid-ito-ithe-imiddle-aged-iman-isitting-ibeside-iher.-i

  "Ehem.-iThe-ireferees-iwere-iall-iveteran-iand-ititled-iBattle-iMage-iso-ithey-ishould-ihave-imade-icorrect-idecision."-iKurt-ianswered-ito-ithe-iyoung-ilady-iexplaining-ito-iher-iwithout-igetting-imad-iat-iher-iword.

  "Also,-ialthough-iI-irecruited-ithem.-iIt-iwas-iagreed-ion-iby-ithe-iwhole-icommittee."-iKurt-isaid-ithis-ilast-ipart-iin-ia-isoft-ivoice-ithat-icould-ibarely-iheard.

  "I-istill-ithink-ithat-iyou-ishould-ireplace-ithem-ifor-ithe-i4th-imatch.-iTheir-inot-idoing-itheir-ijob-icorrectly."-iThe-iyoung-ilady-iinsisted.-iThis-itime,-iit-iwas-ithe-isilent-iSir-iMace-ibeside-iwho-ireplied.
<
br />   "Well...-iMiss-iErza,-ido-iyou-iknow-iwhat's-ithe-icombat-imagician's-ipath?"-iSir-iMace-iasked-iErza-ipatiently-iand-iwilling-ito-iexplain-iher-imore-inot-ijust-iabout-ithe-ireferees.

  "Mhm,-iIt-iwas-itaught-ito-ime-iby-imy-imom.-iIf-iI'm-inot-imistaken,-ionce-ia-icombat-imagician-iwas-iacknowledged-iby-ithe-icountry-ithrough-ia-iseries-iof-ilicensure-iexamination,-ia-iBattle-iMage-ititle-iwill-ibe-igiven-ito-ithe-imagician-iand-iafter-ithat,-ionce-ithe-ititled-iBattle-iMage-ipassed-ianother-iexamination-ithey-iwill-ibe-igiven-ianother-ititle-iof-iAdept-iMage.-iIt-ishould-ibe-ithe-isame-iwith-iother-imagician's-ipath."

  "That-iis-icorrect.-iWhatever-ipath-ithe-imagician-ihas-itaken,-ithey-iwill-ibe-igiven-ia-ititle-iby-iour-icountry-ias-ia-irecognition.-iRemember,-ithe-iBattle-iMage-ititle-iweren't-ibeing-igiven-ito-ijust-ianyone.-iNot-iall-imagicians-ican-ibe-ia-icombat-imagician-ias-iwell-ias-inot-iall-icombat-imagicians-ican-ibe-ia-iBattle-iMage."

  Sir-iMace-iexplained-ito-iErza,-ialthough-ihe-iwasn't-iused-ion-iteaching-ior-iexplaining-iand-ialways-irequires-iassistance-ifrom-ihis-isecretary-ifor-ihis-ievery-ispeech-iwhere-ihe-iis-irequired-ito-iattend,-ihe-ican-istill-iexplain-isomething-ias-isimple-ias-ithis-ifor-iher.

  Kurt-inodded-iat-ithis-iand-idecided-ito-ielaborate-iit-ifor-iher.-i

  "Sir-iMace-iis-itelling-ithat-ithe-ireferee-iwouldn't-ieasily-imake-imistakes-ion-itheir-idecision.-iTheir-ititle-ias-ia-iBattle-iMage-iisn't-ijust-ifor-ishow-iafter-iall."

  Erza,-ithe-iyoung-ilady,-icalmed-idown-iafter-ihearing-itheir-iexplanation-ibut-istill-inot-ifeeling-igood-iabout-iher-ifriend's-ilost.-i

  "Well,-ilooking-iat-ithe-icurrent-isituation,-iit-iis-ihighly-ilikely-ithat-iLeonhearts-iwill-istill-iwin-ithe-ioverall-imatch."-iKurt's-ieyes-iglinted-ias-ishe-iobserved-iKyla.-iHe-icomforted-iErza-ias-ihe-inoticed-ithat-ishe-iwas-istill-iindignant-iabout-ithe-iresult-iof-ithe-ibattle.

  "Really?"-iErza-iasked-ihim-ifor-iconfirmation.-iHer-imood-iimmediately-ibrightened-iup.

  "Of-icourse,-ilooking-iat-iKyla,-ieveryone-ican-isee-ithat-ishe-iexhausted-ia-ilot-iof-imana-iby-iactivating-ithat-imassive-iFrost-iBlade-iTempest.-iIt-iwas-ialready-ian-iamazing-ifeat-ito-iuse-iand-imaintain-ithat-iDomain-iMagic-itogether-iwith-iher-iother-imysterious-imagic-idefense.-iSending-ithat-ilast-iattack-ithat-icovers-ithe-iwhole-istage-iis-itoo-imuch-ieven-iwith-ia-iprodigy-ilike-iher."-iKurt-isaid-ithe-isame-ithing-ias-ihe-iwas-iclear-iabout-iKyla's-imana-ifluctuation-ias-iwell.

  "That's-iright.-iKyla-ihas-ialready-iproven-iherself.-iShe-ididn't-ilost-ithe-imatch-ibecause-ishe-iwas-iweak-ibut-ibecause-ithe-idifference-iof-imana-iartifacts-iis-ihuge."-iSir-iMace-isaid-iseriously-ias-iif-icontemplating-ifor-isomething.-iThe-itwo-imiddle-aged-iman-ilooked-iat-ieach-iother-ithinking-ithe-isame-ithing.-iIt-iseems-ithey-imade-ian-iagreement-iwith-ithat-isimple-ilook-ias-iwell.

  ***

  Their-iprediction-ididn't-idisappoint-ithem-iand-ias-iexpected.-i

  "Leonhearts'-iKite-iand-iShirley-iwon!"

  Kite's-isupport-imagic-itogether-iwith-iShirley's-ioffensive-imagic-iearned-ithem-ianother-iwin-iagainst-iKyla's-iteam-iat-ithe-i4th-imatch-igiving-ithem-itheir-i5th-ivictory.-iThey-ineeded-ito-ifight-i6-imore-ibattles-itoday-ito-iend-ithe-icompetition-ifor-itheir-idivision.-i

  ###-iChapter-i68-i--iSecond-iYear's-iDivision-iConclusion

  The-isecond-iyear's-ibattle-ilasted-iuntil-ithe-iafternoon-iand-ias-iexpected,-ionly-ithe-iMystic-iGate's-iteam-igave-ia-itough-itime-iagainst-iLeonhearts.

  Ray-iPenber-iweren't-iable-ito-iget-ianother-ichance-ito-iuse-ithe-iMirror-iof-iTrace-ias-ithe-iother-iacademies-iweren't-ithat-ioverwhelming-iand-iwhen-ihe-ifought-iagainst-iCloud-iof-iSkywalker-iAcademy,-ihe-icouldn't-iuse-iit-iagainst-ithe-ilatter-isince-ihe-iis-ia-iclose-icombat-image.-iThe-iartifact-iis-ionly-icapable-iof-ideflecting-iprojectile-imagic-iand-iCloud's-iRadiant-iSword-iis-ibasically-ian-ienhanced-iweapon-icapable-iof-idestroying-iMana-iShells-ieasily,-iprovided-ithe-ifact-ithat-ihe-ican-iclose-iin-ito-ihis-iopponent.

  The-iSkywalker-iAcademy's-istrategy-iwas-ito-iplace-iCloud-ias-ia-ivanguard-ito-isomehow-iguarantee-itheir-i1st-iwin-iand-iif-ithey-ireached-ithe-i4th-imatch,-ihe-iwill-ipartner-iwith-itheir-iteam-icaptain-ito-idefeat-iShirley-iand-iKite.-iCloud-iknows-ihimself-ithat-ifighting-ialone-iwith-iShirley-iwith-ithat-iUltrasonic-iBurst-iwhich-ican-ibe-iused-iindefinitely-iwould-ibe-idifficult-ifor-ihim.

  He-idoesn't-iknow-ihow-iKyla-idefended-iagainst-ithat-iattack-iand-iweren't-iin-iany-iposition-ito-iask-ifor-ihelp-ieither.-iThus,-iafter-iCloud-iwon-iagainst-iRay-iin-itheir-itough-ifight-iand-ilost-ithe-i2nd-iand-i3rd-imatch-iof-ithe-ibattle,-ithey-iused-itheir-istrategy-iagainst-iShirley-iand-iKite-iin-ian-iattempt-ito-iwin-ithe-i4th-imatch.

  Unfortunately,-ieven-itogether-iwith-iCloud's-ipartner,-ithey-icouldn't-idefeat-iShirley's-ioffensive-ipower.-iKite-iwere-iusing-i2-iMana-iArtifact-imade-iby-iRoss-ithat-ihas-ian-iArchon-iSeries-ias-imagic-ispell.-iAside-ifrom-ithis,-ithe-iartifacts-icontains-iexclusive-ispells-ifocusing-iin-idefensive-icapability.

  After-iall,-iduring-ithe-iselection-istage-iin-iArtifact-iForging-isegment-iwere-ithe-imana-itechnicians-ihas-ito-iselect-itheir-imaterials,-iWilliam-iwas-iable-ito-iacquire-iall-igenuine-imaterials-ithey-ineeded-iand-ithe-iquality-iof-ithose-iwere-ireaching-itheir-ipeak-ias-iwell.

  Within-ithe-icamp-iassigned-ito-iLeonhearts-iAcademy,-ia-ifestive-iatmosphere-ican-ibe-ifelt-ias-ianother-ibig-iaccomplishments-iwas-iachieved-iby-ithe-isecond-iyear-iparticipants.

  "Good-ijob,-iShirley!-iCan-iyou-iteach-ime-inow-ihow-ito-iuse-ithat-ispell?"

  Lina-iasked-iShirley-ias-ishe-iwas-iextremely-icurious-iabout-ithis-iUltrasonic-iBurst.-iDuring-ithe-imonth-iof-ipreparation,-ishe-iwas-ionly-ifocused-ion-imastering-itheir-iplanned-imana-iartifact-iand-icombat-istrategy-iwith-iAlphonse-iand-idoesn't-ihave-itoo-imuch-itime-ito-iask-iand-istudy-iother's-icombat-iplan.

  "No-iworries,-ialthough-iit-iwas-icomplicated,-ias-ilong-ias-iyou-iwork-ihard,-iyou-ican-ialso-iuse-ithat-ispell.-iIt-itook-ime-ia-iwhile-ito-iget-iused-iwith-ithat-imagic-istructure-ias-iwell.-iSigh..-iit-ireally-irequires-ihigh-ilevel-iof-icomprehension."

  Shirley-isaid-iand-ieven-itook-ia-ideep-ibreath-ias-ishe-iremembered-ithat-iduring-ithe-imonth-iof-ipreparation-ibefore-ithe-istart-iof-iTMAC,-ishe-ihad-ialmost-iused-iup-iits-iwhole-iduration-ijust-ito-iprefectly-ilearn-ithe-ispell-iusage.-iShe-ireally-ihad-ia-itough-itime-iutilizing-iWilliam-ioriginal-ispell-iat-ifirst.-iLooking-iat-ithe-ipast,-ishe-iwas-ivery-iglad-ithat-ishe-iendured-ithe-itraining-iand-imastered-iUltrasonic-iBurst.

  "Ray,-iyou-ican-ireally-itake-ia-ilot-iof-ihits.-iYou-iperformed-ibetter-ithan-ithe-ipractice-imatches-iwe-idid."-iKite-isaid-ito-ihis-ifellow-iclassmate.-iHe-iwas-ireally-iimpressed-iabout-iRay's-iimprovement.

  Being-iin-ithe-ireal-icompetition-iput-ithe-iparticipants-ia-ilot-iof-ipressure-ibut-iRay-iperfectly-iused-iit-ion-ihis-iadvantage-iand-iimproved-ihimself.

  "That's-iright!-iYou-ilook-icool-iin-iall-iyour-imatches."-iThis-itime,-iit-iwas-ithe-ifirst-iyear-iMichael-iwho-ipraised-ihim.-iAs-ia-ifellow-ivanguard,-ihe-iknows-ithe-ipressure-iit-itakes-iwhen-ifighting-ithe-iother-iacademies.

  "Haha.-iDid-iI?-iLet's-iall-icelebrate-itonight!-iBring-iout-iall-ithe-ijuice-iand-ibuns."-iRay-isaid-ias-ihe-ifelt-ihappy-ibeing-ipraised-iby-ihis-ijuniors.

  "Hey,-idon't-iforget.-iThere's-istill-iour-imatch-ifor-ithird-iyear's-idivision-itomorrow."-iVera-ireminded-iRay-ias-ihe-iwas-iintoxicated-iwith-ithe-ipraises-ihe-ireceived-ithis-itime.

  At-ithis-imoment,-iInstructor-iEve-iwithin-ithe-icamp-icaught-ieveryone's-iattention.

  "Everyone-idid-ia-igood-ijob-iincluding-iour-imana-itechnicians-iwho-icreated-iperfect-iartifacts-ifor-iour-icombat-imagicians.-iGood-iteamwork."-iEve-ismiled-iand-inodded-ibefore-icontinuing.

  "Let's-iall-iwait-ifor-itomorrows-icompetition-iand-ialso-ihope-ito-ihave-ibetter-iresults."

  Instructor-iEve's-iwords-iactually-imade-ithe-ithird-iyears-ito-ibe-iconscious-iabout-itomorrows-icompetition.-iAfter-iall,-ifirst-iyear-iand-isecond-iyear-iparticipants-ithis-itime-imade-ian-iamazing-iperformance.

  The-ithird-iyear-iparticipants-ithis-iyear-iwere-iall-ithe-isame-iparticipan
ts-ilast-iyear-iand-iweren't-iable-ito-iget-igood-iresults-ipreviously.-iAlthough-ithey-ihave-iimproved-iby-ia-ilarge-imargin-ithis-itime,-ithey-istill-iweren't-iconfident-ito-itake-ithe-ifirst-iplace.-iWhat-ithey-iare-ithinking-iinstead-iis-ijust-ito-iperform-iupon-ithe-ibest-iof-itheir-iability.

  William-iaffirmed-iand-ialso-icouldn't-iwait-ito-isee-ithe-ithird-iyear's-iperformance-itomorrow.-iHe-iwas-icurious-iin-isome-istudents-iand-iwould-ilike-ito-isee-ihow-ithey-ibattle.

  As-ieveryone-iwas-icelebrating,-iWilliam-ichecked-ithe-iresults-iof-i2nd-iyear's-idivision.-iThe-itop-imana-itechnicians-iwill-ibe-iselected-iin-iaccordance-ito-ithe-iperformance-iof-itheir-imana-iartifacts.-iHe-iwas-iwondering-ihow-ithe-ijudges-iwill-igrade-ihis-iresults.-iDepending-ion-ihis-irank,-ihe'll-iget-ia-idifferent-ireward-ifrom-ithe-iPathfinder-iand-ihe-iwas-ieven-ihoping-ito-iget-ithe-i2nd-ior-i3rd-iprize.

  Second-iYear's-iBattle-iResults

  Leonhearts-i:-i11-iwins

  Mystic-iGate-i:-i10-iwins

  Skywalker-i:-i8-iwins

  Phoenix-i:-i8-iwins

  Stoneheimer-i:-i5-iwins

  Isolde-i:-i5-iwins

  Abuxorth-i:-i5-iwins

  Honeysuckle-i:-i4-iwins

  Sacred-iPeak-i:-i4-iwins