Book 02, Growing Up

by Unknown

  All of the students below immediately began to grow excited.

  At the Ernst Institute, talents were as common as the clouds. And the number one problem that all talents shared was that they didn’t like to admit inferiority to others!

  Thus, the yearly tournament had become a way for talents to become famous. Close to 90% of the students would pay attention to the tournament, and everyone with some ability would participate.

  “Naturally, we wind magic practitioners will also do battle. Everyone interested in enrolling, please speak to me.” Instructor Trey smiled as he spoke, but his gaze drifted towards Linley.

  “Instructor, I wish to enroll.” Many students below immediately began to clamor to enroll.

  “Great.” Instructor Trey took out a duck feather quill pen and began to record down names, but after taking down ten or so names, he realized that Linley was busy chatting with Delia, apparently not interested in enrolling at all.

  Trey walked over.

  Linley involuntarily glanced up and immediately called out respectfully, “Instructor Trey.” The nearby Delia also paid her respects.

  Trey smiled and nodded. “Linley, this yearly tournament is an excellent opportunity to train one’s self. I expect all of the elites of the first grade students will attend. Why aren’t you enrolling? This is a rare opportunity.”

  “I’m not interested.” Linley said directly.

  Instructor Trey couldn’t help but start.

  “Linley, you no doubt are unaware that the victors of the tournament will receive some rewards.” Instructor Trey said enticingly.

  “Rewards?” Linley was in desperate need of money.

  His clan’s economic situation was in such terrible shape. If he could win some money, he wouldn’t mind attending the yearly tournament.

  “Right. You should know that most students live in ordinary dorms, those single unit ones. But the top three victors of the tournament are all qualified to live in those two-story high buildings for a year. That’s a proof of status. The rooms are much more comfortable as well.” Instructor Trey continued.

  Linley understood.

  There weren’t many two-floor dorms, and most of those belonged to powerful magi of the seventh or eighth ranks. From what he was now hearing, the top three students in each grade also were allowed to live in them.

  Housing conditions?

  Linley didn’t care about it at all.

  “I’m not attending.” Linley still said.

  Instructor Trey grew somewhat impatient. As a sixth grade student, if one of Trey’s student became one of the top three in his grade, not only would he be rewarded, he would also gain a lot of face. Young people all cared about face.

  Instructor Trey leaned in towards Linley, saying in a low voice, “Linley, are you concerned about revealing your ability? I know that you are a magus of the second rank.”

  Hearing these words, Linley couldn’t help but look up at Trey in surprise.

  How did Instructor Trey learn about his current level of power? After all, it was hard to judge one’s abilities from external appearances.

  Seeing the expression on Linley’s face, Instructor Trey thought that he had hit the mark. Laughing, he said, “Linley, if you have ability, you shouldn’t hide it. Even if you decide not to attend the competition for fear of revealing your ability, I might just decide to expose you myself.”

  “Whatever. Still not going.”

  Linley stood up unhappily, and then politely paid his respects. “Farewell, instructor.”

  And then, ignoring the stupefied look on Trey’s face, he immediately left.

  “Bah. This kid.” After recovering, Trey couldn’t help but laugh. The nearby Delia couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle as well.

  … ..

  By the time the wind magic class had ended, it was almost six at night. The sky was growing dark. Linley ran back towards his dorm. The bros of dorm 1987 shared strong affection towards each other, and at night they always ate together.

  “Linley, you’re back.” A curly haired youngster from dorm 1986 said warmly to Linley.

  “Harry [Ha’li], have you eaten dinner?” Linley smiled back in response.

  Linley was on excellent relations with most of the nearby neighbors. Harry laughed and nodded. “Of course I have. Your three bros are all waiting for you inside.”

  “Linley’s back. Let’s go, everyone, time to eat!” Yale’s voice sounded out.

  Clearly, from inside their dorm, Yale had heard Linley’s voice. Yale, Reynolds, and George all walked out and waved to Linley. The four bros proceeded towards the dining areas. The Ernst Institute contained some luxurious restaurants, but after being persuaded by Linley, Reynolds, and George, Yale no longer took them to those places.

  The dishes in the small dining hall were simple and fresh, very pleasing to eat.

  After ordering some food, the four bros began to chat amongst themselves.

  Linley got most of his news regarding the Institute’s going-ons from his three bros, as Linley, who spent all his time training in the mountain, probably would be totally in the dark otherwise.

  “Man, in about a month, the school year is coming to an end. The last two months of each year, the entire Institute will engage in the yearly tournament. The top three students in each grade are all allowed to live in those two-story dorms for a year.” Yale said.

  “The yearly tournaments?” Linley began to laugh. He had just heard about this from the classroom.

  “Haha, I’m definitely attending,” Reynolds said confidently.

  Yale pursed his lips. “Punk, you became a magus of the first rank on the road from the O’Brien Empire to the Ernst Institute. I wager that by now, you aren’t too off from becoming the magus of the second rank. That really is unfair.”

  Reynolds spent a full year traveling from his home to come here.

  On the entire journey, Reynolds’ family housekeeper had been teaching him magic, which is why he had become a magus of the first rank even before the journey ended.

  George smiled towards Linley. “Hah, you are forgetting about Linley. Linley was a magus of the first rank by the time he entered the Institute as well. What’s more, he’s crazy about training, and he’s a dual-element magus. I think he’s probably the strongest person in our dorm.”

  Linley quirked his lips in a smile. “George, don’t flatter me.”

  “Linley, have you gained your second rank yet? Be honest?” George stared at Linley.

  “How could he gain his second rank so quickly? From an introductory student to the first rank, based on our talent, a year is necessary. But from the first rank to the second rank, at least two years is needed.” The nearby Reynolds frowned as he spoke.

  “Not necessarily. I also feel Linley’s been really sneaky.” Yale also looked at Linley. “Linley, have you become a magus of the second rank?”

  Linley casually nodded.

  What was the big deal about becoming a magus of the second rank? Even before the magus testing event, he had already become a magus of the first rank. A full year had passed since then. If he still had not become a magus of the second rank, then all his hard work would’ve been totally pointless.

  “You really reached it?” Yale, Reynolds, and George’s eyes all bulged out. None of them expected it to be true.

  “Go enlist in the yearly tournament, Linley. You’ve gotta take part. Give those guys a good trampling and gain some prestige for dorm 1987.” Yale immediately said.

  By now, the servers had brought the dishes they ordered.

  “Eat, eat! I’m not interested in the yearly tournament.” Linley had no interest in competing with those weaker than himself. Those tournament battles were nothing more than exercises in showing off!

  Yale and the other three traded glances.

  They all knew how hard Linley trained. Although in their year, there were geniuses who had exceptional levels of elemental affinity and spiritual essence, in terms of bein
g hard-working, none of them could match Linley. And with Linley being dual-element… in their hearts, all of them believed that Linley was most likely the most powerful amongst the first grade students.

  “It would be such a waste if you didn’t participate. Someone else is going to get the glory, once again, in the yearly tournament.” Yale mumbled. “Too bad I’m not strong enough. If I had your strength, Linley, I would’ve given a dazzling display long ago. Then, I would be able to seduce some pretty girls.”

  Linley laughed. “That’s enough. Let’s eat. Stop fantasizing.”

  Linley really didn’t care about the yearly tournament in the slightest. But the vast majority of the students at the Ernst Institute were extremely excited about it. And not just the students. Even some of the full magi residing at the Ernst Institute would pay close attention to the tournament results.

  *

  Book 2, Growing Up, Chapter 19 – Who is Number One? (part 1)

  The mountain behind the Ernst Institute, a place of tranquility.

  Linley sat cross-legged next to flowing water. Listening to the murmurs of the water, he naturally entered the meditative trance, and all the nearby earth essence and wind essence immediately began to shine. Everything within ten or so meters around Linley became extremely clear to behold.

  Earth and wind essence entered his body through his four limbs, as his flesh, bones, and organs all slowly absorbed nourishment from the essences. Slowly but resolutely, the strength of his body was continuing to climb.

  Additionally, a large portion of the wind and earth essences, after purification, came to rest with the ‘central dantian’ in the middle of his chest.

  “Splash, splash.” The flowing water murmured unceasingly.

  Next to him, the little Shadowmouse, ‘Bebe’, was chewing on a wild duck. The scene was a peaceful as a painting, as though it had come out of a painting.

  But while it was peaceful here, the Ernst Institute was extremely rowdy. All of the thousands of students, as well as many of the magi, and even many important people from the outside world were all at the Ernst Institute, watching the various battles.

  The yearly tournament.

  All of the students of the Ernst Institute were prideful heaven-blessed talents!

  Each and every single battle was amazing to behold. Amongst the first grade students, balls of earth, flashes of lightning, and blades of wind flew hither and to. But the battles of the third and fourth grade students were really astounding. Various supportive spells and area of effect spells were used. Spells such as ‘Shattered Rocks’ now caused dozens, approaching a hundred, of large stones to smash upon the heads of the opponents, and lightning forked down without stopping.

  And the fifth and sixth graders? That was all the more terrifying.

  All sorts of astounding spells continuously flashed, filling the compound with unending sounds of explosions. The watching students all were all roaring nonstop, as the energy was reaching a crescendo. Virtually all of the people in the Institute were here.

  … … ..

  The yearly tournament went on for a bit over a month, which naturally was the wildest, most rowdy month each year at the Ernst Institute. During this frenetic period, Linley would only occasionally watch the battles of the fifth and sixth grade students. All of the rest of his time, he would quietly train by himself.

  “This tournament actually requires one to not intentionally try and kill one’s opponent. How can this sort of competition be considered a real competition, when one’s hands and feet are tied?”

  Under the influence of Doehring Cowart, Linley, too, began to view the competition with disdain.

  “Linley, your current assignment is to train hard and build up your strength. As far as combat experience goes, when you become a magus of the fifth rank, you should enter the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts and enter a series of genuine life-and-death experiences.” Doehring Cowart persuaded Linley.

  … … ..

  The Huadeli Hotel, the most expensive hotel and restaurant within the Ernst Institute. Tonight, Yale was hosting the four bros of dorm 1987 to a lavish meal at the Huadeli Hotel.

  On the first floor of the Huadeli hotel.

  The floor of the hotel was as slick as a mirror. A row of beautiful waitresses stood there politely, ready to answer at a moment’s notice.

  There were many men and women dressed in student attire at the Huadeli Hotel. Those who were able to afford this place were generally those who had strong economic backgrounds. A casual table of dishes might cost a few dozen gold coins. If Linley had come by himself, he definitely wouldn’t be able to afford it.

  The yearly tournament had just ended, and all of the students at the hotel were discussing it. Most of the people here were youngsters, but one table was filled with four children.

  “I’m pissed just thinking abou this year’s competition. It was so close! I was so close to entering the semifinals. Maybe I would’ve been able to enter the top three.” Reynolds was extremely dissatisfied. Reynolds was the youngest of the four, and also the proudest of them.

  Yale laughed. “It really was a shame. I didn’t expect Rand [Lan’de] to become number one in the end.”

  George chuckled but didn’t speak.

  George was a friendly fellow and offended almost nobody.

  “Rand? Right. I’ve heard you guys discuss him before. He was one of the new students who had exceptional elemental affinity and spiritual essence, right?” Linley remembered the name ‘Rand’.

  George laughed and nodded. “Right, him. He has very high talent. Even before training, his spiritual essence had reached the level of a magus of the second rank. All he did this year was accumulate sufficient mageforce. It isn’t too hard for someone with the power of a magus of the second rank to become number one in the tournament amongst first grade students.”

  “Relying on his talent alone? When it comes to talent, can he compare to our Institute’s number one genius, Dixie?” Yale quirked his lips. “I look down upon Rand. He won the first grade tournament, so what. Linley, you didn’t see how self-satisfied he looked upon winning. I really can’t imagine how he would look if he actually were to win the fifth or sixth grade tournaments in the future.”

  The stronger a magus became, the harder it was to progress even further.

  This was why the large majority of students at the Ernst Institute were high-level magi. The higher one’s grade was, the more fierce the competition was.

  Reynolds nodded as well. “I also don’t like him. Our school’s number one genius, the third grader Dixie, won the third grade tournament. Look at how composed he was! The difference between the two is too huge. What’s more, the strongest amongst us first graders isn’t Rand.”

  “Right. Third bro, you didn’t participate. If you had, hmph… ” Yale harrumphed.

  Based on age and seniority, the four of them had begun to address each other as ‘second bro’, ‘third bro’, and so on.

  “Hey, what are you guys saying?”

  Linley and Yale turned their heads. Four youths in the same hotel were making their way down from the second floor. Their leader, a golden-haired youth, stared at Linley’s group coldly.

  Yale said loudly, “Oh, so it’s Rand. What, didn’t you hear what we were saying?”

  Linley couldn’t help but laugh helplessly to himself.

  Yale feared neither heaven nor hell, and cared tremendously about face.

  “Hmph, don’t think I didn’t hear,” Rand said coldly.

  The brown-haired youth next to Rand sneered as well. He arrogantly said, “Rand, don’t quibble with these four useless things. It’s not worth your time. Reynolds, what do you think you are looking at? What, you aren’t satisfied with the way you lost in the tournament?”

  Reynolds stared at the brown-haired youth, his mouth quirking in disdain. “And what do you think you are? You just got lucky and beat me once. Why so cocky?”

  The brown-haired youth’s face grew co
ld.

  George smiled at everyone. “Rand, enough. It was wrong of us to so casually discuss you. Let’s just forget about it.”

  “Shut your mouth, George. This is none of your business.” Rand stared at Yale. “Yale, last time I saw you at the Fragrant Elm bar, your arrogant manner pissed me off. And now, this time, you dare to be so arrogant in front of me. If you have the ability, come and fight me. Why don’t you have the balls to fight?”

  After speaking, Rand intentionally laughed mockingly a few times.

  Although Yale was somewhat furious, he knew that he wasn’t as strong as the opponent.

  Immediately, many gazes from all over the hotel focused on this altercation. Many of the high-level students of the Ernst Institute stood up and stared at the two parties with curiosity. Clearly, both parties were just ten year olds.

  “I know that golden-haired kid. His name is Rand. He won the yearly tournament amongst first graders. I expect in the future, he’ll have some accomplishments.”

  “The brown-haired kid next to him is called Rickson [Rui’sen]. He was number three amongst the first graders. I know him. In terms of strength, Rand’s party is stronger than their opponents. This should be fun.”

  The group of magi of the fifth and sixth ranks all chatted and laughed, watching the two parties.

  Seeing others notice him, and hearing them praise him as the winner of the first grade tournament, Rand’s face became even more arrogant, and he looked at Linley and the others even more contemputously.

  “Hmph.” Rand glanced at the table where Linley and the others were sitting. “Juice? You guys are still drinking juice? Oh, Yale, I really feel embarassed for you. The four bros of my dorm are all drinking victory wine. You guys are drinking juice?”

  Seeing how Rand went on endlessly, Linley couldn’t help but begin to frown.

  “Rand, we four bros are eating here. Get the hell out.” Linley’s face sank down, and he stared coldly at the four of them.