In a corner of the stands, a small group of students discussed the fights.

“Do you think she’ll be a problem?” One looked toward the portal Azusa had left from.

The center-most student frowned. “Hard to say. While it’s hard to stop the meteor like the headmaster did, avoiding it should be a small matter. The problem is whether she has an even stronger spell.”

“But that’s unlikely… right?” Another student turned to him.

“I guess so. Anyway, don’t worry about it too much.” He smirked as he peered over the students fighting on the stages. “As long as we collaborate, we’ll surely reach A-class this time.”

-----

As soon as Azusa left the stadium, Himo did the same. He paced around the market and bought several items—he regained his penniless status—all the while fidgeting about the coming day. He then practiced until dusk.

Soon came the next morning, and he walked back to the stadium.

As soon as he traversed the entrance, Himo smiled slightly. Today might be a bit more interesting.

Compared to the previous day, the stadium had a completely different atmosphere. While there were fewer students, their sole presence crushed that of the previous day. With the C-class students competing, the ones in the stands were the B-class students, coupled with occasional A-class ones. In the far back rows, the previous day’s defeated students watched the stadium in the hope of learning something for their next attempt.

Like the previous day, the headmaster walked to the center of the stadium. “This time, the C-class' exam will be the same as the D-class’ one—a tournament!” He listed the same rules.

The students gazed at the stages in excitement. Some clenched their fists, others smiled uncontrollably—fervor filled their hearts as they couldn’t wait to hear their names.

However, the headmaster didn’t give the start yet. “Before we begin, I have one last announcement. After yesterday’s exam, we had a small reunion and decided to promote Aura Azusa straight to B-class in light of her prowess. So she won’t fight today!”

Many frowned, but none complained. As they had seen the meteor the previous day, the students felt relief instead, knowing they wouldn’t fight against her. Not yet, at least.

But there was someone that openly showed his displeasure: Himo.

What? He stomped the ground as he stepped forward. Why can’t I skip this exam too? Did I not show off enough?!

[Why does the user care about it?]

It’s a matter of principle! Himo stomped over to the front rows—he gazed directly at the headmaster. Just as the latter opened his mouth, he declared, “I also want to skip to B-class!”

[The user sounds like a kid that didn’t obtain what he wanted.]

I am a kid that didn’t obtain what he wanted!

The headmaster froze. “Wh—”

Himo leaped on a stage. “For what reason did she gain the right to skip and I didn’t?” He crossed his arms.

The headmaster inhaled a long breath to calm down. Then, he said, “The magic spell she used could have destroyed the stadium, so we decided to let her pass the round as today's examination would be pointless for her.”

After thinking for a few seconds, Himo nodded.

“Perfect.” The headmaster sighed in relief. “Since you know the reason, let’s continue normally…”

But Himo took out and whirled a formation rod with his fingers. With a dead-serious look in his eyes, he stared at the headmaster. “So, I just need to destroy the stadium to pass?”

The headmaster: “…”

The students: “…”

The system: […]

Only managing to catch up with his words a few seconds later—an instant before the ring could get ruthlessly pierced by a rod—the headmaster waved his hands in a hurry. “No! If you want to skip the fights, prove yourself in another way!”

“Headmaster…” Himo frowned. “Now you’re being unreasonable. You just said that she could skip because she nearly destroyed the stadium…”

No, you’re being unreasonable! The headmaster held back from yelling against him. “Absolutely not! Find a non-destructive way!”

“I… see…” Himo sighed. “I guess there’s no other choice.” He whirled back to the students. Showing them a smirk no smaller than Azusa’s, he said, “Let’s set this quickly; I’ll take on fifty of you all at once.”

Why?! The headmaster widened his eyes. He took a glance at the students, and he knew that he couldn't stop this anymore—nor did he want to.

While many of them froze in surprise, some students let hints of rage seep through their faces. None of them moved, however. They all waited for the headmasters’ words.

It’s not enough? Himo frowned. “If it’s too hard, even a hundred of you can come together…”

Before the situation could escalate any further, the headmaster added, “Then, it is a one versus fifty. Just for this fight, you’ll be allowed to use five rings.” He pointed at fifty students randomly and walked to the side of the rings. “Feel free to give your all. If there’s a life-threatening attack, I’ll care about it.”

While the fifty walked to the rings, Azusa, who watched from the stands, smiled and leaned to the edge of her seat.

Soon, the headmaster waved a hand. “Shu Himo versus fifty, start!”

The students didn’t move. They only stared at Himo—none of them wanted to lower themselves to gang up on a lone student.

Himo chuckled. “If you don’t attack now, you may not have the chance later.” He took a silver rod from the storage—he had bought several of them the previous day. It was as long as his arms and as thick as his fingers. Sliding a foot forward, he held the rod like a javelin. And he threw it. The rod's mad dash severed both laughter and air as it darted to a faraway student, who widened his eyes at the sight.

Prey to panic, the student took out an iron shield. He blocked the rod—or so he hoped. The weight of the rod smashed on the shield and flung it out of his hands with a thunderous clang. The rod ended its travel by piercing the stone of the ring beside his feet.

Himo frowned. "That was a little off."

The fifty students brandished their weapons. They lost their hesitation and focused on their opponent—in but a moment, dozens of chants sounded in the stadium as several students lounged toward Himo. 

Swords, axes, spears—many weapons surrounded him.

Before they could reach him, Himo rammed on a student with his violin. He left the encirclement and jumped to a ring with just a few students. But a fireball awaited him there. Himo smirked and threw another rod to the flame.

The rod pierced it and the fire exploded into wisps of dissipating flames. Feeling the leftover warmth, Himo landed on the ring. He glanced at the rod that pierced its center and turned to the crowd of students.

They had completed their chants.

Tens of spells darted to him. A mix of stone spears, balls of fire, water projectiles, and green plants neared to him like an inescapable dome. The students were cooperating. From above and around, they blocked any escape route. Himo was trapped.

The headmaster sighed and raised a hand to save him. But he froze. He stared at a grin that grew on the child’s face.

A grin that didn’t want to give up. A grin that was having fun.

Himo threw two silver rods—one deviated an earth spear, the other pierced two fireballs. The fireballs exploded and destroyed the nearest spells. A small hole appeared in the wall. Himo dashed through it. Several [Hopper] uses let him dance in mid-air, avoiding nimbly the spells as he seemed to fly toward the students.

As the spells erupted in the place he had left, he threw five rods. They darted for the students, but all were avoided—they impaled the same ring.

When Himo landed on that ring, three students welcomed him with their swords. But Himo didn’t spare them a glance. Avoiding their slashes, he looked at the rods and muttered, “The first is done,” before he jumped to another ring.

“The first?” one of the three repeated. They exchanged a glance and chased after Himo.

“Second!” Himo smiled and jumped to yet another ring. After throwing additional rods, his smile widened even more. “Third!”

While most students chanted their next spell, the others chased after Himo, but his speed heavily outclassed theirs. By the time they landed on the second stage, Himo had stopped on the fifth and last one. It was with shock that the chasing students noticed how every ring was pierced by several silver rods, each separated by the same distance.

They looked just like a path that connected the five rings.

A student dashed to a rod. “Kick them off!” But the moment he approached one, Himo threw his scythe from afar—just as it neared the student, the student was teleported away by the headmaster.

“What?” The other chasing students widened their eyes. They snapped their gazes to Himo.

Himo raised a hand forward, standing on the edge of the farthest ring. “Under my command, heaven’s chains shall shatter, revealing your true form.”

“He’s chanting a spell!” Some students backed away, others dashed to stop him, while a few put their sights on the rods. At the same time, the chanting students released their spells.

“Rainshot!”

“Fireball!”

“Greenscade!”

A huge wall of spells appeared yet again. A humongous wall of destruction that had devouring everything as its sole objective. Compared to the previous time, each spell was bigger, swifter, and meaner—everyone gave their best shot.

But Himo continued. “Turn all into nothing and view any metal as your goal.”

Just as the wall neared him, he smirked. “Show yourself, for I call you upon our plane—Lightning!”

From his fingers boomed a blinding light that split into countless streaks of yellow. They contorted, contorted, and contorted even more as they consumed the spells before him. Fireballs exploded, earth spears burst apart, and the other spells succumbed to those explosions. The wall of spells fell apart. But the streaks of light didn't stop. They darted for each silver rod and connected to form a contorting net of lightning that assaulted each student on the five rings. Before long, all were unconscious, lying on the ground.

Himo giggled. "Victory!"

The headmaster facepalmed. I should’ve just let him skip!

While the teachers treated the injured, the students on the stands stared at the child. None of them made light of him anymore.

Meanwhile, Himo looked at their reaction with a satisfied smile. Using this as a chance, I’ll bestow a name upon this combination of silver and lightning. I’ll call it The Great Shock!

[What an awful name.]