《Xoria: The Mage Who Plays With Swords》


 Chapter 1: The Mage Who Plays With Swords

    The boy looked up at his sensei, his eyes uncertain. "But what if it doesn''t work?" he asked. The sensei''s face was stern, his eyes glinting with a hint of annoyance. "I dare not explain this concept to you again, young man," he said. "Have confidence!"


    The dojo around them was old and worn, the wood weathered to a soft grey. Termites had eaten away at the beams, and the dirty white wallpaper was peeling off in strips. The air was thick with the scent of old wood and sweat.


    The young boy stretched forth his short, skinny arms for the hundredth time today, and shouted "Basic Skill: Ember! Go forth!"


    From his caramel toned hands, a copper bronze aura rapidly formed in front of his palm, twisting and turning like a typhoon. Am I really going to do this? There''s no way, I''ve practised this basic elemental skill for the past 10 years of my life, in the end, I never could and I never will be able to use it. The aura then instantly evaporated into thin air as did the boy''s self-confidence.


    "I''m sorry sensei, I just can''t do it, I''m a useless mage..." the boy said, disappointed in his performance. His mouth bent into a frown and his gaze dropped, carrying a truckload of sadness. "You are far too anxious, Efy, anxiety is a murderer, you must eliminate it before it eliminates you." the old man reassured him. He repeatedly hit Efy on the head with his staff in a slow and light motion.


    "But it''s not so easy, Sensei Boha, all I can do is move objects.." Efy contested, "I know how the concept works but everytime I try something new, my head starts to get dizzy, my heart stomps and my stomach starts to feel ticklish. I don''t want to become a physical class combatant, I want to manipulate elements! Yet all I can do is swing weapons around! And the Port Of Black Fountain Academy''s entrance examination is tomorrow¡­" he continued, further falling into his own despair.


    Boha felt that Efy''s worry was justified, however as his sensei, he had to provide him with self-belief.


    "Then swing your weapons!" Boha smiled. "I can''t keep you here any longer if you are not growing. Efy, become a powerful mage, even if it means you can only manipulate the Xor inside weapons!" He continued, not daring to let Efy gloom in his distress any longer.


    "But..." Efy gave it some thought. He really was stagnant even after Boha agreed to accept him as his student.


    Boha had found Efy when he was just six years old inside the main-square of Port Of Black Fountain. Efy was verbally bullied for his darker complexion in the town. Boha had always spectated the boy on his daily visits, until the moment a man struck Efy. He could not bear to see such heartlessness further, so he took Efy to his dojo and provided for him.


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    "See the world for yourself Efy, become the best mage, become the #1 Xor expert! When nothing stands in your way, there will be no shred of doubt left, you will be able to manipulate all types of elements." Boha had confidence in his unique student.


    This was a world where confidence was equivalent to power, where swordsmen could jump as high as mountains as long as they knew they could, where archers could multiply arrows'' shapes and sizes with a single thought, where mages could conjure elements and release them without limit to power. Where there was a shred of doubt, even a micrometre, a superhuman action was not possible, even if the user themselves did not know they held doubt. As long as one 100% knew they could, they could. This was called Xor.


    However in such a world, this young boy, Efy, possessed intense anxiety, hence he could never become as strong as he wanted to, for you were only as powerful as you knew you were. In a world where Efy wanted to conjure elements, he could only move objects. He was no swordsman but was very capable of swinging swords around the air with just his fingertips. This was something he knew he could do, the only thing this boy was truly confident in.


    "You''re right, the Port Of Black Fountain Academy''s entrance examination begins tomorrow. I wish to keep you a little longer before they begin, but it seems I''ve been far too selfish. You are intelligent, Efy, I am proud you were a student of mine, I should''ve let you leave months ago, I have probably stunted your growth by spoiling you." Boha confessed, turning his head away from embarrassment.


    Efy is saddened further, remembering the trauma he faced from the townspeople. "What do I do about the bullies?" He had always felt frightened to join the academy, but it was the only way for him to open his opportunities, Port Of Black Fountain was only a drop in the ocean compared to the magnificent cities, in fact, that town was only the little brother to Black Fountain City. Efy would only be able to get there through scholarship as it was a distant relative.


    "Efy, I understand you may not know your early past or where your parents are, but the world is vast; I am almost certain that there are people like you out there. Xoria is the greatest place on earth, its cityscapes span throughout the whole continent it resides in. You must keep pushing forward, for you can only make it to Xoria through various scholarships. Keep winning, keep your head up high and become the best mage in all of Xoria. No one will dare to disrespect you, and no doubt shall find comfort in your mind. "


    ...


    A few hours later, Efy had already left with his things, all contained within a Xor Orb, which is a storage utility that can contain as many items as you believe it can hold and shrink to a portable size. However Efy''s orbs could only hold up to 3 items and were larger than a human, resulting in Boha creating one for him.


    Efy nervously stumbled through the forest, the paper-white crescent in the sky slowly fading more and more into existence. If I wasn''t such a baby I would''ve left hours ago, I''m definitely going to encounter a phanxor on my way...


    Suddenly, a phanxor willed into existence. This was the power of Xor. Efy, because of fear, fully believed there would be a phanxor, and there, a phanxor spawned into existence, as monstrous and tyrannical as he had just imagined. The creature was pitch-black, with an infinite void for eyes, it stood on two legs expanding to be the height of two humans. Its wings spanned beautifully from its back. It was a bipedal dragon.


    The phanxor let out an agonising screech that emitted sound waves towards Efy. Somewhere inside, Efy believed he would die right here, yet that belief did not execute Xor, as he knew he had to survive to fulfil his promise. Efy attempted to harden his body, a basic defence technique regularly used in battle, but failed miserably. He received the full brunt of the sound waves.


    Efy was in danger.

 Chapter 2: The Might Of Nightmares

    Efy was sent flying like a torpedo and crashed into the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree. Crap! This is terrible! Efy¡¯s heart palpitated immensely with every thunderous explosion the phanxor emitted with its hastened footsteps. Can I outrun it? No, it¡¯s far too quick. Can I climb the tree? No stupid! Efy was on the verge of death, his mind was racing and panic was setting in. He needed a plan, and he needed it now!


    My swords! They¡¯re in the Xor Orb! But there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to take them out in time. The phanxor ran as fast as a bullet train and Efy would be the creature¡¯s dinner in precisely two seconds if he did not think fast. ¡°Think, Efy!¡±


    Just then, Efy leapt and rolled, narrowly dodging imminent death, causing the phanxor to bash its teeth against the tree. The mighty monster turned and found Efy within half a second, but Efy seized this opportunity and predicted such animalistic instincts. Efy briefly made eye contact with the phanxor and raised his index and middle fingers. Fwoosh! Two blades of grass stabbed the phanxor¡¯s eyes with amazing force and precision. The nightmare born creature let out a horrific cry. Efy took out his two short swords, both supporting his attack prowess, waiting next to each of his shoulders for an ample opportunity. The swords looked very basic, both made of tungsten with a solid metallic colour.


    A deep, guttural screech tore from its throat, a blend of rage and agony that echoed like nails dragging across metal. Efy flicked his wrist forward and the twin swords accelerated, a newfound confidence welled inside of him. But Efy¡¯s conviction had only lasted a moment as the phanxor generated a copper, bronze aura that spiralled around his maniacal jaws. This aura was much bigger than Efy had ever attempted, or had ever seen. The swords soon met their end, as they were engulfed in the sun that pierced through the frigid air. Efy was also in this direction of attack, but it was so fast and unexpected that he was caught off-guard, thus he would meet his finish line right here. Is this it? I really tried. Am I that useless? Efy let all his devastating thoughts suppress his will.


    In an instant, a blinding flash of light beamed through the raging flames, striking the phanxor, dispelling the fireball and splitting the previously unstoppable creature into tiny cubes. Efy stood frozen in utter disbelief as the cubes transformed into crystals of void-black shards and faded away.


    From the remnants of the chaos, a figure emerged¡ªa person with hair like silken rose petals, contrasting deeply with his ocean-filled eyes, supporting his smooth, cream-coloured skin. Clad in armour that rivalled the might of valkyries, he wielded a long-sword with ancient runes covering the blade..


    ¡°You fight well,¡± he declared, his voice steady and domineering.


    In a flash as brilliant as his arrival, he transformed into a piercing beam of light, vanishing from the scene as swiftly as he had come. The entire encounter¡ªfrom the birth of the phanxor to the man''s departure¡ªunfolded in a mere 12 seconds, leaving Efy reeling in the aftermath of the extraordinary.


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    As completely amazed as Efy was, he was also disappointed. He declared that he would not fall into total fear, as people¡¯s nightmares become reality, birthing the species known as phanxors. As long as Efy had some hint of courage, a phanxor could never be born. He looked over to the aftermath of this encounter as he saw his swords shattered and burnt. He sighed and made an immediate dash towards Port Of BlackFountain.


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    ¡°Swords for sale! Buy one and get a free basic skill book!¡±


    ¡°Selling bows for half off, just one silver each! Buy a set of bow and arrows for 3 silver!¡±


    ¡°Elemental staffs! Come and get a Elemental staff to boost your Xor completion rate!¡±


    Port Of Black Fountain was a far cry from the tranquillity of the dojo nestled in the forest. Here, underneath the warm glow of golden lights, hundreds of salespeople gathered in the streets, their stalls overflowing with wares and equipment. Numerous shops lined every corner, each one sought to invite the many people bursting through the town in carriages and on foot. The town¡¯s roads spread out like a labyrinth into various areas, this place was home to approximately 100,000 people. From a single glance, Efy was already excited to increase his strength and reside here, but he was looking for one specific building.


    Efy felt a surge of excitement as he navigated through the venues, eager to harness his strength in this dynamic environment. But amidst the chaos, he had one destination in mind. There it was, perched atop a hill beyond the major thoroughfare¡ªPort of BlackFountain Academy. It loomed larger than life, a magnificent structure that dwarfed everything around it. Its sheer size rivalled two football fields, and it towered like a sentinel at four stories high, beckoning Efy closer with the promise of knowledge and adventure.


    In that fleeting moment, a wave of comfort washed over him, enveloping his body and mind in a warm embrace. Efy felt a profound sense of belonging, as if he had finally found the place where his heart could rest. It was a feeling so deep and pure; it brought tears to his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m almost there, Sensei Boha.¡± he muttered under his breath.


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    ¡°Get out! There¡¯s no room left!¡± a tall man screamed. For about an hour since Efy¡¯s arrival, he had been looking for an inn to rest overnight, but even when there looked to be enough space available, the innkeepers repeatedly insulted him and declined entry. Efy became hopeless, a chilling sensation gripped his passionate heart, but every time he fantasised about the academy, motivation struck his body like a thunderbolt and sprouted pure determination inside.


    Efy analysed his surroundings and found an almost empty alleyway. The golden lights dared not stare at it, as darkness permeated the alleyway along with the four trash bins that sat inside. He took out his dinosaur-spotted blanket from the orb and unravelled it atop two of the large rectangular bins that were stacked side by side. Even amidst the bustling city noises, Efy drifted away in his dreams.

 Chapter 3: Audrin vs Efy

    The always lively town continued to bustle as excessively as ever, in fact, now that it was morning, the town was twice as busy as it had been last night. ¡°Hello world! And hello Mr. Academy. I¡¯m coming!¡± Efy excitedly shouted as loudly as he could. He packed up his blanket into the orb and jumped off the trash bin. He exited the alleyway and looked through a furniture shop across the street to view a clock. It was currently 8:30. The examination begins at 9:00, I can get there in about three minutes. Like a grenade, Efy was about to combust from sheer excitement as he hurriedly sprinted towards the academy.


    He arrived at its doorsteps within the time he predicted. Standing before him were two colossal armoured giants, towering over him like living monuments. They were nearly as tall as the school itself! Their faces were completely hidden behind imposing knightly helmets, adding an air of mystery to their already formidable presence and they each held a proportionately sized long sword with their tips embedded into the ground. ¡°What business do you seek?¡± they both said in unison. Their deep voices penetrated Efy¡¯s chest, enabling a cluster of fear seeping inside. It was as if they gripped his heart and clenched it as hard as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m h-here for the entrance examination,¡± Efy stammered nervously. ¡°Very well then.¡± The stone crimson gate, that was covered in blemishes, crept open slowly, the weight of which shook the ground. The gates revealed only a slither of space, barely enough for Efy to fit through.


    Efy could hardly believe his eyes as he stepped through the ancient crimson gate, its weighty creak echoing like a grand announcement of his arrival. The moment he crossed the threshold, a world of wonder unfolded before him, and he felt a rush of exhilaration that was almost overwhelming!


    To his left, small battlefields beckoned, each one a perfectly crafted miniature arena, etched into the grass with such precision that it seemed like a work of art. They were like tiny kingdoms, each waiting for a hero to emerge! Efy''s heart raced as he imagined the epic duels that must have taken place on those very grounds.


    But then, his gaze was drawn to the main building, a stunning structure that seemed to pulse with life. Its vibrant red facade glimmered in the sunlight, along with the man-sized clock at its peak. It was as if time itself was alive here.


    And to his right, the fountains danced with sparkling water, their sprays catching the light like diamonds. The lush plants surrounding them were a riot of colours, as they decorated throughout the abundant grassland. Efy was utterly captivated; this place was a dream come true, far beyond anything he had ever envisioned. Everywhere he looked was filled with glamour and glory, even the people moving through the area wore expensive clothing and jewellery.


    He could barely contain his excitement. This was not merely a school; it was a realm of possibilities, a sanctuary of adventure, and a place where extraordinary abilities would be learned and showcased in depth. He walked eagerly along the paved path, excited as can be..


    Bang!


    The massive gate slammed shut behind him, reverberating like thunder across the landscape.


    Efy stumbled to the ground, startled by the sudden noise. ¡°Why is there a dark-rat here?¡± a voice cut through the cacophony. ¡°Ew, are you like a monkey or something?¡± another voice chimed in. Efy looked up to see two of the three boys responsible for the taunts. They stood around 170-180 centimetres tall, with the one in the middle being the tallest. All three wore brilliant armour that gleamed in the sunlight and the boys seemed to be around 18 or 19 years old. The two on the sides had dark-brown hair, while the one in the middle stood out with his familiar red hair.


    ¡°Hey! Haven¡¯t I seen you before? Last night, when you saved me from the phanxor,¡± Efy exclaimed. But the boy remained silent. ¡°Why would Audrin want to associate with someone like you?¡± the boy on the left sneered. Efy was perplexed, the boy in the middle was undoubtedly the one who had saved his life just the night before, yet now he stood mutely as his companions belittled him. ¡°You should know it¡¯s considered taboo to allow yourself to darken from the sun. How dare you?¡± the other boy added.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t darken myself from the sun. I¡¯ve always looked like this. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Efy retorted.


    The two boys twisted their faces in disgust.  ¡°Get out of this academy right now; no one wants to deal with a dark-rat, especially a permanent one!¡± the same boy continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair at all. I am just as capable as you are, so why does it matter?¡± Efy stood his ground defiantly.


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    ¡°Capable? Prove it!¡± the boy on the left challenged.


    ¡°How do I do that?¡± Efy asked.


    ¡°Battle me, over there, right now!¡± the boy insisted.


    ¡°No, I want to take him on myself,¡± the other boy countered.


    Their bickering escalated until Audrin intervened. ¡°I will take on the challenge,¡± he commanded, and the other boys fell silent, unwilling to dispute his authority.


    Audrin was the last son out of three from the Reinhart family, a famous ancestry with an


    extensive line of nobility. Anyone who had lived in this town for at least a few months had heard of them.


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    A cluster of people gathered around the battlefield, cheering the red-haired swordsman on. ¡°Go Audrin! Show that dark-rat some discipline!¡±


    The battle type selected was called Instant KnockOut, the first person to be touched with any attack was considered the loser. Just then, a short sword was thrown towards Efy. ¡°You need a weapon don¡¯t you?¡± Audrin reminded him. ¡°Yes! Thank you so much.¡± Efy responded, grateful for Audrin¡¯s actions. ¡°Audrin is the better swordsman for sure! End this quickly Audrin!¡± the audience bickered. Audrin then used Xor to create a live countdown above their heads. Countdown creation was a standard Xor technique to initiate battle known by every Xor Combatant.


    As soon as the timer hit zero, Audrin surged forward, swinging his sword at his opponent with a swift and fluid motion. However, Efy deftly evaded the aggressive strike, effortlessly re-establishing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Is he holding back? Why isn¡¯t he moving as quickly as he did before? Efy quickly pushed these thoughts aside, refocusing on the battle and strategizing his counter-attack. To the confusion of everyone that watched the battle, Efy threw his sword into the air. A swordsman should never abandon his sword, however, Efy was no swordsman.


    He stabilised the sword into the air with his hand and used his Xor to plunge the sword flying towards Audrin.


    ¡°He¡¯s a mage?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t he conjure elements then?¡±


    The audience was thoroughly confused by Efy¡¯s fighting style. He did not have a swordsman¡¯s style , or that of any physical combatant, yet he was not conjuring elements from thin air, he was just swinging swords around. ¡°Is he stupid?¡± many of the spectators muttered.


    Audrin easily dodged away, but found trouble as the sword continuously followed him around. The spectators condemned what they did not understand, but this did not stop Efy from relentlessly chasing down his opponent with the soaring sword he possessed. Audrin attempted to deter the sword with a head-on clash with his own.


    Peng!


    The soaring sword was forcefully sent away from the battlefield but Efy could still control it. ¡°How can he move it around like that, and at such a distance? I can only move my laces to tie my shoes!¡± A person spoke with sheer amusement. The viewers all nodded in agreement to the person. It was common practice to be taught how to tie your shoelaces without using your hands, but with the use of Xor, however for most aspiring Xor Users, executing something like that was considered complex and required immense amounts of assurance and self-confidence.


    Audrin observed the unique control Efy displayed and felt it was time to stop testing the waters. In a sudden motion, he positioned his sword at his waist, angling it behind him with both hands. Adopting a wide stance, he closed his eyes. Just as Efy''s sword was about to strike from behind, Audrin declared, ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± In an instant, he transformed into the brilliant flash of light that had previously eviscerated the phanxor, covering a distance of 30 metres in the blink of an eye. He halted abruptly before Efy and gently tapped him with the tip of his blade.


    The crowd went into an uproar.


    ¡°Audrin you¡¯re so cool!¡¯


    ¡°You sure showed him!¡±


    ¡°He could never lose to a dark-rat!¡±


    Audrin smiled meaningfully towards his fans and spoke with them. Efy walked up to him and congratulated him on his victory. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a cool technique you have there, to actually believe you can move that fast, it¡¯s immaculate!¡± Before Audrin could even think of a reply, the previous two boys taunted Efy again. ¡°You can¡¯t even use elements as a mage, you can¡¯t  even wield a sword, do you really think you can get that far just because you can play with a weapon like a child?¡± one said to him. ¡°Somen and Tenen, let¡¯s go, the entrance examination starts in ten minutes.¡± Audrin instructed. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the two unanimously replied. For a moment, Efy felt shame in his title as a mage, similarly, he felt conflicted about his complexion. Boha, I will make you proud, I will pass this exam.

 Chapter 4: Entrance Examination

    Efy entered the expansive hall, the venue for the examination event. Located at the heart of the academy, the hall stretched out to the size of half a football field, filled with rows of neatly arranged seats that invited attendees to take their places. The walls were adorned in a deep, rich hue reminiscent of a dark tuxedo, creating an elegant atmosphere that was further enhanced by the golden-coloured curtains draping gracefully from the windows. The overall ambiance was one of sophistication and anticipation, setting the stage for the gathering ahead.


    A humanoid figure loomed over the stage, as tall as the curtains, which were like a 3-story building. The person wore a deep purple cloak that hid their face like an alley in the night. ¡°Welcome students, to Port Of BlackFountain Academy! Your attendance here means that you are all willing to prove your strength to enter this school, in pursuit of a higher understanding of Xor, both theoretically and practically. You may call me Miss Zeon, I am the principal of this establishment!¡±


    Any confidence each of the ten thousand persons present there was immediately suppressed by the radiating waves of Xor that exuded from her; it was the first time Efy had experienced such a phenomenon. Judging from the other examinee¡¯s faces, they looked astonished as well.


    ¡°Now then, without further ado, let me explain the rules of this examination. Each of you will be transported to separate copies of the same battlefield across the sky. You will all be randomly divided into teams of five and face the other team in a 5v5 capture-the-flag competition. There will be five empty flagpole stations situated behind you, they will be used to hoist your enemies¡¯ flags. However, your flag will be attached to your backs at all times. The objective is to capture the flags from your opponents and successfully hoist them at your base. You cannot hoist an enemy flag without your own and once a flag has been hoisted, it cannot be removed! This does not mean you are out of the competition by any means. There are three ways to secure your spot in the academy. The action of hoisting an enemy flag is an instant win for the person. You may also accumulate 50 damage points, one hit per target gives you one point. If a person cannot complete any of these tasks, they will have to be saved by their teammates. If a team manages to secure all 5 enemy flags, regardless of who hoisted them, that entire team will win, this will be called a wipe-out. Only through a wipe-out will this team receive additional rewards, such as school-funded books.Also, the teachers stationed as well as myself are not allowed to play rescue during the exam, so it is possible for you to die.


    Now then, allow yourselves to fill up your arsenal to your hearts¡¯ content!¡± Zeon announced with a hearty smile.


    In an unexpected turn of events, the walls of the hall erupted with an impressive display of racks filled with an array of armour and weapons, reminiscent of a jack-in-the-box springing to life. The sheer variety was staggering, showcasing thousands of different styles of weaponry and protective gear, all available for us to wield. Yet, it was clear that most of us only required a single weapon and a set of armour, assuming we hadn¡¯t come prepared with our own.


    Efy was a child in the playground, running around stuffing as many weapons as he could fit in his Xor orb. He was not limited to one weapon, seizing the opportunity to extend his armoury even further. Efy had not bothered with equipping any armour, after all, armour was just a placebo used to help Xor users increase their defensive enhancements. It would not matter to me anyway, all I knew how to do was move objects around, he thought to himself. He amassed a total of 100 weapons, 25 were shortswords, 25 were daggers and the rest were arrows, they were all he knew he could control well enough for battle.


    It was only a matter of time before the examination would begin.


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    ¨C-


    ¡°Good luck everyone!¡± Zeon wished happily . Out of nowhere, the ground sprung, launching everyone towards the roof at vast speeds. Just as they were all about to crash into the roof, a large-scale teleportation portal captured them and distributed each of them to their 5v5 battlefields. They were all grassy areas with small forests at each starting side and a flatland plain at the centre. This is amazing! I really can see the hundreds of other battlefields in the sky from here. Efy basked in the view, it was truly a stunning sight to see. ¡°Hello! The name¡¯s Xander. I¡¯m glad to be on a team with you! I saw your performance against Audrin, you have potential. ¡± Xander smiled. This boy¡¯s hair resembled the colour of moon rocks, his eyes were expressive yet a dull black, he looked to be 17 years old, standing at an average of 165 centimetres.


    There were three other people behind him, one boy and two girls. They were all around average in height. ¡°I already met the others while you were daydreaming. Zai is the one with the long-black hair, Clara has the short dark-brown hair and Jai is the boy with vanilla yellow hair.¡± Xander continued, barely giving an introduction. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Efy replied confidently. ¡°Of course, if you ever need any help, call for us, we¡¯re a team, we want everyone to win.¡± Xander spoke with comfort in his words, and Efy felt that this town was not so bad after all.


    ¡°We will be on the offensive, as soon as the counter strikes zero, sprint as quickly as possible to the centre, let¡¯s end this quickly.¡± Xander instructed, taking the role of a leader seamlessly.


    A 10-second counter then appeared above everyone¡¯s battlefields. It was at least 50 times bigger than the one Audrin created, it was colossal. As the timer slowly counted down, everyone inserted their flags into a backpack which they wore on their backs and prepared to sprint. As soon as the countdown hit zero, all five of them rushed forward.


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    Efy dashed through the forest, weaving around trees like a leaf in the wind. He was the slowest on his team by quite a margin, as he only believed he could only swing objects around at his disposal. I really need to practise my running speed at least a little bit more, Efy sighed. The forest was so thick, that they lost each other amidst the density. Suddenly, five arrows appeared from the darkness of the forest, lunging towards Efy.


    Fwoosh! Efy barely avoided them, but five more sped through the woods. Crap, looks like I¡¯m dealing with an archer. Efy dispatched ten arrows of his own, he could only control ten without limiting his efficiency. He launched five with pinpoint accuracy that broke the velocity of the incoming arrows, the other five were directed towards the general area he was attacked from.


    Efy noticed a shadowy figure dashing from tree branch to tree branch like a ninja. A single arrow headed towards Efy. Efy recycled an arrow from the ground to counter the basic attack. However, the single arrow multiplied into five arrows. All of a sudden, four arrows were left, zooming through the breeze about to hit Efy.


    Efy reacted at a turtle¡¯s pace, it was too late to counter it with nearby arrows. However, he stopped three of the four arrows with Xor, freezing them in place one at a time. He had a hard time believing he could actually stop multiple moving objects at once. Unfortunately, the last arrow made its way to Efy, stabbing him in his right thigh.


    ¡°Agh!¡± Efy let out a cry.


    Although a battlefield was no place to idle. Five more arrows lunged from the treetops, targeting the fallen Efy. So he can multiply arrows? Efy strategized a plan. I have to intimidate him, however I must be able to intentionally stop his arrows with Xor, but I can only move one object already in motion at a time. Can I really do this?


    Efy did not know the answer, but he knew how to get it. He had to try.


    The best way to increase your confidence in an ability, was to treat it as building blocks. People who could achieve immediate expertise in their techniques had to be 100% certain they were already experts, even a 99.99% completion rate meant failure. Of course, these people who became an expert directly from being a novice were as rare as a phoenix feather.


    Therefore, gradually building your Xor technique step-by-step was much easier, and far more common. If Efy could move one, why couldn¡¯t he move two?


    He flicked his wrist and as he had expected, two arrows were depleted of velocity. But three arrows dug themselves into his body. Without time to rest, five more arrows flew from behind him, fortunately, he had remained aware of his surroundings, frantically attempting to keep track of the figure.


    He flicked his wrist again, determination filled his mind and body and he was able to deter three arrows this time. The power of Xor heavily relied on momentum, if you fail the first time, you start to doubt yourself, likewise, if you succeed, you can only keep on succeeding. Two more arrows pierced Efy¡¯s skin, he looked like a human porcupine.


    But Efy did not cry out this time. He was too focused on the success he had achieved, so instead he smiled.


    The archer intended to repeat his attacks as many times as necessary, plotting to steal the flag when Efy could not move his limbs because of the pain.


    Efy took a deep breath as he expected the next five arrows to come raging towards him. He held up all his fingers on his right hand and snapped them shut. For the first time in a long time, Efy was achieving progression. He had momentarily focused on only conjuring elements so he could become an excellent mage, thus halting his growth on the only thing he could do. But fortunately he had finally remembered this feeling, the feeling of growth, the feeling of success,


    The feeling, of Xor.


    As he flicked his wrist, five arrows not only stopped, but Efy managed to keep control of them. ¡°Hahaha!¡± he let out a chuckle of success. ¡°Your turn.¡± Efy straightened his face and launched the arrows, at double the speed the archer could produce. The archer, frightened, attempted to counter them with his own, but unfortunately for him, Xor had not taken place.


    Thus, only one arrow managed to be counteracted while four tunnelled through his body like a drill. The arrows were halfway through his arms and legs, paling in comparison to the arrow heads that only stabbed the surface of Efy¡¯s skin. Threatened, the archer turned tail and ran as fast as he could, executing Xor in the process. Archers were famed for being escape artists, using Xor for quick movement was only muscle memory.


    Efy did not let his momentum cease, he gave chase and took out 20 arrows, twice as many as he could control effectively. He used both his hands, even though this did not make it easier, placebo is crucial when confidence is your power.


    Swoosh! All 20 arrows rained onto the swift archer like a house beneath a thunderstorm. The archer dodged and avoided only half of them. Like a shotgun, the 10 remaining impacted his back at once, and the archer soon fell off a tree.


    As Efy eventually caught up to him, he noticed that the flatlands were straight ahead.


    Zai, Clara and Jai were nowhere to be seen, nor were their opponents. All Efy observed was Xander having trouble with a swordsman. His spearmanship was great but the swordsman was better in technique. Xander noticed Efy¡¯s presence, a result of using Xor to increase his five senses.


    Xander started sprinting towards Efy as fast as a horse could run. Of course, he needs assistance. ¡°I got your back Xander, let¡¯s do this!¡± Efy screamed. Yet, Xander never stopped.


    ¡°You¡¯re much more capable than I am, hold him off whilst I hoist this flag. Zai, Clara and Jai should win their battles, we will come back for you and help you out.¡± Xander promised as he ran off without waiting for a response.


    Why didn¡¯t we just 2v1?


    Efy was confused.

 Chapter 5: Entrance Extermination

    Efy could not think about it for too long, as the swordsman charged him with all his might.


    Efy controlled the 9 arrows he had stuck within his body and attacked the swordsman. However the swordsman was a bit more capable than the archer and deflected each arrow with his greatsword. He let out an inaudible cry as he smashed the sword into the ground, erupting the floor beneath Efy and sprung him into the air.


    Efy landed harshly onto the green pastures, coughing up blood after the impact. He was severely wounded and his movements were limited.


    ¡°Give me the flag and I won¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡± the swordsman commanded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Efy retorted.


    Out of the forest behind him, three figures dashed next to the swordsman. For all but a second, Efy felt happy that his teammates came to help him, but he soon realised that these people were not his teammates at all, they were his enemies.


    ¡°Since there¡¯s one of you and four of us, we¡¯ll each need to hit you 50 times. If you don¡¯t resist, we¡¯ll make it bearable.¡± the swordsman negotiated. ¡°No, I have to pass, I need to!¡± Efy was completely decisive. ¡°You stubborn dark-rat, we¡¯ll just have to disable you then!¡±


    Efy found strength within himself to stand up, but with four combatants facing him and two rushing towards him, what could he possibly do? One was a strength-based swordsman, another looked to be more of a stealth type assassin and the other two wore mage¡¯s robes. Yet even amongst this disadvantage, Efy did not despair, he was progressing at a rate faster than he was at Boha¡¯s dojo.


    From the orb, he took out 14 daggers, his previous record being just five. The assassin and the swordsman attacked simultaneously from each side, but Efy used both his hands to send the daggers spiralling towards them, half for each. However, he did not attack blindly, as soon as the assassin dodged the incoming daggers and the swordsman deflected, he used nine of the arrows that were on the floor to injure the first offenders, splitting the damage equally. .


    Although Efy wanted to celebrate his miniature achievement, a Chinese dragon made of water headed directly for him. The mages both utilised their Xor to conjure something so breathtakingly powerful. However, Efy used everything he had to just barely dodge the imminent threat, but a part of the water dragon narrowly touched his arm.


    It felt not like water, but a burning sensation spread throughout his insides like a wildfire, he felt as if he was submerged into a volcano, but the sensation only lasted 2 seconds. Efy was truly grateful that he had managed to avoid most of the attack and then turned towards the mages with conviction inside his heart.


    He lifted 20 arrows and thrusted them forward, aiming towards the mages. But the mages did not bat an eye, their Xor-enhanced senses were not alarmed,


    Efy had completely missed.


    Each of the arrows soared past the mages¡¯ bodies, plunging into the ground.


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    To the mages¡¯ surprise, this was only part of Efy¡¯s strategy. He mobilised the fallen arrows and backstabbed the mages, 10 arrows to each, there was no time to react. He had successfully taken down the mages as well.


    Efy felt as if he was about to pass out from the pain and damage he received, but through sheer willpower, he was still standing. Efy did not know it, but he was executing a Xor body enhancement to stay alive.


    But out of nowhere, like a homing missile, the previously dodged dragon struck Efy from behind with full force. Efy suffered excruciating pain, he felt as if his head would explode, his chest would combust, his ligaments were melting. He gnashed and ground his teeth through the attack, which was about 15 seconds of pure agony.


    Efy was sent flying through the air and landed next to the mages, falling onto his back. He had underestimated his opponents and had let down his guard. The swordsman he previously thought he had defeated walked directly towards him. Efy¡¯s vision was blurry, he felt as if he was on the cusp of death.


    ¡°You really think 5 arrows was all it took to defeat me? I have high defensive capabilities as well. You are not on my level, but I have to admit you were pretty cunning, in any case, this is the end, dark-rat.¡± the swordsman stated.


    The swordsman then raised his foot as high as possible and stomped on Efy¡¯s torso. Efy was in a state of anguish unlike anything he had felt before. He felt weak. There was nothing he could do to stop himself from dying right here.


    The man stomped on Efy repeatedly; he did not wish to just win; he wanted to see Efy¡¯s suffering for amusement. For Efy, the world faded into an eventual black from the torture.


    Suddenly, Efy gripped the swordsman''s foot. ¡°Impossible!¡± he looked at the hopeless Efy on the floor, who still had his eyes closed. ¡°Is he unconsciously emitting Xor!?¡± the swordsman watched, terror filling his heart in an instant. He could not free his foot from Efy¡¯s grip, no matter how hard he tried. From the sudden shock, he lost his calm and could not execute Xor to free himself.


    Efy ripped one arrow from the motionless mages and started stabbing the struggling swordsman¡¯s calves. ¡°Get away from me!¡± he cried, but to no avail. Efy stabbed the man 7 times before finally laying there in silence. ¡°You monster.¡± The swordsman pulled his leg free. He stood alone in the grassland that was newly painted in red. He grabbed Efy¡¯s flag and limped towards his home base.


    Much to the swordsman¡¯s surprise, a notification appeared above the battlefield.


    Congratulations to Xander, Zai, Clara, Jai and Efy for passing the examination!


    ¡­


    ¡°I must be daydreaming, I have his flag, how did he pass!?¡± he complained out of confusion. The notification continued and furthermore revealed the answer to his question.


    Xander - Flag Capture - 20 points of damage


    Zai - Flag Capture - 13 points of damage


    Clara - Flag Capture - 34 points of damage


    Jai - Flag Capture - 0 points of damage


    Efy - No flag capture - 50 points of damage.


    The man fell to his knees.


    The battlefield transformed into a gigantic portal and swallowed the combatants like a blue whale. Each fighter was transported to the first emergency room. Only after a match could someone receive treatment. Various medicinal Xor experts were dispatched throughout the grand, yet crowded room. These experts could heal almost any disease and injuries suffered.


    Efy was in a critical state, but as long as he was not dead, he would survive. Medicinal Xor experts could not revive the dead.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    After a few hours, Efy opened his eyes.

 Chapter 6: Rank #5,001

    Efy looked around slowly, examining the room he was in. His vision was still a little blurry but he felt no more pain. The walls surrounding him glowed a perfect white with many hospital beds neatly situated. The only human in sight was a woman sitting next to him in medical clothing, resembling the colour of the walls. She looked to be in her 20s. ¡°Did I make it!?¡± he shot up. The last thing he remembered was the agonising pain from the swordsman¡¯s foot and then he passed out.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve passed your examinations. Welcome to Port Of Black Fountain Academy,¡± the nurse smiled, her eyes closed and with her thumb up. Efy felt a tingling sensation rapidly expanding inside of him. He jumped up onto the bed with his arms up, ¡°I did it!¡±


    He then took the nurse¡¯s hand and aggressively shook it. ¡°Thank you for healing me!¡± he happily exclaimed. The nurse looked at him and laughed, ¡°Orientation begins soon, you¡¯ll be explained the system of the school and your classes. As soon as you leave that door, you¡¯ll find it, trust me.¡±


    Efy looked over to the door, excitement filled his heart and mind. He knew that once he stepped through, his journey would officially begin. He ran towards it energetically and exclaimed, ¡°Thank you again!¡± and left.


    To Efy¡¯s confusion, he stepped out into a significantly smaller room that looked to fit only one human at a time. His confusion was interrupted by the display of many words dancing around the air. When he read the words, he finally understood, this was a transportation system. ¡°This is so cool! A school as great as this one actually has these!? Do these really work? Orientation please!¡±


    ¡­


    Nothing happened. ¡°O-orientation please..!¡± Efy tried again nervously. Yet again, nothing happened. ¡°Oh, right, this system works on the user¡¯s Xor¡­¡± he came to an unfortunate realisation. He looked behind him to return to the medical room but the door disappeared. Am I stuck here? How long will I be here for? This can¡¯t be happening! Efy was covered in murky thoughts. He started hyperventilating, his head started feeling light, his heart rate was increasing!


    Just when he thought his day was ruined, a familiar boy with red hair entered the room. In response to his arrival, the room suddenly expanded to fit two people comfortably. ¡°Audrin?¡± Efy had not believed his eyes, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he continued. Efy was almost certain he was the only one who would arrive late, he was the only one in the medical room as well.


    ¡°I had some matters to attend to.¡± Audrin replied. He spoke with a calm but certain voice and was unbothered with Efy¡¯s presence. ¡°Orientation,¡± he commanded, using Xor in the process. Efy felt relieved he had been so fortunate to have Audrin save him yet again. He stared at Audrin with curious eyes, the swordsman acted quite differently than the others.


    His curiosity was promptly broken by a doorway appearing out of thin air from one of the walls. It was the orientation room, They both exited simultaneously and the open doorway returned to a wall within an instant. Efy was baffled when he noticed this, however he could not stay in his moment of shock for too long, as he had an orientation to attend.


    ¡­


    ¡°Greetings all! Your attendance within this hall represents the victory you achieved during the entrance examination earlier. ¡° the same woman in the cloak spoke, it was Miss Zeon.


    This school symbolises the expertise in basic xor usage, however it will take much more than the basics to graduate from this establishment. Without further ado, let me explain to the uninformed how our system here works.


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    You will all be selected into two classes: Xor Theorem & Xor Usage. At the end of every week, there will be a competition. As you may know, the peak of Xor expertise, Xoria, has the largest and most reputable ranking system in the world, however, it is not the only place that utilises this function.


    There are precisely five thousand and one students enrolled here after the examination, and you each have been assigned a rank based on your performance. To view your rank, simply imagine the concept of a leaderboard and Port Of Black Fountain, this will envision the current leaderboard standings into your head, Xor is not required unless you want to conjure it into a visible picture. ¡±


    She momentarily paused her dialogue to let her passionate students view their rank standings.


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m rank #409!¡±


    ¡°Lucky! I¡¯m only rank #2359..¡±


    ¡°At least you¡¯re under #4000!¡±


    Regardless of their rank, the students all cheered. After all, they had made it into the school at the very least, and could simply raise their rank via the weekly competitions. However, Efy was totally bummed out!


    I¡¯m ranked 5001? Aw man! Even after all that progress I made, I¡¯m still not good enough. I guess I still have some work to do, sensei Boha. In reality, Efy had done exceptionally well, using another opponent during a deathmatch as practice, and then facing off four opponents at the same time was impressive, yet he ranked at the bottom of the well.


    ¡°Now that you all have itched your curious brains, I will continue to explain.


    You all have probably realised, no matter how hard you try to change your name on the leaderboard, it does not work. This is because of a Xor Fragment, repelling your Xor usage from the leaderboard. Similarly, you all are also probably wondering why you do not require Xor to envision the leaderboard. These topics will be explained thoroughly during your Xor Theorem class, so I will leave it at that.


    You will all be divided into groups of three, and situated within the many dorms we have here at the academy. The people whom you are grouped with will be your main teammates for the next year, however, to balance this system, the best combatants will be matched with the worst.


    I hope you all find this academy splendid, your first class starts in an hour. Bye bye!¡±


    Miss Zeon then waved her hands and yet again, a freakishly huge portal appeared beneath our feets. In the next moment, everyone was stationed inside their dorms, with their two fellow teammates for the next year.


    Efy looked around the room, it was very spacious. The walls wore cream skin and the roof was a shimmering white.


    Wow, there¡¯s even room for a desk underneath the window. And there¡¯s two beds, one being a bunk bed. This is so cool, Efy was justifiably amazed. And there¡¯s even¨C


    ¡°Audrin??!¡± Efy¡¯s wonderful exploration was quickly stopped by the boy he seemed to keep running into everywhere he went. Audrin did not look surprised at all. ¡°Wait, if you¡¯re here then that means¨C¡±


    ¡°He ranked #1.¡± Another familiar face appeared, Efy¡¯s face churned with rage. ¡°Xander!¡± he angrily exclaimed. ¡°You left me out there to die, you jerk!¡± Efy continued belittling the liar. Efy had almost lost his life on the battlefield, meanwhile Xander not only took the flag Efy earned himself, he made an empty promise to return, but he never did.


    ¡°Calm down, idiot. Why would someone ever return to help a person like you. I mean, look at you!¡± Xander made his rebuttal. ¡°This two-faced liza¨C¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Audrin stepped in, breaking the squabble immediately. ¡°We are a team now, I do not want such idiotic internal battles within this environment.¡± he stated clearly. Efy, clearly frustrated, turned his back and leapt onto his bed. It was the lower half of a bunk bed, with a single bed next to it, only separated by a rug.


    ¡°Audrin, I didn¡¯t know you liked dark-rats, how the mighty have fallen.¡± Xander taunted, expecting an answer from Audrin, but Audrin only turned around and unpacked his things from his Xor orb.


    Efy¡¯s exasperation was soon dissipated with the thought that his first class was in roughly twenty minutes. He could not wait to learn more about Xor.

 Chapter 7: Xor Theorem

    Efy sat in the classroom with anything but air in his mind. He wondered about the teachers, the environment, and the theoretics of Xor. He sat restless in the back of the class, not wanting to be too noticeable as that would be troublesome and cause panic.


    He quietly observed the other students that filled the classroom with presence and commotion. He estimated there were 499 classes of 100 students, his class having 501, of course.


    He noticed that everyone had writing material and books laid on the table. Efy lacked such blessings.


    It''s not as if he could not read or write however, his sensei Boha had taught him such basic functions long ago. He simply did not have the funds to purchase such items.


    He sighed and hoped that his mind was capable of sucking in enough information as he needed. Or rather, he could always ask his new teammates for their notes.


    Well, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to ask Xander.


    A woman in dark purple, mage-like clothing entered the room. She wore a fine pair of glasses before her eyes, which were similar to her attire. Her void black hair extended to her lower back and she looked to be in her 30s.


    ¡°Welcome to your first class in Port Of Black Fountain Academy. My name is Serene Sanford but you may refer to me as Mrs. Serene.¡±


    Her voice was not loud, but everyone could hear her clearly, it was enough to cut through the conversations remnant of her entry.


    ¡°I will be your teacher for Xor Theorem in class A. As you all seem to be quite eager, let us get started!¡±


    As those words flew out her mouth, the classroom underwent a metamorphosis. The walls, roof and floor faded to a black which resembled space itself. It¡¯s not as if it was just the colour changed, as the desks drifted away from their initial positions. Were we really in space? Why can I still breathe?


    ¡°Xor creates the fabric of the universe we live in, although we are not advanced enough to figure out how, us humans have been doing extensive research on such a possibility.


    You see, our Xor powers are directly a result from a colossal force located at the core of this planet, the Xor Crystal. The Xor Crystal is belief itself, it is pure confidence made tangible. When we use our Xor techniques, we are harnessing the power of the crystal, it turns belief into truth. If one were to wield this crystal, they would undeniably be unstoppable with zero contest to their power. However, why hasn¡¯t anyone stolen it yet? True power is tempting for some, yet it still remains at the centre untouchable. Today we learn about the rules of Xor.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s faces were completely flabbergasted. Anyone who thought this class would be inferior to Xor Utilisation would hesitate to think the same afterwards.


    ¡°What are some things you know about Xor, class?¡± she asked. Some guy put up his hand and began to answer. ¡°Xor can be used to increase the user¡¯s physical capabilities,¡± he said with conviction.


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    ¡°That''s right. But why can¡¯t I use Xor to snap you all into nothing right now?¡± she replied.


    By the looks on everyone''s faces, they came to a sudden realisation they never had before. It was common belief it was because people weren''t convinced it would work, yet still, even the top of the line experts in Xoria have never been recorded utilising such an overpowered technique. Why couldn''t they? Were they still unconfident in their strength? That couldn''t be, Xor Experts were in a completely different dimension than everyone else.


    ¡°The Xor within one user cannot directly affect the Xor within another''s. This is precisely why, even if you tried to use Xor to grab the flags during the entrance examination, you could not. We implanted Xor Fragments inside the flags.


    Xor Fragments are, of course, just significantly smaller pieces of the Xor Crystal. About the same size as the pores in your arms.¡±


    The Xor Crystal was truly a force to be reckoned with. If such a little piece of it can repel a singular user¡¯s Xor making items unusable, then what destruction can the actual crystal achieve?


    However, Efy was not satisfied with this answer. How can Medicinal Xor Experts heal people? Do they not use their Xor directly on their bodies? Or is there something we aren''t allowed to know?


    It seems like I am the only person who notices this flaw, I should raise my hand.


    But


    What if they laugh at me?


    Is it a dumb question?


    Maybe it''s not that no one noticed but that everyone else knew the answer.


    It''s okay just raise your hand


    Raise it-


    ¡­


    Maybe not.


    Efy wanted to raise his hand and ask the question, but at the same time, his anxiety toppled over him mercilessly.


    ¡°Next question: How are phanxors born?¡±


    ¡°If you are convinced enough, you can summon any beast, is that not so, Mrs. Serene?¡± a random girl Efy had never seen before answered.


    ¡°Incorrect!¡±


    The whole class seemed to shudder. This was not the correct answer. Although, Efy had experienced the birth of a Phanxor already.


    Could it be linked to fear? I remember being convinced a phanxor would spawn through the sheer fear welled inside of me at that moment.


    Efy thought further.


    I also haven''t heard of a beast tamer styled expert before.


    Efy knew he had the right answer, but yet again, he could not speak up.


    ¡°Phanxors are the only creatures that can be summoned through Xor. Moreover they can only be summoned through total fear. This is why they are referred to as nightmares.¡± Mrs. Serene states thoroughly.


    Efy pouted.


    ¡°Last but not least, what else can you do with the power of Xor?¡±


    ¡°Conjure elements!¡± a cheerful boy screeched.


    ¡°Bingo! The answer is conjuring elements. Furthermore, elemental conjuration is the only form of tangible Xor.


    That''s all for this class folks. I hope you all learned a thing or two today,¡± she winked at them, grinning.


    Hold on. Why didn''t she answer the self-made question, why hasn''t anyone stolen the Xor Crystal yet?


    Efy sat sceptical, but chalked it up to the crystal just being too strong to soothe his mind.


    Well, I better get lunch. Efy was feeling extremely hungry.

 Chapter 8: Xor Utilisation

    Efy sat alone in the cafeteria. He was eating the average cheese sandwich with water as a drink, as provided by the school. He looked around and found a very interesting detail, the lower ranked you were, the more basic your food was. There was not much else to do in this situation anyway, he had no friends to eat with. He sat, observed and ate his food amidst the volume of sound.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Bang!


    A single noise erupted through the ears of the class, striking everyone into immediate astonishment.


    ¡°And that, class, is how to enhance your strength.¡± the teacher explained, dusting off his hands with a smirk on his face.


    Efy was also in complete disarray. What he had just witnessed was not supposed to be possible by just anyone.


    Are the teachers of this school experts? No that couldn¡¯t be, experts make a fortune, why would they subject themselves to teaching?


    The longer he thought about it, the more it seemed to pain his mind.


    Mr. Choppo, their Xor Utilisation teacher, had demonstrated his strength using a punch metre machine. As he winded up, it was noticeable that not only Efy, but the class felt an unusual sensation, but the punch was even more exhilarating.


    Mr. Choppo had punched the machine through 9 walls of the school as if it was nothing! To emit so much Xor is simply immaculate. Not only had he the confidence of ultimate strength, but he   had also used Xor to protect the machine from total annihilation. It was a stunning sight to behold.


    Mr. Choppo looked over to the classes at which he almost murdered hundreds of children within a moment. ¡°Hoho, it¡¯s okay, I knew where I was aiming.¡± he jokingly giggled at the other classes. The nearby teachers appeared sick of his antics.


    Within a second, Mr. Choppo teleported the machine inside class and instantly closed up and fixed all the damages he had done, this kind of Xor Utilisation was incredible.


    Efy judged the reactions of his peers, sheer excitement lighting their faces like fireflies in the night.


    I guess he became a class favourite, Efy thought to himself, smiling as well.


    ¡°Now then, everyone line up, I am evaluating your Xor strength enhancement.¡± Mr. Choppo said with a face of interest. All of the students lit up with excitement and kept shouting to go first and whatnot, however, Efy started to tremble.


    I¡¯m going to have to show my uselessness in front of the whole class? This is terrible! I can¡¯t do this, I can¡¯t do this, I can¡¯t do this! Efy wanted to go use the bathroom and skip the assessment, so he raised his hand to ask.


    ¡°Ah, yes! You all ought to be more like this boy over here, stop shouting and put your hand up and you¡¯ll have a better chance at going first.¡± Mr. Choppo disciplined the class. Efy was in complete horror, although he wanted to correct his teacher, his voice would not come out.


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    As he walked towards the forefront of the class, he felt as if the noises he heard from his neighbouring classmates were the barks of dogs. He felt their stares as if they wanted to assassinate him right now.


    ¡°Good, give me your best shot.¡± Mr. Choppo grinned. He looked completely excited to see what I had in store for him, however, didn''t he know I''m ranked #5001?


    Here goes nothing. Literally.


    Efy sent the hardest punch he could muster. Everyone looked astonished. They all spoke amongst each other in pure amazement.


    Efy¡¯s punch was so abysmally horrendous that everyone flew into pure shock. One by one they all started laughing. Their laughter was like knives to Efy.


    If Efy¡¯s heart was stomping beforehand, his heart now was similar to a stampede. With every beat he could feel pulsating out of his chest, as if his heart would escape at any moment.


    He looked around the classroom to see his bickering peers, frightened to even move an inch, as he felt as if every motion he made would be as loud as an elephant.


    ¡°CLASS!¡± Mr. Choppo screamed. His face had looked as if someone had just killed his own family and he plotted to seek revenge.


    ¡°I do not condone such treachery inside my classroom, we are here to learn! Everyone has some things they''re great at and some things they are bad at, it''s how you deal with it that makes the person. You may choose to only do the things you can do, focus on the things you need to work on, or both! I simply cannot accept that you would verbally murder a classmate because of something so trivial.¡±


    Efy looked at Mr. Choppo with a glimmer in his eyes, questioning his life for a moment.


    Where had these teachers been all my life? I did not know there were additional people who respected me.


    This was the first time someone other than Boha had stood up for him. Efy pondered.


    ¡°Return to your seat. Come find me at the staff room after you have your rest when school ends today.¡± Mr. Choppo rested his hands onto the short lad¡¯s head. Efy smiled with excitement and ran back towards his seat.


    The barking dogs were nozzled and Efy no longer heard their bickering, although he did sense a lot of jealousy from these hounds, he merrily sat down and continued to watch.


    ¡°Next!¡±


    The day continued on with everyone trying their hand at the machine, the lowest scores being several times higher than Efy¡¯s. Efy had not cared in the slightest, not after his experience with his esteemed teacher. The only highlight Efy could remember was Audrin setting the highest score in the class, but that was to be expected, he¡¯s good at everything, Efy thought to himself.


    ¡°Alright, next class we will be doing track and field, so all of you speed-type combatants, prepare yourselves.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Efy returned to his bedroom and let out a sigh of relief, his first day at the academy was quite interesting, but he was satisfied.


    ¡°How did you even manage to score 15 on the punch machine? Without Xor, the average person can score around 70 at least. Are you that weak?¡± Xander teased Efy, although he also looked a bit curious.


    Efy did not give an answer. It was not because he didn¡¯t like Xander, but that he felt it was too much to say and would hinder Xander¡¯s time anyways.


    ¡°Fine, stay quiet, loser.¡± Xander responded to his silence. Audrin was also in the room, but he usually did not speak unless he was spoken to.


    In about two hours, Efy would visit the staff room and find out what Mr. Chappo had planned for him,  until then, he could only bathe in excitement.

 Chapter 9: Student

    ¡°Alright, Efy, punch me.¡±


    The man had hair the colour of the clouds and looked to be in his 60s. He stood at a staggering 200 centimetres. His dull grey eyes were surrounded by the various wrinkles of his face.


    ¡°I can try, but it won¡¯t be powerful at all¡­¡±


    Efy and Mr. Choppo were situated in one of the many training rooms stationed within the school. These training rooms  were the size of your average bedroom and generally had zero equipment or furniture inside.


    Efy tried his best to punch into his teacher¡¯s palm but after all, it was useless as he held little belief in himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, what you just did was much better than the punch in class. You improve quite quickly don¡¯tcha?¡±


    Mr. Choppo expressed his feelings towards the discouraged Efy. Whether his feelings or not were completely genuine was another story, he just had to make sure Efy felt confidence.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, give me the next one!¡± Mr. Choppo acted hyped up. He was jumping on his feet like a little child in a playground.


    Efy let out a little smile of belief, it was not much, however it was more than zero. Even if it was just a little bit stronger, Efy felt as if he could do it for sure.


    ¡°Here goes!¡±


    When Efy hit Mr. Choppo this time, the professor let out a content smile. ¡°Now that one had a little bit of gusto on it!¡±


    Efy was overjoyed. While his punches were still quite lower than the average Xor user, he had made some progress. Although he felt a bit more confident in his abilities, he still held the view of inferiority towards his peers in this area. So when Efy was asked to give a harder punch, nothing came of it.


    ¡°You certainly have to omit holding your classmates to such a high standard, they¡¯re not that special.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to, sir. I just feel like I would not be able to reach their level.¡±


    ¡°I will get you there, slowly, but surely. I will help you build the blocks to your tower and transform you into a capable user of Xor.¡±


    Efy looked bothered. He knew what happened the last time a teacher tried to help him become capable with the power of Xor. He knew he was hopeless.


    ¡°I can try¡­¡±


    Mr. Choppo gave a warm smile, as if he understood the war taking place inside Efy¡¯s head, as if it was all too familiar to him.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Choppo. How come the teachers and even the nurses do not discriminate against my¡­you know-¡±


    Efy pointed at his forearm. It was a question that spiked him recently, after seeing how natural the employees at this school treated him so much differently.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we have seen the world, Efy. The hate your classmates demonstrate is of ignorance. Go see the world yourself.¡±


    Efy¡¯s heart set ablaze.


    Does that mean there are more like me? I have to get a scholarship now, I need to!


    ¡°What¡¯s next, sir!¡±


    Mr. Choppo looked surprised at this sudden burst of energy and then a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.


    ¡°Efy, I had forgotten to ask, what type of expert do you want to become?¡± Mr. Choppo asked curiously.


    ¡°Sir..! You¡¯re supposed to question such things before you train me, you know.¡±


    Mr. Choppo looked away with a palm on his face.


    ¡°I want to become the best mage in all of Xoria, a mage who can snap his fingers and a destruction-level fireball would appear, a mage who can close his eyes but still snipe the opponent with spells of great magnitude!¡±


    Efy looked downwards.


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    ¡°I want to become a mage who can use the elements at my will.¡±


    Mr. Choppo looked surprised, mostly because of the last words Efy uttered.


    ¡°Are you not a mage right now? Can you not do that?¡±


    Efy shook his head with a saddened expression. This seemed to surprise Mr. Choppo further.


    ¡°How did you pass the exams? Were you blessed with a team that helped you pass?¡±


    Efy suddenly became worked up. ¡°Hell no, my teammates were lizards, they betrayed me without hesitation. I had to fight the opponents all by myself!¡±


    The old teacher appeared thoroughly impressed. ¡°A person who can fight multiple people, yet he is not a physical combatant, nor capable of using elements, I wonder what his specialty is.¡± Mr. Choppo whispered to himself.


    ¡°If not for teammates, then what? What powers do you possess, Efy?¡±


    Efy raised his head as he took out his Xor orb. He then brought out fifteen daggers from the orb and made them float behind his body. The daggers looked alive, as if they could not wait to penetrate skin, dancing up and down slowly.


    Mr. Choppo was stricken with astonishment, however, he needed to know just how well Efy could manoeuvre these pieces of metal.


    ¡°Try your hardest to hit me once with those.¡± he said, cracking his knuckles and stretching his body.


    Without hesitation, Efy snapped a finger shut and a dagger bee-lined towards the man with astounding speed. ¡°Woah!¡± the teacher exclaimed, expecting a much slower attack. Still, he managed to dodge it early by stepping to his side.


    However, a next dagger came soaring through the air, giving Choppo not much time to react. But the experienced old man dodged it again.


    Efy then sent a third dagger aerialing towards his current opponent, simultaneously mobilising the two daggers behind the man. They were at an offset timing, meaning as soon as his opponent dodged the decoy attack, the already flying daggers would strike him from behind.


    But Choppo took the weapon from the air and used it as his own to deflect the flying swords behind him. Efy took advantage of this moment and sent the remaining daggers he had towards him, but Choppo ran towards the danger and jumped through an extremely narrow opening inside the daggers¡¯ range. Efy tried to chase the man down with the daggers  while he ran away from the scary mini giant, but within a blink, Choppo disappeared.


    Efy then ran into him.


    ¡°Efy, this is truly incredible! You are capable of moving around so many objects, in such a complex way, something only elites and experts can do.¡±


    ¡°But it is the only thing I can do¡­Sir, you were much more incredible!¡±


    Efy had wondered if all the teachers in the school were this amazing. Were all the teachers prior experts? Or were they elites, the step before becoming an expert? These questions he had no answer to. However before he could ask, the man before him spoke.


    ¡°That does not negate the fact, young man. Keep practising this skill until you can move a thousand swords! Fear not, I shall assist you with the other aspects of your Xor.¡±


    Efy smiled, joy filling his body like a tsunami. It reminded him of what his Sensei Boha had told him. Deep down in his heart, he knew he had a fighting chance.


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s practise something that would serve you better, albeit a bit more difficult than upgrading strength, defence or speed. It¡¯s a bit of a secret Xor experts utilise. We will practise enhancing your sixth sense.¡±


    Efy paid great attention to what his teacher was explaining. If it was something only Xor experts could find out, he would improve immensely because of it.


    ¡°Are you ready for some rigorous training?¡±


    Efy aggressively nodded in response. He sought as much improvement as he could achieve.


    ¡°Sit down and close your eyes. Good. Now, dodge!¡±


    Mr. Choppo immediately sent a karate chop onto Efy¡¯s skull.


    ¡°Ouch! What was that for!?¡± Efy held the top of his head, which was in a considerable amount of pain.


    ¡°Hoho! I didn¡¯t even use Xor for that, you truly are feeble. Efy, there are no tricks or shortcuts, if you want to have the sense of an expert, you must be able to feel my attacks without vision or sound.¡±


    At this moment, Efy sighed, understanding the torture he had just signed up for.

 Chapter 10: Every Man For Himself

    ¡°Would all students come to the hall immediately! Would all students come to the hall immediately! Would all students come to the hall immediately!¡±


    Efy woke up to the sound of the public address system, repeating the same words again and again. He had learnt in Xor Theorem class that there were specialised persons who used Xor to speak loudly, speak in different places where they were not, or frankly, both. He figured that this system used both, covering his ears in annoyance.


    ¡°Oi, oi, oi, tell that person to shut up already.¡± Xander too, was also annoyed. He looked as if he had just woken up, his dark grey hair tousled from the bed and his eyes emitting tears from the yawn he just let out.  Efy looked at Audrin¡¯s empty bed.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Audrin?¡±


    ¡°What do I know?? He probably woke up early today because of the competition.¡±


    Efy figured this made sense. Audrin was not the type to let such an important event fly under his radar, he would be readily prepared for it. Efy changed his clothing from his dinosaur themed pyjamas into his very basic jersey and shorts, both coloured in milk chocolate, and put on the cheap shoes that matched this set. Though completely inexpensive overall, he did not look too bad, at least the clothing matched his mocha eyes and deep brown hair. Efy was ready to find out what the first competition was, running out the door in excitement. He wanted to test out the technique he learnt from Mr. Choppo.


    ¡­


    ¡°Welcome all students! It has been 4 days since your initial examination. I''m glad to see that you all hold the same excitement as you once had back then. I hope you have all enjoyed your classes and made new friends!¡±


    It was the principal we all hardly knew, but respected nonetheless, Miss Zeon, still as enormous and mysterious as ever.


    ¡°As you can tell, as today is Friday, we must begin our first competition with you being students of this establishment. Trust me, this contest is even more exciting than the last, as well as being much more difficult.¡±


    Everyone next to Efy appeared as though they were going to combust in pure ecstasy. Their faces held a crescent moon and their eyes lit like stars. Efy similarly felt excited and overjoyed. With this, he can rise through the depths of being rank #5,001.


    ¡°You will all be transported to a sky island created just above our heads. This island, although 1/10th the size of Port Of BlackFountain, can hold approximately 10,000 people. It is relatively huge. You will be teleported to a random location, each individual different to the other. There are a lot of nuances to this island, such as abandoned villages, beaches, waterfalls and much more. You are ONLY allowed ONE weapon of your choosing to begin with, this will be ensured by the various teachers that would be in your presence 10 seconds from now. Ensure that you have taken out your weapon before they begin their plunder.¡±


    Hurriedly, Efy took a sword from his Xor orb. He figured that since he would be limited to the control of one thing, it should be qualitative.


    No one was able to tell there were teachers within their midst, however, they were all being stripped of their armour and orbs within a flash. Everyone was well aware of the fact that these teachers were more than just teachers at this point.


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    ¡°Fear not, as you may have learnt, Xor orbs can be pinpointed to their owner because of their connection through their Xor. Your orbs will be safely stored within my office.


    Further regarding weapons, there will be various items within chests that can be found throughout the island, you can expect basic first aid kits, weaponry and armour as well stored within chests. In addition to this, you can also steal items from other participants. There are almost no limits to what you can do, after all, there are almost no rules. Similar to the last test, death is to be expected.


    This competition is expected to last three days maximum. To ensure this, there will be a teleportation array at the perimeter of the island. It will start closing on the second day and by the end of the third day, there would only be room for no more than 10 people.


    If you are the only survivor on the island, your rank will rise by 50%. For every survivor, that percentage will be divided by the number of people remaining. Additionally, if you are ranked #100 but lose when there are 2,000 people left, you will automatically become ranked #2,000.


    Now that you all understand how the competition works, I wish each and every one of you the best!¡±Efy speculated why the school did not care too much about if students died or not. They probably receive funding from something other than population perhaps. In any case, I have a very exciting competition ahead of me, it sounds so difficult it makes my blood boil with urges to win right now!


    Just then, the ground sprung from beneath their feet and everyone was zooming towards the roof. As this was only routine now, the expected portal spawned right before we were brutally murdered from impact and distributed everyone randomly across the island.


    When Efy successfully landed, he quickly analysed his surroundings. He was surrounded by wooden walls with a window embedded. There was a single bed and various accessories on top of a bedside table. He immediately discovered that he was inside the bedroom of a house.


    I wonder if I spawned into a village. Efy then checked out the window and saw a bunch of other houses neighbouring the one he was inside, confirming his speculation.


    This is very fortunate, there must already be a chest inside here somewhere. Efy scoured the area, looking for a chest. He checked every corner of the room but found nothing. He decided to go downstairs, he was absolutely certain there would be one inside the house.


    After a little searching, Efy finally found a chest located underneath a dining table within the kitchen. The dining table was dressed with a long cloth that made it impossible to see the chest that was hiding.


    I wonder what¡¯s inside. Efy opened the chest and found a steel chestplate inside. He sighed at the armour, as he still found it useless to him. Even if armour can realistically resist impact, in such a world as this, it can only be used as placebo. The average Xor user¡¯s strength can easily slice a diamond in half, let alone steel. However, upgrading the defence of an item rather than your body was much easier and yielded far better results. Efy could not do either, so it was not helpful. Furthermore, armour was heavy without Xor and Efy was anything but a brawn.


    Efy decided to keep it rather than let someone else find it.


    Alright, all I have to do is the same thing Mr. Choppo taught me. Efy imagined that his sensei Boha was creating the Xor orb as he had before and executed Xor. He inwardly cheered at himself, even if the orb was slightly bigger and held half the storage (100 items), he was still proud of himself. He stored the chestplate into the orb and decided to venture outside.


    As soon as he stepped out the door, an axe swung towards his neck with blistering speed.


    This was an unavoidable attack.

 Chapter 11: Imperfect Sixth Sense

    Certainly almost any beginner or even advanced Xor Users would perish under this perfectly timed elimination attempt. The axe swung even before Efy had opened the door, granting him limited time to react. The axeman was certain he would decapitate his target and plunder wonderful items.


    As Efy stepped out the door, everything in his body was telling him to lean backwards, and so he did. Efy was able to successfully but barely dodge the attack, leaving a shallow graze on his neck.


    Yikes, if I had not trained with Mr. Choppo, I¡¯d be beheaded right now. I only managed to dodge the attack narrowly, if I had been 1/100th of a second too late, I¡¯d be a goner.


    Efy stabilised and grabbed the arm of the axeman, but the axeman was much stronger than him and pulled it away immediately. He jumped backwards to create distance and twisted his face, seemingly in awe of Efy being alive right now. Efy, who was holding the sword he took out previously, launched it into the air. He glimpsed at the axeman, who had a nice brown set of hair on his head, looking thoroughly confused. He pondered the day everyone would know his techniques, and stop letting their guards down when they saw something so unexpected. In any case, Efy let out a sigh and quickly jerked his hand forward. The sword did not suspend into the air, but rather immediately soared towards the axeman, stabbing him in his right arm, which was holding his axe. The axeman let out a grunt.


    If it was me from before, that sword would have flown 7x slower. I think it flew as fast as a fully launched arrow from the average bow, I can bet no one has seen a sword fly with such speed. Still though, it¡¯s much slower than conjuring wind, let alone lightning.


    ¡°Uurrurhhgghhh!¡± the axeman kept screeching, holding his right arm in pain and agony. As Efy was having his internal monologue, he kept twisting the sword, drilling it around the hole it created in the arm. As soon as the man let go of the axe, it floated with Efy¡¯s command. Although Efy was less confident moving an axe, he still had a great grasp on its movement. Efy then returned both weapons, suspended by his shoulders staring menacingly into the axe-less man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What equipment have you gotten so far?¡± Efy spoke to the man. He was not loud, in fact, he was speaking at a normal volume. Yet, the man could hear him clearly despite being around 50 metres away.  The village was devoid of populace.


    ¡°I-I have¨Cone measly arrow¡­¡± the man replied with much difficulty. Admittedly, he was probably in a lot of pain as of now with a hole inside his arm. Efy found that it made sense, it was only about 10 minutes since everyone got on the sky island so resources were still being sought out. But any weapon was an addition to his arsenal, so he would not let this opportunity waste.


    ¡°Give it to me and I will spare your life.¡± Efy looked into the axeman¡¯s eyes as he threatened the man with clear intentions. The man¡¯s face looked as if he had seen a phanxor, he looked so frightened he made it seem as if Efy was not human. He flung the arrow within an instant and ran away as fast as he could have. Efy had his eyebrow raised and felt a bit good about himself. He was a particularly short guy, around 150 centimetres, so it was the first time someone had been scared of him.


    He chucked the axe and arrow into his decently made Xor orb and kept the sword on hand for quick draw. There were many more houses to loot from, so Efy decided to spend his time scavenging for chests.


    After half an hour, he amassed a total of 10 arrows, 5 short swords, 4 different pieces of armour, 1 bandage and 1 extra long sword excluding the one on hand. He had not encountered any other person while plundering, but that did not strike odd to Efy. People were probably heading towards the middle, naturally it would have the best resources. However, Efy did not think this was the best idea, it would make you a target very quickly. Instead, he hung around the edge and got decent items in abundance.


    When Efy considered himself finished with his looting, he slowly made his way towards the middle. He had no plans to rush in and actually engage inside the heart of the island, but to remain relatively on the outer edge, but still a little closer to the centre. There was a large forest that encircled beyond the village and Efy thought it would be a great idea to look for more resources there. Furthermore, he had realised that the chests do not give food and you¡¯d need to hunt for such necessities yourself, and his stomach was gradually growing restless. After all, it was currently about 8:30 in the morning and Efy had not eaten breakfast.


    Efy, with his sword in hand, dashed into the dim forest.


    As he entered, it was almost as dark as the night time. The trees welded together and looked like fortresses. They were as tall as the giants Efy had seen in the past, who were almost as big as the four-story school. As he was navigating through the forest, a claw struck from his left and almost pierced his eye. Fortunately, Efy felt that tingling sensation at the last moment and dodged it splendidly.


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    This sixth sense is extremely helpful, I might be able to beat Audrin! Although it is not as strong as Mr. Choppo¡¯s, which can detect danger 1 second before it occurs. Compared to my 250 milliseconds, it gives a lot of room for reaction. Still, I¡¯m thankful to have learnt this technique, as my reaction time is roughly 230 milliseconds, as long as I am fast enough I can dodge or defend anything.


    Efy looked at the oncoming attacker and was surprised to see this kind of combatant. It was a beast tamer!


    Beast tamers were not as common as swordsmen or mages, as it took a large amount of courage to tame a powerful beast. Just like the building blocks, you would need to start off by taming small animals such as insects, eventually working your way past mammals and towards bigger, more mythical beasts.


    The beast followed Efy¡¯s tail and kept attacking relentlessly, with its tamer riding it like a cowboy. Efy saw that the beast looked something akin to a gorilla¡¯s upper body and a lion¡¯s lower.


    ¡°Go get him! Gertrude!¡± the tamer commanded in ecstasy.


    Efy churned his face into disappointment. Who would name their pet such a crude name? He wondered to himself.


    Gertrude began swinging its claws at Efy, who dodged the attacks effortlessly. Fortunately, it seems as though it is not an elemental beast, sensei taught me those are seriously strong. As Efy dodged the 11th swing, the beast swung its tail to where Efy would dodge towards.


    Efy, who was already in motion, could not move out of the way in time, and was devastatingly smacked into the trunk of a nearby tree. The trunk was crushed, bits of wood stabbing the ground.


    ¡°You move too predictably for my Gertrude, seems like you¡¯re a low rank.¡± the beast tamer stated. He sat on his beast that was slowly creeping towards Efy with his arms folded and with the dumbest grin imaginable.


    Efy stood onto his feet and threw the sword towards the fowl beast. Since he was so weak, the sword was going towards Gertrude with an unthreatening pace. However, at the same time, he lifted the various wood particles on the ground and aimed them towards the animal¡¯s eyes. They arrived faster than the sword did, but the beast slapped the particles away as if they were mosquitoes. But afterwards, the sword heeded Efy¡¯s command and accelerated to a faster pace, slicing the beast¡¯s nose off.


    ¡°Gertrude!¡± the tamer exclaimed with care in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll make you pay!¡±


    Suddenly, rushed towards Efy, who was still in immense pain from hitting the trunk at such a high velocity.


    It seems as though this battle would drag on for quite a while, this beast is strong, I¡¯m not really sure I can escape with minor injuries, let alone defeat them.


    Efy searched for a better way to attack, currently, his sword would need to stab the animal hundreds of times to kill it from injuries. The axe might take more swings but he found himself slower wielding it. He wondered if he should just take out as many weapons as he could and attack relentlessly, was that his only option? Efy had his back against the tree, escape would not be easy as Gertrude was naturally faster than a human. Efy had approximately one second before he encountered the brutal onslaught that awaited him.


    Oh, wait!


    Efy quickly equipped the axe and swung at the damaged tree swiftly. He could not take his time to get it into the air, so he had to swing. But his physicality and strength were unmatched, being the record lowest on the punching machine. Luckily, all the work was done for him, the impact he suffered also crippled the tree of its torso, and Efy would finish it off by cutting away at the exposed heart.


    Thwack!


    Efy had rendered the tree dead, but gravity took far too long. As a result, Efy sped up the process as he dodged out of the way and the tree that was almost the height of a 4 story building landed onto Gertrude with spectacular force. The beast could not handle the weight and succumbed to its wound instantaneously.


    The only thing that filled Efy¡¯s mind was the meat of such an odd creature, wondering what it would taste like.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to cook you up!¡±

 Chapter 12: The Reward Zone

    Efy was now venturing in a circle around the forest without actually moving forward, if he met even stronger opponents without amassing his arsenal, he felt that his survival would be short-lived. He had already diced the gorilla-lion monster, Gertrude, into slabs of equal sizes. He had a lot of food at the moment. However, he was a bit distraught, as the tamer was nowhere to be seen, he was not dead underneath the tree, but rather missing.


    I guess in the end, he abandoned his pet. How sad.


    As Efy made his way around the outer edges of the forest, a loud voice began to speak from the sky.


    ¡°Contestants, it has been a great time observing you, your techniques and your strategies. Hearing this message means you have survived until noon and as a result, we have a splendorous gift for you. There have been 100 reward zones created as I speak. Reward zones are random small patches of flat plains found randomly inside the forest area. When found, there will be a chest placed in the middle of the area. Those who loot that chest will receive amazing loot, including but not limited to, food. There are 4,500 survivors currently, do your best! Toodaloo!¡±


    That voice, was it Miss Zeon? Oh well. In any case, I have a significant advantage right now. I should be able to find a reward zone quickly if I just continue to run around this area.


    Just as Efy finished that thought, he saw a beam of light cutting through the darkness of the gigantic trees. He figured that must be what he was looking for and headed straight towards it.


    ¡°Wow.¡± he exclaimed to himself. He had stepped out of the depressing forest into a beautiful flatland with a garden of flowers decorating the grass, adding a splash of blue paint to the green. There was a chest in the middle, standing upon two stone slabs.


    Well, that was easy to find. Efy wasted no time and dashed towards the glorified chest. When he opened it up, his eyes increased to the size of dinner plates.


    Potions!


    His eyes instantly locked on to the flasks, glimmering in the sunlight. There were 3, each being different colours of red, green and yellow. Luckily, Efy had not slept through his Xor Theorem classes. Colours of potions are up to personal preference, as each and every potion is created through the usage of Xor. Even if it¡¯s to be established that a red potion can mean strength enhancement, anyone can easily create a potion with a red hue and it be poison. As a result, it is important to only purchase potions from reputable alchemists. Potions are a way to input the alchemist¡¯s Xor ability into the body of another, for a variable period of time. The duration and enhancement both depend on the level of expertise of the Xor alchemist. Efy examined the potions carefully, he found that there were name tags attached to them.


    The red one displayed ¡°Strength Enhancement 1: 5 minutes¡±


    The yellow stated ¡°Speed Enhancement 1: 10 minutes¡±


    And as Efy held the green potion in his hand, he almost dropped the bottle in astonishment.


    ¡°Healing: 1 minute¡±


    Healing potions were much different than any other potion. These potions were not only drunk but could be used to drop on any wound. The rate of 1 minute meant that any injury would be healed within that allotted time. This means that you did not have to use the whole bottle at once, as is the case of the other potions. Instead, you were able to drop the contents on the various injuries depending on the size. Most importantly, when you drank this potion, you would receive a full body heal of all injuries.


    These potions were rare, as it either took someone who was both a Medicinal Xor and Alchemical Xor expert, or at least two persons who were individually skilled in at least one of them. Even then, these potions would have a healing rate of at least one minute and beyond, being one of the bad outcomes. The phoenix feathers were healing potions which could heal people under 30 seconds time. Even if the potion Efy discovered was defective, it was still an incredible find.


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    He quickly pocketed these beauties into his orb and checked the other items. Compared to the potions, they were worse, but by no means bad. He found 20 arrows, 4 human sized shields and 1 medium sized bottle of poison. Efy suddenly felt that he had a winning chance in this contest. Just as he was about to leave, a sudden burst of 50 arrows soared towards him from every direction.


    An ambush? Efy thought to himself. He speculated that, when more people arrived to the zone, they had all spotted him enjoying the spoils of the chest. They probably came to a unanimous decision to form an alliance, anyone eliminating him deserving of the loot he had.


    How can they be so sure they wouldn¡¯t just switch targets and kill you after killing me? Jeez, these idiots.


    Efy was a bit worried about the situation he was in, but felt that he could escape. Wasting no time, he slowly moved the four shields to cover himself from the barrage of arrows. When he uncovered himself, he found that the people had already changed plans and were running towards him to engage in melee. Specialisation in a certain class, did not mean uselessness in another. In fact, being a good swordsman whilst being similarly skilled in another aspect was common. What made the difference in skill was how well they could use Xor. So the various melee type classes were decent at archery and had the basics of elemental conjuration down, and vice-versa.


    I guess they aren¡¯t that idiotic.


    They were closing in on Efy, who had little options available to him. ¡°You guys would be tougher to deal with 4 days ago.¡± Efy let out a genuine smile. He was grateful for his new teacher, pushing him to further heights. He threw up 50 arrows into the air, each of them ready to pulverise anything in their paths. He then took some of the poison liquid that he had just gotten and swirled it around the air, touching the tips of the arrows, thus creating a more lethal attack. In doing so, he barely wasted any of the poison and returned the liquid back towards its container.


    By the time the army recognised their fatal error, it had been too late. Who could predict that one person was capable of mass launching arrows? To them, it was an obvious victory, it was only one person. Furthermore he was the rumoured dark-rat who had ranked at the bottom of the ladder. This should¡¯ve been a piece of cake.


    But the only one receiving a portion of dessert was Efy himself. He launched the poison coated arrows straight back towards their original places. As the massacre took place, Efy ran through the crowd, quickly looting whatever he could. Everyone was too busy trying to survive the death rain to focus on taking the boy¡¯s head. Efy on the other hand, had a massive shield covering his body from above and behind.


    Efy had collected so much loot, that he had to create another Xor orb to hold everything. The aftermath was devastating. There were few survivors remaining, who had not dared to even show themselves. If he could launch that many so effortlessly, what could they do?


    Efy was content with his rewards. He had garnered 21 long-swords, 102 more arrows, 4 axes and 8 greatswords. He left the daggers, short-swords and other weapons and armoury as he felt he did not need them. He was able to swiftly control 20 long-swords at a time, far more useful than the daggers and shorter swords in close combat. As for sending long ranged attacks, he could utilise up to 90 arrows now, which were more effective as well. These were his main combat weapons.


    Efy felt on top of the world.


    Surely Audrin could not be that much stronger than I am as of now, right? I must duel him again!


    Efy smiled excitedly, thinking about the legendary duel he could have with Audrin this time, as well as the fame he could achieve when beating him.

 Chapter 13: The Strength Of Rank #10

    It reminded him of his younger days, before his sensei Boha had adopted him. Since he was such an outcast, he usually attempted to harness the wild forest. He had never encountered a phanxor back then because he had not known what they were, and had adapted easily to become fearless. Only when he was educated by Boha did he refrain from going out at night.


    However, now, he found peace. He was stronger than he was before, so he had returned to that fearless state that he missed dearly. After half an hour, Efy decided to get some rest. It was incredibly dangerous so he hid his temporary base within the tall grass. It was not special, just a roof of leaves connected between two nearby trees. The ground he would lay on was shredded to dirt, with the human sized grass blades becoming his walls. He sat down against a tree with one knee arched and promptly drifted to sleep.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°The target is currently resting, looks like this will be too easy. Neutralise him.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t we just going to steal his items?¡±


    ¡°Usually. But it''s been far too long since I''ve licked someone''s blood.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    A mysterious shadow, flipped from a tree branch and landed in the evergreen pastures. All sounds were kept to a minimum as he danced effortlessly towards Efy''s shelter. He successfully snuck beside Efy''s body, gently searching Efy''s pockets in hopes to feel a familiar round sphere. Quite advanced in the arts of thievery he was, barely creating excess movements that could disturb a slumber. He then pulled out a flask with a nasty yellow hue, tinting the glass. It marked ¡®¡¯Paralysis: 1 minute¡±


    He pulled out the stub, opening the flask and slowly tilted the bottle, not wanting to waste too much.


    Suddenly, his target moved. It was all too swift to even make a sound to alert his comrades.


    -


    Efy had known of the man long after he had arrived. His sixth sense was a passive skill, which worked even while he slept. Although it was not as powerful as Choppo''s, who could probably detect the man long before arrival, it was still effective.


    Efy had remained silent, keeping his eyelids closed and focusing on his senses to figure out what the man had planned. He heard a sound of a stub being pulled out a container of some sort, presumed to be a potion. He then waited until the man was about to pour the fluid onto him, which would alarm his sixth sense. As soon as he felt it, he immediately flicked a finger, launching a pebble onto the rim of the potion. The force and precision knocked the bottle backwards, splashing half of its contents onto the stranger who was now paralysed.


    Efy looked at him with the eyes of mercilessness. He quickly grabbed several arrows and launched them into the man''s arms and legs, pinning him to the floor. It was impossible to tell if it was painful, as he was in an awakened coma state.


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    Out of nowhere, two slashes struck from behind, but only managed to slice air. Three figures emerged from the dense shadows, the area too emptied of light to see in anymore detail.


    ¡°You guys stay here. I want to test the small fry myself.¡±


    The third and last figure stepped forward, pushing the other two behind. They were all of similar height, around 170 centimetres. In response to this, Efy stood guard, patiently waiting for his opponent to make the first move.


    He felt it. Efy had felt the attack, yet he could not react in time to dodge it properly. A nasty cut appeared on Efy''s left thigh.


    ¡°Surprising. I was aiming for the waist¡­¡± the man praised.


    When did he? Did he even move? If I had only relied on my five senses I''d be in two halves as of now. Who is he? Why is he so powerful? Efy had not much time to dwell in his thoughts, a second slash slicing Efy''s arm, which blocked the original trajectory, his head.


    Efy examined his target carefully, spotting a sword on his waist. That confirms it, he''s not just willing a slash into existence, but was just extremely agile.


    ¡°Haha that perplexed look on your face has disappeared. No, I''m not using my sword. You were right the first time.¡±


    This person was blatantly reading Efy''s thoughts as if he''s used to people''s confusions.


    Shhk!


    Another cut formed on Efy''s body. Efy was severely outmatched, he had gotten so much more powerful yet he was still so far. Who was this person? He couldn''t check his rank because he had not known his name, but his face would suffice. The two were now in sword''s range so he could see the guy''s low-cut brown hair. Naturally, Efy saw his face as well.


    ¡°Rank #10: Mettal Daqua¡±


    Efy was stunned at this discovery. He was not as strong as he had previously thought.


    He was next to death, one wrong move and his life was over. Mettal was aiming for the kill every time, but Efy always managed to respond in time.


    Efy had his back against a wall, walking backwards in fear, all of his body was telling him to leave or he would die. Could I pick up some rocks from behind and hit him? I''d have to be very discreet but it may grant an opening¡­


    Efy did as he thought, utilising some small rocks on the ground to hit Mettal on his back, but he did not even get distracted one bit. He walked forward menacingly to close the gap.


    Wait, why is he coming closer? Does he not believe he can render a slash out of his natural range? That would be something difficult to imagine, let alone fully believe. Efy stepped back in response.


    ¡°Oh? At least you''re not an idiot. You''ve really figured me out. I can only create cuts slightly outside of my natural range with a sword.¡±


    Efy let out a sigh of relief, he had a chance now¡­


    Right?


    ¡°However, as you thought previously, I am in fact a swordsman. I am even more potent with my sword than with my invisible slashes. Please, entertain me.¡±


    Mettal took out his sword and held it with two hands in front of his torso. It was a long and thin sword. The blade was silver-white except for the tip, which was crimson. This resembled the hilt, blood-red in support of the colour scheme.


    While he was unsheathing, Efy had taken the chance to take out his 20 long-swords. He wished to spare no strength when dealing with a behemoth.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Mettal asked with a kind smile. It was frightening¨Cthat smile. It felt ingenuine.


    ¡°S-sure?¡± Efy responded uncertainly.


    Mettal let out a slight chuckle and dashed towards Efy.

 Chapter 14: Not Strong Enough

    Efy quickly used 10 of his swords to shield the strike, simultaneously counter-attacking with the other 10. Mettal reacted to the attack quite well, jumping into the air to dodge.


    However, he was surprised to see the swords following him like a homing missile. Nevertheless, he swung his sword to deter their trajectory, but these swords were not just thrown. Efy continually applied force to them, a technique he developed recently. It was as if there were ten people striking his opponent, rather than projectiles.


    Still, Mettal had a countermeasure. He hardened his right foot and used one of the swords to flip away, landing onto the ground safely. He let out a psychotic laughter.


    ¡°Splendid! Splendid! What unusual offensive capabilities!¡±


    His face then straightened within a moment. ¡°But such things will not work again.¡±


    Efy started to lose hope. Mettal was suspended into the air, naturally, he would be impaled. But his movements were simply too great. Efy had not given up yet however, and launched the swords that were his defence a moment ago. As those swords started accelerating, he sent 5 of the 10 that were floating above from the previous attack.


    He sent them at a different time for a reason. The first 10 were aimed to Mettal''s left side, who knew jumping was dangerous and blocking was difficult. Therefore, predicting the dodge to the right side, the 5 would strike thereafter. The remaining five he kept close for defensive purposes.


    As expected, Mettal easily avoided the first wave of swords, swiftly jumping to the right. As a result, the other 5 swords immediately struck Mettal. However, Mettal had enhanced his body to withstand the attack. Although the swords did not stab deeply, they were able to penetrate the skin. This was because Mettal had to enhance multiple areas of his body. The level of enhancement and the amount of surface area covered would greatly affect the desired outcome.


    As Mettal was stabbed, the previous swords he had dodged had circled behind him and were soaring towards his back.


    ¡°Good job! Really good job!¡± He said with the widest smile his face could make.


    Suddenly, his sword burst into flames, becoming the sun in the vacuum of darkness. ¡°I never thought I''d have to use my actual abilities on you, but oh well¡­.¡±


    His words were unbelievable. If only now he''s going to use his full strength¡­then I''m in serious trouble. Efy''s thoughts covered him like an umbrella.


    Mettal turned around and with a single slash, melted the oncoming swords from behind him. Next, he took out the swords inside his body and did the same. Efy only had 5 swords remaining, but his conviction was shattered.


    I cannot win. He''s too powerful¡­


    Was all of my efforts in vain? I''m not strong enough¡­


    Is this the end?


    Mettal held his sword in the same stance, two hands holding it in front of his chest. He closed his eyes and took an audible deep breath.


    Crap he''s going to do a special technique, just like what Audrin did two times previously. This is the end.


    Efy''s swords fell to the ground, his Xor ceasing from the terrifying thought of death. Mettal dashed towards Efy with blistering speed, almost breaking the sound barrier. Efy''s sixth sense was not strong enough, and his reaction speed was the same. The slash of the ignited sword sliced across Efy''s torso diagonally, creating a streak of blood from his waist to his shoulder. The sheer heat from the blade covered him in burns as well.


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    Efy let out a continuous and agonising cry. He was thoroughly outmatched and completely overwhelmed.


    I had grown so much stronger, I was much more powerful¡­but in the end¡­


    I''m sorry, sensei..


    I''m sorry, teacher.


    If I could survive this, I promise, I''d work even harder to improve.


    ¡°Didn''t even have to use my strongest technique, but still, I commend you. You were able to get this far. Few here hold the ability to figure out my invisible cuts, even fewer survive. You''re probably going to die from blood loss, but what''s one more slash to make sure you go out faster?¡±


    Mettal turned towards Efy, eyeing him like a predator would its prey. At this moment, Efy had fallen to the floor, succumbing to his injuries. As Mettal brandished his sword, Efy could only hope he would survive.


    Peng!


    Mettal¡¯s sword was blocked.


    Someone¡¯s saving me? But¡­who? Efy¡¯s vision was slowly blacking out. I should probably start getting used to this, he thought with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Why are you here, Reinhart?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? He is my roommate, we are a team.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still a dark-rat, don¡¯t tell me. Have you taken a liking to him?¡±


    ¡°We are teammates regardless of our differences, it is what it is.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you Reinhart.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, that is what must happen.¡±


    Audrin dashed forward with immense speed, similarly, rivalling the near speed of sound once displayed by Mettal. However, Mettal could only achieve such speed with his special techniques, Audrin, did this as natural as he could blink.


    Mettal could not keep up, his flaming sword had zero effect on Audrin, who¡¯s defence was far greater than his offence. As soon as Audrin closed the distance, he started to swing his blade.


    1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100.


    100 slashes successfully diced the body of the glorious rank #10, who was now painted in a scarlet fluid. His eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the floor with a thud.


    ¡°Heal Efy.¡±


    Suddenly, Xander came out of the shadows with a familiar flask in his hands, it was the healing potion, the same one from every reward zone. ¡°Just to be clear, I am not doing this because I want to.¡± Xander responded, reluctant to heal the person he disliked.  He carefully poured a few drops across the huge cut on Efy¡¯s torso. Within one minute, the injury dissipated. The only proof Efy had been in battle were the shallow cuts on his arm and thigh, but they were not fatal enough to require administration.


    The area was clear, the two henchmen that followed Mettal were nowhere to be seen and the paralysed man was missing. The only people there were Audrin, Xander and a sleeping Efy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some rest. The border starts to close in at dawn, we need as much strength as possible.¡± Audrin advised Xander. Both halves of the moon were present, hanging serenely in the inky blackness of the night. The crickets sang their lullabies and the breeze were ghosts, adding its tune to the song and possessing the trees to dance.


    ¡°Yeah, with both of us here, well, you especially, we should be pretty safe.¡± Xander replied. Even a proud one like him needed to be humbled in the presence of the #1 student in Port Of Black Fountain Academy. Xander even tried to attack him when he would least expect it, but had failed embarrassingly.


    They both laid in the same vicinity, underneath the stars as the leaf roof was charred and useless.


    They all promptly dosed away, dreaming of goals, hope and strange things alike.

 Chapter 15: Alliance

    ¡°So what''s the strategy now?¡± Efy asked concerningly. The trio were currently walking around the area, neither advancing nor the opposite. The titanic trees of the forest loomed over the vicinity, effortlessly shielding the sun rays from entering.


    ¡°It seems the border has started to close in as expected. Either way we¡¯re forced to advance at some point. I''d say the three of us are more than capable of handling the chaotic calamity of the centre zone¡± Audrin responded after giving it some thought. If they did not ensure they were safe from the border, they would risk being disqualified if a circumstance was to occur. ¡°Seems like a good idea, let''s do it¡± Xander responded in agreement. Immediately, Xander and Audrin dashed off with immense speed, using their Xor to waste little time. ¡°Wait!¡± Efy yelled at the top of his little lungs. Efy¡¯s Xor Utilisation was still subpar for everything other than telekinetic influence. Luckily, Audrin and Xander had realized they left Efy behind.


    ¡°Pathetic as always¡­¡± Xander muttered under his breath. Efy squinted his eyes snarkily, ready to pick a fight amidst the chilling shade.


    ¡°Xander, carry Efy on your back. This place is far too large to move around without Xor.¡± Audrin¡¯s voice held a powerful and threatening weight to it. It made Efy involuntarily shiver a little.


    ¡°Or else wha-¡± Before Xander could finish his sentence, Audrin had instantly appeared behind him with his sword held against Xander''s neck. ¡°Internal conflict causes inevitable destruction of a team, but if I must use such disciplinary measures to control you, I will. Understand?¡±


    Efy felt a presence emitting from Audrin like never before, it was void of joy, and filled with a frigid sensation. It felt as if gravity itself was trying relentlessly to crush him whole.


    ¡°I- I understand.¡± Xander meekly replied, sweating profusely. He picked up Efy without the slightest delay and with Audrin¡¯s cue they all sped off.


    ¡­


    ¡°...So, why do you hate me so much?¡± Efy poked Xander¡¯s head as he questioned him. ¡°Is it not obvious? Look at you. You''re all¡­dark and stuff.¡± Efy knew just how much everyone in the city despised him for what he was, but he didn''t know why. Why do they hate his skin tone? Why do they disallow getting tans in the sun? And why does the staff of the school not care at all?If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°But, why?¡±


    ¡­


    For just a second, Xander looked troubled and slowed his steps just a little. But he immediately sped back up as if nothing happened.


    It seems there''s more to Xander than just a one track minded hothead. Efy shook his head. With that, he also questioned why Audrin didn''t mind him. Audrin was a mystery of his own, all Efy knew was that he came from the noble Reinhart family, but detailed information about nobles were kept between nobles.


    Just how did he get that strong? Although it seems that only I have the sixth sense among the students of the school, it''s not strong enough at all to repel stronger opponents. The difference in strength between him and Audrin was like Heaven and Earth. He''d have to increase his activation time so that at some point he could see a little into the future.


    ¡°Well, even if you''re always distasteful of me - I still enjoy your company.¡± Efy thought this would comfort Xander in a way, noticing his negative reaction to his previous question. Although he expected an instant reply, Xander kept silent, it was a rather unusual spectacle.


    ¡°Ahead. Party of 6, they all look to have decent items but don''t seem that powerful themselves. Efy, stay hidden among the bushes, with your long ranged abilities you can assist Xander and I more cleverly. Xander you and I will go in the front lines and battle at least 2 people at a time.¡±


    Audrin''s leadership was admirable, it made Efy look at him, completely starstruck of his quick decision making. It was the first time Efy had ever been in any kind of organized squad.


    ¡°....I''m not as powerful as you Audrin, I''m not sure I can fight two at the same time, let alone the extra person that will be readily available to attack¡± Xander rebuttalled. He hated to admit it but he knew Audrin was superior to him in terms of, well, everything.


    ¡°You have to trust in Efy, he¡¯ll know what to do. This is why I''m just rushing in without flanking or ambushing. I fully believe in his capabilities.¡± Audrin replied, confident in the little boy Efy.


    Efy felt a sense of accomplishment, the fact that Audrin believed in his abilities fueled him with confidence¡­


    He dashed towards and hid inside a fruitless bush nearby, not enough to hide his own vision but with the aid of his tiny figure and the trees, he was a chameleon.


    Just then, Audrin and Xander nodded heads in affirmation and sprinted towards the human cattle, instantaneously disappearing and reappearing inside the centre of the herd. A slaughter was about to ensue.


    As they got a closer look of their faces, Audrin and Xander were able to analyse their ranks. In a horrific turn of events, all 6 men happened to be ranked 100-200. Audrin was still confident in his own strength to be able to at least 1v2 but knew Xander was a lost cause in this situation. After all, Xander was the average rank, #2978.


    Uncharacteristically, Audrin had made a slight oversight and had never thought 6 men of that caliber would still be wearing just decent equipment. Usually he would still take precautionary measures but this time he looked a little excited to see what Efy could do. Xander thought the same, was it because he''s a dark-rat? Why would that be of this much significance? He doesn''t seem to mind it anyway¡­


    Xander could not wrap his head around what Audrin could be processing.


    ¡°Reinhart, your strength is nothing short of controlled destruction. However, we are very well aware you cannot fight us all simultaneously.¡± The tallest of the men spoke out to Audrin, his voice was deep and raspy, as if he had a cold. He wore a scruffy beard on the face that sat upon his muscular body. His eyes were of the sky and as cold as ice. He looked towards Xander and chuckled, ¡°He won''t be of any help either. He''s utterly useless.¡±


    Xander¡¯s face of pride churned at the words of this menace, but the aura exuded kept him silent. This man was the highest ranked of the group, standing at rank #103. Xander was enraged.