THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"By the way, why are you so interested in him all of sudden, Kevin?"

"No particular reason, just wanted to know more about him. He seemed to be a great guy seeing as how he is loved."

"You are a great guy too, you know?"

"No, don't worry. I am not."

"If you don't believe it yourself, other people will have a hard time as well."

"Anyway, you should rest. We won easily today but the semi-finals will certainly not be as easy."

"Yeah, I wonder what those guys from Titanium were thinking."

There is a high probability that the Hammer hands said the truth, he was simply testing the power of his students. Cissa said that the Longinus are involved in this but they didn't turn into Longinus. Does it mean they are still humans or are they not anymore? This is becoming too complicated.

***

The next morning, we depart for the coliseum and arrives at the same time as Mohana academy carriages. As we get down, the guys from yesterday feel different. I can sense their crystals even more now.

Thando looks at me with a powerful glare then switches his look to a hateful one as he looks at the heroes who arrived at the same time as us but on a different carriage. Not minding the shouts of the people for us and the heroes, we all proceed inside, nobody greets the other party or even looks at it. Frankher and the hammer hands are in front, walking straight and confident.

"Ladies and gentlemen!! Today will be the quarter-finals for the fortress event!! And as always, who would be better than the shining star to open the event?!!"

"No one!!" The whole coliseum screams like a single body.

"That's right!! Now, let us introduce the stage for this quarter-finals!!"

The screens appear once again and this time, it is a castle in ruins that appears. Are they for real?

"Ladies and gentlemen! Here are the ruins of the castle of Lebanon, near the shore of the east coast of Saxocs! As it is a ruin, students will have to pay attention not only to their opponents but to the castle as well! Because if it is destroyed…"

We lose, of course. I look at Esteressa and Germinia who give me a 'what?!' look back. Well, I guess it is going to be okay.

Both teams are teleported to the place and we really see them moving and everything.

"Is this how they were looking at us yesterday?"

"Amazing, right?" Smith approaches me and answers like I was talking to him. Though I wasn't at all.

"Yeah, it is."

"You can praise me more, you know."

"Nah, I won't." So you are the one who invented this? well, that's cool. But somehow the feeling is gone now that I know it is you.

"I will let you learn the feeling of being hopeless."

I hear a voice ringing in my ears and as I look, Thando is looking at me with a vicious smile.

"Yeah!!!"

At the same time, the coliseum vibrates with a scream and when I look at the screen, the students from Mohana have released their said limiters like yesterday. Though this time, the aura they emitted is more ominous than yesterday, Its dark red color is creepy though.

As they were in the forest when they release it, they all launch at the fortress but before they can reach it, they reach it, they receive Peter's greeting with a bombardment of his special script.

"Impressive!! Not faltering in front of the berserker mode used by Mohana student, Peter Kranhf from the Eternal academy has unleashed a devastating script that has immobilized the students in place!!"

"Go!! Eternal Academy!! Beat them up!!"

"Don't lose to those fucking slaves!!"

Well, the atmosphere is heated up for sure but most of what the people screams are hateful speeches directed towards Mohana. Excafol told me Titanium got enslaved then released by Syldavie but still, a lot of animosities have stayed implanted on people towards that kingdom for no reason.

Since the reason was because of the numerous business developed by nobles around slavery, he said it was obvious but I should not pay any mind to it. I understand a bit more what he meant now but I have never really been a victim of that so…

On another screen, I see Germinia and Esteressa running somewhere outside of the castle by another entrance. I guess they are going for a pinch attack. Though, it is a waste of time, they should focus on defense. I told them yesterday that once those guys used that berserker mode or whatever, they become really tough. I am not sure about their foreheads being a weakness though.

"Ladies and gentlemen!! Look at how the students from Mohana academy progress even under the heavy attacks sent by the eternal academy!!"

And as I thought, they very soon restart progressing, not even minding Peter's script anymore. Though one of them stays in place. It seems he has detected Germinia and Esteressa.

The others advance and meet Shalim, Amulius, and the other beta class at the entrance of the castle. Now we have to follow two battles at the same time.

"What powerful moves from Mohana academy which has completely disorganized the eternal academy strategy!"

"Don't let them win!"

"GO! Esteressa!! GO!!"

On Esteressa's side, the guy who stayed behind seems to be giving her trouble. I thought Germinia would fight with her but apparently, after seeing that he was alone, she decided to run back and help the others at the castle. That was a good call, I think.

Only problem is that now, Esteressa has her hands full against one guy who seems completely unaffected by her knuckles. She has been punching him like crazy with lightning fist and yet the guy still stands and attack her with the same vigor.

"They became so much sturdy in a single night? that's weird." I do remember that my raizen bounced off a neck yesterday but this…Esteressa is going full out and this guy doesn't even flinch? It's weird.

"Come on, think. Don't just waste your energy mindlessly." Cordel is cheering on for his girl with a warm voice. Too bad she doesn't hear it.

"Oh, we already have a casualty on the eternal academy's side!"

All of sudden, when we look at the other screen, Amulius goes down from a sword's strike aimed with great brutality at his head. Thankfully, he gets teleported as soon as it hits his helmet.

A blue light shines in front of us and he reappears, his helmet on, with the clear mark of the strength of their opponent. While he walks to us, I look at the screen and the situation doesn't look good.

Peter has come down to help Shalim and the others who aren't getting out of their predicament. And Esteressa has started to weaken.

"Ahahah! Now we can start talking!"

Under Thando's sinister laughter, the guy with Esteressa grabs her hand while she was punching him and actually breaks her knuckles with his bare hands.

"What is this?!! ladies and gentlemen!! Something unbelievable is happening under our very eyes!!"

Yeah, you can say that again. For a human to break a metal gauntlet with his hand only is impossible. I don't think even gnoll number 1 could do that.

I look a Farner, up among the special seats, and seeing as even she is surprised, I guess she really can't do that as well. Meaning that those guys are stronger than her right now. And that's weird.

Thankfully, Esteressa had managed to remove her arm and she would have been teleported, I guess. Another blue light shines in front of us while I was focused on Esteressa's side. This time, it is Shalim who appears. His sliced chest plate speaking about why he is here.

"This is not going well."

"Not at all indeed, Sir Smith." It seems even Frankher has dim hopes that we will win now. If only I was there.

"Ladies and gentlemen!! This match is reaching his peak of excitement now and there are still seven minutes remaining!"

I almost forgot that there is a time set for the event. Yeah, that's right. They only need to hold on until the time is over and we will win. Right as I think that, Esteressa receives a punch in the stomach and crumbles to the ground. Surprisingly enough, her armor got bent but she isn't being teleported. Why?

"Was that not a critical hit?"

"I don't know Cordel." I am not working here to know that.

"Sir Smith. Why isn't she teleported?!"

"Calm down, Cordel. I am sure she will be teleported as soon as she receives enough damage."

Two, no, three lights shine right after Smith spoke and the rest of our members appears, exhausted and angry in Germinia's case. Now, only Esteressa remains. The other students from Mohana all head in her direction and when they reach the place, a festival of hell starts for her.