Dark Magus Returns

Each group of academy students walked out without their leaders and allies by their side. Only a single Light Faction member guided them to where they were to stand.

It was a big and frightening moment for many, in unknown territory, deep in the heart of another faction they had never been to before, while strangers were watching their every move.

Turning around, their support was quite a distance away. For years, they had been taught that these people were their enemy, and for the first time, they were coming face to face with them.

It was natural for the participants to start to look at each other, eyeing up their competition, but that's when a certain individual realized that someone was staring their way.

"Hey!" Liam nudged Simyon on the shoulder. "I have a feeling that some guy is looking at us over there. Do you think it's another case of Ricktor?"

Ricktor turned his head slightly and smiled while looking at Simyon.

Simyon raised his hand to cover the sunlight hitting his eyes to try and get a better look. They were all staring toward the center, after all.

"You're right, he's really staring at us. He hasn't even glanced at the Light Faction… and have you noticed who's with them?"

Safa, Simyon, and Liam had all noticed someone else trailing at the back, and it was none other than the Black Tiger.

A person who still struck fear into them all. Soon though, Simyon's attention turned back to the man who was still staring at them and even smiling at them.

"I think it really might be a second Ricktor," Liam commented.

"Wait, that person, doesn't he look familiar?" Mada asked. Now they were getting closer, and the details of one face were appearing.

At the back, Safa tapped the side of her head twice, activating her God Eyes.

As if realization had hit him, Liam raised his hand and pointed out.

"Wait, yeah, doesn't that look like—"

A hand quickly grabbed his mouth from behind. Liam could instantly smell that it was scented and smelled like a type of fruit. This smell only came from one person.

"It is him," Safa said. "It looks like he has come here for some reason, and he's okay just like us, but we should keep quiet about it. No one should know it's him."

Honestly, it was hard for them to tell even though they knew it was Raze. The facial features had changed a bit since they had last seen him.

His body wasn't as frail; he was more filled out, and his hair was black. There was a sense of maturity about him, like that of the Elders they would meet.

However, Safa had confirmed with her God Eyes the energy that was still around him. It was hard for her, but she needed to gulp down her feelings; otherwise, people would wonder why she was getting upset.

Arriving from all three areas, the participants lined up one by one in a triangle formation, allowing each of them to look at each other.

And then, something strange appeared when one of the Light Faction members, wearing the large masks, lifted their hands.

Out from the floor, large mirror-like displays appeared from the ground. They were large in size, almost as big as a house.

They were rising in the air, floating without any device to hold them up, and then stayed in place facing the direction of all three areas.

"The Light Faction has invested a lot in this event!" the announcer claimed. "We have created new technologies which will allow more of us to enjoy what is happening directly on the field."

Just then, six smaller mirror-like objects started to float through the air. As they did, they swirled around the contestants' faces, and on the larger screens above, they revealed close-ups of each of the participants.

The crowd gasped in shock at what they were witnessing. They could see large faces as if they were really there.

They had never seen such technology before, apart from a few artifacts that might have been found in other dimensions.

Bubble, who was in the crowd, was quite shocked by this.

'These are the same as the gift that I was handed as well… was it the Light Faction that gifted me those? But then why would they, how would it benefit them,' Bubble thought.

"These are the brave participants that will be taking part in the events, and we will all be able to witness what is happening as if we were really there!" the man shouted.

The crowd cheered louder than before. Many of them from the Light Faction were proud of this achievement of technology that was at their fingertips first.

"I will announce the following rules to all those unaware of how the tournament works. There are three types of events that will take place."

"First, a team event. In this case, all participants belonging to a faction must take part. The events themselves can cover a number of things. Whether that's going against each other, having a trial against something, or more."

"The second type of event is still a team event, but participants won't be taking part in their teams. The event will require the team to select one person who they think is best from their group to participate, earning points for their team."

"Lastly, we have the solo event. In this case, it is the main attraction of the event, to find out who has raised the best student of all."

After saying those words, the crowd erupted into cheers once again as excitement filled the area.

The way it was explained to Raze on the way here was that there were actually two awards given out. One was an academy award, and the other was an individual award.

Based on the results of the academy award, the event would take place in that faction the next year. While the individual award proved who one needed to look out for in the future.

However, in every event that had occurred so far, the academy that had won the academy award also won the individual award. Because those individuals would be enough to tip the favor in the group events.

"With all that said and done, the first event will begin immediately, and it will be an entire team event!" the announcer announced.

"To start things off, will all participants apart from those from the Light Faction please leave the area. As hosts of this event, it's only fair that we start things off!"

The excited cheers continued rumbling the whole place. Turning around and walking from the students, the five Light Faction students stood firm, ready for what was going to take part.

'The fact that they asked the other two of us to leave, does that mean the first event won't require us going up against each other, then what will we be going up against,' Raze thought.

When looking at the Light Faction members, though, his eyes had caught items they were wearing. Necklaces, bracelets, headbands, and all of them had a golden 'I' marking on their clothing.

'So it looks like this event isn't going to be the fair event I thought it was going to be.'