Close Combat Mage
chapter-107

Despite Suo Jia’s vicious and merciless actions, he did not receive the berating of everyone watching. After all… wind warrior #2’s actions really made everyone despise him, and this type of punishment could still be viewed as light. Wind warrior #2 had already tainted a warrior’s honor and dignity. Even if Suo Jia killed him on the spot, no one would think badly of him.

However with this victory, many of this competition’s witnesses could not believe that history had already been made. In this newly written history, wind warrior #2 had inevitably also tarnished his life’s reputation; even his parents, spouse, and children would feel humiliation because of him.

However, wind warrior #2 did not care about these things. So what if history had been made? Wasn’t it still limited to within Holy Light city? Outside of Holy Light City, who would know who he was?

While wind warrior #2 was daydreaming of ways to humiliate Suo Jia to alleviate his depression, the three judges on the other side all walked over from to where Suo Jia was standing. They nervously looked over Suo Jia from top to bottom.

After a really long time, the head judge trembled as he said, “Student Suo Jia, if I did not guess wrong, not only can you already meditate, but you can also already cast the Ice Sphere and Revolving Frozen Gas. Am I right?”

Nodding his head, Suo Jia calmly said, “You are correct, it is as you say.”

The judges exchanged shocked glances, and the referee said with difficulty, “Um, I wonder… have you perhaps learned the Glacial Armor Technique? If you have learned it, please demonstrate it for us.”

Although Suo Jia felt that the referee’s request was quite strange, he still decided to fulfill it. He stretched his right hand forward. With a lightning fast wave, a Glacial Armor rapidly extended from his feet and quickly climbed up Suo Jia’s legs. In an instant, Suo Jia had already shrouded himself in a layer of sturdy Glacial Armor.

Seeing this scene, the head judge’s eyes shone brightly and he shouted excitedly, “Good! Very good! Students, I want to break a good news to everyone. Our student Suo Jia had just broken the greatest records from the past millennium!”

“What!” Hearing this, the students all stood up in shock. What kind of record was this!

Seeing all of the confused students, the head judge excitedly said, “According to what’s been recorded, the earliest person capable of meditation was a holy mage from a thousand years ago. However a thousand years later, our Suo Jia at the young age of eight has not only learned meditation, but also grasped the three major spells: Ice Sphere, Glacial Armor, and the Frozen Revolving Gas. This is a record that no one has ever surpassed, and will be difficult to trump even in the future. Our student Suo Jia will be forever recorded in the Written Annals and shine for eternity! He will be someone that all of humanity’s mages will look up to and admire!”

After they heard what the head judge had said, every student started to cheer. However, wind warrior #2’s complexion grew ugly, very ugly… if what that judge said was true, then his infamy would spread beyond the Holy Light Academy.

Just as Suo Jia had said, along with the birth of a new history, his sullied name would inevitably go down in history as a byword for infamy for all eternity! His parents, relatives, and even his wife and children would be humiliated because of him. Wind warrior #2 couldn’t help but sway a few times at this thought. He regretted it, he truly regretted it! If only he had known earlier… if only he had known earlier! How would he…. In despair, wind warrior #2 could only feel everything in front of him become dark, and immediately fainted. Who would’ve thought that his entire life would be ruined by a mere school competition?

Suo Jia smiled at the cheering students. After working hard for such a long time, he had finally achieved his most important goal. He had successfully made history, and set a new record. This feeling was too wonderful.

Staring blankly at Suo Jia standing on the platform, the wind warrior instructor didn’t continue to fight. He happily renounced the rest of the competition, and directly conceded defeat. At that moment, everyone knew that Suo Jia’s words weren’t just empty; in Suo Jia’s opinion, all of the mage apprentices were worthless people that couldn’t be called mages. With a single flick of his finger, Suo Jia could easily annihilate them; this wasn’t an exaggeration at all.

Quickly following that, Aimi and Aila were called up to the stage, where the head judge personally bestowed the trophy upon the three individuals. Under the Holy Light Emperor’s decree, the team that obtained victory were all eligible for his award. Those who did not have nobility titles became Village Paladins, and those with titles were upgraded by a class. This was a way for rewarding Holy Light civilians for their good martial art skills.

Soon after, the head judge placed the championship trophy in Suo Jia’s hands. The trophy was a representation of glory and honor, and belonged to the team. Moreover, this trophy also had historic value and importance; after all, it was the first time that the water mages had ever obtained any victory in the grand competition. It was also the first time that they had ever received a trophy! Suo Jia’s, Aila’s, Aimi’s names would be forever engraved on the precious trophy cup, and the three individual’s accomplishments would be widely known among countless generations of future students.

After the awards had been handed out, the grade-wide championship tournament finally ended. Suo Jia fulfilled his promise from half a year ago, and had won his grade’s competition. This allowed him the right to enter the inter-school championship tournament!

The inter-school championship tournament was simply the competition between the champions of the nine grades. The lower grade champions had the right to challenge the champions of the higher grades, giving them another opportunity to increase their nobility ranking. The loser would have to forfeit their chance to gain an increase in nobility ranking. The only thing was, these types of challenges did not happen often. After all… it was extremely difficult for the lower grade students to defeat their senior sisters and brothers from higher grades. In addition, the rules stated that one had to at least challenge those that were three grades higher. In other words, Suo Jia could only challenge the students that were 11 years old or older. This also had to be an eleven year old who had participated as a member of the competition in order for the challenge to be approved.

Suo Jia, Aimi, and Aila all had the challenging rights. However, the two girls gave them up at the same time. Although the lower grades were allowed to initiate a challenge, if the 11 year olds did not want to participate, then they could only challenge those that were 12, 13, 14, 15 or even older students. Thus, their probability of winning was simply too low.

Based on past records alone, the student apprentices did not participate in the championship power struggle. They had struggled to earn their new nobility titles; how could they possibly risk losing them again? Although Aili and Aimi were getting stronger quickly, they did not have the slightest confidence in winning this.

Suo Jia, on the other hand, didn’t even think twice about it, and immediately chose to participate in the challenge competition. In actuality, Suo Jia’s current strength was already at that of a top-level mage trainee’s. Even if he was compared to the 18 year-old water mages, he would definitely not feel any fear.

Normally, only when one became around 12 years old would they reach the mage trainee level. Then they’d learn meditation, as well as the Ice Sphere Technique. 14 was when one learned the Glacial Armor, and around 16 – 18 was when one learned Revolving Frozen Gas. This was the school curriculum from start to finish in order to become a qualified mage trainee. To learn outside of this was at one’s own risk.

Therefore, even if Suo Jia was only 8 years old (soon to be 9 years old), his strength was already comparable to that of 16-18 year old students’. Even if he wouldn’t necessarily be able to achieve victory when confronting an expert, he definitely still had a chance!

Suo Jia had already thought about this very carefully. Even if this nobility rank was precious, it was definitely still worth the risk. One could guarantee no losses would be suffered as long as they were able to attain one victory. Even if one lost after that first match, they wouldn’t gain nor lose anything. To Suo Jia, the promotion of the nobility rank was currently way too slow. It was still far from his expectations. Thus, it was very unlikely that he would miss this kind of good opportunity to rapidly raise his nobility rank.

Suo Jia’s goal was to leave for the Greater Trade Routes. That’s why….he wouldn’t be able to stay very long in Holy Light City. Within this limited amount of time, he had to put all his efforts in accumulating money bit by bit and raising his noble rank. As long as he had a guaranteed status, nobody would dare bully his friends and family after he left.

The inter-school championship tournament wasn’t to be held during the same day. It was organized to be the first competition three days from now. When that time came, the Lord of Holy Light City would personally come and witness the competition. The final victor would be able to use this opportunity to choose a weapon or equipment from the Holy Light City Lord’s treasury house. With this, all the champions from each grade would be motivated to courageously take part in the competition.

After the competition ended, Suo Jia went home. Aimi and Aila, on the other hand, returned back to school. Their competition had already ended. They could rest for a while now, as the bitter training that they had suffered through the past month had practically stifled them to death.

However, Suo Jia was different; he never relaxed. Although the grade competition had ended, the interschool-championship tournament hadn’t started yet. During the three days before the start of the competition, Suo Jia wanted to use his time well and train. This was what “preparing until the last minute” meant.

When facing off against people of the same age group as him, Suo Jia was able to maintain an attitude of looking down on them. However, when facing his seniors, Suo Jia no longer had such dominance. Although everyone’s training was pretty much the same, his opponents had all practiced for 10 years, while Suo Jia had only trained for a year. In terms of practice and skill, an insurmountable gap existed.