Chapter 271- Festival 2- Fluttering Snow

Words : 1180 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

The Class was noisy as it was boisterous, with students conversing with one another while a palpable tension hung in the air. Amongst these were a popular group in the class, or at least the second popular group in the class and that was Javier Wright and his cohort. His friends had been with him from the very beginning, and time would continue to bring them closer. They seated together, Yon Duke and Gregory on the desk while the others were on the chairs. Their gazes are fixed on the visitors approaching through their glass walls. "Did you see the rooster for the Abilities Art Display?" Yon asked, his tone laced with hesitation as he glanced at Javier. The young man frowned deeply in reply. "Using our abilities to entertain people? Pfft, what a disgusting thought" He muttered, an annoyed click of the tongue escaping his lips as he did so. "If it were up to me, then we would have simply done a battle showdown. What does he need an ability showcase for?" Auroras shrugged, her gaze scanning the room for their Class Monitor. "He may have a goal in this... mastery of our abilities can be used for destruction and creation...or something on that line". "Well, there were no elves, Aurora. We simply need to battle for experience so we can be thrown into the real world". Gregory interjected, a lingering sensation growing within them at the thought of it. The real world. What truly awaited these students after graduation? Politics? Army? What makes their senior colleagues and Lecturers so hellbent on training them. Javier had a few guesses, after all, he was different. The chosen hero of humanity. The System Hero of Mayura. He had a purpose in life, and that was to lead the way for all system users, paving their way until they attained victory in the war against the Devil King. He sighed at the thought, images of the past week replaying in his head. "Did you guys attend any of the meetings?" Just then, the group seemed to look around, their gazes apprehensive at his sudden statement. They turned towards Javier in unison, a knowing look etched on their faces. He chuckled, raising his hands in defense. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry...we can't cast noise cancellation spells because it will be suspicious, let's talk about it another time". Well, he had all the time in the world to talk about it, but at the moment, it was limited. 'The Festival is just a farce anyways...' His gaze shifted towards Raph, who was seated with Elsie. '....we'll take over this school once and for all'. The Homeric Academy had been under the guidance of Non-System users for too long. It wasn't like they were suppressed or anything, but societal differences have caused a stir of conflict within them. Would their bonds be strong enough to overcome that conflict? Just then, Alicia walked into the class, her gaze scanning the people gathered as the noise quietened down. The tip began to freeze up from the intensity, but the stalk remained untouched. "Mastery is a common thing for a master. Be it magic or the sword....". Raph stretched out his hands forward, the cold energy wrapping around his arms and unto his palm, causing ice to form and harden into a sword. He grabbed the long sword and swiftly spun his feet on the ground, tracing his steps like a flowing stream. It felt like he was literally skidding on grass as his feet endlessly slid, with his sword movements coursing the skies in beautiful arcs of snow and ice. His sword streaked through the skies, cold energy exuding out of the tip, leaving a trail of ice in its wake. Snow began to form at the tip as his precise movements followed a stationary yet unpredictable manner. Javier stood in shock, his gaze lingering on his movements as he recognized the techniques, at least some of them. 'It looks like a mix....a mix of everything....a mix of martial arts and imperial footwork'. Raph suddenly swung his sword vertically into the air, a spark of flames igniting with the blade of the ice sword as he flowed seamlessly across the grassy field and swung his sword horizontally, casting an arc of fire and ice energy to spread throughout the fields. The sudden burst of ice caused nearly a quarter of The field to freeze up, while the flames sparked like fireworks. 'His Jun swordsmanship must be connecting everything into pieces....brick by brick....this is a method I have never seen before'. Javier's gaze was glued to his actions, unable to blink or even look away at the sight. His desire to consume that skill began to swirl within him, and it intensified with every action Raph made. Raph suddenly stumped his foot on the ground, causing the field to shudder as the iced parts of the grassy field were pulled out from the stalk, rising into the air like pieces of ice crystals. "Where there is a root, there is growth...just as we leave a stump of us behind, our legacies shall be prolonged...." He pulled the mass of the ice crystals into the air, causing them to flow in the manner of his movements. It was like a show of swordsmanship, true and pure with effort and practice coupled with the Abilities of an individual, magic or sword. In this case, he used his Trait, showcasing the unity of his sword and ice. His steps were precise, with the flow of a wave and the ice crystals followed in its wake. His sword was his music staff, swinging and coursing through the air in a beautiful crescent arc of snow and ice. Every trail he left was basked in snow, and his movements left ice in its wake. Javier stood mesmerized by the sight. "Is this the level of mastery I must reach to get to his level?" he muttered, lost in thought. 'But even more than half of the swordsmen in the Uprisers are incapable of this.....flawlessness?' He had to admit, despite them being the same age, Raph was by far more skilled and most importantly, more talented. 'They say effort dwindles in the face of true talent'. A scowl formed on his face as he bit his lips and clenched his fist. 'No! I don't care what or who you are, Raffaelo Jun! I will surpass you even If it's the last thing I do....I swear on my dignity as the Hero!' The System Hero had sworn a moment of weakness would come back to bite him. The ice crystals were suddenly sent into the air, where they joined together and expanded, forming a crystalline image of a hexagon, rotating in the air before exploding into snow. The Visitors stood amazed, surprise and excitement etched on their expressions as Raph dropped the ice blade down, catching his breath while snow fluttered around him in heaps.

Chapter 271- Festival 2- Fluttering Snow

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