Meanwhile, Kairah felt a flutter in her chest as the Royals watched her, but she pushed the feeling aside, focusing on Kelly's defense of her. "Thanks, Kelly. I can handle myself, though."
Kelly smiled, noticing Kairah's blush. "I'm just looking out for you, Kairah. Those Royals seem like a handful."
Kairah walked into the Hero Class, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. As she took her seat, she noticed the Royals already there, their eyes scanning her with varying degrees of interest.
Maine, sitting nearby, caught her eye and smiled sweetly. "Well, well, well. Look who's joining the Hero Class. I'm sure you'll...struggle to keep up."
Valir Vladd raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking between Maine and Kairah. "Oh, I think Kairah will surprise us. She's got a certain...spark."
Maine's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing. "Don't be ridiculous, Valir. Kairah's just a lucky amateur. She'll never be on the same level as us."
Ana Krimpton snorted, "I doubt she's even worthy of sharing the same air as us."
Kairah's eyes flashed with annoyance, but she kept her cool, her voice calm. "I think I'll manage just fine, thanks for the concern."
The class started, and the instructor began explaining the curriculum. Maine leaned over, whispering to Kairah, "Enjoy the attention while it lasts, Kairah. You'll probably be the laughingstock of this class."
Kairah smiled wryly, "We'll see about that, Maine."
As the class progressed, Kairah proved to be a quick learner, impressing even the Royals with her determination and skill. Maine's smile began to fade, replaced by a growing scowl.
Valir Vladd whispered to Josh, "You know, I think Kairah's going to be more interesting than I thought."
Josh grinned, "Told you she's got potential."
Maine's eyes narrowed, her voice barely audible, "This isn't over, Kairah."
The professor walked in, announcing the day's lesson: a sparring exercise where students could choose their opponents. The room buzzed with excitement as students began to pair up.
Princess Lily Rose stood up, her eyes locking onto Kairah. "I'd like to spar with Kairah, please."
Kairah hesitated, feeling a surge of uncertainty. "Uh, I don't know if that's a good idea, Princess Lily. I'm just a Rank C..."
Lily Rose smiled, her voice gentle. "That's exactly why I want to spar with you. I've heard a lot about your...unorthodox methods. I'm curious to see what you can do."
The other Royals exchanged glances, their interest piqued. Valir Vladd leaned forward, "This should be interesting."
Ana Krimpton raised an eyebrow, "I doubt Kairah can even touch Lily."
Maine snorted, "This is going to be a massacre."
Kairah took a deep breath, deciding to accept the challenge. "Alright, let's do this."
The professor nodded, "Very well. Let's begin. Remember, control your strength and technique."
The arena was cleared, and Kairah and Lily Rose faced off. The air was charged with anticipation as the students watched, eager to see the outcome.
The professor created a protective shield around the arena, ensuring the students outside were safe. Kairah and Lily Rose faced off within the shielded area, ready to begin their sparring match.
The match started, and Lily Rose unleashed a wave of water-based attacks. Kairah dodged and weaved, avoiding each strike with impressive agility. However, instead of counterattacking, Kairah continued to evade, not landing a single blow.
Lily Rose's frustration grew with each passing moment. How could a low-ranking hero like Kairah dodge her attacks so effortlessly? Even the other Royals wouldn't have been able to evade her strikes so skillfully.
In her mind, Lily Rose seethed with anger and embarrassment. "This is ridiculous! She's just a Rank C! She shouldn't be able to dodge my attacks like this!"
As the match continued, Lily Rose's attacks became more aggressive and intense, but Kairah persisted in dodging, refusing to engage. The disparity between their ranks and abilities seemed to be highlighted with each passing moment, and Lily Rose's pride was taking a hit.
Valir Vladd watched with interest, "Interesting tactic, Kairah's not going for a straight-up fight."
Ana Krimpton frowned, "She's just avoiding, doesn't have the guts to face Lily head-on."
Maine smiled smugly, "Yeah, Kairah's just trying to preserve her precious reputation."
The question on everyone's mind was: would Kairah's evasive strategy be enough, or would Lily Rose's superior rank and power eventually overwhelm her?Lily Rose stopped the match, her chest heaving with exertion and anger. "Don't just dodge, Kairah. Are you afraid of fighting me?" Her voice was laced with contempt.
Kairah stood tall, her eyes flashing with determination. "I'm not afraid, Lily. I just don't see the point in fighting you."
Lily's face twisted in rage. "You think you're clever, dodging my attacks? Let's see how you fare against this!" She raised her hands, and a massive tornado began to form, its power unlike anything the students had seen before.
The tornado was so potent that it seemed capable of killing even a strong monster. The students gasped in shock, and some tried to intervene, but Lily was beyond reason. "You want to play it safe? Let's see how you like being in the eye of the storm!"
With a swift motion, Lily hurled the tornado at Kairah. Kairah's eyes widened as she was engulfed by the swirling vortex. She stumbled, her body tossed about like a rag doll.
Desperate to escape, Kairah summoned her earth powers, trying to anchor herself or create an opening. However, Lily's tornado proved too powerful, and Kairah found herself trapped, spinning helplessly within the maelstrom.
The students watched in horror, their voices raised in concern. "Lily, stop! That's too much!" Valir Vladd and Josh Crystal exchanged worried glances, while Ana Krimpton's expression remained icy, seemingly unmoved. Maine, on the other hand, looked on with a mixture of fear and satisfaction.
As the tornado raged on, it seemed unlikely that Kairah could survive the onslaught. Would she find a way to counter Lily's attack, or would the princess's power prove too overwhelming?
As the tornado raged on, Kairah suddenly tapped into her wind power, creating a dense fog that obscured the view of everyone around her. Within the tornado, she conjured heavy rain droplets that somehow seemed to stabilize the air around her, allowing her to breathe and move with greater ease.
The students outside the tornado were unaware of Kairah's clever adaptation, and they continued to watch in awe and concern as the tornado persisted.
Just as it seemed like Kairah was at her limit, a tiny, luminescent figure appeared within the fog. It was Wanita, the Goddess of Water Element. She hovered before Kairah, a gentle smile on her face.
"I must admit, Kairah, I'm impressed," Wanita said, her voice like the soft lapping of waves. "Your resourcefulness and ability to think on your feet have earned my trust. I withheld the Water Element from you once, in the Hollow Forest, but now...I sense great potential in you."
With a wave of her hand, Wanita imbued Kairah with the Water Element. "You can't stop that tornado, but you can just walk outside," Wanita said, before disappearing in a flash of light.
Kairah nodded, and with a calm determination, she began to walk towards the edge of the tornado. The students watched in horror, expecting her to be torn apart by the swirling vortex. But as Kairah walked, the tornado seemed to part around her, as if she were somehow shielded from its fury.
And then, in a stunning display, Kairah calmly walked out of the tornado, without a single hair out of place. The students gasped in unison, their eyes wide with amazement. Even the Royals – Valir Vladd, Ana Krimpton, and Lily Rose – looked on in stunned silence.
The professor's eyes were wide with wonder, "I've never seen anything like this in my entire life... How did she...?"
The scene was etched in their minds forever – Kairah emerging unscathed from the heart of the tornado, a testament to her unexpected abilities.
The tornado continued to grow in intensity, engulfing the entire arena and sweeping Lily Rose off her feet. She was spun around like a rag doll, her cries of anger and fear lost in the howling winds. The students outside watched in horror, trapped behind the professor's barrier. If he removed it, the debris and winds would harm them.
The professor's face was etched with worry and helplessness. "I don't know what to do... This tornado is too powerful!"
Kairah, however, remained calm and focused. She flew towards Lily, dodging debris and winds with ease. As she reached Lily, she enveloped her in a protective sphere and used her earth power to stabilize the ground beneath them.
With a swift motion, Kairah created an invisible water portal around the tornado, effectively containing and neutralizing it. The tornado dissipated, and the arena fell silent.
The students stared in awe, their minds struggling to comprehend what they had just witnessed. How had Kairah managed to control the tornado and save Lily?
But Kairah wasn't done yet. She turned to Lily, who was battered and bruised, and began to heal her wounds. What shocked the professor and the students even more was that Kairah broke the unbreakable barrier that surrounded the arena. The barrier that was supposed to prevent any magic from being used outside of the designated area.
The professor's eyes widened in shock, "Impossible... No one has ever broken that barrier... Not even the Headmaster could do that!"
As Kairah continued to heal Lily, the students watched in stunned silence, their perception of Kairah's abilities forever changed.The Royals rushed towards Lily, their concern etched on their faces. Ana's eyes, however, locked onto Kairah's, and for a brief moment, they shared a silent understanding. Ana's gaze held a hint of gratitude, and Kairah smiled weakly in response.
Lily, now healed, approached Kairah with tears in her eyes. "Kairah, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you. Can you ever forgive me?"
Kairah's smile faltered for a moment before she replied, "It's okay, Lily. I forgive you." However, her voice was laced with a hint of exhaustion, and she swayed slightly, her eyes drooping.
As the evening light began to fade, Kairah's legs gave way beneath her, and she stumbled towards the ground. But before she could fall, a pair of strong arms caught her, holding her securely.
The students gasped in surprise as Grey, the usually cold and distant student, cradled Kairah in his arms. His expression was soft, and his eyes held a warmth that no one had ever seen before.
Valir Vladd's jaw dropped, "Grey.. You're actually.. caring for someone?"
Ana's eyes widened, "This is unprecedented... Grey's never shown interest in anyone."
Lily's eyes sparkled with amusement, "Looks like Grey's got a soft spot for Kairah."
As Grey carried Kairah to the academy's healthcare facility, the students watched in stunned silence. The Royals exchanged disbelieving glances, their minds reeling with the unexpected turn of events.
What would happen next? Would Grey's actions change the dynamics of the academy?As Grey carried Kairah to the healthcare facility, the students couldn't help but whisper among themselves about his unexpected display of concern. The Royals, despite their noble lineage, had always known that Grey's family held a unique position of power.
Grey's ability to wield both fire and ice elements made him potentially stronger than the other Royals, who each possessed a single element. However, his fire power remained a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few.
The whispers and speculations about Grey's abilities and his sudden interest in Kairah spread like wildfire through the academy. Some students wondered if Grey's actions signaled a shift in the balance of power among the Royals, while others speculated about the nature of his relationship with Kairah.
As Grey entered the healthcare facility, the staff quickly attended to Kairah, monitoring her vital signs and providing treatment. Grey's expression remained stoic, but his eyes never left Kairah's face, his gaze filled with an unspoken concern.