Professor Aek enters the room, accompanied by a large snake with thick, hard black scales. Its yellow eyes, with narrow black pupils, scan the students back and forth. It is, without a doubt, comparable in size to an Amazonian anaconda, causing the owls and various other pets to fear the venomous predator, a natural enemy. The killing intent of the long assassin spreads throughout the classroom, further intensifying the oppressive atmosphere, until I instinctively draw my wand, baring my teeth in a growl. Jack clutches his precious hamster tightly, ready to defend it with all his might, given that, in the food chain, mice often become prey for snakes.
"Our school policy allows students to bring one pet, including baby dragons," Professor Ek says, scratching the terrifying creature's chin like a kitten. When it hisses at the students, making their hair stand on end, he casually backhands its head with a loud thwack!, slightly easing the tension. "According to that policy, we'll be training your pets to become assistants, ready to watch your backs in times of war."
"Isn't this animal cruelty?" Susan raises her hand, firing the question. On her desk, a fluffy, adorable ginger cat sits perfectly still, something no cat has ever done before.
"No," Professor Aek says, making a weary face before turning to write on the board with his wand, the English words appearing in large letters:
'Pet Assistants'
Anya and I exchange glances, grinning and bumping fists in understanding.
"As you all know, the dark arts are currently growing stronger every day. You can observe this from the tattoo on my arm, which is moving as if alive. That... is a warning sign for you all," the young professor says, picking up a textbook and setting it ablaze with a fireball conjured in his palm, astonishing the students. In mere moments, the thick textbook turns to black ash, scattering through the air. Not a single student dares to utter a word.
"Some things in the textbooks won't help you more than practical experience. I will teach you combat and defensive spells. After that, every class will involve pairing up for magical duels, with your pet assistants."
For about a month, the students have been training in magical combat as if preparing for war. Their exhaustion steadily increases. At the end of each class, the professor distributes recovery potions to restore their energy, only to be met with double the fatigue once the potion's effects wear off.
"Protection!" I cast a spell, creating a shield when Jack fires a magical blast. Then, Anya follows up with a fireball spell.
"Saicinla!" Jack's hamster doesn't seem to be cooperating much, but the boy keeps the little rodent in his shirt pocket, fighting alone. For the past week, he has been practicing his movements and the timing of his spellcasting with Anya with fierce determination, leading them to become close friends.
I can only watch and chat with 'Chuba,' the white and cream-colored European Giant hamster, which looks entirely white at first glance. It's only a month old and has no magical abilities whatsoever. So, I let it use my head as a bed and play around. I studied hamsters a bit in my past life, knowing they are timid creatures at the bottom of the food chain. Another sad fact is their lifespan of only two years. That means in just over a year, Chuba will be gone forever, a truly sorrowful thought.
"Expelliarmus!" Jack yelled, firing another spell, but Anya managed to conjure a shield just in time. She retaliated with a stunning spell. "Sticlemo!" The red bolt struck his abdomen squarely, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious. The duel was over.
The entire class applauded Anya, who was hailed as a prodigy. Believe me, practicing spells diligently and attending the dueling club every day without fail can drastically improve your skills. My reputation began to spread, and many students challenged me. Of course, there were both wins and losses, a mixed bag. In the end, I vowed to return for a rematch.
"Alright, this is probably the last match for today. So..."
"May I duel Anya?" a male student's voice called out from the back of the group.
It was Raymond. A tall, burly first-year student with short, spiky red hair and sparkling ruby-red eyes. Powerful muscles were hidden beneath his seemingly durable skin. His pet was a baby panda...
A baby panda?
"My name is Raymond, and this is my baby panda, 'Cole King.' He's a panda trained in close-quarters combat. I challenge Anya and Nappo to a duel," the stocky boy declared with unwavering confidence. Anya and I turned to face him, accepting the challenge.
The baby panda named 'Kohl King' was slightly taller than me, with muscles that looked like they skipped panda quality control, standing on two legs like a Kung Fu Panda. What was going on?
This wasn't just a normal duel anymore...
"If you're ready, begin," Professor Aek said, stepping back while keeping a close eye on the main event.
Anya started with a stunning spell, but the panda deflected the attack with remarkable agility, surprising us all.
"Your spells are too weak. Relying solely on magical attacks isn't the answer to winning," he said. He chanted a spell in a language I didn't understand. Then, Raymond's hand grew three times its normal size. Both Anya and I widened our eyes in shock. What kind of crazy spell was this? "Localized Enlargement Spell!"
The giant hand clenched into a fist and swung towards us. Anya and I cast shielding spells, but we couldn't withstand the impact and fell to the ground, defeated swiftly.
"That's enough. Raymond wins," Professor Aek declared, much to the surprise of our classmates. "Everyone should see that having a pet as an assistant is like having a partner in times of trouble."
After explaining, He demonstrated the proper way to fight with a pet against Raymond.
"Choosing your starting pet is crucial. Even if you make a mistake, you have to take responsibility for your choice," he said, glancing at Jack and his hamster. "You need to find ways to train and handle combat situations, combine techniques in various ways, and bring out your full potential."
The fight began. Professor Aek cast a stunning spell, just like Anya. Of course, the panda named Kohl King darted forward and deflected the attack with the same fluid movements.
At the same time, the stunning spell hurtled towards the chubby black and white creature at close range. With incredible speed, it dodged the spell by a hair's breadth. My eyes widened at its smooth and graceful movements, like a real Kung Fu fighter.
"Impressive reflexes," Professor Aek smirks as the panda spin, aiming a kick at his chin. But the sturdy scales of his snake body intercepted the attack just in time. The force of the kick creates a gust of wind. The scales, as tough as steel, didn't even flinch.
"You've got something good here, Professor... Localized Enlargement Spell!" The tall, burly boy's hand enlarged again, swinging towards him and deciding the winner in less than a minute. "I'll become the champion of this class!"
A terrifying smirk spread across the Professor's face.
"Well then, shall we move on to the next lesson?" he said, coiling his snake body into a shield to block the attack. An aura enveloped his arm, astonishing the students. "Our magical power can be divided into two main categories: long-range attacks, which are commonly used, and are basic spells that both wizards and dark magic users can use. The other category, which few manage to master, is close quarters combat or physical enhancement."
Professor Aek clenches his fist and countered with a punch, creating a loud "Boom!" sound, resulting in Raymond's defeat.
"Using magic to enhance physical strength doesn't require a wand. Instead, it involves gathering the magical power hidden within our minds and channeling it to envelop our bodies or specific parts, increasing both defense and attack power. In the past, there have been wizards who used this technique to turn the tide of battle from near defeat to victory in a short time," Professor Egg explained, releasing magical power to form a beautiful, glowing red sphere. The students stare, transfixed.
At the same time, I realize the vast difference in skill between myself and the professors. Casting spells with a wand is already incredibly difficult for me, let alone casting them with bare hands. "If you train and learn until you're proficient and can adapt your usage to different situations, none of you will ever have to eat garlic."
At first, almost moved by the profound teachings, it all comes crashing down in the final sentence.
"Invincible, are we?" Raymond bites his lip, delivering a punchline that lands with a resounding thud.
Silence greets the dismal joke following the sermon. The students are caught completely off guard.
"Ah... well... something like that. Invincible," Professor Ek replies, turning his back in embarrassment, his ears peeking out with a faint blush.
"Having fun, are we, Professor Ek?" A voice cuts through the air from behind, unannounced, making both teacher and students whip around. They see an old man with a long white beard covering his neck, cloaked in dark grey. He stands tall at one hundred and eighty centimeters, his jet-black eyes gleaming behind round silver-rimmed glasses.
I and Anya recognize him instantly
'The Headmaster!'
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To Be Continue Ep.12