Chapter 15: Lagging
Zephyr and Cedric stayed together as a group while the instructor continued, "I think by now, you should already know where you stand."
"For most of you here, you may never reach the level of your peers over there," he pointed toward the higher groups.
"But just because you may not, doesn’t mean you should give up. Each person has their own place in the hierarchy of things. You must learn to understand your place and perform to the best of your ability."
"It’s not all doom and gloom though. At least at these early tiers, you can still give them a run for their money." He walked slowly back and forth, his boots crunching against the dirt.
"Spellcasting is moot as long as you can get in closer than they can cast. At this stage, their casting speed, efficiency, and power are still subpar. So you can still overpower them... if you can close the distance."
"As long as you still have the will to be a combat mage, I can teach you everything you need to know to be a real pain in their ass during these early tiers." He smirked.
"But know that, from now on, you’ll have to put in even more effort during your combat classes in the mornings. You should begin to prepare yourself to transition into a brawler."
He clapped once. "Alright. You’ve all chosen your partners. Good."
"Now look at them. From now on, that person is your rival— in fact, your enemy. Each week, whichever of you performs better will get to take the merit point I award from this class, directly from your partner."
A wave of shocked murmurs rippled through the group. People started trying to swap partners quickly, but Mr. Wilson barked at them.
"Don’t you even dare!"