Magnolia Academy

Arc I

Chapter Six

Despair

Days went by fast and it was the end of their fresher's week. But like everything in this Academy, the end came with a bang.

Naruto didn't know much about how things operates, so his expectation were null.

The tradition was that, every year the top three students will engage in a three way exhibition match. Apparently it helped to motivate new students and give a goal to achieve on their journey.

The stadium was set in the seventh field. There were twelve fields, each being used by their respective clubs. Naruto had made sure to not join any that required one, instead went with joining the Library club, which meant he would have a reason to visit Mirajane. He was livid to find out that no one else was part of the library club. He couldn't ask for a better chance to spend more time with her.

"The exhibition match will begin shortly, attendants please make your way to the training ground. Thanks."

The loud voice boomed across the stadium, which was followed by roars and cheers from the students, snapping Naruto out from his thought.

The crowd was wild, most students from year two were shouting and chanting something. Naruto laid back against his chair, not interested in the match. He closed his eyes and tried to rest while the exhibition match was about to start. He couldn't care less about paying attention or cheering them up. They were probably some stuck up loser anyway.

He could hear the cheers go loud as the first contestant entered the arena.

"Number Three: Mirajane Strauss. Year Two-"

Naruto instantly woke up from his brief slumber when the familiar name was being announced. Number three? Her? He was shocked.

His eyes fixated on her, unable to process further. Watching her long snow-white hair flow with the wind, it was no mistake, she was Mirajane Strauss.

She entered the arena with grace as she waved her arms to her classmates. She looked happy and cheerful, not having an ounce of nervousness written on her face. A zip up, now sleeve or leg body suit hug her body tightly matched with pair of black leather boots that went up to her knees. While Naruto would be glad at seeing her in such provocative dress, he was too shocked to ponder over her finer details.

But his shock instantly turned into disbelief.

"-Magic: Takeover."

He felt lost.

'She can't use magic... lies.' Naruto wasn't mad at her. She never said she didn't learn to use her power later on. All she said that she wasn't able to in the past. He wasn't angry. But he was disheartened. He had thought he could relate to her but he couldn't. She was just like the rest. A mage. Him? He was just Naruto. Worthless and useless.

He sighed to relieve himself from the negative thoughts. He wanted to support her instead of crying in self pity. It wasn't her fault, he jumped to conclusion.

"Number Two: Laxus Dreyar. Year Two. Magic: Lightning."

Naruto was surprised seeing the number two of the Academy. He was tall and muscular with slicked back blonde hair with spikes pointing up. He had a distinct lightning shaped scar under his right eye, giving him the rough and tough look that matched his overall appearance that consisted of a jet-black t-shirt that accentuated his muscles and a pair of tight maroon pants, topping with a large fluffy coat sitting on his shoulder that covered the tattoo riddled in his right arm.

'Why is he wearing headphones?' Naruto wondered seeing the sound pods that laid on his head.

"Wow, he is hot." Ino Yamanaka gasped. Naruto could hear a fan girl beside him. On closer inspection, he remembered her from their first, not so friendly, encounter.

'Well, what did I expect from a blonde?' He looked at her and cringed.

"You! Are blonde too!" Ino glared at him which somewhat caught him by surprise.

"Huh? Did you just read my mind?" He asked.

"Hmph!" She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair in pride, ignoring him as she focussed on the boy in the arena.

Naruto felt a vibration on his pocket from his Anpan Apa. This was some sort of magical device that allowed them to communicate with each other if they linked their DNA with the device. Naruto only had one contact, so it had to be Seraphina.

'From: Sera

Subject: Baaaaaaka c:

: I couldn't secure a seat with you, sorry! You in the stadium right? Or are you lost again?!

'I am not always lost...' He quickly texted back with a simple 'yes' before putting the device back to his pocket.

"Number 1: Itachi Uchiha. Year two. Magic: Fire."

The cheers seemed to have died down instantly with exception of the newer ones, on arrival of the best student of the Academy.

Naruto looked around in jest, seeing many give the boy a look of fear? Displeasure? He wasn't so sure. Naruto looked at the said boy to understand what caused the sudden change in them.

He wasn't scary at all.

Itachi was fairly tall for his age with a fair complexion. He had onyx eyes, under which were long, pronounced tear-troughs. He had jet-black hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail and his face was framed with centre-parted bangs that extended to his chin. He looked mysterious to say the least, wearing a black cloak that covered most of his body, leaving only his face and feet visible.

Naruto couldn't help but cringe when he took a peek at Ino.

'Pervert...'

"You are just jealous!"

(Scene Change)

"Everyone is equipped with Neuro Sensor. If your mental state sends any unstable signals, the match will be stopped. Please keep this civil, remember this is not a real fight but an exhibition. Please don't embarrass yourself in front of your juniors. Begin!"

The robot pod announced before flying away from the stadium, almost sensing the urgency between the trio.

Laxus was the first to rush with his right hand being surrounded with condensed mana taking the form of electrical sparks. His palm closed into a fist as he sent a powerful blow at Itachi Uchiha, expecting to hit him in the face.

*Cough!*

Blood spilled out of Laxus' mouth as his fist stopped inches before Itachi's face, instead being hit in the gut with his other hand. Itachi seemed unfazed with his fist still on Laxus' gut. Soon after, his fist surrounded in fire, sending multiple shockwaves, ultimately pushing Laxus off his feet as he crashed against the wall, outside the stadium. He was out cold with his eyes rolling back of his head as smokes could be seen coming off from the place of impact.

Gasps could be heard all over. Naruto finally realized why everyone was silent earlier. This guy was dangerous. Naruto didn't even notice him punch more than once but the marks that was left on Laxus were multiple.

Naruto was scared. For her. Mirajane was still in this so called exhibition match.

'What do I do...' He clutched his fist as he looked at the teachers that stood unfazed on the side. 'They think this is an exhibition match? For real?!' Naruto was getting impatient and was worried about what was going to happen to Mirajane.

"Will you please shut up?" Ino took him out of his anxious demeanour. He looked at her, annoyed.

"I didn't even say anything, what's your deal ugly?!"

"W-what did you call me?!"

(Scene Change)

"Wow, you really knocked him out cold... everything okay at him? Who dropped you?" Mirajane gave a cheeky smile at the Uchiha. He remained silent with his cold stare, not being bothered the slighting from her insult.

"Meh... so boring!"

In an instant, a gust of wind erupted from the place she was standing. Purple circle engraved with different symbols appeared on the ground as her whole body started to glow the shades of pink, her hair flying upwards uncontrollably.

Once the light disappeared, her form revealed in a different light. Her hair was wild and feral, jutting upwards while her skin had dark scale like markings that looked like cracks. Her hand was covered in metal claws that reach up till the elbow while her boots were replaced with metallic ones that reached her upper thigh. Most importantly, a pair of large black wings sprout from her back along with a black metallic tail that reached her feet in size. She looked wild, her innocent face was changed with pointy eyes and lashes.

(Scene Change)

Seraphina was thrilled from the sudden change in her. She had never seen a Takeover mage before, specially not one with such unique design.

"That's Mira's Demon Soul." It was Erza Scarlet who had spoke. Seraphina looked beside her to find the source of the voice. Erza was sitting beside her, while eyeing a piece of strawberry cake with more interest than the match.

"That's a takeover-"

Erza shook her head. "That's a little different than my Takeover magic, it's more of an exposure."

"Expo-what?" Seraphina asked but got no answer as the red haired girl was lost in euphoria after taking a bite from her cake.

'What a weirdo...'

(Scene Change)

Her tail twitched and that alerted the Uchiha instantly. Mirajane had appeared in front of him in an insane speed, that looked like teleportation to the naked eyes. Her claws missed the target however as Itachi easily dodged her assault, stepping back on his toe.

She didn't waste any time and appeared behind him before his feet could touch the ground. A nasty scratch on his back resulted in his body to turn into crows and disappear.

'Tch!' Mirajane quickly looked in multiple direction to search for him. She soon felt his presence behind her as she spun on her left feet while aiming her right at him.

Itachi effortlessly stopped her feet by a single finger. This caused her to grow angry as she lashed out with her tail against his neck, but to no avail as the boy easily vanished the same way as before.

"Stop running around like a cat!" Mirajane gained flight with her wings and began to fly towards him with speed in spiral motion, making herself into a gust of wind beam.

She was inches away from hitting him straight on his chest before he slapped her off her track into the ground in an instance.

The crowd went silent once again. Itachi looked at her form go back to normal before putting his hand inside his pocket.

"It's over." He said that to one of the teachers, Kakashi Hatake.

Kakashi looked up from his 'notebook' and was about to declare the winner... but the match was far from over.

Itachi gasped for air as he felt black metal wrapped around his neck before lifting him up in the air.

He looked back and noticed it was Mirajane, back to her previous form with her tail clutching the life out of him.

He could easily use his hand to send her off but the pressure on his throat made his arms unresponsive and stiff. He could feel immense pain once purple aura began to glow around her tail. He felt like sharp knife being stuck out from the inside of his skin.

"What's wrong now? Is that all?" Her voice was rough and echoed, almost as if it wasn't her who was speaking.

Growing frustrated from the lack of response, she lost her temper and began to punch the Uchiha in a series of deadly blows while rendering him paralyzed by her tail.

Naruto was scared. She was mercilessly punching him like a punching bag, each punch sending shockwave that cracked the stadium. Everything was a mess. He was wondering what why the teachers hadn't stepped in yet. She clearly looked out of control which was essentially a rule breaker. Itachi on the other hand looked beaten to a pulp. What was the point of this to continue?

He got his answer soon enough.

No one knew what had happened. One second she was savagely beating him, the next second she began to scream like a banshee before throwing the Uchiha away. She began to scream more as her eyes went white and she began to cough blood. Soon after, she laid on the ground, unconscious.

Itachi slowly stood up on his feet. His injuries long gone as he turned back towards the girl, only this time his eyes were blood red with black spirals on his orbs.

"It's over. For good." He spoke and the siren went off.

"Winner. Itachi Uchiha. Nurses are requested to tend to the remaining contestants. This concludes the event. Thank you."

One thing was clear to Naruto. He wasn't remotely ready to be in the same stage as them. Not even close.

Author's Note: Review~