Picking up Girls With My System

Eleonora was finishing packing her stuff for the trip when she heard a noise from the door. It was a knock, and she hoped the person responsible was Arthur.

She stopped what she was doing and went to answer. Arthur was behind the door, and what he had to tell her was rather funny.

"How are things going?" Arthur asked.

"I am almost done. What is up with your smile?" Eleonora said.

"Remember James? Your friend from the training field? He challenged me to a duel tonight after he saw me coming to your room."

"What? You are joking, right?"

Never did she think James would do something so stupid. Eleonora thought about going to talk with him and prevent the duel, but he was the one who challenged Arthur, so perhaps there was nothing she could do about it.

Arthur used Eleonora's comfy bed as his resting place while she finished getting everything she needed. Then, when she finished it, it was time to look for Signy and prepare for the duel!

When the two left the dormitory, an arena appeared in the middle of the school. It was nothing more than a vast square made of stone with some places for a crowd to sit around it to watch the show.

The most strange part was the students who were already waiting for the fight. Maybe they were also curious about what type of power the founder of their school had.

A gorgeous woman came toward them as soon as they left the dormitory. The beautiful woman was Signy, who said, "Arthur, the arena is finished, but what is up with this duel? Who is the crazy ass student?"

Signy could not believe it when she heard the rumors in the school about a tenth circle mage called James, who challenged Odemore's founder to a duel. It was so absurd. Signy thought it was a joke, but it was happening!

Arthur laughed and said, "the challenger has a crush on Eleonora, and he got pissed when I hugged her."

"Men..." Signy said.

Two more hours passed. Eleonora and Signy were ready to leave for the central continent now that all the matters had been solved. Everything was more relaxed after Helga took the position, as she was someone Arthur and Signy liked, and the students did.

All students sat around the arena, waiting for the exciting fight they would soon watch. James was already there, looking as fierce as a wolf in the middle of the arena.

No one believed he had a chance of winning; only he did. Everyone screamed when Arthur slowly walked toward the arena with Eleonora accompanying him!

Arthur did that to make James angry and ignite his hidden talent, or at least make him work harder.

"Are you ready, kid?" Arthur said as he stared at James.

They needed a referee for the fight, and Signy was the one who would take the position. No one complained, and the only thing left for the battle to start was the two fighters.

James pulled out two swords behind his back and said, "I am always ready!"

He was someone who specialized in melee combat, like a battle mage, and that was something that gave him lots of advantages when fighting other mages. Even though everyone said Arthur was strong, he did not believe his body was the same!

"You can be a stronger mage, but I am a stronger fighter!" James thought.

If Arthur knew James' thought, he would roll on the arena, laughing like crazy. The strongest aspect of Arthur was his body, and James believed otherwise, which would shock him deeply.

"If you two are ready, I will count to three and begin the fight."

James and Arthur nodded in response.

"3..."

"2..."

"1..."

"START!"

With a clear strategy, James rushed toward Arthur when the fight started. He wielded two sharp swords, and his body produced an incredible speed, which surprised most of the students who were watching.

As for Arthur? Even if he got hit by all of James' attacks, his natural resistance would block them, making him leave unharmed. What could he do in such a situation? Well, play with his opponent, and let him see the difference between the two.

Arthur took out from his magical pouch a small dagger made of fine materials and considered a treasure even among rank 2 mages, but Arthur often used it to cut meat or place butter on his bread.

The dagger was ordinary looking, so James ignored it when Arthur took it out, continuing to focus on his barrage of attacks.

A quick slash from James' left sword, another one with his right sword. Fast as lightning, sharp as the teeth of a beast, and deadly as poison. James attacked with everything he got, yet all were blocked by a small ordinary-looking dagger, which was so fast wielded it could stop two swords simultaneously.

No matter how many attacks he sent, all of it was useless in front of Arthur. James had sweat dripping from his forehead as he jumped back to create some distance between the two to think about another plan.

It shocked everyone present, but what Arthur said next surprised me even more!

"I can defend using my hands to make it easier for you. Also, do you want me to blindfold my eyes?"

"Are you mocking me?" James said.

James was a prideful person, and losing in their last exchange of attacks hurt his pride. But hearing a sentence like that from his opponent hurt even more.

After hearing such a thing, how could he call himself a mage, a fighter? No matter how hard he trained, he was still weak.

"You think you work so hard yet are weak, right?" Arthur said.

"Look, James. I accepted such a childish request of yours to show you the difference between you and me! Perhaps you can be considered a strong student here, maybe one of the strongest, but in front of me, you are nothing,"

"I am not being cocky when I say that; you must know I am a rank 3 mage, and there are only two rank 3 mages in the entire PLANET, not a continent, planet!"

"How are you supposed to win against me? I can tell you have great talent, and one day, when you get stronger, we can have a proper duel where the odds are equal." Arthur said.

Not a lot of people knew Arthur was a rank 3 mage. For them, he was just someone strong, maybe a rank 1 mage or something similar, as they had never even seen a rank 2 mage before.

But rank 3? That fact took them by surprise; even James could not believe it. If he knew Arthur was ahead of him, he would never challenge him for a duel.

"I- Can you take my last attack? After taking your precious time with this duel, the least I can do is show you everything I have!"

"Good, that is what I like to hear. Come!"

James changed his stance, bending both knees, a magical circle appeared behind him, and his body was enveloped with lightning!

It was his final attack, and James hoped it could at least scratch Arthur.