Sword is equal to Wand, Chapter 25 (Patreon)

I kept training Daphne every night for the next week as I integrated as well with many other members of my own house. But all too soon it was the day of the welcoming tournament to test returning students' training officially over the Summer Break. 

And as well as to measure the first year's talents, and willingness to take part in combat as dancing on the edge of death in combat was the way of wizards and witches.

"These bouts have one rule and one rule only. No soul-harming attacks... None at all, even if you lethally wound another in this tournament field. You will survive unscathed as the fields have been temporally locked the moment you enter the field.

"With the power of all the teachers, especially the Headmaster's. Time will reverse to the point of before the battle started, hence why each bout MUST be decided within three minutes at most, as it becomes exponentially more costly to reverse time each minute." McGonagall firmly explained the rules of the tournament.

A hundred boys and more than thirty female Freshmen shared looks at how brutal this tournament was going to be as even if we didn't die... Getting a limb cut off, was going to hurt to an ungodly amount.

And hearing this, and remembering the even non-lethal damage taken during sparring lessons. Several boys and half the girls left the lineup with McGonagall not looking disappointed but merely nodding.

She then took a breath and spoke. "First year's in that line. The person to your left will be your sparring partner. There is three arenas open, so step forward in your pairs to begin when both of you have entered the dueling start points."

Professor Mavuika herself in her leather-clad outfit stood at the edge of my arena while other teachers watched the other arena's as McGonagell also explained that only the final three matches in the qualifying match, the semi-finals, and the Finals would happen later today.

Said finals and such would happen during the evening Feast as they would be doing the Second Year's own three following matches as well today.

'And if I win... I get to fight for the Second Year's resources as well. Resources I need to enhance my body to encourage my magical growth. As well as to get my own proper weapon.' I thought as I rested my large Spearsword on my shoulder.

The sight of my weapon made Daphne look at me across the way from the resting area with difficulty. As it seemed that she believed I would stick to a saber or something to use her father's martial art that I had been teaching her in.

"Hey man... I might break a couple ribs, but I promise not to cut any limbs off or do anything twisted." I said helplessly to Ron who stood across from me weilding nothing but his bare fists as he shook his head in turn.

"I get it Jake. We all kinda expected the professor to call out names to put each other against one another. But hey, losing to the winner at the start just means I had bad luck. Who knows... Maybe I was destined to be your runner-up, haha." Ron joked as he stretched to get ready.

I nodded as Mavuika, seeing us ready waved at me before she said firmly. "Start you both!" 

And as she finished speaking a I felt a weird film flow past me and I realized that my body had been time locked to before the fight had even begun.

Ron just charged at me with a fist pulled back that I dodged with a side step and with a low kick to the back of his leg. His own leg locked up as he tried to step forward to throw a jab at my fast.

He staggered on his locked-up leg and with a spun of my large spearsword, I swung it like a baseball bat and with a loud thud, followed by a wet cracking noise. The weapon slammed into his shoulder, and Ron fell to the ground with the force of the blow.

His eye's filled with the pain of his shoulder breaking and I let out a helpless smile as he shifted to continue. But as he lifted up his arm to put up another fist. He just shook his head with clear pain in his gaze as his shattered shoulder screamed in pain clearly.

"Yeah, I am good dude. You hit like a damned lorry though, damn it." Ron said with annoyance, even as the temporal film that covered us pulled back. And 'as though' it never happened. Ron shrugged his now unbroken shoulder as with the time restarted, his shoulder was actually never hurt.

"Ron, get off the arena. Jake, you head on over to McGonagall to record your win." Mavuika said with her typical air of not caring about respectful titles like Professor or the like.

I went to record my win with McGonagall in the line and while waiting, I watched as Daphne, with no hesitation, used the Wind Blade Saber technique to carve open another Slytherin's chest with bone being exposed. Leaving them to lie bleeding out in the arena.

With Daphne just turning around and leaving the arena even as Snape casually announced her victory and that Slytherin, whom I couldn't recongize had their wounds removed.

And with zero shame, Daphne cut through the line with the others not daring to tell her to fuck off as everyone saw how she could use elemental martial arts already. "I had a thought actually, Jake. What happens if I manage to beat you in the finals?" She said idly as she tossed her blond hair behind her shoulders.

I raised an eyebrow at that before I said teasingly in amusement. "Hoh? Do you think that you the student, can beat the teacher? Whether you can beat Rosaria Potter is still up for debate, honestly." 

I shook my head and shrugged before I added on. "I already got a bet going on about how I get to fight in qualifying battles for the Second Year's. But what will you bet if you lose?"

Daphne was silent for a moment as she searched my gaze for the truth of my bet about the second year. Then she smiled suddenly before she said calmly. "I will respect you if you defeat me in the finals. But... If you beat the second year's as well. Well, I will leave that for a suprise I suppose." 

Me winning the finals for the first year, despite how I was cheating with my Library of Heavens Path was a done deal, honestly. I was more interested in seeing the Second Years and up who had begun to refine their own fighting style.

As for me losing to Daphne for some reason? Not going to happen.

I had zero idea why this blonde decided that she could beat me abruptly for some reason. I guess with how hot-blooded she was feeling, and knowing she was going to crush Malfoy. All her brains went into the gutter.