Ren and his friends headed toward the preparation area, where medical auxiliaries were already organizing students selected for the advanced individual battles.
An assistant in a green uniform handed them small pills after checking that they had no injuries and their mana veins weren't too strained. "To restore your mana and stamina to optimal levels," he explained mechanically, as if he had repeated the same phrase dozens of times in the last few minutes.
As Ren took his pill, he felt a presence beside him. Ron Blackfire was watching him with an expression that mixed curiosity and poorly disguised disdain.
"Patinder," he greeted with a brief nod. "Almost six months have passed since your misfortune at the ceremony, eh?"
Ren returned the gesture, studying the changes in his opponent. Ron was no longer the same child from the temple; he had become slightly more muscular, and the crimson scales only on the outer part of his arms indicated increasing control over his salamander.
