Blackmail

'Alisha will definitely use this against me,' thought Arthur, stroking his chin while maintaining a meaningful expression.

As far as he was aware, she knew of his vulnerability… Lily.

Arthur hadn't done much to conceal his loved ones once they arrived in Arcadia. He was aware they could be placed in danger if he antagonized other, larger forces. He was aware of the monoliths residing in the shadows.

But he also knew his parents and Lily weren't in mortal danger.

He simply wanted to preserve their reputation. Their safety was assured the moment he entered the cafe with Professor Noxickle.

To prevent things from getting out of hand, Arthur would still have to reduce contact with his family and… consider Alisha's demands. However, for the long term, if his family didn't get tangled in this mess, they would emerge unscathed.

The same couldn't be said for him and Henry Noxickle, though.

He was preventing Arnold and Jeremy's deaths from affecting him using Melzer, but he wasn't sure how long that would hold up, either. Melzer may have been an Elite Ranker in the past, but he was much weaker now.

Also, after resigning from Arcadia Academy, his influence in politics had practically vanished.

'Such turmoil before I even entered Heaven's Spire,' thought Arthur, letting out a bitter chuckle. At this rate, it would take quite a long time before he began his journey up the steep slope of revenge.

But that was all well and good.

Unlike his past life, he couldn't rush matters. Even if it took a century, he would crawl back to the Demons and Angels like a pest they had never seen before. Then, he would evolve into something much more dangerous.

'That Jake guy…' thought Arthur. 'He wasn't bad. Although a bit on the annoying side, he was quite powerful in his own right.'

Although, the crimson-eyed man didn't think Jake would even think to associate with the person who sliced his ear. But his expression before he fainted… his face pale, and his breath seemed to have stopped.

'He was scared… but of what?'

Recalling the scene, Arthur couldn't help but be curious. Jake's eyes widened, and then they lost their luster. He was scared shitless. But there wasn't anything to be scared of. Arthur's appearance couldn't be that hideous, right?

Many people praised him for his handsome appearance…

For now, Arthur simply pushed the matter to the back of his mind.

A few minutes passed, and the announcer stepped up. He apologized for the wait before initiating the next battle.

Arthur observed the styles of different combatants, imprinting their every move and thought in his mind. He seemed like a stalker at that moment. However, observation was the very first prerequisite of victory.

Many examinees were quite powerful, but Arthur believed they would easily succumb to his strength. Despite only having trained for a month, Arthur had achieved his first constitution, merged a useless skill with his inherent one, and refined his sword techniques.

A few hours passed, and the sun began to set. It seemed the exam could continue until morning.

Finally, the announcer stepped up.

"The next battle is between… Alisha Mason Ainsworth and Arthur Solace."

The crowd broke out into divided opinions. They cheered for Alisha, while condemning Arthur for being her opponent.

Arthur sped across the crowd before leaping onto the arena in a rather grandiose fashion. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the rounds of insults and condemnation began, yet it posed no backlash.

He ignored them all and focused on the entrance through which Alisha was supposed to emerge.

He could already imagine her vicious smile.

Although he was immune to the potential tactics she would most definitely employ, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness. His backer was one of the spies of the Jester Organization and a fairly strong combatant.

However, Alisha had the backing of the Ainsworth family. Moreover, she was of their direct line.

Unlike Jake, who was the tenth son, Alisha was quite high in terms of hierarchy, considering the head of the Ainsworth family only stepped up a couple of decades ago. It was not a vast timeframe.

'If I harm her too much, the Ainsworth family might shift their focus to me,' thought Arthur, stroking his chin. 'If that happens, unless I get the entire Jester Organization on my side, I will undoubtedly perish. And they'll know about Lily, mother, and father, too.'

But would they mind if she lost?

The Ainsworth family was quite harsh on their descendants. The current head of the family had his arm amputated when he was young during his days at the Arcadia Academy. If they didn't mind then, would they mind now?

Would Arcadia Academy protect Arthur if they decided to take action?

Considering he would receive a scholarship if he achieved first place, he would become Arcadia Academy's most prized possession. Would they assist him if the Ainsworth family decided to pursue the matter?

'Well, it won't matter if she's plenty strong,' thought Arthur. 'I'll decide once I actually fight her.'

After making him wait for a few more seconds, Alisha stepped on to the battlefield with a rather stoic expression. Her demeanor wasn't what Arthur had pictured. Instead, the aura she exuded was solemn.

Arthur narrowed his eyes, yet the sense of nervousness didn't dissipate.

'Did something… happen?'

Her cyan hair fluttered in the wind, shimmering as the orange light of dusk fell upon it. Dressed in tight clothing suited for battle, her curves were displayed quite clearly.

In her hand was a silver rapier, and on her forehead was a striped, white headband.

Her footsteps were soft, and she walked with grace. Jamie cheered for her from the stands, and her solemn facade crumbled for a split second. She revealed a faint, mesmerizing smile before reverting to her original state.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she approached Arthur.

Her lips twitched, and Arthur paid attention to everything. He was waiting for the opportunity to strike, since the announcer had already announced the initiation of the battle.

Alisha's steps never wavered.

When she reached within arm's length of Arthur, she revealed a gentle, beautiful smile.

"Would you… like to watch your mother be defiled?"