Chapter 62- Asserting Dominance

"No sir, I said next victim... I mean challenger."

"Your next challenge doesn't have to be until next week, perhaps we should wait until after the ranked games..."

"To my understanding that's to make sure the challenged is fully prepared for the challenger. I'm prepared so bring out the next."

He pauses as he realizes that I speak the truth, and I can feel his mana flash with defiance.

I stop him before he does or says anything.

"Stalling is for the challenged not the challenger. Are you prepared for the consequences of disobeying your traditions?"

He sneers, then turns to the slowly retreating crowd, "Mr. Eric is ready for the next who challenged him."

The crowd pauses as they realized they read the situation wrong and the teacher was not going to win the banter against me and they would potentially be witnessing another torture.

A guy nervously steps to the platform, not so confident of his victory.

The teacher speaks up, "It is not necessary for you guys to remain as I only need to witness this fight. Head to your next class students."

As they turn around to rush to leave the guy to his fate but I shout,

"My condition is that all who witnessed the first fight must be present for this one."

Everyone pauses, horror on their faces as they process what I've requested.

"Mr. Eric you're being mad, you can't expect to make them stay to witness this."

"Its well within my right and it has to be unreasonable to decline my condition. They were so eager to watch the first fight, nothing has changed."

He sighs, "What's your condition?"

"He's not allowed to use whatever magic that was in his last fight."

"I agree to those terms." I respond immediately which shocks both of them.

I walk to my spot in the platform, pulling out my daggers holding them to my side as I prepare for his attack.

Unlike with the shadow spells that I could fight from a safe distance, if I wanted to maintain this overwhelming dominance, I had to fight more carefully with the daggers.

I activate the skill In the Zone, and the information from Pith Orientation becomes more clearer.

The mana in the crowd tells me they're anxious about what Ill do to him.

His mana is practically screaming that he doesn't want to fight me right now.

The teacher nervously says, "Begin."

He slowly approaches, each step even more careful than the next while his sword shakes in his hand.

I activate Blessing of the Fox and Enhanced Movement for good measure, while casting Curse of the Manatee on him.

I sense a change in his attitude, as he gains a burst of confidence.

He starts running towards me, trying to close the gap between us as he raises his sword and tries to bring it down on me.

The moment I sensed his change, I was expecting anything from him, but this was well within expectations.

He was already slow, but the curse made him appear to be moving in slow motion.

He brings his sword down in a fluid motion and it passes through my right shoulder, which brings a smile to his face.

Laughing he says, "I had a feeling that you were trying to make it seem like you were anything without that magic. Stop pretending like you so bad ass when your just garbage without it."

The image of me fades along with his smile as I smugly respond, "You're talking a lot of shit for someone missing their sword. And hand."

His eyes go wide as he holds up his stump of a right arm and starts to panic.

Taking advantage of his panicked state, I rush forward to press my attack.

Seeing that I'm charging him, all he can do is fall backwards on the ground.

Reaching him, I bring my right dagger up to slash down on him and he holds his other hand up to defend himself.

I bring the blade down, cutting his other arm off which falls useless on him and sends a spray of blood.

Those who were watching shellshocked on the front row, get splattered with blood causing screams amongst the crowd.

At the loss of both his limbs, the guy is just wailing on the ground, thrashing back and forth, but I step on him to keep him in place as I sheath both of my daggers.

Picking up his stump of an arm, I proceed to punch him repeatedly with his own hand.

Members of the crowd can't bear to continue to watch the fight and avert their gaze.

The teacher shouts, "That's enough Eric!"

I pause my next punch and look to see a bloodied face gurgling blood and I drop his hand on him.

I step back, as the entire combat grounds are silent.

The teacher breaks the silence by saying, "Get him to the infirmary immediately."

Two people cautiously enter the challenging platform grabbing the student and his dismembered hands before running off.

The teacher approaches me, "You're taking this too far Mr. Eric. You've warned me of consequences, but do you understand them for what you've done as well?"

"Let me guess, those two idiots belonged to some well-known family and by doing this I've angered them right?

Well, that's the problem with challenges, they don't have a valid reason to have any resentment as this was a formal challenge according to your traditions and as the loser of said challenge, them or any relatives can't retaliate.

That being said, I think I have enough time for one more."

He looks at me, "You're not done yet? I think you've proven your point Mr. Eric. Just call it a day with the challenges."

"You might not sense it, but I can still taste hope among these ants and it's disgusting.

They need to know what true power looks like, and the despair of being so weak.

So, next challenger."

As I rant, his face grows more and more horrified.

"Who made you like this?"

"The Wendigo."

He looks confused but turns and shouts, "I'm sure the next person to challenge him is here, right?"

A brown-haired girl walks nervously onto the platform.

"My condition is that all who witnessed the first and second fights must stay for this one."

The audience who feared I was going to request this again, start to whimper.

The teacher turns to the girl, "Any conditions?"

"I'm sure I'll fare better than those two as I'm in Class B and there's no way he'll hurt a girl like that."

The crowd mood improves as they hear the logic in her words and realize that she's the one who could stop my rampage.

"If there are no other conditions, be prepared to start."

I walk to my usual spot and once again put my hands in my pockets.

She summons her staff, watching me intently as she prepares herself for anything I might try.

The teacher yells out, " Begin!"

As she begins to raise her staff to let off the first spell, I shout, "Wait!"

Shocking her as she actually stops the spell she's casting.

"What?" She demands.

" I've grown bored of you weaklings, so let's wrap things up.

I want you to hit me with your best spell.

If it hurts me at all, I'll admit defeat and you get whatever it is you're getting from this challenge.

But, if I stand without a single scratch, I'll hit you with my best spell, whether it kills you or not.

Otherwise, I won't hesitate to treat you like the other two and beat you senseless."

Hearing my offer, she looks uncertain as to what to do and looks to the crowd for answers.

The crowd is no help as they shout different things, confusing her more.

After a few seconds, she turns to me frustrated and says, "Why should I take that deal, you're just going to dodge anyway."

"I swear on my ears that your spell will hit."

It seems like my bluff works and convinces her to accept the deal.

I can see her mana flowing, as she raises her staff and mana continues through her to the staff.

Behind the crowd, I summon a clone who remains unnoticed as everyone focuses on what shes doing.

Completing the mana flow, a fireball the size of a basketball forms at the end of her staff which she aims at me.

"You'll regret giving me this chance. Burn along with your arrogance."

She hurls the fireball my way, laughing manically as she does so.

At the last second, I swap places with my clone, who takes the hit for me in an explosion of smoke and flames.

Before the clone can disperse, I swap back with it.

The crowd begins to cheer, as they see the spell connect and their mood improves even more as they think I got what I deserved.

The smoke begins to clear, and she stops laughing as my figure begins to come into focus.

She stops laughing entirely as she sees not a single wrinkle on my uniform.

I pretend to brush off the dust on my uniform, "Was that your best?"