The Fight (2)

Inside the fourth-year training building—

A flurry of footsteps echoed as a kid burst into the classroom, his excitement palpable as he approached another boy slumbering at his desk.

"Hey, Jason! Wake up, dude! You've got to hear this!" He shook the sleeping figure persistently until a disgruntled response emerged.

"Ugh!!! Let me sleep, you bastard!! Fuck off! Don't disturb me! It's enough that I have to stay awake during the theory classes!"

"Bro, trust me, you're going to want to hear this!" Unperturbed by the complaints, the insistent kid continued to jostle Jason.

"Ah, for fuck's sake!!! What is it!!? Did Lamana cheat on me!? No, right!? Then fuck off! And let me fucking sleep! Seriously, one day I might actually strangle you."

"Now, now, don't be like that! Just listen! There's a duel happening between two third-years!"

The one struggling to stay awake was Jason, and the persistent annoyance was none other than Thexan. Both of these kids were eleven years old and were currently in their fourth year of training.

Even though the classroom wasn't empty and other kids were present, none of them raised their voices despite the disruption caused by the duo. It was a period of self-training, and the students were all gathered in their classroom at the moment.

If the two boys had been anyone else, they might have faced a barrage of protests by now. However, none of the other kids dared to challenge the disturbance caused by Jason and Thexan.

The entire class maintained an air of silence, seemingly cautious not to disturb the sleeping Jason. Thexan was the sole exception who seemed undeterred.

"And?" Without even bothering to lift his head from the makeshift pillow he'd formed by crossing his arms on the desk, Jason asked in a groggy tone.

Thexan continued, "The ones going head-to-head in the duel are the human kid who just joined and some other random kid."

Jason's grogginess suddenly dissipated upon hearing this.

"... What was his name again? Jhatu? Jamun? Jaimy? Ah, yes! James!! The kid from the collateral line."

Rising from his slumbering position, Jason revealed a striking appearance—vibrant emerald eyes, brown hair with distinct green highlights—enough to render him one of the most handsome boys around. Leaning back, he fixed his gaze on Thexan.

"Hm? Do I have something on my face?" Thexan inquired, rubbing his right cheek with his fingers as if trying to rid himself of whatever Jason was scrutinizing.

"Dumbass..." Jason muttered as he pushed himself to his feet.

"Huh? HAAH? I'm not a dumbass! Wait, where are you going?" Thexan hurriedly asked, watching his friend rise from his seat.

"Hm? Weren't you the one who just informed me so we could go watch the match? Come on, I think it's going to be interesting. A human kid fighting a dragonborn kid."

"Ah, yes! Let's go!"

Thexan jogged to catch up with his friend. As they neared the classroom door, at the rear of the room, a certain individual shot them an irritated glare.

"Hmph! Just who does he think he is? Just because he's friends with Jason, does he believe he's above us, the direct line descendants? Well, that Jason... just wait until we graduate. Cheh." The disgruntled kid huffed as he immersed himself in his book.

Suddenly, an unsettling chill enveloped him, and he hastily shifted his gaze forward. What met his eyes caused his heart to race. The typically carefree and exuberant Thexan stood before him, his expression tilted and serious.

This was not a situation to be taken lightly.

"If you have something to say, say it directly to my face. Don't whine about it. In this training hall, the strong reign, and you're well aware of that. Got problems? Become stronger than the problem," Thexan declared before forcefully colliding the guy's head with the wall behind him.

Bang.

Though the individual remained conscious, blood trickled from his injured head.

"Tsk, weak bastard..." Thexan muttered as he glanced at the injured boy.

"Thexan, we're running late," Jason's voice called from ahead.

"Yeah!" Thexan responded, making his way toward Jason. "And get him to the infirmary. I don't want to waste my potion," he instructed another student who helped the injured boy to his feet.

"Y-yes!" The flustered boy hastily complied, not wishing to provoke Thexan further.

Despite being the second strongest in the batch, Thexan was often looked down upon due to his low collateral lineage. But none of that mattered to him. He had his best friend, Jason, and that was all he needed—nothing else mattered to him.

"Why did you beat him up?" Jason questioned Thexan as the two of them walked toward the duel venue.

"Hm? That guy is so annoying. He always makes those rude comments, and today he even dragged you into it."

"Do you really want to risk losing your potion that badly? If you don't want it, you know you could always gift it to me," Jason teased.

"Ah? You want the potion? If you want it, you can have it," Thexan responded, sounding surprisingly casual.

Hearing this, Jason came to a halt. "Bro, you can't be like this. Don't trust people so easily. What if I'm just using you?"

"But you're not, right? And I trust only you, so don't worry about it." Thexan lightly punched Jason's arm as he spoke. "By the way, the potion is in my locker back in the dorm room."

"You bastard... I was just kidding. Keep it for yourself. I've got my own. Now, focus on your training for the midterms," Jason replied, his tone in a irritated manner.

"Yeah, yeah," Thexan agreed.

Though Jason appeared somewhat irritated by the potion comment, a faint smile tugged at his lips. Having friends you can trust with your life wasn't such a bad thing after all.

***

"Bro, are you okay?" Samuel approached Auric as Dennis headed back to organize the dueling arena.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Auric replied as he took his seat.

"Alright then... But are you freaking crazy?!?" Samuel's voice rose as he exclaimed, drawing a mix of irritation and confusion from Auric. Auric felt his irritation rise. Why was this guy shouting in his ears?

"Why are you such a trouble magnet? Getting into a fight right in the class and even accepting a duel on your first day!"

"Haaa... I don't even know," Auric replied, acknowledging the recklessness of his actions. Yet, he had no regrets. If the situation repeated itself, he'd be more than willing to give that guy an even worse beating.

"But don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing."

"Ugh... if you say so," Samuel grumbled, conceding defeat in his attempt to inject some common sense into Auric's situation. 'Descendants from the direct line are different after all,' he mused to himself.

*

Now, only ten minutes remained until the duel was set to begin, and both Auric and James were already present at the venue.

Auric's gaze swept across the duel venue, taking in the surroundings. It resembled an arena, featuring a central duel platform and elevated seating similar to Roman duel arenas. The seats were fully occupied, the audience abuzz with anticipation.

'Do duels always garner this much attention?'

Auric's contemplation wasn't entirely off the mark. Generally, duels didn't attract such a massive audience. However, today was an exception. A new trainee had managed to stir up trouble on his very first day and was now standing in the duel arena. To make things even more intriguing, he was a human and the one who had proposed the audacious wager. From the crowd's perspective, Auric was painted as a fool.

Regardless, the event had already captured the attention of everyone present.

The referee, a stern figure with an air of authority, strode purposefully into the arena, his presence commanding the attention of the expectant crowd. His voice projected effortlessly as he called out, "Esteemed Instructors and Trainees, today we have a special duel for your entertainment!"

A hushed excitement swept through the gathered spectators as they leaned forward, eager to witness the upcoming clash.

"Introducing our contenders!" The referee's voice boomed, filling the arena. "In the left corner, we have Auric!" Hearing him, Auric stepped forward with a composed demeanor, his expression resolute.

"In the right corner, we have James!" James, who sauntered into view, a smug grin adorning his face. He exuded an air of arrogance, he is sure that today would be his win. There was seriously no way he would lose to a human.

The two duelists faced each other in the center of the platform, the anticipation building to a palpable tension. The referee's gaze shifted between them.

"Before we commence this duel, I must confirm: Have both parties agreed to the terms of this wager?" His voice held the weight of formality.

Auric's response was a composed nod, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the charged atmosphere.

James, on the other hand, scoffed dismissively, a haughty smile curving his lips. "Of course. I'll be happy to take ownership of his pitiful resources."

The referee's gaze lingered for a moment, acknowledging their consent. "Very well. Let this duel, with its unique stakes, begin!"

*DING!!!!*

[QUEST - Win the Duel!

DESCRIPTION - It appears that someone has dared to look down upon you, causing a wave of mockery to sweep through the training hall. Defeat your opponent decisively and ruthlessly! Failure to do so will result in you enduring mockery and losing all your resources throughout the training period. Show your superiority in the duel, rendering your opponent incapacitated and admitted to the infirmary.

REWARD - 10,000 EXP

SP - 2,000

+5 STR Stat

+5 AGI Stat

+The Constitution of a Battle Warrior

FAILURE - Becoming the laughingstock of the training hall.

-Complete loss of resources for the entire year.

-Disappointment from instructors, grandparents, friends, seniors, and the system.]

"Heh~ now this is going to be interesting." A subtle smirk played on Auric's lips as he shot off like a bolt, ready to fuck that guy up.

*BANG!!!*

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{ A/N - Alright, here's the scoop: Starting from the next chapters, we're going premium. I'm counting on your steadfast support as we venture into this new phase.

Now, for you, Yazukoto, I've introduced your character. However, due to the color scheme of dark hair being reserved for the dark power guy, Jason's got the cool dark brown hair instead. Oh, and don't sweat it about the height and weight; we'll fill those in as the story unfolds. I will upload his illustration tomorrow.

And Huge thanks for everything! Keep those gifts coming - they're a real boost. And more powerstones? You bet, keep 'em coming! Also, keep that interaction going strong - it's the heart and soul of our journey together.

Happy reading, everyone! Let's make this next phase of the story incredible!

- Shiroi }