Painting A Target On His Back

As the dust settled on the dueling ground, the arena's buzzing energy was replaced by an eerie silence.

Cruzer stood tall, his Abyssal Shardblade sheathed at his side, casting a long shadow across the battleground where he had just claimed his decisive victory over Vinn, a prominent member of the Silver Serpents.

The usual crowd of onlookers, mostly students from the middle school division, had come to watch what they expected would be an easy win for one of their own. But they had been wrong.

The Silver Serpents, who usually dominated the academy's hierarchy, now found themselves embarrassed.

The whispers in the stands grew louder, but the tension was palpable—nobody wanted to speak too boldly. Not with Cruzer standing in full view.

"He slapped the face of the Serpents…" a girl from the audience murmured to her friend, keeping her voice just loud enough to be heard by those nearby. "Do you think they'll just let that go?"