Cold Blood

"How dare you ignore me?" 

The Headmaster's thunderous voice reverberated through the arena, causing painful headaches for everyone present and compelling most students to cover their ears. The discomfort was so severe that a few vomited, and some even fainted on the spot.

Ren, bearing the brunt of the Headmaster's wrath, suffered the most. His bones crackled under the strain, and his already battered body, teetering on the edge of collapse, was further tormented by the invisible pressure bearing down on him.

"Is this the best you can do?" Ren uttered in pain as he raised his eyebrows in annoyance. 

Despite being on the verge of collapse, he stubbornly held on. No matter how weak he felt, fainting under the pressure of a fifth-circle mage would be disgraceful to him. Fortunately, Donovan had lost consciousness; otherwise, he would have struggled to keep him under control.