Chapter 227 - 226 : Handicap
The Celestias Academy Training Grounds had never been this crowded before.
The massive circular arena was overflowing with students.
Every seat had been occupied long before sunrise.
The first years had come to watch one of their own challenge a third-year monster.
The second years wanted to witness the arrogance of the infamous Arthur.
The third years had gathered simply because no one believed the duel would last longer than a few seconds.
Even dozens of professors and academy staff stood around the edges of the stadium, watching with interest.
The entire academy had gathered.
Some students laughed as they discussed how Arthur would be humiliated.
Others argued that someone as crazy as Arthur surely had a hidden trump card.
Several betting circles had even formed around the arena, with Layla’s victory being the overwhelming favorite.
The atmosphere buzzed with excitement.
Near the very front row sat four familiar faces.
Julia.
Evangeline.
Isabella.
Aaron.
All four quietly watched the battlefield while waiting for the duel to begin.
Isabella folded her arms before letting out a sigh.
"I still don’t understand why he’s doing all this. Arthur isn’t the type to do something unless it benefits him."
Julia nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. He’s the kind of person who wouldn’t care whether our academy wins or loses the Inter Academy Competition."
Evangeline remained silent for several seconds before finally speaking.
"I think both of you are right. If I’m correct... and this may sound like an exaggeration... but I think Arthur made some kind of deal with the Headmistress. That’s the only reason I can think of for why he’s putting in this much effort."
The moment those words left her mouth...
Julia’s eyes widened.
Isabella blinked in surprise.
Even Aaron looked shocked.
Isabella scratched her cheek.
"Oh, come on. The last time I saw those two together, they looked like they were ready to tear each other apart. It can’t be that... right?"
Julia lowered her head in thought.
After several seconds, she slowly nodded.
"No... I actually think Evangeline is right. That explains why he suddenly came back... and why he’s causing all this ruckus."
Before either of them could continue...
Aaron leaned forward with an annoyed expression.
"Oh, come on, you guys. You just don’t understand Brother Arthur. Can’t you see? He’s putting in all this effort because he wants to. He doesn’t want all of us to lose. You guys don’t know him like I do."
...
Silence.
Three pairs of eyes slowly turned toward him.
Evangeline.
Julia.
Isabella.
All three looked at him with identical expressions of pity.
Isabella slowly placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder before dramatically wiping away an imaginary tear.
"Wow... this poor guy got brainwashed by Arthur. Even after everything Arthur put us through."
Julia nodded sympathetically.
"So tragic."
Evangeline sighed dramatically.
"I don’t think he can be saved anymore."
Aaron’s face immediately turned bright red.
"I’m not brainwashed, okay?! You guys are just terrible friends!"
The three girls burst into laughter.
Still smiling, Evangeline suddenly looked around.
"By the way... where’s Aiden?"
Aaron shrugged.
"He said he had something to take care of. But he’ll definitely make it before the duel starts."
Suddenly...
A cold voice sounded beside them.
"Move."
Everyone instinctively turned.
One of the first-year students occupying the nearby seats frowned.
"Who the hell are y—"
His voice abruptly stopped.
His expression instantly turned pale.
Standing behind the speaker was an entire group.
Victor Blackthorn stood at the front with his usual cold expression.
Beside him stood Arina with her arms folded across her chest.
Jasmine stood quietly next to her with a serious expression.
Liana silently remained behind everyone else.
Damian lazily stretched his arms while Diana clung tightly to one of them.
The first year’s lips trembled.
"C-Crap... it’s Victor... and all the first-year rankers..."
Without wasting another second...
He and every one of his friends immediately vacated their seats.
Damian looked at Victor before sighing.
"You know... you could’ve asked them politely. Look, you scared those poor guys away."
Victor’s eyebrow twitched.
"Then why are you still sitting here? Get lost already before I break that ugly mug of yours."
Damian’s mouth twitched.
"Oh? You wanna have a go, hotshot?"
Victor slowly smiled.
A dangerous aura began leaking from his body.
"Then let’s do it. Right here... right now—"
Smack!
Smack!
Two loud smacks echoed simultaneously.
Victor and Damian both grabbed the backs of their heads.
"Ow!"
Jasmine glared at the two troublemakers.
"Knock it off, both of you. You’re disturbing everyone."
Without missing a beat...
Victor and Damian immediately pointed at each other.
"He started it!"
"No, he started it!"
Evangeline couldn’t hold it anymore.
She burst into laughter.
"What a bunch of weirdos. What are you guys? Comedians?"
Diana glared at her.
"We’ll find out pretty soon who the real jokers are... when that bastard Arthur gets beaten today."
Evangeline smiled calmly.
"Then you’d better pray he doesn’t win. Because if he does... all of you should prepare yourselves for getting tortured."
Diana’s face visibly stiffened.
She subconsciously swallowed before taking one step backward.
Isabella smirked after noticing it.
"And let me tell you one more thing. That lunatic named Arthur doesn’t fight battles he can’t win."
Before Diana could reply...
Liana calmly interrupted.
"You people can talk all you want... but it’s also true that Miss Layla doesn’t fight battles she can’t win either. She’s a third year at that. It’ll be quite fun watching her crush Arthur like a bug."
Julia slowly smiled.
"Maybe. Whether Arthur wins or loses is up to him. But I can crush you like the weakling you are right now if you want."
Liana’s hand immediately rested on the hilt of her sword.
"Say that one more time and—"
"Enough."
Arina’s calm voice instantly cut through the rising tension.
"All of you be quiet. It’s starting."
Every eye immediately shifted toward the arena.
...
Two figures slowly entered the enormous training ground.
Arthur.
Layla.
Arthur wore a traditional black martial arts uniform.
The loose sleeves swayed gently with every step while the neatly tied black belt around his waist gave him the appearance of an experienced martial artist.
Simple.
Elegant.
Intimidating.
Layla, on the other hand, wore a sleek navy-blue combat sports suit that perfectly hugged her athletic figure.
The flexible outfit left parts of her shoulders and toned arms exposed, allowing complete freedom of movement.
The moment she stepped into the arena...
The male students erupted.
"MISS LAYLA!!"
"YOU CAN DO THIS!!"
"BEAT HIM!!"
"SHOW THAT ARROGANT FIRST YEAR HIS PLACE!!"
Arthur received an entirely different welcome.
"GET DESTROYED, ARTHUR!!"
"YOU’RE DEAD!"
"STOP ACTING SO ARROGANT!"
"MISS LAYLA, CRUSH HIM!!"
Meanwhile...
Many of the female students reacted differently.
"So handsome..."
"I hope she doesn’t hit his face..."
"Please don’t ruin that handsome face..."
"I almost feel bad for him..."
Arthur slowly looked around the deafening stadium before sighing.
"Wow... so much noise."
Then he casually spoke in his mind.
’System. Remember every single bastard who’s cursing at me.’
[ Of course, Host. ]
Arthur smiled faintly.
’Good.’
Both contestants finally stopped at the center of the battlefield.
Just then...
A graceful figure slowly walked toward them.
Athena Emberfall.
The Headmistress herself.
The entire stadium instantly became silent.
Even many professors looked surprised.
No one had expected the Headmistress to personally oversee the duel.
Athena looked at Arthur and Layla before smiling.
"Are both of you ready?"
Arthur and Layla glanced at each other.
Then both nodded.
Athena casually flicked one finger.
Buzz—
Space distorted.
A massive transparent subspace barrier instantly expanded around the battlefield, sealing both contestants inside.
Its overwhelming pressure caused countless students to gasp.
Athena looked at both fighters.
"Now both of you may fight to your heart’s content. The moment one of you dies, you will immediately be transported outside this subspace. So... there’s absolutely no need to hold back."
She smiled warmly.
"Good luck to both of you."
The next moment...
She disappeared from the battlefield.
Silence once again filled the arena.
Arthur slowly lowered his body into a traditional martial arts stance.
One foot forward.
One behind.
Hands raised.
Balanced.
Steady.
Layla mirrored him almost perfectly.
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
’She’s a martial artist too...?’
He smiled.
"Miss Layla... so you specialize in martial arts."
Layla smiled back.
"I specialize in everything. But since you’re my junior, and considering the huge difference between our ranks, I thought it would be unfair otherwise. So today... I’ll fight using only martial arts."
Arthur chuckled.
"Is that so? Then let me give you an advantage as well. I’ll give you three moves. Defeat me within those three if you can."
Layla raised an eyebrow.
"Wow... you seem pretty confident."
Arthur scratched his cheek.
"Well... my master would kill me if she found out I lost to some nobody martial artist. So I’ll have to show a little dominance."
Layla’s eye twitched.
"...Who exactly are you calling a nobody?"
Arthur pointed directly at her.
"You, of course."
Her smile instantly became dangerous.
"Fine. I’ll gladly accept your offer, Junior."
A holographic countdown suddenly materialized between them.
10...
9...
8...
The entire stadium held its breath.
No one dared speak.
3...
2...
1...
0.
The instant the timer reached zero...
Layla moved.
She almost vanished from Arthur’s vampiric vision.
For a split second...
Even he completely lost sight of her.
His pupils instantly contracted.
’Fast...!’
Then—
Bam!
A devastating punch buried itself directly into Arthur’s midsection.
The impact was so powerful that Arthur’s body nearly folded in half.
A violent shockwave exploded across the battlefield.
Arthur flew backward like a rag doll before crashing heavily into the arena floor.
Boom!!
Dust exploded everywhere.
Silence.
The entire stadium froze.
For one full second...
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Then...
The crowd exploded.
"LAYLA!!"
"LAYLA!!"
"LAYLA!!"
"MISS LAYLA!!"
The cheers shook the entire academy.
Liana and Diana burst into laughter.
Looking toward Julia’s group, Diana smirked.
"What happened? I thought you people said he doesn’t fight battles he can’t win."
Victor stood up from his seat.
"What a waste... and here I thought he was different."
He turned around to leave.
Suddenly...
Damian grabbed his wrist.
"Sit down."
Victor frowned.
"What?"
Damian kept staring at the battlefield.
"It’s not over."
Victor.
Diana.
Liana.
All three slowly looked back toward the arena.
Their eyes widened.
Arthur calmly stood back up.
He casually brushed the dust off his martial arts uniform as though nothing had happened.
Julia burst into laughter.
"You seriously thought he’d lose from one punch? You guys clearly don’t know what Miss Yuna has put him through. Compared to her... this was practically a warm-up."
She pointed toward Layla.
"Look at her."
Everyone instinctively shifted their gaze.
Layla wasn’t looking at Arthur.
She was staring at her own fist.
Her brows slowly knitted together.
Under her breath, she muttered,
"What the hell... it felt like I punched a concrete wall instead of a human..."
Arthur rolled his shoulders before calmly looking at her.
"That was your first move."
He slowly raised his guard once more.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"Two more remain."
He beckoned toward her with one hand.
"Come at me."