In the Training Arena.

It was a spacious room with a sparring ground in the middle, while seats surrounded it for students to watch.

Though right now, they were mostly empty since it was already past school time.

Seraphina and Eliana sat at the audience seats. There were some students who got interested and came to watch the spar, but in small numbers.

Amon stood at one side of the arena, while opposite to him was a violet-haired boy holding a crimson spear in his hand.

Adelia was at another corner, in the middle of the sparring floor, keeping an eye on them—ready to interfere if needed.

Amon exhaled and summoned his sword in his right hand while the hatchet appeared in his left.

His lips curved into a smile.

Meanwhile, Seraphina said worriedly, "Will he be okay? I mean... he might hold against Marcus if he was at Awakened rank... but now he's at Mana Initiate rank."

"I don't know... it's as if Amon didn't know it. He didn't even listen to us," Eliana said with a smile—but not a mischievous one, rather a worried one.

They knew it. Amon was going to get messed up.

"Wait... isn't that Marcus? I heard he recently broke through to Mana Initiate rank."

"Yes, I heard that as well. But who is that kid? He looks weak... can he handle Marcus?" Just like Seraphina and Eliana, the other students also chatted about Marcus's power.

The room was not too crowded, and Amon was able to hear.

He froze. He blinked his eyes a few times.

'What!'

"What do you mean?" He turned his face toward Seraphina's side.

He pointed his hatchet in Marcus's direction.

"You mean that bastard is at Mana Initiate rank?" His voice was filled with panic. He couldn't believe what they were saying. No one had tried to tell him that Marcus was now Mana Initiate rank.

Seraphina stiffened and then sighed. "I tried to... but you never listen." Her voice was calm but tired.

Amon looked at Marcus with trembling eyes.

"You... you really broke through... when?" Amon asked. He had been back at the academy for more than a week now, yet he was only learning this now.

Amon gulped down his saliva visibly.

Marcus's grin widened.

"Huhuhu," he laughed like a third-rate young master villain. He also look like one

"It's been already a week... now don't go back on your words, Amon," Marcus said with pride and arrogance. He was really enjoying this. Now he could trample this human, this commoner. He will show what Marcus actually is.

Adelia looked at Amon with worry.

"Amon, if you don't want to, you can just step back. No need to go that far," Adelia said softly.

Her yellow eyes were warm. There was worry. Amon can see it.

'She really is kind.' Amon thought.

She was a professor. Of course, she wouldn't want her students to get injured over some useless argument.

She could clearly see it—they weren't fighting to gain experience or practice. Rather, they had their own weird reasons.

'What should I do? He'll beat the shit out of me... but... a thousand gold coins... I can't let them go.' Amon thought deeply.

There should be a way. He wasn't a fool to get into a fight like some idiot protagonist trying to become stronger.

Then Amon's eyes lit up.

'There is a way... yes, fuck! There's actually a way to handle this situation,' Amon's brain actually worked.

"Hehehe~" He started laughing sweetly, in a melodic tone.

Everyone looked at Amon in confusion. Even Marcus stopped grinning, wondering why this madman was laughing again.

Then his laughter slowly ceased.

"It's alright, Professor Adelia. Do not worry. This Amon Vale never goes back from challenges like this." Amon's expression had changed into that of seriousness. His voice sounded like that of a disciplined warrior.

His dark eyes were full of resolve and confidence.

Now this made the others feel even more weird.

Seraphina and Eliana glanced at each other. They both couldn't understand why Amon suddenly started acting like this.

"Listen, Marcus. Don't go back on your words. We have a deal. In return for sparring with you, I will get one thousand gold coins from you," Amon said. His eyes never left Marcus.

"Hmph... I am Marcus Lionheart. I don't take my words back. As I agreed, I will give you one thousand gold coins once our battle is over. Everyone here is a witness." Marcus's loud voice resounded throughout the arena hall.

Amon smirked. "Good."

His grip tightened on his weapons.

Marcus also got into his fighting stance with his spear.

He gripped the crimson spear horizontally, the blade's tip pointed at Amon.

Adelia sighed tiredly.

"Alright. Amon and Marcus will have a friendly battle here. The one who is unable to fight any longer or surrenders first will lose," Adelia said, her voice echoing.

The small number of students, including Seraphina and Eliana, locked their eyes on the arena.

Some of them were excited to watch the battle between a top-ranking student and a nobody.

"Start!"

Marcus kicked off the ground with a loud thud.

Thud!

He dashed at Amon's direction with blinding speed, ready to thrust his spear with all his strength.

Amon, who could barely see Marcus coming at him, moved his left hand with all his strength. It was instinct—telling him to react even when he couldn't follow Marcus.

The hatchet left his grip as it started to spin straight. The curved blade moved through the air, tearing it apart with a whistling sound.

Swish! Swish!

A silver line formed. The trajectory perfectly aligned with the incoming Marcus.

Marcus narrowed his eyes. He gripped the spear tightly and swung it horizontally.

Steel met steel.

Sparks flew around. The hatchet changed its direction to the right side of Marcus.

Marcus didn't stop there. He was already upon Amon.

Amon's sword blade met Marcus's spear.

He locked his dark eyes with a pair of purple eyes and grinned widely.

"Not bad, commoner... but I was just warming up."

Heat started to rise around Marcus.

The mana surrounding his spear's blade started to change—turning red, turning hot.

It took the form of fire.

Amon could feel the heat from close range.

'Shit! Bastard,' Amon cursed.

Marcus's physical strength was overwhelming him—and this fire, so hot.

But Amon could tell—Marcus was holding back. He was looking down on Amon, thinking he was weak. Which he actually was.

But that only made Amon more happy.

'Think of me as weak, as much as possible!'

Amon's grin widened even more.

His eyes glinted darkly.

Marcus, who was about to push forward, suddenly felt his instincts screaming at him.

He could hear a familiar sound coming from behind.

Marcus didn't think twice and ducked.

His blade left the sword's touch.

In the same position, Marcus kicked off his leg backward.

He stepped away from Amon in the same bent pose.

Swish!

Everything happened too fast.

He barely avoided the hatchet blade tearing at his back.

The hatchet spun back in the same way it was thrown.

It landed perfectly in the raised left hand of Amon.

Marcus stood straight again, his eyes narrowing.

Amon smirked at him while holding back his sword again.

Yes, before Adelia even announced the battle to start, Amon had already used a small part of his shadow to cover his hatchet.

This time, Marcus didn't stride forward. Rather, he raised his spear.

Heat came into existence as a huge sphere of fire formed at the tip of his spear.

[Fire Ball]

The sphere of fire dashed toward Amon.

Amon also ran in the direction of the sphere.

He bent a little, strengthening his legs with mana.

With one swift movement, he jumped high.

Higher above the sphere.

Again, his left hand threw the hatchet at Marcus from mid-air.

BOOM!

The fire sphere collided against the floor where Amon had been. The floor was not weak enough to break from such attacks.

Meanwhile, the hatchet again spun toward Marcus.

Marcus, just like before, thrust at the hatchet—but this time, he was more cautious.

His movements became even faster. He closed the distance between Amon and himself in seconds.

Amon got no time to swing his sword. His eyes widened in alarm.

Marcus smirked.

The right grip on Amon's hand loosened.

Cling!

The sword fell on the floor as the sound of steel echoed.

Amon raised his hands up. Marcus's eyes widened in shock as the tip of his spear stopped just inches away from Amon's chest.

"I surrender," Amon accepted his defeat.

He surrendered—with a big smile.

Silence.

No one spoke. All of them were in shock.

What had just happened?They can't understand it.

Even Seraphina and Eliana looked shocked. Adelia was no different.

Just when they thought the fight was going to get exciting, this nobody did something out of the box.

That too—with a smile. It was a shameless one.

No shame.

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