“Okay, students, now we are going to have a little sparring,” Alaric announced as he looked at the students, his eyes lingering on Victor, who had an air of nonchalance.
Everyone nodded and followed Alaric, their footsteps echoing in the spacious corridor.
Victor walked alone, his isolation a stark contrast to the groups of friends chatting excitedly around him. His aloof demeanour made him quite unapproachable.
However,
Gulp
Victor gulped inwardly and wondered why Selene was staring at him as if she were seeing through his disguise., ‘What’s wrong with her?’ he thought, feeling a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. Her penetrating gaze made him uneasy as if she knew more about him than she should.
Soon, they arrived at the common training hall for the students, which looked more like a stadium than a hall, with high ceilings and bleachers surrounding the sparring platforms.
Alaric paired the group and asked them to show their skills as he sat down on a nearby chair….. He glanced at Victor one last time.
“Never thought we would be paired,” Aqualina mumbled, her voice tinged with surprise and annoyance.
“Yeah,” Aria nodded, staring at Aqualina, who stared back.
“Did you talk to Kai?” Aqualina asked with a frown. She had hoped that mentioning Aether, the Eternal slave, would make Aria back off. But to her surprise, Aria’s smile widened as if to say, ‘That’s perfect!’
“Not yet…” Aria answered, her expression determined, as if she would do anything to buy Aether for herself. Her eyes gleamed with ambition, and it was clear she was not easily deterred.
Aqualina gritted her teeth. Even though she had given up that ‘thing’ for Aether, she still felt her love for Aether was less intense than Aria’s, which only irked her more.
‘Fuck that Elven bitch!!’ Aqualina thought, her teeth grinding in frustration.
Meanwhile,
“….” Selene stared at Victor’s neck as if trying to see something invisible to others. Her intense gaze was unnerving, and Victor could feel the weight of her scrutiny.
“Sel? What are you doing?” Lia asked in a hushed voice when she saw Selene staring… no, glaring at Victor.
“Nothing, just research,” Selene replied vaguely, making Lia frown even more. Lia also looked at Victor’s back, squinting her eyes as if she knew something but….. She shrugged, knowing there was no way.
Victor felt the intense scrutiny from Selene, making him sweat bullets. He managed to calm himself and looked at his partner, who was none other than… Ashara Nightfire.
“Hello, my name is Ashara,” Ashara introduced herself with a confident smile.
Victor glanced at her and nodded, not saying anything more. She pouted and pinched Victor’s hip, making him glare at her.
“I am sorry!!” Ashara immediately stepped back, her eyes wide with fear.
‘Sigh’ Victor sighed inwardly, knowing he needed to keep his act together, or it would be disastrous.
Alaric then called out, “Victor and Ashara Nightfire.”
Both nodded and stepped onto the platform. The students around them murmured with excitement, eager to see the Principal’s disciple in action.
“Beasts are not allowed,” Alaric warned, pointing at the snowflake on Aether’s neck.
Aether gently asked Snowflake to step down, and the little creature nodded in understanding before jumping off Victor’s shoulder.
“!!!”
The nearby students initially recoiled, but seeing Snowflake’s cute body with big eyes staring at Victor with affection, their hearts melted, struck by the creature’s adorable appearance.
Meanwhile,
Alaric frowned saying, “I know the Principal said she wants to keep your identity hidden and none of us are pressured to reveal it, but then….” Alaric smiled provocatively and added, “Are you scared of showing your face?”
Alaric was going through a tough situation with his wife and seeing a young man living with his first love filled him with rage…. He couldn’t bear to watch his beloved with another man, even though he had no chance with her himself. His jealousy and frustration were palpable, fueling his desire to humiliate Victor.
‘FUCK YOU!!’ he screamed inwardly.
“….” Victor frowned, his mind racing. ‘This fucker, he’s just like that annoying teacher…’ he thought. His lips curled into a smile as he said, “I heard you’re getting a divorce. Must be tough, divorcing such a beautiful wife….” He glanced at Aria, who frowned at Victor, “What could be the reason?…. hmm?… Something personal?”
Veins popped on Alaric’s forehead, his fury barely contained. The tension between them was electric, and everyone could feel it.
Victor’s lips curled even more, ready to torment Alaric further when Alaric shouted, “Begin!!”
Victor chuckled, shifting his focus to Ashara, who was staring at him with her raspberry-coloured eyes. A strange sensation entered his body, and his mind suddenly went blank like a toy being switched off.
“Hehe…” Ashara giggled.
“That’s all?”
“I thought he would be able to at least resist her mind-controlling power.”
“Looks like this guy is mentally weak.”
“Snort! What do you expect from a coward like him?”
The chatters and murmurs filled the hall as their expectations of Victor were shattered. The students’ voices were a cacophony of disappointment and surprise.
Alaric smiled, “Looks like you only talk….”
Ashara smiled, seeing her hypnotism take effect. She said, “Leave now!”
Victor’s body flinched, but he didn’t move an inch.
Frowning, Ashara’s raspberry eyes shined as she said seductively, “Move now~” Her soothing voice almost mesmerized others.
…. Still, Victor stood there, unmoving.
‘Is my power not working?’ Ashara thought, confusion evident on her face. She was sure she had hypnotized him, but he did not obey her. ‘Is he resisting me?’ she wondered. Others around her thought the same.
If Aqualina knew it was Aether, she would understand. As an eternal slave, Aether’s whole body and mind were under Kai’s control, making him resistant to Ashara’s powers.
Then why was he standing there blankly?
Because this was his first time encountering hypnotism, and his brain short circuit was so unless a strong force hit him, his brain would stay silent like the dead.
Ashara didn’t understand what was happening. She pointed her hand, conjuring black flames that danced around her fingers.
‘Good,’ Alaric nodded, impressed by her control. She shot the flames towards Victor.
Ssssssshhhhhhh
Thalia sighed, unable to believe Victor was taken out so easily.
The flames roared through the air, crackling with malevolent energy, aimed directly at Victor’s chest.
BOOMMMMM!!!!
The explosion rocked the platform, and smoke billowed around Victor. While everyone expected Victor to be blown away, instead,
“Damn man… Crack, Crack,” Victor cracked his neck, looking annoyed. His mind had gone blank for a few seconds before something hit his body, waking him up.
The students gasped, their disbelief palpable. “H-How in the world?” Ashara’s eyes widened in shock. Her powerful strike should have been enough to blow away a Level 12 person, yet….
“There is no need to think too much. My level just increased a few times,” Victor said nonchalantly, making everyone flinch, ‘A few times?’ they thought, horrified.
What he said was true! After dealing with that demon…. Aether’s Level was currently 17.
Before Ashara knew it, Victor appeared before her, moving with a speed that left the onlookers breathless. His movements were fluid and precise, a testament to his yesterday training and skill.
Flick
“Nnnggg!!!” Ashara grabbed her nose with a pained expression when Victor flicked it. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her, and she staggered back, clutching her face.
Victor grinned, his confidence unshaken. Ashara’s lips twitched, her eyes shining again, trying to hypnotize him. But then,
“No, no, sweetie~” Victor grinned before snapping his fingers, causing a humongous ice ball to appear above them. The ice ball glimmered ominously, casting a chilling shadow over the arena.
Even Alaric was taken back… There was no need for Victor to hold back anymore!… he was free to do anything!
Ashara’s eyes widened in surprise, “I give up!!” she shouted, her voice tinged with panic.
She knew she was outmatched and didn’t want to risk the further humiliation of hypnotised power.
“Good girl!” Victor nodded with a smile, patting her head. “You almost got me there. For that… my name is Victor, Ms. Ashara Nightfire!”
Victor needed a friend…
[+1 Affection]
Ashara blinked a few times, smiling with amusement.
She found him unique and different….. Suddenly, she averted her eyes and ran away, her heart pounding from the adrenaline and the unexpected turn of events.
“Hmm?”
Victor blinked a few times, not understanding why she was running away. But then,
“Mr. Victor… please change your attire!” Alaric said with an awkward face. Victor flinched, looking down to see his clothes were burned away, leaving only his underwear.
The girls who saw this blushed and lowered their gazes. Even though Victor was embarrassed, he maintained his arrogant attitude as he walked off the platform confidently. His poise and demeanour only added to his enigmatic charm.
Meanwhile, Selene stared at Victor with even more curiosity, her lips curling up, ‘Looks like he’s playing around without me…’ she thought…. Her expression turned dark as Even Lia flinched seeing her expression, ‘What the heck!!’