Back at the academy…
“You! How did you bypass it?” Seti demanded, her eyes fixed on the crimson glowing test ball.
“I didn’t, ma’am. I’m simply stating the truth,” Anon retorted, a fierce smile playing on his lips.
“Don’t lie to me. I’m no fool,” Seti snapped in an angry tone.
“Ma’am, the test is complete. Anon has been proven innocent. I don’t believe you can—”
“I told you, don’t try to lecture me. I know what I can do and what I can’t.”
“Oh, really…?” A deep male voice resonated from behind Seti.
“Yes, and—” Seti began, turning to face the source of the voice, only to find herself locking eyes with an imposing figure—Mr. Kale.
“Well, what were you saying again?” Kale inquired.
“S-Sir Kale, I-I apologize. It’s not what you think,” Seti stammered, quickly falling to her knees and bowing before him.
“SHUT UP! WHY DOES EVERYONE IN THIS DAMN ACADEMY KEEP CHALLENGING THE RULES?” Kale bellowed at Seti, his voice echoing through the room.
“I-I—”
“Don’t say anything. If this kid has been proven innocent, continue the test and meet me in my office after the final examination,” Kale commanded before promptly leaving the testing area.
“Y-Yes, Sir,” Seti replied, her gaze filled with a lethal mix of anger and resentment directed at Letti.
‘This conniving witch knew Mr. Kale was here, yet she escalated the situation to make me appear like the villain. I won’t forget this, Letti, and you too, you commoner piece of shit, Aron.’
“It’s Anon,” Anon corrected, a faint smile gracing his lips.
“What?”
“Never mind. Where is your next candidate?” Anon inquired.
“Next student!” Seti called out sharply.
“Gia, please let me date your brother,” Yumi pleaded, clasping her hands together in front of Gia.
“I don’t know,” Gia responded.
“I’ll show you my homework every day, and I’ll even let you cheat on the theory exams this semester,” Yumi attempted to strike a deal with Gia.
“I can’t, not because I’m possessive of him, but because he’s not the kind of guy who dates someone seriously. My brother is more like a collector,” Gia explained.
“What do you mean by that?” Yumi asked, her curiosity piqued.
“He’ll have mind-blowing sex with you, an experience like you’ve never had before, and then leave you alone for a few days. After a couple of days, he’ll come back, fuck you, use you, and repeat the cycle,” Gia elaborated.
“Wow, your brother sounds like a true bad boy. Another reason for me to desire him even more,” Yumi remarked, her hand resting on her right breast as she looked at Gia with hopes of marrying Anon.
“You’re foolish. Just ask him yourself.”
“Are you kidding me? You’re his sister. He’ll listen to you more than some random girl,” Yumi reasoned.
“Fine, I’ll talk to him,” Gia agreed, rubbing her temples and letting out a small smile.
“Next one!” Seti called out, as another noble student fell before Anon.
“Gia your brother is annihilating those noble kids.” One of the girl on the back spoke.
“Yeah, he’s like a relentless force, obliterating everything in his path,” another girl added, her voice laced with admiration.
One by one, the noble students fell before Anon’s might, their defeat fueling the mounting pressure in the noble section.
“A commoner surpassing us, the nobles?”
“If he claims the top spot in this exam, we’ll be the laughingstock every damn year.”
“How can a mere commoner possess such unfathomable strength?”
“Forget about cheating, he even passed the truth test of the damn test ball.”
Anon’s ears perked up, catching every word with a twisted smile playing upon his lips.
“The time has come to unleash the final phase of my plan,” Anon thought, his gaze locking with Seti’s fiery, bloodshot eyes, reflecting her intense anger.
“Last Student, Ren Denver step up on the stage.”
Ren, the last hope from the noble section, was summoned by Seti’s desperate call.
Stepping onto the stage, Ren eyed Anon, his intense gaze filled with determination. After a brief moment of observation, he closed the distance between them.
“I will crush you,” Ren declared, his face a mask of unyielding determination, devoid of anger or tension.
Returning to his original position, Ren glanced back at Seti, who nodded in approval.
“Start!” Seti’s voice boomed throughout the arena, commanding the battle to commence.
<Hands of Justice>
[Hands of Justice] [B-Rank] [Denver House Exclusive Spell]
[Harness the fiery fury of justice, bestowed upon you by the divine mark. Amplify physical strength by 500% and magical prowess by 250% for a fleeting 5 seconds.
Upon usage, the skill enters a 1-minute cooldown. Exceeding 6 uses in a day may trigger dangerous side effects. Side effects include excruciating leg pain, a debilitating 5-hour paralysis, ominous blue markings across the user’s body, and in dire circumstances, even death.]
[Mana: 5000 per use]
[Cooldown: 1 minute]
<Mimic>
‘Link Stop.’
[But Master…]
‘Cease immediately.’
[As you command, Master, but know that forfeiting this round would result in your defeat.]
‘I have a plan. Don’t teach me.’
[As you command, Master.]
Ken activated the spell, unleashing a blinding golden radiance that enveloped his entire being, manifesting as a divine aura encasing both his hands.
The weight he faced was no trifling matter, a colossal 8950 kilograms. Yet, Ken seized the burden effortlessly, defying its gravity with raw power.
‘I possess the strength to claim victory here and now, but where’s the thrill in that? I yearn for something more entertaining,’ Anon mused to himself, his mind brimming with wicked intentions.
“Mr. Anon, are you going to lift it or do we wait until eternity?” Seti’s voice dripped with impatience and seething anger.
“I quit,” Anon declared with an unflinching, stoic visage.
Those words detonated within the test field, sending shockwaves of disbelief and chaos rippling through the spectators.
“What? He surrenders…?”
“Damn it, he was our last hope…”
“Shit! We can’t blame him. None of us could have budged that weight.”
“Anon, you’ve done admirably, brother.”
“Yes, we salute your valiant effort.”
The commoner section erupted with resounding cheers and applause, unaware that every aspect of Anon’s apparent defeat had been meticulously planned.
“Heh-heh-heh… I knew all along that you were nothing but a feeble commoner, incapable of achieving anything noteworthy. Weak,” Seti taunted, reveling in her perceived victory.
“Heh…”
Anon merely chuckled dismissively, his resolve unwavering as he pressed forward.
Now, the tension shifted from the royal section to the commoners’ domain.
However, the commoners didn’t succumb to the weight of the situation; instead, they rallied behind Anon, acknowledging and applauding his exceptional display of strength.
Returning to his place amidst the commoner section, Anon’s eyes fell upon Letti, who stood there with her head bowed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“You alright, princess?” Anon inquired, his voice carrying both concern and reassurance.
“Good job,” Letti managed to say through her sobs.
“Thanks, but let me assure you, I could have effortlessly won this match.” Anon replied.
“What?” Letti’s surprise was evident in her trembling voice.
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Once, a hunter trapped a bird within his cage, keeping it confined for three torturous days. The bird felt the grip of despair, convinced that its demise was inevitable, no matter its struggles.
But then, something changed. On the third day, the hunter set the bird free. Overwhelmed with joy, the bird soared to the greatest heights it had ever known.
However, its euphoria was short-lived. As it basked in its newfound freedom, a sudden blow struck the back of its head. When it turned around, the bird saw the hunter grinning wickedly, pelting it with rocks.
In that instant, the bird experienced indescribable agony and suffering, surpassing anything felt by another creature.
Yet, for the hunter, it brought immeasurable delight, for he was the master of that cruel game.
In this game, I am the hunter, and those noble imbeciles laughing now are the blissfully ignorant birds destined to be hunted,” Anon explained, his face contorted with the visage of a deranged psychopath, his smile dripping with menace.
Letti couldn’t help but shudder after hearing these terrifying words from Anon’s mouth, an icy chill ran down her spine.
“W-What do you intend to do?” she asked, her voice laced with fear and curiosity.
“Oh, my dear princess, you shall witness it all in the upcoming test.” Anon joked.
“Ladies and gentlemen, as you have witnessed, the nobles have emerged victorious in this match, and all the glory goes to Ren Denver, the son of the House of Justice.” Seti proclaimed, her joy uncontainable.
“Oi, commoner, you performed admirably,” a voice resounded from the depths of the noble section.
“Hmmm…?” Anon swiftly turned around, fixing his gaze upon the speaker.
“Oh, Luna, isn’t it?” Anon stated, pointing directly at her.
“Yes, you’ve defeated me twice in a row. Tell me, what kind of martial art bestows upon you such formidable strength even without the use of magic?” Luna inquired.
“The secret arts of a true martial artist shall never be unveiled to outsiders. Isn’t that your house’s motto?” Anon jeered at Luna. ｂｎ𝚘ｖ𝚕．𝚘𝚛𝚐
“Y-You’re right. I apologize for such a foolish question.”
“No worries. You didn’t employ magic either. I admire your martial spirit,” Anon praised Luna.
“Thank you. My father always taught me to fight fair and square, for strength alone ensures victory.”
“Wise teachings.”
“In the final round, I shall defeat you,” Luna declared with unwavering determination.
“Best of luck with that.”
“In my house, luck holds no significance; we place our faith solely in hard work.”
‘Ha… What an earnest and straightforward girl. Perhaps I should add her to my collection?’ Anon’s mind whispered sinisterly.