The first thing I did was take a deep breath.
Then I immediately turned around and tried to leave.
Jake, however, had apparently become fast.
Too fast.
Before I could make my escape, he slipped around and blocked my path by coming to stand in front of me.
I stopped short and let out an audible groan.
Why?
Why couldn’t I have one easy day?
Alexia summoned her Origin Card, no doubt trying to make sense of the situation. Then she tilted her head, leaned in close to my ear, and whispered, “Ah… isn’t he your fat friend?”
I sighed and whispered back, “Fat? Yes. Friend? No.”
She batted her lashes. “What happened to him?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Alexia hesitated for a beat before replying, “His aura… it’s dark. Darker than I remember.”
My frown deepened. I opened my mouth to ask what she meant, but before I could, Jake furiously stepped forward upon seeing I wasn’t paying attention to him.
“Hey!” he shouted.
His voice rang through the training field, catching the attention of the other Cadets who were still hanging back after class.
I groaned again but quickly adjusted my expression, turning to him with a bright smile on my face.
It was the type of smile you’d give a long-lost friend.
“My boy, Jake! What’s up?” I greeted as if I had only just noticed him. “Look at you, man! Did you shed even more weight? Every time I see you, you’re looking leaner! Keep it up. Alright, see you—”
Jake, unfortunately, did not seem in the mood for pleasantries.
“Shut it!” he barked.
I blinked, feigning offense. “Woah! Someone’s got a temper today.”
Jake glared at me, his fist clenched. “You think this is funny?”
“Yes,” I said immediately.
He paused. Then, in an instant, his expression shifted — mirroring mine. A wide grin stretched across his face. Too wide.
“Of course,” he scoffed, stepping forward one more time. “Everything’s amusing to you these days, isn’t it? The whole world is one big joke, existing solely for your entertainment, Lord Theosbane.”
I took a step back in response.
“But I warned you, didn’t I?” His voice hardened. “Just yesterday, I told you to watch where you were going. And yet, here we are — you bumping into me again. You don’t take me seriously. You think I’m a joke, just like everything else. Isn’t that right?”
Another step, and suddenly, he was right in front of me — his face mere inches from mine.
And he still wasn’t done shouting.
“Well I’m not like anyone else anymore! I’m special! I’m the chosen one! I’m stronger! I’m better! Better than even you! Then everyone else! You can’t take me lightly anymore! You. Can’t. Make. Fun. Of. Me. Anymore!”
His smile slowly disappeared.
With each word he spat, his face continued to twist in rage, his eyes darkening in resentment, and his voice full of venom for me.
For the world.
A tense silence followed his outburst.
I stared at him. Blinked. Then slowly turned to Alexia. “Did he just—”
She nodded solemnly. “Yeah.”
“The chosen one?” I asked.
“Mm,” she nodded again.
I turned back to Jake, who was still seething, his breath coming in heavy bursts.
He looked like he was seconds away from either attacking me or spontaneously combusting.
I exhaled through my nose. “Jake.”
He bared his teeth at me. “What?!”
I patted his shoulder. “Buddy… has someone been feeding you prophecy books?”
Jake smacked my hand away. “I knew you wouldn’t take me seriously! You never did! All our lives, you kept me by your side so I’d make you look good! But that will change now!”
“That’s not true,” I said. “I took you very seriously when you tried to sit on me in the fifth grade.”
His left eye twitched.
“See?” I continued. “I remember so many moments where I took you seriously. Like that time you challenged me to a hotdog-eating contest and almost choked to death. Or when you swore you could do a backflip and just… didn’t.”
Jake just let out a guttural growl.
I opened my mouth to give him a few more examples… but he suddenly lunged.
Alexia finally let go of my hand and jumped away.
I also hopped back in a different direction, dodging Jake’s fist as it slammed into the ground.
Thwaam—!!
A shockwave exploded from the impact, cracking the earth and sending dust into the air.
The Cadets watching gasped. Some even stepped back.
Jake slowly straightened, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that hadn’t been there before. “Fine then, Samael. I wasn’t going to start with you, but you’ve left me with no choice. I’ll show you. I’ll show everyone!”
I sighed, dusting off my sleeves. “Is this the part where I’m supposed to say I don’t want to fight you, Jake?”
“Yes!” he shouted. “And then I’m supposed to say you don’t have a choice! Because Samael Kaizer Theosbane, I challenge you to a Rite of Valor!”
…Wow.
Seriously?
For a second, and for the first time in my life, I was almost impressed with Jake.
No matter what may have been the reason behind his confidence, issuing that challenge was a gutsy move.
A Rite of Valor was a sacred one-on-one duel exclusive to the Theosbane bloodline and those we recognized as warriors.
It was an ancient, unspoken law within my family, where grievances were settled through combat, and victory determined who held authority or respect.
The rules were rather simple:
Once challenged, the other party must accept unless they yield their honor.
The duel continues until one side is unable to fight or forfeits.
Everything is allowed, but outside interference is forbidden.
A witness is required to confirm the outcome.
The winner of the Rite earned the right to claim something from the defeated – whether it was respect, an apology, or even an oath of loyalty.
Meanwhile, the loser must bear the shame of their loss.
Historically, my family used this dueling tradition to settle disputes over inheritance, honor, and leadership within their ranks. In rare cases, a Rite of Valor could even determine life and death.
Although the tradition had weakened over the years, it still held power within Theosbane circles and those who followed our warrior customs.
But since Jake wasn’t a Theosbane, it was bold — and offensive — of him to invoke a Rite of Valor against me.
It suggested that he saw himself as a warrior of equal standing, someone worthy of challenging a Theosbane on their own terms.
I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding and looked at the green-haired boy seriously. “Okay. If that is your wish, then I accept.”
Technically, since he was neither from my family and nor my family’s knight, I had the right to refuse.
But as I said, it was offensive that he used my family’s tradition against me.
He needed to be put in his place.
“Everyone here will count as the witness,” I declared. “And I’ll officiate the Rite myself. Take whatever you wish from me if you win. If you lose… I don’t want anything. Any problem?”
Jake merely growled in response like a rabid animal waiting to be unleashed.
“Okay, then.” I sighed. “There are no rules to this combat! Victory will be determined when either of us can’t continue the fight. There will be no draws! The duel will end when a decisive result is achieved. If either of us dies here, may the gods have mercy on our souls. Let justice be done today… even if the heavens fall!”
•••
The surrounding Cadets could hardly believe what they had just heard.
Jake — that Jake — the walking joke of the infamous ‘underwear incident’ had just challenged Samael Kaizer Theosbane to a duel.
And even more shocking was the fact that Samael accepted.
Since most of them knew very little about the Theosbane family’s customs and traditions, they couldn’t understand why Samael didn’t just deny Jake’s demand for a duel.
He could’ve ignored it or refused outright.
Yet, he didn’t.
Regardless, a fight was about to break out.
And word of it spread fast. Cadets who had dragged themselves out of the training field moments ago came rushing back in.
The exhaustion on their faces from earlier was gone, now replaced by burning excitement.
They weren’t about to miss this.
And they didn’t.
Because as soon as Samael finished his announcement, Jake charged head-on and summoned his Origin Card.
A supersolid silver orb of mercury materialized above his outstretched palm, rippling like molten metal before shifting into the shape of a massive battle axe.
Samael remained standing still, looking as calm as he was about to take a stroll, as his own Origin Card flared into existence over his head in a flash of golden light.
Jake roared and swung first, cleaving his axe in a brutal horizontal arc from the left.
The force of his strike tore through the air, sending a sharp gust of wind howling across the field.
But Samael simply ducked under the incoming silver blade, letting the axe harmlessly pass over his head.
Jake gritted his teeth in frustration and willed his weapon to shift shape.
The axe melted and reformed into a greatsword in the blink of an eye.
Jake stepped forward until he was beside Samael, who was still crouched low on the ground.
Then, in a blur of motion, Jake whipped his greatsword toward Samael’s exposed back.
—THAAM!
“What the—?!”
But the blade never hit its mark.
At the last possible second, a concrete polearm erupted from the ground, intercepting Jake’s sword before it could bite into Samael’s flesh.
Because of the awkward angle, Jake couldn’t generate enough force to slice apart the stone, and it resulted in his attack being easily blocked.
Samael moved fast.
Before Jake could recoil, the golden-haired Ace stood back up and trapped the greatsword by wrapping an arm around the blade.
Then, Samael swiveled. And with a sharp twist—
He yanked the sword clean out of Jake’s hands.
The sudden pull wrenched Jake off balance and made him trip forward, wide open for a follow-up attack.
And Samael didn’t let that opportunity go to waste.
Before Jake could even think about regaining his footing, a massive concrete mace came crashing down onto the back of his head.
—THWAAAM!
The sheer force of impact shattered the mace into countless stone shards — and Jake found himself sprawled on the ground, face-first.
Ah.
That polearm…
It had been the handle.
After tripping Jake off balance, Samael must have tugged on the concrete pole, pulled out the mace from the ground, and bashed his head in with it — all in a single, fluid motion.
Jake barely had time to process it before Samael threw his greatsword away.
Far, far away. At the edge of the training field.
Jake could shape his mercury orb into any weapon or armor he wished, but he couldn’t control it remotely.
Like any weapon, he had to physically wield it to use it.
And now, it was out of reach.
Of course, he could always dismiss and resummon his Origin Card, but that would take time. A second or two, at best.
But the problem was Samael wasn’t about to give him that time.
Of course he wasn’t.
Jake groaned and weakly pushed himself up — only for a hand to seize his emerald-green hair and yank his head back.
Then—
—CRACK!
A knee smashed into his face with such force that his head snapped backward.
Jake felt something break. A tooth, maybe. His vision swam as he looked up at the azure sky, stretching out in a dizzying blur of blue.
H-How?
How was Samael this strong?
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down.
Jake was supposed to be stronger.
He was the chosen one.
His guardian angel told him that.
So… how?
Before he could finish that thought, Samael hauled him up and drove a straight punch into his face.
Jake staggered back, blood filling his mouth. Desperate, he lashed out and swung a wild, flailing fist forward.
And it connected.
Against all odds, it connected with Samael’s right shoulder.
Something cracked under his knuckles, and almost instantly, a red stain bloomed across Samael’s vest, blood soaking through the fabric.
A wound.
He wounded him.
…But it was nowhere near enough.
Jake’s breath hitched. He had put everything behind that punch — all his newly acquired strength.
And yet, he failed to push Samael back even a step!
Not even a step?!
Jake barely had time to process his disbelief before a vicious kick slammed into his chin.
His head snapped back again, and this time his body followed. He crashed onto his back with a grunt.
And then—
Samael was on him.
The golden-haired boy mounted him and began hammering down punches, one after another, each one brutal enough to crack the ground beneath Jake’s skull.
Jake tried to fight back. He tried to summon his Cards. His Origin Card.
But the pain.
Oh, god.
The agony.
He couldn’t focus.
—THAM! THAM! THAAM!
Jake’s vision blacked out in flickering intervals each time Samael’s fist slammed down on his face.
And in between those blackouts, during those fleeting moments of clarity, he saw Samael.
His former friend’s expression was unreadable.
His golden eyes were devoid of anger or cruelty or sorrow.
There was not a shred of emotion on Samael’s face — just cold indifference.
It was as if the moment the fight began, Samael had stopped seeing Jake as a person.
Jake’s consciousness began to slip.
But before he passed out, he made a vow to himself.
One day, he would make Samael regret this.
No, not just him.
Samael, Michael, and every last Cadet who had laughed at him.
He had been foolish today.
But he wouldn’t be again.
Jake forced open his bloodied mouth, several teeth broken, and weakly groaned, “I-I’ll show yo—”
—CRACK!
Samael drove one last punch into his face, silencing him for good.
And just like that, the Rite of Valor ended in under ten minutes.