Silas launched his palm toward Cecil, planning to blow him up at point blank—
but Cecil suddenly vanished, faster than a blink, like the flash of a camera.
"You thought it was going to be that easy, huh…?"
A voice—behind him.
What…?
He heard the air split behind him
Silas twisted his body, redirecting the momentum of his strike behind him—
but again, it was no use. Cecil disappeared once more.
"Pathetic,"
Cecil's voice came from behind again, eager yet cold.
"Flash Blow!"
Cecil shouted. His fist slammed into Silas's gut, launching him across the courtyard.
Silas crashed into the invisible barrier at the edge of the dueling circle.
"Agghh—!"
he gasped, winded, clutching his sides—shocked that one of them actually knew how to fight in close quarters.
"And you're supposed to be the guy that Dwayne kid's interested in…?"
Cecil grinned, strolling toward him. He waved off Lucas and Vael, clearly intending to enjoy this one-on-one.
Silas laughed through gritted teeth, spitting blood onto the grass.
"Nice punch, you bastard…"
He stood up, pain twisting his gut, but his posture stayed defiant.
"I'm going to make you pay for that."
The white glow in his eyes intensified, almost drowning out the black, as if possessed.
Silas lunged at Cecil. Predictably, Cecil vanished again—reappearing at Silas's side mid-lunge, aiming a knee toward his ribs.
"Think that would work twice?"
Silas cackled.
The grass beneath him ignited, a fierce burst of flame erupting outward.
Cecil was caught in it.
He immediately vanished again, reappearing at the opposite edge of the arena beside Lucas and Vael, his clothes slightly singed.
"That kid just burnt himself…"
"Just killed himself for no reason."
Cecil laughed in disbelief, caught off guard.
"You think so?"
Silas emerged from the fire, flames still clinging to the ground in his wake.
His hands now surged with a fusion of the Combustion Rune and Flame Rune.
"You asked for this."
His face was twisted in a grin full of bloodlust, and on his forehead, the Necrotic Rune burned like a curse.
Cecil stared at him, stunned.
He's either a prodigy—or a suicidal maniac.
"Three runes at once? Do you have a death wish?!"
Cecil shouted, real concern in his voice.
He knew—when someone no longer feared consequences, that's when they were most dangerous.
Lucas stepped in beside him.
"You're gonna die from mana exhaustion before we even get to you,"
he said coolly, raising his arms toward the sky.
Massive walls of rock erupted, crashing down to engulf Silas—aiming to entomb him.
Vael followed up, his hands crackling with power.
"I ain't getting suspended for a fellow student dying 'cause he's fucking insane."
He stretched his arms forward.
"Lightning Surge!"
A violent stream of electricity launched toward the makeshift rock prison.
But before it could hit, a sound rang out—
Silas's laughter, echoing from inside the earthen tomb.
"When you're gonna fight—expect to die every time!"
The rocks exploded, fire roaring outward and scorching half the arena.
A thin layer of compressed air shimmered over Silas's body, the only thing shielding him from the flames.
[Warning: Low on Mana]
"Can't get stronger if you don't go full 100% in every fight, can you?"
The trio stared at him, alarmed.
In unison, all three blurted out the same thing:
"Is this dude insane?!"
The students watching in the background dispersed, each one scrambling to find a professor to call off the fight—while others remained, watching in rapt attention.
Meanwhile, the main figures—the main cast from the gazebo—also stared.
Victoria's eyes were especially focused, confused as to why this was happening on the first day; it wasn't part of the novel's script.
"This school can't get a break,"
a stern voice spoke—the prince. Stupidly overpowered and stupidly handsome, with blonde hair, a sharp jawline, and even a specially modified uniform that somehow made him look better.
"Let me handle it…"
The prince stood up, but before he could move, the antagonist of the game Silas had played—and the protagonist of the novel Victoria had read—grabbed his hand.
Maria stopped him.
"No, it's too dangerous,"
Her voice was full of concern, clearly not wanting the prince to get involved in such a reckless fight.
Victoria butted in, arguing that they should help—someone could die.
The three continued to argue, their voices rising—but back at the fight, the tension only escalated further.
Silas laughed, walking forward, the three spells charging at full power, his mana burning up in real time.
"Explosive! Railg—"
But before Silas could finish, the dueling arena was obliterated in an instant.
A figure appeared in the distance—at the entrance back to the academy.
The counselor.
Her face was as irritated and tired as always.
"This kid again…?"
The counselor snapped her fingers. Silas dropped like a cut marionette—fight over, body limp, the fire in his eyes finally extinguished.