HEROS OF LALANTIA ARC
IN CAFATERIA
The cafeteria buzzed with chatter as students crowded around tables, trading gossip about the arena battle. The fight between Jimmy and the Lalantia heroes was already the academy's hottest topic.
At a corner table, away from the worst of the noise, Jimmy sat with his usual scarf draped loosely around his shoulders. He leaned back in his chair, lazily crunching on potato chips from a small bag. Across from him, Adam nibbled on a chocolate bar while his chinchila sniffed curiously at the snacks.
"This is nice," Adam said with a grin. "Just the two of us, eating in peace for once."
Jimmy smirked faintly. "For once. Won't last."
He was right.
The cafeteria doors slammed open with a dramatic bang. Students turned as a familiar figure strutted inside — Alix von Scraner, August's arrogant older brother. His golden-trimmed noble uniform gleamed, polished to perfection, and his smug expression was enough to sour the air.
Whispers rippled through the students.
"Isn't that August's brother?""Yeah, Alix von Scraner. Total ass, I heard.""Uh oh, he's looking at scarf boy…"
Jimmy didn't move. He popped another chip into his mouth.
Alix stormed up to their table, his two lackeys following close behind. He planted his hands on the surface, leaning down toward Jimmy with a sneer.
"So this is the 'mighty demon slayer,'" Alix said, his voice loud enough for the whole cafeteria to hear. "The boy who thinks he's above nobles. Above my family."
Jimmy calmly ate another chip. "…Do you mind? You're blocking the view."
A wave of muffled laughter spread through the nearby tables.
Alix's sneer deepened. "You think you're clever? You embarrassed my family in front of the entire academy. That will not go unpunished."
Adam shifted nervously. "Jimmy, don't—"
"Relax," Jimmy muttered, his voice flat. He set the bag of chips on the table and finally looked at Alix. "You're upset because I told the truth. Maybe if your family weren't scumbags, there'd be nothing to embarrass."
The students gasped. Adam facepalmed. The chinchila squeaked.
Alix's face flushed red. "How dare you—"
Before he could finish, Jimmy flicked his wrist. A small shard of ice appeared and zipped past Alix's cheek, so close it left a tiny frost mark on his skin. Alix froze, eyes wide.
Jimmy leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but sharp enough to cut steel. "You came here to humiliate me. Congratulations — you just humiliated yourself. Now run along before you lose more than your pride."
Silence. Every student in the cafeteria was staring, waiting to see what would happen next.
Alix opened his mouth, but no words came out. He turned on his heel, storming toward the doors as his lackeys scrambled after him. Laughter and whispers followed him out.
Adam let out a long sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Well. That went about as expected."
Jimmy picked his chips back up, munching quietly. "Told you it wouldn't last."
Alix's humiliating retreat when the doors creaked open again. Students froze, half-expecting Alix to storm back in for round two.
Instead, it was Natalin von Scraner — August's older sister. She carried herself with the same arrogant grace as her parents, her auburn hair perfectly styled, her green eyes sharp and glittering with disdain. A tailored noblewoman's dress, enchanted with protective runes, shimmered faintly as she stepped into the room.
"Oh, perfect," Jimmy muttered, popping another chip into his mouth. "Round two."
Natalin strode confidently toward his table, ignoring the whispers of the crowd. She stopped just short of him, tilting her chin upward with a sneer.
"You embarrassed my brother," she said coldly, her voice carrying like a blade through the room. "You insulted my family. And now… I challenge you."
Jimmy sighed, leaning back in his chair. "…Seriously?"
Natalin slammed her hand on the table. "Yes. Seriously. You think you're so strong? Then prove it in the arena. Right here, right now, in front of the entire academy."
The cafeteria erupted in noise again.
"No way! First Alix, now Natalin?""Does this guy have a death wish?""Or maybe the Scraners just can't take a hint…"
Jimmy set his bag of chips down, finally giving her his full attention. His brown eyes locked on hers, calm but with a flicker of amusement. "Look, I just beat five heroes at once earlier. Do you really think you'll do better than them?"
Natalin's jaw tightened. "You're a peasant with a scarf. My family is nobility. We don't lose to common trash like you."
Jimmy smirked faintly. "Funny, that's what your brother thought. And we all saw how that turned out."
The room exploded with laughter. August, sitting a few tables away, buried her face in her hands. "Oh no, not again…"
Natalin's cheeks flushed red, fury burning in her eyes. She raised her hand, a surge of fire magic flaring to life, casting long shadows across the cafeteria walls.
Adam jumped from his chair. "Hey—this is the cafeteria, not the arena!"
But Jimmy didn't move. He simply adjusted his scarf, exhaling slowly. His eyes glowed the faintest hint of blue as the air around him chilled, frost crackling across the edge of the table.
"Fine," Jimmy said quietly, standing at last. His voice was calm, almost bored. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
The cafeteria was no longer a place for food — it had become a makeshift battlefield. Students scrambled to the sides, some climbing on tables to watch, others whispering bets. Teachers hadn't yet arrived, but everyone knew they'd be here soon.
At the center, Jimmy stood calm, scarf loose around his neck, hands relaxed at his sides. Opposite him, Natalin von Scraner glared with burning fury, fire magic crackling in her hands.
"You humiliated my family," she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "I'll burn that smug look off your face!"
Jimmy tilted his head, unimpressed. "…Try it."
Natalin screamed and thrust her palms forward. Twin streams of flame roared across the cafeteria like dragon's breath, scorching the air. Students gasped, shielding themselves from the sudden heat.
Jimmy didn't move until the last second. Then he raised one hand and a wall of ice erupted, splitting the cafeteria floor in jagged shards. The flames hit the ice, steam exploding outward with a hiss.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
"She just blasted her strongest attack—!""And he blocked it with one hand!"
Natalin growled, her face twisted in frustration. She leapt forward, fire bursting from her boots as she closed the distance, launching a blazing kick toward his chest.
Jimmy caught her leg mid-strike. Frost bloomed across her boot instantly, extinguishing the flame.
"Too slow," he said flatly. With a twist, he swept her off balance and sent her skidding across the cafeteria floor.
Natalin snarled, forcing herself back up, mana flaring hotter. Her entire body ignited in a cloak of fire, her dress shimmering with its protective enchantments. She threw fireballs rapid-fire, a barrage meant to overwhelm.
Jimmy exhaled slowly. His eyes glowed bright blue.
He stepped forward once — and vanished.
Students gasped. "Where did he—?!"
In a blink, Jimmy appeared right in front of Natalin. His scarf fluttered as frost spiraled down his arm. He tapped her chest with a single finger.
BOOM!
A shockwave of cold burst outward. The flames cloaking her body snuffed out in an instant, ice crackling up her arms and legs. She froze in place, shivering, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Jimmy leaned close, his voice low but sharp enough for everyone to hear. "Power without discipline is just noise. And right now, you're loud."
He flicked his finger, and the ice shattered, sending her sprawling onto the floor. Her protective enchantments sputtered, failing completely.
The cafeteria went dead silent.
Natalin lay on the ground, coughing, her flames extinguished, her pride shattered. Jimmy turned his back on her and walked back to his table, calmly picking up his bag of chips.
"Fight's over," he said simply, crunching down on another chip. "Now sit down before you hurt yourself."
The crowd erupted — cheers, laughter, shouts of disbelief filling the air.
Adam groaned, rubbing his face. "You just humiliated both of August's siblings in less than an hour. Do you ever stop?"
Jimmy smirked faintly. "They started it. I finished it."
Across the room, August hid her face in her hoodie, equal parts mortified and secretly proud.
Albert and Alicia von Scraner stormed in, their fine clothes glimmering with enchantments, fury written on their faces. Behind them trailed a pair of armored family guards, their polished breastplates gleaming.
Albert's voice boomed across the room. "Natalin! Alix!"
Natalin, still on the floor shivering from the cold, struggled to rise. Alix, red-faced and humiliated from earlier, reappeared at her side, glaring daggers at Jimmy but not daring to step forward.
Alicia swept past the students, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She knelt beside her daughter, pulling her up with a scowl. "That's enough. Both of you. We're leaving this disgraceful place."
Albert turned, his mustache twitching with barely contained anger. "I should have known better than to leave my children among peasants and mongrels. This academy clearly cannot control its own students!" His eyes shot toward Jimmy. "To allow that boy to humiliate nobles of my house… outrageous!"
Jimmy sat at his table, scarf hanging loose, munching calmly on his chips. He didn't even look at them. "Maybe don't send clowns to a duel if you don't want a circus."
The students exploded with muffled laughter.
Alix's fists clenched, but Albert's glare shut him up. Natalin bit her lip, her pride bleeding more than her body.
Alicia straightened, holding both her children close. "We are done here. August, come with us. You're returning home where you belong."
All eyes turned to August, who sat frozen at her table. Her fists clenched under the wood, her green eyes blazing. Slowly, she rose to her feet, her grumpy toad croaking defiantly from her shoulder.
"No," she said firmly. "I'm not leaving. I don't care if you drag Alix and Natalin out, but I'm staying. This is my life, not yours."
Alicia's face twisted with disbelief. "You ungrateful brat—"
Albert snapped his fingers. The family guards stepped forward, ready to grab her.
But Jimmy stood. His chair scraped the floor, the sound echoing through the dead silence of the cafeteria. His eyes glowed faintly blue as frost shimmered across the air around him.
"Touch her," he said coldly, "and you won't leave this school standing."
The guards froze mid-step, the air thick with killing intent. Albert's face turned red, but he hesitated under the weight of Jimmy's glare. For all his noble pride, he wasn't blind — the boy in front of him radiated danger far beyond what a "peasant student" should.
Finally, Albert spat, "This isn't over. The von Scraners will not forget this insult."
He turned sharply, cloak swirling as he marched toward the doors. Alicia followed, dragging Natalin and Alix with her. The guards gave Jimmy one last uneasy glance before retreating.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind them.
Silence. Then the cafeteria erupted in cheers, laughter, and chatter.
Adam leaned back with a groan. "Well… I guess that's the Scraner family gone for now."
Jimmy sat back down, calmly picking up his chips again. "Good riddance."
August dropped back into her seat, her face red. "You didn't have to stand up for me like that…"
Jimmy smirked faintly. "Sure I did. Someone had to put them in their place."
Her toad croaked again, this time sounding almost approving.