“Student Council, huh…”
Faced with the choice that Celicia presented to him, Mu’en fell briefly into silence.
As a school known for its freedom, St. Maria Academy grants significant power to its Student Council. The fact that the Student Council is responsible for attendance checks from the very first class makes this evident.
Moreover, the prestige of the Student Council among students is significant. After joining the Student Council, the “scumbag” label associated with him would surely dim, and it might even completely erase the prejudices others placed on him, allowing him to become the “good student” he always dreamed of.
Celicia must be thinking along those lines.
On the surface, it seems like a good choice.
However…
“Do I even qualify to join the Student Council now?”
Mu’en looked into Celicia’s eyes and asked earnestly, “Or is this some special privilege you’re extending to me?”
“…Whether one is excellent or not is not important right now.”
Celicia lowered her gaze, focused on the coffee in her cup. “What matters is whether you have the desire to become excellent. Mu’en Campbell, do you believe you lack that?”
“Of course I have that desire, but doesn’t this have nothing to do with our current discussion?”
The unique status of the Student Council meant that countless students each year desperately wanted to join, so those who could get in must be the elite of their respective grades.
For instance, if Ariel Bugarde were to join the Student Council, no one would question it since most who had grievances against her from the previous semester were already beaten down by her.
But Mu’en Campbell was different.
Mu’en Campbell was known as the school’s notorious scumbag, poor student, and playboy.
He had learned only one spell in a year, and that was the simplest of illumination spells.
He scored only three points on his Basics of Magic exam last semester.
Such a person suddenly joining the Student Council would undoubtedly raise suspicions of favoritism.
Not to mention, he had a marriage contract with the current Student Council President, Celicia.
This would only provoke more injustice and hostility from others.
“This could become your stain, Celicia.”
“You think I would care?”
Celicia raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery on her lips. “Let outsiders say what they want. When have I ever…”
“But I care.”
Mu’en interrupted Celicia, stating seriously, “I care.”
“…”
Sunlight filtered through the pale blue curtains, outlining bright lines on Mu’en’s face while Celicia stared dumbfounded at the man before her, her eyes revealing a shock that was more pronounced than ever before.
“I’ve already dragged you into this once, so don’t let me carry that kind of guilt again, okay?”
Mu’en gently placed the empty coffee cup on the table and genuinely praised, “The coffee is delicious.”
“…Thank you,” Celicia replied.
“Then I’ll take my leave. Goodbye.”
“Mm.”
Mu’en stepped out of the Student Council room, gently closing the door behind him.
The light dimmed.
This highlighted the flicker in Celicia’s eyes even more.
“Ha…”
Celicia let out a soft breath, propping her chin on her hand and staring into the void.
Suddenly, a gentle smile blossomed on her beautiful face.
Like the melting of spring snow.
“Mu’en Campbell…”
“You really have changed…”
…
…
“President! President!”
Celicia brought her gaze back, seeing Wei Er with her bun rushing in from outside.
“I brought what you asked me to pay attention to.”
After speaking, Wei Er leaned against the table, catching her breath, and then noticed the coffee cup on the table.
“Eh? Did someone come by just now?”
“Isn’t it normal for someone from the Student Council to come by?”
Celicia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So, where is it?”
“Here… here!”
Wei Er handed a stack of newspapers to Celicia, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she exclaimed, “This content is shocking! I was dumbfounded; I didn’t expect that Mu’en Campbell was secretly involved in so many scandals while juggling thirteen, oh no, fourteen boats!”
“…Didn’t I tell you not to read too much into it?” Celicia took the newspaper, giving her a slight reproachful tone. “The content inside isn’t as real as you think.”
“Hehe, but the headlines were just too eye-catching! So I couldn’t help but sneak just one little peek.” Wei Er shyly scratched her head.
“…”
Celicia knew that the curiosity of this girl in front of her was impossible to suppress, so she chose not to pursue it further and instead directed her gaze to the contents of the paper.
—”The Sinking of the Fearless-Class Battleship! The Virgin Slayer’s Amazing Comeback!”
“They actually had the audacity to publish such an article about the teacher? They must be completely out of their minds.”
After glancing at the headline, Celicia completely lost interest in reading further.
She got up and headed outside.
“Eh? President, are you going out?”
“I have something to do.”
“But what about all these urgent documents?” Wei Er exclaimed, tapping the mountain of papers piled up on the desk. “These are all very urgent!”
Celicia turned her head back, her gaze calm.
“Secretary?”
“Eh?”
“You are the Student Council Secretary, right?”
Celicia said, “Then I’ll entrust these to you for the time being.”
“Huh?”
Wei Er froze on the spot, an expression of shock washing over her.
So many documents…
This could be overwhelming!
“Do your best, Secretary.”
Celicia patted Wei Er on the shoulder and gently advised, “By the way, if I come back and find that you’ve handled things poorly… you won’t be able to read your beloved ‘The Evil God Falls for My Overbearing Novel’ ever again.”
“…Are you going to throw away my novel?” Wei Er looked pitiful.
“No, I will directly prohibit the publisher from printing such a book.” Celicia’s tone was as cold as iron.
“…That’s so unfair! You’re being so unfair, President!”
…
…
In the newsroom.
“Senior Mingote!”
Ariel slammed a stack of newspapers onto the desk, glaring at the flamboyantly dressed man reclining in a lounge chair. “Can you explain what all this nonsense in your newspaper means?” she shouted.
“Ah, you must be the famous Ariel Bugarde, aren’t you?”
Mingote, with his dyed green hair, was focused on filing his nails. He only lifted his eyes slightly when Ariel yelled, maintaining a nonchalant expression.
“What’s the matter? It’s a privilege for my humble newsroom to receive a visit from you today.”
“Stop playing dumb!”
Ariel grabbed the newspaper, pointing at the highlighted report, angrily stating, “What does ‘Fearless-Class Battleship’ mean? What about Mu’en Campbell’s ex-girlfriend? And ‘Abortion’? ‘Stealing someone’s man’? Is your newsroom so irresponsible when it comes to reporting?”
“You mean that?”
Mingote glanced at it and scoffed, “It’s just sensational news; every major news outlet has such stories.”
“Even if it is sensational, shouldn’t there be facts to back it up?” Ariel banged on the table. “But this is all fabricated, isn’t it?”
“So…”
Mingote finally sat up a little, picked up the newspaper in front of him, flipped to the back, and pointed to the last line, smiling, “I reminded you right here, didn’t I?”
Ariel leaned closer, squinting, and then her eyes widened as she saw the line: “The above content is purely subjective speculation by the newsroom, intended to amuse, and does not represent any factual situation.”
“Who can see this!”
Ariel was momentarily stunned, growing even angrier as she shouted, “You’re clearly doing this on purpose!”
“Oh, so it seems Ariel is unhappy with me.”
Mingote smirked, “What do you want then?”
“Recall all the newspapers and issue an apology, telling everyone the truth!” Ariel gritted her teeth.
“I see. I understand Ariel’s meaning.”
Mingote nodded seriously, then said, “But that’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Recalling newspapers? Apologizing? That would be the death of my newsroom, how could I agree to that?”
“But are you just going to infringe upon my rights?”
“Well, that does seem a bit wrong.”
Mingote stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before suddenly suggesting, “How about this? I’ll share one-tenth of the profits from the papers with you.”
“…”
“How’s that? To be honest, these newspapers are selling quite well; even just one-tenth is a significant income.”
Mingote raised his eyebrows exaggeratedly, laughing, “All it takes is a little useless reputation in exchange for a boatload of cash; isn’t this a good bargain?”
“What the hell—what do you think reputation is?”
Ariel’s fingers left clear marks on the desk as she glared at Mingote, leaning forward, resembling a beast poised to pounce.
“I don’t want any of your dirty money! You must recall all the newspapers and apologize to everyone troubled by the false rumors in your paper!”
“Sorry, I can’t do that.”
“You—”
“Oh? Does Ariel want to make a move against me?”
Mingote looked at Ariel, who seemed ready to throw a punch, remaining utterly calm, even smirking.
“Go ahead, since a second-year girl challenging a sixth-year like me would be quite the news. As long as it’s news, I’ll welcome it.
However…
Ariel, you might want to think carefully, do you really… think you can take me?”
“…”
Ariel’s eyes seemed to want to rip apart the person in front of her.
But in the end, she didn’t make a move.
Because for the time being, she truly wasn’t a match for this annoying guy.
After all, Mingote was in his sixth year and quite famous among them.
Even though Ariel could confront those above her level, there were limits.
Currently, four years ago was her limit.
Unless…
But using that power against a scumbag was clearly not worth it.
“Don’t be so arrogant…”
Ariel trembled with anger, glaring at Mingote, gritting her teeth, “Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west; don’t underestimate young girls…”
Knock, knock…
A knock interrupted Ariel’s tirade.
Without waiting for a response, a silver figure walked into the room.
“What’s going on? Didn’t I say no one is allowed in without my permission…”
Mingote tilted his head angrily, ready to scold his subordinate guarding the door, but upon seeing the silver figure, he froze.
“Pres… President?”
“Hello, Mingote.”
Celicia nodded coldly at Mingote, then glanced at Ariel, greeting her, “Good afternoon, Ariel.”
“Celicia, what are you doing here?”
Ariel blinked and then immediately realized her previous table-slamming action was rude, quickly standing straight, clearing her throat, and inquiring with concern, “It’s just the start of the semester; isn’t the Student Council busy?”
“No problem, someone is helping me with those tasks. As for why I’m here…”
Celicia looked at Mingote, her tone somewhat cold, “Mingote should understand, right?”
“Uh…”
Mingote’s cheek twitched.
Looking at the woman before him, whose demeanor resembled an icy mountain, even he found it hard to keep his composure.
He certainly knew why Celicia was here.
And he knew she would come sooner or later.
But he didn’t expect her to come this quickly!
Isn’t the beginning of the school term when the Student Council is busiest? How could she have time to deal with him right now?
But remain calm; there’s no need to panic.
He had been prepared for this for a long time, so he was ready.
The school rules had been reviewed more than ten times, and he was definitely not at the point of breaking any of them.
Even the newsroom’s accounts were fabricated, so she wouldn’t find anything wrong just by glancing at them.
Even the people under him had been briefed in advance, and the apology notes to the teachers were on their way to being delivered.
He just needed to keep her steady.
Even if she was the Student Council President and the Princess of the Empire, in the academy, she was just a little fourth-year.
As long as he didn’t violate the academy’s rules, what could she do to him?
Thinking of this eased the tension in Mingote’s heart.
Don’t panic; the advantage is mine!
Let’s see how she will make her move!
“Looks like you already know my purpose for coming; then I’ll be direct.”
Celicia fetched a chair and dragged it to a position directly opposite Mingote, sitting down.
With her legs crossed, fingers intertwined on her thighs, her posture was as precise and elegant as a well-oiled machine.
In the suffocating, brief silence, Celicia’s cold gaze fixed on Mingote as she said, “Mingote Raymond, do you want to die?”
“What—”
At that moment, even Mingote couldn’t help but lean back, as the pressure released by Celicia was intense, and her words were unexpected.
In an instant, everything Mingote had prepared was overturned.
But Mingote wasn’t one to have a weak mind; he quickly retaliated angrily, “Are you saying this as the Student Council President or as Princess?”
“What identity I hold? Does it matter?”
Celicia’s gaze remained cold, and her expression was calm. It was hard to imagine that someone like her could utter a word like “die” at this moment.
“What about Princess?
What about the Student Council President?
Even if I abandon these identities and speak to you as Celicia, does it matter?
Does it have meaning?
No.
Because with whichever identity, I have the right to speak to you this way.
I can say it more than once—until you no longer wish to listen.”
Celicia spoke each word as if carving them into Mingote’s heart with blood, her voice chilling as she said, “Mingote Raymond, you. Want. To die?”
In that moment.
The young girl sat in the twilight.
A chill descended.
…
…
“Truly worthy of Celicia!”
In the corridor, Ariel admired Celicia with a face full of worship, sincerely praising, “You were so cool when you said those two sentences just now! Just two sentences made the sixth-year senior apologize to me; that was awesome!”
“Nothing much.”
Celicia brushed her silver-white hair aside, unconcerned, “Dealing with someone like Mingote, if you reason with him, he would only twist it around; thus, you have to be a bit tougher.
And part of the reason is that he himself is somewhat nervous. Otherwise, he wouldn’t get so easily scared.”
“But still, that was incredibly cool!”
Ariel felt as though she could almost see stars, suddenly more attracted to Celicia. She wanted to stick close to her right now!
Speaking of which…
Celicia’s timely arrival, could it be because of…
Ariel touched her slightly warm cheek, beginning to indulge in delightful speculation.
“Ah.”
Just as she was daydreaming, Ariel abruptly bumped into Celicia in front of her.
“What’s the matter?”
Ariel rubbed her nose and followed Celicia’s gaze.
Then she saw the last person she wanted to see.
Mu’en, with his golden hair, was sitting beneath a nearby tree, seriously reading a book with an unreadable title in his hands.
Occasionally, he frowned as if he had encountered a problem, taking out a small notebook to jot down some notes or sketches.
Or maybe he had solved a long-standing issue, revealing a captivating smile.
Throughout the entire scene, he had been completely focused, undisturbed by the outside world. Even when people passed by, he remained lost in the world within his book.
“This guy actually reads books? And he’s so serious about it?”
Ariel couldn’t help but show a surprised expression akin to “He can climb trees too?” but quickly scoffed and curled her lip, mocking, “Anyway, given his nature, he’s probably just half-hearted about it.”
“Ariel.”
Celicia pulled her gaze away, glancing at Ariel with her cold eyes. “He’s making an effort; you shouldn’t say that about him.”
“But he’s the Mu’en Campbell! Celicia, don’t you know what he was like last semester? How could he really be working hard?” Ariel objected.
“This has nothing to do with who he is or how he was before.”
Celicia turned back and continued walking.
Yet her steps seemed to be lighter.
So as not to disturb that seemingly reborn boy.
“As long as there is effort, it shouldn’t be mocked.”
…
…
“Is today the martial arts class?”
After taking a cold shower following jogging in the morning and having a simple breakfast at the cafeteria, Mu’en stepped toward today’s class.
This time, he felt much more relaxed.
Because compared to theoretical courses like Basics of Magic Probability, where he had absolutely no background, he was far more adept at practical courses like martial arts class.
After all, though he had wasted much of last year, his dad had laid a solid foundation.
Moreover.
“I haven’t slacked off at all during this time.”
Mu’en clenched his fist, a glint in his eyes.
“Just right, I also want to know what level I can reach among my peers relying solely on my qualities as a warrior.”
…
…
The martial arts class took place not in a classroom but in a massive training arena.
These arenas, or say, platforms, were mainly prepared by the academy for student duels. Teachers were always present, and there were magical arrays in place, allowing duelists to unleash their full strength without any worries.
By the time Mu’en arrived, many people were already present.
What eased Mu’en’s mind was that, given this relatively “rough” course, there were hardly any girls; with fewer girls, the gossip could hardly arise.
However, this relief was quickly swallowed.
Because Ariel was there as well.
But this time, Ariel merely shot him a cold glance without saying anything.
Mu’en scratched his head, giving up on the idea of greeting her, feeling that she seemed to be in a bad mood.
“Oh, it looks like everyone is here.”
When class started, the muscular martial arts teacher, Kaide, scanned all the students.
“The usual routine: first class of the new semester, let’s draw lots for a duel. Let me see if you little rascals have slacked off during the break!”
“Yay!”
A small cheer erupted among the students, as this duel would not only be free entertainment, but they could also slack off while others were competing, making it their favorite class compared to tedious martial arts study.
“Hehe, laugh now, but if I discover you all have regressed, you’ll see how I deal with you!”
Kaide sneered and then pulled out the lottery box, having each student come forward to draw lots one by one.
“Number one?”
Looking at the number in his hand, Mu’en was taken aback.
Is his luck this bad?
He clearly wanted to observe others’ skill levels before the duel.
“Well, whatever, it doesn’t affect much. I just have to give it my all.”
Mu’en grinned, stepping onto the platform as called by Teacher Kaide.
Standing opposite him was a classmate with a sturdy build, with muscles so prominent they almost tore through his uniform.
“I remember you…”
Mu’en tried to recall, thinking he had a bit of an impression of this person.
“My name is Ryan.”
The muscular classmate spoke.
“Ah, Ryan.”
Mu’en remembered.
From the original owner’s memories, Ryan was among the top tier in their grade in terms of strength.
Especially his well-trained muscles, which Kaide often praised for their power and explosiveness.
Not to mention, Ryan had already surpassed the second tier in the last semester, and currently, he was at least at the mid-stage of the second tier in his martial artist rank.
“Seems like a tough opponent.”
Mu’en scratched his head and smiled bitterly: “Then, let’s have a good match, Ryan.”
“Likewise, Mu’en Campbell.”
“Take it easy on me.”
Ryan paused for a moment, then nodded vigorously: “I will.”
…
…
“That guy is actually first?”
Seeing Mu’en Campbell take the stage, Ariel raised an eyebrow.
But then, a cold smile crept onto her lips.
“Just right, let me see how you get schooled.”
He had even pretended to read books and show off in front of Celicia earlier?
Effort?
She wanted to see how amazing his efforts truly were.
“Let the betting begin!”
A classmate with a monkey face behind Ariel excitedly rubbed his hands together, calling out to those around him, “Mu’en Campbell vs. Ryan, don’t miss this exciting duel! Anyone want to place a bet?”
“You can’t be kidding me, sir, can we really open a bet like that without any suspense?” A nearby classmate asked with a strange expression.
“Absolutely, that’s Ryan! And then there’s Mu’en Campbell, the guy who did nothing but slack off last semester! Though he has a bit of a foundation, even if Ryan fights with one hand, he probably can’t win.”
“Be a bit more confident; he wouldn’t even lose to a hand or foot.”
“Be even more confident; he can’t even lose if he uses both hands and feet!”
“Okay, that’s a bit excessive. Are we expecting Ryan to headbutt Mu’en Campbell?”
“I honestly think even using his head against Mu’en Campbell wouldn’t make Ryan lose, hahaha…”
“…”
“Don’t worry.”
The monkey-faced classmate had an expression that suggested he had already anticipated this, laughing, “I know their strength gap is big, but when did I say the betting was about who wins or loses?”
“Oh, what do you mean?”
“Time, time! How long can Mu’en Campbell last, or how long will the duel take to finish, five minutes or ten minutes? Closest guesses win, and the winner takes all. Simple rules. Anyone want to play?”
“I do!”
Immediately, some students responded.
Studying in this academy was already dull; why not participate in this rare chance to have fun?
“I bet one hundred Aimer on five minutes!”
“Five minutes seems conservative.”
Someone threw a fifty Aimer note into the pot, claiming, “Three minutes.”
“Why be conservative then just fifty?”
A boy who seemed to come from a noble background showed disdain, waving his hand: “One thousand, I bet on one minute.”
“Wow, aren’t you the one who wanted to cling to Mu’en Campbell’s leg before? Now you’re betting so ruthlessly?”
“Hehe, that’s because I couldn’t hold on, and that scumbag only attracts high-year students.”
…
“Should I join the fun too?”
Seeing her classmates placing betting bets enthusiastically, Ariel suddenly felt a bit tempted.
She could watch Mu’en Campbell get schooled while possibly earning some pocket money—what’s not to like?
However, being a poor student, Ariel remained cautious about spending money. So she immediately called upon her omnipotent master in her heart.
“Master, what do you think?”
“Mu’en Campbell’s strength? I’m not very familiar with martial arts, but I can tell he seems a bit different from last semester.”
“Different?”
“He seems to have… leveled up?”
In Ariel’s mind, she heard her master’s voice shift from questioning to a solid confirmation: “Yes, he has leveled up.”
“Oh really, he actually leveled up? That sly Mu’en Campbell nearly tricked me.”
Ariel gritted her teeth and glared at Mu’en on stage.
This guy must be secretly leveling up, planning to shock everyone.
Thank goodness she has her master; otherwise, she would’ve probably bet on one or two minutes and lost even her meal money!
“I bet on ten minutes!”
Confirming Mu’en was now a second-tier warrior, Ariel stepped forward and boldly placed her bet: two hundred Aimer, crumpled and wrinkled from being in her pocket for a whole week.
No choice; the black market hadn’t opened, all her cash spent on materials—bankrupt.
But.
Watching all those who hadn’t realized Mu’en concealed his strength, the ones betting on one or two minutes, made Ariel smirk.
Mu’en Campbell had advanced to the second tier; while he surely wouldn’t beat Ryan, lasting about ten minutes must be a walk in the park for him.
At that point, she’d surely come out on top.
“Hehe.”
With this thought, Ariel couldn’t help but rub her small hands together in excitement: “Here comes the good life with chicken legs every meal!”
…
“Now, both of you, choose your weapons.”
Since this was a duel, the aim was to test real strength. Before fighting, Kaide let both of them go to the well-prepared weapon rack to select their preferred weapons.
Mu’en naturally chose the twin short daggers he was used to, while Ryan picked up a massive cleaver that looked quite intimidating.
“Short daggers?”
Kaide raised an eyebrow at Mu’en’s choice of weapon.
“Weren’t you using a sword last semester?”
“Haha, the sword doesn’t suit me, so I switched.”
Mu’en grinned awkwardly.
After all, he couldn’t say he had learned new skills from an assassin and had entirely forgotten the sword techniques taught to him.
“Fine, it’s your freedom to choose whichever weapon.”
Kaide didn’t pay it too much mind, seeing as during last semester, Mu’en had just been playing around with the sword anyhow.
Since it was all just play, why would he care?
“Ready to begin.”
Kaide advised both to warm up, and he gradually stepped back to give them some space to maneuver.
“Okay.”
Mu’en loosened his body and turned to Ryan, who was testing the balance of his cleaver nearby.
“Ryan.” Mu’en suddenly spoke.
“Mm?” Ryan turned his gaze in confusion.
“Your muscles are truly enviable; must have taken a long time to train.”
“…I’ve been practicing since I was little.”
“I see.”
Mu’en nodded, then continued to ask: “Not that I’m trying to start a conversation, but I’m quite curious.”
“?”
“I’ve heard someone say that proper exercise attracts the opposite sex, while excessive exercise attracts the same sex. So, Ryan, with those muscles of yours, there’s no way…”
Mu’en leaned in with a smile, asking, “You’ve never had a girl like you, have you?”
Crack.
It seemed like something shattered.
Ryan froze for a second, then veins bulged on his forehead as his eyes instantly reddened.
What the hell? It’s just fighting; why bring up someone’s weak spots?
Who cares if no girl ever liked him? He had his beloved dumbbells for company!
Do you even know the joy of lifting weights every day?
Just then.
“Begin!”
Kaide called out the signal to start.
In an instant, Mu’en lunged forward like a hunting leopard.
Shadow Step!
Mu’en vanished from his original position.
When he reappeared, he was right in front of Ryan.
With a flourish of his dual daggers, swift and seamless.
Ryan’s eyes widened in shock.
The momentary delay caused by his anger made him lose the advantage from the very start.
Thus, facing the dual daggers coming at him, he could only hastily raise the cleaver to block.
The enormous size of the cleaver played in his favor, nearly sealing off all of Mu’en’s attack routes.
However.
Not all of them.
Mu’en’s eyes flickered.
He suddenly changed tactics, planting one foot on the wide cleaver.
Using its force, he jumped back and threw one of his daggers, targeting the opening that the cleaver couldn’t cover.
Ryan quickly turned his head, narrowly dodging the flying knife.
But Mu’en stomped down on the ground and charged forward again.
Ryan showed a hint of panic.
He knew that if Mu’en continued this rapid assault, he’d surely end up defeated.
He had to push him back to gather his composure again.
Thus, he gathered his energy.
Battle Aura began to coalesce.
Martial Technique, Iron Mountain Shock!
This technique, relying on the explosive power of his Battle Aura, could knock away all surrounding enemies, a useful skill against multiple attacks or close fights with an opponent.
The only drawback was the need for an initial charge up.
And just before this charge up was completed, Mu’en charged forward.
However, he didn’t swing his daggers.
Rather, he extended his empty hand, curling his fingers.
Like a beast’s sharp claws.
In the next moment, thunder roared!
A massive vibration surged through Ryan’s body, immediately causing his blood to stir.
And the Battle Aura he was about to unleash scattered in an instant.
This move didn’t deal significant damage but threw Ryan into a temporary state of confusion.
“Truly impressive, the interrupting skill.”
Mu’en gently praised, striding up to Ryan as if casually strolling.
He threw a punch directly at Ryan’s cheek.
The outcome was already decided.
The arena fell silent.
All the students displayed shocked expressions.
It was only when Mu’en looked at him with questioning eyes that Teacher Kaide snapped back to reality, looking at the stopwatch he had subconsciously stopped, loudly declaring:
“The time taken is ten seconds; the winner is… Mu’en Campbell!”
The arena remained silent.
And Mu’en, unfazed by the audience’s lack of enthusiasm, gracefully bowed to the fallen Ryan on the ground, “Thank you for the match, Ryan. What I just said was all a joke, so please don’t take it to heart. Even if no girl likes you, I’m sure you’re a very charming man.”
Mu’en smiled and added, “Being keen on exercising can be a joyful life, right?”
Ryan: “…”
Please don’t talk if you can’t find words.
What’s even worse!
After turning away, Mu’en walked back to his spot.
“Wait.”
At that moment, Teacher Kaide called him back, his eyes gleaming with unprecedented warmth as if he was meeting the blonde boy in front of him for the first time:
“Um… Aren’t you going to say something? Maybe share your thoughts?”
“My thoughts?”
Mu’en carefully reflected on the battle experience before responding earnestly, “I feel… this battle was easier than I expected.”
“…”
Ryans, who was only beginning to struggle to sit up, turned pale again at this remark and collapsed back onto the ground.
…
…
It wasn’t until Mu’en stepped off the stage that the atmosphere among the audience exploded.
“Unbelievable, Mu’en Campbell actually won?”
“I’m not dreaming, am I? Someone give me a punch—ah, it’s not a dream!”
“Ten seconds? Even a sixty-year-old grandpa wouldn’t be faster than that; is Ryan even capable?”
“Didn’t see Mu’en Campbell for a single holiday and he got this strong? Is he on drugs?”
“Wait, who exactly won here?”
Someone casually said this, causing all eyes to focus on the monkey-faced classmate.
He swallowed hard, looking at the records of everyone’s bets and said, “Since we bet on the duration of the fight, victory or loss doesn’t matter, so naturally the closest guess to ten seconds wins.”
Thus, the overall winner of this betting game was a certain bystander student who casually bet one Aimer on an absurd time of fifteen seconds, claiming it was impossible for Mu’en to last that long.
A staggering one to five thousand payout would become the talk of St. Maria Academy for a long time.
…
After Mu’en, other classmates began their duels.
Compared to Mu’en’s fierce and precise fight, the other students’ matches were more routine and flashy.
The flashy, flashy techniques littered but without any real effect nearly made Mu’en want to shout, “Stop! You can’t kill anyone with how you’re fighting.”
The only thing that shocked Mu’en was Ariel.
She defeated her opponent even faster—only needing seven seconds.
Moreover, she seemed to be holding back a great deal of pent-up energy, striking deadly blows that even made Teacher Kaide anxious.
“Unknowingly, have I gotten this strong?”
Mu’en held his chin and observed the students embroiled in combat, feeling somewhat melancholic.
When he first arrived in this world, he was so weak he couldn’t do anything.
He could only helplessly endure the mocking fate like a coward.
But after more than a month of fierce battles alongside the records in the black book, he finally felt true progress at this moment.
No longer was he the useless young master.
He had become stronger.
And he would continue to grow stronger.
