At this moment, the midday sunlight filtered through the wooden windows, casting a faint golden hue across the dusty floor.

  A gust of wind swept through, rattling the doors of the venue with a creaking sound.

  On the left side of the hall, near a slightly worn-down support beam, y an old sparring area. At its center stood a rge dueling ptform, its surface marked with pits and cracks that bore witness to its long history.

  On this ptform, two figures stood facing each other, their auras tense and confrontational.

  “Even though we’ll take this duel seriously, I won’t stoop so low as to crush you by relying on a two-rank advantage.”

  Zilvini pointed at Frey, her tone firm and righteous.

  As one of the top third-year fighters, she prided herself on her honor. No matter how much she wanted to win, she wouldn’t resort to bullying a first-year newcomer by breaking the unspoken rules of fairness.

  Then, with a wave of her hand, a burly fighter stepped forward from behind her. His expression was one of barely-contained eagerness, as if he couldn’t wait to pummel Frey into submission.

  “This is our vice-captain, a fifth-rank second-year. Let him teach you a lesson.”

  With that, Zilvini crossed her arms and stepped back, leaving the ptform to the two combatants.

  The air in the venue grew thick with tension, the dim light casting long shadows across the floor.

  The two fighters on the ptform began their warm-ups, their movements simple yet precise. Small hops and stretches punctuated the silence, their feet nding with soft yet deliberate sounds.

  Their gazes locked, unwavering, as if the entire world had faded away, leaving only their opponent in focus.

  Observation was the first and most crucial step in close combat.

  Frey shrugged off his jacket, his expression rexed as he rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. He exuded an air of confidence and ease, standing calmly before his opponent.

  The rest of the spectators slowly backed away, ensuring there was ample space for the duel.

  “Well then?”

  Zilvini turned to look at Lanqi, who stood on the far side of the room. Her gaze seemed to ask if they were ready to begin.

  “Please, proceed,” Lanqi said with a small nod.

  “Begin!”

  Zilvini’s voice echoed through the worn-down venue.

  With her command, the atmosphere, which had been stretched to its breaking point, finally snapped.

  The burly fighter let out a roar, his voice cutting through the silence like a wild beast charging into battle.

  His massive frame moved with surprising speed, transforming into a blur as his muscles exploded with power. He aimed to end the fight in a single, devastating kick, intending to obliterate Frey on the spot.

  Frey, however, remained calm. He stood still, his gaze fixed on the charging opponent, as steady as a mountain weathering a storm.

  His hands were already raised in a defensive stance, as if he had anticipated this exact move.

  Even the fighters watching from the sidelines held their breath, their eyes glued to the scene. The outcome of the duel could very well be decided in the blink of an eye.

  Just as the two combatants were about to collide—when fists and feet seemed destined to meet—

  In the next instant—

  Frey’s right hand shot into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a small orb that glimmered with the faint glow of a magic crystal. With a swift motion, he hurled it at his opponent while simultaneously dropping into a defensive crouch.

  Boom!

  A thunderous explosion rocked the venue, causing the entire building to tremble slightly.

  Smoke and sparks filled the air as the deafening bst seemed to freeze time itself. Only the searing fmes danced in the aftermath, casting fleeting shadows on the walls.

  The burly fighter’s massive body was caught in the explosion, sent flying through the air in a wide arc before crashing to the ground like a bird with broken wings.

  He rolled a few times before coming to a stop in a corner of the room.

  Unconscious and sprawled on the floor, his body was charred bck, his eyes shut tight as faint wisps of smoke escaped his mouth like a smoldering squid.

  The once-tense venue was now deathly silent, the fighters staring in stunned disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.

  “...Lanqi!”

  Huberrian hissed through gritted teeth, her voice low but filled with urgency as she tugged at Lanqi’s sleeve.

  She could already sense trouble brewing!

  Even though the fighters hadn’t fully processed what had just happened, Huberrian knew all too well—what Frey had just used was a lightweight demolition bomb from the Engineering Department, meant for tearing down buildings. It was more than enough to knock out a fifth-rank fighter at close range!

  Lanqi, however, simply offered her a faint smile, as if the situation was entirely under control.

  On the ptform, Frey dusted himself off and stood up, completely unharmed.

  “I win.”

  Adjusting his colr with a casual flick, Frey’s eyes sparkled with confidence as he spoke in a calm, measured tone.

  “The times have changed. The spirit of combat must also ride the winds of progress aboard the airship of modern engineering.”

  “You *bastard*!!”

  Unsurprisingly, the remaining fighters erupted in fury.

  Huberrian could feel the collective rage building like a volcano about to erupt, its molten fury directed squarely at Frey.

  Though she was a bit frightened, she couldn’t help but marvel at how Frey’s simple move had pushed the entire group to the brink of losing their composure. It was as if he had perfectly set them up for Lanqi’s [Great Poet of Love]—a skill that could manipute emotions to devastating effect.

  But this was a school dispute! Letting Lanqi use [Great Poet of Love] to incite chaos on campus would be a disaster!

  “Frey!! You despicable scum! How dare you speak of the spirit of combat after using such underhanded tactics?!”

  “To use a hidden weapon in a fair duel—what a disgrace to the Knight Academy!”

  The fighters seemed ready to charge at Frey, though they hesitated, wary of him pulling out another bomb.

  After all, the earlier explosion had already damaged one of the wooden beams, leaving the building teetering precariously. If Frey were to unleash another “defensive” attack, the entire venue might colpse!

  In the face of their accusations, Frey furrowed his brow and replied, “But you never said that new weapons weren’t allowed in a fair duel.”

  “Shut up! Knightly duels don’t allow bombs!”

  While there was no written rule explicitly banning such tactics, it was an unspoken tradition—one that no one had dared to break, until now.

  The two sides stood apart, locked in a stalemate, their argument threatening to escate into chaos.

  At that moment, Lanqi, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, finally stepped forward. He walked past Frey, briefly exchanging a gnce with him.

  “Everyone, please calm down. Harmony is paramount. I believe I’ve identified the root of our misunderstanding.”

  Lanqi addressed the crowd with steady composure, his tone exuding fairness and authority.

  “Our differing interpretations of the rules have led to this situation. Therefore, I propose that this duel be decred void. Instead, let us hold a rematch, but this time, we’ll draft a formal agreement outlining all the rules beforehand. That way, regardless of the outcome, everyone will be satisfied.”

  His words were rational, his demeanor upright and sincere.

  Facilitating a harmonious resolution seemed to be his responsibility.

  As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the venue, Lanqi’s calm and reasoned approach appeared to offer a glimmer of hope for resolving the conflict.

  (End of Chapter)

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