Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

But before he could sink deeper into his thoughts, a loud scoff cut through the noise, sharp and mocking.

Sun stood near the board, his dark eyes glinting with that familiar smugness, his voice carrying across the room. "What a pointless wish," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, his lips curling into a sneer. "The commoner's never making it to 100th place. He's dreaming."

Laughter rippled through the class, a few of Sun's cronies nodding like trained dogs, and Jae's blood boiled.

His fists clenched, his jaw tightening as he shot to his feet, his chair scraping the stone floor. "I'll get there," he snapped, his voice steady but hot with anger. "And when we meet in the tournament, I'll wipe the floor with you, Sun."

The room went quiet, heads turning, eyes wide.

Sun's grin widened, predatory and confident. "Why wait for the tournament?" he said, stepping closer, his boots clicking on the floor. "Let's do this now, commoner. I'll teach you your place."

Jae's heart pounded, adrenaline spiking. He'd been itching for a chance to shut Sun up, and this was it. "Fine," he said, his voice firm, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll teach you a lesson."

Before they could square up, a tall guy with jet-black hair and eyes that glinted with a cold, almost evil edge stepped between them.

"Hold on, Sun," he said, his voice smooth but sharp, like a blade hidden in silk. "You're the royal prince. You shouldn't be fighting a commoner."

He turned to Jae, his gaze sizing him up like prey. "I'm Fin, top five in the class. I'll fight you instead. It'll be a perfect way to show the gap between a top student and… someone like you."

His smile was all teeth, no warmth, and Jae's gut twisted, sensing trouble.

Sun's face soured, clearly annoyed at being sidelined, but he shrugged, stepping back. "Fine, Fin. Handle it," he said, his tone grudging but curious.

Jae's heart raced, but he nodded, his eyes locked on Fin. "Let's do this," he said, his voice steady despite the nerves creeping in.

Fin gestured to the hallway, and Jae followed, the class pouring out behind them, their whispers buzzing like a swarm of bees.

As they stepped into the wide stone corridor, Jae's breath caught. The hall was packed, way more crowded than he'd expected. Word had spread like wildfire through the academy, whispers of the commoner's first duel drawing students from every corner.

The air was heavy with the smell of polished stone and nervous excitement, the crowd forming a loose circle, their eyes glinting with anticipation. Most of them, Jae knew, were rooting for him to crash and burn.

He scanned the faces, his stomach knotting, until he spotted Elise pushing through the throng. Her dark hair was loose, her eyes wide with worry as she reached him, her hand brushing his arm.

"Jae, are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice soft but urgent, her brows furrowed. "You don't have to fight now, not with everyone watching, hoping you'll fail."

Her concern hit him like a warm wave, and for a second, he wanted to pull her close, kiss her forehead to reassure her, just like he had last night.

But he stopped himself, his heart sinking. Showing affection here, in front of this crowd, would paint a target on her back. The nobles would eat her alive for being close to a commoner.

Instead, he gave her a small, confident smile. "Don't worry," he said, his voice steady. "I'll handle Fin. And anyone else who comes for me."

Elise bit her lip, still worried, but she nodded, stepping back into the crowd. Jae's chest tightened, her trust fueling him even as nerves gnawed at his gut.

He turned to face Fin, who stood in the center of the hall, his black hair falling into his cold eyes, his stance relaxed but dangerous. The crowd's whispers grew louder, bets being placed, insults about the "commoner" flying like darts.

Jae's fists clenched. He could do this. He had to.

Fin cracked his knuckles, his smirk sharp. "Ready to lose, commoner?" he said, his voice loud enough for the crowd to hear, drawing a few laughs.

Jae's jaw tightened, but he kept his cool, his mind racing. He's top five. This won't be easy, he thought, his eyes scanning Fin's stance for weaknesses.

The hall's stone walls seemed to close in, the air thick with tension, the crowd's energy pressing against him. He couldn't back down now, not with Sun watching, not with Elise believing in him, not with his own need to prove he belonged here.

Jae stepped forward, planting his feet, his heart pounding but his focus sharp. "Let's see what you've got," he said, his voice calm but firm, ready to face whatever Fin threw at him.

The crowd hushed, all eyes on the two boys in the center of the hall, the air crackling with the promise of a fight.