The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

After the lower classes finished with the duels, it was time for the [S CLASS] to begin.

Sofia and Aria were done too with them—they won.

(Sofia is [B CLASS], Aria is [A CLASS])

And with that—

"FINALLY!"

"THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!"

"ME TOO...! I WANT TO SEE WHO'S THE STRONGEST TERTIARY STUDENT RIGHT NOW!!!"

The students who had just finished their assessment duels became excited. They were all fine because the [Training Dome Artifact] is being used on the arena.

(It's an artifact originally from the Zephyros Academy—the Zion Academy is just borrowing it. Upon activating this artifact, anything that happens in its area of effect will be negated after exiting. If you died inside, you'll be ejected outside still alive, just exhausted and all.)

Moving on...

"START THE MATCHES!!!"

"YEAAAAAAHHH—!!!"

"ARGH...! MY EARS...!"

The students started making some noise, and hearing their demands—

"OKAY, EVERYONE—! LET'S CONTINUE THE ASSESSMENT!!!"

Sariel exclaimed that with a wide smile on his face. (Head professor of [A CLASS].)

"SHUT UP, YOU GUYS! THE NOISIEST ONE I CATCH WILL BE TRAINED BY ME PERSONALLY FOR A WEEK!!!"

Ramiel followed with a frown, and after shouting that—the students became really quiet immediately. (Head Professor of [S CLASS], Raye and the others' professor.)

"Haha, just let them have fun for a bit."

Charles then said to him, calming him down. (Close Combat Professor of [C and D CLASSES].)

Ramiel glared at the students one last time, as if to say he was not joking with his words earlier, and after that... He stepped down from the arena and left the whole thing back to Sariel to handle.

"..."

A smile rested on Raye's face looking at the three, he was close to them after all, and it's been a while since he last saw them.

'I gotta visit the headmaster soon too, I'll let him see how much I've gotten stronger in using telekinesis.'

He thought.

'Oh, I should use the lightning techniques I've been training too so Ramiel could see that I didn't slack off.'

And then he added with a mischievous smile.

For everyone else, only a month had passed.

But for Raye—it was over 10 months. He was gone for almost a year, and during all that... He didn't miss a single day of training.

"Hehe..."

He can't contain his excitement, thinking how surprised everyone is going to be after seeing his current strength... and his stats later.

"..."

Meanwhile, Leon and the others just glanced at him, thinking he's a weirdo—laughing on his own while staring into nothing.

"Hehe..."

Jerusha is just happy that Raye seems excited, so she's just smiling.

...

...

...

Anyway, not long after that—the duels between the [S CLASS] started.

Ravien Versus Lian—Ravien wins.

Josh Versus Joshua—Josh wins quite easily.

(The four are Raye and the others' classmates.)

Two fights finished immediately, there's three more left.

And the next match—

"Allen and Devin, please step up here on the arena."

Is between these two.

*****

After their names got called...

Allen and Devin stood up at the same time. They looked at each other and nodded their heads.

"Good luck, you two!"

"Erm, do you best both!"

Raye, Lycus, Jerusha, Lena, Leon, Sofia, and Aria wished the two of them good luck. Most of them weren't really sure who to cheer for.

"Thanks."

"Thank you."

Devin and Allen thanked them, and with that—they headed to the arena side by side.

"YEAAAAAAHHH!!!"

"MORE FIGHT!!!"

"UGH—! SHUSH!!!"

The students roared in excitement looking at them.

And upon stepping onto the concrete platform...

Fwip—

Devin immediately wore his black personal gloves. Their knuckles had small mana stones embedded in them, glowing faintly with energy.

Swish—

Meanwhile, Allen unsheathed his personal sword—a pure white katana, down to its handle and sheath. It looked elegant and deadly, almost sacred.

Then after that, they both took fighting stances.

SWOOSH~

The atmosphere around the arena got heavy and serious. The air itself seemed to still.

"..."

"...!"

Everyone went silent and held their breaths.

Allen and Devin were sending mana into their weapons, causing the ground beneath them to lightly crack under the pressure.

And seeing them eager to start—

"Are you both ready?"

Sariel asked that, his tone calm but firm.

The two nodded without saying a word. They didn't even shift their attention away from each other!

And with that, after a brief pause—

"THEN BEGIN!!!"

Sariel announced the start of their match!

BAM!

Then both of them immediately kicked off the ground and rushed at each other at top speed!

C L A N G—!!!

They disappeared—and in a split second, they were both in the middle of the arena! Devin's right fist, covered with raging mana, clashed against Allen's sword that was also covered with mana!

SWOOSH—!!

A strong shockwave was produced from their exchange. The audience flinched as a wave of wind swept over the spectators' booth.

CRACK—!

The arena's concrete ground cracked slightly under their feet!

"..."

Their eyes met again.

No words. No taunts.

Just focus.

BAM! BAM! CLANG—!

Then in the middle of the arena, the two clashed again—this time, their movements barely visible to the ordinary eye!

Devin twisted his body mid-air and launched a spinning kick, his leg covered in wind-enhanced mana.

SWISH—!

But Allen ducked low and slid forward in a blur, his katana flashing upward in a crescent arc!

CLANG!

Devin barely managed to block it with his forearm, the mana around it hardening like steel. He gritted his teeth as the force pushed him back slightly.

Tap- tap—

He stumbled back, and Allen didn't give him room to breathe!

The moment Devin's feet touched the ground, Allen zipped forward again—a burst of speed—leaving faint afterimages.

S W I S H—!

Then his white blade came down in a vertical slash!

"...!"

Fwip-

Devin crossed both arms in front of him, mana surging to form a temporary barrier!

BOOM!

The the katana slammed into the barrier, creating a sharp, cutting shockwave that cracked the floor beneath Devin.

But in that same moment—

THUD!

Devin's right knee, glowing faintly red, shot up into Allen's side like a missile!

"...?!"

Allen's eyes widened—he barely tilted his body, and instead of taking the hit full-on, he blocked it with his left elbow!

Still, the impact sent him skidding several meters across the arena—

SHIIIIIIK—

But he didn't fall. Instead, he spun once and regained his stance, sword pointed forward, eyes narrowed and locked onto Devin.

"..."

Devin smiled, rolling his neck as faint embers sparked from his gloves.

"..."

Allen raised his katana slightly, mana flaring around him.

"Fuuuuu..."

"Huuuuu..."

They both exhaled slowly... Then they vanished again.

BAM—!

CLANG—!

BOOM!

Another storm of exchanges erupted between them!

Punches met slashes, kicks clashed with parries, and magic-enhanced strikes sparked and echoed through the dome!

"...!"

And all the while—the crowd stayed silent, eyes wide, jaws slack. The duel was too fast, too clean, too intense.

And watching this—

"…They're going all out already, huh?"

Raye muttered that with a grin.