Ezra turned to Umeron. "How do I issue a duel?"
Umeron was surprised. "You're already getting to that? Who do you want to fight?"
"You"
"Oh me-wait, what?! Why?!"
"Isn't that obvious? I want the number one spot"
"Uh…okay" Umeron scratched his head.
They were getting to know each other, but they were still rivals.
"So, how do I do it?"
"Just say, I challenge number one to a duel"
"I challenge number one to a duel"
Like before, Umarov's crest lit up, a sign of acknowledgment, but before the duel was set in place… "Wait, if I take your crest will I be able to challenge lower members?" Ezra suddenly asked.
Umeron shook his head. "Nope. You cannot challenge those lower than you, they can only challenge you"
"Oh, then I'm not duelling anymore" Ezra decided.
The crest went back to its dormant state.
Looking around, Ezra recalled. "Anyways, isn't it time to eat lunch?"
"Hmm, you're right, it's almost time"
"Then let's go" Ezra says, running off.
Umeron follows, racing to the first floor.
They descended to the first floor even faster than before. Like before, Ezra won and Umeron was sweating again.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the canteen, where they found thousands of other students.
Chatter was in vogue as these munchkins blabbered whatever they could, spilling their food contents all over.
Ezra's arrival had it descend into silence as they previewed him carefully, especially with the number one standing by his side.
Ezra looked around, his voice echoing. "Who's number seven?"
After a bunch of murmurs, a man, slim with long robes stood up. "I am"
"Thank you, please hand me your crest. I've been certified as an Expert-except you want a duel"
The recipient was silent.
'He's the one who sent Westin to the healer's room. It makes sense that he's an Expert…but Dammit! My rank's going to go lower again'
Thankfully, he had enough sense to realize that the result of a duel was but a forgone conclusion.
Without further ado, the man handed Ezra the crest.
"Thank you"
The man slightly nodded to acknowledge. No one would feel good about losing a rank.
Ezra flipped it in his hands a bit. "One down, five to go"
Ezra gaze pervaded the silent hall, until it met with those he was searching.
"Theron, come here"
The hefty tall black man walked up to him.
"You called?"
"Yes. What's your rank?"
"Thirty-three"
"Good. Call the others"
Calling them, Johan, Ashton, Roxanne and Velora arrived in front of him.
"Change of plans, I'm getting you to Expert rank as fast as possible"
He looked to the others, "I've defeated Westin. That's one crest down. Now I need four more"
"I challenge number five, four, three, and one"
The proclamation had the silence shattered. The canteen went into an uproar.
"Is he crazy?!"
"He wasn't at the trials, does anyone know him"
"I heard he beat Westin"
"What? That had to be a lie, otherwise how come I haven't heard of it?"
"Maybe because you're SLEEPING most of the time???"
"Tsk! Whatever, he must've gotten lucky or something. Westin's not hard to figure out, that's why he's number six, Six! If he thinks he's going to beat them the same way…
"Yeah" another continued. "He'd get so beat up he wouldn't be able to walk for the rest of the semester! Hahaha"
"You know, he might be doing this for the attention"
"I hope not, because if that's true, he's gonna regret his life"
"He's gonna regret his life either way, hahaha"
"What about the others?"
"They seem to know each other. But the others aren't that strong. The brothers are rank thirty-three, Forty-four and Forty respectively-I don't know about the girls though"
"Pfft" one burst into laughter. "Yeah, they must be doing it for the attention, they'd have to be dreaming if they think they'd face the top five"
All sorts of comments were made, Ezra didn't even blink.
He looked at the siblings. "Get it together and don't let the words into your head. I'd be very disappointed if you listened to a bunch of miscreants instead of me"
The siblings calmed and took stances.
"So, what are we to do?" asked Theron.
"Nothing really. Just stand watch"
The one's challenged had walked up to him.
Benedict spoke first. "If you think I'm going down like Westin, you'll be sorely mistaken"
Ezra huffed. "Are we fighting here?"
That moment, a voice echoed. "Challengers should head to the arena for battle"
It continued. "From now on, all duels are to be held in the arena. Due punishment will be delivered to those who flaunt it"
Ezra calmed, recognizing the voice immediately. 'Director Elisa'
Then, they heard, "I'm interested in this duel, so I'll do you all a favour"
"What-
Space warped. Ezra and the four disappeared.
They reappeared on a stage at which ascending chairs lay for the audience outside the circular ring.
Ezra looked around. He'd only seen it from afar.
It was tiled with stones in all shapes, bluish grey colour.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" asked number five, a girl dressed in black with red eyes and nails.
Ezra didn't even reply.
"Are you ignoring us right now?"
"No, just concentrating on better things" he remarked.
"On better things?!" her face turned red with anger. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Whatever you think it means. Don't bother me"
Emerson spoke. "How do you intend to fight us?"
"…?"
"In what order I mean"
"Oh! You guys chose among yourselves, I can fight in any order"
"Aren't you looking down on us a bit too much?" Emerson growled, his revealed white razor teeth.
Ezra still wasn't looking his way.
"This bastard...!
At that moment, students rushed in, quickly taking seats, and then Ezra noticed a shadow.
'Huh?' and it was getting bigger.
Before anything, a man landed right in their midst.
Rather Mr. Drew, it was Milos Lambert, the Shifter faculty head.
He fished out a napkin to clean his glasses. "The Director called me to regulate your duel but I have things to do, so we'll have to do things fast. Who's first?"
They looked at one another, before Benedict stepped forward. "I am"
"Ok" he nods. "The rest of you move afar"
The others quickly stepped away.
With Benedict and Ezra facing each other, Milos raised his hands, a magic dome encased the arena, transparent blue in colour.
"Are both sides ready?"
He didn't mention any rules because there weren't any, even killing was allowed.
No. if it wasn't, duels wouldn't carry nearly as much weight.
Ezra brought out the hiltless silver twin blades and stretched his arms and nodded to answer.
Benedict brought out a great sword. "I'm ready"
Milos brought his hand down. "Start"
Benedict shot forth, taking a wide swing. He yelled, "I'll have you pay for underestimating me!"
Ezra simply placed his sword in a position to block.
'This bastard! Letting his guard down like an idiot!'
Benedict snorted, maybe his fight with Westin was just a flux after all.
The moment the Great sword sufficiently closed in, Benedict went into action, jolting his muscles-thereby increasing the power of his swing.
'Bet you never saw this coming!' Benedict chuckled.
And then…Kanggg!!!
Like a short bell ring, the force behind the hit blew him massive gusts of wind, obscuring the vision of those outside.
The wind blew away after a minute, the audience holding their breaths while some were just arriving.
When the gust faded, the result was revealed.
It was a result expected by none.
"No way"
"Unbelievable"
'What?! How?!'
Especially Benedict.
He was pushing against Ezra's blade, but was unable to move him back by a centimeter.
Benedict disbelieved, he refused to accept such absurdity, his pride as knight would not allow it.
He called upon the strength within, as much as he could muster-and pushed again!
"Ahh!" shouting helped him channel his power.
His arms, neck, head, and thigh bulged, veins popping out all over.
Crack!
His eyes reddened from the pain, but my guy was unflinching, he pushed more and more, but his leg just dug deeper and deeper into the ground, breaking the more he pushed against Ezra's sword.
'No, not yet!'
Taking a few breathes, he used his family's secret technique.
Breakthrough!
Focusing one's full power into a single movement to give the greatest impact, and which a greatsword, it could break through the greatest of defences.
"Hmmph!"
Benedict activated it, and in that instant, he pushed Ezra back one step.
"Ahhh!" That small taste of success embodied Benedict's confidence, the man in front of him wasn't invisible after all!
But…
No matter how much more Benedict shouted, he made no progress, unable to push Ezra even a single inch more.
Benedict's heart stood strong and he kept pushing, but the more he pushed, the more he realized.
'This is entirely different from before!'
It was a whole new wall entirely.
Benedict couldn't even determine the depth of it.
It felt unbreakable, inviolable, impenetrable.
If it was like this just now, then, from the start…
'He'd been joking around'
Someone broke into Benedict's mind as he affirmed the truth.
Benedict began panting, his enlarged muscles began deflating, his veins receeding.
On this day, his pride as a knight was squashed, his worldview shattered.
He was shown just how feeble was his existence, how feeble his strength in front of real power.
On this day, he was shown the sky beyond the sky.
The many emotions caused Benedict to faint, falling to the ground when someone caught him.
His fading gaze saw the face of his challenger, mouthing some words.
'You did well…?'
Then darkness covered everything.
