Arthur's eyes flickered open as he took his first breath in this world once again. A smirk crept onto his lips.
"So this is the world of the living, huh?" he murmured to himself. "I guess I'll be living as Arthur for a while."
He stretched his arms, glancing at his reflection in the mirror beside his bed. His appearance and voice remained unchanged. Good. Less trouble that way. Without waiting for Riven, he slipped out of the dorm and made his way to class.
The moment he stepped onto the academy grounds, Felix and Ronan spotted him and waved.
"I'm not in the mood to play friends," he thought, his gaze indifferent. But after a brief pause, he let out a small sigh and waved back before walking over to them.
The three entered the class together, and soon after, Riven arrived.
"Arthur, why didn't you wait for me?" Riven asked.
"Sorry, I was in a hurry," Arthur replied casually.
Riven nodded, not thinking much of it. Just then, Seraphina walked into the classroom. Arthur's sharp eyes observed her reaction—she glanced at him but quickly turned away.
"It seems I'm beginning to arouse suspicion," he thought. To ease the tension, he raised a hand and waved at her.
She ignored him completely.
Arthur frowned slightly. What's with her?
Before he could dwell on it, Nathaniel entered the room and instructed the students to head to the training field.
---
The Encounter with Damon
Arthur stood in the middle of the field, but instead of training with the others, he turned and walked back toward the academy building.
His footsteps echoed down the empty hallway, but before he could make it far, a figure stepped into his path.
Damon.
The boy sneered, blocking Arthur's way. "You haven't forgotten about me, have you?" His voice dripped with resentment. "I clearly remember you… and the disgrace I suffered because of you."
Arthur stopped, tilting his head slightly. Then, his lips curved into a cold smile.
"Of course, I remember you, Damon."
Damon's scowl deepened, but before he could say anything else, Arthur took a slow step forward.
"Let me offer you a word of warning," Arthur continued, his tone dropping to something ominous. "Only those in my service are allowed to look me in the eyes when they speak. Those who oppose me may never look down on me."
A suffocating aura exploded from Arthur, filling the hallway. His eyes glowed an eerie, unnatural blue as the pressure in the air became overwhelming.
Damon gasped as his knees buckled. He tried to resist, but his body refused to move. His breathing grew ragged as an invisible force crushed his chest.
Arthur leaned closer, his voice chilling.
"Lower your head."
Damon trembled, sweat dripping down his face. He felt as if he was staring into the abyss itself. His body obeyed before his mind could protest.
Arthur's cold gaze lingered on him for a moment before he turned and walked away.
Even after he was gone, Damon remained kneeling on the ground, his fists clenched in humiliation.
"Who does he think he is?" he muttered through gritted teeth. "I'll bring down that arrogance of his… I'll make him kneel instead."
He forced himself to stand and walked back to the field.
---
The Challenge
As soon as Damon arrived, his eyes locked onto Arthur, who stood with Felix and Ronan. Without hesitation, he strode toward him.
"I challenge you to a duel."
The air grew tense as everyone turned to watch.
Felix and Ronan immediately stepped forward, trying to intervene. "Damon, what are you talking about?"
Arthur, however, only smiled. "Fine."
Damon narrowed his eyes. "You think you can use me as a warm-up?"
Arthur smirked. "It's been a long time since I last fought someone. Might as well stretch my muscles."
Damon clenched his fists, but before he could respond, Nathaniel stepped in.
"Both of you, stop. There will be no duel."
A new voice suddenly cut through the tension.
"I heard there's going to be a duel. When is it happening?"
Everyone turned to see Garrick approaching. The moment he arrived, the students straightened and greeted him—everyone except Arthur.
Nathaniel explained the situation, expecting Garrick to shut it down. But to everyone's shock, he simply nodded.
"No problem," Garrick said. "This kind of rivalry strengthens warriors. Let them fight."
A murmur spread through the students.
"The duel will be held this evening in the trial arena," Garrick declared. "Be there."
---
The Duel
By evening, the arena was packed with students eager to witness the fight. Garrick and Nathaniel sat in the audience, watching over the match.
Felix and Ronan whispered among themselves. "Is Arthur going to be alright?"
Riven, arms crossed, spoke confidently. "He'll be fine."
Arthur stepped into the ring, followed closely by Damon. Nathaniel raised his hand.
"Begin."
Damon smirked. "I'm going to crush that arrogant attitude of yours."
Arthur's expression remained indifferent. "You're the arrogant one. But don't fret—the reason you'll lose is because of a difference in skill."
Damon scoffed. "Why do you believe that? You are my opponent. I consider you my equal now since I lost to you before, and I have conducted myself in that manner. I have no arrogance. Either of us could win."
Arthur's eyes darkened. "That's exactly where you're wrong. A Sage Academy student considering himself to be my equal? I'm saying that in itself is already arrogance."
Damon's anger flared. "I see… It would seem arrogance is part of your nature, then. I shall crush and defeat you."
Arthur smirked. "Then come at me."
Damon gritted his teeth. "That look… that attitude… that's what I hate."
"Blind—Kagayagi!"
A bright flash of light engulfed the arena as Damon vanished.
Arthur shielded his eyes briefly before letting out a chuckle. "Oh? So you've learned a new trick."
Damon's voice echoed. "This is no trick. Now, find me if you can."
Arthur sighed. Instead of searching, he simply sat down.
Damon blinked. "What… are you doing?"
"I've always hated hide-and-seek," Arthur replied lazily.
Minutes passed. The audience grew restless.
Arthur finally stood. "This isn't even enough for a warm-up."
Damon smirked. "He still can't see me, so there's no—"
Arthur took a step forward, stretching out his hand.
"Ice Magic: Frost Touch."
A chilling wave spread through the air. Damon felt his limbs go numb—his invisibility faltered. His body slowly began to freeze.
Arthur walked past him. "Don't worry, it'll stop at your neck. You won't die. Those are the rules, right?"
Damon, still shivering, managed to stutter, "Since when… did you know where I was?"
Arthur glanced back, his gaze cold.
"Since the moment you were in your mother's womb."
The crowd erupted into murmurs of awe.
Seraphina, watching closely, felt her face flush. He's strong…
Arthur suddenly leaned in. "You have a beautiful set of eyes," he said, holding her chin. "I'm jealous."
Her cheeks turned red.
"Why's your cheek all red?"
She slapped him and stormed off.
Arthur held his cheek, blinking in surprise before laughing. "What was that feeling…? Hmm. I like it."
Nathaniel sighed. "Arthur wins."
Riven smirked. "That's my rival."
The Aftermath
As the crowd dispersed and his friends left, Arthur remained in the empty arena, gazing up at the sky.
"Hyorinmaru."
A faint shimmer in the air, and the ice spirit materialized beside him. "Yes?"
Arthur's expression darkened. "Something strange happened today. There was this feeling I've never experienced before."
Hyorinmaru tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
Arthur ran a hand over his cheek, a small smirk playing on his lips. "I was slapped today."
Hyorinmaru stiffened. "Slapped? What did you do?"
Arthur chuckled. "Nothing absurd, I swear. But you know what's strange? I liked it. I felt… something new. It made me want to experience it again."
Hyorinmaru narrowed his eyes. "You liked getting hit?"
Arthur nodded. "It was different. Exciting. Do you know what that feeling is called?"
Hyorinmaru let out a sigh. "It's called pain, Sir."
Arthur blinked, then laughed. "So this is pain, huh? I think I'll take a liking to that girl after all."
Hyorinmaru's expression hardened. "And who is this girl? The one who slapped you.?"
Arthur smirked. "I believe her name was Seraphina." He glanced at the sky, deep in thought.
Hyorinmaru frowned. "Seraphina? Hmph. She slapped my wielder before, too, during their sparring match."
Arthur's eyes widened slightly before another amused grin spread across his face. "Oh? It would seem she has a habit of inflicting pain." He chuckled. "Keep an eye on her,Hyorinmaru. She has potential."
Hyorinmaru sighed. "Yes, sir."
Arthur exhaled, his gaze still fixed on the sky. "Well… it seems my time is up. Time for him to have his body back."
Hyorinmaru nodded. "Yes."
A black mist seeped from Arthur's body, slowly dissolving into the air. His smirk faded, his eyes dimming as his body collapsed to the ground.
Hyorinmaru remained still, watching him.
It seems my Lord has taken a liking to her, huh…