CHAPTER 68: THE LAST STAND [1]

Chapter 68: The Last Stand [1]

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"That concludes this duel," Professor Vaelian said as he slowly walked to the center of the stage, his head slightly turned as his gaze locked on Kyousuke’s expression. "Kyousuke is the victor."

So I have my answer, Kyousuke thought as he looked at Veyrion, who knelt defeated in front of him. An ant can’t truly move an elephant.

"With this duel, it remains only two more left," Professor Vaelian announced.

Immediately, murmurs filled the hall as students reacted among themselves.

"Have you dueled?" one student asked his neighbor.

"Don’t be stupid, I won mine," came the reply.

"That means three people have the chance of facing Rian Blake," another took note, their voice filled with anxiety.

"Fuck... I haven’t dueled yet. I’m fucking cooked, bro," one student panicked, running a hand through his hair.

The announcement seemed to elicit no outward reaction from Arios. He just slightly turned, his gaze finding Greg Tunley standing at the sidelines, his body starting to tremble.

Just as I feared, Arios thought, keeping his gaze locked on Greg. It seems everyone has had their duel, and it just remains Greg with two other students.

Once Kyousuke has deemed you disposable, then it seems it’s that way, Arios concluded with a bitter taste in his mouth. But why should it be that way? He shouldn’t just play with people’s lives like that, just trampling on their efforts because he is one kind of genius.

With a sigh, Arios left both Lucy and Liza and walked toward Greg, gently placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Greg," Arios called out. "Is everything alright? You look somewhat terrified."

Arios’s touch pulled Greg from his thoughts with a shock. Greg quickly turned to face Arios, forcing a small smile.

"Arios," he started. "You remember what I told you?"

"Yes, I do," Arios answered, knowing exactly what Greg meant.

"I never wanted to be a Mage Knight," Greg continued, his voice softer now. "I love the sciences and the arts. I loved the idea of this academy’s merit-based system; it pushes us to break our very limits. But my parents always knew about the academy’s other purpose: it plans to produce the next generation of Mage Knights, who don’t only have combat skills but intellectual prowess to rival the best of scholars."

Greg then removed Arios’s hands from his shoulders and continued, "I don’t see this as a defeat, Arios."

Arios was confused at first. What did Greg mean by not seeing this as a defeat? Arios had already had his duel and won. What other defeat could he be referring to? Then it all came together. Greg must have known, or at least had an idea, that he was just a pawn in a larger game conceived by Arios against Kyousuke.

"I’m sorry," Arios replied, the words feeling hollow.

"You don’t need to be," Greg said. "It just all felt strange— your sudden desire to train me for the combat exams, just from my single request. I wanted to believe it was a master-student relationship we were building, but it always looked like you were preparing me to go against a foe of yours. It felt like you made a wager with someone, that you would make me stronger."

Professor Vaelian, gripping his scroll, called out the next duel. Everyone braced for what was next. Those who hadn’t dueled yet all prayed for their names not to be paired with Rian.

"The next duel would be..." Professor Vaelian announced, his voice lingering for a beat too long.

A large sigh of relief filled the hall as Rian’s name wasn’t mentioned again. Rian himself was confused. He turned to find Kyousuke, who had already left the stage. Rian quickly remembered Kyousuke’s words about helping him pass the test in return for his servitude. He now felt a burning sense of betrayal.

Then murmurs once again filled the training hall as the students reacted to the fact that, once again, Rian’s name wasn’t called.

"Who the hell is going to get stuck with him? We’re running out of people!"

"Why hasn’t he dueled yet? It’s like the professor is dragging this out on purpose."

"Someone’s going to get expelled for sure, and it’s not even going to be for a good reason."

"I’m starting to think he’s not even going to duel. They’ll just pick someone at the end to get expelled."

"This is ridiculous. Can we just get this over with already?"

Professor Vaelian’s gaze swept over the hall, his voice cutting through the noise with an authority that commanded silence. "Enough," he said, the single word echoing. "I can see the gears turning in your heads. You’re wondering why Rian hasn’t dueled yet. It’s simple. His duel has been saved for last, for a reason."

He paused, letting the statement sink in. "As I’ve already stated, the loser of this final duel will be expelled. This isn’t just about winning a match; it’s about proving you have what it takes to stay. It’s a test of mettle and spirit. It’s a chance to see if a student who has been struggling can rise to the occasion, or if another who has shown promise can withstand the pressure."

He raised the scroll one last time. "The final duel will be between Rian Blake and Greg Tunley."

The announcement was met with a collective gasp, followed by a flurry of whispers. The students turned as one, their eyes searching for Greg. When they found him, standing at the sidelines, his slight frame and somewhat nervous energy were impossible to miss. The hall quickly erupted in a fresh wave of murmurs.

Professor Vaelian’s gaze then found Kyousuke’s. Their eyes locked in a silent exchange. You finally got what you wanted, the professor thought, a complex mix of frustration and resignation in his mind. This was the final piece of the puzzle. I hope you’ll uphold your end of the deal.

Meanwhile, the students’ reactions were that of confusion .

"Why would he pair Rian with Greg?" one student muttered.

"That’s just cruel." Another chimed in, "Greg looks like he’s about to faint. This isn’t a fair fight. If you want to see if Rian deserves to stay, shouldn’t he be facing someone strong? Like Elisa or Nathan?"

The common sentiment was that the professor’s choice was not a test of character, but an act of blatant favoritism. It felt like a guaranteed victory for Rian, one that did nothing to prove he deserved to be in the academy.

I tried my very best, Arios thought, the words a bitter taste in his mouth. He had pushed Greg to his absolute physical limits, spending countless hours in training, but it was all for naught. It seems his body isn’t just cut out for combat; he’s too fragile, Arios’ mind reeled as he took another look at Greg’s physique.

He had even gone so far as to ensure Mr. Calborne was sacked, all to make sure Kyousuke wouldn’t get his hands on the test questions for Rian. It felt like an intricate plan. But it seemed Kyousuke had already solved that setback with his sudden change to the test rules. Arios had tried to control the outcome, but Kyousuke had simply changed the game.

Arios looked at Greg, the boy’s expression now calm and resolved. The fear that had been there just moments before was gone, replaced by a quiet finality.

"This is what I want," Greg said, his voice filled with a conviction that caught Arios completely off guard. He wasn’t a pawn in a game anymore. He was a person making a choice.

"Finally I can be free."