71 charged fiercely with a barrage of punches. Their fists clashed, producing a loud noise. However, each of 71's punches was met by 50's counterpunches. Every time 50 stopped 71's fist with his own fist.
Seeing this, 71 took a few steps back. Stopping a punch with a punch is more challenging than dodging or blocking, as it requires the opponent to be precisely aware of your fist's path. 71 felt his attacks were being easily predicted.
"Ah, did I scare you?" 50 provoked with a raised brow. 71 swopped in with a foot sweep. 50 jumped and struck with a tornado kick.
Pow!
71 managed to save his head by blocking the kick with his arms, but the attack was powerful enough to send him crashing into the wall. Two oil lamps fell from their broken stands, spreading the fire to the floor.
"Too bad. Almost a clean hit." 50 shrugged.
71 gritted his teeth. He tore the cloth covering his right shoulder and soaked it in the oil that spilled on the floor.
"Huh." 50 looked with an intrigued look.
71 wrapped his right fist with the cloth and placed it over the fire. He grabbed an intact oil lamp with his other arm and threw it toward 50.
"Ha.." 50 ducked, only to see 71's burning fist coming charging toward his face. 50 crossed his arm, yet got pushed back a little bit. 71 didn't stop and threw a roundhouse kick. The kick came in contact with 50's head causing him to lose his sense of balance momentarily. 71 used it as an advantage to grab 50's lapel. He then carried 50's body on his back and threw it on the floor.
Two successive hits boosted 71's confidence, but he backed away a few steps after the throw. He felt something was off when the kick connected.
"Ahh, why didn't you continue?" 50 laughed. Some parts of his clothes were on fire after coming in contact with 71's burning arm. "Here, I thought you would get over me and start mercilessly punching like the last time." 50 shrugged on the fire on his clothes with his arm. He remained unaffected by the fire. "But of course, after the last time, I spent days thinking and thinking of how I could have gotten out of that and came up with over 15 ways. So, good for you for not acting." 50 met 71's eyes. "Any more tricks?"
71's fist clenched. Both used the Martial Arts Manual as a basis for their combat style, so they both knew what kind of techniques the other possessed. 71 honed all the basics, from striking, kicking, footwork, breathing, and even grappling styles, but from what he had seen, so had 50. Dark Arts couldn't be used, as 71 has just undergone Mark Awakening and hadn't had much progress in moving up to the 2nd phase-Summoning. So, now it boiled down to endurance, stamina, and talent. 71 never doubted himself in any of those aspects.
That's why he continued to battle with unwavering determination. But.
"You're sweating." 50's smile grew wider.
71's breathing harshened, and his heartbeat rose. 'Why?' he failed to understand. 50 had yet to take any severe damage, nor did 71 but 71 realized something that he was too blinded to see before. 50 didn't take any damage because he countered most of 71's attack. 71 never took any damage because 50 rarely attacked. 71 fought aggressively, while 50 was passive. Thus, 50's breathing was still undisturbed.
'I am being toyed with.' His heartbeat rose further. 71 now couldn't tell how strong 50 was, and the fact that he couldn't explain the difference in power started to cloud his mind.
"Are you questioning yourself?" 50 crossed his arms behind his neck. "I once did too." he took steps closer to 71. "I started speaking earlier than most, that in turn, caused others to gather around me. They admired me." he chuckled. "Naïve as I was, I thought of myself as special. Then, the tests happened, and I didn't score first. You did. I didn't mind that. He must be more intelligent than me. I left it at that and even wanted you on my team. But then, you humiliated me." He halted near 71. "That night, I realized what it meant to truly hate someone. I cried and felt frustrated for being less gifted than you. But you know, I soon realized I was wrong. My perspective changed. You didn't score higher than me because you were smarter. You were more focused. You loved learning. That's why you dedicated so much of your time to it. You overpowered me because I had no clue about fights. I started speaking early because I was more fascinated by words than the rest. But I got lazy. I spent my time interacting with others and goofing around. That is why you got ahead." His fist clenched. "The humiliation that day hunted me. To get so mercilessly beaten in front of those who follow and admire you. You do not know what it feels like. I couldn't look anyone in the eye or sleep. That's why I poured my hatred, my frustrations, my restlessness, everything into my fists. I cared not if my body broke. Through sheer will and relentlessness, I reforged myself." He raised his fist.
Seventy-one crossed his arms and decided to take it head-on.
Crack!
Crash!
71's arms cracked, and he was sent flying into the wall.
"That's the result of my determination." 50 looked at his fist.
71 fell into the ground. That was the second time. This time his mind wasn't clouded. He knew why. He found the answer after looking at his arms, which cracked after enduring the hit.
He now understood why 50 assigned their group as the Chefs. All of them had the same amount of time in a day. 50 wanted to make up for the lost time. Chefs spent hours preparing dishes for everyone. Along with washing dishes and studying herbs. 3-4 hours would be spent on kitchen duties alone, and when the Art manuals were introduced, 71 spent countless hours researching alone.
Meanwhile, all that time, 50 was dedicated to honing his skills and training mercilessly, and as the days passed, the gap between them only got wider and wider.
This only made 71 chuckle. "Are you proud of yourself?" he stood up. "You once told me I would end up alone, but look at you now. You so desperately wanted to be stronger than me. You gave up your followers just so you could waste 2-3 hours of my day. And now, when we are supposed to be fighting other classes, we are fighting each other. You became a brute who sought nothing but strength. Did you ever stop and think about the Arts we are learning? You might have saved time by accessing the knowledge I provided 82, but you sacrificed your mind for your body." He wiped the blood from his mouth. "You didn't reforge yourself. You simply became a narrow-minded obsessive freak."
"Oh, you don't know!" 50 covered his eyes and laughed. "You believe I am ignorant. I didn't need 82's help. I awakened long before you even figured out how to test compatibility." He met 71's eyes. "Don't you see? Your interpretation was to help you console yourself that you were still better than me in some way." His smile grew wider. "The one who has lost his mind isn't me but you. I have lost nothing."
--
"Why?" 82 asked. He was surrounded. The members of the other classes were strong, but they weren't as strong as the ones from the 20th batch. Together he and his group members managed to knock out all the rest.
Unfortunately for 82, the ones who surrounded him were his group members themselves. More specifically, the ten summoned along with him were the ones 50 had traded with him for the votes and Medicinal Art.
82 was always on guard that the ones who separated from 50 and joined his group might still have some loyalty toward 50, but 82 had done a lot for them. He never forced anyone to train or study. He helped everyone Awaken, even those who contributed nothing in the process. He made sure no one was left out. So, he couldn't understand why they would choose him.
"50 started speaking earlier than you." One answered.
"50 awakened earlier than you."
"50 ranks higher than you in tests."
"50 is stronger than you."
A vein bulged on 82's forehead.
"You're a great leader." One of them answered. "You are good at guiding others, ensuring communication, and following the rules." Another kid continued the answer. "That makes you an excellent head for the Disciplinary Committee, and we would gladly work under you. Just let 50 have the position of The Dictator. 50 foresaw such a contest for the position of Dictator and its value. Thus, he never showed any interest in joining other responsibilities." Another kid continued. "Fighting among ourselves is meaningless, be logical. We have seen you train, and we know your strength. You cannot beat all of us; we also don't want to harm you. A dictator must be dominant, strong, and able to foresee the future. That's what Robert said. 50 is better than you in those aspects." Another kid continued. "The best thing that could happen to the class is 50 being the Dictator, you being the Disciplinary Head, and 178 being the head of the Organizers."
The kid's voices started to echo in 82's ear.
"Face it. Why were we summoned like this? None of the ones who followed you from the beginning are here right now, but only us who joined later. Even the professors know that 50 is better suited, so they rather eliminate you here."
82's fist loosened. Ignoring the voices, he looked at the ceiling.
"Say something..."
The kids waited in anticipation for his answer.
"I was wrong." 82 closed his eyes. "I looked after you all. I guessed being kind and showing compassion would be enough to earn your loyalty." 82's head tilted to the side. "I always held back so I would not be feared." he chuckled. "I was wrong." he took a breath. "I do not know how you came to misunderstand that 50 is stronger than me, but do you really think you were summoned so you could eliminate me?" The look in his eyes changed. "No. It was so I could realize my shortcomings and teach you–fear."
--
"Betrayal, I tell you. This is plain betrayal." 12 cried.
178 smacked 12's head from the back. "Do not yell. Besides, I am the one getting betrayed."
In one of the passages, 178 and 12 were also surrounded by 50's former group members.
"How could you do this?" 12 asked.
"Oh please," one of the kids answered. "She's cold, mean, and uncaring, with absolutely no leadership capabilities. In the name of training, she likes to torture people. Without her followers, she has no strength. We can't understand why those who joined before us followed her."
Another one continued. "Just leave her side. If it weren't for 82, she wouldn't have cared to ensure everyone Awakened."
12 flinched. 'I could do that?' he wondered.
"Thinking of betraying me, assistant." 178 whispered in 12's ears. 12's body froze, hearing her bone-chilling voice.
178 pushed 12 behind her. "50 won't be a Dictator." she walked closer to the kids. "He has gained strength and is sly, but he was too obsessed with 71 and failed to realize how strong others like 82 and 84 are. Strength isn't everything, of course, so I believe 71 would be the best fit if he somehow manages to save himself from 50 destroying him. Then, again, there's me. Who's going to beat me?"
"You arrogant!" Three kids threw their fists. "Wha.." All of their attacks stopped midair before reaching her. They couldn't move.
"I remember you were asking why I am followed." 178 smiled. "You will know soon."