No one knew how it happened, but news about Nyx's fight with Bob Maxwell had spread throughout the entire campus of the Elite Hero Academy.
What was evident, though, was the visible excitement in the air. A large population of students were excited to watch the fight play out because the one participating was the number 4 fighter of the strongest faction within the academy, Bob Maxwell of the Red Legion.
Then there was also Nyx. The red-haired boy also pulled a lot of crowd because he'd been trending a lot these days – from not activating the talent stone to the revelation that he was one of the few duds attending the academy and then becoming the school hero.
Among all this, one thing that boosted the red-haired boy's fame was his score on the strength calculator machine. Although he wasn't the highest, students were still left amazed at his impressive feat because he scored higher than Violet and Ikor, who were the most hyped students.
The whole thing had appeared like a miracle, so although they didn't have high hopes about Nyx winning the fight, most students couldn't help but be intrigued by his sudden rise to fame and his unexpected prowess.
As of this moment, students formed little gatherings discussing enthusiastically about the fight that would soon unfold. It wasn't every day someone from the famous Red Legion faction fought, especially with such high stakes involved.
Yes, the stakes. The stakes of the impending showdown between Nyx and Bob were high, sending ripples of excitement and tension throughout the academy. The stakes at hand were what pulled the crowd.
It was no secret that Bob was a student of Momo; most students even believed that it was because of the stoic man's guidance that the bald-haired boy was able to attain such strength, propelling him to become the number 4 warrior in the influential Red Legion.
Some believed that the stakes were too high, especially for Bob. As a member of the Red Legion, one of the most influential factions within the academy, his reputation was on the line. Losing to Nyx, a dud with no abilities who had quickly gained attention and acclaim, could be a blow to both his personal pride and the reputation of his faction.
Furthermore, Bob had offered access to the Red Legion's resources as a bet in the fight. For him, losing meant not only losing face but also potentially compromising the resources and connections that his faction provided.
For Nyx, though, he had a lot to gain and lose at the same time, and quite honestly, no one even expected him to win. Some even suspected he used underhand tactics to pass the entrance exam, while Bob, on the other hand, was a seasoned fighter with a dangerous Ranked Five ability and a red talent to boot. Before Bob would give away his position, that just says a lot about his confidence. Students anticipated that the red-haired boy would leave the academy after losing to Bob as some days from now.
In the corridors and common areas, students gathered in small groups, discussing the upcoming battle and placing their bets on who would emerge victorious. Of course, most of those bets were placed on Bob.
"I heard Nyx has some serious skills," one student whispered eagerly to his friend. "But Bob's no pushover either. It's going to be one heck of a fight."
"I don't know, guys," one student said, scratching his head thoughtfully. "Sure, Nyx has been making waves lately, but Bob is no joke. He's been training with the Red Legion for years, and they don't mess around. I just don't see how Nyx can compete with that level of experience."
A third student chimed in, pointing out another factor working against Nyx. "Don't forget that Bob has the backing of the Red Legion. That means he'll have access to resources and support that Nyx can only dream of. It's not just a fight between two individuals; it's a fight between Nyx and an entire faction."
"I have to give Nyx credit for even agreeing to this fight," one student admitted. "He's got guts, I'll give him that. But guts alone won't win you a fight against someone like Bob."
"Of course, My Nyx would win. What all y'all losers saying!" A girl with pink hair said rudely. Violet, after hearing about the fight, went to find Nyx but her search yielded no result.
By chance, she had stumbled upon this place and finding them talk so lowly about her future husband didn't settle well with her.
"Oh shit, it's Violet, I hear she has a mental illness," one student whispered while trembling in fear.
"Listen up, bitches!" Violet said in a sassy tone. "You can sit here all day, talking trash about Nyx like you know anything about real strength. But let me tell you something: assure you fools, Nyx is going to prove all of your wrong! To further prove what I'm saying, I'm staking one million on Nyx!"
Violet declared as she went to the person in charge of staking, leaving all the students experiencing endless shock.
How could someone throw away such a sum for a mere fight!
"Yup, agree with you. She has mental illness." The other student shook his head as if he had made the greatest discovery of the century.
Somewhere else, Bob stood outside a door as he took a series of breaths to calm his nerves. His heart was beating faster than usual, but this was only normal because Momo and the people inside this door were the only people that could make him nervous.
'Would they be angry at me that I didn't inform them before making my decision?' Bob thought. 'Ugh, I might've been too hasty. Damn now that I think about it, I've indeed been too hasty. The worst thing is how did the news spread so fast?'
For a while, Bob was left wondering how the news about their fight had spread so quickly. The fight was supposed to be in secret, now the entire school knew. A feeling even told Bob that the people inside that door also knew.
Taking a few more breaths, Bob steeled his nerves and pushed the door open. As he walked in, he stepped into a room filled with people who were emitting intimidating auras that could force any weak-willed person to kneel.
However, among the bunch, the one who was releasing the most potent and dangerous aura was a beautiful girl with a striking resemblance to the vice principal, and she was casually seating on a throne-like chair with her legs crossed. Her name was Amelia White.