"Your ignorance will get you killed if you keep being this arrogant," the Senior finally broke the silence.
"Arrogant? I just want to test my sword," he said seriously; why didn't they believe him? They thought he was just putting on a show. The commotion had already attracted a lot of attention.
"I have never met anyone this disrespectful to the Alden Academy. Now you shall pay for it. Zin, show to the world our might," the Senior added. One of the boys nodded as he got closer to Amarok; it was the one who had been the first to be defeated. He was smiling earnestly; he finally had the chance to redeem himself. He perfectly understood his Senior's words; he wouldn't hold his blows this time, a malicious gleam flashed in his eyes.
"This time, you're done for, peasant," he smiled, his grip tightened on his sword. "Please enlighten me," Amarok waved. At this time, the box exploded with visible white energy. Many gasped in awe.
"Taste the power of the Single Point Fire Rune." His sword moved, its tip turning red. He dashed forward; his movements were much faster than before.
He moved so fast that Amarok frowned. He pulled his sword, shielding his body. A sparkle flashed, and Amarok's body was sent flying into the dust. He gritted his teeth while in mid-air; his sword spun like a raging tornado, slowing down his fall until he crashed on the ground.
"Not bad," Amarok smiled as he stood up; his hands were still numb from the impact. His eyes were cold when he looked at the state of his sword.
"Is this what you call a friendly duel at the Alden Academy?" he couldn't help but ask. The boy was now smiling proudly. "As expected, all mouth and nothing more," Kleid mocked, although on one side, he was still shocked. Amarok had just taken a full Rune sword attack with a mere Bronze sword; it was unheard of. But he didn't let his shock appear.
"You can't even take a single strike from me, and you still have the guts to speak like that. Looks like I was too good in the first strike." He smiled as he dashed towards Amarok once more. This time, a fire concentration at the tip of his blade was burning vividly. He slashed with his sword, a wicked smile on his face.
"Such a pity; he seems pretty talented," someone shook his head, seeing Zin's attack. "It's all his fault; he shouldn't have attacked the Alden Academy student. He will pay for his ignorance with his life," another added.
The boy's sword finally arrived; the concentration of Rune magic around the tip of his sword was monstrous. Amarok could feel its power. His hairs whistled back as he stood amid the powerful gusts of winds generated by the approaching sword.
He slightly trembled in excitement. The tip of the sword moved, piercing in his direction; a whooshing sound could be heard. Amarok moved; he executed the most basic move of his sword dance, the half-moon slash. A violently explosive sound echoed, sparkles shooting like stars.
Amarok smiled as he spun to the side, executing a perfect half-moon slash on the boy's back. The boy was startled; his eyes widened. Carried by the momentum of his sword, he was propelled forward, smashing into an entire building wall. Sending the whole area trembling. Debris fell, threatening to bury him. He was already in massive pain with the wound on his back.
Suddenly, Kleid moved his sword, recovered by a green hollow Rune appeared on its body. A single wave of his sword, and the debris disintegrated into dust particles.
The crowd was silent; even the Senior from the Alden Academy was shaken. How could that be? Amarok won against a Rune weapon with a mere sword; it was unheard of. He knew Zin wasn't weak; the broken house was proof.
What did that mean? If Amarok had a Rune weapon, would he be even stronger? What's more, he won with the most basic of sword techniques, the sword dance. It was something thought in almost all schools; there was nothing special to it. What an humiliation; if Kleid had not intervened, Zin could have been seriously injured. He couldn't let it go.
"Kleid, please show him the ways of the Alden," he said emotionlessly. Now it was the honor of the academy in-game here. If the word spread out that a peasant with a simple sword defeated a member of the Alden Academy using a Rune weapon, it would seriously damage the school's image. Kleid nodded, turning to face Amarok.
"I am done fighting. For today," Amarok said quickly. His sword had numerous fissures; he felt like a simple breeze of wind could break it.
"Where is your arrogance? You think you can just severely wound a student of the Alden Academy and walk away without punishment?" Kleid said righteously. The crowd was speechless; they weren't idiots. They knew Amarok would never be allowed to leave this place alive after that.
Some thought of it as unfair, but there was nothing to do. All those present were mostly Wandleaf people and non-Rune warriors. Of the few adventurers present, no one wanted to antagonize the Alden Academy for a nobody, although he seemed pretty gifted.
"Impressive. What is your name, young man?" an elderly voice rang out. It was an old man dressed in an elegant butler-style dress. His face was wrinkled, and he had a long white beard. Kleid, who was almost within Amarok's range, instantly halted, as if an invisible force field had blocked his advance. The Senior from the Alden Academy frowned.
"What is the meaning of this, elder?" he asked politely. He was not a fool; he knew the elder had just used Veil of Solitude, a very high and complicated Rune, and he did that so fast that no one saw his hands moving to invoke the Rune.This was definitely not somebody to mess with. Next to the man was a dazzling lady; her long white hair flowed calmly. Her white skin looked ethereal. Her face was hidden behind a round cap. She waved at Amarok with a smile. "Hey, we are here."