---
The days following Kai's duel victory had been uneventful, and he almost believed he could settle into his new place in the Academy. But as he turned a corner into the Academy's garden one afternoon, a scene unfolded before him that made his blood boil.
The game's main character, Prince Cedric, stood surrounded by his group of noble companions. In front of him, bruised and struggling to stand tall, was none other than Lady Seraphina. Her face bore a slight cut, and her fierce gaze betrayed her anger, even as she endured Cedric's abuse.
Cedric's tone was harsh, filled with disgust. "You think you're better than everyone else, Seraphina? You're just a petty villainess, someone everyone despises. Don't forget your place!"
He raised a hand, and for a horrifying moment, it looked as if he was going to strike her. That was all it took for Kai's restraint to shatter. He stormed forward, placing himself protectively between Cedric and Seraphina.
"Don't dare to touch my lady, Prince!" Kai's voice was low and full of warning, his eyes blazing as he glared at Cedric.
Seraphina stared at Kai in shock. She had always assumed he was here for his own reasons, possibly even to climb the Academy's ranks for personal gain. But this…this was different. He was defending her, with a fierceness and loyalty she'd never seen from anyone before.
Cedric's face twisted with rage. "You filthy commoner! How dare you touch me? How dare you even speak to me like that?"
Kai clenched his fists, ignoring Cedric's insults. "Rank doesn't matter here, Cedric. You're a bully, hiding behind your title, picking on people who don't have the strength to fight back. But I won't let you get away with it."
Cedric scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "Don't make me laugh, you pathetic commoner. You're nothing—your family, your bloodline, all of it worthless. You don't even belong here."
Unbeknownst to Cedric, Mireille—the game's heroine—stood just behind him, having overheard everything. She watched, her heart aching at Cedric's cruelty. But when Cedric sensed her presence, his expression shifted to one of surprise.
"It's not what it looks like, Mireille," he stammered, quickly feigning innocence. But Mireille's eyes were filled with betrayal and disappointment. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she turned and ran, unable to bear the sight of him any longer.
Cedric's expression turned cold as he turned back to Kai. "You're going to pay for this. You've humiliated me enough!"
One of Cedric's friends stepped forward, glaring at Kai. "Prince Cedric shouldn't need to dirty his hands on you, commoner. But he's given us permission to teach you a lesson."
Kai braced himself as the group closed in, fists clenched. He wasn't afraid of them, but he knew he was at a disadvantage. Cedric's noble friends were all highly skilled, and fighting them alone would be near impossible. But he stood his ground, refusing to show any weakness.
The nobles attacked as one. Kai ducked the first punch, but a brutal kick from another sent him sprawling onto the ground. They continued their assault, hitting him from every angle. Cedric watched with satisfaction, enjoying every moment of Kai's suffering.
Seraphina's voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. "Enough, Cedric! You've already lost to Kai once, and this only proves your cowardice."
Her words only enraged Cedric further. "Quiet, Seraphina! You think you can protect this filth? Watch what happens to those who defy me."
The punches and kicks came faster, each one a calculated blow to weaken Kai. But no matter how hard they hit him, Kai refused to surrender. Even as he coughed, blood dripping from his mouth, he looked up at Cedric with unyielding defiance.
At last, Cedric delivered a powerful punch, sending Kai crashing into the center of the Academy courtyard. Students gathered, shocked and horrified as Kai lay battered on the ground, his breathing ragged. Laughter and jeers echoed around him, the nobles mocking him, ridiculing his family, and calling him worthless.
But as Kai lay there, a storm of emotions brewed inside him—rage, humiliation, and an intense desire to prove everyone wrong. He felt a power awakening within him, something he'd never felt before, a surge of energy that ignited every nerve in his body.
---
Slowly, Kai got to his feet, his eyes glowing with a fierce, otherworldly light. His movements were calm, controlled, yet there was an undeniable intensity to them. The onlookers felt an unfamiliar dread creeping over them as they noticed the change in Kai.
Cedric and his companions exchanged uneasy glances. "What… what's happening?" one of them whispered, fear coloring his voice.
Cedric sneered, trying to hide his own apprehension. "He's bluffing. He's just a commoner, remember?"
But Kai's entire demeanor had shifted. His body was surrounded by an aura of shimmering, almost ethereal energy that pulsed with a power unlike anything they had seen before. His expression was calm, his eyes focused solely on Cedric.
"This is your last warning, Cedric," Kai said, his voice resonant with an unearthly calm. "Stay away from Lady Seraphina. If you harm her again, you'll have to answer to me."
Cedric's pride flared, and he lunged forward, throwing a punch. But Kai moved with impossible speed, dodging effortlessly. In one swift motion, he grabbed Cedric's arm, twisting it with a strength that left Cedric gasping in pain.
"You dare touch me?!" Cedric shouted, struggling to break free. But Kai held him firmly, his gaze filled with an intensity that sent shivers down Cedric's spine.
One of Cedric's friends attempted to intervene, but Kai didn't even glance at him. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the noble flying backward, landing him several feet away. The crowd watched, stunned, as Kai effortlessly neutralized each of Cedric's allies, his movements precise and powerful.
At last, it was just Kai and Cedric, the latter visibly shaken but still clinging to his arrogance.
"Do you understand now?" Kai's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried across the courtyard, commanding silence. "Your title doesn't make you superior. True strength comes from within."
Cedric glared at him, his pride still preventing him from admitting defeat. But there was fear in his eyes, a recognition that Kai was far beyond what he had anticipated.
In a final act of defiance, Cedric spat, "This isn't over, commoner. You think you're strong, but you're nothing compared to me."
Kai simply released him, his expression unchanging. "Then I'll be waiting for the day you have the courage to face me without your entourage."
With that, Kai turned his back on Cedric, leaving the prince humiliated and seething with rage. The crowd was silent, many of them still in shock at the display of power they had witnessed.
---
As he walked away, Kai felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Seraphina, her expression a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.
"You… you protected me," she whispered, her voice filled with wonder. "But why? You could have walked away, yet you put yourself in harm's way for me."
Kai met her gaze, his own expression softening. "I did it because you deserve respect, Seraphina. And because no one—prince or commoner—has the right to treat you that way."
Seraphina's eyes shimmered with an emotion she hadn't shown anyone before. She nodded slowly, a small, genuine smile crossing her lips. "Thank you, Kai."
The students around them began to disperse, whispers and rumors already starting to spread. But Kai knew one thing for certain: he had just made a powerful enemy. Yet, he didn't regret his actions. For the first time, he felt a sense of purpose beyond his own ambitions.
And as he looked at Seraphina, he knew that his journey in this world was only beginning.