At Sirius Academy.
Gayle strolled in, holding a bottle of tequila, and approached Alan, who was grilling meat. Without preamble, he said,
"You were too rash with today's incident."
Alan, focused on the grill, replied casually,
"One strong punch saves us from a hundred more. Fear is a human instinct, and Lioncrest Academy is no exception. Only when they've suffered and learned fear will they stop pushing their luck. If we showed weakness, they'd only escalate."
Gayle said nothing, while Francis silently ate.
Fort, however, nodded in agreement, saying,
"Humans aren't that different from animals. In the jungle, if you don't hunt predators, they'll prey on you. The only solution is to strike first or grow so strong they don't dare approach."
"Besides," he added with a grin at Alan, "today's battle was exhilarating!"
Francis chimed in, clearly still indignant,
"Exactly! Those Lioncrest Academy students act so high and mighty. What's there to be arrogant about?"
Gayle glanced at them and said,
"If you're all so confident about your actions, rest up and adjust. Meet me at the mountaintop tonight."
With that, he turned and left.
Blanche, rubbing her belly, pointed to her mouth.
"I'm still not full!"
Alan gave her an exasperated look.
"I knew you'd eat a lot, so I prepared extra just for you."
Blanche beamed mischievously.
"Thanks! If you weren't… well, you know… I'd almost fall for you."
Alan: "..."
After everyone finished their meal, they dispersed. Alan and Isabella began tidying up when he suddenly sensed something.
Turning around, he saw a figure behind him where there had been no one before.
It was a woman, missing an arm, with a writhing red mark on her forehead. Her presence made Alan instinctively cautious.
"Shall we step outside for a chat?" she asked calmly.
Sensing no hostility from her but also understanding her deep strength, Alan nodded and followed her out of the hall.
Outside the Hall.
The woman gazed at the warm sunlight before handing Alan a token.
"This is a reward from His Majesty. From now on, you are the new Duke of the Plantagenet Kingdom."
Alan froze.
Me? A Duke?
The title was mostly honorary, but it carried significant prestige and privileges, placing the holder just below the king and above countless others.
"Why… why me?" Alan asked in disbelief.
The woman replied,
"Your actions in Ironblood City earned the king's recognition and respect."
"Just that?" Alan pressed. "That was some time ago, and it wasn't enough to warrant such a reward. Is this because I killed Lioncrest Academy students? Is the king trying to use me to counterbalance them?"
The woman neither confirmed nor denied this but said,
"From the moment you joined Sirius Academy and opposed Lioncrest Academy, you were caught in the storm between the two. The rivalry is now inescapable. While the conflict serves our interests, you are correct—the Duke title is heavy and not given lightly."
She continued,
"Your heart belongs to the Plantagenet Kingdom. You genuinely care for this nation, unlike many whose loyalties are no longer pure. This title ensures you receive the best treatment and aid wherever you go within the kingdom."
With that, she placed the token in Alan's hand and left.
Outside the Valley.
As the woman exited, she saw Gayle waiting for her.
"Headmaster," she greeted with a slight bow.
Gayle ignored her.
After a moment of silence, she said,
"You must understand our intentions. While we may use him, we're also helping him. It's mutually beneficial. We mean no harm."
Gayle sighed.
"The title of Duke is like a bright moon, attracting too much attention. Alan isn't ready to bear such scrutiny."
The woman nodded.
"As you say, Headmaster."
That Evening, Under the Starry Sky.
Alan, Francis, and Fort climbed to the mountaintop.
Gayle and Blanche were already there.
"Gayle Headmaster," Francis said, quickly correcting himself, "what do you want us here for at this hour?"
Gayle smiled enigmatically.
"To teach you something extraordinary."
"Really?!" Francis's eyes lit up.
He had joined the academy to improve his skills and refine his craft. Finally, the mysterious headmaster was acting like a proper mentor.
But no sooner had Francis spoken than Gayle whistled sharply.
The sound echoed through the forest, and moments later, a massive tiger leapt into view. Its body was as large as a tower, its fangs razor-sharp and gleaming.
"A Tier-Gold Sabertooth Tiger?!" Francis exclaimed, his heart pounding.
Gayle nodded and waved his hand. The tiger roared, shaking the mountain, and lunged at Francis with terrifying speed.
Francis barely dodged, shouting,
"Gayle, you old dwarf! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Using gravity manipulation, Francis lightened himself to move faster, narrowly escaping the tiger's maw.
The tiger, missing its first strike, roared in fury and charged again.
Though Francis's gravity magic allowed him to evade for now, the tiger's overwhelming mana reserves and physical strength meant he couldn't last long.
Meanwhile, Fort remained calm, accustomed to battling spellbeasts in the jungle.
But his confidence was short-lived.
Gayle unleashed a glowing array that enveloped Fort, transforming into golden ropes that bound him.
Instantly, Fort's metal-element bloodline and mana were sealed. Reduced to an ordinary person, he was defenseless as Gayle hurled him into a nearby, turbulent lake.
With a loud splash, Fort vanished beneath the churning waters.
The lake appeared calm on the surface, but below, treacherous currents battered Fort's body, leaving him bruised and battered.
Alan, watching all this, couldn't help but feel a twitch in his eye.
Gayle turned to Alan.
"Your foundation is solid, rivaling Duke Alice. You don't need basic training…"
Alan smiled humbly, but Gayle interrupted.
"So we'll try something different!" Gayle's grin was far from reassuring.
A Test of Steel.
Gayle led Alan to a massive, ancient wall—part of the ruined Sirius Academy. Though weathered, it was forged from steel and stone, towering like an unyielding mountain.
"You've mastered [Blade Spirit], so cut this wall in two," Gayle said with a smile.
Alan blinked in confusion.
This is impossible with my current strength!
"Oh, and use these wooden swords," Gayle added, handing Alan several practice weapons. "If you can't cut through the wall, you and Isabella will leave. Sirius Academy doesn't train the mediocre."
Alan opened his mouth to protest but thought of his sister and held back.
Taking the wooden sword, he faced the towering wall and began striking.
Though he infused the sword with [Blade Spirit], its wooden blade could only leave faint white marks on the steel. Splitting the wall seemed like an impossible dream.