A stunned silence blanketed the examination room. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of light piercing the gloom, illuminating the unbelievable scene: Phyxius, the unassuming student, standing still, Instructor Dhayghol, a near-second-class Radiant Adventurer, unconscious beside him. The air crackled with disbelief.
"He… he actually knocked him out!"
A student whispered, her voice trembling with astonishment. The words hung in the air, a testament to the impossible feat.
"No one's ever done that!"
Another exclaimed, the statement echoing the collective shock.
"Dawn Academy instructors are all third-class or higher! It's unheard of!"
"Especially Instructor Dhayghol,"
A third student added, his voice hushed with awe and fear.
"I heard he's about to take the class advancement test. He's practically a second-class Radiant Adventurer already!"
A low hum of conversation filled the room, a chaotic blend of whispers and gasps. Students struggled to reconcile the image of a student, Phyxius, with the monumental task he had accomplished. Then, a sudden realization sparked in one student's mind.
"Wait… the Crimson-Eyed Prince!"
The name rippled through the room like a shockwave.
"The dreamy senior? The one with the curly hair, light brown skin, and those mesmerizing crimson eyes?"
A girl breathed, her voice laced with a mixture of adoration and disbelief.
"The one that everyone was gossiping about before?"
"But I don't remember him to be this strong."
"You're right! How did he improve within just a week?
Some of the students raised some questions as to how Phyxius improved so much. Then another student, eyes wide, pointed towards Phyxius.
"That's him! It's the Crimson-Eyed Prince!"
The revelation ignited a frenzy. The whispers escalated into excited shouts, the room transforming into a whirlwind of speculation and admiration.
"But he graduated already!"
Someone exclaimed, the question hanging in the air.
"I heard he was scouted by one of the Knights of the Pillars of Light, the legendary sword saint, Burdock Addlestone! Why is he even here?"
"I don't care!"
A girl shrieked, her voice drowned out by the rising cacophony.
"As long as I get to see his face again!"
Phyxius, oblivious to the storm of excitement swirling around him, sat gasping for breath, his chest heaving. He stared at Instructor Dhayghol, a grim satisfaction settling over his features. It had been a grueling fight, his first against such a formidable opponent.
"Hey, Instructor Dhayghol,"
Phyxius called out, his voice raspy but firm.
"You can get up now. I doubt I can keep you down for more than twenty seconds. Unless you're too embarrassed to admit defeat?"
Dhayghol slowly rose, casually brushing the dust from his clothes. Remarkably, he seemed to have sustained minimal damage.
"You barely even hurt with all of the attacks that I hit you with!"
Phyxius exclaimed, examining his slightly bruised hand.
"I almost broke my hand punching you! You're a monster, Instructor!"
Dhayghol smirked a glint of respect in his eyes.
"Huh, if I'm a monster then you're the monster slayer."
"Come on, it wasn't that impressive, was it?"
Phyxius challenged a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
Dhayghol's smirk widened.
"Wrong. It was brilliant! The feints to the face, drawing my guard, then the liver shot, the solar plexus blow to cut off my air, and finally, the perfectly timed uppercut. You shut down my brain by cutting off its oxygen and rattled it with those headshots. Textbook!"
Phyxius grinned, a silent acknowledgment of Dhayghol's astute observation.
"You see,"
Phyxius explained a hint of pride in his voice.
"Our brain needs oxygen to function. I simply deprived it and then shook it up with those punches. Boom! Next thing you know, you're kissing the floor."
Dhayghol erupted into laughter, the sound echoing through the room.
"You're a real bastard, kid! You'll ace the third trial."
Turning to the class, Dhayghol announced, his voice ringing with authority,
"I, Deshawn Dhayghol, declare Phyxius Ezriel has passed the second trial!"
A thunderous applause erupted, punctuated by whistles and shouts of "Marry me, Crimson-Eyed Prince!" from the female students.
"What's with the 'Prince' thing, Phyxius?"
Dhayghol asked a hint of amusement in his voice.
"It's Crimson-Eyed Prince, you oaf!"
A student yelled from the back, causing Dhayghol to roll his eyes good-naturedly.
"Whatever,"
Dhayghol grumbled.
"Go through that door. Another instructor awaits your final trial."
Phyxius stood, brushing himself off.
"I bet I'll hear about another instructor getting pummeled!"
He chuckled a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"Hmmph! Next time, I'll bloody that pretty face of yours!"
Dhayghol retorted, a playful threat laced with grudging admiration.
Phyxius waved goodbye and left, leaving behind a room buzzing with excitement and anticipation. The remaining students faced a daunting challenge, but the Crimson-Eyed Prince's victory had instilled a new kind of hope—and fear.
----------------------------------------------------
In a separate room, the instructors were in an uproar. They have all witnessed the fight between Phyxius and Instructor Dhayghol through the magical device called Eye. The news of Phyxius's victory had sent shockwaves through their usually calm and composed ranks.
"Unbelievable! A student defeated a near-second-class instructor!"
One instructor exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Deshawn Dhayghol, no less!"
Another added, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Who among us could do that?" The question hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of Phyxius's exceptional abilities.
"I could, with a week of prep,"
One instructor conceded, his voice laced with a touch of defensiveness.
"But not like that kid did it. His technique was… unorthodox, but devastatingly effective."
"He's a graduate, though,"
Another pointed out, attempting to rationalize the impossible.
"It's not entirely unexpected that he could stand toe-to-toe with some of us."
"But this is the Shadowy Arts class!"
A newly employed instructor interjected, her voice sharp with alarm.
"We're all second or third-class elites! This is unprecedented!"
"And Deshawn wasn't even using his full arsenal,"
Another added, his voice thoughtful.
"He was practically brawling. Phyxius completely disrupted his usual fighting style."
A tense silence descended upon the room, broken only by the nervous shuffling of feet. All eyes turned to Head Instructor Siyara, her expression unreadable.
"Head Instructor Siyara,"
An instructor finally spoke, his voice hesitant.
"What's your take on this situation?"
Siyara, her eyes narrowed in thought, finally spoke, her voice low and steady.
"We need to modify the third trial. A Shadow Battle."
A collective gasp filled the room. The proposal was audacious, bordering on reckless.
"That's the final exam requirement!"
Someone protested, his voice laced with disbelief.
Siyara's eyes flashed, a cold glint in their depths.
"Are we letting our pride be trampled by this… brat? If he passes, he skips everything else and goes straight to prepare for the final exam. That should justify it. We will make him choose between the regular trial or this one but I'm sure he'll choose the Shadow Battle; he's arrogant enough."
Several instructors nodded, their initial shock giving way to a grudging acceptance. But Nevek Sharpeye, the strongest instructor, remained unconvinced. His expression was a mask of controlled fury.
"Don't abuse your power! Shouldn't we be celebrating such exceptional talent? Are you scared of him surpassing you, Siyara?"
His voice was calm, but the words were like daggers, aimed directly at Siyara's heart.
The room crackled with tension. Siyara's face flushed crimson with anger.
"Retract that, Nevek!"
She hissed, her voice dangerously low.
Nevek, unmoved, calmly countered.
"Remember why you're head instructor, Siyara? Because I put you there."
A faint blue aura flickered around him, a silent demonstration of his overwhelming power. Nobody could stand up to Nevek, not even the head instructor herself, Siyara.
"One day, I'll surpass you!"
Siyara retorted, her voice trembling with barely controlled rage.
Nevek merely smiled, a chilling expression that sent shivers down Siyara's spine. "I'll be waiting,"
He said, his voice dangerously soft.
"But until then, try to hide your aura around me. I might not be able to control myself."
The tense silence was broken by the newbie instructor, Luna, her voice attempting a nonchalant tone that failed to mask the underlying tension.
"So, we're agreeing with the Head Instructor's proposal, then? Since the majority seems to agree with it."
The other instructors, relieved to avoid further conflict, readily agreed. Nevek, with a smirk that hinted at a deeper game at play, added, "I'll conduct the examination then."