Chapter 63 : The Legend and the peasants (bonus Chapter)

Chapter 63: Chapter 63 : The Legend and the peasants (bonus Chapter) I stepped up to the podium and paused — just long enough to let the murmurs die out. My gaze swept over the sea of polished uniforms, stiff postures, and smug expressions. Some noble kids were already whispering, rolling their eyes. I smirked. "I see some of you already walking out. Guess you’re scared of words too?" The room froze. A few brave souls chuckled, then quickly shut up when they realized no one else was laughing. Good. I straightened my back, letting my voice ring out clear and cold. "Let me make this easy for everyone here — I’m not here to play nice. I’m not here to give you a motivational speech filled with empty encouragement and sweet nothings." "I’m not here to ask for your respect." "I earned it. I took it. And I’ll keep standing at the top until I decide I’m done." Silence — so thick it was almost beautiful. I locked eyes with a noble in the front row — some blond kid with a triple-barreled last name and a face that screamed ’I’ve never worked a day in my life.’ "And to all the blue-bloods in the room — yeah, I’m talking to you — who keep mumbling behind their silk gloves and gilded masks about ’pedigree’ and ’lineage’..." "Let me offer a reality check." I leaned forward, voice low and sharp. "If you think bloodlines matter — bleed for it. Go ahead. Right here. Right now. Let’s see if your golden heritage stops the bleeding." Gasps. Nobles turned red, others pale. I tilted my head. "No volunteers? Shocking." Then I turned toward the rest of the audience — the hopefuls, the strivers, the lowborn Cadets with wide eyes and clenched fists. "And as for the rest of you... the commoners who think sheer effort will close the gap..." I smiled. Not kindly. "You wake up early. You train hard. You push yourself until you collapse. You dream of catching up." "But here’s the truth — dreaming doesn’t change reality. You’re not protagonists. You’re background characters. Supporting cast. Footnotes." Some jaws clenched. Others looked down. "You’re the nameless extras in someone else’s legend — mine." The insult sank in like a blade. "But hey, that’s not a bad thing. Every king needs peasants. Every empire needs builders. You’re the bricks and mortar. Disposable, interchangeable, necessary." I gave a theatrical shrug. "But don’t get it twisted — just because you’re needed doesn’t mean you’ll ever be noticed." A Cadet shot to his feet, face flushed with fury. "You arrogant—!" I raised a hand, silencing him without a word. My tone stayed calm, playful. "Careful. You might strain something trying to form a coherent thought." He sat back down, fuming. I continued. "Some of you nobles love to talk about honor, tradition, and legacy. As if your ancestors weren’t backstabbing, coin-chasing clowns who lucked into power and held onto it by stepping on others." "You wear their names like crowns, hoping they’ll distract from your lack of talent." I turned my back, pacing slowly. "And some of you commoners worship those same names, thinking if you polish their boots hard enough, you’ll be accepted." "You won’t. They’ll smile, pat your head, then throw you under the carriage the moment you outlive your usefulness." I faced them again, my smile sharp as a dagger. "So here’s what I suggest." "Nobles — stop pretending your ancestors’ achievements are yours. You’re not royalty, you’re relics." "Commoners — stop begging at the banquet. If you want a seat at the table, flip it." Silence. Real, burning, furious silence. "Now, to all of you brave enough to still be listening..." "Thank you. Truly. Your tireless effort, your dreams of catching up... they provide endless entertainment." I mockingly placed a hand on my heart. "You are the wind beneath my wings, the floor beneath my boots, the loyal audience in my one-man show of excellence." A pause. "So here’s to you — the outraged nobles, the desperate commoners, and the quiet middle-ground mediocrities." "May you always have the courage to keep reaching..." "...and the wisdom to realize you never will." I gave a slow, mocking bow. Then straightened, voice low and commanding. "Here, I’m the king. I’m your Apex. And I earned that title — not through privilege, not through favors, but through power." "Not like you mediocre parasites clinging to old names and fragile pride." I let the words simmer — the rage, the awe, the tension. "So don’t confuse my smile for mercy. I’m not your equal. I’m your reminder — that no matter how high you reach, I’ll already be standing there at the top... bored, waiting, wondering why it took you so long." Then I turned and walked off the stage. "No need to applaud. I already know I was unforgettable." I returned to my spot with a smirk, the silence behind me louder than thunder. --- A beat passed. Then the hall exploded. Some nobles stood, fuming, their pride wounded. Commoners whispered furiously — in awe, in disbelief, some even hopeful. And then— Applause. Not from the nobles. But from the commoners I insulted. They clapped. Loudly. Desperately. Some with tears, some with laughter, but all with fire in their eyes. Alicia, seated above, wore a massive grin. "Looks like he passed, doesn’t he, Professor Vega?" An ethereal presence shimmered beside her — Selena Vega, calm and elegant. "Yes," she said softly. "I wondered if he would break... but he didn’t. He stood taller. It was fascinating to watch." "Indeed it was," Alicia agreed. --- Alden stood frozen. The speech was insulting. Outrageous. Reckless. And yet... "...I kind of want him to do it again." Ethan nodded beside him, arms crossed. "Looks like he can handle himself quite well." Charlotte tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. "That was entertaining. This guy... is interesting." Seraphina added, "I almost wanted him to keep talking." Around them, the top-ranked Cadets silently agreed on one thing — Alex Dragonheart could not be underestimated. Among the commoners, hushed whispers spread like wildfire. Some dared to hope. Some smiled for the first time. And the noble girls? "He’s arrogant," one whispered, blushing. "But hot." The nobles, meanwhile, were still glaring daggers at me. But I didn’t even spare them a glance. A voice echoed again — this time, not Alicia’s. It was Selena Vega. "Now that," she said with an amused gleam, "was a speech. Dangerous and motivational." "Dangerous for who... well, we’ll find out in the future." The attention turned instantly to her — the sheer beauty and grace of her presence enchanting the hall. I focused too — though not the way others did.i was focused on something else. She spoke again. "As you know, my name is Selena Vega. A professor at this esteemed academy... and the teacher." The room hushed. "For the Special Class — consisting of the top 50 cadets of the first-year batch." Cheers. Groans. "But just because you’re in the top 50 now doesn’t mean you’ll stay there." "Fall behind — and you’re demoted. No discussion." Murmurs. "And if you want to take someone’s rank?" she smiled faintly. "You can challenge them to a duel." Gasps. "But here’s the catch — the higher-ranked cadet decides whether to accept. And if they do, they can demand something of equal value." "Like... say, your expulsion from the academy." Gulps all around. Selena’s eyes narrowed. "This isn’t a school. It’s a battlefield." "Now let’s talk about your accomodations— your temporary dorms are no longer needed. Your things have already been moved to your designated dorm rooms, assigned by rank." Excitement surged. "The Top 100 will enjoy luxury accommodations. But remember — rankings change. The moment someone overtakes you, they get your perks." "Strive to be better. Don’t compare. Just improve." She paused, her voice softening just enough to draw everyone in. "And now... our Top 10 cadets." Alden, Ethan, and I all tensed slightly. "Your accommodations will be different," Selena said. "You are the ’nobles’ of this academy. Everyone else — is beneath you... until they prove otherwise." "Merciless," Alden muttered. "She’s more ruthless than you," Ethan added. "I’m insulted," I whispered. "Where’s the love?" Selena continued. "You will each have a personal floor in a dedicated building of Ten floors." The Cadets stared. I only smirked. She closed with a fiery note. "Use this fire you feel — the outrage, the ambition — to rise higher. Prove yourselves. Surpass expectations. Surpass each other." Everyone started clapping the male population clapped like there life’s depended on it. "That concludes your orientation. Our staff will guide you to your new accommodations. Classes begin tomorrow." "You are dismissed." After the orientation was finished. The nobles still glared at me. I yawned theatrically and walked off like they didn’t exist. Alden approached first. "Mr. Dragonheart. You’re on fire today." Ethan joined him. "That was amazing. I half-expected them to riot." Two more joined us — Charlotte and Seraphina. Charlotte smirked. "Well, well. Looks like the king knows how to handle himself." I gave her a sweeping bow. "The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness." She laughed. "You can call me Char. You’re friends with these two idiots, which means you’re mine too." Seraphina added, "And you can call me Sera too." I blinked dramatically. "No. I can’t. That’s too friendly." Char raised an eyebrow. I sighed. "Fine. Char. Sera." I relied shamelessly. We all laughed, the tension gone. As we walked toward our accommodations, led by staff we soon reached our accommodations, I stopped — eyes widening. The building was massive, sleek, and glowing like something out of a sci-fi drama. "Whoa..." Alden smirked. "Cute. First time seeing a big building, peasant?" I elbowed him. The staff turned to us. "The tower has ten floors, ranked by position. The top floor belongs to Apex Alex Dragonheart." I grinned, already imagining the view. My throne awaited. ------------------ A/N :- So guys here is the promised bonus Chapter. And thanks for the support. Thanks for the gifts and the tickets @KevinZ ,@EvilGumShoes , @MaskedGods, @Joshua_Ladabouch