Chapter 35: Clash of Pride.

Chapter 35: Clash of Pride.The Next Day. Jin Halden, a first-year with a fierce grin and energetics, strolled confidently down the cobbled path outside the academy’s potion storehouse. He was humming a tune, a little out of key, but full of life. "Today’s the day I finally get that mana elixir after four days". "One bottle is enough to blow up half the practice field... if you know how to use it right." He took from the store manager and walked away. He turned the corner toward the entrance of the elixir storehouse—and collided into someone. Hard. THUD. Jin stumbled back a step, blinking. "Damn, blind?" he barked automatically, looking up. Then his expression shifted—his eyes narrowed. The figure he’d bumped into was none other than Kayle Virehart, the Rank 1 swordsman of the second-year class. Rich, arrogant, and perpetually surrounded by lackeys, Kayle was infamous for stirring trouble wherever he went. Kayle straightened his pristine black uniform, brushing off imaginary dust from his coat. He glanced at Jin like one might inspect a bug. "Watch where you walk, first-year," Kayle said coldly. "Some paths aren’t meant for bottom-feeders." Jin scoffed, stepping closer. "Bottom-feeders? You ran into me, you pampered windbag." Kayle’s eyebrow twitched. "Do you even know who I am?" "You ain’t worth knowing," Jin said. Kayle’s expression darkened, but before he could reply, a storehouse assistant stepped out holding a small tray. "There is only one mana potion left in stock today. Whoever reaches it first gets to take it—no reservations, no special treatment." But Kayle moved just as fast. And Jin stepped back holding his mana elixirs. A pause. "Give me that," Kayle said through gritted teeth. The assistant wisely backed away. Kayle’s eyes gleamed. "You really want to fight over this?" "Do you think you are strong just because you killed those weakling assassins"?, Kayle. "Not for the elixir," Jin said, "but your face has been asking for a slap." Without warning, Kayle shoved Jin backward. Jin didn’t stumble—he suddenly moved forward. "Alright, let’s get on this, spoil brat.", Kayle. The Clash Begins! Jin pulled out his two swords from his back, and it made a sharp metallic sound—like steel sliding from its case. They collide! ((Jin Halden is a swordsman and he uses two swords)) CLANG! Jin attacked with speed and wild energy, but Kayle fought back with calm skill and strength. With a heavy swing, Kayle twisted his body and brought his broadsword up just in time to parry Jin’s twin blades, the impact rang like a clash of thunder. sword screeched against sword as he deflected the wild strike, and in the same fluid motion, he shifted his weight forward and threw a powerful downward slash aimed straight at Jin’s shoulder, and got cut at an instant. WHACK! The blow forced Jin to skid back across the stone floor, knees bent, boots scraping. "Tch... alright," Jin muttered, wiping blood, "you hit slower than I expected, spoiled brat." More second-year students began to gather behind Kayle—Darius among them, with four others in tow. Darius, cold and commanding, crossed his arms. "A first-year student?... Do you think you’re strong." He said. "You haven’t earned anything." Jin pointed one sword at them all, grinning. "Respect isn’t given. It’s taken." One second-year stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You want to try and take respect? Right here?" "In your dream" Jin charged. Before the situation exploded further, a voice cut through the air. "Enough." Edwin Leonhart appeared at the edge of the crowd, hands in his pockets, eyes sharp with quiet authority. Behind him were Lucy (Rank 9), Ronan (Rank 7), and Evander (Rank 19). Edwin stepped forward. All of them are not friends though but as their classmates being bullied, they couldn’t stand it. "You really think ganging up on one guy proves you strong?" Darius smirked. "It proves he shouldn’t open his mouth if he can’t back it up." Evander’s gaze was cold. "You already proved enough." Ronan cracked his knuckles. "Or we’ll take it from here." Lucy walked to Jin and helped him up. "Thanks," Jin said. "Try staying on your feet then," Lucy replied flatly. Darius locked eyes with Edwin. "You want to settle this properly?" Darius grinned. "Good. I want to see what’s so special about the first-years everyone’s whispering about." The Battle Breaks Out Anyway But Jin couldn’t hold it in. Jin says he’s not someone people whisper about—he’s the thunder before the chaos. He’s confident, bold, and about to make a loud impact. And with that, he dashed forward again, twin blades swinging. A second-year moved to intercept—steel met steel, loud and fast. CLANG! CLANG! A peaceful ground erupted into combat. Ronan faced off against one of the second-years, exchanging heavy, thundering blows. Lucy dodged the magic attack, then hit back with a magic-powered punch that was strong enough to slam her enemy into a wall. Evander calmly moved through two enemies, his sword deflecting both attacks without losing ground. In the center of the chaos, Edwin and Darius clashed—two Rank 1s. Darius swung fast with deadly precision, but Edwin countered every motion, blades ringing with fury. "You’re worth fighting," Darius admitted. "I’m not here for your compliments," Edwin said, parrying hard and sending shockwaves through the ground. Jin tried to keep up, but Kayle met him with brutal strikes that forced him back again. CRACK! A strong kick sent Jin flying into a bench. "Jin!" Lucy shouted, dashing to cover him. Ronan took his place, roaring as he clashed with Kayle. Dust exploded around them. Onlookers gathered. The Fight is Stopped CLAP! CLAP! A sharp sound echoed. Professor Yulia stepped out from the shadows. "Really?" he said. "Picking fights in the street like thugs? This is an academic’s surrounding, not a brawl pit." The fighting stopped instantly. "You want to throw hands? Do it in the arena. One more outburst like this, and I’ll personally assign you all to manual labor—trimming every bush in Arcadia." The students went silent. "I don’t care who started it," he said, silencing all protests. "Now get back to the academy." As the groups began to separate, Darius turned back. The second-year student laughed, brushing dirt off his sleeve as he looked at Jin and the others. "You got lucky today," he said coldly. "But luck runs out fast in Arcadia." Kayle stepped forward, voice louder now, speaking to the whole group. "Tomorrow, let’s duel at the arena training ground, during the challenge—if by, some miracle you win—I’ll admit it was luck." "But if you lose..." he paused, eyes narrowing, "it’ll prove what we already know—your little group is nothing but weaklings playing hero." "What the hell! If we win, it means it is luck and if we lose that means we are weak? What are you talking about", Jin Halden. Without looking at them they turned away. "Let’s see if you can back up all that noise."...