"...You what?"

Gary blinked, staring at Zac as if he’d misheard him.

"Didn’t you hear what I said, pig brains?" Zac looked at him with the same lazy expression. "I said...I pass."

For a second, Gary simply stood there. Then slowly his face twisted in disbelief.

"No." He pointed at Zac. "You don’t get to say no. Because... because we’re settling this in the Justice Arena!"

Zac shrugged. "Sorry, not interested."

Gary clenched his fists. "How can you be such a coward? Don’t you care about your reputation?"

Zac looked genuinely confused. "What good is a reputation among a bunch of kids going to do for me?" He then casually hooked a thumb toward Sabrina. "Besides, whatever reputation I had is already ruined because of that ice cube over there."

Sabrina’s eyebrow twitched. "I have a name."

"Keep it to yourself. It’s easier this way."

"You..." Sabrina’s fists tightened, but before she could fire back, Zac had already looked away.

"So..." He stretched his arms. "Could you move your ass away from the door? I’ve been looking forward to seeing my new dorm room since this morning."

A few students couldn’t help smiling.

[Right, a man needs to have his priorities.]

[If I were you, I’d also choose a bed over some unnecessary drama, especially with a moron like him.]

Zac walked toward the exit. Just as he was about to pass him, Gary stepped sideways and blocked the doorway with an arm.

"Wait."

Zac stopped, but his expression didn’t change. "What now?"

Gary stared straight into his eyes. "Are you really this much of a coward? Aren’t you the winner of the Eastern Alliance entrance exam? I never thought an entire country could produce someone so spineless."

He sneered. "Someone who can only peek at girls instead of facing another man."

Several students exchanged awkward glances.

Zac let out a quiet sigh. "Say whatever you want. You think I actually care?"

Then he turned toward Matilda. "Do I have any obligation to entertain this fool?"

Matilda calmly shook her head. "No. The Justice Arena only accepts mutual agreement."

"If one party refuses...then there is no duel."

Zac looked back at Gary. "You heard her. I don’t have any needs to fight you."

He took a step forward. "So I’ll say it one last time. Out of my way."

Gary suddenly laughed. A loud, mocking laugh that echoed through the classroom.

"Hahaha...I get it now."

"I thought you were some big shot. If I’d known, you were this scared...I wouldn’t have wasted my time on you."

He smirked.

"It seems you’re just a little bitch."

Gary’s grin only widened. "Clearly your parents must be very proud of you."

The ’I don’t care’ expression on Zac’s face vanished instantly, hearing what he said.

The lazy look in his eyes was gone as well, replaced by a coldness that made the classroom feel several degrees colder.

Marty’s expression changed instantly. "Oh no..."

Without another word, he grabbed Shobin by the wrist and dragged him toward the edge of the classroom.

"W-What are you doing?" Shobin asked, stumbling after him.

"Getting out of the blast zone."

"What?"

"He should’ve never mentioned Zac’s family."

Gary noticed the change in Zac’s expression and mistook it for fear.

A smug smile spread across his face. "What?" he chuckled. "Did I hit a nerve?"

"But tell me...Am I wrong?"

"Who’d be happy having a coward like you for a son?"

"You awakened a trash E-rank potential, the lowest of the low."

"Then you shamelessly wormed your way into one of the greatest academies in the world using who knows what kind of tricks."

"The moment you stepped onto campus, you peeked into a girl’s shower. And now you don’t even have the guts to fight one of your own classmates."

He clicked his tongue. "Actually... I don’t even want to call you my classmate. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

Several students frowned. The insults had already gone too far. But Gary, however, either didn’t notice or simply didn’t care.

"If I were your father...I’d regret ever having a son like you. And your mother..." He laughed. "She’d probably feel the same."

"Who knows? Maybe they’re just as pathetic as you ar..."

Before he could finish his sentence a terrifying pressure burst from Zac’s body.

BOOM!

The entire classroom began to tremble. Desks rattled violently, and chairs scraped across the floor.

An invisible pressure crashed down on everyone in the room. Some of the weaker students immediately dropped to one knee, while the rest struggled just to stay standing.

Even Sabrina’s, Daniel’s, and Adrian’s eyes widened. They instinctively circulated their mana to resist the overwhelming pressure.

Gary’s smile froze and his breathing became uneven. For the first time since meeting Zac, genuine fear crept into his eyes.

As for Zac... There was no anger on his face. No shouting. No clenched fists. He simply stood there, looking at Gary. While the black in his pupils began to deepen into a dark crimson.

Even the system remained silent. The only sound left in the classroom was the violent trembling of the furniture.

Before Zac could take a step... Matilda appeared between him and Gary. A gentle emerald aura flowed from her body, spreading through the classroom like a cool breeze.

The crushing pressure weighing down on everyone instantly eased.

Students who had been forced to one knee finally managed to breathe again. And several of them looked at Matilda with grateful expressions.

She didn’t take her eyes off Zac. "Fighting anywhere inside the academy without supervision...will earn you an immediate suspension."

Zac slowly raised his head. His crimson-tinted eyes met Matilda’s glowing green ones.

For a brief moment... Neither of them spoke, and the entire classroom held its breath.

Matilda activated the special ability of her eyes, hoping to calm the storm raging inside him, but instead... A chill ran down her spine.

It lasted for less than a second. But in that brief instant, she felt as though she had been staring into the eyes of something far more dangerous than an angry student.

Zac took a breath and blinked once, and the crimson in his eyes gradually faded, and the suffocating pressure filling the classroom disappeared along with it.

After a few seconds of silence, Zac spoke. "...Let’s go to the arena."

His voice was calm again. Without waiting for anyone’s response, he walked past Matilda and left the classroom.

Gary remained rooted to the spot, with his heartbeat still not settled.

"That pressure... Did... did that really come from him?" He immediately shook his head. "No. Impossible. It had to be Miss Matilda."

"She must’ve released her aura to pressure him into accepting the duel."

The more he thought about it... The more convinced he became. "That’s right. She probably wants to get rid of that E-rank trash too. Otherwise, why would she agree to the fight?"

Matilda turned toward Gary. "You should head to the Justice Arena." Gary immediately straightened his posture. "Yes, ma’am."

He gave a respectful bow before hurrying out of the classroom.

The moment he left, Marty took off after Zac. "Come on!" He grabbed Shobin by the sleeve. "We’ve got to get there first."

"H-Hey! Slow down!" Shobin stumbled after him as the two rushed into the hallway.

The rest of the students looked at one another for a moment before following behind. Within less than a minute... The classroom was empty.

Only Matilda remained. She stood there quietly, staring at the doorway Zac had just walked through.

"What... was that?" She lowered her gaze. "I tried to calm him with my eyes...So why was I the one who felt fear?"

She had used those eyes countless times before. Against arrogant nobles, hardened veterans, and even dangerous variants.

Never once...had they failed her like this. She slowly let out a breath. "Just what kind of monster did Miss Armani bring into this academy?"

A bitter smile appeared on her face. "Gary...I should’ve stopped this before it reached this point. Now...It’s completely out of my hands."

***

News of the duel spread through New Dawn Academy like wildfire.

"Did you hear? Two first-years are fighting in the Justice Arena."

"I heard one of them is the guy who peeked at the Ice Queen."

"No, I heard it’s because of some argument in class."

"The details don’t matter. A Justice Arena fight on the very first day? I’m not missing that."

Students poured out of classrooms, training halls, cafeterias, and dormitories towards the arena. Even a few teachers changed direction after hearing the rumors.

Within an hour... The Justice Arena was packed.

The arena itself had three stages. Two smaller platforms stood on either side, while a much larger one occupied the center.

Today’s duel would take place on one of the smaller stages.

On one side stood Zac and on the other... Gary Evans.

Between them on the small stage stood an instructor with both hands clasped behind his back, silently waiting for the proceedings to begin.

Not far from the stage, Matilda stood with the rest of the first-year class one.