Class had ended, and I was now making my way to the training ground.
As I stepped out of the building, the sunlight glared down on me, it was bright and harsh, almost like a spotlight.
From what Rein and I agreed on, the training ground for our duel wasn't far.
Just a three to five-minute walk at most.
But halfway there, something caught my attention.
You've got to be kidding me.
My eyes scanned the area, feeling a mix of disbelief and annoyance.
The closer I got to the training ground, the more people started showing up.
And every single one of them was walking in the same direction as me.
Not just that, they were all looking at me like I was some sort of rare, exotic creature on the verge of extinction.
I could handle the staring.
I really could, if only they were positive stares.
But judging by their expressions, it was obvious what they were here for.
They came to watch me lose.
To witness Rein Orlanez crush Ian Dismdom.
Damn it, Ian. Why were you even born in the first place?
The insult wasn't aimed at me, the one currently stuck in Ian Dismdom's body.
It was for the original Ian Dismdom.
Soon enough, I spotted a large, square-shaped training ground with flooring that resembled concrete, the difference being it was stronger and more refined.
But that wasn't all.
The place was packed with students gathered just outside the perimeter, and annoyingly their numbers were still growing.
I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I didn't need to.
If I had to guess, the hot topic was me.
God, I want to run.
That was what I told myself.
But my body did otherwise.
I kept walking forward, and as I did, the crowd noticed.
They parted, making a way for me as if I were some condemned man heading to the gallows.
At the center of the training ground stood the protagonist himself.
Rein Orlanez.
"Is that him?"
"Looks like it—blonde hair, golden eyes."
"He's good-looking, but man, his personality's trash."
They weren't even trying to whisper.
Just outright saying it in public like it was nothing.
I could guess why.
With a crowd this big, people felt bold and safe enough to say whatever they wanted, thinking I couldn't or wouldn't retaliate.
And they were right.
Lashing out now would be the worst possible move.
I couldn't risk it.
So I stayed silent, walking down the path they cleared for me until I stopped in front of a row of neatly arranged wooden training weapons.
My eyes scanned over them—swords, spears, daggers, gauntlets, and more.
But no matter how long I searched, Ian's main weapon was nowhere to be found.
"Oi, my weapon isn't here."
I shot a sharp glare at the crowd, wearing the same disgusted expression the original Ian always had, the kind that screamed he saw everyone around him as inferior.
Fortunately, it wasn't hard to pull off.
I had a theory about my soul and Ian's, but now wasn't the time for soul-deep speculation.
Right now, what mattered was starting this duel and for that to happen, I needed my weapon.
"Where's the damn observer for this training ground?"
Every training ground at this academy is assigned an observer, or manager, or whatever title they go by.
Doesn't matter.
What does matter is that they act as referees during duels, determining the winner and overseeing the rules.
But that's not all.
They're also responsible for handling injuries, ranging from a simple bruise…
To a corpse.
In short, anything that happens on their assigned ground falls entirely under their watch.
"That would be me. I'm the observer."
A calm female voice rose from within the crowd, and soon enough, its owner stepped forward.
She had dark blue hair so dark it could easily be mistaken for black and cold, gray eyes that seemed to peer right through you.
She was wearing a poker face.
A perfect match for someone whose job involves watching students beat each other within inches of death.
"Oh, good."
I walked up until I was standing directly in front of her.
I was taller, so I had to look down to meet her eyes.
"Go bring me my weapon."
"And what would that be?" she asked flatly.
"A shield."
The moment I said it, she gave me a look, like one of those are-you-serious? expressions.
Yeah, I expected that.
After all, there were already a few shields on the rack behind me.
But those weren't what I needed.
One only covered the forearm.
The other barely protected the torso.
It's useless.
"I'm not a damn idiot, so quit looking at me like that," I snapped. "Those shields are the wrong type."
"Is that so?"
Her face didn't change.
Still blank, but I could tell she was skeptical.
"Bring me the largest shield you've got. A full-size type."
There was a brief pause.
Then, with a slight bow, she turned and walked away without another word.
As I watched her disappear into the crowd, I turned my attention back to the protagonist.
Wearing my best arrogant smirk, I stepped onto the platform, both hands casually tucked into my pockets.
"Lucky you, commoner. You get a little extra time to tremble in fear before I wipe the floor with your face."
My voice range out, loud enough for Rein and the crowd to hear.
Not that he reacted.
No surprise there.
Right now, I'm all bark and no bite.
My threats were about as dangerous as a bug in winter.
And assuming he's already regressed, he probably knows my strength—or lack thereof better than anyone.
To him, I'm nothing to fear.
Before long, I noticed movement in the crowd.
Stepping out was the same observer from earlier, now dragging a massive shield behind her.
It was big and probably heavy too as she needed both hands just to drag it, her steps sluggish.
She's... struggling? Pretty weak for an observer then.
All the observers that have shown up in the game have all been pretty strong.
It's necessary for when they have to stop a duel if it gets too dangerous.
And since she's having a hard time just bringing that shield, I don't feel too good about my life in case Rein decided to end me here.
I could only hope for the best.
"Here."
She propped the shield upright with a solid thud , and I stepped off the platform to retrieve it, hauling something that big up the platform would've been a pain for her anyway.
My hand gripped the handle firmly. It wasn't perfect and nothing like my custom-made shield, but it would do for now.
I wasn't trying to defeat Rein, after all.
The shield stood a few inches taller than me, wide and slightly curved inward on both sides, it was an ideal shape for full-body coverage.
I tensed the muscles in my right arm, bracing myself for the weight of the shield after seeing the way the observer struggled to carry it.
Woah?
And unexpectedly surprised even myself, it was lighter than I expected. When I lifted it, I nearly lost balance and stumbled backward.
It's probably because of my strength being higher than I thought.
Almost embarrassed myself there.
Fortunately, I managed to hide it behind the arrogant smirk already plastered on my face.
Turning my head toward Rein for the second time since arriving, I made my way back onto the platform while dragging the shield by its handle, the bottom scraping gently against the ground.
Sure, it might've looked arrogant for others, but I, who has all of Ian Dismdom memories and experiences knew better.
The movement wasn't a show of arrogance, no, it was actually part of the shield-based martial art I (he) had learned.
My eyes locked with Rein's, and for a moment, the entire world seemed to fade away. A heavy silence stretched between us, even as the crowd's cheers thundered his name.
He didn't spare them at a single glance. His cold, piercing gaze was fixed entirely on me.
I didn't look at the crowd either. The old Ian might have basked in the attention, soaking in the noise like it belonged to him—but not me.
After all, what was there to bask in?
They weren't cheering for me.
If I acted like they were, I'd just look like a dumbass.
This fight wasn't about fame or glory. I was standing against the protagonist for one reason only, and that is to force an answer that would decide my future decisions.
Before the observer could even set foot on the platform to declare the start, I made my first move.
I couldn't care less about the start of the duel!
My center of gravity lowered and I feel strength building up in my legs like a loaded spring, then I stomped on the ground with everything I had.
It quickly sent my body flying forward in a blur, faster than any normal human eye could track.
It was a basic shield charge, something that every shield user learns early, but at this moment, it carried the weight of everything I was risking.
The instant I closed the distance, I thrust my shield forward, bracing for a devastating shield bash.
Rein reacted instantly and didn't sit still to watch this unfold. He widened his stance, rippling muscles, and swung his wooden sword in a powerful arc straight into my shield.
THUD! CRACK!
The violent impact exploded between us, the sharp cracking sound cutting through the roaring crowd like a whip.
The force rattled my bones and I clenched my jaw hard, fighting against the searing vibration that tore up my right arm.
Damn… this guy really hits like a truck.
Before the shock could fade, we both pushed off each other with raw strength, weapons clashing again as we created distance.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
He's already figured me out.
The worst part about fighting against geniuses is that they didn't need time to think as they could easily saw the path to victory and had the overwhelming talent and strength to make it reality with terrifying precision.
"Is that all?" Rein's voice sliced through the noise, loud enough to pierce straight through the cheers of the crowd and into my ears.
A surge of hot anger flared in my chest.
"What?" I snarled back, my grip tightening painfully on the shield.
I tried to calm myself with a deep breath, but it was useless. The anger refused to die down.
This wasn't even my anger—it was Ian Dismdom's.
And I couldn't do a damn thing about it. The flame inside kept me burning hotter.
Why was I reacting so strongly to Rein's mockery when I could ignore the crowd's?
Questions flooded my mind from every direction, making it difficult to focus on the duel. The anger only makes it worse.
It was clear as day. Rein had already regressed. He was using Ian's arrogance against me, and it was working perfectly.
"And what are you doing? We have a duel here."
Rein's voice suddenly sounded much closer.
Before I could react, his face filled my vision, that smug smirk plastered across it.
BAM!
The wooden sword slammed into my left ribs. Sharp pain exploded through my side as the force sent me tumbling backward.
For a split second my grip loosened and I nearly let go of my shield.
But at the last second, I gripped the handle tighter, fighting desperately to stay on my feet.
Not yet. Not when I still haven't gotten my answer!
~
(End of Chapter)