(Arin's POV)
The smell of smoke.
That was the first thing to greet my olfactory senses as we turned the corridor corner connecting the main building to the dormitory complex. It was not the warm and comforting scent of burning firewood, but the acrid stench of scorched fabric, melting plastic, and burning paint. The distinct smell of destruction.
"This way!" shouted Kars, quickening his pace.
In his hands, the Greatsword borrowed from Rose dragged against the stone floor, creating a trail of small sparks. His new armor, recently modified in the laboratory, emitted a heavy clanking sound every time his feet struck the ground.
We ran through the night. Myself, Kars, Rose, Elena, Celia, and Erika. The complete Hexagon team. However, there was no sense of adventure on our faces tonight. There was only pure, unadulterated tension.
When we arrived at the front courtyard of the Class B Dormitory, the sight that welcomed us brought Erika's steps to an abrupt halt.
"Dear God..." whispered Erika, covering her mouth with her trembling hands.
The dormitory courtyard had been transformed into an absolute war zone.
The front doors of the dormitory were completely shattered, the hinges torn off, the wood splintered into jagged pieces. The first-floor windows were broken, spewing small tongues of fire that several panicked students were desperately trying to extinguish with water magic.
Neutral students ran far away, hiding behind pillars or decorative bushes. Their faces were deathly pale. Not a single one dared to approach the center of the courtyard.
There, at the very epicenter of the chaos, stood the perpetrator.
Karl Benzzi.
He did not look like the Karl I had met in court, who trembled and feigned madness to escape justice. He also did not look like the impeccably neat and arrogant Karl from the beginning of the semester.
Karl stood atop the shattered pieces of the dormitory founder's statue he had just destroyed. His silk shirt was torn, exposing his broad chest. He gripped his military Saber with a hand coursing with a thick, dark red aura.
But the most terrifying feature was his eyes.
The whites of his eyes had turned completely blood red. His pupils were dilated wildly. The veins in his neck and face bulged, throbbing in rhythm with a heartbeat driven entirely by adrenaline and narcotics.
The Old Blood. He had activated it fully, just as Kars had done when fighting those lackeys earlier. The difference was, Karl did not seem to be controlling it. He appeared to be completely controlled by it.
"Come out, you Little Rats!" roared Karl. His voice was hoarse, wet, and brimming with sheer madness. "Return what you stole from me!"
On his left side stood Sophia Lunar. The beautiful girl held a Mithril composite bow. Her arrow was already nocked, its tip glowing a sickly green with magical poison. She smirked, thoroughly enjoying this chaos as if she were watching a cheap soap opera.
And on his right side stood Elian Delphine.
The young man held no weapon. He merely leaned casually against the remnants of a collapsed wall, twirling a short magic wand between his nimble fingers. Upon seeing us arrive, Elian smiled. A thin, meaningful, and incredibly unsettling smile. He stared at me intently, then winked one eye.
"They have arrived," Elian said softly, yet his voice sounded crystal clear in that gripping silence.
Karl turned his head abruptly.
The moment he saw Kars, a terrifying, wide grin ripped across his face.
"Ah, my dearest little brother," hissed Karl. He jumped down from the ruined statue, landing with a heavy thud. "You brought your new friends? Excellent. I can kill all of you at once."
Kars stepped forward. He did not flinch. His new body, possessing metallic bones, granted him a rock-solid center of gravity. He was completely unshaken by his older brother's killing aura.
"Stop this, Karl," Kars's voice was heavy and calm, a stark contrast to his brother's hysteria. "You are destroying the dormitory. You are hurting your own people. Have you truly gone insane?"
"Insane?!" Karl laughed. A shrill, piercing laugh. "I am taking back what is rightfully mine! You, you stole my Casino from me! You stole the loyalty of my subordinates! And you..."
Karl's eyes shifted to glare at Celia, who stood beside Kars with her Halberd at the ready.
"You took this iron whore!" screamed Karl, pointing an accusing finger at Celia. "She was supposed to be my weapon factory! She was supposed to be my obedient wife! And you took her!"
Celia's face hardened. Her hands gripped her spear tightly. "Watch your mouth, Benzzi. Or I will be the one to cut out your tongue before your brother gets the chance."
Karl ignored the threat entirely. His eyes shifted again, this time toward Elena, who stood right beside me.
"And you, Elena..." Karl's voice softened, morphing into a sickening whine. "Why are you standing beside that crippled piece of trash? Why won't you look at me? I did all this for you! I wanted to prove that I am strong!"
"You are pathetic, Karl," Elena answered coldly. "Utterly pathetic."
That single answer snapped the last remaining threads of Karl's sanity.
"Kill them!" commanded Karl.
I immediately analyzed the situation.
On our side, there were six people. Myself, Kars, Erika, Elena, Rose, and Celia. We were all veterans of the forest battles. On their side, there were only Karl, Sophia, and Elian.
"Three against six," I whispered to Rose. "We have the numbers advantage. Attack Sophia first; she is a troublesome sniper."
"Ready," Rose murmured, preparing to dart forward.
We held the tactical advantage. Victory was in sight.
However, Elian Delphine suddenly chuckled. He raised his hands and clapped three times.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Did you really think we were stupid?" asked Elian casually. "Did you think we would start a war without calculating our troop numbers?"
Elian pointed lazily toward the dormitory roof behind us.
"Come down, Seniors."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Three shadows landed from the sky with a massive weight that shook the earth. Dust billowed high into the air.
As the dust thinned, my eyes widened in shock.
Three students stood there, blocking our only retreat path. Their uniforms were pristine white with golden badges gleaming on their shoulders. However, those badges were different. There were two stripes beneath the lion emblem.
Second Year. Class S.
"Damn it..." cursed Rose softly. Her face turned pale. "Elian called in upperclassmen for backup?"
I scanned them rapidly.
In the center stood a muscular woman nearly two meters tall. She carried a tower shield much larger and thicker than Gareth's. Her name was Nicole, a legendary second-year Tanker known for being completely impenetrable.
To her left was a thin man wielding two curved daggers dripping with purple fluid. Roger, an Assassin relying on superhuman hearing.
And to her right stood a small girl with twin pigtails, surrounded by wild sparks of static electricity. Jennie, a lightning element mage possessing devastating wide-area destructive power.
"Hello, sweet little juniors," greeted Jennie with a voice that sounded like a child's, yet her eyes glinted sadistically. "Elian paid us a very handsome sum to discipline you all. So please do not cry, alright?"
The situation had turned one hundred and eighty degrees.
The balance of power was shattered. Second-year students possessed combat experience, mana pools, and techniques a full tier above ours. Furthermore, they were Class S. Monsters among monsters.
"Seniors are intervening in first-year matters?" Elena stepped forward. Her face was flushed with anger. "This violates Student Council rules!"
"This is an heir dispute, Princess. Student Council rules do not apply here," Roger replied with a hissing voice.
Karl laughed uproariously seeing our shocked expressions.
"Look at your stupid faces! Now who is cornered?! Kars! Arin! I am going to break your legs one by one!"
Kars did not look back. He kept his eyes fixed on his brother.
"Arin," called Kars quietly. "Handle the rear. Let me take care of this trash in the front."
"Kars, are you certain?" I asked hesitantly.
"Let us hold off the Seniors," interrupted Celia. She spun her Halberd, standing with her back to Kars, facing Nicole and her comrades. "Rose, Elena, Erika! Help me hold back these three old monsters. Arin, assist Kars if necessary, but your main focus is ensuring Elian does not interfere."
"Understood!"
In front of me, Karl and Kars faced each other.
"Do you think you can defeat me, Little Brother?" sneered Karl. "I possess the Old Blood! I am faster, stronger, and far more talented than you!"
"You possess blood," Kars replied while raising his black Greatsword into a High Guard stance. "But I possess bones."
"Die!"
Karl charged.
His speed was horrifying. His body left a red afterimage as he darted forward. His Saber slashed horizontally, aiming straight for Kars's neck.
Kars did not dodge. He did not retreat.
He stomped his left foot into the ground, firmly planting his stance.
Technique: Iron Stance.
Kars swung that black Greatsword vertically downward to intersect the path of Karl's attack.
CLANGGG!!!
The sound of the collision was deafening.
Normally, Karl's faster sword would deflect Kars's heavy blade effortlessly, or at the very least fracture Kars's wrists due to the intense vibration.
But not this time.
The moment their swords met, Karl felt something completely alien. It felt like striking the concrete piling of a massive bridge. There was no vibration. There was no recoil.
Kars did not budge a single millimeter. His modified iron bones absorbed all the kinetic energy of Karl's attack and dispersed it harmlessly into the ground. The stone floor beneath Kars's feet cracked, but his body remained as solid as a mountain.
"What?!" Karl's eyes widened in sheer shock.
"My turn," growled Kars.
Kars pushed his sword forward. Not with a standard sword technique, but with a crude, powerful shoulder bash. His body weight, increased by dozens of kilograms due to the density of his metallic bones, became a devastating weapon.
THUD!
Karl was thrown backward three full steps. His breath hitched. He stared at his younger brother in absolute disbelief.
"Since when... have you been this heavy?"
"Since I stopped being your shadow," answered Kars.
Both sides braced themselves for the second clash. Spells began to be chanted. Weapons were drawn tight. Civil war was imminent.
However, before more blood could be spilled...
Vwoooom...
An overwhelmingly massive pressure descended from the sky.
It was not wind, nor was it fire. It was pure, unadulterated mana pressure. Heavy, dense, and authoritarian. It felt exactly as if gravity had been multiplied tenfold.
The Class B students hiding nearby fainted instantly. The remaining intact window panes shattered in unison.
Even Jennie, the second-year lightning mage, stopped her chanting. Her face turned deathly pale. "This pressure... the Sixth Circle?"
Above us, floating gracefully in the air with a majestic white robe fluttering around her, descended the Queen of the Academy.
Selena Rhyms.
Beside her, hovering just as imposingly, were Instructors Karim, Brook, and Professor Samuel. Their faces were pitch black with fury.
"Enough!"
Selena's voice was not loud, but it echoed directly inside our heads.
She landed in the very center of the ruined courtyard, right between Kars and Karl. The shockwave of her landing extinguished the fires burning around the dormitory instantly.
"Stop this immediately, or you will all be expelled this very night!"
That threat was no idle joke.
Karl lowered his sword, trembling visibly. The second-year seniors backed away slowly, concealing their weapons.
"Madam Headmistress..." Karl attempted to speak. His voice quivered between rage and fear. "This is Benzzi family business! Kars is a traitor! I am merely disciplining..."
"You destroyed a dormitory, Karl!" cut Selena sharply. Her golden eyes blazed. "This is academy property! On these grounds, my law is absolute, not your family's law! Take your forces and leave, or I will freeze you until you become shaved ice!"
Selena's authority was absolute. She utilized her position to force Karl to retreat.
Suddenly, the sound of synchronized, disciplined, and heavy footsteps echoed from the direction of the main gates.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Everyone turned their heads.
From the darkness of the gateway, another entourage emerged. An escort unit clad in golden armor bearing the Lion emblem. The Royal Guard. They marched in perfect formation, clearing the path.
And in their center, walking with a straight back and an emotionless face...
Prince Albert Hall.
He did not arrive alone. Diana walked softly behind him, her head bowed, accompanied by dozens of students loyal to the Royalist faction.
Albert surveyed the chaos in the dormitory courtyard with a chilling gaze, as if he were inspecting a pile of rotting garbage. He strolled directly into the conflict zone, coming to a halt on the opposite side of Selena.
"Pathetic," Albert stated flatly. His tone was level, yet the sheer weight behind it made the air grow even heavier. "Is this the standard of discipline you are so proud of, Headmistress Selena?"
Selena's face soured instantly. "Prince Albert. I am handling a student disciplinary issue. This falls strictly under the Academy's jurisdiction."
"Jurisdiction?" Albert raised an eyebrow slightly. There was no mocking undertone, only pure, unyielding assertiveness. "I see property damage worth thousands of gold coins. I see the uncontrolled use of lethal force. And above all else..."
Albert's blue eyes stared intently at Karl, then shifted to Kars. His gaze was as sharp as a judge's sword.
"...I see a succession dispute between the two heirs of Duke Benzzi."
Albert turned to face Selena fully. His posture was rigid and flawless.
"Royal Law Article 45 explicitly states that Academies or any educational institutions are strictly prohibited from intervening in the internal affairs of High Nobility, especially those concerning inheritance rights. This is not a mere schoolyard brawl, Madam Selena. This is a conflict of blood."
"They destroyed my school property!" argued Selena, refusing to yield her authority.
"Material damages can easily be compensated," replied Albert coldly. "However, your intervention in the Benzzi Inheritance Rights will create a terrible precedent for the political stability of this kingdom. Step aside, Selena. Let family law dictate the outcome."
"And let them slaughter each other in my schoolyard?!" Selena took a defiant step forward, sparks of ice crackling at her fingertips. "I will not permit it. Here, I am the law."
The tension reached its absolute peak.
This was no longer just Kars versus Karl. This was Selena representing Academy Authority versus Albert representing Royal Authority. A clash of two titans that turned us into mere pawns caught in the crossfire. Elian Delphine offered a thin smile from the corner as he observed the deadly seriousness on Albert's face.
"Wait," a calm yet authoritative voice cut through the heated debate.
Professor Samuel stepped into the center. The elderly man held the academy rulebook securely in his hands.
"There is a middle ground," said Samuel wisely, attempting to de-escalate the two immense powers. "We cannot allow an open war to take place here. But we also cannot ignore Karl's succession claim, which is protected by ancient tradition."
Samuel looked deeply at the two Benzzi brothers.
"The solution lies in ancient tradition. Something highly respected by both the Academy and the Kingdom."
"A Knight's Duel," stated Samuel clearly.
Kars and Karl's eyes widened simultaneously.
"An official duel," Samuel continued. "One on one. Under the strict supervision of a referee, adhering to agreed-upon rules. The winner takes all. The loser must submit unconditionally and acknowledge the victor's legitimacy."
Albert remained silent for a moment. His face remained rigidly composed. He did not smile. He weighed the proposal with the cold logic of a ruler.
"A Duel of Honor," mumbled Albert. "That is indeed the way our ancestors resolved disputes without spilling the blood of innocent commoners. A dignified and legally binding solution."
Albert nodded once. Firmly.
"I permit it."
"But not right now," interjected Selena quickly. "Their emotional states are completely unstable. If the duel is held tonight, it will only be a senseless slaughter."
Selena glared at Albert sharply.
"The duel will be held in the Academy Arena. Two weeks from now."
"Two weeks?" Karl protested loudly. "That is far too long! I want to kill him right—"
"Two weeks," Selena reiterated firmly. "In the official arena, witnessed by all students and noble representatives. That will guarantee a fair and incontestable outcome. What say you, Prince?"
Albert looked at the impatient Karl, then shifted his gaze to Kars, who appeared calm yet deeply exhausted.
"Two weeks is an adequate timeframe," Albert concluded. "Very well. I agree."
Albert raised his hand, declaring his royal decree.
"In the name of the Royal Family, I stand as witness. The dispute between Karl Benzzi and Kars Benzzi will be settled in the Academy Arena. The wager is the position of the Legitimate Heir of Duke Benzzi."
Albert stared piercingly at Kars.
"The victor shall be acknowledged. The loser shall forfeit everything."
Without waiting for a response, Albert turned on his heel. His black cape billowed majestically. He marched away with a disciplined military stride, followed closely by Diana and his loyal troops. He came to enforce order, and once order was achieved, he departed.
Karl grinned widely. An insane, victorious smirk. He glared at his younger brother. "Two weeks from now, Kars. Enjoy breathing while you still can. In the arena, neither Celia nor Arin will be able to save you."
Kars did not answer with words. He merely raised his black Greatsword, then drove it forcefully into the ground.
THUD!
It was a silent answer that the challenge had been accepted.
"Disperse!" commanded Selena loudly.
The second-year seniors vanished as quickly as they had arrived. Karl and his followers retreated, carrying a burning vengeance with them.
We stood amidst the ruins of the courtyard.
I stared at Elian's back as he walked away. Before disappearing into the shadows, he turned to look at me. His lips moved silently.
Prepare yourself.
I clenched my fists tightly.
Two weeks was not a resting period. It was a countdown to a real war. The enemy would not just train; they would sabotage, dispatch assassins, and employ every dirty trick imaginable to ensure Kars never made it to the arena alive.
"The Cold War begins," I muttered softly.
And I, as the brain behind Kars, had to ensure he became an invincible monster within the next fourteen days.