I snapped my black umbrella open as I stepped out into the bright afternoon courtyard, fully expecting a barrage of sneers and insults from the upperclassmen lingering outside the dorms. After all, the academy hierarchy was brutal, and I was just a slum kid who had embarrassed a proud sophomore.
But as I walked past the benches where a group of second and third-years were gathered, the expected jeers never came. Instead, the courtyard went quiet for a second before a tall sophomore raised his water flask toward me.
"Hey, Roy! Cleaned up nice, I see, that match against Zero-G was insane. Nobody expected a freshman to walk right through a tenfold gravity field like it was a minor inconvenience." he called out, a genuine smirk on his face.
A third-year standing nearby nodded in agreement, crossing his arms.
"Seriously. You kicked his ass fair and square. And honestly, after the stunt that bastard Sticky Sperm pulled in the canteen today... it's refreshing to see a freshman with some actual backbone. You kept those girls safe."
I slowed my pace, blinking in slight surprise beneath the shade of my umbrella. The toxic, arrogant attitude they had displayed in the stadium was completely gone, replaced by a raw, warrior-style respect. In their eyes, I wasn't just a lucky freshman anymore, I was a genuine combatant who had proven his worth in blood and grit.
"We're all heading back to the dome now, everyone in our bracket is rooting for you this afternoon, kid. Yellow Volcano is an arrogant prick who thinks his graduating class makes him a god. Go out there and turn that volcano into an absolute puddle." another senior chimed in, tossing a friendly arm toward the main path.
Seeing their sudden change of heart and genuine camaraderie, I couldn't help but let Zenni's genuine, easygoing smile slip onto my face. My hunter instincts relaxed just a fraction. It was easy to forget that beneath all the academy politics and magical bloodlines, these seniors were just teenagers who respected raw strength and honor.
"Thanks, seniors, if you're all heading to the arena, mind if I tag along? I wouldn't mind hearing a few tips on how that magma freak handles his mid-range spacing." I chuckled, adjusting the strap of my umbrella.
"Hell yeah, walk with us," the sophomore laughed, clapping me on the shoulder.
Joining their group, I blended perfectly into the pack of upperclassmen as we marched back toward the vaulted gymnasium dome. Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with the very people who had been cursing my name a few hours ago, I realized my cover had evolved. I wasn't just hiding in the shadows anymore...I was hiding in plain sight, completely surrounded by an army of seniors who were now actively cheering for the rise of the Crimson Phantom.
The midday heat was hitting its peak, but the thick canopy of trees lining the backyard path provided a welcome reprieve. I casually tilted my black umbrella, walking comfortably in the shade while chatting with my new circle of senior supporters.
Then, the atmosphere shifted. The ambient temperature didn't just feel hot from the sun anymore...it grew intensely, artificially oppressive.
Stepping out from around the corner of the ancient stone facility was Yellow Volcano, flanked by a small army of his loyal fourth-year lackeys. The moment his eyes locked onto my spotless uniform, his jaw tightened, veins bulging on his thick neck.
"Hey, Crimson Phantom!"
Yellow Volcano yelled, his voice roaring across the courtyard like a cracking whip. He stepped forward, heavy combat boots stomping against the dirt as faint embers began to drift from his shoulders.
"I hope you enjoyed your little lunch break, freshman. Prepare for our duel, because I am going to personally melt that smug look right off your face!"
Instead of backing down, I leaned into Zenni's cocky, unbeatable prodigy persona. I spun my umbrella slightly on my shoulder, giving him a lazy, heavily amused smirk.
"Oh, please, senior, you talk a big game for someone whose magic is just fancy, overgrown fireworks. I promise you, my blood magic is a thousand times better than your slow-moving mud."
That completely set off a powder keg.
"You tell him, Roy!" the sophomore beside me barked, stepping up to my defense.
The group of seniors I was walking with immediately closed ranks around me, glaring back at the fourth-years.
"His blood manipulation is faster than anything you can throw, Volcano! He walked through a tenfold gravity field...your little lava pools won't even touch him!"
"Yeah! Your time is over, fourth-year! The freshman's taking the crown today!" another third-year yelled, spatting a harsh laugh toward the older crowd.
Yellow Volcano's men instantly stepped in, their faces twisted in absolute outrage that a bunch of lowerclassmen were talking back to them. They surged forward, their hands glowing with raw, unrefined mana.
"Shut your mouths, you little shits! You think a few drops of basic blood magic can stand against real heat? The second his blood touches Boss's magma, it's going to instantly incinerate into a cloud of useless steam! He'll be completely dehydrated and begging for mercy in thirty seconds!" one of Volcano's bulky lackeys roared, pointing a finger at me.
"He's a slum rat who got lucky! We'll burn his little umbrella to ashes!" another fourth-year snarled.
Within seconds, a massive verbal conflict erupted right there in the academy's backyard. The two factions stood chest-to-chest, shouting insults, shoving shoulders, and flexing their magical auras. The air vibrated with the crackle of sparks and the heavy pressure of localized mana fields clashing in the dirt.
I just stood right in the center of it all, completely shielded beneath my umbrella, a dark, calculating grin widening under the shadow of the fabric.
"Let them bark, the more confident they are in their fire, the sweeter it's going to be when I completely suffocate his flames in front of the entire academy." I thought