Everyone on the field froze in shock at the sight before them. Yukie, still a student, had just defeated an instructor who used to be a renowned Hunter.

Gasps filled the air, followed by whispers of disbelief, and then scattered applause from students who could not hide their awe at the display of overwhelming skill.

Violet pushed herself up immediately, her expression a mix of irritation and respect. She brushed the dust off her uniform and walked toward Yukie, who remained standing calmly in the center of the arena.

"Good," Violet said, her voice firm despite the lingering frustration. "Truly impressive, Yukie. You deserve your title as the academy's top student. Your ability has far surpassed the level of a normal trainee."

The praise did nothing to change Yukie's blank expression. She simply nodded once, then turned around and walked away without a single word.

Violet sighed and faced the still-stunned students. Her beautiful face hardened as she addressed them. "Show is over. Get back to your training and switch partners according to the order. Anyone still standing around in three seconds will have their score reduced."

The threat worked instantly. The students scattered, rushing back to their designated areas even though the shock had not completely faded from their faces. Many of them kept glancing toward Yukie, who had now taken a seat by the sidelines, her presence alone enough to stir both admiration and fear.

Meanwhile, Nerissa had finished healing me. She looked like she wanted to say something, her lips parting slightly, but she closed them again. She only gave me a glare filled with annoyance and questions before walking away.

I rose to my feet and flexed the newly restored fingers of my hand. My body was whole again, but my mind remained clouded with the leftover fury toward Yukie. And that was when something flashed at the edge of my vision.

[Revenge Quest Generated]

_______________

[REVENGE QUEST]

TARGET: Class 3A students

OBJECTIVE: Show them your true self.

REWARD: 3000 EXP.

[Accept: y / n]

_______________

Show them my true self? What did that even mean? Was I supposed to strip naked in front of everyone?

I returned to the arena where my next opponent was already waiting with an impatient look. Alex Rutherford, rank two of the class, had finished his earlier match quickly.

The black-haired man with an athletic build also wielded a sword, and even from the way he held himself, it was clear that he was skilled.

I activated [Eye of Desire] to check his information.

_______________

NAME: Alex Rutherford

AGE: 21

CLASS: Blademaster

RANK: A

DOMINANCE: 1%

SEXUAL AROUSAL: 9%

VIRGINITY: No

WEAK POINTS: Penis

FETISH: -

_______________

I studied Alex closely. I knew exactly what kind of person he was. Out of the five who used to torment me, he was the least cruel.

He was the type who followed the crowd to fit in. He bullied me not out of hatred, but because he wanted to blend in with Yukie's group, the academy's top students. And top students would eventually become top Hunters. He wanted connections, especially with Yukie.

"Finally you showed up," he said irritably. "I got tired of waiting. You took forever."

I only exhaled lightly.

Alex continued, "Why did you even come back to the academy after disappearing? Then you suddenly awaken. What are you planning? Revenge?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation.

Alex let out a short laugh, mocking. "You think you can? You were just kneeling like a dog in front of Yukie. And you think now—"

I cut him off flatly. "I thought you were quiet. Turns out you're talkative."

Alex's brows twitched.

"You are the one who does not know your place," he hissed. "You awaken and instantly get cocky."

He stopped talking after that. We both took our stances, swords in hand, studying each other. The air tightened.

Without another word, our swords clashed.

CLANG!

The first impact sent a sharp vibration up my arm. Alex immediately launched into offense, swinging a horizontal slash, then a quick thrust aimed at my stomach, followed by a spin that forced me backward. His movements were clean and precise, each attack created to break my guard.

But this time was different. There was no fear clawing at me like when I fought Yukie. The humiliation from earlier, combined with the rage simmering inside me, gave me a sharper clarity.

I tried to read Alex's rhythm, anticipating each strike. I knew I was someone who had only recently started taking swordsmanship seriously, while Alex specialized in it. But I could see the surprise growing in his eyes. Watching my fight with Yukie was one thing. Feeling my strength firsthand was something else.

Our swords kept clashing.

CLANG! CLANG!

Alex pressed forward without letting up, not giving me a moment to breathe. But I held my ground, meeting every attack with a counter that forced him to stay cautious.

Then I saw it.

I intentionally loosened my guard, just slightly, as if I made a mistake. Alex, used to clean and predictable duels, immediately lunged at the opening. His blade slashed across my chest, deep enough to spill warm blood down my uniform. The pain was sharp, but I embraced it and prepared my strike.

Alex's eyes widened. My reckless move had caught him off guard, and for a fraction of a second, his balance faltered. That was my moment.

I stabbed at his shoulder. He avoided most of it at the last second, but the tip of my sword still pierced into his left shoulder.

"ARRGH!" he yelled. His reflexes were too fast though. His sword knocked mine out of my hand, sending it flying.

It did not matter.

Without a weapon, my body felt lighter. I lunged forward before he could recover, tackling him to the ground. I pinned him down with my weight, then threw my fist into his face.

CRACK!

My first punch broke his nose. The sound of bone snapping rang out, sickening. Alex screamed, tapping the ground as a signal of surrender.

But I was deaf to it.

Years of anger burst open like a dam finally breaking. My second punch struck his cheek. The third shattered his jaw. I heard teeth break, felt his face soften beneath my knuckles. Blood coated my fingers, splattering onto my cheek.

"STOP, ADAM!" Violet shouted from the edge of the arena. "HE ALREADY SURRENDERED!"

I did not hear her.

All I saw was Alex's increasingly ruined face, and all I felt was the satisfaction of watching fear bloom in his eyes, the same fear I had always felt because of them.

With strength equal to a Rank S Awakener, I could have killed him in an instant… but I'd been holding myself back from the beginning.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Punch after punch rained down, no longer precise—just raw, unfiltered rage. Alex had stopped fighting back entirely, his hands trembling as they tried to shield his battered face.

Then suddenly—

A hard kick slammed into my side, throwing me off Alex. I rolled several meters before stopping.

When I rose, Violet stood between us, her face blazing with anger. "I SAID STOP! HE SURRENDERED! DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?"

I ignored her shout and scanned the surroundings. The other students stood frozen, horror painted across their faces. Maximus, Nerissa, and Isabel stared with disbelief.

Then the sharpest gaze in the entire field locked onto me.

Yukie.

She stood at the edge of the arena, her cold white eyes dissecting my every move.

I touched my cheek. A smear of Alex's blood stained my skin.

I looked at the red on my fingers.

And I smiled.

[Quest: Revenge - Successfully Completed]

[You have received 3000 EXP.]

[You Have Leveled Up to Level 53]

[You Have Received 5 Stat Points]

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