A Riot

Ray didn't know when it happened. He had been watching from the sidelines like everyone else, observing the fight's final moments. Deciding to activate his Dragon Eyes skill, he focused on the energy flow within Monk.

After the ten-minute mark, Monk's energy had been depleting, growing smaller and smaller. But when his sword broke and everyone thought the match was over, his energy suddenly doubled in size. He lunged for the shattered pieces of his weapon—a desperate, last-ditch attempt to win the fight.

That was when Ray's body moved on its own. Before he even realized it, he was beside Monk and Gary. His hand shot out, gripping the wooden dagger just inches away from Gary's neck.

The three of them stood frozen. The crowd, just seconds ago roaring with excitement, fell silent.

Monk's grip loosened. He bowed deeply in front of both Ray and Gary.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

What Monk didn't know was that Ray was thinking the exact same thing. He had intended to let the fight play out, allowing both of them to learn from their experience. Yet, somehow, he had intervened.

Without another word, Monk turned and disappeared into the crowd using his skill. Gary remained still, struggling to process what had just happened.

The spectators began murmuring among themselves.

"So, who won the fight?"

"I'm not sure. That red-haired guy interfered when Gary was about to win."

"What are you talking about? Monk was going to win."

Arguments broke out. Some believed Gary had secured the victory, while others sided with Monk. However, one thing soon became clear—their frustration was now directed at a single person: the one who had stopped the fight.

"Why did that red-haired guy have to interfere?"

"Maybe he didn't want to lose his money."

Kyle, noticing the shift in the crowd's mood, stepped onto the field.

"Hey guys, sorry to say, but due to the involvement of a third party, the match has been voided from the official rankings. So don't worry, you'll all get your money back."

Whether intentional or not, Kyle's words only fueled the crowd's resentment toward Ray. It seemed like he was simply trying to save himself.

As Ray stood in the field, a bottle came flying from the crowd. He tilted his head slightly, letting it sail past him. But once the first item was thrown, others followed. Soon, all sorts of objects were hurled in his direction.

Dodging them all was impossible. Instead, Ray let them hit him as he walked away from the training field. He silently took note of every single person who had thrown something at him, marking them for revenge.

Slyvia had been watching the fight from the sidelines, just as focused as everyone else. When she saw Monk grab the broken pieces of his wooden sword, her heart clenched. Gary was in danger. Just as she opened her mouth to shout for the fight to stop, Ray appeared—his bare hand halting Monk's attack.

She was in disbelief. Ray had been beside her just a second ago. How had he moved so quickly?

"Did you see when Ray got over there?" she asked.

"No, I was too focused on Monk and Gary. He must have been standing near them the whole time," Dan replied.

Many of the students thought the same thing—that Ray had simply been inching closer, prepared to intervene at the right moment. No one wanted to believe he had moved with such impossible speed.

Slyvia could see the crowd turning on Ray. They didn't understand that Monk's last attack had been lethal. Gary wouldn't have dodged in time. Only a few people had truly grasped what had happened.

Grabbing Kyle's arm, Slyvia tightened her grip. "Kyle, you need to do something before this turns into a riot. This is your fault in the first place! If you hadn't turned this into a stupid betting war—"

"I know, I know," Kyle said. "I'll explain everything."

Kyle could feel the tension shifting toward him. He knew the crowd could turn on him at any moment.

"Hey, guys, sorry to say, but due to the involvement of a third party, the match has been voided from the official rankings. So don't worry, you'll all get your money back."

With the crowd's anger now redirected at Ray, Kyle quickly disappeared into their midst.

Then, without warning, an object flew toward Ray. A moment later, the rest of the crowd joined in, pelting him with anything they could get their hands on. Slyvia, Ian, Dan, and Martha rushed forward, trying to shield him and calm the crowd, but no one listened. The four of them took hits as they blocked objects from striking Ray.

When Slyvia turned to check on Ray, a chill ran down her spine. His eyes glowed yellow as he walked away, unfazed by the attacks.

Ray hadn't noticed the efforts of his friends. His focus was solely on one thing—every single person who had dared to throw something at him that day.