Chapter 9: Declaration of the duel

"Admit it, Leonard."

Karl tried one last time to summon his circle. This time, he gave it everything he had. No matter how much his body resisted, he forced the mana to flow.

His hands shook violently. Suddenly, a numb sensation spread through his body, and a purple circle appeared on his palm. Slowly, he stood up and locked eyes with Mikaela.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I will never admit to something I never did."

"YOU!" Veins bulged on Mikaela's forehead as she raised her hand, forming a spear.

Then, she lunged straight at Karl with a piercing thrust. At the same time, Karl's hands glowed purple, and a rock materialized in his grasp.

For a few seconds, time seemed to slow. Mikaela pushed forward with all her strength. Karl didn't move, allowing the spear to come dangerously close.

'Wait. Is he-?' The male teacher who had defeated two students earlier analyzed the situation.

The spear was inches from Karl's body when he finally moved. But instead of blocking or dodging, he gently touched the spear's tip with his left palm, redirecting its trajectory.

Mikaela widened her eyes in shock but quickly prepared for a counterattack. Karl didn't give her the chance.

Stepping closer while still pushing the spear away, Karl lifted his right hand, revealing the rock.

'Naïve,' Mikaela thought, her eyes glowing golden.

Karl swung the rock straight at her head. Blood splattered—but it wasn't hers. A golden shield shimmered just above her head.

'A shield? Damn it.'

Before Karl could react, Mikaela kicked him square in his wounded stomach. He staggered back, clutching his abdomen.

"I'm surprised, Leonard Avaritia. You caught me off guard."

Karl looked at her and grinned through the pain.

"Unfortunately, injustice does not go unresolved in Black Pegasus Academy." She lifted her spear again.

'Yeah, this one's going to hurt.'

Mikaela swung her spear toward Karl's head with full force.

CLANG!

The sound of metal colliding echoed through the courtyard. A pale-skinned, white-haired boy now stood between Mikaela and Karl.

Karl looked up. "IAN!"

"What are you doing here, heir of Phirsecots?"

"Hands off, princess of light," Ian declared.

"This doesn't concern you."

"It does. Now back off."

"He is the culprit. He used the name of Lumineux for his crimes. As a member of Lumineux Knighthood, I can't let that stand."

Ian glanced back at Karl, who quickly averted his gaze. Ian read Karl's thought trail, his throat went dry, and his pulse skyrocketed as he opened his mouth to speak. "Do you have any evidence?" Ian asked.

"Yes. The warden confirmed it."

"Did she see him?"

"No, but the timings match."

"That's not proof. You've caused a huge scene over nothing." Ian and Mikaela turned to see nearly half the school gathered around them.

"I didn't expect the infamous princess of Lumineux to be such a hothead."

Mikaela clenched her spear tightly. "Looks like Phirsecots forgot that this school is managed by the Lumineux Knighthood. You're not qualified to challenge my authority."

Ian pointed at her. "And you don't have the right to challenge Federation law. Not without proper evidence. You have no right to attack him."

"Then challenge him to a duel!" someone from the crowd shouted.

Ian clicked his tongue. "We will wait-"

DING! A notification rang on Karl's watch.

"Leonard! I hereby challenge you to a duel under the academy's guidance," Mikaela declared.

Ian desperately looked at Karl, wanting to say something but unable to.

A teacher stepped forward. "A duel has been issued by student Mikaela Lumineux to student Leonard Avaritia. Please state the stakes."

"He will admit that he attacked a girl in her dormitory using my name."

The teacher turned to Karl.

Karl thought for a moment. "She needs to retract her accusations and apologize to me."

"Who would apolo—"

"Do both challengers agree to the stakes?" the teacher's voice cut in, sharp and commanding.

"Y-yes," Mikaela fumbled.

"Yes," Karl confirmed.

"Does anyone here object?"

Silence. Then, a shaky voice called out.

"This duel isn't fair."

Karl turned to see Andressa standing there, visibly trembling. Her legs shook, her breathing was uneven, but she continued.

"Leonard is a year behind Mikaela. She has more spells and battle experience."

The teacher nodded.

Then, a confident voice cut in. "But they're the same age. Both are 17."

Andressa recognized it immediately. 'Remi, why do you have to interfere?'

A tall boy with spiked light-orange hair, adorned with accessories, a mean look, and slanted eyes, stepped forward.

"The Federation forbids weak generations. We can't hold a student back just because he failed to advance due to poor talent."

'Poor talent?' Karl's glare turned hostile.

Remi smirked. "This is actually a great opportunity for him—to fight someone clearly stronger."

Karl's glare darkened further.

Everyone awaited the teacher's decision.

"The duel is fair."

Ian and Andressa's expressions turned grim. Karl showed no reaction.

"Confirm the duel."

Mikaela clicked confirm. Karl hesitated, looking at Ian and Andressa.

'One of my worst decisions ever.' He clicked confirm.

"OHHHHHH!" Excited cheers erupted.

"Quiet." A faint glow surrounded the teacher, and silence followed.

"The date and location will be announced later. Now, back to class."

The students dispersed.

Mikaela smirked at Karl. "At least you're not a coward, Leonard Avaritia." She turned and left.

Ian and Andressa rushed to Karl, helping him up.

"You just picked a fight with a knight," Ian said.

Karl chuckled. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and his body collapsed.

"LEO!" Ian and Andressa screamed.

Karl felt warm tears on his face. He touched them. They were red.

'Finally kicked in.' He smiled before blacking out.

Karl awoke in his room. The familiar computer music played. A knock at the door.

He hesitated before opening it.

Jake stood there, bloodied, missing teeth, smiling eerily. Without hesitation, he shoved Karl to the ground and electrocuted him with a cable.

Karl grabbed Jake's head, thumbs digging into his eye sockets. "Do you really think I'd be scared?"

Jake screamed. Karl shoved him away and smashed his monitor into Jake's head.

"Even for an illusion, this is too unreal." At his words, the world around him crumbled.

Jake, face mutilated, screamed. "KARLLLL!"

'How soothing.'

A part of roof crumbles on Karl. He opens his eyes and sees a fan on the celling. His eyes wonder at his right side, only to notcie the same handsome doctor with his mouth wide open. Karl slowly tires to get up.

"In my 40 years of experience I have never seen a patient wake up on his own while being in the effect of mind cleansing."

Karl looks down on his stomach and sees that its all patched up with bandages. He then notices his right hand which is also bandaged.

"Okay. But what is that?" Karl asks without looking the doctor.

"Whenever a patient has be penetrated by any magic object. Foreign mana enters the body and traverses towards the brain. In the brain this mana gathers and creates a seperate vaccum. This can cause brain damage or hemorrhage. To avoid this, doctors personally inject their own mana into the patient's body and tries to push the vacuum of foreign outside. This is called as Brain cleansing. To perform this the patient is put under a mind spell where the patient sleeps indefinitely to minimize brain activity. Normally the patient doesn't wake up for days even after breaking spell. But you broke the spell on your own. Just as I finished the cleansing you woke up. Which is just amazing."

"Do people dream while being under the mind spell?"

"Yes, it is not uncommon to dream."

Karl glances at his watch and reads a notification. [THE DUEL IS SCHEDULED ON 45/93/3242, AT THE BLACK MANE ARENA.]

'Oh, I forgot that this world has 50 days in one month and 100 months in one year.' Karl notes the date.

"Listen, this is very serious." Karl notices the heaviness in doctor's voice.

"Leonard Avaritia. You are going to die in a month."

"What?"