Clash of Egos

Dr. Vance continued her lecture, seamlessly weaving complex mathematical theories with practical applications. The classroom buzzed with a mix of focused attention and frantic note-taking, but Rian sat back, completely at ease. He realized that every concept she explained was already ingrained in his mind, courtesy of the knowledge he had downloaded earlier. He could anticipate each formula, each example, even the questions she posed to the class. It was almost surreal.

Rian had a smile on his face that he didn't notice. Dr. Vance, who was teaching, happened to catch sight of Rian's expression. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant as if he were in another world. Dr. Vance frowned and shook her head, choosing to ignore him. By now, she was forming a bad impression of Rian as a student who got easily distracted in class. She ignored him and proceeded with her lecture, while Rian remained blissfully unaware that he had already been marked as unserious in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Rian's thoughts were elsewhere. "What's the limit of this Download ability?" he wondered. So far, he had only experimented on two things—his tablet and his math textbook. The consequences were significant: blacking out when absorbing information from the tablet and a severe headache when absorbing from the textbook. He made a mental note to visit the library later when he had free time.

At this moment, the smart screen at the front of the hall displayed a countdown of ten seconds. Rian raised an eyebrow. "That's new," he thought. In his previous world, he didn't remember seeing such a thing. He glanced around and noticed that no one else seemed surprised. Deciding to wait and observe, he watched as the countdown ended with a chime.

Dr. Vance's voice followed. "This concludes today's session."

Rian was taken aback. "So this is how they signify the end of a session," he thought, intrigued. The realization that this world had subtle differences beyond the existence of Radiants struck him again. There were many changes he needed to research and pay attention to.

The noise in the lecture hall resumed as students began chatting and gathering their things. Soren and the bench mates around Rian hadn't forgotten his display on the board earlier. One of them teased, "Maybe Rian's a dragon pretending to be a sheep."

"Nah, he's a sheep who accidentally swallowed a math textbook," another quipped, drawing more laughter. Rian looked at the guy, thinking, "I did swallow a math textbook. How did he know?"

Soren smirked, leaning over to Rian. "If you're a dragon, does that mean you'll roast the midterms too?"

Rian rolled his eyes. "You guys act like I just solved world hunger. It's just math."

"Just math?" someone exclaimed. "Zoey looked ready to hand over her calculator and crown you king of numbers!"

"I'll take that crown," Rian shot back with a grin, earning an uproar from the group as they continued to joke while packing up.

After packing their things, Rian and Soren headed to the cafeteria. On the way, a group of ladies from another department flashed sultry looks at Soren, who grinned back shamelessly. Rian laughed at his friend's antics but warned, "Watch out, Soren, or you'll end up—"

Before he could finish, Soren, distracted by a short skirt in front of him, walked straight into someone. The collision sent Soren stumbling back, and the books in the other person's hands clattered to the ground. The person he bumped into was tall, slightly taller than both Soren and Rian. His fair complexion and athletic build made him stand out, and his sharp eyes glinted with a mix of annoyance and arrogance.

"Damn! Sorry, man," Soren said quickly, flustered as a few passers-by chuckled at his expense. Rian was doubled over with laughter, wiping tears from his eyes.

The guy Soren bumped into was tall, muscular, and had an air of quiet authority. Soren, flustered, quickly bent down to pick up the books, handing them back to the guy. "Damn! Sorry, man," he said, his voice hurried.

The guy took the books, his expression calm but intimidating. "Watch where you're going," he said evenly, his tone almost dismissive.

"Yeah, yeah, my bad," Soren muttered, straightening up and trying to step around him.

Before they could move on, another guy, part of the same group, stepped in front of them, blocking their path. He was as tall as the first guy but bulkier, with a smirk that hinted at trouble.

"Not so fast," he said, his tone mockingly polite. "You stepped on the boss's shoe."

Soren and Rian exchanged a quick glance, both frowning. "What?" Soren asked, his hot-headedness bubbling up. "I said sorry already."

The first guy—the one whose shoe was stepped on—spoke again, this time in a calm but icy tone. "Clean it."

Rian blinked, unsure if he'd heard correctly. "Excuse me?" Soren said, his tone sharp.

One of the other big guys, standing behind the first, stepped forward and repeated, "He said clean it. You scuffed the boss's shoe."

Rian added quickly, "Soren already picked up the books and apologized. Is it really necessary to make him clean your shoe?"

The bulkier guy smirked, his arms crossed. "Necessary? It's not about necessity. It's about respect. Clean the shoe, or we'll make sure you regret it."

Rian, right now, was already cursing his luck. "Why does stuff like this always happen when I'm around?" he thought bitterly. Still, he knew Soren well enough to predict that his friend wasn't going to back down. That fiery temper of his was a ticking time bomb. Rian also suspected that Soren came from a wealthy family, though they hadn't talked much about it. However, wealth didn't always mean power, and the idea of challenging someone with connections as strong as Deon Watson's was more than nerve-wracking.

He clenched his jaw, watching Soren's growing frustration. "Damn it," Rian muttered under his breath. "I can't just leave him to deal with this alone. If he's not backing down, neither am I."

It wasn't just loyalty that drove Rian's decision. Cleaning someone's shoe in front of a crowd this size wasn't just humiliating—it would turn into a meme, a walking joke for the entire university. The hallway was now packed with onlookers, their faces a mixture of curiosity and barely contained amusement. Some whispered excitedly, speculating about the brewing confrontation. "Do you think he'll actually do it?" one girl muttered to her friend, both clutching their phones tightly. Others edged closer for a better view, forming tight clusters along the walls, their hushed comments creating a low hum of tension. A few bold students openly recorded the scene, their eyes glinting with anticipation as if waiting for something explosive to happen. "This is going viral," someone murmured, their grin wide with schadenfreude.

"Great," Rian thought sarcastically. "This is going to end up trending on Skyline Chronicles for sure. Just what I need—my face plastered next to some clickbait headline about humiliation at Skyreach." (Skyline Chronicles was the university's social media platform, where students shared everything from announcements to juicy gossip, ensuring nothing went unnoticed.)

A tall guy in the crowd nudged his friend, laughing. "Man, look at this. Soren's about to throw hands with Deon's little brother. This is going to be good."

Another girl, holding her phone up to record, whispered loudly, "Isn't that the governor's kid? They're dead."

Just as the tension peaked, a man walked over. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a commanding presence that silenced the crowd instantly. Some students exchanged uneasy glances, while others instinctively took a step back, as if his mere presence demanded respect. Conversations halted mid-sentence, and the faint sound of phones being tucked away could be heard as the air grew heavier. Even the most confident onlookers avoided meeting his sharp gray eyes, fully aware of the authority he carried. His neatly combed salt-and-pepper hair and sharp gray eyes gave him an air of authority. He wore a tailored suit that emphasized his firm build and carried a stern expression as he strode into the center of the gathering.

As the students noticed him, they quickly created a path for him to pass through. This was Mr. Devin, the Dean of Students at Skyreach University. Known across campus for his no-nonsense demeanor, Mr. Devin was a man everyone respected—or feared. Whether it was a minor disagreement or an all-out brawl, he always had a way of restoring order. Rumors even circulated that he was a military veteran, given how he handled violent altercations in the past.

"Eddie, stop it," Mr. Devin said sharply, his deep voice carrying authority. "This is not your playground."

The crowd murmured, impressed by his fearlessness. Eddie and his crew frowned but knew better than to challenge Mr. Devin. They exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado melting away. Eddie gave Soren and Rian a haughty look before turning to Mr. Devin with a forced smile. "There's no problem here, sir," he said smoothly.

Mr. Devin raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Good. Then leave. Now."

Eddie hesitated but eventually nodded. As he turned to leave, one of his lackeys leaned in and whispered to Soren and Rian, "Watch your backs. This isn't over."

Soren, unfazed, smirked slightly, giving no reaction that the threat had any effect on him. Rian, on the other hand, swallowed hard and thought to himself, "I am so screwed."

The group disappeared into the crowd, and Mr. Devin turned to the onlookers. "Everyone, back to your business. There's nothing more to see here," he said sternly. The crowd dispersed quickly, the Dean's presence enough to quell any lingering curiosity.

Rian and Soren, however, still heard faint whispers as they walked away. "Eddie's not one to forgive easily," someone muttered. "This is going to get messy."

Rian tapped Soren's shoulder. "Let's hurry to the cafeteria before the next class," he said, forcing a grin. Soren smiled back, and the two made their way down the hall.

Meanwhile, Eddie, now far from the scene, turned to one of his crew members. "Find out who those two are," he ordered coldly, his voice laced with anger. Embarrassed by how Mr. Devin had commanded him to walk away in front of the crowd, Eddie felt humiliated. His fists clenched as he added, "I'll make sure they pay for this." The lackey nodded and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Eddie smirking darkly as they walked on.