Chapter - 18 [ Victor vs Peter ]

All the professors had observed the students carefully, analyzing their personalities, behaviors, and habits.

Yet, mere observation was not enough for a complete assessment.

Every conversation, every quarrel between Victor and his friends had been within the professors' sight—watched not just by them but by everyone present.

Among them, the old professor particularly enjoyed witnessing arguments between friends.

"The young man with a First-Tier Aura Grade… choosing support over being a hunter. What a rare specimen."

His voice carried a hint of intrigue.

The speaker was none other than Zebra Tatu, a renowned zoologist and biologist, specializing in the study of mutated animals and crawlers.

His teachings were essential for scouts, who needed to recognize dangers from mere traces left behind in the wild.

A top-class scout in his prime, Zebra had only retired two years ago, but his instincts remained as sharp as ever.

"This aura…!"

The green-haired professor, Lucas Leo, narrowed his eyes the moment Victor released his energy.

The thick, red mist billowed out, exuding an overwhelming presence.

"This level of density isn't something one achieves in a year or two," he murmured. "He must have awakened his aura at least five or six years ago."

Beside him, Marin tilted her head slightly, gazing through the crimson haze. Her sharp eyes locked onto Victor's figure, studying every detail.

'And yet, he still insists on being a support?

What a waste of talent.'

Sergey let out a silent sigh, his thoughts echoing the same sentiment.

---

Victor channeled his aura, reinforcing his physical strength before dashing forward in a frontal assault.

"Ahhh!"

Peter felt the overwhelming pressure radiating from Victor, but he refused to back down.

He roared and charged ahead, his aura wrapping around him like a protective shield, guarding him from direct damage.

BAM!

Their auras clashed violently, colliding like two unstoppable forces. A sharp pain shot through Peter's head as he was forcefully pushed back.

"Do you think I care about your opinion?! Do you think I will follow your expectations?!"

Victor's voice thundered through the arena as he launched forward with unrelenting fury.

"It's my choice to do what I want! It has nothing to do with you!"

With rage that had simmered deep within his heart, Victor struck.

BOOM!

His fist, tightly clenched and coated in a dense aura, crashed into Peter's abdomen, lifting him off the ground.

"Ahhhck!"

Peter barely had time to react. His entire body convulsed as pain surged through him. His insides felt like they were both burning and boiling at the same time.

'No! This isn't enough!'

He screamed within his mind. Bloodshot eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth, tightening his core to endure the agony.

Even in mid-air, he refused to fall without a fight.

Using his aura, he forcefully pulled himself toward Victor, aiming for a decisive headbutt.

"Ha!"

Victor's reflexes were sharp. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and caught Peter's head mid-strike.

Then—

BAM!

A devastating knee struck Peter's chest, sending him slamming into the floor.

Silence.

For a moment, it seemed like the fight was over.

But then—

Peter rose again. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet his resolve did not waver.

"I won't lose to you!"

Gritting his teeth, he gathered his remaining aura. Purple energy condensed around him, shaping into sharp, blade-like projections.

With a swift motion, he sent them slicing through the air toward Victor.

Victor's gaze remained steady.

With a grunt, he willed his aura into a protective barrier around himself—something he had painstakingly learned just a few months ago.

He had seen experienced Aura Users do it in online videos. Replicating it without guidance had been a grueling challenge, but now…

Swoosh…

The purple blades struck, yet not a single one managed to pierce through.

Peter's breathing grew heavier. He had already drained nearly half of his aura.

Victor, on the other hand, remained completely composed. Not a single bead of sweat formed on his skin.

"Ahh!"

In one final attempt, Peter rushed forward, throwing a punch at the barrier with all his might.

A deafening impact resounded as his aura crashed against the shield, shattering it into pieces.

But—

Victor had anticipated this.

The moment the punch landed, he had already deactivated his barrier on purpose.

"Let me show you something far more terrifying than just burning wood."

Victor's voice turned cold, and a deadly glint flickered in his eyes.

His irises took on a faint crimson hue as his aura expanded outward, surging like a storm.

FWOOM!

The entire battle floor became engulfed in his aura.

Students instinctively stepped back, their faces paling in fear. Some were already frozen in place, petrified by the sheer pressure emanating from him.

The stronger-willed students forced themselves to stay still, unwilling to look away from the duel.

Among them was Shere Khan.

His heart pounded wildly as he watched the unfolding scene.

He had always believed himself to be the strongest Aura User among the first-year students.

But now—standing before Victor's overwhelming power—

For the first time, Bahadur Shere Khan hesitated.

He swallowed hard.

And then—

"AHHHHCK!"

A painful scream tore through the arena.

All eyes turned to Peter.

He had dropped to his knees, clutching his head, his face contorted in agony.

Victor approached him slowly, his steps deliberate.

Peter's entire body trembled, his fingers digging into his skull as though trying to rip something out.

But it was futile.

Victor had done something far worse than any physical attack.

He had forced his aura directly into Peter's mind—triggering an excruciating, inescapable pain.

A technique Victor had conceived during middle school.

Back then, he hadn't been strong enough to execute it.

Now, it was a different story.

Even if Peter tried to shield his mind with his own aura, it wouldn't be enough. Not against this.

The truth was clear from the very beginning. Victor had already calculated the outcome.

It had always been one-sided.

---

"Stop now. You have won, Victor Kal. The duel is over."

Victor wasn't even aware of when Sergey had appeared before him. It happened in an instant.

He exhaled, retracting his aura back into his body. But Peter was still writhing on the ground, clutching his head in agony.

"Frightening student you are."

A voice came from behind him. Victor turned his head to see the green-haired professor standing quietly. He had appeared just as silently as Sergey.

"Tell me, did you awaken your aura six years ago?"

Lucas Leo's youthful face remained calm, but his eyes bore into Victor, waiting for an answer.

"Yes."

With no reason to lie, Victor responded plainly.

Lucas smiled, then patted Victor's shoulder.

"I will do my best to teach you, student Victor."

With that, he stepped back to rejoin the other professors. As a support-type Aura User himself, Lucas would be teaching subjects related to the support role.

"You should go and stand with the others," Sergey instructed. His sharp gaze lingered on Victor for a moment before he asked, "I doubt anyone will challenge you again. Was that your intention?"

"Probably."

Victor sighed and walked toward the special students. As he approached, many instinctively stepped away, maintaining their distance.

Meanwhile, the medical staff arrived, quickly taking Peter away to the infirmary.

Sergey clapped his hands, refocusing the crowd.

"Who wants to challenge next?"

For a brief moment, silence filled the arena. The regular students hesitated, their earlier confidence shaken.

But soon, those who couldn't stand idle any longer stepped forward.

Hands were raised. Challenges were declared.

Unlike before, they carefully targeted the weaker special students—those who had barely passed the aura control test or ranked only as Third-Tier Aura Users.

"Victor."

The first to approach him was Morgan. Following closely behind her were Narmadi and Ariana.

Despite their usual camaraderie, there was hesitation in their steps—perhaps even a trace of fear.

Still, they came.

"Was that necessary?"

Morgan's voice was quiet. She couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

"Yes, it was necessary," Victor answered, his tone steady. "He asked for it himself. And I needed to show everyone that I am not an easy target."

His eyes shifted between the three. He had been evaluating his own strength just as much as he had been teaching Peter a lesson.

But the fight wasn't enough. It hadn't given him the answers he sought.

If he truly wanted to gauge the limits of his aura power, he needed a stronger opponent.

A professor would do.

He would undoubtedly lose, but that wasn't the point. A duel with one of them would give him a clearer picture of where he stood.

His thoughts briefly returned to Sergey. Even with his aura-enhanced senses, he hadn't noticed the professor's approach.

That alone was proof of how far he still had to go.

"Will he be okay?" Narmadi asked, her concern directed at Peter.

Victor glanced at her before replying, "Worry more about yourself. Someone will definitely challenge you."

And he was right.

Not just Narmadi—Morgan, Ariana, Queer, and every new special student found themselves called into duels.

One by one, the matches unfolded.

The smarter regular students waited, allowing their targets to tire before challenging them.

Each duel lasted only a few moves—few of the students had real combat experience.

And just like that, the rankings of the special students changed. But none of the regular students dared challenge the First-Tier Aura Users.

Not after witnessing Shere Khan's overwhelming aura. Not after seeing Victor's sheer brutality.

Ariana and Queer held their ground, securing their places.

Morgan and Narmadi were not as fortunate. They lost.

Some were challenged twice in a row, while others bided their time until the very end.

---

"Don't cry. You still have a chance to challenge someone, right?"

Ariana's voice was gentle as she held Morgan close, trying to console her.

The cafeteria buzzed with conversation, but their table remained subdued.

After the duels, the buses had dropped them off for lunch. They had two hours before they were expected back on campus.

"If only I had trained harder… I could have won…"

Morgan rested her head on the table, hiding her tear-streaked face in the crook of her arm.

She had fought bravely but had been challenged twice in quick succession. By the third match, exhaustion had sealed her defeat.

Unlike her, Narmadi had been defeated in her first duel. She hadn't bothered challenging anyone afterward.

She had no illusions about her own capabilities. Her strength wasn't in combat—it was in her mind.

Just like Victor, she had chosen the support role for a reason.

"Come on, I failed the aura control test completely. You don't see me crying about it," Jakal remarked with a casual shrug.

A sharp glare from Ariana made him flinch.

Queer nudged him with an elbow, silently telling him to shut up.

Victor, as always, remained silent, focused on his meal. He saw no point in offering words of comfort.

Morgan needed to cry—to let out her frustration. Sometimes, that was the best way to move forward.

---

"Say, do you think you can beat him?"

"I won't know until I fight him."

Near a window on the first floor, two voices—one male, one female—exchanged casually.

The male student had deep red hair, his crimson eyes gleaming as if stained with blood. His features carried an unmistakable resemblance to those of Asian descent.

Across from him sat a female student, nearly identical in appearance. She twirled a lock of her long, fine red hair between her fingers, a teasing smile forming on her lips.

"But you held my hand in fear when he released his aura earlier."

Emily chuckled, her words laced with amusement.

Ethan's expression twisted in irritation. He shot a glare at his sister—his older sister by just a few minutes.

They were the prodigious twins of the Phoenix main family. Their mother was the second wife of the current family head, making them direct heirs of their lineage.

Even their aunt, Marin Phoenix, was an influential figure, being their mother's younger sister.

"Should I challenge him now?"

Ethan's temper flared, just as Emily expected. She knew exactly how to provoke him.

"Well, why not?" Emily leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. "Go on. But don't come crying to me when you lose. Worse—imagine if you shit your pants in front of everyone. Hahaha."

She burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as tears formed in her eyes.

"Bitch!"

Ethan snapped, grabbing a fistful of Emily's hair and yanking it hard enough to nearly drag her onto the table.

"Bastard! Ouch! Ouch!"

The students seated nearby—new recruits of the Phoenix faction—stared in horror as the twins broke into a full-blown sibling brawl.

"Please stop!"

"Everyone's watching!"

Panicked voices tried to intervene, but anyone foolish enough to get between the two was met with either a slap or a punch.

---

By four o'clock, the students had returned to the campus, where the professors were already waiting.

Professor Linaditta Hujwr, the instructor for Section A, clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention.

"Now that everyone is present, we will begin our meditation session. I have been informed that the official method of meditation will be provided to you all tomorrow.

So for today, make do with whatever technique you currently possess."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried across the open field, blending seamlessly with the cool evening breeze.

"The best place for meditation is within nature. And here in Heaven, we are surrounded by mountains and forests.

There is no better environment. Be seated on the ground in your preferred position. Close your eyes, and begin."

The large field was illuminated by towering lights fixed along its edges, ensuring visibility even as night approached.

Students settled onto the grass, assuming cross-legged positions.

Victor, however, kept his eyes half-open, discreetly scanning his fellow students. He was curious—was anyone using a unique meditation technique?

But as he observed, he realized that nearly all of them were following the widely available public method.

Even Ariana, a member of the Phoenix family, though a branch, was doing the same.

'They must be holding back. None of them are using their family's secret method of meditation.'

It was the most logical explanation.

With his aura perception, he could sense the flow of energy around him. Some students absorbed it faster than others, while some took in large amounts despite a slower process.

This meditation session wasn't just about gathering energy. It was a way for the professors to assess the students' comprehension abilities—how efficiently they absorbed aura, how well they controlled it.

Ultimately, meditation wasn't just about technique. It was about the individual.