Part XXVII Old Grudge

Lazuro, Aaron, Tristan, and other male students left the dormitory and gathered in a secluded area nearby. A circle formed around Aaron and Tristan as they prepared to fight, and some students began to wager on the outcome.

"Okay, loser, what are the rules? Hmm... how about a fight to the death?" Aaron smiled slyly.

"A fight to the death?" Tristan made a shocked expression. "Are you crazy? Killing fellow students is forbidden. Do you want to be punished and go to jail?"

"Just say you're scared, loser. You've always been nothing more than a coward," Aaron sneered.

"Who's afraid? Then let's do it." Tristan bit his thumb and rubbed it on his spear.

"Good... good..." Aaron bit his index finger and rubbed it on the large sword he was holding.

Their Mythbreakers both produced tendrils that pierced their necks and changed shape. Tristan lunged forward, striking his spear vertically. Aaron met Tristan's attack with a swing of his large sword. Tristan could feel Aaron's swing so heavy that it sent him flying and crashing to the ground.

"What the hell is that strength? Has he gotten stronger? You're a fucking musclehead!" Tristan grumbled.

"How am I great, right?" Aaron grabbed his armband through his shirt.

"Great, you're irrational. You're just an iron-fisted idiot seeking validation from others. You're nothing more than a stupid pig," Tristan replied.

"Stupid pig, and what about you? Secretly stealing state assets for your own selfish desires. We're not that different, Tristan. We're very similar."

"Don't joke!"

Tristan stood up, shouted, and swung his spear at Aaron. This time, Tristan coated his body in blue flames. Aaron swung his sword again, but Tristan didn't flinch. They exchanged blows for a while until Aaron grew impatient.

"Great sword dance, Earth Dive."

Aaron created numerous pillars of earth to disrupt Tristan's movements. However, Tristan managed to dodge all of them. Using the iron pillars as footholds, Aaron leaped and spun toward Tristan. Tristan, busy dodging Aaron's beams, was too late to realize Aaron's approach. Despite blocking with his spear, Tristan was thrown back and slammed into the pillar Aaron had created. Aaron, still spinning, used his own pillar as a foothold and leaped toward Tristan, who was still shocked by the impact. Aaron smiled and aimed the tip of his sword at Tristan's heart. A loud impact shattered the ground around them, turning it into dust.

"Tristan!" Aaron shouted.

Aaron was suddenly thrown from within the cloud of dust. As the dust cleared, Tristan was seen clutching his chest, gasping for breath.

"Thank goodness I have dragon skin; otherwise, I would have died."

The two of them exchanged glances and charged forward once more. Tristan conjured blue flames around his body and weapon.

"Spear style, Lotus Dragon Piercing Strike!"

The flames surrounding Tristan and his weapon gathered on the spear blade. Tristan stomped on the ground, flying toward Aaron, leaving a crack in his wake. Seeing Tristan approaching, Aaron once again conjured a wooden block in front of him. Tristan shouted, roaring like a lion as he slammed his spear into the iron Aaron had made. The blue flames on the blade of Tristan's spear were so hot that it melted the iron Aaron had made. Tristan's spear easily sailed toward Aaron's chest, but Aaron stopped it with his greatsword.

"Why are you smiling?" Tristan asked.

"My trait is…"

Iron needles appeared near the ground where Aaron had stepped, spreading in succession over a three-meter radius. The needles pierced Tristan's body, causing the boy to groan in pain and kneel on the ground. Although the needles disappeared, Tristan's wounds had not yet healed, and Aaron took the opportunity to swing his sword at Tristan. Tristan held the spear with his left hand, stabbing the top into the ground and using the bottom to block Aaron's slash. Tristan jumped to the side to keep Aaron at a distance. Upon landing, Tristan groaned and knelt once again.

"Damn, my thigh…" Tristan held his bleeding thigh.

No one knew yet that Tristan's dragon skin only covered his upper body. His thighs and legs were his most vulnerable areas. That's why he was now injured by Aaron's iron needle.

"I didn't think your legs were your weakness. You should be protecting them with mana, but you're focusing your mana on attacking. Typical of a loser," Aaron mocked.

"Loser... loser, loser, can you stop calling me a loser? I'm even better in both hunting and tournament rankings. Who's the loser, Aaron?" Tristan struggled to his feet, bracing himself with his spear, though with difficulty.

Tristan's words provoked Aaron's anger. Swinging his greatsword, Aaron ran toward Tristan.

"You're dead!" Aaron ran, raising his sword.

Tristan leaned on his injured legs. Enduring the pain, Tristan began spinning his spear, creating a vortex of fire behind him.

"Damn, I actually wanted to save this technique. But... I guess I have no choice. Spear technique, Flame Dragon Raging Strike!"

Tristan moved his hand in a circle, and the flames on his spear began to form a dragon. Tristan pulled his spear back and thrust it at Aaron. The dragon on Tristan's spear sped toward Aaron. Aaron, using his greatsword, defended himself against the long, serpent-like fire dragon that was attacking him. The fire dragon opened its mouth and devoured Aaron's sword, pushing the boy back.

"No... it's impossible, I can't lose!"

Aaron screamed, holding his body with all his might to keep from being pushed away. However, the fire dragon Tristan had formed was stronger. Not only was he pushed away, but Aaron screamed in the heat. Aaron's Mythbreaker seemed to melt, and suddenly the dragon-shaped flames spread and exploded violently. Aaron fell, but tried to brace himself with his hands. Kneeling, Aaron clenched his fists tightly.

"No... I don't want to lose. I won't lose to that loser! Argh..." Aaron screamed.

Breathlessly, Aaron looked at Tristan with a murderous gaze. Aaron's previously normal eyes suddenly turned black. Insect skins began to form on Aaron's hands. Aaron stood up once again and ran toward Tristan, raising his sword high. Tristan, no longer able to stand, could only stand there, resigned to his fate.

"Die, you bastard!"

As soon as Aaron's sword descended, Lazuro moved swiftly, making a blood pact with his mythbreaker and blocking Aaron's sword.

“Stop it, Aaron. You've already won. You don't need to—”

Aaron's sword felt so heavy that Lazuro couldn't continue his word.

“You… you're always bothering me. Ever since you've been here, my life has been miserable. Ever since you've been here!”

Aaron kept striking Lazuro with his sword.

“Damn… if this keeps up.”

The ground beneath Lazuro's feet cracked. It was like a nail being driven deeper and deeper into the ground. Seeing Lazuro struggling, Tristan used his remaining strength and threw a spear at Aaron. The spear grazed Tristan's stomach, allowing Lazuro to move. Lazuro, who was able to move, immediately carried Tristan away.

“Guys, please take Tristan to the doctor and report this incident to the teacher. I'll restrain Aaron as best I can,” Lazuro said.

“You said restrain me!” Aaron exploded.

Aaron burst out laughing, and suddenly, numerous iron pillars appeared, enclosing Lazuro, Tristan, and the other children, along with Aaron, who was displaying a strange aura.

"With Aaron, you'll mutate if you keep this up," Lazuro tried to reassure him.

"Mutation, my great self? Don't joke! I actually feel power flowing through me. This must be because of this artifact." Aaron held the bracelet on his arm.

Aaron gave Lazuro a murderous glare and then attacked with full force. Lazuro moved his grip to match Aaron's powerful greatsword. Lazuro watched as Aaron raised his sword and swung it vertically at him. Unlike before, Aaron's sword felt slow. Lazuro easily deflected Aaron's sword and jumped to the side.

"Even after I jumped to avoid the impact," Lazuro held his cheek, which had been cut by a piece of stone.

"You... it must have been a fluke. Die, you jerk!"

Aaron, blinded by rage, charged forward, slashing his sword repeatedly at Lazuro. Lazuro calmly twirled the hilt of his sword, deflecting all of Aaron's attacks. The frustration of his failed attack caused Aaron to scream. Suspicious magic circles appeared on Aaron's left and right sides.

"Is he..."

Several pillars appeared in and out of the magic circle. The pillars swung in and out, attacking Lazuro. Lazuro managed to block the attack several times before finally receiving a series of blows from Aaron's iron pillars. The final blow sent Lazuro diving. Aaron licked his lips and then ran toward Lazuro.

"Die, you loser!"

Aaron slammed his sword into Lazuro. Using the blade, Lazuro tried to defend himself, but his body was knocked back by Tristan's incredible strength. Blood gushed from Lazuro's mouth. However, Lazuro felt no pain. Instead, Lazuro screamed, trying to keep Aaron's greatsword from cutting him in half. Lazuro's hands trembled, and his body couldn't hold on any longer. At that moment, suddenly, from above, the iron Aaron had created shattered. From there, Djuana appeared, striking Aaron in the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious.