Free Web NovelChapter 22: The Raging Bull
The bright sunlight fell over the giant, circular training ground. The massive structure looked exactly like a giant coliseum. Thousands of elevated seats were stationed around the main arena in neat, circular rows.
A lone man stood right at the center of the training ground. His build was massive. Every single muscle on his body was coiled tight and exposed under his training clothes. He was bald, with sharp gray eyes. He stood there perfectly still, with his eyes closed. No one knew if he was meditating or just feeling the flow of nature.
The stadium remained quiet with only him standing at the center. Soon, swarms of students from Class A flooded through the main open doors. They started to fill the training ground. They were instructed to come here for the ’Combat Division Class’, since yesterday their earlier classes were unfortunately canceled because of some unknown academy matters.
Most of the students entered the arena. Alden stayed in the very back, standing behind the large crowd of students. He folded his arms and looked at the muscular man standing in front, who still remained motionless as if he was in a deep trance.
"Hey, is that the combat instructor?"
"Oh, yes. I heard his name is quite famous among the academic circles. His name is Darius Kaine. He is famous by the title ’Raging Bull’."
"What should we do now? He seems to be in a deep meditation."
"Yeah... We shouldn’t disturb him. If we wake him up, we might get in trouble and become his target."
The students were busy bickering among themselves in cautious voices. Alden looked at the man and narrowed his eyes.
’Why is he still motionless? Is he the type of mysterious character who remains calm in every situation? Well... He is also looking like a monk in meditation. Whatever.’
Alden just waited for someone to step up and wake the man. He already guessed who might have a strong urge to take the lead. It was none other than the ’hero’ of the class, Edwin von Leonhart.
Edwin walked toward the man along with two other guys who seemed to be his friends. They walked close to the instructor and paused at a respectful distance.
"Sir, the class timing has already started. Can you begin the class?"
Edwin waited for a response with cautious steps.
"..."
Silence maintained its hold over the arena. The instructor remained motionless and showed no sign of moving or reacting.
Edwin looked at his two colleagues with awkward looks. He turned back to the instructor and stepped a little closer.
"Sir, the class time has already started. We are getting late."
"..."
When no reply came, they felt even more awkward. The stadium was filled with a pin-drop silence as everyone looked at the front in confusion.
Suddenly, another man walked through the door of the stadium. He seemed to be the instructor’s assistant. He held a thick clipboard in his hand and walked hurriedly, acting as if he was running late. He headed straight toward the center ground where the instructor stood motionless.
He crossed through the lines of students, stepped close to the instructor, and whispered.
"Sir, it’s been quite some time since the students arrived. Please wake up."
The instructor still remained motionless.
Since Darius still didn’t wake up, the assistant had no other choice. He brought his mouth right next to the instructor’s ear and screamed with a voice loud enough to alert every student in the stadium.
"WAKE UP SIR! THE STUDENTS HAVE ARRIVED!"
Suddenly, the bald man’s eyes snapped open. Startled by the loud noise, he unconsciously swung his fist toward the place where the voice came from.
*BOOOOOM!*
The assistant’s body launched backward like a broken ragdoll. He flew through the air, sliding violently across the ground, until he was launched all the way to the far end wall of the stadium and hit the stone.
*Thud!*
Edwin and his colleagues quickly stepped back in shock and horror.
The students all looked on in terror, shocked to see what had just happened. Instructor Darius fully woke up and realized he had just hit someone. He looked in the direction of the wall.
The assistant, Veaur, pulled himself out of the crushed debris. He stood up, stumbling back and forth. His body was bloodied and bruised, but he didn’t look shocked at all, as if he was used to the instructor’s wild behavior.
"Hey, Veaur, are you alright?" Darius asked worriedly.
Veaur scratched his back and replied calmly, even though he was not in a situation to be alright.
"It is alright, sir. You should focus on the class. I will visit the infirmary again. It seems I will have to treat myself one more time."
Darius nodded.
"If you need anything, you should call me. And thanks for waking me up again."
Veaur nodded and limped away from the training ground.
The students all stiffened at the thought of a man who had just unconsciously hit his own assistant with a simple reflex and launched him across an entire arena. What was he going to do with them? Everyone sweated nervously, wondering what he might be planning to teach today.
Alden looked at the instructor with cautious eyes.
’That guy’s reaction speed is overpowered. He has already reached the pinnacle of his strength. He is not someone to be trifled with.’
The sheer power displayed by Darius, even in an unconscious state, was a true testament to his mastery.
The students, who were initially buzzing with whispers, were now quiet. Their faces showed a mixture of fear and awe.
Darius, now fully awake, turned his gaze toward the assembled students. His gray eyes, no longer half-closed, scanned the crowd with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines.
A slow, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips—a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.
"So, you have all arrived."
"Good. Today, we are not just going to talk about combat. We are going to experience it."
He smiled widely and gave his instruction.
"Everyone, take your seats in the stadium stands. I am going to call every student down here one by one by name."
The students quickly scrambled to sit on the empty elevated seats. Alden also walked around to find a quiet seat at the very back. He already knew he was going to be called at the very last. Since he was considered the weakest student in the whole class, or even the whole academy, he figured he had time to hide.
’Why is he going to call every student one by one? It seems something dangerous might happen soon. I have to be well prepared, it seems.’
Instructor Darius waited for everyone to take their seats. He stood in the center, crossing his massive arms.
He summoned a glowing list from his spatial storage ring. The name of every student was written on it.
"So, now I am going to call the first student... Student Alden, come down to the field!"
Alden slumped back in his seat in defeat, clutching his forehead.
’Sigh... What was I even thinking? How could I forget that I am a literal disaster magnet student with an overpowered luck stat? How could I possibly escape and remain as a background character?’
’I am going to be the first one to get beaten up by the instructor... Sigh, let’s get up then.’
"I repeat, Student Alden, come down to the field."
Alden stood up with a defeated look on the inside, but he walked down to the training ground calmly. Internally, his mind was in total chaos.
The students all looked at him. Their disdain already showed on their faces as they started whispering among themselves again.
Alden walked onto the field and stood right in front of Instructor Darius.
The large man gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
"So... Let’s test your power. You are going to have a duel with me!"
Alden’s calm expression shattered as he looked up at him in shock.
"What?!"
[Ding! New Quest has been found!]
[MISSION: Survive for 30 Seconds!]
[REWARD: 1x Lucky Draw!]
***
[A/N: Join the Discord for the quick updates and illustration related to novel!]
