The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

"..."

An ear deafening silence engulfed the room after Raye and Charles' match.

Everyone was shocked and speechless.

Especially the students from the C Class and D Class. After all, they had just fought Charles too!

And so, they know just how absurd the scene they had just witnessed!

Charles isn't weak, he's a combat professor for a reason!

Anyway, after seeing what happened...

"What the heck was that?"

Leon mumbled that to himself, he was in disbelief.

'I didn't even see his movements.'

He thought, pertaining to Raye.

He was just looking at Raye at the end of the arena, then a split second in after the match started...

'It was already done!'

Raye was suddenly on the other side, and Professor Charles was slammed onto the wall of the room!

'Just how strong did he get in a month...?'

Leon asked himself, frowning.

Then, beside him...

"..."

Allen was just as surprised as everyone, he was speechless!

'What the fuck was that?!'

He exclaimed in his head, completely in shock.

Allen took pride in being fast...

But Raye's speed just now was in a whole another league compared to him!

He saw what happened, but Allen wasn't confident that he could block Raye's attack if he was in Charles' position!

Allen hadn't seen Raye fight before, he just heard rumors about him and he knows that he fought Leon once.

So he expected Raye to be at least a decent fighter or some sort...

But he didn't expect him to be this strong!

"Is he already this strong when you fought him a month ago?"

Allen asked, turning his head to Leon.

And looking back at him...

"No, he's nothing like this."

Leon answered in a serious tone.

"..."

Hearing his words made Allen shut up.

Then with a frown on his face...

"..."

Allen just stared at Raye, thinking about things.

Then, not far away from them...

"I didn't expect him to be this strong."

Lycus commented that with his eyes wide open!

He was looking at the arena.

Raye was dusting off his clothes with his hands...

"Wow, so he was this strong, huh?"

Sofia, who was sitting beside Lycus, asked innocently.

And slightly shaking his head...

"He was strong, but not this strong."

Lycus responded to her.

"Oh, is that so?"

Sofia followed.

"Mhm."

Lycus just nodded his head as a response.

Then, looking back at Raye...

'Just how much did he grew in that dungeon?'

He asked that in his head.

Lycus remembered the story of what happened to Raye outside the academy.

The time when Raye got stuck in a dungeon and faced a lot of challenges...

Lycus frowned just recalling Raye's hardship.

But after that...

"I need to put more effort into my training."

Lycus whispered that under his breath!

There's a resolute look in his face right now!

Meanwhile, Lena...

"..."

She was just looking at the arena completely dumbfoundedly.

"He had become much stronger."

She said.

-And that is thanks to me.

Then Zephyrus followed that proudly.

Lena looked at him, and looking at the cute white chick...

"That's true."

She said that and nodded her head, just agreeing with Zephyrus.

"Hmm..."

Then she went back into taking care of the sleeping Pyro in her hands.

'This little guy is really tired, huh.'

Lena thought with a smile on her face.

...

*****

On top of the arena platform...

"..."

Raye stood in silence.

He was looking at the wall where Charles was slammed.

And after a few seconds of doing so...

"Urgh..."

He heard a groan.

And after that...

"Fuuu..."

Charles came out walking of the dust cloud!

'I think I broke a rib or two.'

Charles thought, turning to look at Raye with a frown on his face.

'He's a monster.'

He added!

Charles was surprised by Raye's speed earlier and wasn't able to respond...

But he was able to reinforce his stomach with a little bit of mana before being punched!

And because of that, he didn't suffer that much damage!

Raye knows this...

"..."

He looked at his right hand.

It was slightly tingling, he was sure he hit a mana reinforced skin.

And so...

"..."

Shifting his attention back to Charles...

'Still not fast enough, huh.'

Raye thought of that!

Following that, he turned to Sariel.

And opening his mouth...

"Did I pass?"

Raye asked him.

"Ah!"

Then, getting out of his stupor...

"Raye passed!"

Sariel announced that!

And with that...

Tap- tap- tap—

Raye started walking down the arena!

And watching him as he goes...

'What happened to him in a month?'

Sariel asked that in his head.

...

"Shit."

Charles cursed, feeling a pain in his sides and stomach.

And just then...

"You okay?"

Sariel approached him and asked that.

"I might need a healer."

Charles responded, annoyance can be heard in his voice.

He was frustrated and embarrassed to be put in this condition, especially by a first year student, and by Raye of all people!

'Ugh, I hate this.'

Charles thought.

"Here, let me help you."

And then Sariel assisted him in going to the resting area, where the healers were waiting.

"Thanks."

Charles said.

Then, on their way, he glanced at Raye.

And knitting his brows together...

'I really hate him.'

Charles declared that in his head!

He hates Raye for a simple, but valid reason...

The reason is well...

The original Raye was bullying and tormenting a lot of his students, just because they were from the lower class!

He was making promising commoners lose trust in themselves, and ultimately, they leave the academy!

And so in Charles eyes...

Raye destroyed a lot of life and a lot of bright futures!

The original Raye was someone who steps on others' dream because he feels threatened and jealous of their talents!

Charles was supposed to go hard on Raye, giving him a low score in this part of the examination.

And he was hoping it'll get Raye kicked out of the academy!

After all, Raye was on the verge of being expelled!

But not only did Charles fail...

Raye was also able to pique the Headmaster's attention with his performance!

And knowing this...

'Fuck.'

Charles cursed himself.

*****

(Raye's POV)

Going down the arena...

"..." Explore more adventures at empire

I felt a lot of eyes looking at me.

The room was silent, the only thing I could hear were my footsteps and the quiet murmurings from the crowd.

And seeing this...

'Hmm, this is satisfying.'

I thought of that.

It was a delight to see everyone's shocked face after looking at me with doubtful eyes before!

So with confidence...

Tap- tap- tap—

I silently climbed down the arena.

And as I was doing so...

"WHOOOAAAAHH!!!"

"DID YOU SEE THAT?! I DIDN'T!!!"

"THAT WAS INSANE!!!"

"HE JUST DEFEATED A PROFESSOR IN A SECOND!!!"

Cheers started emerging from the crowd.

And hearing them...

'This is nice.'

I said that in my head.

Then, arriving at the end of the stairs...

"..."

Devin greeted me. He was looking at me with wide eyes.

He keeps opening his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out of it.

He looks funny.

So with a smirk on my face...

Pat-

I placed my right hand on his shoulder.

"It's your turn now."

And then I told him that.

Immediately after hearing my words...

Devin broke free from his shock.

Then with a smile...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"The audience would be super bored with my fight after you pulled that stunt."

He jokingly said that to me.

And shrugging my shoulders...

"Do something about it."

I responded to Devin.

"Ugh, curse you."

He said.

And after that...

Tap- tap- tap—

He walked past me and climbed up the arena.

"I'll try my best."

He said on his way.

"Good luck."

I followed.

And after looking at his back for a few seconds...

Tap- tap- tap—

I started heading back to where I left Lena, Zephyrus, and Pyro.

...

...

"Good work out there."

Lena said as soon as I came back.

"Thanks."

I replied and sat beside her.

-meeeeep...

Pyro was still sleeping in her hands.

Then, landing on top of my head...

-It's that boy's turn, huh.

Zephyrus said that, looking at Devin at the arena.

And opening my mouth...

"Yeah, watch. He's good too."

I replied to him.

-Hmmm...

Zephyrus looked at Devin expectantly.

I did the same.

I was waiting for Charles to go back into his circle so that the march could start.

But instead of that happening...

"Ehem."

Professor Sariel stepped up and did a fake cough.

And after catching everyone's attention...

"Professor Charles wouldn't be able to do the matches for a while."

He declared that, he was looking at me!

And hearing his words...

"..."

"..."

Everyone's eyes shifted back to me!

"..."

I just ignored them.

And then, continuing...

"In the meantime, I'll be the one fighting for the close combat section."

Professor Sariel announced that!

"Oof, that's rough."

I said as I saw Devin turn to look at me with an annoyed expression on his face.

After all, Professor Sariel was a lot stronger than that Charles guy!

'Sorry Devin.'

I apologized in my head.

"He's unlucky, huh."

And then Lena said that with a small, mischievous smile on her face, looking at Devin up on the arena.