Chapter 25: The Apex's Defense
The arena became deathly silent.
The Academy official raised his hand.
"First challenger..."
A young man carrying a broad sword stepped into the arena.
"Victor Hale!"
Cheers echoed from one side of the stands.
Victor pointed his sword at Vee.
"I'll be taking your Apex title."
Vee smiled politely.
"You can certainly try."
The official lowered his hand.
"Begin!"
Victor charged immediately.
His heavy sword descended toward Vee.
CLANG!
Vee blocked.
The impact echoed across the arena.
Victor swung again.
And again.
Each strike was powerful enough to crack the stone beneath his feet.
Vee calmly dodged the next attack.
"You know..."
Victor frowned.
"What?"
"I appreciate your enthusiasm."
"..."
"But I also appreciate accuracy."
Victor roared and attacked even faster.
Vee stepped aside.
Victor's sword struck nothing but air.
Vee lightly tapped Victor's shoulder with his wooden sword.
"If this were a real battle..."
"You'd be buying the afterlife a welcome gift."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Victor's face turned red.
"Stop joking!"
"I'm trying."
"But you're making it too easy."
Victor lost his composure and charged recklessly.
Vee spun around him.
With one smooth motion...
He knocked the sword from Victor's hands.
CLACK!
The weapon landed outside the arena.
"Winner..."
"Vee Ashford!"
The audience applauded.
Victor accepted Vee's hand before leaving the arena.
---
"Second challenger!"
A spear user entered.
She was fast.
Much faster than Victor.
The spear thrust forward like lightning.
Vee barely leaned aside.
"Whoa."
"That almost improved my hairstyle."
The crowd laughed.
She attacked relentlessly.
Each thrust was aimed at a vital point.
"She's disciplined..."
"Good footwork too."
Vee smiled.
Then suddenly stepped inside her guard.
The spear became useless at such close range.
He gently tapped her shoulder.
"You forgot one thing."
"What?"
"Personal space."
She blinked.
Vee lightly pushed the spear aside.
She lost her balance.
The official raised his hand.
"Winner..."
"Vee Ashford!"
She smiled helplessly.
"I'll get stronger."
"I know you will."
---
The third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
One after another...
Students entered.
One after another...
They were defeated.
Not because Vee overpowered them...
But because he adapted.
Against swords...
He countered with timing.
Against axes...
He used speed.
Against daggers...
He controlled distance.
Every victory taught the audience something new.
---
By the tenth match...
The arena was louder than ever.
"Ten in a row!"
"He's unbelievable!"
"No..."
A professor corrected quietly.
"He's learning."
"Look carefully."
"Each battle is making him better."
---
Vee wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"...How many are left?"
The Academy official looked at the list.
"...Thirty-eight."
Vee stared.
"..."
"...You're joking."
"I'm not."
Vee looked toward the sky.
"Dear whoever is listening..."
"...next time I become famous..."
"...please stop me."
The crowd laughed.
Leon shouted from the stands.
"You accepted them all!"
"I was emotionally manipulated!"
"By who?"
Vee pointed dramatically upward.
"The system!"
Leon blinked.
"...What's a system?"
Vee immediately coughed.
"I mean..."
"...society."
Leon narrowed his eyes.
"...That doesn't make sense either."
"It sounded cooler in my head."
---
The matches continued.
Eleventh.
Twelfth.
Fifteenth.
Twentieth.
The sun slowly began to set.
Even the second-year students watching had become serious.
"I thought he'd lose eventually."
"He hasn't."
"He's still smiling."
"No..."
Another student whispered.
"Look closer."
"He's getting tired."
Indeed...
Vee's breathing had grown heavier.
His uniform was torn in several places.
Small bruises covered his arms.
But every time a challenger stepped into the arena...
He smiled.
---
Finally...
The last challenger fell.
The official raised his hand.
"The Apex has successfully defended his title!"
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the Academy.
Some students stood.
Others whistled.
Even several professors clapped.
Vee planted his wooden sword into the ground and leaned against it.
"..."
"...Finally."
He let out a long sigh.
"My stomach has been waiting for this victory more than I have."
The crowd laughed.
He stretched both arms dramatically.
"Now..."
"If nobody minds..."
"I'm going to introduce myself to dinner."
Just as he turned toward the exit—
A calm voice echoed across the silent arena.
"Wait."
Every head turned.
A lone figure walked through the entrance.
Black hair.
Cold eyes.
Lightning seemed to crackle faintly around him.
Kai.
The cheers stopped instantly.
Even the professors straightened.
Kai stopped a few meters away from Vee.
His gaze never wavered.
"I challenge you."
A heavy silence fell over the arena.
Vee blinked.
Then pointed at himself.
"...Me?"
Kai nodded.
"You."
Vee frowned.
"I thought we were friends."
Kai answered without hesitation.
"We are rivals."
Vee placed a hand on his chin.
"Hmm..."
He thought for a few seconds.
Then smiled.
"So..."
"...that's just friendship with extra violence, isn't it?"
The entire arena fell silent.
Leon slowly nodded.
"...You know..."
"...he actually has a point."
A second-year scratched his head.
"I... kind of agree."
Another student shrugged.
"My best friend and I fight all the time."
Soon...
Dozens of students began nodding.
"...Yeah."
"...Makes sense."
Kai's eyelid twitched.
For what might have been the first time in his life...
He looked genuinely annoyed.
"No."
"We are rivals."
Vee grinned.
"We can be both."
Kai tightened his grip on his sword.
"...You talk too much."
Vee shrugged.
"And you don't talk enough."
The contrast made the crowd laugh again.
Professor Adrian looked toward Headmaster Orion.
"...Should we stop this?"
The Headmaster smiled faintly.
"No."
"I want to see..."
"...how far these two have grown."
Kai slowly drew his sword.
Vee sighed and picked up his own.
"...There goes dinner."
The evening wind swept across the arena.
The two strongest first-years stood face to face.
Neither smiled.
Neither backed down.
The duel every student had been waiting for...
Was finally about to begin.