Chapter 166: The Challenge
The six students stared at Arthur. At first they were completely caught off guard.
One of them looked at another. "He actually challenged us," he said.
Another blinked. "Did he?"
Arthur smiled. "Well?"
A brief silence. Then one student grinned. "Of course!"
Another stepped forward. "We’re at the King’s Arena. We don’t shy away from challenges."
A third laughed. "Especially not when someone walks up and offers himself."
Arthur chuckled. "Offers himself?"
The student grinned. "Don’t misunderstand. We’re going to test you."
Arthur smiled. "That’s exactly what I want."
Vedas quietly sighed. "I already know where this is going," he said.
Eden flew around Arthur’s head. "Are we really fighting?" she asked.
Arthur nodded. "Apparently."
Eden’s eyes sparkled. "Yay!"
The group began walking toward the Arena. Whispers began. "Is that Arthur?"
"What’s happening?"
"Is he fighting?"
"Against six people?"
More students began following. The Arena was already active, several matches taking place, floating crystal screens showing ongoing fights. The massive stadium created a much bigger atmosphere than a random training room.
Arthur looked around. "This place is busy," he said.
Vedas nodded. "It’s the King’s Arena."
Arthur smiled. "I know." He looked toward the battlefield. "I like it."
Before Arthur could enter the arena, a familiar voice called out. "Arthur?"
Sun had just finished a match. He was sweaty, carrying his staff, Kong sitting nearby. He looked at Arthur, then the six students, then the arena, then Arthur again. "What’s happening?"
Arthur blinked. "I’m fighting."
Sun stared. "Huh?"
Arthur pointed toward the arena. "I’m fighting them."
Sun looked confused. "Since when do you care about fighting?"
Arthur thought about it. "Since people became too shy to ask me about my strength."
Sun’s expression went blank. "What?"
Arthur pointed toward the students. "They were talking about me."
Sun slowly looked at them. "You heard them?"
Arthur nodded. "And instead of asking me, they just kept wondering." He smiled. "So I helped them."
Sun covered his face. "Of course you did."
One of the students immediately protested. "We weren’t shy!"
Arthur laughed. "Then prove it."
Sun sighed. "I knew this was going to happen."
The six students began arguing about who should fight first. One said, "I’ll go."
Another immediately responded, "No, my beast is better suited for this."
A third said, "You fought yesterday. My condition is fine."
Another said, "I want the first match."
The argument grew. Arthur watched, his expression becoming increasingly confused.
Finally, "Are you guys confused about something?"
Everyone stopped.
One student looked toward him. "What?"
Arthur pointed at all six. "I meant all of you."
Silence. "What?"
Arthur smiled. "I’ll fight all six."
The six students froze. Sun’s eyes closed. Vedas quietly muttered, "There it is."
One student laughed nervously. "All six?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes."
Another said, "You’re serious?"
"Of course."
"You think you can fight six Beast Tamers at once?"
Arthur tilted his head. "Why wouldn’t I?"
Sun sighed.
Arthur looked toward the students. "I don’t have time to fight one person at a time. Besides, you’re all pretty weak."
The entire surrounding area went quiet.
Before a few students gasped.
Someone whispered, "He said it."
"Did he just call them weak?"
Even several nearby professors stopped watching their matches.
Arthur didn’t understand the reaction and looked around. "What?"
One student clenched his fist. "You’re really looking down on us?"
Arthur shook his head. "No. I just don’t think you’ll be much trouble."
That was even worse.
Vedas covered his face. "Arthur."
Arthur turned. "What?"
"Nothing."
For a moment, none of the six students moved.
Then the boy with the Ironhorn Boar stepped forward. "Fine." His expression hardened. "If that’s how you want to do this, I’ll go first."
The student beside him immediately shook his head. "No. You won’t." He pointed toward his Gale Hawk. "His fighting style because of the spear most likely relies heavily on close-range attacks. I’ll be better suited to test him."
The Ironhorn Boar student’s face twitched. "You just want the first attack."
"Of course I do."
A third student laughed. "You two are arguing over who gets knocked out first."
"Shut up."
And then the six students immediately looked toward him.
Arthur raised Dusk. "Whenever you’re ready."
The six students exchanged glances, and their eyes narrowed as they began circling around him. His eyes moved across the six students. He could call Vedas but for this match, there was something he was curious about.
Arthur tightened his grip around Dusk. ’Just how strong were the other first years?’
This was a chance to find out.
Eden leaned forward from the sidelines.
"Arthur?"
"Hm?"
"Can I cheer louder?"
Arthur grinned. "Please do."
Eden immediately raised both hands. "GO, ARTHUR!"
The six students moved.
The Ironhorn Boar charged first.
Its hooves hammered against the arena floor as its Beast Tamer sprinted directly behind it, spear lowered.
At the same time, the Gale Hawk launched into the air. Its tamer fired. The arrow curved upward, following the Hawk as it dove. Arthur stepped sideways and then the Ironhorn Boar thundered past him.
He twisted his body around the spear thrust coming from its tamer, letting the weapon pass inches from his side.
Then the Gale Hawk descended.
Wind exploded beneath its wings.
Arthur jumped and the Hawk’s claws sliced through the space where his head had been. But the moment Arthur landed, the Crystal Serpent struck. Its body stretched across the floor like a living chain, crystals flashing as it attempted to wrap around his legs.
Arthur planted Dusk against the ground. "Not bad."
He vaulted over the Serpent before then a pair of flaming blades immediately came toward his face. The Flame Fox’s tamer had followed him and then Arthur crossed Dusk against both weapons.
CLANG!
The impact sent sparks flying.
The student pushed harder.
"You’re not getting away!"
Arthur smiled before his spear shone and an explosion sent the student rolling on the ground and groaning.
But then the Flame Fox fired from behind him
BOOM!
Arthur threw himself sideways as the fireball exploded against the arena floor, flames spreading across the stone. He rolled once and immediately sprang back to his feet.
The Stoneback Ape came crashing through the smoke and punched forward. Arthur blocked Dusk.
BOOM!
The force sent him flying backward.
Arthur landed several meters away, boots scraping against the stone. A grin slowly appeared on his face. "...Now that’s better."
The Shadow Lynx appeared behind him.
Its claws flashed.
Arthur didn’t turn.
Dusk snapped backward.
CLANG!
The spear caught the claws inches from his back. The Shadow Lynx’s Beast Tamer appeared at the same moment, dagger aimed for Arthur’s side.
Arthur twisted away from both attacks.
The Crystal Serpent immediately struck the ground where he landed.
Arthur jumped again.
The Gale Hawk dove.
The Ironhorn Boar charged.
The Flame Fox released another burst of fire.
Six attacks converged.
Arthur’s expression sharpened as he spun Dusk in a wide arc.
[Magic Explosion].
BOOM!
The explosion erupted from the spearhead.
The Gale Hawk was thrown backward.
The flames were scattered.
The Crystal Serpent was forced away.
The Ironhorn Boar crashed into the ground.
Arthur landed in the middle of the broken formation.
For a moment, nobody moved and then Arthur laughed.
The Ironhorn Boar’s tamer gritted his teeth. "Again!"
The Boar charged.
This time Arthur didn’t dodge immediately as he watched. The Beast wasn’t the real attack.
Its tamer was.
The student used the Boar’s charge as cover, moving directly behind it with his spear aimed toward Arthur’s shoulder.
Arthur sidestepped at the last moment and the Boar passed him. Before a spear came rushing towards him from behind the beast. But Arthur caught the shaft with Dusk, shocking the student. And then he twisted, making the spear fly from the student’s hands.
Before Arthur could follow up, the Boar turned around and slammed its horns toward him.
Arthur jumped onto its back.
The Beast roared and bucked violently.
Arthur balanced on top of it. "You’re strong."
He lightly tapped its head with Dusk.
"Too predictable, though."
He jumped away and then once all of them came rushing towards him. He unleashed another Magic Explosion combined with the one from Dusk.
Boom!
The six students and their Beasts were blasted out of the arena.
The match ended.
Silence.
Arthur looked around. "Was that it?"
The students lay across the arena, exhausted.
Sun slowly shook his head. "He’s unbelievable," he said.
Vedas quietly smiled. "You should’ve seen him before," he said.
Arthur looked at the exhausted students and then glanced down at Dusk.
’So we really are above most first-years?’
It was an eye opener to him. He had heard other professors and his friends point out how abnormal they were. But actually experiencing it was an interesting feeling for him. He thought they would at least force him to have Vedas stay.
Not because he was weaker but taking on multiple attacks was annoying for anyone.
Yet it never reached that far.
Someone in the audience raised a hand. "I’ll fight him!"
Arthur looked over. "Hm?"
Another student raised their hand. "Me too!"
"Same!"
Arthur’s eyes brightened as now more first years have started stepping forward. "Sure."
Sun sighed. "He’s enjoying this."
Vedas nodded. "Very much."
Eden clapped. "Arthur made lots of friends!"
Sun stared at her. "That’s not what happened."
What followed became less a series of full battles and more a parade of first-years trying to prove themselves.
Another student stepped forward.
Then another.
Then another.
Soon, the Arena had become a small festival. Students shouted from the stands.
"Use your Beast!"
"Don’t let him dodge!"
"Try the left!"
"He’s reading your movements!"
Arthur kept moving.
Sometimes he fought with Dusk.
Sometimes he used his own skills.
Sometimes he called Vedas into battle for only a few seconds.
Once, he deliberately allowed a student to land a hit and the entire Arena gasped. Arthur looked down at the scratch on his sleeve. "Oh."
The student stared. "I actually hit you."
Arthur smiled. "Yeah."
The student clenched his fist.
Arthur nodded. "That was good."
The student immediately looked like he had just received the greatest compliment of his life.
Then Arthur raised Dusk. "Next."
Sun watched from the side. "He’s having way too much fun."
Vedas smiled. "I know."
Eden clapped enthusiastically. "Arthur is making everyone stronger!"
Sun looked at her. "That’s not what he’s doing."
Eden tilted her head. "It isn’t?"
Sun sighed. "I don’t even know anymore."
After another opponent got knocked back, Arthur extended a hand. "You’re pretty strong," he said.
The student stared. "You just defeated me."
Arthur nodded. "That’s why."
Another student asked, "Why aren’t you using your strongest attack?"
Arthur thought about it. "Because you wouldn’t survive it."
The student froze.
The surrounding students went silent.
Arthur immediately added, "But that’s a good thing."
Sun muttered, "That somehow made it worse."
By now the Arena was packed.
Students were talking.
"He’s not using his full strength."
"His Goblin isn’t even fighting seriously."
"He can fight multiple Beast Tamers alone."
A professor quietly watched. "That boy."
Another professor answered, "He’s only been here four months."
Eventually Arthur stepped down from the Arena. He stretched. "That was fun," he said.
Sun walked toward him. "You fought half the first year."
Arthur nodded. "Yeah."
"You aren’t tired?"
Arthur thought about it. "A little."
Sun stared.
Arthur smiled. "It was a good workout."
Sun said, "A workout?"
Arthur nodded. "Yeah."
Vedas laughed quietly. "You really did enjoy that," he said.
Arthur smiled. "Of course."
Eden landed on his shoulder. "I enjoyed it too!"
Arthur looked at her. "You didn’t fight."
"I cheered!"
Arthur nodded seriously. "Very important."
Arthur began walking away.
Then, "Hold on!"
Arthur stopped. The entire Arena quieted.
Sun turned. "Someone else?"
A student whispered, "Who would challenge him now?"
Arthur slowly turned. A familiar figure walked through the crowd. Not rushing. Not shouting. Just walking forward.
Cassian.
Beside him, Taurus .
Arthur’s expression changed. A smile slowly appeared. "Huh?"
Cassian stopped.
Arthur’s smile widened. "Cassian? It’s been a while."
Cassian nodded. "You promised me a rematch."
Arthur’s smile widened. "I did."
Taurus stepped forward.
Arthur’s eyes immediately moved over the Beast.
New armor.
A heavier axe.
Denser Bronze aura.
Even his stance was different.
Arthur’s expression slowly changed. "You’ve both been busy."
Cassian placed one hand against Taurus ’s shoulder. "We have both reached level twenty."
Arthur’s eyes lit up.
The excitement he’d shown during the other fights had been playful but this was different. He tightened his grip around Dusk.
"Now" His grin widened. "That’s exciting."