The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

The next day...

Tap- tap- tap—

Raye headed to his class like usual.

He had no idea that he pissed off the student representatives of the other schools and his big brother.

Heck, he didn’t even know that they were waiting for him yesterday!

"Hmm..."

’The atmosphere seems a bit off.’

Raye thought as he walked through Xapham Hall.

The students were on edge, and they seemed fidgety.

’They’re nervous. Probably because of the other academies being here.’

Raye concluded.

"Meh."

And then he just shrugged and continued on his way.

He didn’t really care, to be honest.

...

Anyway, not long after...

Tap—

Raye reached his destination, the [S Class]’s classroom.

But when he got there...

"Huh?"

He just saw Lena and all of his classmates outside the room.

"Why are you all out here?"

Raye asked as he approached them.

Lycus looked at him, and opening his mouth...

"There’s no class today."

He declared that.

"What?"

Raye muttered in confusion.

"Professor Ramiel and the other professors are having a meeting with the staff and professors from the other academies. They’ll probably be talking about the competition next week."

And then Lena explained.

"Oh."

’Well, that’s logical.’

Raye said in his head.

’This part was probably cutout in the game.’

He added.

Then, after nodding his head...

"So, where are you guys headed?"

Raye asked that.

After all, if the classes were canceled, then these guys would’ve separated ways long ago.

It was unusual for Raye to see them all together other than when in class.

Moving on, the one that answered Raye’s question...

"We’re going to one of the indoor training grounds."

It was Allen, surprisingly.

"..."

Raye looked at him.

And then, looking back at him...

"The students from the other academies are there, apparently."

Allen followed that.

"Is that so..."

Raye mumbled with a slight nod.

"Then why are you all still here?"

He asked.

This time...

Swish—

"..."

All of his classmates looked at him.

"...?"

Raye was confused. He frowned.

He felt like something bothersome was going to happen.

He opened his mouth, but before he could even say anything...

"We were waiting for you."

Leon suddenly declared that!

"..."

Raye’s head quickly turned to him.

"Why though?"

He asked while still frowning.

And with a shrug of his shoulders...

"You’re currently the face of our class after what you pulled yesterday, so obviously you should come with us."

Leon said that.

"Umm, no."

And Raye immediately replied.

But following that...

"You should come, it’s a strategy too."

Lycus said.

"The students from the other academies will focus on you, you’ll be overshadowing us. And while that’s happening, we’ll be observing them from the back, gaining us the upper hand in the competition."

And then he quickly explained.

"..."

Raye became silent, hearing his words.

He pondered for a while.

And then, after a few moments...

"Fine, I’m curious about them too."

Raye agreed to come with them!

’This will help the plot, and I’ll be just a decoy anyway.’

He thought to himself.

And with that decided...

"Okay then, let’s go."

"..."

Tap- tap- tap—

Tap- tap- tap—

Tap- tap- tap—

They all left together, headed toward the indoor training ground where the students from the other academies were.

’I wouldn’t have come here if I knew there was no class today.’

Raye thought on the way.

*****

A few minutes later...

Tap—

"We’re here."

Raye and his classmates reached their destination.

They stood outside the double door of the indoor training ground where the students from the other academies were supposed to be.

And without beating around the bush...

Creak—

Tap—

Raye opened the door and stepped inside the room!

And as soon as he did...

"...?"

He felt a lot of gazes fall upon him!

"Hm? Why did you stop walking?"

Lena asked as she followed after Raye.

And curiously...

Tap—

His classmates followed after too.

And when they got inside...

"..."

They became speechless.

And they immediately realized why Raye froze in his place.

Inside the room...

There were about 10 students from the other academies, their uniforms varied.

Also, sophomore students from Zion were there.

Raye and the others immediately realized that they were the [A Class].

Anyway, that’s not what made them speechless.

Up on the arena...

There was a blonde student from the [Crimson Academy].

He was with Ignis yesterday.

He had this annoying grin on his face, showing his fangs... And he was stepping on someone!

And that someone...

"Urgh..."

It was Devin!

And it wasn’t just him...

"..."

There were other students from [A Class] lying on the arena floor too, men and women—they were all unconscious!

Seeing that...

"What’s happening here?"

Lycus asked.

His voice was calm, but his face certainly wasn’t...

His question made the atmosphere heavy.

"We’re just having a friendly spar, don’t worry."

The blonde student from the [Crimson Academy] answered with a shrug and an unserious tone.

"Shut your mouth. I’m not talking to you."

Lycus declared, glaring at him.

"Woah."

The blonde student then responded and closed his mouth.

Lycus looked at the nearby student from the [A Class].

And even without him having to say anything...

"We were just training normally earlier."

That student started explaining what happened.

"And then those guys appeared and asked for spar training..."

The student said, looking down.

"We first declined them, but they said they’ll go after the B-Class if we did."

And then he added, clenching his hands into fists.

"Devin reluctantly accepted their challenge upon hearing that, but he asked for a few minutes for us to rest because we were just training, so we’re exhausted."

The student continued.

"They agreed and even bought us drinks to replenish our energy, we thought they were just being friendly so we took them."

"But those guys..."

And after a short pause...

"They put something in the drinks that made us unable to use mana!"

The student exclaimed that, anger can be heard in his voice and seen on his face.

"..."

He became silent after that, just trembling in rage.

"..."

Lycus became silent too, there’s an eerie atmosphere around him.

Lena and the others are pissed off at what they had just heard, they were still speechless.

But breaking the silence...

"Well, we were just hoping to warm ourselves up before the competition. Who would’ve known they were this weak?"

The blonde student on the arena said that.

"Right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

And the students from the other academies laughed with him.

’I’ll kill them!’

Lycus exclaimed in his head as he violently turned his head toward the arena!

But before he could even let out a single word...

Tap—

A loud footstep echoed throughout the room.

"..."

And it silenced everyone!

"Huh?"

"...?"

Lycus, the blonde student, and everyone else—they turned toward the source of it.

It was on the opposite side of the arena from where the blonde student stood.

And when they looked there...

"..."

They saw Raye, casually standing and staring at the blonde student!

’When did he get there?’

Lycus and everyone else asked in their heads.

"You want to warm up, you say?"

Raye asked.

And without waiting for a reply...

"I want to warm up too."

He quickly followed that!

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Discover stories with freewebnovel

The blonde student asked in pure confusion.

So, to make him understand...

"I’m asking you for a duel, birdbrain."

Raye simply declared that!

"..."

The birdbrain was pissed by his words, of course.

But with a smile...

"And why would I accept it?"

He just asked that.

Immediately though...

"Unless you’re a scared bitch, then there’s no reason for you to decline."

Raye rebutted!

"What?"

The birdbrain asked, he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.

But ignoring him...

"Do the other academies just teach you to bark and not fight?"

Raye asked that!

And his words...

"..."

It provoked not just the blonde student...

"..."

But also the others that were with him!

Raye silenced and pissed them all off!

He’s really talented in this aspect, annoying and provoking people!

Anyway, after being silent for a while...

"You’re just as Ignis said... Annoying..."

The birdbrain student said that.

And with veins bulging out of his face...

"I accept your fucking challenge!"

He shouted that!

"Prepare to get crippled."

He added with a smile.

*****

After that...

"I’m fucking ready."

"I’m ready too, birdbrain."

Raye and the birdbrain went to the other empty arena.

Meanwhile...

’I’ll leave it to you, Raye.’

Lycus went to retrieve the passed-out students from the other arena, including Devin.

Moving on...

"..."

The blonde student stood at the end of the arena, holding a big wooden staff.

"I’m Rickrey Marcos, second-class mage sophomore student of the great Crimson Academy."

He introduced himself.

And casually...

"Raye, sophomore, magic course."

Raye replied.

’Heh... He’ll be thinking we’re both magic students, without knowing I’m also proficient in close combat!’

’I’ll beat him up with this staff of mine and report it to Sir Ignis later!’

Rickrey exclaimed in his head while holding back a smile.

Anyway, after bringing the passed-out students to the resting area...

"I’ll start the match now."

Lycus went to the arena where Raye and Rickrey were to referee the match.

"Okay."

"..."

Raye and Rickrey nodded at him.

And with that...

"..."

The whole area fell completely silent.

All eyes were glued to the arena, waiting for the match to begin.

And not long after...

"Start!"

Lycus announced that!

’Come!’

Rickrey exclaimed in his head with a mischievous smile.

But then...

"HUP—?!"

Rickrey suddenly felt a hand covering his mouth!

And when he came to his senses...

"?!"

Raye was in front of him, holding him by the mouth and lifting him into the air!

Confused...

"Hmph! HMPH!!!"

Rickrey tried to shout with wide eyes, kicking his legs to break free from Raye’s grasp.

"..."

But just staring at him with cold eyes, Raye tightened his grip on his face...

Crack—

And he broke his jaw!

"GRAAAAAAAAHHHMMMP!!!"

Rickrey screamed in pain, spasming and struggling to escape...

"..."

But Raye didn’t even budge!

And opening his mouth...

"[Wind Blade]"

He muttered that!

SLASH—

And a sword-sharp gust of wind blasted point-blank into Rickrey’s face!

"GARGHH!!!"

Rickrey groaned as his eyes went all white!

Swoosh—

And then his ring artifact’s passive ability activated, covering his face with a mana shield!

This meant...

Raye’s attack would’ve killed Rickrey if they weren’t in the academy!

Anyway...

"..."

Rickrey passed out.

Blood flowed from his mouth, eyes, nose, and ears!

There was even a huge, grotesque cut on his mouth, making him look like the Joker—only the cut was much worse!

And seeing him like that...

Fwoosh—

Thud-

Raye just threw him outside the arena!

"..."

The whole room remained silent.

Everyone was shocked by what they had just witnessed.

They didn’t know how to react...

And what broke the silence...

"I’m still not warmed up. Next."

Was Raye’s cold voice!