The Author's POV

Lock, Section G, Arena grounds.

Many practice platforms stood in the practice grounds, while at the top, numerous youths excitedly shouted as they gazed at the youth's sparring against each other. The Arena grounds, which was in the same building as the training grounds, was one of the most famous places within the academy as youth's sparring against each other could be seen at any time of the day.

Usually, in the arena, numerous youth's fiercely punching and kicking each other as they tried their best to beat their opponents appeared to be a common sight, a rather imposing one at that.

There was no lack of pretty girls in the platforms above, resulting in the boys below fighting with even more enthusiasm hoping to catch some of the girl's interest as they basked in the limelight of the fight...however, that was not the case today.

At the moment, almost every gaze within the arena grounds was focused around two individuals standing on top of one of the platforms. No matter if they were boys or girls, their sights were transfixed on the two individuals at the center of the platforms.

On the right, a young man with dirty blond hair proudly stood as he looked down on his opponent. Wearing a black professor uniform, with a gentle scholarly air around him, Gilbert stood at the center of the ring.

On the opposite side of him, wearing an azure blue Lock uniform, an extremely handsome youth with black hair and red eyes solemnly stared at Gilbert opposite to him.

When both Kevin and Gilbert walked into the platforms, news of their bout had probably already spread everywhere...hence why with each passing minute the stands on the training grounds were filled with even more people.

"What? Professor Gilbert is going to fight against a first-year?"

"It's true! According to sources, it seems like the student he is fighting is Kevin Voss, the talented first year that managed to become <D-> rank at the age of 16"

"Yes, I've also heard that professor Gilbert will fight him whilst suppressing his strength all the way to <D-> rank, the same rank as him"

Leaning on one of the handrails of the arena, hearing the discussions of some of the students present, I couldn't help but laugh inwardly.

I of course knew this was going to happen.

...this was the event that truly created hatred between Gilbert and Kevin. It was the moment in which the two would finally cease all pretenses and officially became at odds against each other.

This event was the reason why I decided to delay all of my other tasks and directly talk to Kevin with regards to bringing me to Immorra.

...I believe that after this event, Kevin would without a doubt agree to meet me on Saturday.

Smiling slightly, glancing at Kevin's and Gilbert's figure below me, I relaxed and waited for the match to start. As I watched the both of them standing off against each other, I couldn't help but think to myself.

'I'm really curious as to how a fight I wrote looks like...'

...

Glancing at Kevin, with a proud smile on his face, Gilbert mockingly said

"Are you ready?"

Stretching his arms and legs, Kevin's face became solemn as he nodded his head.

"Yes"

"Alright, since I'm older than you, I'll grant you the first move...if you manage to land a punch on me, it'll be considered my defeat"

As he spoke to Kevin, atop the stage, Gilbert merely chuckled as he stared at the audience.

No matter what they said, after today, his vicious beating of Kevin would without a doubt spread throughout the whole Lock tomorrow. Such news would without a doubt deal a huge blow to Kevin's confidence as well as increase the popularity of his faction. Moreover, it also served as a warning towards those that were not a part of their faction.

'This is what happens if you mess with us'

Though he was a professor, using the power of his faction, Gilbert made it seem like Kevin was the one who had challenged him.

This way, once he won, he could humiliate Kevin even more.

Just imagining it put a smile on Gilbert's face. Beckoning Kevin with his right hand, Gilbert said

"Come"

"If you insist"

Powerfully stomping his right foot on the ground, unsheathing his sword, Kevin's body shot out like an arrow. A red hue covered the body of his sword.

Kevin's attack was filled with power as it split the air around it. If Kevin hit a boulder, he would reduce it into powder within a matter of seconds.

...Soon after, a couple of seconds after he propelled his body forward, Kevin hacked forward

-Clank!

Extending his right hand forward, Kevin's sword connected with Gilbert's hand as a muffled sound rang out and dust flew everywhere.

A couple of seconds after, As the dust died down, Gilbert's figure holding onto Kevin's sword with two fingers could be seen.

"What...how did he do that?"

Watching the scene from the stands, some of the students couldn't help but be stupefied. Although they knew Gilbert was capable, they didn't know he was that capable.

Even some of the more experienced students, couldn't help but have a solemn expression as they recalled Kevin's attack. Fast, powerful, and precise.

Something extremely hard to block...and yet, casually holding onto Kevin's sword with his fingers, Gilbert seemed to be utterly unfazed.

-Flick!

"Not bad...for someone like you"

Flicking Kevin's sword away, Kevin took a few steps back to distance himself. His face was incomparably solemn.

...Although some people in the stands might've not understood what had happened, Kevin understood perfectly.

As soon as he attacked, coating his fingers with mana, Gilbert managed to precisely pinpoint the center of gravity of his sword and with a subtle twist of his finger, he managed to make the sword lose all of its momentum.

Such skill required a high degree of control of mana as well as an understanding of swords...Staring at Gilbert leisurely standing in the distance, Kevin knew that he might've bit more than he could chew on

...yet, a smile still appeared on his face.

'What fun is there if I win easily'

Stomping on the ground, a small crater appeared beneath Kevin's feet as he propelled his body forwards. In Gilbert's direction.

"Futile"

Easily parrying Kevin's blows with one hand, Gilbert leisurely stood in the same position. No matter where Kevin's sword disappeared, he would always easily find the true sword intent and parry it. Glancing at Kevin with a smirk on his face, he couldn't but mock him

"Is that all your strength amounts to?"

Shaking his head, with his other hand, Gilbert covered his mouth as he yawned.

"...if so we should probably call it quits as I'm alra-huh?"

Just as Gilbert was about to end things, noticing something, Gilbert looked at Kevin with a little bit of shock.

Appearing from Gilbert's left side, Kevin stabbed his sword towards Gilbert's head. However, just as Gilbert was about to block, whilst still in the air as if the air was tangible, Kevin stepped in the air and forcefully redirected his body in another direction catching Gilbert off-guard.

"Futile tricks"

Quickly adjusting, Gilbert repositioned his right foot and precisely twisted his body in a way that he was now face to face with Kevin

"It seems like this is--huh?"

Just as Gilbert was about to finish Kevin with an upper hook to his stomach, noticing Kevin's smirk, a bad feeling arose in his heart.

...and his feelings were true.

[Overdrive]

Those were the last words he heard before Kevin's figure completely disappeared from his sight and a strong force appeared on his right cheek.

-Bam!

Taking two steps back, in disbelief, Gilbert couldn't help but touch his cheek which was now stinging. Breaking Gilbert out of his stupor was Kevin's cold voice.

"I've won"

As Gilbert glanced next to him, Kevin's fist was only a few centimeters away from his face. Moreover, to make things worse, on Kevin's other hand was his sword which he didn't use to attack.

Had he used his sword, Gilbert might've actually gotten injured. Realizing this fact, Gilbert could only blankly stand there at a loss.

"..."

The originally noisy surroundings of the arena turned deathly silent at the moment. Numerous people, be it students or professors all stared at Kevin in disbelief.

No one could've ever imagined Kevin to actually land a blow against Gilbert.

No one.

"Y-you bastard!"

-Vuam!

Recollecting himself, with an enraged roar, a yellow hue emerged from Gilbert's body. Grabbing onto Kevin's left fist that had connected to his face, thick veins protruded from the top of Gilbert'sforehead as he couldn't help but glare at Kevin.

Soon his aura swiftly rose as the dust under his feet swept outwards as mana poured into his body like crazy. His clothes started to flutter at the moment.

<D->▶ <D> ▶<D+>▶ <C->▶<C>▶ <C+> ▶<B->▶<B>

In his enraged state, Gilbert's rank rose dramatically. From <D-> all the way to <B> rank.

Even from the stands, everyone could feel Gilbert's rapidly soaring aura. The aura was so overbearing, that some of the weaker students couldn't help but sit down.

Staring at Kevin's figure next to him, Gilbert roared at Kevin

"You dare!"

As he shouted, the five fingers on his right hand were tightly clenched into a fist. Whilst still holding onto Kevin with his left hand, Gilbert's fist traveled towards Kevin's abdominal area, creating a whistling sound as the air around the fist split apart.

-Phheeeeeeeew

Noticing the fist headed in his direction, towards his stomach, Kevin could only helplessly watch it connect to his body. No matter how much he tried to break free, he couldn't break free from Gilbert's grip

"Stop!"

However, just as Kevin was about to despair, an enraged roar that shook the whole stadium resounded across the space. Soon after, tangible purple energy appeared in the area where Gilbert's fist was headed.

Sadly, because the caster was too far, it only served as a small shield that could only reduce the power of the fist.

-Pufff!

-Bang!

Soon Gilbert's fist fully connected with Kevin's body...and like a broken kite, Kevin's body flew all the way to the other side of the arena as his body crashed against the walls of the arena. The extent of his injuries was unknown.

"How dare you Gilbert!"

Floating in the air, an enormous purple hue covered Donna's body as it threatened to swallow the whole arena grounds. Staring at Kevin's passed-out figure in the distance, the hue around Donna intensified even more as the area around Gilbert froze.

"To think you would stoop low enough to actually seriously injure a student just because you couldn't accept your loss..."