The Author's POV

"Huaaaa!"

Entering the arena grounds of section G, loud cheering reverberated across the place as students could be seen leaning on the handrails of the arena grounds excitedly talking to one another as they all had their eyes glued towards a certain platform below them.

Glancing towards the direction of where most people were looking at, I soon sighed in relief when I saw Kevin's figure standing on one of the platforms.

"I guess we're not too late"

Would've truly been disappointed if I didn't get to see Kevin pummel some people.

Although from what I remembered the match lasted for less then a minute, it was still better than going around the academy with strangers and explaining them the layout of the academy as well as the rules.

Arriving a couple of seconds after me and hearing what I said, curiously looking around, Melissa asked.

"Too late for what?"

Pointing towards a certain platform below, I said

".....for the show"

Squinting her eyes to get a better look at where I was pointing at, Melissa soon spotted Kevin's figure on one of the platforms. Taken aback she asked

"Isn't that Kevin?"

Nodding my head, I replied.

"Yup"

"...how did he end up there?"

"He was challenged"

"Who challenged him?"

Before I could answer, glancing towards the youth that was standing opposite to Kevin, Nicholas spoke

"From what I know he should be Theodora academy's fifth rank, Robert Wilson"

Frowning, Melissa took a brief look at Nicholas who was standing next to his sister and his three other classmates. Currently all of them we're looking at Kevin with incomparably solemn faces. Having heard of Kevin's name, they naturally knew that he was the number one ranked student in the Lock.

Naturally, as competitors, Nicholas and his sister paid special close attention to him. Kevin was after all someone to watch out for.

Unaware of their thought, staring at the youth below, Melissa repeated.

"Robert Wilson?"

Nodding my head, I followed up.

"Yeah, 16 years of age, rank E-, main weapon hammer"

Hearing my response, Melissa was at first surprised. However, shortly after, looking at me weirdly, Melissa said.

"...the fact that you know this much creeps me out"

Rolling my eyes, I ignored Melissa.

She wouldn't understand. Having memorized the profiles of most of the exchange students, I of course memorized the profile of the student that Kevin was currently up against.

Wearing a pale green uniform, the youth was currently arrogantly looking down on Kevin as he insulted him from below the stage.

Although I wasn't sure of what he was saying, from the way he talked and behaved, I could already pretty much deduce the content of the conversation.

'Grovel beneath my feet blah blah blah you are nothing...'

Just the typical stuff.

However, I knew that the opponent's arrogance and behavior were merely a facade.

Turning my head right towards one of the private chambers of the spectating arena, I knew that this was merely an act that Theodora academy did in order to get a better read on Kevin's abilities. Since Kevin was ranked number one within the first years, it was only natural that Theodora academy would want to know about his abilities.

With the upcoming inter academy exchange, in order to win, the academies needed to have a better understanding of their opponents.

With Kevin's fame, he was obviously one of the main targets to spectate.

...and rightfully so as all of the spectator's eyes were focused on Kevin's figure. Excluding the fact that he was very handsome, everyone here had one thought.

'How strong is the number one youth in the world's best academy?'

Were the rumors about him exaggerated or was he really as talented and unparalleled as people made him out to be?

Snapping me out of my thoughts, I soon saw a referee calmly walk down towards the arena grounds. Seeing the referee that was in charge of the match arriving, I couldn't help but excitedly say.

"Oh, the match is starting!"

As soon as my words died down, the arena grounds quieted down as a referee came up on the stage. Staring at Kevin and the youth opposite to him, the referee warned.

"Let me be clear this is a friendly match"

Pausing to make sure that both Kevin and the other youth were paying attention, the referee solemnly said

"Both parties can use whatever means possible to defeat their opponent, be it skill, artifact, or anything that you have with you, is allowed. However, if one party admits defeat during the course of the fight, the other party cannot continue attacking. If I feel even the slightest killing intent by any one of you I will be stopping the match. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Kevin calmly took the initiative to respond.

The representative from the Theodora academy team, Robert Wilson, was a rather muscular youth who looked around twenty despite being the same age as Kevin. As he looked at Kevin before him, his expression remained stoic and unmoving. Following Kevin's example, Robert responded.

"Understood"

Seeing that both Kevin and Robert had understood the rules, the referee raised his hand and immediately lowered it as he shouted.

"Begin"

As soon as the referee's hand slashed down, without skipping a beat, taking a step forward, Robert ran towards Kevin's direction.

-Bam! -Bam!

With every step he took, the arena platform shook.

Staring at Robert headed his way with the enormous hammer in his hand, Kevin's face remained indifferent as his red eyes calmly looked at him from the distance.

Seconds after, Robert arrived before Kevin. Raising his hammer, Robert smirked as he shouted.

"Why aren't you moving? Are you that scared of me that you froze in shock?"

Without hesitation, he aimed for Kevin's head

However, just as the hammer was about to land on top of Kevin's hand. The spectators only saw a flash, and Kevin's body disappeared. The hammer fell on the ground and the arena shook.

-Bam!

"Huh?"

As his hammer hit the ground, feeling the cold tip of a blade next to his neck, Robert heard a cold voice from behind him.

"You lost"

As Kevin's cold words fell, the arena was enveloped in silence. Waking up from his stupor, raising his hand, the referee announced

"Kevin Voss wins!"

Subsequently, as the referee's words traveled through the ears of everyone present, the arena was in an uproar once again as everyone shouted or cheered.

"Waaaaa!"

"What was that?!"

"Did you see what he did?"

The match didn't even last a full minute before it was over. It was Kevin's total victory.

...

In the direction where Ren was previously looking at, inside of a private booth, two instructors wearing a similar pale green uniform to the youth on the stage sat at the head of a conference table within the private room that overlooked the arena grounds from below.

Currently, there were a total of fifteen students sitting by their sides and they were all solemnly looking at Kevin's figure displayed on the monitor before them.

The students seated on the left were evidently older, and the students seated on the right were slightly younger as their faces had signs of immaturity.

The people here were the other members of the Theodora academy.

The elder who sat on the left had a slightly crooked nose with eye bags beneath his eyes. His facial features were solemn and serious. As he sat there with his wide shoulders, he gave off an extremely sturdy feeling. He spoke in a low voice.

"According to our investigations, Kevin's abilities should be within the E to D range, however judging from how he managed to defeat Wilson so easily...I'm afraid his rank has already reached at least E+ rank"

Hearing the elder's evaluation of Kevin, the fifteen students were all somewhat doubtful as they started whispering amongst each other.

Continuing, the elder said

"Unfortunately because the battle ended too fast, we weren't able to get a better understanding of his sword art nor his skill as he seems to be concealing his true abilities"

"Instructor Thompson, don't be anxious. I don't think things are that complicated" Sitting in front of the instructor was a certain youth with long black hair; he was around sixteen years of age, and had a refined and elegant demenour with looks that matched his demenour.

He had big bright blue eyes and a tall and slender build. His hands, which were now placed on the table, were twirling a black fountain pen that had golden engravings on the side.

The youth's name was Aaron Rhinestone and he was the current rank 1 for the first years in Theodore academy.

Because of his talent, he was extremely well respected amongst his peers. Naturally, because of the environment, he was exposed to, Aaron developed an arrogant behavior that made him think that he was number one amongst the younger generation.

...that was until Kevin's name started to become more famous than him. It was from there that Aaron had started to learn of Kevin's talent and exploit.

The more Aaron read, the more excited he grew. Given his fame and talent, if he managed to defeat him, wouldn't he be hailed as the greatest of the younger generation?

...just the thought made Aaron smile as he thought to himself.

'He was someone worthy of being his stepping stone'

After a while, Aaron Rhinestone finally raised his head and smiled. This smile was just like that of a venomous viper in search of a prey. Staring at the monitors in the middle of the room for a couple of seconds, the youth smiled as he said "Instructor Thompson, leave that Kevin guy to me"

"Bu-"

Just as instructor Thompson was about to protest Aaron's decision, a cold and overbearing voice cut him off.

"Let him"

As his voice faded, everyone's attention turned towards the person that had just spoken.

The person who spoke was the instructor seated by the right. He had a curly grey beard and had a fairly large stature. His short white hair resembled steel needles, and the hairs on his temples, along with his curly beard made him seem impressively terrifying as he looked like a war general that had just come back from a long battle.