"You're absolutely right," Eden said, smoothly joining the conversation. "And because you're right, I'll come with you to Blue Feather’s recruiting center to help save the poor souls who might make the mistake of joining your workshop. Come, come, lead the way, the fates of the students are at stake here," he added with exaggerated sincerity, as if truly believing his own words.

Andrew’s brow darkened, clearly angered. He wanted to retaliate, opening his mouth to say something, but it was already too late. The lights went out for him as soon as Eden moved closer—a rookie mistake on Andrew’s part, letting Eden get within striking distance.

Without warning, Eden delivered a precise and explosive strike to Andrew’s jaw, targeting the temporomandibular joint with surgical accuracy. The force sent Andrew into unconsciousness almost immediately. Calmly, Eden lowered himself and hoisted the now limp man onto his shoulder.

"See? Simple and elegant," Eden remarked to Cole and Raul, who stood there, speechless. "Don’t worry, despite what people think, if you hit the right spot, there’s no lasting damage," he reassured them with a grin, effortlessly carrying Andrew out of the room.

"Make way, folks! I’ve got a sleepyhead here," Eden called out, making his way through the crowd toward the Blue Feather recruitment room.

The line outside Blue Feather’s door was longer than Light of Dawn’s, almost rivaling the numbers gathered in front of Complete Night’s room. Unbothered, Eden cut straight to the front without shame and barged into the room.

"I believe this belongs to you," Eden announced loudly, drawing everyone’s attention. "Unfortunately, he fainted. But don’t worry, out of the kindness of my heart, I’ve returned him safely to you." He gently placed Andrew in a nearby chair as concerned Blue Feather members rushed over.

"You don’t have to worry too much," Eden added with mock seriousness. "He should be fine, but maybe have a doctor check him out. It could be stress or fatigue—he should be careful."

"Thank you for your help," one of the Blue Feather members said, nervously trying to manage the situation. "Janet, get some water."

"Andrew! Wake up, man!" another member urged, shaking his unconscious colleague.

With a satisfied nod and a smile, Eden turned to leave. "Let’s go back," he said, walking past Cole and Raul, who stood frozen by the door like part of the scenery.

"Brother, you are absolutely insane," Cole muttered when they were back in their own room.

"I swear, you guys are something else," Raul said, laughing heartily. "Do you pull stunts like this in Ahartohaim too?"

"Depends on the situation," Eden replied, finishing off a cookie. "These are delicious. Cole, grab the whole plate. I’m going to indulge."

Eden had a known love for sweets, particularly chocolate. Doctors had told him as a child that his body had trouble processing sugars, simply eliminating most of them. So, indulging in chocolate wasn’t just a pleasure—it was practically medicinal.

"You do realize Andrew’s going to come back looking for trouble once he wakes up, right?" Cole said, amused.

"Everything’s under control," Eden said with a low, almost conspiratorial tone. "When Andrew returns, he’ll be too angry to think straight. He’ll make a scene, we’ll defend ourselves, and we’ll beat them again. Blue Feather will lose face and probably be forced to shut down their recruitment here. It’s not a huge loss for them, but it’ll give us more room to grow."

Raul raised an eyebrow. "So you’re a strategist, huh?"

"I wouldn’t go that far," Eden shrugged. "I know a little about human behavior, but I don’t like overthinking. Now, where are those cookies?"

Cole laughed and went to retrieve the “VIP”—the very important plate—of cookies. But before Eden could enjoy more, a group of uninvited guests entered the room.

"There you are, you little bastard!" Andrew stormed in, pushing aside students in his path, ignoring whether they were boys or girls.

"Oh, I’m glad you’re feeling better," Eden said, adopting his serious facade once more. "But you should keep your calm—your health might worsen under too much stress."

"Fuck you!" Andrew shouted. "Fight me, fair and square, if you’ve got the guts!" His colleagues struggled to hold him back.

"Mister, why did you attack a member of Blue Feather?" a calmer voice asked as another man from the workshop stepped forward.

"Attack?" Eden repeated, feigning confusion. "Your colleague, Mr. Nobody over there, was trying to poach our recruits, claiming he was only looking out for their futures. I agreed with his sentiment, and out of generosity, I offered to help him with Blue Feather’s recruits as well. Next thing I know, he fainted. Is it my fault your workshop doesn’t train its people well enough to handle the pressure?"

The calm man narrowed his eyes. "I do not like your tone. Be careful with your words. Insulting Blue Feather is not something you want to do lightly."

"I just told you the truth, how you take my words is not my problem," Eden said, biting into another cookie. "From where I stand, both you and Blue Feather have disrespected my workshop. So, frankly, you can both get lost. You’re not worth a copper coin to me." He paused to swallow. "Now, if you’re here to thank me for returning your man unharmed, you’re welcome. If you’re here to threaten me, I suggest you leave. Immediately."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Raul, barely containing his disbelief, turned away and leaned on a desk, trying to process Eden’s bold words.

"Oliver, you can't let him off! Punch him in the face as punishment for disrespecting Blue Feather!" Andrew yelled, still trying to break free from his colleagues’ grasp.

"Punch me in the face?" Eden laughed. "I don’t think anyone in your little Blue Feather squad has what it takes for that. Now, please, stop wasting my time and leave. You’re hindering our recruitment."

Oliver, the calm one, chuckled darkly. "I see what you’re doing. Trying to rise on our shoulders, huh?"

"Rise on your shoulders?" Eden snorted, giving Oliver a light shove. "For someone to rise on your shoulders, first you need to have a backbone. Does Blue Feather even have one left after what you did to Colossus, Simera Division, and Napalm Tree?" He listed off the names of once-thriving workshops Blue Feather had crushed and assimilated using unconventional methods.

Oliver’s rage flared, pushing him to the brink of losing control. He was ready to lunge at Eden, but the only girl in his group swiftly stepped in, stopping him just in time.

"You’ve got some nerve," Eden said, acknowledging Oliver’s restraint with a mocking smile.

"You dared to smear the name of Blue Feather and provoke us, knowing fully well we’d break the rules if we responded," Oliver shot back, his voice seething with barely controlled anger. "You know we can't fight here, but are you brave enough to face us in the arena? A real fight, on equal terms?"

The room went dead silent. Everyone waited for Eden’s response, but he stood still, his usual bravado seeming to wane.

Oliver smirked, sensing victory.

"See that, everyone? This is what happens with these small, pathetic workshops. They bark and make noise, but when faced with a real challenge, they go quiet," he said, rallying the crowd behind him. "Look at him now—after all that tough talk, where’s his courage?"

"Yeah, come on, Eden! Weren’t you just acting high and mighty?" someone from the students supporting Blue Feather jeered.

"He’s all talk, no bite," another chimed in.

"Fight him, Eden!" a girl shouted, as more voices joined the growing chorus.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The chant quickly spread across the room, egging Eden on.

Unable to bear it any longer, Eden finally spoke up. "We’ll fight!"

Oliver’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction, his earlier rage now channeled into anticipation. He could feel the crowd on his side, and his victory felt inevitable.

"Do you have a place in mind for this little showdown?" Oliver asked the room, his voice thick with condescension.

"The gymnasium!" a student called out. "There’s a competition happening this week—the space is already set up."

"Perfect," Andrew said, chiming in eagerly.

"Great. Someone go inform the teachers and get their permission," Oliver instructed, his confidence swelling.

"Of course," one of the students responded, "but we’ve got class soon. Can you fight during the next break? No one wants to miss you beating him senseless."

"If there are no rules holding us back, we’ll fight anywhere, anytime," Oliver grinned.

Head lowered, Eden turned to Cole. "Come on, let’s head to class," he said calmly, grabbing a few more cookies from the table on his way out.

"You're running now?" Andrew sneered, stepping forward as if to block their path, but Oliver motioned for him to stop.

"They won’t run. Not if they have any pride left," Oliver said with a smug laugh, the students responding to his words.

Once outside, Cole could no longer contain himself. He burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Why have you accepted, Eden?" Raul asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Because we’re going to beat the living daylights out of them in front of everyone. As planned," Eden replied, munching on another cookie. No trace of the reservation he showed inside remained on his complexion.

"Brother," Cole said between fits of laughter, "you should’ve gone into acting. You’re too talented. The faces you made back there... priceless!"

* * *

"Look, they actually showed up," a student whispered from the crowd.

Eden and Cole made their way toward the gymnasium, surrounded by a sea of students. Word of the fight had spread like wildfire, and now it seemed like the entire academy was waiting to see what would happen.

The moment they stepped into the gym, the atmosphere shifted. The doors behind them were blocked by their fellow classmates, sealing their fate. Students lined the walls, teachers stood in clusters, and even the members of the Complete Night were present. Eden noted the medical team already on standby.

Everything was perfectly orchestrated. The academy seemed more than willing to allow this spectacle, as long as it remained within bounds. Each fighter was handed a pair of MMA gloves and a mouth guard. Eden, still wearing his regular clothes, was given a white t-shirt for more freedom of movement.

"First things first," Zincenko, the martial arts instructor, said as he stepped into the center. "All parties agree to this, yes? You both wish to fight?"

"Yes!" Oliver said.

"Yes," Eden responded, locking eyes with the teacher, his gaze unwavering.

"Good. Now for the rules," Zincenko continued. "No knees, no elbows. I expect a clean fight."

"Understand," Oliver replied.

Eden just nodded.

The gym was packed, students and faculty alike eagerly waiting for the clash. Eden glanced around, his sharp eyes catching the excitement in the crowd. This was more than a personal challenge—this was a public spectacle.

You have prepared the stage for me so well, Eden thought.

"I thought this was going to be a simple fight. I wasn't noticed that we'll compete in front of such a crowd," he spoke with a trembling voice.

"I didn't know either, the students here arranged it all," Oliver defended himself.

"Yeah, sure," Eden said. "Look, I know that a real fighter has to compete in any type of environment, but I'm not used to this. I'm not used to fight with no money on the table."

At his words, Oliver became worry.

"I-I’ll wager 10,000 credits on me," Eden said, his hand trembling visibly.

Hearing the sum, Oliver was about to burst out laughing. For an elite player like him, 10,000 credits was pocket money. He could make them in a week, a day if he had a fruitful encounter and provided the workshop with valuable information or items.

"Sorry, this is still to much for you, right?" Eden said with an apologetic tone.

Oliver gazed at Eden's eyes to see if this was some sort of trickery before answering assured. "Little money." He sneered. "I accept. But you’d better pay up, even from a hospital bed."

Zincenko shook his head, but still stepped between them. He couldn't interfere in the arena fights more then he was allowed to by the rules. And considering that Oliver was from Blue Feather, even if Eden was hospitalized after, the academy couldn't do anything. The fighters knew the risks of stepping into the arena.

"Are you both ready?" he asked.

Eden and Oliver tapped gloves and took their positions.

"Fight!" Zincenko called out, stepping back.

As soon as the match started, Eden’s demeanor shifted entirely. His posture straightened, his eyes sharpened, and a cold, calculating air replaced his usual easygoing nature. He took a step forward, advancing toward his opponent with deadly focus.

"Fool," Eden said loudly, startling everyone, Oliver included.