The silence in the battle hall was deafening, something unexpected had happened, The newcomer had just challenged Damian Knight, the student second only to Isaiah in the entire first year

"Are you sure about that, mister...."

"Malakai, Malakai Blackwell " Kai answered

"Remember it well Mrs Eris, you will be hearing it for a long time "

Eris chuckled at his words, it's being a while since she had a student like this "Be careful, Mister Malakai, many come here with that sort of attitude, but this place has a way of making them lose it, permanently"

Kai was unfazed by her words, he is a man on a mission, simple words wouldn't be enough to discourage him

" I will keep that in mind, Mrs Eris"

"Good, so what do you think of all this, Damian? "

Mrs Eris asked making everyone's turn their sights to the blonde boy who was calmly staring at the whole time His cold and expressionless handsome face made it difficult for anyone to know what he was thinking Damian stepped forward and spoke

" i'm frankly not surprised, I'm familiar with people like this. A little taste of power and they begin to think they are something special, they begin to feel like gods.

Damian added " However nothing would please me more than to make him realize that he's absolutely nothing" "So yes, I accept your little challenge. But I assure you that you will regret this"

Almost every student felt chills when they heard Damian's words, the cold and condescending manner In which could instill fear in anyone.

However Kai began to grin widely "Looking forward to it"

"Very well, let the two combatants step on the stage " Mrs Eris announced

Both combatants began an epic stare down as Damian stepped on to the stage Damian wielded a sliver longsword, an elegant and clearly expensive weapon, suited to his style

"Oh and Damian, what you said about feeling like a god, you're wrong, after seeing everyone's performance today, I've come to realize that I'm really am nothing"

His voice softened and it seemed like he was momentarily lost in thought

"But that's why I am here, to change all that, To go from nothing to.... Everything. Remember this day Damian Knight, the day you lost to absolutely nothing"

Kai's eyes began to glow red as he outstretched his arm "Come forth... Bane "

The black crown levitating over his head began to violently spin as a large amount of Curse energy filled the room, soon a black majestic katana took shape in Kai's hand and only then did the crown stop spinning Bane was in full display to every one in the room, the intricate design was so incredible that no one could take their eyes off it"So that's why he didn't need a weapon

"Lucky bastard" Michael thought "Good luck, roommate"

Even Mrs Eris was mesmerized by Bane, as a weapons specialist, only she could fully appreciate such a blade, However now was not the time for that

"Are all combatants ready? "

After a nod of confirmation from both fighters

"Begin" Miss Eris declared

********

Clashes of steel reverberated throughout the battle hall, The student all had mixed expressions of shock and pity, what they were seeing wasn't what they expected at all

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Standing on the stage using Bane as support was Kai. Who could only be described as a bloody mess. Torn uniform, bloody lips, bruises and cuts all all over his body

"Is that all you got ?, seriously?, after all that drama? " Damian said, he was completely unharmed throughout the entire fight. In the beginning Kai spoke like he was ready to take on the entire world, his confidence and the dramatic entrance bane had even made Damian doubt himself a little

However it was all for naught

Kai attacked again swinging Bane wildly hoping to get a lucky strike, however Damian quickly parried each strike and delivered a devastating knee to Kai's stomach Kai immediately fell to the floor and spat out blood.

"He is absolutely nothing like the training dummies"Kai said inwardly

Kai wasn't a trained swordsman, the only thing he knew the moves that was ingrained in his mind the moment he held Bane. Moves that he barely had time to practice.

And for that reason

"He's getting his ass kicked in there" Michael thought "Just give up already man"

However Kai proved stubborn, he began to get back to his feet, he was in a pathetic state but still managed to face Damian once again

"why aren't you using your gift? " Kai asked

Hearing that, For the first time today Damian laughed "Are you seriously asking me that?, Do you even see the state you are in?"

"You're a funny man Blackwell " With a shrug of his shoulders, Kai replied "Still haven't answered the question "

However Damian didn't reply, he appeared before Kai and continued the onslaught, Kai's body was so weak that he completely gave up on defending and put all his effort into Dodging the incoming strike

Kai saw an opening and went for it but hope dwindled quickly as Damian slammed Kai's skull into the floor causing a huge crater.

Kai barely stood a chance, the fight was already over in everyone's eyes Damian crouched on the floor whispered into Kai's ear

" Because it would be a disgrace to my family to use my gift on someone as pathetic as you"

Kai laid lifeless on the floor as Damian walked away, the only one's who were disappointed by this outcome were the cursed, they thought might have found a new beacon of hope against the Gifted.

Alexandria was the only cursed student in the top ten. She was strong but not strong as Isaiah and Damian. A realization began to sink in. "Maybe they are just better than us after all".

"What a waste of time"

Mrs Erin sighed she also thought that she would be in for a spectacle, only to be terribly disappointed by a one sided beat down

She prepared to declare Damian the winner when an unexpected sound pierced the air— laughter

The hall suddenly filled with an unexpected sound of laughter. It rang out loud and clear, startling everyone, including Damian. Who was laughing?

As the laughter continued, a figure slowly rose from the dust. It was Kai, and he was bent over in hysterics, his whole body shaking with laughter.

"I can't believe he said it" he gasped between peals of laughter.

"Hahaha! What are the odds!

Damian's eyes widened in shock. Not only had Kai not been defeated, but he was laughing? And not just a chuckle or a giggle - this was full-blown, head-thrown-back laughter. Damian had never seen such a reaction to one of his fight

"Now I haven't heard those words in while" Kai became teary eyed from all the laughter

The last time he heard those words was the day he met Richard, the day miss Agatha died, the day everything changed for him

Pathetic

Those were Azrael's first words

The laughter seemed to be a coping mechanism, a defense mechanism against that word served as a grim remainder of the darkest day in his life

"How are you even still standing?" Damian demanded, his expression one of utter disbelief. The injuries he'd inflicted on Kai would have been fatal for most people, but somehow the other boy was still on his feet.

"I honestly have no idea," Kai said, his grin never faltering. "What are you going to do about it?"

With a dramatic flourish, he gestured with his arms, inviting Damian to make his move.

"Fine," Damian said through gritted teeth. "Let's get this over with."

His eyes began to glow blue as he focused his power, the air around him crackled with static electricity. His sword, which had been laying dormant at his side, began to glow with an unearthly light. The blade seemed to come alive as it became charged with electricity, arcing and flickering like a lightning bolt.

"You wanted me to use my gift right?" Damian said as he Revealed a cold smile

"Well here it is "

"The knight family gift, finally" Kai thought

all the beating and humiliation was leading up to this moment

"If I don't beat you at your best then what's the point"

He assumed a stance that he was quickly growing familiar with, the stance of the only move he knew how to perform

like a bolt a lightning Damian lunged at his target, hoping to strike him down one last time On the opposite side, Kai took a deep breath calmly muttered "Blur"

The two combatants raced past each other at incredible speeds. The spectators, aside from a few, were left bewildered, unable to comprehend the swift exchange.

Both Kai and Damian landed at opposite sides of the stage with their backs to each other, standing motionless

Damian's voice rang out "How?"

Kai explained, "It's simple really, I'm a little bit faster than you."

Soon Damian was covered in rapidly appearing slashes all over his body, He immediately fell to the floor and started bleeding out

Men in white appeared in the room and quickly rushed to Damian's side, teleporting away for treatment

Turning his attention to Isaiah, who had observed silently, Kai declared

"When I become stronger, you're next."

With those words, Kai collapsed on the stage.

His watch beeped, signaling a message:

[ The Cursed King is pleased with you. Congratulations!!! He wishes to grant you a little gift ]