As Esdeath made her money from bullies, the second-year students, something significant was brewing elsewhere in the academy.

She already knew about it but arrived late because of her little "business deal" with Mirael. The "Semi-First Act" had already started—an event where Corin, the duke's son, would challenge Ethan Rothslayer to a duel. Esdeath sighed, knowing the outcome. She had seen this all before.

The arena was packed with excited first-year students, their eyes wide with anticipation. The air buzzed with energy as everyone waited for the fight to begin. But this duel wasn't just any fight. For Corin, this was his chance to impress someone special. His gaze flicked over to "Emma", his girlfriend and long-time crush. She stood in the middle of the audience, impossible to miss.

Emma had a striking presence. With her strawberry blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and a busty figure, she easily drew attention. Her body was as refined as that of Violet or Sylvania, but her style screamed **gyaru**, standing out even more among the students. Her seductive, charming aura made her the center of attention, and Corin's eyes were locked on her, determined to win and prove his superiority in front of everyone.

Meanwhile, Violet and Sylvania were also in the crowd, quietly cheering for Ethan, though their faces were tense with concern. They both knew Corin had something to prove today, and that made the fight more unpredictable.

In the center of the arena, Ethan and Corin stood face to face, glaring at each other. The tension between them was thick enough to cut with a sword. Corin sneered, making the first move.

"Ethan," he spat, "I purposely chose only a swordsmanship duel—no magic or essence stones. That way, after I beat you, you can't cry and say it was because of my background or resources." His words were dripping with arrogance, the confidence in his voice making the crowd murmur.

Ethan, however, just sighed, seemingly unfazed by Corin's taunts.

....

The excitement in the arena was reaching its peak as the students placed their bets on the upcoming duel between Corin and Ethan.

"I bet two bronze coins, Corin will win this!" shouted one of the students confidently, his voice carrying across the buzzing crowd.

The boy collecting the money smirked as he gathered the coins. "Anyone else? Who wants to place a bet? Corin or Ethan?" he called out, but most students were betting only on Corin. They all knew that Corin had been trained since childhood, unlike Ethan, who was just a commoner.

Before long, a decent sum of 10 silver coins and 16 bronze coins had been collected, all in favor of Corin. It seemed like everyone was certain of the outcome.

But then, suddenly, a voice rang out from the side. "I'll bet five silver coins on Ethan Rothslayer." The voice was female, calm yet chilling.

Heads turned toward the speaker, and the students blinked in surprise. There she was—Esdeath. Her black hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and her piercing red eyes sent a shiver down the spines of those around her. She hadn't even changed her clothes after her earlier encounter. Esdeath was still holding both sides of her torn shirt to cover her chest, but even so, it was obvious that the fabric had been ripped in her recent scuffle.

The boys looked at her, exchanging glances. "Weird," they muttered in unison.

But Esdeath didn't seem to care. She confidently handed over five silver coins, her lips curling into a small smirk as she sat beside the others, enjoying herself as if she had already won. The boldness in her expression was undeniable, as if she could already see Ethan triumphing over Corin.

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Esdeath simply shrugged. "In this world, you can't win money by lottery or gambling. The outcome always changes, so there's no point in relying on luck. You have to *know* when to bet."

The battle between Ethan and Corin had already begun, and despite the rules prohibiting magic or essence stones, the tension was real, as were the swords in their hands.

Corin let out a loud battle cry as he charged toward Ethan, his sword raised high for a powerful, straight slash. Yet, Ethan's calm expression didn't change, as if Corin's reckless aggression meant nothing to him.

With a subtle shift in his stance, Ethan barely exerted pressure on his feet, stepping aside just before Corin's blade could strike.

*Swish…*

The sword slashed downward, hitting the ground with a thud as Ethan dodged with such ease that it almost seemed like the sword itself had avoided him.

"OMG! He dodged it!" a student exclaimed, his voice bursting with excitement from the crowd.

Corin, now frustrated, gritted his teeth. "What the hell? Was that… footwork?" His thoughts raced, trying to comprehend how a commoner like Ethan could display such mastery. "No way, it must've been luck," he reassured himself as he gripped his sword even tighter, charging once again.

*Clang! Cling!*

Their swords clashed repeatedly, the sounds of metal ringing out as sparks flew. Each of Ethan's strikes was precise, efficient, as if he was playing with his opponent. The crowd noticed a strange difference — while Corin gripped his sword with both hands, sweat already beading on his forehead, Ethan was calmly holding his sword with only one hand, showing no signs of struggle.

"Why… why can't I see any openings?" Corin's thoughts spiraled in confusion. His strikes were growing wilder, more desperate, as he threw more force into every swing, but nothing worked. No matter how hard he pushed, Ethan met each attack effortlessly. Corin didn't know the truth—Ethan wasn't some commoner with no experience. In a previous life, Ethan had fought in countless battles. To him, Corin was still a child, fighting clumsily with no understanding of real combat.

Meanwhile, Ethan remained cool and composed, barely breaking a sweat, his eyes focused as he watched Corin unravel before him.

Corin, determined not to lose, tried a few more moves, but Ethan blocked every one with ease. Ethan didn't just rely on his sword either. He threw in a few well-placed kicks and punches, which caused Corin to bleed from the nose and lips. Soon, Corin found himself on his knees, panting heavily, completely worn out. Ethan was about to claim victory, certain Corin had lost.

But Corin wasn't done yet.

He decided to cheat, wth a burst of energy, he activated magic in his feet, increasing his speed drastically. In a last-ditch effort, Corin charged straight at Ethan, slashing his sword with everything he had. But what Corin didn't know was that Ethan had incredibly fast reflexes. In a split second, Ethan sidestepped the attack, barely dodging the fatal strike. However, the tip of Corin's sword managed to cut through Ethan's shirt.

The entire crowd gasped as Ethan's shirt tore, revealing his finely chiseled muscles underneath. His body wasn't overly large, but it was perfectly toned from years of hard work and training, with abs that seemed sculpted by a master. The sight of his muscles left the students wide-eyed in shock.

"Wow, look at those muscles!" one of the students exclaimed.

Even Sylvania and Violet, who had known Ethan for years, couldn't help but blush at the sight. Around the arena, several other students turned red with embarrassment and awe. One of them was Emma, Corin's girlfriend. Her eyes widened as she stared at Ethan, her face turning a deep shade of red.

"Wow… such refined muscles… and that handsome face…" she murmured to herself, realizing with a jolt that she was developing a crush on him.

But not everyone was impressed. Esdeath, sitting casually on the sidelines, crossed her arms and snorted. "Hmph, I've got better muscles," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at the attention Ethan was getting.

Back in the arena, Ethan, still focused on the battle and unaware of the crowd's reaction, took his chance. As soon as he dodged Corin's strike, he kicked him square in the face. Corin staggered, falling to the ground, and before he could get back up, Ethan pointed his sword directly at him, signaling the end of the fight.

The referee quickly stepped forward and raised his hand. "The winner is Ethan Rothslayer!"

The arena exploded with cheers, but Corin lay there, defeated and humiliated, while Ethan stood tall, calm as ever, completely unaware of the stir he had just caused, His reputation reaching heaven.

Without saying a word, Ethan left the arena, his expression calm and composed, as though the fight hadn't even fazed him. Behind him, Corin remained on the ground, his face twisted in rage. He clenched his fists, cursing inwardly, "Just you wait, Ethan. I'll kill you for humiliating me like this!" Every word dripped with anger and bitterness, his eyes burning with hatred as he glared at Ethan's retreating figure.

But Corin wasn't the only one furious. The students who had bet their money on him were equally upset, groaning in frustration. They had expected an easy win from the duke's son, and now their coins were slipping away.

Esdeath, on the other hand, smiled triumphantly. Standing up slowly, she extended her hand toward the students who were sulking nearby. "My money," she said, her tone light but commanding.

With reluctant sighs, the students handed her back the five silver coins she had bet, along with the extra winnings—an additional ten silver and sixteen bronze coins. The weight of the coins jingled in her palm, and a satisfied grin stretched across her face.

"Hehehe..."Esdeath chuckled softly, clearly pleased with her victory. Without saying anything more, she turned and left the arena, her footsteps light and confident.

Her destination was clear in her mind—her dorm room, where she planned to change her torn clothes. Her indifferent expression gave nothing away, but inside, her thoughts had already moved on to her next task.

"It's time to kill Eldon Karthanis."