[Location: The Grand Battle Arena]
[Time: 12:30 PM]
[Event: Freshman Orientation]
The 'Arena' was a colossal circular stadium made of white marble, large enough to fit five football fields. Magical barriers shimmered around the stands, protecting the spectators.
Thousands of seniors (2nd and 3rd years) sat in the stands, cheering and placing bets.
"I bet 500 Credits on Class A wiping everyone out in 10 minutes!"
"I bet Class F dies in 30 seconds!"
On the sandy floor of the arena, the 500 new students stood in formation.
They were segregated by class.
Class A (The Elites): 50 students. Wearing shining golden armor, holding glowing staffs and enchanted swords. They looked like gods.
Class B to E: The average students. Nervous but armed.
Class F (The Trash): 100 students. Wearing rags, holding rusty weapons, or unarmed. They stood huddled together, trembling.
And then there was Ryan.
He stood at the front of Class F, holding a can of soda in one hand and his Rusty Crowbar in the other. Behind him stood Grog, the massive Half-Demon, looking like a bodyguard.
An instructor walked onto the floating platform. It was a woman with red hair and a whip on her belt. Instructor Viper.
"Welcome to the Academy," Viper announced, her voice dripping with malice. "Here, we do not care about your feelings. We care about strength."
"The rules of Orientation are simple: Last Class Standing."
She pointed her whip at the students.
"All magic is allowed. All weapons are allowed. Killing is... discouraged, but accidents happen. The medical team is on standby."
"The last 10 students standing will receive 10,000 Academy Credits and access to the 'Mana Library'."
The crowd roared.
The students of Class A drew their weapons. Their leader, Arthur (the guy who got B-Rank earlier), stepped forward. He pointed his sword directly at Class F.
"Listen up!" Arthur shouted. "Class F is an eyesore. Let's clean up the trash first so we don't trip over them."
The Elites laughed.
"Agreed! Wipe them out!"
The students of Class F stepped back in fear. They were already defeated mentally.
"We can't win..."
"They have fireballs! We have sticks!"
Ryan sighed. He crushed his empty soda can.
"Grog," Ryan said calmly.
"Yes, Boss?" Grog grunted, cracking his massive knuckles.
"Do you see that shiny golden boy?" Ryan pointed at Arthur. "He said you look like a cockroach."
Grog's eyes widened.
For Grog, cockroaches were the ultimate terror. Being compared to one was the ultimate insult.
"HE SAID... WHAT?"
"He also said your tusks are small," Ryan added fuel to the fire.
Grog's nostrils flared. Smoke came out of his ears. His muscles swelled, ripping his shirt.
"GROG... SMASH... SHINY MAN!"
"BEGIN!" Instructor Viper shouted.
BOOM!
Chaos erupted.
Fireballs, ice shards, and lightning bolts flew across the arena. Class A launched a massive volley of magic towards Class F.
"Shields!" someone screamed.
But Class F had no shields.
Except for one.
"Grog, Tank Stance!" Ryan commanded.
Grog roared and jumped in front of Ryan. He didn't use magic. He just flexed his muscles.
BOOM! BOOM!
The fireballs hit Grog's skin and... fizzled out.
[System Scan: Half-Demons have 80% Magic Resistance.]
Grog didn't even feel it. He swatted a lightning bolt away like a fly.
"My turn," Ryan grinned.
He didn't run forward. He opened his System Shop.
[Current Balance: 5,000 Points]
"System, give me [Smoke Grenade x5] and [Pepper Spray (Industrial Grade)]."
[Cost: 200 Points]
Ryan pulled the pins on five smoke grenades at once.
"Eat this, Harry Potter!"
He threw them into the center of the Class A formation.
PHSSSHHHH!
Thick, grey, military-grade smoke exploded, covering the Elites.
"I can't see!"
"Cough! Cough! What is this spell? Dark Magic?"
"My eyes! It burns!"
In the chaos, the mages couldn't aim. They started firing wildly, hitting their own teammates.
"Stop! You hit me, you idiot!"
"Who touched my butt?!"
Ryan tapped Grog's leg. "Go bowling."
Grog charged into the smoke. He was a 300-pound wrecking ball.
CRASH! BAM!
Students flew into the air like ragdolls. Grog grabbed two students by their ankles and used them as clubs to hit other students.
Ryan followed behind Grog, strolling casually.
Whenever a student tried to stand up, Ryan would gently tap them on the head with his crowbar.
Bonk.
"Sleep."
Bonk.
"Nap time."
He wasn't killing them. He was knocking them out and looting their pockets.
[Looted: 50 Credits]
[Looted: Health Potion]
[Looted: Gold Ring]
"This isn't a battle," Ryan chuckled. "This is a harvest."
[Fear Points: +50... +50... +50...]
The Elites were terrified. They couldn't see the enemy. They just heard Grog's roaring and the sound of Ryan's crowbar hitting helmets. CLANG.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew the smoke away.
Arthur stood in the center, his golden armor glowing. He had used a Wind Spell to clear the field.
He saw the devastation. Half of Class A was on the ground, groaning. Grog was sitting on a pile of unconscious bodies. Ryan was counting a stack of stolen wallets.
Arthur's face turned purple with rage.
"YOU!" Arthur pointed his sword at Ryan. "You honorless cur! You used poison! You used cheap tricks!"
Ryan pocketed the wallets. "And you used Daddy's money to buy that armor. What's your point?"
"I challenge you!" Arthur roared. "One on one! No demon. No smoke. Just magic!"
The crowd in the stands went silent.
"Arthur is challenging the Trash Recruit?"
"Ryan is dead. Arthur is a Fire Mage!"
Ryan looked at Grog. "Stay, boy."
He walked forward, twirling his rusty crowbar.
"One on one? Sure. But I warn you, I know a forbidden spell."
"Forbidden spell?" Arthur hesitated. He remembered how Ryan destroyed the Crystal. "You... you are bluffing!"
Arthur began to chant. A massive ball of fire formed above his head.
"Incinerate! PYRO BLAST!"
The fireball shot towards Ryan. It was hot enough to melt steel.
Ryan didn't dodge.
He stood still, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the [Desert Eagle] (Wait, didn't it break? No, he bought a new one with his 5000 points earlier. Always have a backup plan).
"My forbidden spell is called..." Ryan aimed. "Gun."
BANG!
The spirit-bullet didn't hit Arthur.
It hit the fireball in mid-air.
BOOM!
The fireball exploded before it reached Ryan. The shockwave blew Arthur backward. He rolled on the sand, his golden armor covered in soot.
Arthur tried to stand up, dizzy. "You... you cheated..."
Ryan walked up to him. He didn't shoot again.
He raised his hand... and SLAPPED Arthur across the face.
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the entire stadium.
[System Notification: Critical Face Slapping!]
[Fear Points: +500]
[Crowd Shock: Max Level.]
Arthur held his cheek, tears forming in his eyes. "My father... hasn't even hit me..."
SLAP!
"That's for calling my class trash."
SLAP!
"That's for the haircut. It looks stupid."
SLAP!
"And this is because I want your sword. Hand it over."
Arthur, mentally broken and terrified of the 'madman' who brought a gun to a magic fight, dropped his sword.
"Take it! Just don't hit me again!"
Ryan picked up the glowing sword.
[Item: Sword of Light (Rank C)]
[Value: 5,000 Credits]
"Pleasure doing business with you," Ryan beamed.
He turned to the rest of the students still standing.
"Anyone else want to duel? Or are we done here?"
The remaining students of Class A dropped their weapons instantly.
"We surrender!"
"Please don't slap me!"
"WINNER: CLASS F!" Instructor Viper announced, her voice shaking slightly.
Ryan raised his crowbar in victory. Grog roared. Class F cheered (mostly because they didn't die).
From the VIP box, Director Malik was laughing so hard he spilled his tea.
"A gun? He used a gun in a magic duel? And slapped the Noble heir?"
Malik wiped a tear from his eye.
"Promote him. Make him the Class Representative."
Ryan walked out of the arena, pockets full of loot, dragging his new sword.
He didn't just win the battle. He broke the Academy's spirit.
[System Notification: Main Quest 'Dominate the Academy' - Step 1 Complete.]
[Reward: Access to 'Shadow Dungeon'.]
[Warning: Your actions have attracted the attention of the Student Council President.]
Ryan checked his System balance.
Fear Points: 8,500.
"System," Ryan thought. "Upgrade everything."