A flicker of surprise finally crossed the youth's eyes.
He hadn't held back just now, yet Ray had stood up almost instantly. More than that, when his elbow had struck Ray's back, he had felt a strange rebound force, one not inferior to his own.
He leapt, twisted midair, and unleashed a spinning kick. The movements flowed seamlessly together. Not only did he evade Ray's charge, he stepped on Ray's back and kicked him away, sending him crashing hard onto the floor.
The wooden planks splintered under the impact. Ray's clothes tore as he skidded across the ground.
The youth landed lightly.
By cruel coincidence, his foot came down on the flower embroidery on Ray's blanket.
That was the last straw.
"You city people are all rotten!" Ray bellowed, grief and fury tearing from his chest.
A white soul ring rose from beneath his feet, glowing brightly. Slender vines of Silverfalls Vine burst forth in an instant, spreading across the room like living whips.
Ray's first soul skill activated.
Ten-Year Soul Skill of Silverfalls Vine: Bind!
The dormitory was filled with vines in the blink of an eye. Even with his agility, the youth couldn't evade them all in such a confined space.
His reaction was swift. Golden light flared around his right hand as a yellow soul ring rose beneath his feet. A sharp flash cut through the air as a golden dagger slashed at the incoming vines.
The strikes were precise, aimed to sever every strand.
But the Silverfalls Vine did not snap as expected.
The youth's heart sank.
If he had retreated immediately, he could have escaped the room. Instead, the moment's delay proved fatal. More vines surged forward, wrapping tightly around his limbs.
His soul ring blazed brighter. The dagger hummed as a faint dragon's roar echoed, and he struggled with all his might to break free.
Then a fist appeared before his eyes.
Bang!
The icily arrogant youth was blasted backward the instant Ray's fist landed.
At the moment of impact, Ray released the Bind from his Silverfalls Vine. With nothing holding him back, the youth shot out of the dormitory like a fired shell. A deafening boom echoed through the corridor as his body slammed into the hallway wall.
He wasn't just knocked back.
He was embedded.
Against Ray's terrifying strength, there had been no room for resistance at all.
That youth was an Agility System Battle Soul Master, someone who excelled in speed and burst attacks.
But agility came at a cost. Their defensive power was notoriously weak.
Once struck, especially by someone whose raw strength surpassed even that of a Power System Soul Master, the result was decisive.
The moment he hit the wall, the arrogant youth lost consciousness.
Ray stood amid the wreckage of the dormitory, breathing heavily. Splintered wood, shattered glass, and scattered belongings surrounded him.
Lucius had retreated to the corner of his bed, hugging his knees as he stared at Ray with wide, frightened eyes. His mind was blank.
'This… is he even human?'
'Even that guy was sent flying…'
Ray crouched down and carefully picked up his blanket. He brushed away the dust bit by bit, then held it tightly in his arms. Thankfully, it wasn't torn. Only dirty.
"What's going on here?"
A stern voice rang out from the hallway.
Ten minutes later.
West Ocean Academy's intermediate teaching building.
"So, to summarize," Aaron said coldly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the four boys before him, "this entire incident started because of a blanket?"
His brows were tightly furrowed, his expression heavy as stone.
Miel.
Lucius.
Ray.
And the icily arrogant youth.
They stood in a line.
The arrogant youth's eyes glinted with cold light, occasionally flicking toward Ray. His cheeks were visibly swollen. If he hadn't twisted his head at the last moment, he likely would have lost teeth from that punch.
Miel looked miserable. Bruises covered his body, purple and blue overlapping one another. More telling than the injuries was the fear in his eyes. He avoided even looking at Ray.
Lucius had explained everything from beginning to end without embellishment. After hearing the account, Aaron understood the situation clearly.
Ray stood quietly, his head lowered, fingers gripping the blanket. His gaze was fixed on the small embroidered flower. Stubbornness filled his large, clear eyes.
"Miel," Aaron said icily, "with your martial soul, you should have been assigned to Class Three. Unfortunately, your soul power was too low. Now it seems your character is even worse."
He snorted. "Being beaten was well deserved. From today onward, you will remain in Class Five permanently."
Miel clenched his jaw, wanting to argue. But under Aaron's piercing stare, he swallowed his words.
"You two as well," Aaron continued, turning to Lucius and the arrogant youth. "Fighting the moment you enter the academy. Class Five, both of you. Getting beaten serves you right, too."
The arrogant youth didn't seem to hear him. His eyes never left Ray.
Lucius panicked. "Director, I didn't fight at all! I only watched. I never made a move!"
Aaron replied coldly, "All of you live in the same dormitory. When you see fighting and do nothing to stop it, you call that righteousness? Being so calculating at such a young age… how could you grow up well? Anything else to say?"
Lucius fell silent.
"And you," Aaron said, turning to Ray.
Ray stiffened.
"You're impressive," Aaron said flatly. "One against two. You won."
Ray's heart tightened.
"This matter wasn't your fault. You were provoked. Courage is not a bad thing, so I won't punish you." He paused. "However, your martial soul is Silverfalls Vine. You'll remain in Class Five."
Ray raised his head in shock.
He had expected the harshest punishment. After all, Miel was covered in bruises, and the other boy's face looked like a swollen bun. Yet… no punishment?
"Thank you for being fair," Ray said hurriedly.
Aaron replied indifferently, "That said, damages must still be compensated. I'll calculate the costs for the window, the bed, and the wall. You'll pay for them."
"Ah?" Ray froze.
Pay?
He only had three thousand Federal Coins. That was meant to last him the entire semester.
"Leave," Aaron said. "If you want to fight again, you may. But next time, it goes on your record. Your battle record and your aptitude evaluation for becoming a Mecha Master will affect whether you can enter an advanced academy in the future."
His gaze sharpened. "If you truly want to fight, don't let the academy find out. Otherwise, the punishment will be severe."
Even after leaving the office, Aaron's stern voice seemed to echo in their ears.
Yet Ray felt lighter.
The academy had handled the matter fairly. They hadn't taken sides just because his martial soul was weak.
Outside the teaching building.
Aaron narrowed his eyes at the secretary beside him. "Bring me Ray's profile."
The secretary was startled. "Director, isn't his martial soul just Silverfalls Vine?"
The severity on Aaron's face faded, replaced by a faint smile. "Silverfalls Vine? I don't think it's that simple."
"He beat two people alone on his first day. One of them is from the House Phoenix. Do you think an ordinary Silverfalls Vine could do that?"