Even though the instructor was a mage, not a warrior, his trained eyes could still follow the exchange that had just happened.
He knew full well that Damien's strike was clean, efficient, and brutally quick—nothing about it hinted at deceit or trickery.
Murmurs began to rise among the other students once more, spreading like wildfire.
"He actually beat Stanley…"
"In one move too…"
"Wasn't Stanley supposed to be the strongest among us?"
"I can't believe this…"
The air buzzed with disbelief and curiosity.
Stanley's thoughts, however, were spinning out of control.
'I lost…? There's no way I lost. This duel should've been an easy victory. He must have cheated… I'm sure of it!'
He could feel his pride cracking apart like glass. The humiliation of being defeated so easily—especially in front of everyone—burned deep in his chest.
His breathing quickened, and his body trembled slightly as anger began to drown his reason.
Suddenly, he shouted, "I can't accept this…!"
