Chapter 273
Ka ka ka (2)
IAM found himself seated in a mini car, the soft hum of its engine filling the silence between them. He was behind the wheel, guiding it down the narrow academy road, while Blaze sat on the bench seat behind him.
The air inside felt heavy.
More than once, IAM had the fleeting urge to crash the car into a nearby wall or building, but he managed to restrain himself. But the closer they got to the combat grounds, the harder it became to ignore that nagging thought.
He kept his eyes forward for a while, watching the staff, students and instructors outside go by.
Then he glanced up at the rear-view mirror. Blaze was sprawled across the bench, sitting in a way where he was taking up enough space for three people, his arms stretched casually along the backrest, a wide grin plastered across his face.
IAM exhaled quietly, forcing himself to focus back on the road before speaking. His tone was calm, though there was an edge of irritation hiding beneath it. "Are you going to explain to me what exactly you want?"
He already had an inkling—but he wanted to hear Blaze say it.
Blaze perked up slightly, scratching at his spiky red hair with a crooked grin tugging at his mouth. "Why? Ka ka ka… it's actually a pretty funny situation, you know."
IAM said nothing, keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead.
"I was actually tending to my wounds and pride after losing to a bunch of first years," Blaze continued, leaning back lazily as though recounting a story. "Feeling a bit pissed off, I'll admit. When suddenly—" He lifted a finger for emphasis, his grin widening.
"A certain person called me over to his office. I was a bit surprised, wondering what my old instructor could possibly want with me…"
His voice trailed off into silence, the air grew heavier for a few seconds.
Then, with a short snort, he added, "After all… I wasn't exactly Kevin's favourite student."
At the mention of Kevin, IAM kissed his teeth internally...Kevin. That nosy—
Blaze licked his lips, his eyes narrowed with interest. "Curious. I naturally obliged… and I heard quite an interesting story. I'm sure you've heard of it, IAM." He shot a meaningful look in his direction.
IAM's face went dark the instant the implication landed. Of course he knew— but why did everything always have to bite him in the ass?
Blaze's voice dropped,"Apparently that I, in retaliation to you hitting me with a car, beat you up and threatened you," he said, as if he were reciting some petty rumor. "Saying that if you dared to use his Avien in at least another two months, I would… do very unpleasant things to you."
For a few seconds Blaze said nothing, letting the words hang between them. Then, without warning, a wide smile cracked his face. The grin warped his features, making him look almost feral; his fang-like teeth.
A low, rolling chuckle escaped him—
"Ke… ke… ke… ke… ke…" he hissed, the sound vibrating in his chest, equal parts playful and menacing.
Through his laughter, Blaze managed to say between breaths, "And like any normal person, I was quite surprised to hear such a thing. After all… it never happened, right?"
His grin lingered, expecting some kind of reaction, but IAM gave him nothing. His face stayed unreadable, eyes fixed ahead as if Blaze wasn't even there.
The lack of response seemed to drain the amusement out of Blaze's expression little by little.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, Blaze noticed something off. The mini car began drifting off the road, the front tilting subtly toward a nearby building.
Blaze's grin vanished. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice suddenly edged with alarm.
"Oh, nothing," IAM replied evenly, "I got distracted for a second."
He steered the car smoothly back onto the road. Blaze watched him for a moment longer, but IAM didn't look back.
There was a few seconds of awkward silence, before Blaze finally exhaled. "He asked me if this was true, you know…", Then, with a sly grin creeping back onto his face, he added, "Do you know what I said?"
IAM glanced up at the rear-view mirror, meeting Blaze's reflection with a calm, unimpressed look. "I'm guessing you said it was."
Blaze raised both eyebrows. "Oh? And what makes you think so?"
"Because Kevin hasn't been on my ass about it for a while," IAM replied dryly. "I wasn't sure why, and I thought he just decided it was none of his business… but it turns out—"
"Exactly!" Blaze interrupted, snapping his fingers with a grin that bordered on manic. "And I did it because it made it all the more interesting! I took my time mulling it over in my head and now…" He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleamed with anticipation. "It's time for me to prove my suspicions!"
IAM blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. A faint, resigned sigh escaped him as a single thought crossed his mind.
Wasn't it supposed to be that when someone gets isekai'd into another world, everyone else is supposed to be significantly dumber than the main character?
Right now, it felt like everyone had a brain and he had to admit that it was slightly annoying.
They arrived near the combat grounds, the vast structure looming ahead like a fortress of glass and steel. IAM parked the mini car in one of the designated spaces, the soft whir of the engine dying out as silence settled between them once again.
Before he could even reach for the door, Blaze lunged his arm around him with a sudden burst of energy, half pulling, half dragging him toward the colossal building.
IAM sighed inwardly but followed, matching Blaze's pace as they stepped through the wide entrance and into the maze-like corridors inside. Their footsteps echoed faintly off the floors, the distant clang of metal and muted shouts from nearby rooms could be heard through the hall.
Blaze seemed to know exactly where he was going, turning corners without hesitation until they finally stopped in front of a door at the end of a long hallway.
Without a word, Blaze pushed it open, and they entered.
The room was brightly lit, its white walls gleaming under the overhead lights.The ceiling stretched high above them, lined with recessed lights and reinforced panels built to absorb impact.
A mirrored wall stretched along the far side, offering a clear reflection of the room's expanse.
In one corner, a sleek terminal was built into the wall, likely for reviewing recorded combat sessions or launching training simulations.
The room was quiet, save for the faint, rhythmic thuds of activity echoing from other chambers in the building. IAM took in the space with a slow glance. It was larger—much larger—than the one he had used with Henry. The sheer openness of it made the air feel empty.
This room was empty, stripped of all equipment and distractions. It was obvious this space was used purely for sparring.
IAM stood facing the door, still half lost in thought, when Blaze's voice broke the silence."System, this is Blaze. Lock the doors for an hour."
A soft electronic chime followed by a faint click confirmed the command. The sound was enough to make IAM grimace.
He turned slightly. "A perk of being part of the Student Council, huh?"
Blaze didn't respond. He was already turning away as he reached up and slipped his blazer off his shoulders.
The fabric fell away, revealing a back that looked sculpted for conflict—each muscle defined, taut, and coiled like steel under tension. IAM had seen it before and knew exactly what lay beneath that uniform; Blaze's frame was a map of strength, cut down to his core. An eight-pack that seemed to flex with every breath.
Thick veins ran across his arms and down his torso, pulsing faintly as if channeling the restrained power within him. It wasn't just his strength—it was his presence.
His very stance radiated a quiet, dangerous intensity, the kind that warned anyone with sense to stay cautious.
From the base of his neck downward, Blaze's skin was covered in black ink—dense, intricate patterns that wove together in both chaos and symmetry. Some spiraled like vines, others locked into sharp, geometric designs, all blending into a wild image.
IAM knew what was on his chest—two immense bull horns inked across his pecs, rising upward and curling over his shoulders like a crown of violence. The tips disappeared behind him, merging seamlessly into the rest of the design. From where IAM stood, he could now see the continuation—those same horns transforming into the edges of a menacing mask that dominated Blaze's back.
The face of the mask seemed alive, its inked horns flaring out across his shoulders as the hollow eyes stared.
Blaze's voice cut the air like a challenge. "I don't care about what you have to say about the rules. All I know is that I'm going to attack without holding anything back, so if you don't want to get hurt, I hope you at least fight back."
Then, with a feral whoop, he spun on his heel and launched himself at IAM. He shouted, "After all, it would be pretty boring otherwise!!!"—the words lost to the sudden whoosh of his motion.
For a heartbeat everything was still: Blaze's form arcing through the air, his muscles tensed, the tattoos on his back stretched like living things. Then his eyes snagged on something in IAM's hand. Time narrowed; the world tightened to a single point of focus.
IAM didn't hesitate. He steadied his hand on KASSARA, his fingers tightening around the grip, and without a moment's hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The sound ripped through the empty room.