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Chapter 38 - 37 - Challenge.
Two hours later, in the mansion reserved for the Vaise family members staying in the academy, there was nothing but silence.
The hall was filled with an odd tension that could be felt physically.
Despite meeting after a long time, no one said anything.
Raven sat at the head of the low-sitting table, fingers loosely laced together, his posture relaxed but commanding.
Beside him, Jake lounged like a lion at rest, calm, but with an alert stillness he was famous for.
Clara sat on the other side of Raven, her legs crossed, while her golden eyes glinted with an unknown light.
Across from them sat Jessy and Rufus.
Jessy, composure as ever, wore an expression that gave away nothing.
Her blue-streaked black hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her deep-blue eyes held the calm of winter lakes.
But Raven saw the tiny twitches—the slight, almost imperceptible flicker of her gaze toward him every now and then.
Then there was Rufus.
The guy had started strong, eyes locked with Raven like he had something to prove.
But that didn't last long.
Now, his eyes kept darting to the side, occasionally sneaking peeks at Raven, only to quickly look away, like a cub who had just remembered what the tiger felt like.
'Fuck, I don't want this,' Rufus groaned inwardly.
He wanted to prove himself, to show that he wasn't the same anymore.
He didn't want to remain the guy who was bullied by Raven.
Rufus wanted a comeback.
Unlike before, he wasn't arrogant, nor did he go around hurting others, but he had self-esteem.
He was a child of the Matriarch of the Ros Vaise family.
He didn't want to bring shame to his mother's name.
Unfortunately for him, the one he was up against was the protagonist. No matter what he did, he wouldn't win.
Raven, however, shook his head as he looked at the guy.
'Looks like he's back to how he used to be.'
Then, his eyes turned to the last person in the room—Alex.
He was kneeling on the floor like a punished disciple, arms raised straight into the air, his face contorted into an expression that could only be described as 'spiritual suffering.'
His legs trembled. His shoulders sagged.
But every time he thought about lowering his arms—
Shing!
Clara's eyes gleamed with the faintest threat, like a sword unsheathed without moving.
Alex paled and raised his hands higher with a gulp.
"Why me...?" He whispered miserably.
Raven looked around the room, eyes slowly passing over everyone, letting the silence thicken until it was near unbearable.
Then, he spoke.
"I noticed something," Raven said casually, breaking the silence like a needle to a balloon. "You guys think... I am weak now."
Jake and Clara didn't say anything as they knew those words weren't for them, but Jessy blinked and Rufus looked away instantly.
"Am I wrong?" Raven asked, voice calm, but his gaze was anything but gentle. "You saw my cultivation level. You found I was third plate, which is lower than yours. So naturally, you thought you could take me."
Jessy didn't respond, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
Rufus, on the other hand, opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He closed it again, swallowing hard.
Raven chuckled softly, leaning back.
"I get it," he said. "That's how most of the world works. You see someone's level and judge them based on that. Makes sense. Except... that doesn't work for me."
Jessy frowned. "You're saying the level doesn't matter?"
Raven nodded, eyes sharp. "Exactly. I could beat all of you. Together. Right here, right now."
A stunned silence dropped like a brick in the room as Rufus blinked and Jessy's face twitched, just a little.
Even Clara and Jake had turned their heads at him with a questioning gaze.
Alex also perked up, miserable as he was.
His serious face was oddly at odds with his position on the floor, but his ears stood at attention like a curious dog's.
His mouth open, he slowly turned to stare at Raven as though he'd just declared war on the heavens.
"...Bro, did you eat something weird on your way to the academy?" He asked, forgetting his hands were still raised.
Clara's glare reminded him. "Hands up."
"R-Right!" He yelped, raising them again.
Alex's mind, however, was stuck on his question.
He couldn't help but think that was the case.
After all, Raven wasn't saint enough to forgive someone who tried something against him, and yet, he had spared Scooby, Courage, and Droopy.
Now, he was saying that he could take them all on in a fight.
'He definitely ate something.'
Jessy, staring at Raven for a while, finally spoke, voice calm and slightly amused. "You're saying your battle power is beyond your cultivation realm?"
"I'm saying," Raven replied, "that all of you could fight me together and I'd still win."
There was another silence, longer this time. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Jake let out a low breath as he also spoke. "You... sound confident."
For some reason, he felt surprised, unable to bring himself to believe Raven could do it. He thought Raven was underestimating them.
If Raven had said that he could defeat them in a one-on-one duel, Jake would have nodded, believing it even if it didn't seem possible.
But now, that wasn't the case.
Raven, however, smiled at him. "Have you ever seen me say something wrong?"
"...No."
Jake didn't know anymore.
Jessy glanced at Rufus, who met her eyes, and with a tactical nod, their eyes grew determined.
"Alright then, let's fight," Jessy said, folding her arms. "Tomorrow. After your test."
Rufus nodded as well, his fists clenched.
'If not alone, in a group, it is. But I will defeat you.'
Raven, however, grinned. "Why wait?"
Rufus coughed, his confidence wavering under Raven's casualness. "You're serious?"
"I am serious," Raven replied. "The sooner we do this, the sooner you'll understand."
Alex slowly lowered one hand to scratch his head, caught in the moment's gravity. "Uhh... are we sure about this? Some people haven't given their opinion yet. Like me."
Everyone ignored him, not interested in anything other than getting ready.
After all, Raven was going to fight them.
Everyone wanted to see what would happen and what the result would be, their minds occupied.
Everyone other than Clara, as her eyes remained fixed on Raven, her usual sharpness was replaced with something quieter.
She approached him once the others had stood and moved to leave, stopping just before him, her hands folded behind her back.
"Are you really going through with this?" She asked, her voice low. "You know what tomorrow is, right? The principal's test. That guy will probably try something funny."
Raven glanced at her and smiled lightly.
"No matter what he tries, he can't pick a student who isn't from this academy to fight me. And believe me when I say this, but if it's not you guys, then no one in third year can make me go all out."
Clara blinked.
"...Is that so?" She muttered, her tone shifting.
He could almost feel her pride bristle.
"You sure underestimate us," she said, lifting her chin. "What makes you think we can't make you go all out?"
"I didn't say that," Raven said, raising an eyebrow. "I said no one else besides you guys can."
"Oh?" She feigned offense. "So, if I go full power on you, you won't call it unfair, right?"
"When," Raven asked calmly, leaning slightly forward, "did I say you should hold back?"
Clara stared at him.
Then, to everyone's surprise—especially Alex's, who had just been released from his punishment—she laughed.
Her laughter was quiet, breathy, and amused.
"I'll remember you said that," she said, eyes glinting. "Don't blame me if you crawl into the principal's test half-dead."
Raven chuckled. "If I can't handle you guys, I don't deserve to be the leader."
With that, it was decided—they were going to fight.
No one would hold back, and the result would determine whether Raven would continue as a leader or lose it all.
