Chapter 25: Another challenge

Utter silence filled the gymnasium when Kevin slammed into the wall and dropped to the ground.No one could have predicted this outcome.

Some thought William might show a glimpse of his old self, and that they would get to see a proper fight.

But what unfolded was nothing short of a one-sided beating. The source of this content ɪs ????????????????????⚫????????????????⚫????????????

Kevin didn’t even get the chance to display his strength.

It felt as if he was up against an instructor instead of a fellow student.

And even then, an instructor would’ve taken at least a few minutes to finish him.

He is the strongest student of the academy, for God’s sake.

But this...

"Kevin!" Laila was the first to react, rushing to his side.

The other two quickly followed.

Kevin was still conscious, but like everyone else, he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Russel, lips slightly parted, turned to William. "What was that? Some kind of pre-arranged trick?"

William narrowed his eyes. "Was it me who chose the arena we fought in?" He could understand if a student had mistaken it for a trick.

But Russel? Someone with her experience couldn’t tell the difference between a trick and a spell?

Russel scratched the back of her head. "I shouldn’t be doubting you when you clearly won, but it’s too hard to believe. Just a few days ago, you couldn’t even lift pebbles from the ground."

William didn’t answer. There was no need to explain himself.

"Can I ask something?" A bespectacled girl stepped forward, her tone serious. "How much can you lift with your telekinesis now?"

William tilted his head. "And why are you curious?"

The girl was a Council member, so her sudden interest in him wasn’t ordinary.

But she had her reasons. "The Council keeps track of strong students to place them into proper teams. You’ve gained strength all of a sudden, and I want to see how far it goes."

William folded his arms. "And how do you plan to measure that?"

"We can later go through assessment or simply just fight right here and right now."

Gasps rippled through the crowd, excitement buzzing in the air.

Council members were on a whole other level compared to the rest of the students, and this girl wasn’t just anyone.

She was the daughter of Ducal House Valebridge.

Gizel Hazal Valebridge.

William tilted his head. "And what do I gain from fighting you? As you just saw, I already earned my seat in the First Class. We’re classmates now."

Gizel was indeed part of the First Class, so to him, fighting another member seemed pointless.

But then she spoke again. "If you defeat me, I’ll give you my seat on the Council."

The words left everyone stunned—students, the instructor, even Emma.

To hold a seat on the Council meant being recognized by the Round Hall itself.

And for her to casually put that seat on the line... It was nothing short of shocking.

William, however, didn’t seem too interested in the Council seat. Instead, he asked, "I want your privilege of custom-made meals. Can you give me that?"

One of the few perks Council members enjoyed was the right to request any kind of meal they wanted, without limit.

Of course, the meals were still monitored to make sure members stayed healthy, but it was a huge advantage to be able to ask the chefs for food tailored to one’s taste.

There were dishes William missed from home, and a few things on the school menu that he found downright irritating.

Many students thought William was a fool for asking for something so small. But Gizel didn’t think so.

She gave a short nod without hesitation. "I understand. I’ll hand my privilege card to you."

William hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to the instructor. "Wait... are we even allowed a second round in this assessment?"

Russel shrugged. "It won’t hurt. Not everyone gets to fight during these assessments anyway. And you’re clearly not tired or injured."

In truth, she wanted to see whether his fight with Kevin had been real or just a stroke of luck.

And she wasn’t the only one—many in the room were curious.

Still, not everyone stuck around to watch. Some students had already started finding their opponents and moved to other parts of the gym to spar.

William and Gizel stepped onto the mat and took their stances.

Russel kept a close eye on them, even while pretending to look around at the others.

Emma, too, was eager to see if Gizel could actually give William a challenge.

The green-haired girl didn’t carry a weapon. Neither did William.

"Start whenever you’re ready," William said, his stance loose and unbothered.

"I’m coming," Gizel replied, and just like Kevin earlier, she dashed forward—her movements silent, graceful, almost catlike.

William lifted his left hand, releasing telekinetic pulses to halt her advance—

—but then, "Huh?" His eyes narrowed as Gizel raised her own hand. A shimmering, glass-like wall formed before her.

Valebridge Gizel’s prized spell—Iron Bulwark.

A barrier capable of blocking anything. Solid against brute force, yet fine enough to deflect even psychic waves.

William’s lips curled into a grin. He leapt back, flipping in the air, landing lightly on the mat as she turned to follow his movement.

This time, his right hand slipped out of his pocket, his body no longer carrying that lazy air.

’Now this... this is getting interesting.’