Normally, Starlight might not have paid much attention to such a minor incident, but since he had nothing better to do at the moment, he curiously leaned in to investigate.
As it turned out, the situation was more significant than he expected—he discovered that the people involved were all “acquaintances.”
The Fourth Prince, Ivan, and one of his companions were cornered in a narrow alley by a group of people. The ones blocking them were the same spoiled brats from the Crimson City-State whom Starlight had taught a lesson in the library the day before.
At that moment, a tall male student was clutching Ivan’s collar, pinning him ruthlessly against the wall. His face was full of arrogance and disdain, showing no respect for Ivan’s royal status.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re secretly up to, Ivan Leon! Your royal status doesn’t mean a thing here!”
“Let go of me! Does your House of Red only know how to use such underhanded tactics? If you have the guts, face me on the dueling platform!” The slender Ivan shouted, his face flushed red as he gritted his teeth.
However, upon hearing Ivan’s words, the students surrounding him burst into a raucous laughter. Their expressions turned menacing as they replied:
“Hahahaha... You actually want to get on the dueling platform? You don’t really think you’re walking away from this in one piece today, do you?”
“We can’t kill you... but breaking a few of your bones shouldn’t be a problem. After all, no one will ever know what happened here!”
“A freshman prince actually dares to investigate us. You really don’t know your place. Brothers, let’s teach him a lesson!”
Just as they raised their fists, prepared to give Ivan a brutal beating, a cold and firm voice drifted in from behind them.
“Stop right there. If you really keep this up, I can’t guarantee your safety.”
Hearing the sudden voice, the members of the House of Red quickly turned around, only to see Starlight standing at the entrance of the alley.
The leader’s eyes narrowed as he said viciously, “It’s you, that commoner! We haven’t even settled the score for your sneak attack on Russell yesterday, and yet you’ve delivered yourself right to our doorstep.”
Perhaps because they were no longer bound by the library’s rules, or perhaps because they had the advantage in numbers, these people showed no fear upon seeing Starlight. Instead, they looked eager for a fight.
Although they believed they held the winning hand in this situation, they did not underestimate their opponent. One person remained to intimidate Ivan and his companion, while the others summoned their staves, ready to launch an attack on Starlight at any moment.
Seeing their movements, Starlight couldn’t help but sigh. He dropped his relaxed posture and shifted into a slight crouch.
This stance allowed him to exert his body’s maximum explosive power in the shortest amount of time. In fact, it was very similar to a certain opening stance used by warriors.
However, in the eyes of these students who had received traditional mage education, Starlight’s actions appeared bizarre and unusual. They even mistakenly believed that he was just an amateur and that his success in the library had been purely due to a sneak attack.
“Hmph—brothers! Give him a taste of what we can do! Just make sure not to kill him!”
One of them grinned maliciously as the tip of his staff lit up with a fiery red glow. A fireball the size of a washbasin instantly shot out toward Starlight.
Seeing him take action, the others also unleashed the magic they were best at.
Several streaks of light crossed the alley in an instant, causing a violent explosion where Starlight had been standing. The shockwave cracked the walls of the surrounding buildings and shattered glass from doors and windows all over the ground.
It took several seconds for the dust and smoke from the explosion to dissipate. Just as they thought Starlight must be severely injured, they were shocked to find that his figure had vanished from the alley entrance.
“Could it be that he couldn’t dodge in time and was blown to pieces? That shouldn’t be right!”
The group couldn’t help but frown. While their combined magic looked formidable, it certainly wasn’t enough to completely vaporize a person, yet Starlight’s presence had utterly vanished.
Before they could figure out what was happening, a miserable scream rang out from behind them.
By the time they belatedly turned around, one of their companions had been hurled through the air, crashing directly into the others and knocking them to the ground.
Starlight, who had somehow reached Ivan’s side, was dusting off his palms and looking down at them with an indifferent expression. His gaze was like that of a predator staring at its prey, sending chills down their spines.
These young masters, who were used to lives of luxury, had never seen such a display. They hadn’t even realized how Starlight had silently moved behind them, nor how he had so easily tossed their companion aside.
For a moment, they forgot to struggle back to their feet and simply stared blankly in Starlight’s direction.
“So this is all you’re capable of? Good thing I held back just now... Ivan, are you two all right?”
Starlight spoke nonchalantly, shaking his head before turning to ask about Ivan’s condition.
Unexpectedly, this action further enraged the fallen students. For years, they had always been the ones bullying others; they had never suffered such humiliation.
In particular, Starlight’s dismissive expression made it clear he didn’t think much of them at all, which caused their anger to boil over.
Two of them were blinded by this sudden surge of fury. Before they had even steadied themselves, they hastily pointed their staves at Starlight, preparing to cast magic again.
However, before their mana could finish condensing, Starlight, who had anticipated their move, vanished from his spot and reappeared right beside them.
“I believe I already gave you a chance, didn’t I?” Starlight said in a low voice as his fists slammed into the two who were trying to cast.
This time, Starlight did not hold back. Two heavy punches landed squarely on their faces.
The crisp sound of bones breaking echoed through the alley. The two delinquents from the House of Red were sent flying several meters by Starlight’s strikes before crashing heavily to the ground.
How could ordinary mages withstand such heavy physical blows? Under the massive impact to their faces, they were knocked unconscious instantly. Bright red blood gushed from their broken noses, creating a gruesome scene.
Only then did the others, who hadn't had a chance to act, realize that Starlight’s strength was far beyond what they could match.
Not only could he use instant movement so skillfully, but he hadn’t even used magic during the fight! To send people flying with just his fists—was he even a proper mage? What kind of monster had they provoked?
“You... You actually dare to openly injure people in the academy! When the Disciplinary Committee arrives, I’ll make sure they expel you! No... no, they’ll definitely throw you in the dungeon!”
By now, they had completely lost the courage to attack. They could only stumble backward, their voices trembling as they stammered threats involving the Disciplinary Committee.
When Starlight heard their completely unconvincing threats, he couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
He secretly marveled at their way of thinking. In such a critical moment, they were still thinking about how to get back at him. Wouldn’t begging for mercy have been a wiser choice?
“He’s right, Mr. Starlight, you should leave quickly! The commotion from their magic just now will definitely attract the academy’s Disciplinary Committee. They won’t care about your status!”
In contrast, Ivan’s expression changed drastically. He stepped quickly to Starlight’s side and warned him in a low voice.
“Hmm... the Disciplinary Committee, that is a bit of a problem. But didn’t you all say just now that no one would know what happens here? I suppose as long as I don’t use magic, no one should be able to trace this back to me...”
Starlight let out a cold laugh. He cracked his blood-stained knuckles as he slowly walked toward the remaining students.
Over the next few minutes, agonizing screams echoed continuously from the alleyway.
...
Rate on N.U.
