The arena buzzed with murmurs, and my gaze remained focused on Jack. Despite his higher potential rank, I couldn''t underestimate him.


    Jack with a hockey smirk stair toward me and said


    "You got lucky, my dear cousin."


    "…hm?"


    "With a puny talent like yours, you managed to enrol at the Nova Academy while I had to settle for the second-best option. How is it that someone of your calibre can enter the academy and I can''t?"


    …without saying a word, I looked at him straight into the eyes.


    Although his words had some truth to them, right now he was merely trying to shake my mentality.


    This was amon practice used when opponents faced each other in duels.


    Regardless of who your opponent was, a keyponent in increasing your chances of winning was to get into your opponent''s head.


    If you managed to enter their heads, the chances of you losing drastically reduced.


    A person''s mentality was one of the most important things fighters needed to take into consideration before fighting.


    A person with a weak mentality would find it much harder to winpared to someone who remained rational throughout the whole fight.


    —Counting down! Three!


    The arena fell silent as the countdown began. Each second felt like an eternity, the tension thick in the air. My focus remained unwavering, shutting out Jack''s taunts. I steadied my stance, ready for the sh that would determine the future of the Sunless Guild.


    —Two!


    Jack''s smirk widened, believing he had sessfully nted doubt. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the inevitable sh of power and skill. My father and mother observed with concern, their expressions reflecting a mix of hope and worry.


    —One!


    The moment arrived, and the arena erupted with energy. Jack surged forward, aiming to overwhelm me with speed and aggression. I countered his initial strikes with precise movements, blocking and evading with calcted efficiency.


    -nk!, -nk!, -nk!


    The sh of our des echoed through the arena, each strike resonating with the stakes at hand. Jack''s attacks were fierce, his determination to prove his superiority evident in every movement. However, I remainedposed, utilizing my training and newfound abilities to hold my ground.


    Despite Jack''s attempts to provoke me with words, I refused to let my focus waver. The mental battle within the duel was as crucial as the physical one. I drew strength from the support of my family and the guild members who believed in my potential.


    As the duel progressed, a shift urred. The initial confidence in Jack''s eyes began to waver. His grip on his sword lightened a little and I noticed that.


    Now I have an opening! I''m not going to let this chance go


    Capitalizing on the opening, without skipping a beat, using the scabbard of the sword I hit him in the face and the sound of something breaking resounded across the arena.


    -Kacha!


    "Kush!"


    Taking ten steps back, Jack opened his eyes wide open as his hands held onto his nose.


    -Drip! -Drip!


    Soon red droplets fell onto the pavement of the arena. Taking a moment to process what had happened, Jack looked at the ground for a moment before screaming with bloodshot eyes.


    "H-how dare you!"


    -Vuam!


    Soon, a thick pressure started emanating from his body, surrounding the whole arena.


    Noticing the changes happening around me, I rubbed my chin and stared at Jack. The red hue surrounding his body had be thicker and stronger than before.


    He was finally starting to take me seriously.


    Licking my lips lightly, raising my hand I provocatively beckoned at him


    "Come"


    Jack, seething with anger, charged forward with renewed intensity. The arena buzzed with anticipation as our sh resumed. The sound of des meeting filled the air, echoing the heightened stakes of the duel.


    I focused on reading Jack''s movements, each strike bing more calcted and precise. The taunts had faded, reced by a determination to prove himself. The pressure in the arena intensified as the audience witnessed the escting exchange of blows.


    Despite the initial setback, Jack''s resilience showed. His attacks were swift and well-coordinated, forcing me to adapt and respond strategically.


    -nk! -nk!


    As Jack hacked with more power and at greater speeds, I continuously matched his tempo and redirected the rings around me ordingly.


    Soon however his speed started to decrease, his stamina running out already. Since the start of the duel, Jack has used big moves and powerful movements that require arge amount of mana consumption while I didn''t use any of mana!


    Yes from the start of this duel, I only used my physical strength against Jack! Why I''m not using my mana or any sword art?


    Well because I wanted to see how far I could go alone through my physical ability, and after the match with Jack I can say I''m satisfied with my physical power.


    "Huff...Huff...I can''t lose here." Jack muttered to himself and nced toward the audience stands, where his father watching with anger on his face.


    ''He will not forgive me if I lose.'' Jack can''t give up this fight yet.


    Tensing his calves, Jack propelled his body forward.


    -Boom!


    Creating two small craters on the ground beneath his feet, the sound of an explosion resounded throughout the arena as Jack disappeared from where he was standing.


    In an instant, he appeared before Lucas. In an instant, Jack raised his sword and aimed toward Lucas''s heart! Yes, he was aiming to kill him!


    If Lucas does here all of his future problems will disappear instantly.


    "Die!"


    Shouting Jack swings his sword at Lucas, Jack is going to win this match or is it?


    I already predicted all of this when Jack nced at Jim, he was a fool to think I would not know what he was thinking.


    If a normal academy cadet face Jack then he would die surely but who says I''m a normal one?


    Since going to Nova Academy, I fought against a stronger opponent than Jack and even managed to kill them.


    Sidestepping, and avoiding his sword instantly before it reaches me, I briefly made eye contact with Jack.


    Smiling, coating my fist with mana, I threw an uppercut towards Jack who was still in the air.


    -Baaaam!


    "Kuuuuuaaaaah!!"


    Although he tried to avoid my fist, in the end, because he was moving too fast, it still connected. As my fist hit his stomach, arge shockwave swept the arena.


    -Boom!


    -Thud!


    The shockwave echoed through the arena as Jack''s body was sent flying backwards, crashing into the edge of the arena. The audience watched in stunned silence as the dust settled, revealing Jack struggling to get back on his feet.


    The realization dawned on everyone present – the duel had reached its conclusion. Jack, despite his higher potential rank, had underestimated Lucas''s strength and determination.


    As Jack tried to stand, his father, Jim, watched with a mix of shock and anger. The Sunless Guild members, who were initially divided in their expectations, now witnessed the undeniable prowess of their guildmate.


    "What a great match!"


    "As expected from Guildmastr son!"


    "We have a great future ahead!"


    "I enjoy this match!"


    "Can''t believe he is still the same kid who used to cause trouble for everyone, hahaha!"


    I stood in the centre of the arena, my gaze steady and unwavering. The crowd erupted into a mix of cheers and gasps, acknowledging the unexpected turn of events.


    "Dad, we did it," I called out to my father, who was now approaching with a mixture of relief and pride in his eyes.


    "You did well, Lucas," he replied, a smile breaking across his face. My mother joined us with Lily in her hand, her worry transforming into a proud expression.


    The guild members, sensing the shift in leadership dynamics, began to cheer in unison. The atmosphere changed from tension to celebration as the Sunless Guild embraced the victory.


    Jim, however, could only watch with frustration as his n crumbled before him. Jack, now on his knees, looked defeated, his arrogance reced by a humbled expression.


    With a determined stride, I approached Jack and extended a hand to help him up. Despite the intensity of our duelharbouredored no ill will.


    "Good fight, Jack. We both gave it our all," I said, acknowledging the effort he had put into the duel.


    Jack, still catching his breath, hesitated before epting the gesture. The arena was filled with the cheers of the guild members, celebrating the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new era.


    The Sunless Guild had faced a challenge, and together, we emerged stronger. As the cheers echoed in the arena, I couldn''t help but feel a sensefulfilmentment, knowing that the future of the guild was now in capable hands.


    The duel had not only proven my strength but also solidified the unity of the Sunless Guild. The legacy of the Darkhert family continued, not through force or maniption, but through resilience, camaraderie, and the unwavering spirit of its memberThusthus, the Sunless Guild entered a new phase, with a victorious Lucas Darkhert leading the way.