Chapter 174: The Assault

Kael woke up the next morning with Lilith still wrapped in his embrace.

She didn’t seem like she had any intention of leaving anytime soon.

Kael looked down at her sleeping face and smiled. He leaned over and gently pecked her on the cheek before carefully slipping out of bed.

He had a mission to fulfill.

And, more importantly, a bad reputation to uphold.

After washing up, Kael put on his academy uniform and fastened the Disciplinary Committee emblem onto his shoulder. Once he was dressed, he stepped out of his room with a satisfied expression on his face.

After everything that had happened the previous night, he was in a particularly good mood.

The moment he stepped outside, however, he nearly walked straight into Auriella.

She looked surprised to see him already awake.

"You’re up early. What is the occasion?" Auriella asked.

Kael simply smirked.

"What do you think? You said it yourself yesterday that I wake up early to assault my fellow students."

Auriella’s expression froze.

She immediately scoffed.

"I never said that you attacked me. I simply allowed people to make that assumption. I didn’t want tardiness on my record."

"I see."

Kael nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, although I do plan on ambushing someone this morning, it isn’t you, thankfully. But since you know that you were in the wrong, you owe me one."

Auriella shook her head.

"I don’t remember doing you a favor. And considering your reputation, yesterday’s incident shouldn’t be surprising. It’s more of a norm in your case."

Kael was stunned.

"What?"

He stared at her, genuinely surprised that Auriella could be this shameless.

"So you’re telling me the Voss family can’t keep their word?"

Kael tried to provoke a reaction, but Auriella simply maintained her usual poker face.

Then she turned toward him.

"Alright. I’ll humor you this once. What do you want?"

"You know about the Mission Center that we first-years have been granted access to?"

"Yes, I know about it."

Auriella narrowed her eyes.

"Do you want to form a party with me?"

Kael could already sense her preparing to reject him.

"Yes, but it’s a one-time thing. Both Charlotte and I want to raid a B-rank dungeon, and we need more members besides the two of us. You can also use the opportunity to observe me before we eventually face each other. It could help you prepare better."

"Hmm."

Auriella considered his words.

"At the same time, it would also allow you to observe me."

Kael shrugged.

"Well, I don’t really need to observe you. I’m stronger."

"Says the person who instantly copies any technique he sees."

Auriella scoffed.

Kael sighed.

He understood what she meant.

His ability to instantly copy his opponent’s techniques was already a cheat in its own right.

"I see."

Kael turned around, preparing to leave.

"I will join."

Kael immediately stopped.

He turned back toward her, his expression lighting up.

"Seriously?"

Auriella immediately regretted her decision.

"Yes. I have already agreed. If you disturb me any more, I will change my mind."

Kael quickly shook his head.

"Understood."

He let Auriella pass before heading toward the first-year dormitory.

It was still barely daybreak. Even the most punctual students shouldn’t have been awake yet.

But Kael’s target, although punctual, wasn’t exactly the type to wake up this early.

Kael entered the dormitory and made his way toward the section where the Top 50 students, or members of Class A, normally stayed.

Once he reached the corridor, he slowed down.

He passed room after room without entering any of them.

Instead, he simply sensed the mana signatures inside.

He already knew Felix’s mana signature.

After all, Felix had fought against Kael during the tournament.

And, obviously, he had lost.

Kael continued down the corridor until he suddenly stopped in front of one particular door.

A crazed smile appeared on his face.

"Bingo."

Kael sat down in front of the door and began circulating his mana, patiently waiting for Felix to step outside.

He didn’t have to wait alone for long.

Someone approached him.

Kael opened his eyes and looked up.

Verdia stood before him.

"Kael? So it really is you. What are you doing all the way here, and how are you awake at this time?"

She asked both questions in quick succession.

"What do you mean, how am I awake at this time? I can wake up early if I want to."

Kael paused.

"And as for why I’m here..."

A smile appeared on his face.

"It’s to assault someone."

Verdia stared at him.

Kael continued.

"But why are you awake this early? You just came back to the academy. You should properly rest, or you might burn yourself out before the semester ends."

Verdia didn’t seem to hear the first part of his statement.

Instead, her expression became concerned.

"What do you mean by ’I want to assault someone’?"

Kael looked up at her as if she had asked the most obvious question in the world.

"What else do you think I mean? I’m waiting for my target to step out of his room so I can attack him."

Verdia’s expression changed.

"Is this some kind of mob boss thing, or are the rumors about you ambushing students actually true?"

Kael looked at her.

"So you actually believed in my innocence?"

He smiled.

"Well, I did."

Verdia hesitated.

"But not so much now, given the circumstances."

"Well, in that case, let me explain."

Kael pointed toward the door behind him.

"Felix claimed that he witnessed me assault Auriella yesterday. So I want to upgrade his experience. Instead of simply witnessing the event, he’ll get to feel it for himself. That way, he won’t be branded a liar."

Verdia’s face twitched.

"But if you assault him now, it will only make your reputation worse."

"Well, my reputation doesn’t have much going for it anyway."

Verdia thought about it for a moment.

Then she nodded.

"That’s true."

Kael’s smile disappeared.

So even Verdia thinks my reputation is in shambles.

He silently sighed.

"So why are you up this early?"

"I got recruited into the Student Council, so I have things to do in their office. Unlike a certain someone."

"I see."

Kael nodded.

"So that’s also why Auriella was awake this early."

A flash of panic appeared on Verdia’s face.

"Wait."

She looked toward the hallway.

"If Auriella is already there, it means I’m late!"

Before Kael could respond, Verdia kicked him in the calf.

"Ow!"

Kael whined.

"This is your fault!"

Verdia immediately left.

Kael shook his head at her antics before returning his attention to the door.

He continued circulating his mana.

Time passed.

Eventually, the sun began to rise, and students started leaving their dorm rooms to head to class.

Most of them noticed Kael sitting in front of one particular room.

And the moment they did, fear appeared on their faces.

"What the hell is Kael doing here?"

"Do you think he actually wants to assault someone?"

"Is that Felix’s room?"

The whispers spread quickly.

Then the doorknob behind Kael began to turn.

A wide smile appeared on Kael’s face.

He stood up.

Several students watching from nearby immediately shuddered.

The door opened.

Felix stepped out.

Kael smiled.

"Good morning, Felix."

"Good morning."

Felix replied instinctively.

Then he froze.

"What are you doing here, Kael?"

"What do you think? You witnessed me assault a student yesterday."

Felix immediately took a step backward.

But Kael didn’t give him the chance to say anything else.

"I challenge you to a duel."

Kael suddenly dashed forward.

His fist slammed directly into Felix’s face.

BAM!

Before Felix could recover, Kael closed the distance and struck him with a left hook that rattled his brain.

Kael immediately followed with a right hook.

Felix managed to dodge on instinct.

However, the force behind Kael’s punch still smashed into the wall behind him.

BOOM!

Cracks spread across the wall.

Felix collapsed onto the ground, stunned.

Kael chuckled dryly.

"The audacity to dodge my strike."

He stretched his smile as his crimson eyes locked onto Felix.

"You must be feeling really prideful nowadays."

Felix was terrified.

"I-I’m sorry, Kael! I promise I’ll tell the whole school the truth!"

"Come on. Don’t grovel now."

Kael walked toward him.

"People have already witnessed me assaulting you. If you go out there and tell them you were forced to do it, they’ll just say you were coerced into changing your story."

Felix’s face paled.

Kael cracked his knuckles.

"So just be my punching bag for the next few minutes. That’s enough punishment for now."

Kael punched Felix again.

A single thought flashed through Felix’s mind.

What the hell does he mean by ’for now’?

Before he could process it, another blow connected a little too cleanly with his jaw.

Felix’s eyes rolled backward.

He returned to dreamland.

Kael stared down at him.

For a moment, he was tempted to grab a bucket of water, wake Felix up, and continue the beating.

But he decided against it.

For now.

Charlotte had just finished getting ready when she stepped out of her room.

She immediately noticed that most of the Class A students had gathered around one particular room.

She frowned.

"What’s going on?"

"I can’t believe he actually assaulted someone in the morning."

Charlotte froze.

She immediately recognized the voice.

And, more importantly, she knew exactly who they were talking about.

She slowly closed her eyes.

"Kael..."

She sighed.

"What have you done now?"