CHAPTER 124: RIVEN’S VICTORY AND ALEX’S QUIET MORNING

A moment of silence.

Then—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Space slashes spiraled out of control, carving deep gashes into the arena floor and slicing the barrier into shards.

They flew outward—

—until they were stopped midair, frozen by a dozen teachers.

The Principal stood at the front, eyes narrowed, space stabilized under his will.

Kaelan lay bloodied and unconscious, already being pulled out of the battlefield by a teacher.

The stadium fell silent—

Then erupted.

"RIVEN!!! RIVEN!!! SPACE DEVIL!!!"

Riven stood up and looked around at the chanting crowd, a smile spreading across his face as he opened his arms—soaking in the moment.

The umpire’s voice echoed across the entire arena, confirming the outcome:

"WINNER: VEYLOR CLUB!"

A thunderous roar erupted. The Veylor Club supporters rose to their feet, starting a chant that shook the arena:

"VEYLOR CLUB! VEYLOR CLUB!"

From the edge of the arena, Lyra stepped forward, eyes filled with concern as she approached the shirtless Riven. But aside from a few bruises, his refined, lean physique was mostly unharmed.

She blushed as her gaze traced the toned lines of his body—each scar, each muscle telling a story of battle. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away toward the crowd.

Victory chants still echoed around them, and Riven’s name was being hailed again and again.

A small, proud smile tugged at Lyra’s lips—not just for Riven, but for herself as well.

Aslan approached from behind and leaned in slightly.

"You did great out there, Ms. Duskthorn," he whispered.

Lyra smiled and nodded, replying,

"But Riven was the one who gave us the win. For a moment... I thought we were going to lose."

Aslan chuckled softly, eyes still watching the crowd.

"Yes... Sir Riven truly outperformed himself. I still can’t seem to gauge the depths of his strength."

Lyra just smiled faintly and stepped forward, leaving the stadium with quiet steps—hiding her face behind her hair as the embarrassing memory replayed in her mind.

Riven lingered a moment longer, soaking in the euphoria of victory. Then he stepped down from the platform.

As he descended, he caught the gazes of the teachers—all fixed on him, all unblinking.

From the group, an old man stepped forward—poised and composed. He wore a neatly pressed suit, his slicked-back white hair and well-groomed beard giving him a regal, almost timeless presence. His eyes were sharp behind his glasses, and his voice was deep and commanding.

"Hello, Mr. Veylor."

Riven turned his head with a polite smile, responding in a neutral tone:

"Hello, Principal. How are you feeling today?"

The old man offered a warm, grandfatherly smile.

"I’m feeling fine today. But let’s talk about you."

Riven smirked, tilting his head.

"You look quite healthy for an elderly man."

The principal chuckled, unfazed by the jab. His eyes then slid toward Riven’s bare torso.

"I see you’ve worked hard to build such a refined and manly body."

Then he looked toward the stands, where a group of girls was still cheering Riven’s name with dreamy eyes.

"They certainly enjoy the... exposition. But—"

His tone changed. The warmth drained away, replaced by iron.

He stepped forward, his gaze locking with Riven’s.

"You are not permitted to use lethal attacks. Doing so not only endangers your opponents—but also the spectators. If you act with such recklessness again..."

He stopped inches away. Suddenly, an invisible pressure surged out from him.

Riven’s knees buckled slightly under the weight of it—his breath caught in his chest.

"...we will have to take action."

And just as suddenly, the pressure vanished.

The principal turned away with a grandfatherly smile again, his steps light and unhurried—as if the previous moment never happened.

Riven let out a deep breath, as though a crushing boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.

Was that... the power of the Tenth Circle? The Realm of the Sage?

His mind swirled with questions.

Outside, as the stadium faded behind him, he looked up at the sky and muttered:

"How far away am I?"

He turned and walked toward his dorm. The path was quiet. His heartbeat was finally slowing.

Then—he opened the door and stepped inside.

[DING]

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[SPACE SLASH HAS EVOLVED INTO → GALAXY SWORD SLASH]

The system notification flickered across his vision in bright blue letters.

Riven chuckled, staring at the glowing text.

"Trying to butter me up so I forget about Lyra?" he said mockingly.

No response came.

He scoffed lightly and shook his head, the corners of his mouth still curled in a faint smile.

"Victory really does taste sweeter..." he murmured. "But it still feels incomplete without someone to share it with."

The next day...

As the morning sun’s rays filtered through the transparent window glass, they gently touched the bed where Alex and Hati lay sleeping.

Alex’s eyes fluttered open, revealing those deep, dark purple irises. He turned his gaze toward the window, watching how the sunlight crossed the glass and painted golden lines on the stone floor—illuminating the cold, grey stone with a soft, amber glow.

He sat up slowly and walked to the washroom, splashing water on his face.

After drying off, he ruffled Hati’s fur to wake him. The wolf stirred, yawned, and stretched.

Together, they made their way to the cafeteria.

As Alex stepped inside, warm air and the aroma of freshly cooked food wrapped around him. The sounds of clattering crockery, laughter, and students moving about filled his ears.

He approached the counter, where the cheerful cafeteria aunty greeted him with a bright smile.

"Good morning, kid!"

Alex returned the smile, replying:

"Good morning, Aunty Chef."

She nodded and said warmly,

"Wait here—I’ll bring your usual."

A moment later, she handed him a tray filled with a chicken sandwich, steak, and a mug of steaming coffee. Balancing it carefully, Alex moved to a quiet corner of the cafeteria.

He sat down and placed the tray on the table. Hati hopped up beside him and sat upright, eating the steak with perfect manners—elegant for a creature of his kind.

Alex took a sip of his coffee, the warmth settling into him. He bit into the sandwich and chewed slowly, letting the flavors ground him in the moment.

Then, as he looked around, his eyes caught Rina and Selene making their way toward his table. The chatter in the cafeteria softened—every eye seemed glued to the two girls.

Alex exhaled quietly.

He took another slow sip of coffee and bit into the sandwich again, his gaze falling onto the reflection of his hazy face in the steel surface of the table.

He didn’t look up.

Clank! Clank!

Two trays landed on the table. Alex didn’t raise his head. He took another slow sip of coffee, letting it wash down the bite of his sandwich. As he reached for the next bite, a soft voice stopped him.

"Hello Alex... how are you?"

He looked up.

Pale blue eyes met his—clear and cold like winter snow, yet carrying a fragile warmth.

He gave a quiet nod, then took the bite anyway, chewing slowly.

Selene exhaled softly, then started eating her pancakes—dripping in chocolate syrup, which she washed down with mocha. A small, giddy smile crept onto her face from the sweetness. She tried to hide it, but it sparkled in her eyes.

On the opposite side, Rina sat with her usual calm. She cut her toast and half-fried egg into neat bites, eating in silence. Her face betrayed nothing, but when she drank the black coffee, her expression twitched. She grimaced ever so slightly at the bitterness—yet continued, composed and steady.

The table was quiet.

Only the soft clatter of cutlery broke the silence between them, wrapped in the louder hum of the busy cafeteria around them.

Then Selene set down her fork.

She looked at Alex, her voice gentle.

"Thank you for the other day. Mama told me... you brought me to the infirmary."

She paused,

cheeks tinged pink. She cleared her throat, eyes darting briefly.

"Ahem. So—thanks. Really."