The three male students immediately surged forward, their faces contorted in a furious charge.
The student with the wooden sword, a snarl on his face, aimed a powerful, wide swing, shouting, "Power Slash!"
The bow user, darting to the side, unleashed a rapid volley of dull pointed arrows, yelling fiercely!
And the gloved student, aiming for Kaito's center, lunged with a forceful punch, roaring, "Knuckle Bash!"
Kaito, with his two wooden katanas, braced himself to meet their simultaneous assault.
He immediately activated Iron Guard Stance, a faint blue aura briefly shimmering around him as he channeled his MP.
MP: 30/40
Even as he committed to the defensive posture, he knew his Level 1 stance alone wouldn't allow him to simply block all three attacks and emerge unscathed.
The gloved student's Knuckle Bash connected first, a dull thud resonating as Kaito met the blow with a braced katana, absorbing most of the impact.
The force still felt in his arms, but his stance held.
As he twisted his body from the punch's momentum, the sword user's Power Slash whistled just past his shoulder, narrowly missing its mark.
Kaito's gaze was already locked on the archer, and the rapid volley of wooden arrows whizzed towards him.
Kaito swayed to the left, then sharply to the right, lastly, ducking just enough for the last arrow to harmlessly skim over his hair.
"I've seen that beginner art so many times in the game," Kaito thought, his mind already calculating.
"I can dodge it while half asleep."
With two attacks narrowly evaded and one absorbed, Kaito saw his opening.
The sword user, momentarily off-balance from his missed Power Slash, had an exposed guard.
Kaito didn't hesitate and his katana darted forward in a lightning-fast, deceptive low thrust.
"Viper'sStrike!" he murmured, the blade finding its mark with chilling precision against the sword user's solar plexus.
MP: 20/40
"See?" Kaito's voice was a low, almost dismissive murmur, barely audible over the sudden intake of breath from the crowd.
"So boring."
The student gasped, his eyes wide with shock and a dawning humiliation, before his knees buckled and he crumpled to the arena floor, knocked out cold.
After having swiftly dealt with the sword user, Kaito immediately turned his head to see the gloves user charging directly at him.
Instead of raising his katanas to block the incoming Knuckle Bash, Kaito suddenly sheathed both wooden blades back into their scabbards with a fluid motion that surprised even the charging student.
In the very next instant, his hands flashed.
"SilentDraw"
The speed was breathtaking, the twin wooden katanas appearing in his grip and arcing outwards in a near-invisible blur.
The charging student, caught completely off guard by the sudden sheathing and drawing, instinctively raised his arms in a desperate attempt to block the strikes.
But Kaito's movements were too swift, too precise.
The two wooden blades slammed against both sides of the student's head simultaneously, like a pair of blunt scissors snapping shut.
A dull thwack echoed through the arena, and the student's eyes rolled back in his head.
He stumbled for a moment before collapsing onto the arena floor, unconscious.
Kaito smoothly resheathed his katanas, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at the fallen student.
"Goodnight," he said, his voice soft but carrying in the sudden quiet. "Oven mittens."
MP: 5/40
Kaito immediately turned his attention to the bow user, whose face was a mask of utter shock at the swift defeat of his two companions.
Kaito started running towards him, with a wide grin on his face.
The bow user, seeing his friends knocked cold on the floor and Kaito advancing, began to tremble.
His movements became frantic as he desperately tried to shoot more wooden arrows towards Kaito, his form completely broken by fear.
"Get away! No! Don't come near me!" he shrieked, firing wildly, his arrows missing by wide margins, devoid of any control or accuracy.
Kaito deftly sidestepped the pathetic barrage, a look of contempt crossing his face.
"See?" he called out, his voice sharp and clear above the student's panicked shouts.
"I told you. You are a coward and it's showing."
The student's composure completely shattered.
Tears welled in his eyes, and he was about to throw his bow away and scream "Surrender!" but Kaito was faster.
With a blur of motion, one of Kaito's katanas snapped out, connecting with a sharp crack against the student's chin.
The blow sent his head snapping back.
As the student's body began to pitch forward, already on its way down, Kaito delivered a second, decisive strike to the top of his head with the other katana, solidifying his win.
The last opponent slumped to the floor, joining his comrades in unconsciousness.
Kaito stood over the three fallen students, his chest heaving.
He panted hard, trying to catch his breath, his muscles screaming.
His mana and stamina were almost depleted from the rapid succession of movements and weapon arts.
Even as he fought, he had kept an eye on his status at the side of his vision, ensuring his victory.
Just as the third student hit the ground, the System popped out with a triumphant chime:
Mission Complete:
Defeat a Third-Rate Bully!
Rewards:
Exp +20
Stat Points +2
Coins +100
But before the Kaito could react, the System notification flashed again, then a third time, each identical to the first.
Mission Complete:
Defeat a Third-Rate Bully!
Rewards:
Exp +20
Stat Points +2
Coins +100
Mission Complete:
Defeat a Third-Rate Bully!
Rewards:
Exp +20
Stat Points +2
Coins +100
A wide, triumphant grin spread across Kaito's face, replacing his exhaustion.
"Haha!" he chuckled, despite his labored breathing.
"I was right! Three bullies, three times the reward! Hahahaha!"
Total Rewards Gained:
Exp: +60
Stat Points: +6
Coins: +300
Then, three more System notifications appeared in quick succession, each signaling his progression:
Lvl:1 Exp: 10/10
LEVELED UP!
Rewards:
HP +10
MP +10
SP +10
Stat Point +1
+1 All Stats
Coins +50
Lvl:2 Exp: 13/13
LEVELED UP!
Rewards:
HP +13
MP +13
SP +13
Stat Point +1
+1 All Stats
Coins +60
---
Lvl:3 Exp: 15/15
LEVELED UP!
Rewards:
HP +15
MP +15
SP +15
Stat Point +1
+1 All Stats
Coins +70
---
Lvl:4 Exp: 18/18
LEVELED UP!
Rewards:
HP +18
MP +18
SP +18
Stat Point +1
+1 All Stats
Coins +80
As the final "LEVELED UP!" notification faded from his vision, a wave of profound change washed over Kaito.
The crushing fatigue that had weighed him down moments ago, leaving him panting and light-headed, began to recede, replaced by a surge of revitalized energy.
His labored breathing deepened, becoming even and effortless.
The dull ache that had started to throb in his head from the exertion completely vanished, leaving his mind feeling sharper and clearer than before.
It was as if a heavy cloak of exhaustion had been lifted, replaced by a cool, refreshing breeze.
He straightened up fully, the lingering tension in his muscles easing into a comfortable readiness.
This was the immediate, tangible reward of leveling up, not just numbers on a screen, but a complete physical rejuvenation.
With his head clear and a renewed vigor coursing through him, Kaito immediately called out in his head.
"Player Status!"
---
Player Status
Name: Kaito Kuromaku Lvl: 5 Exp: 5/20
Age: 16 Race: Human
HP: 236/236 MP: 86/86 SP: 146/146
Coins: 810
Stat Point Available: 10
Unclaimed Rewards: 0
Stats:
Strength (STR): 14
Agility (AGI): 10
Vitality (VIT): 11
Intelligence (INT): 9
Resolve (RES): 10
Charisma (CHA): 9
Luck (LCK): 9
Skills:
Viper's Strike: Deceptive, low thrust targeting vital points.
Iron Guard Stance: Absolute defense, deflects powerful blows.
Will of Steel: Sword infused with resolve, cleaves tough resistances.
Silent Draw: A lightning-fast draw and sheathe, almost invisible.
---
Kaito's eyes, glued to his Player Status, widened with pure joy, like a kid who'd just unwrapped the perfect Christmas gift.
The numbers, especially the boosted Coins and Stat Points, practically sang to him.
Meanwhile, the crowd around the arena had already erupted.
Cheers mingled with outright confusion and disbelief.
"What the hell was that?!" someone bellowed from the stands.
"Did he cheat? How did he do that?!"
Another voice screamed, "Did he just dodged those arrows?!"
Yet, many were simply cheering, captivated by the sheer, unexpected spectacle.
Professor Aurora, who had witnessed the entire duel, began to walk past Kaito, moving towards the three fallen students.
She knelt beside the bow user first, checking on his state, her expression unreadable.
After a moment, she straightened up and turned back to Kaito, her gaze level.
"He was surrendering, you know?" she stated, her voice calm but with an edge.
"You didn't have to knock him out too."
Kaito, still slightly dazed by his stats, blinked and looked up at her.
"Ah, Miss Aurora," he said, his smile wide and innocent.
"Did he? I didn't hear it."
Aurora sighed, a soft, exasperated sound.
"Anyways, why do you keep calling me 'Miss'? I'm a lot older than you, you know?"
Kaito's smile faltered, a flash of surprise crossing his face.
"Shit," he thought, a cold dread washing over him.
"I forgot I'm supposed to be 16 in this world."
"I slipped, thinking I'm older than Aurora."
He quickly tried to cover his blunder, forcing his innocent smile back.
"I don't think you're old at all, Miss Aurora," he said smoothly, completely sidestepping her point.
"And I believe that age doesn't matter."