Chapter 10
ANFIELD
Under pressure from every direction—
Was this borderline hazing? Dan wasn’t sure. Maybe it was just the Luminus way of “welcoming” someone.
Dan was forced to accept Rafinya’s challenge, despite clearly not wanting to. The upperclassmen surrounded the ring, watching.
Rafinya stood in one corner with red gloves.
Dan stood in the opposite, adjusting his blue gloves with a look that said he’d rather be anywhere else.
“Come on, Dan! Show us what you’ve got!”
Among the seniors, most were skeptical—except for the towering Aaron, who cheered him on. Dan gave a weak smile and turned—
“Begin!”
Professor Foden gave the signal. Rafinya’s footwork kicked in immediately.
She raised her guard, her Red Velvet eyes locked onto Dan like a predator eyeing its prey. The two circled each other in the ring.
AT ANFIELD
A sharp spear dipped into the river, lifting two wriggling fish out of the water.
Freya looked pleased. She brought them over to the fire to prepare a meal.
She opened a newly acquired fridge—inside were frozen meats and vegetables. She pulled them out and tossed them into a clay pot over the fire outside the house.
“La~ la~ la~”
Freya hummed.
“His Majesty’s going to love this.”
She looked up at the moon overhead.
“By now, I wonder how far he’s gotten with knight training…”
Thwack!
Rafinya’s shin crashed into Dan’s face, breaking through his guard after he failed to block a punch.
Dan’s body flew through the air, crashing down onto the mat in front of the upperclassmen and Professor Foden.
Thud!!!
Rafinya wasn’t just talented with a sword—she’d been trained in martial arts since childhood.
Whack! Whack! Whack! Whack!
As Dan hit the ground, Rafinya mounted him and began unleashing punch after punch like it was an MMA match.
All Dan could do was raise his arms to shield himself, trying not to get knocked out cold.
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He could read all of Rafinya’s movements—but there was one problem: his body couldn’t keep up with what his mind was processing.
It was like a football fan shouting instructions from the stands—clear on what should happen, but completely lost when actually on the field.
“Ugh!!!”
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Rafinya pummeled him relentlessly, giving him no chance to retaliate.
Peeking out between his forearms, Dan spotted Professor Foden... looking down at him with pity.
The upperclassmen who had hoped to witness some impressive Zentinel boxing began to lose interest, their enthusiasm fading one by one.
Jenny rolled her eyes to the side.
Chiesa wore a doubtful frown, as if wondering what the hell was going on.
But the humiliation wasn’t over yet.
“Get up.”
Rafinya stopped punching and climbed off him.
She gave him a chance to stand.
Dan’s vision doubled, but he slowly pulled himself up, nearly slipping. His temple was swollen and red blood had splattered the ring.
He breathed hard and fast, red eyes nearly swollen shut.
“Nothing real about you at all.”
Rafinya’s insult—whether meant to provoke Dan into showing hidden strength or simply mock him—didn’t matter. She dashed forward and launched a lightning-fast straight punch.
But Dan ducked just in time and grabbed her ankle.
Caught her off guard?
They both went down. Rafinya raised her arms to guard her face as Dan unleashed a furious flurry of punches—everything his battered body could muster.
It sparked a bit of interest from the seniors around the ring.
But suddenly, as his left fist came down, Rafinya opened her arms and repositioned to trap Dan’s left arm in a lock.
“!”
Then, with a burst of strength from who-knows-where, she hurled Dan off her.
Wham!
Dan’s body flipped and slammed hard onto the mat, groaning in pain as he scrambled to his feet.
He swung a wild right hook—his whole body behind it, aiming to knock her out. But—
He hit nothing but air.
Rafinya was already mid-air, flipping over his head.
“In the end, there’s nothing special about you.”
The last thing Dan saw was her heel whipping down like a baseball bat, catching him square on the chin.
If this were a movie, the shot would be a GoPro angle from beside Dan’s face, showing his body go limp midair before crashing to the canvas, the world spinning upside down before the screen cut to black.
It was a total loss. Worse than when he fought Nora in the forest.
A defeat without a shred of resistance.
He opened his eyes.
“!”
Dan found himself lying on a bench by the side of the ring. His chin burned, bruised and swollen. His face, temple, and eyes were puffy.
He had no idea how long he’d been out.
The last thing he remembered was seeing the upperclassmen shaking their heads in disappointment as they quietly filed out.
Now the training hall was empty.
He glanced at the wall clock...
9 PM.
“!”
Still dizzy, Dan forced himself upright—when suddenly, heavy footsteps approached.
Aaron.
“Dan! Thank God—I thought you were in a coma.”
He carried a broom and wet towel. Dropping them, he rushed over to Dan.
“Where is everyone?”
“Gone. Training’s over. You were out cold.”
Dan nodded slowly, piecing it together, then sighed.
“Your power only wakes up under pressure, huh?”
“Huh? Aaron?”
“I get it. Today’s boxing match wasn’t high-stakes. You’re probably frustrated your hidden power didn’t come out. I’ve been there.”
The bulky senior rested a hand on Dan’s shoulder, reassuring him.
“Keep trying. Your day will come. I haven’t lost faith in you.”
“Thanks, Senior Aaron...”
“I cleaned the gym tonight because you got knocked out cold, but next time, it’s your job.”
“Huh? Wait—what?! Why?!”
“The loser cleans, of course.”
Aaron replied.
“It’s our tradition—and Professor Foden’s punishment too. You could tell, right? Everyone out there was disappointed. So use this as motivation. If you want revenge on Rafinya or anyone else, get stronger. Smash them next time!”
Aaron kept encouraging him, and those words echoed in Dan’s ears as the scene cut to him walking through the main hallway, backpack slung over his shoulder, crickets chirping outside.
Then—just as he passed by a few lingering students—a familiar figure stepped out from the Sheffield Library...
Nora.
“Mr. Fury?!”
“Oh—”
Nora’s eyes went wide in shock. She dropped all her books and rushed over to grab Dan.
“Mr. Fury, what the hell happened?! Why do you look like this?!”
Even though he’d already been treated, the bruises, swelling, and cut chin were still very visible.
“Oh... this? Just a little freshman ‘welcome.’”
“Rafinya... Was it her, Mr. Fury?”
“It’s a long story—ugh?! Nora?! Where are you taking me?!”
