First, a right slash. He blocked it. I finished it with a feint and plunged my blade right into his abdomen. He evaded it by twisting his body slightly. I, too, made a round swing in anticipation of where he would be. He stumbled down, taken aback by the sudden change in the fight's pace. That kept my blade from slashing him horizontally.

"I-I give up." He let go of his blade, his head bowed to the ground, his eyes wide with uncertainty and anguish.

"Cadet 222 forfeits the match, and Yuu Brisky is the winner. The winner has the choice to continue or take a break. " The referee yelled it loud enough for the entire stadium to hear.

"I wish to continue." Isn't that what you want, Mr. King?

"H-How could I have lost to a lousy bastard like you? You are the last in our academy and are expected to be weak. How come...? "

"Ah... look here, honey, you would have won if you had taken that last hit."

"What on earth are you talking about? I barely avoided death there. "

"So you're a bigger coward than me, uh? I may have expected your movements and attacked you aggressively, but I lacked the strength to make the cut. At most, you would have suffered a wound. However, if you had taken the fight seriously from the start, I would have lost, buddy." Why am I trying to comfort this bitch who just tried to kill me? The look of anguish in his eyes reminded me of myself in that situation.

After a year of dating, I invited her to my house for the first time during the last semester. Do you know why...? I wanted to introduce her to my family, receive my parents' approval, or anything along those lines, just like any other kid. My mother died while giving birth to me, and my father is a busy entrepreneur who does not have time for his children.

I'm the youngest of three siblings. My two older brothers are twins, which was great when I was a kid but has now depressed me. How, you ask? That's because that bitch dumped me... And that's not why I'm calling her a bitch... because all love stories don't work out in the end. Even if it's difficult for me to accept... Yes, that is a fact, but everything happens for a reason. But it didn't exist here. She didn't explain why she wanted to end the relationship or why she wanted to be with me. I never asked... if perhaps, I should have. That is regrettable. What is truly regrettable is that she started dating one of my brothers the following week.

What should I have done when I saw that disgusting scene in front of me? question: her? Or should I have questioned my brother? Should I have complained to my father? I'm a moron... I just stood there, trying to unsee what I had seen. Would I have gotten answers to the heart-aching questions if I had been more assertive? Can I accept the answers even if I know them? If I meet her again, the only question I have for her is... why me?

So everything worked out that way. From being the prettiest’s boyfriend to being cheated on by the prettiest. Following this event, I graduated from college with a few hiccups, except for the pitying stares of many. If I mistake this for empathy, I'm dead wrong. I could see their cunning grins hidden beneath their sympathetic expressions. That is the world we live in. Pity for the weak and envy for the strong

So, what am I doing here instead of being glued to my computer screen? I thought everything was a dream a few minutes ago, but it's far too vivid for that.

This tournament not only aids in the academy's selection of the top 100 but also in changing one's own standing within the academy. I'll keep climbing the rankings until I give up. I need to understand my own strengths and weaknesses.

"Let the match begin, Cadet 456 and Cadet 193!" This time, I remained still even after the referee's signal.

Why am I getting paired with high-ranking numbers? Are they suggesting that I die?

"You defeated Arslan by luck, and I doubt that would work on me, you wretched bastard. "

"Didn't your parents teach you to be respectful of others? Or were you just a filthy shit tossed at this dog shit academy? "

"Don't you dare!!" He took his first step.

If they can't stand insults, why are they slandering others in the first place?