All the students could not help but stare at the skinny boy in rags. They were curious as to how someone like him was able to even enter the Academy. The crowd started whispering to each other, their murmurs reaching Gerald's ears like a sharp knife.

"Did the Lauder boy just get tossed by a street kid?"

​​

"Pft. Here I thought he was strong"

"Shh. He might hear you, I heard he's a psychopath"

Gerald's eyebrows could not help but twitch uncontrollably as the murmurs continued. He slightly bit his tongue as he turned his attention back to Van, who was looking down at him with a smirk on his face.

"Is that all you can do?", Van said in a very condescending tone. But the truth is, Van's whole body was currently numb and he felt his chest slightly tighten from the impact. He slammed his whole body towards an unaware Gerald to push him down, but all it did was throw him away a few meters to the ground, other than that, Gerald seemed fine.

"Y...you!", Gerald quickly stood up as he grit his teeth, "You f*cking beggar!", he screamed as he rushed towards Van, his foot shaved off the hard ground, throwing the debris towards those unfortunate enough to be behind him.

"S… someone, call the guards and the instructors!", someone screamed.

"Harvey, aren't you doing anything!?", Beatrice tugged Harvey's arms.

"I told Van I will be on his side when the time comes", Harvey muttered.

"Then do something!"

"I am", Harvey bit his lip and rolled his fists, "That's why I'm not stopping him", he muttered, his voice shaking along with his fists.

Van swiftly dodged Gerald's fist, but Gerald suddenly turned his body, almost grabbing Van's hand.

"!!!", Van was slightly shocked by Gerald's speed. If it wasn't for the information that he received from Lucas, Van would have definitely allowed himself to be caught by Gerald's hand right now since he won't be as aloof.

And although Van struggled a little bit, he still let out a smirk as he looked Gerald straight in the eyes.

"You!", Gerald once again grit his teeth as he quickly slammed his fists towards Van, but was only able to hit the ground.

"!!!"

The students that were watching from the sides could not help but back away as a small crater was formed by Gerald's fist. The ground they stood on trembled violently as if Gerald summoned a tiny earthquake.

"Stop f*cking running away you street rat!", Gerald screamed as he continued to release a barrage of fists towards Van.

Most of the first years and even the sophomores could not help but squint their eyes as they could not even follow the two anymore. They looked like they were blinking from one place to another, and they were only able to see their blur.

"What the…", they could not help but breathe in awe. The 3rd and 4th-year students were also in awe as they watched the battle go on. These two were younger than them? They all thought in unison.

They expected it from the Lauder kid, but the little boy that was clothed in tattered rags was a shock to them. Was he also a student in the Academy? Or was he just some random kid that wanted to test his mettle?

Gerald once again could not help but click his tongue as he saw the stares of the other students. They were looking at him with awe and curiosity, but in his eyes, it felt as if they were mocking him. Their eyes laughing at him for not being able to defeat this beggar in front of him.

"Grah!", Gerald screamed as he put more strength in his fists, but no matter how fast he seemed to be moving, Van was always an inch away from his fists. And so, he quickly changed tactics.

He suddenly crouched, the veins in his leg popping out from his pants before he leaped towards Van, completely obliterating the ground beneath him.

'Got you!', Gerald could not help but smile as he saw the surprised expression on Van's face. However, before he could reach him, Van suddenly ducked down and stretched his leg right in front of Gerald's feet, tripping him in the very last second

"!!!", the momentum from his leap caused Gerald to roll on the ground, the students that were in his path quickly moved to the side. "Kh…", Gerald could not help but grit his teeth as he once again saw the other students looking at him with pity.

He quickly moved his body, but before he could even stand, Van's fist was already right in front of his nose, "!!!"

"Weakling!", Van screamed as his fist made contact with Gerald's face, slamming his head down to the ground causing a small crater to form beneath them.

Van, however, could not help but grit his teeth as he felt a snapping pain in his hand. Could it be broken?

He then looked at Gerald, whose nose was currently bleeding. But other than that, he seemed completely fine as he stared Van straight in the eyes.

Van returned his stares, their looks seething with anger as they looked at each other's trembling eyes. The sound of their teeth chattering and the noise of their stuttered breaths drowned each other.

Gerald was about to grab Van's hand, but before he could do so, a shout entered their ears.

"Enough!", a tall man with silver hair appeared behind Van, unsheathing his sword and placing it on Van's shoulder. Van wasn't even able to react as he slowly turned his head towards the bronze-colored sword that was threatening to cut his neck.

Gerald was the same, he didn't even realize that someone was already holding his wrist. He looked towards the owner of the hand, only to see a lady whose eyes seemed to have not slept for days.

"Ms. Elton, it seems you have found a fine student this year", the tall man with silver hair could not help but comment as he looked at Ms. Elton, who was holding Gerald's wrist.

"...I could say the same to you, Michael"