Chapter 1 The Run-Down Shack

Frey, Lan Qi, and Hyperion walked along the path leading to the Knight School's training grounds.

They walked in silence, not exchanging a word.

Jacaranda trees lined both sides of the path, like guardians silently declaring the mystery and tranquility of the campus. In spring, these trees would proudly display their pale purple blossoms, their beautiful and vibrant life force attracting many students and residents of the royal capital to stop and admire them, making this place a lively hub.

At the end of the path stood an old wooden building.

It was only one story, but as spacious as a small dojo.

From afar, one could see many of its window panes were broken, and the wooden walls were etched with the indelible marks of time.

However, the interior of this seemingly forgotten building was full of life. Noisy sounds echoed from within—laughter, curses, roars, and crashes, all mixed together like a stormy brawl.

"This is it. The team that's been left here is a bunch of stubborn brutes. Even the Dean can't handle them."

Frey stopped, pointing at the distant wooden house as he spoke to his two companions.

The Dean he referred to was not Loren, the Dean of the Sage School, but the Dean of their own Knight School.

"Frey, how should we negotiate with them later?"

Lan Qi looked at the young man with an untamed air about him and asked.

In Lan Qi's eyes, Frey, with his sunglasses perched halfway down his nose and his sharp, hawk-like eyes, along with his intense sense of explosive power, looked like a gangland assassin.

Generally speaking, a person like this might not seem like someone going for friendly negotiation, but Lan Qi knew that in the course of official duties, if one negotiator presented a tough image and the other presented a gentle image, the change in attitude could interfere with the other party's will to negotiate and soften their position. It was a good way to cooperate.

"Let me try to negotiate first. I'm more familiar with the rules of the Knight School."

Frey first made sure that the weapons in the inside pocket of his jacket were properly stowed, then looked toward the wooden house.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Lan Qi nodded. After all, he belonged to the Sage School and didn't really understand the rules on the Knight School's side. This was a good opportunity to learn.

"..."

Hyperion, witnessing Frey's habitual behavior like a bandit, immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

She was sure that this was definitely not "the rules of the Knight School"!

But then she thought about it carefully.

Among the three of them, if Lan Qi negotiated, it would most likely turn into a scam. She, a half-demon, wasn't very popular either.

In the end, Frey, the "local," was indeed the most suitable.

As a martial artist, he probably understood the way martial artists communicate better.

"If you need any help, we'll back you up."

Hyperion said from the side.

"Thank you."

Frey nodded slightly and walked forward.

The door was half-open, as if inviting passersby.

In fact, the lock had been eroded by time and could no longer be perfectly closed.

The three members of the student council arrived at the door, their eyes focused on the dimly lit arena.

Inside, several burly men were gathered, some sitting, some standing, all of whom looked like formidable fighters.

Even Frey, who looked quite capable of fighting, could only be considered a normal young man compared to them.

The sense of oppression emanating from the group of fighters was as unstoppable as a wild tide.

However, among these fighters, the one with absolute command was a woman with long crimson hair, seemingly on a completely different level from the other members.

Although she was tall, she seemed quite petite in contrast to the group of strong men. Similarly, she was dressed in a rather wild fighting style, her hair tied into a high ponytail, her bangs swept across her right eye, wearing a boob tube and long pants, with bandages wrapped around her arms and legs.

Her aggressive eyes made her look very domineering.

"The leader is Zirweni, a third-year student of the Knight School. She has upright character but a fiery temper. She's a sixth-tier Gold-rank challenger. The hope of subduing her by force is very small. The main difficulty lies in needing to deal with the fifth-tier fighter at three o'clock and suppress the group of fourth-tier combatants."

Frey pointed at the target in the house and shared the information with his two companions in a low voice.

Lan Qi and Hyperion both turned their eyes to Frey and nodded.

From Frey's words, he wanted to avoid a head-on conflict, a point they both strongly agreed with.

Violence would not only fail to resolve the school's conflicts, but would actually deepen them. This would not only violate the school's purpose of harmonious coexistence, but would also affect the good image of the student council. Today's demolition work might not be completed smoothly and on time.

Therefore, their goal today must be to reach a friendly negotiation with the other party that is convincing to both sides.

"You three over there, what are you whispering about!"

A burly man seemed to notice the subtle movements at the door, his voice like a roaring gale, stirring up the air in the arena.

Hyperion was startled and took a step back warily. She was not good at dealing with such rude, violent martial artists.

However, Lan Qi appeared very leisurely. He pushed open the door and calmly asked:

"Excuse me, is this the clubroom of the 'Soul of Fighters' team?"

"That's right."

The crimson-haired woman in the wooden house replied with a hint of contempt.

Her facial expression also began to become serious and unfriendly.

The composed aura of the newcomers and their words, which sounded like an inspection, made the fighters in the arena involuntarily think of the student council.

"So, what are you here for?"

The thugs in the wooden house asked in unison, their voices seemingly possessing magical power, enough to make freshmen tremble with fear and fall to the ground.

However, the three student council members standing at the entrance were obviously not ordinary people. They stood still without flinching, not at all intimidated by the threats from the strong men.

"We are members of the student council. Now, according to the school's decision and the execution order of the Hutton Kingdom's Royal Capital Fire Department, we need to vacate this room and demolish it today."

Hyperion put on an official business-like appearance, her tone like a bank employee coming to collect a debt.

Anyway, with Lan Qi backing her up, she wasn't afraid of anything.

As soon as she finished speaking, a domineering aura instantly filled the entire wooden house, as if directly refuting her words, and angry roars continued to sound.

"This is our important place! You guys who have no soul of martial arts, get out of here!"

(End of Chapter)