Chapter 63: Heart Demon Trial 3

He glanced around the classroom, but no one dared to meet his gaze.

Veyron had never bullied anyone who hadn’t wronged him. Yet, despite that, people still regarded him as a delinquent. Perhaps it was simply because of the company he kept.

He hadn’t wanted to become involved with them. It had all started one day when a guy cursed his mother. Unable to tolerate the insult, Veyron had beaten him up brutally.

Unfortunately, that guy was a member of the strongest thug gang in the school. Soon after, several of its members came after Veyron, beat him up, and forced him to join their gang against his will.

Veyron had initially refused, but they threatened to come after his family if he didn’t cooperate. He knew they weren’t making empty threats. Many members of the gang came from wealthy families and had enough influence to make his life miserable.

And Veyron, on the other hand, was just a poor eighteen-year-old with a sick mother to look after.

His father was a heavy drinker who didn’t work, leaving Veyron to shoulder the family’s responsibilities. He had started working part-time at the age of sixteen, slowly saving money for his mother’s treatment.

However, just when he had managed to accumulate a decent amount, his father stole all his savings and ran away, leaving them dirt poor.

Veyron had even tried filing a case against him, but nothing came of it. His father had connections with a powerful thug gang, making it nearly impossible for Veyron to do anything against him.

With his mother’s safety at stake, he had no choice but to give up on the stolen money and start saving all over again. He even moved to another rented house, and fortunately, his father never showed up again.

That was how Veyron had ended up joining the gang against his will, despite hating everything they stood for. What could a poor eighteen-year-old boy without money or influence possibly do against people like them?

For the time being, all he could do was endure until he had enough money to afford his mother’s treatment. He would think about everything else afterward.

His gaze eventually shifted toward a girl sitting on the first bench. She was exceptionally beautiful. However, the moment their eyes met, she immediately turned away.

Veyron had once confessed his feelings to her, but she had rejected him, saying she didn’t want to be involved with a thug.

Her words had left him heartbroken, but there was little he could do about it.

After that, his attitude gradually changed. He eventually became the delinquent everyone believed him to be.

Even then, he never bullied anyone. He only participated in the school’s organized fights, where his strength earned him money and gave him an outlet for the frustration he had been holding inside.

Time passed, and the school day unfolded as it usually did. Once classes were over, Veyron gathered his belongings and headed toward his part-time job.

His mother’s condition had improved a little these days, so she had told him that he could come home later at night. There was no need for him to make the long journey home, only to head out again shortly afterward.

Since the distance was considerable, Veyron decided to go straight to work after school.

He worked at a fairly large restaurant, where his handsome appearance, well-built physique, and good education had made it easy for him to get hired.

He was also articulate and well-spoken, having always taken his studies seriously. Naturally, these qualities had helped him secure a decent position with fairly good pay.

After finishing his shift, Veyron changed out of his work clothes and made his way toward the abandoned ground where today’s fight was scheduled to take place.

The location changed from time to time, mainly to avoid attracting too much attention from the police. Of course, that was mostly a formality.

Everyone knew the officers only patrolled the area occasionally, often turning a blind eye in exchange for some extra money.

Since today’s venue was different, his shift had ended earlier than usual, giving him plenty of time to reach the location.

The abandoned ground was already crowded when Veyron arrived. People had gathered in small groups, chatting excitedly while placing their bets and waiting for the fights to begin.

The moment he stepped into view, cheers erupted from the crowd.

Veyron was quite famous in these underground fighting circles, having earned a reputation as one of the most talented eighteen-year-old fighters around.

His victories had gradually earned him a considerable fan following, and many spectators had come specifically to watch him fight.

Several wealthy individuals had also become acquainted with him, regularly placing bets on his victories. Some even considered him a reliable choice whenever they wanted to make a profit.

With each fight, his savings continued to grow. And judging by his recent earnings, he would soon have enough money to afford his mother’s treatment.

Just as the fights were about to begin, a wealthy middle-aged man approached Veyron.

He was dressed in an expensive suit, with a confident air that made it clear he was no ordinary spectator. After calling Veyron over, he glanced at him with an approving smile.

"Veyron, if you can defeat today’s opponent, I’ll cover the entire cost of your mother’s treatment. Not only that, I’ll take you under my wing and make sure you have a bright future."

Veyron’s eyes flickered slightly.

He knew exactly who this man was. The man was quite well-known for recruiting promising young fighters, training them professionally, and turning them into famous fighting stars.

For someone like Veyron, who desperately needed money for his mother’s treatment, this was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss.

He didn’t hesitate for long before accepting the offer.

"Alright. I’ll win."

....

Meanwhile, outside the illusion, the situation was entirely different.

The participants remained seated on the platform, their eyes tightly shut. Four minutes had already passed since the activation of the Spirit Formation.

Elder Leo glanced over the participants before announcing, "With this, four minutes have passed. Judging by their expressions, it seems they’re all struggling quite a bit."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"We’ll just have to wait and see whether anyone manages to break a record this time. Given his unprecedented performance in the previous trial, we certainly have high hopes for Veyron Ignis."

Of course, the flow of time inside the illusions was vastly different from that of the outside world. Moreover, the difference also depended on the formation’s complexity and the abilities of the person controlling it.

And with Grand Elder Aveline personally overseeing the formation, there was little doubt that its quality was extraordinary.

Aveline gazed at her baby, who was still sitting motionlessly on the platform. She couldn’t help wondering what he was experiencing inside the illusion, especially as his facial expressions kept changing from time to time.

As an expert in Illusion Techniques, she understood better than anyone just how realistic these illusions could be.

Everything within them could feel completely real. The sights, the sounds, the people, and even the emotions could be indistinguishable from reality.

Once someone became immersed in such an illusion, their mind could easily accept it as their actual life.

Escaping wasn’t as simple as realizing something was wrong. One needed sufficient mental fortitude to break through the illusion and pull their consciousness out of its depths.

Aveline could only hope that Veyron would manage to do so soon, without hurting himself in the process.

Of course, she would never allow anything to happen to him or any of the other participants. She had personally taken responsibility for their safety, and she intended to make sure everyone returned unharmed.

**

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