Chapter 32: Staging A Beatdown

Before I could fully hear what Anna was saying to Trish, the rain suddenly grew stronger, the increased noise piercing my ears even with mana reinforcing my senses as I recoiled.

"Agh..."

I winced, managing to muffle my reaction enough that it didn’t distract them. But by the time I adjusted enough to eavesdrop again, they had already finished their conversation.

"O-Of course... Anna."

"Good, I know it’s a lot to ask, but—"

"No, no! I fully understand. With Reyn’s previous reputation, I can see why you’d be worried about that. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to handle it."

My previous reputation?

Handle it?

What in the world had they even talked about during that short time I was distracted?

"We should go quickly before this turns into a storm!"

Anna said, noticing the rain intensifying as their conversation came to an end. She grabbed the two of us and dragged us toward the academy.

✧ ✦ ✧

The academy halls were already buzzing when we arrived, students clustered around notice boards and arguing in heated whispers about projected rankings.

None of them mattered.

My ranking was already secured since yesterday. The only question was how far the gap would be between me and second place.

And obviously, I wanted it to be terrifying, like an ant staring up at a human. There was no way I’d be satisfied with simply taking first place by a few points.

"The rankings are moving!"

One student shouted, and the rest fell silent at once. The wooden nameplates on the board began to glow with magic as they shifted and sorted themselves into place.

All across the academy, the same thing was happening. Multiple students, multiple notice boards, all about to reveal what I had been planning for quite some time.

"R-Reyn Brimstone, 564 points against Lucius’s 378!?"

"W-What in the world is that gap!?"

Anna was already humming at the surprised reactions, the shocked voices of her fellow academics sounding like music to her ears as she started clapping.

It didn’t take long for the rest to follow. My reputation was awful, yes, but the rankings were the rankings. And unlike in other clichés...

They couldn’t say I got lucky. I had aced every single one of the academy’s tests. So they had to believe either that I’d actually become competent, or that I was the luckiest man in the world.

The second option sounded more horrifying.

So they chose to believe that one.

Of course, not everyone clapped. I spotted a few holdouts, students who had been on the receiving end of the old Reyn’s behavior and weren’t ready to forgive so easily.

And that was exactly what I had been hoping for. The perfect plan to help Anna finally become the perfect villainess for a man like me.

She was great now, but this plan would lead her to perfection...

After all, what better way to make someone snap than to make them watch the people they care about on the verge of death?

In this case, I’m the one who’s going to be on the verge of death.

And honestly, even if this fails, it costs me nothing to try. Like my old mentor used to say, if there’s no real risk in the attempt, then just try it.

No point wasting time crafting some absurdly elaborate plan for perfection when a flawed one could get the job done.

"Can you two wait for me here? I need to use the restroom."

The two accepted without complaint, but what interested me more was the holdouts’ reaction. Their ears perked up the moment they heard I’d be alone.

By my count, there were at least five of them, each glancing at the others to see if they were thinking the same thing.

My would-be ambushers had just been secured.

✧ ✦ ✧

I poured mana into my ears the moment I turned the corner, sharpening my hearing to its absolute limit. The footsteps behind me were easy to track, trying too hard to be quiet, failing miserably.

Amateurs.

I led them away from the main hall, weaving through the academy’s back corridors until I reached a disused storage room near the old lecture halls. Dust covered everything.

And barely anybody came here anymore.

It was perfect.

I stepped inside and waited.

They didn’t keep me long.

"You think you’re better than us now, Brimstone?"

The ringleader was a stocky young man I vaguely recognized from the rankings board. Marcus Vellum, if Reyn’s memories served.

One of the old Reyn’s favorite targets for mockery, before the tables turned and Marcus started returning the favor tenfold.

My father had stopped me from being expelled and prevented the spread of my scandals. But he certainly didn’t care every time I got beaten up.

In his words, that was a "lesson."

And honestly, I agreed with him.

Behind him, four others filed in, blocking the only exit.

"First place in the rankings. King-class mana capacity. Lady Rose hanging off your arm like you’re some kind of prize."

Marcus cracked his knuckles.

"We decided it’s time someone reminded you of your place."

Emotions really were terrifying. They’d completely forgotten that I’d taken down three of the academy’s strongest alone. But that worked in my favor.

"Try me."

I replied, dropping all my defensive magic the moment the first punch came for my face, making sure it would leave a mark.

I twisted my body at the worst possible angle so I’d take the full brunt of it.

THWACK!

I staggered back, a bruise already blooming on my cheek.

Good. Now it’s time for them to cover me in more.

And once I’m satisfied... I’ll fight back and turn this into a scene where Reyn Brimstone manages to injure five students, only to be left gravely injured for the heroine to save.

It was the perfect plan for Anna.