Chapter 467: The Student Council Hunt (II)

"Haaah..."

Gray sighed and turned back toward his breakfast, deciding that the unfortunate freshman's fate had nothing to do with him.

As long as nobody challenged him, he had no intention of wasting his morning fighting people who wanted to turn him into an unpaid servant.

Besides, his roasted demon beast meat was getting cold.

He picked up his fork, cut another piece, and brought it toward his mouth.

"Weren't you the freshman who used that sword?"

The voice came from directly behind him.

Gray stopped with the fork halfway to his lips.

He slowly lowered it, then turned his head to see a young demon standing behind his chair.

The man wore the black uniform of the Student Council, with a silver badge attached to his chest.

His dark blue hair was swept backward, exposing a single black horn on his forehead, and his narrow eyes carried the confident look of someone accustomed to having others obey him.

A grin spread across his face when Gray looked at him.

"Ah, so it really is you. I thought I recognized your face."

Gray glanced at the man's badge before looking back at his breakfast.

'And here I was, hoping to finish eating in peace.'

The council member pulled out the empty chair beside Gray without asking permission and sat down, resting one arm across its back.

His gaze moved over Gray's appearance, lingering briefly on the black horns before returning to his face.

"I watched the entrance examination," the man continued.

"You were the one who stood on top of that pile of students before releasing a rather strange sword technique. The enormous black sword that tore through half the arena, right?"

Gray looked at him calmly.

"I suppose so. There were quite a few students there, and I don't remember everyone who watched me."

The man's grin widened.

"Of course you don't. Why would a freshman remember every person in the audience? Still, your little performance attracted plenty of attention. Some of the instructors have been talking about it ever since, and a few people in the Student Council have been curious about you."

He leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table.

"Now that Hunting Week has begun, I thought I'd take the opportunity to meet you personally."

Gray studied him for another moment before returning his attention to his plate.

"How considerate of you. However, if you'll excuse me, I'm in the middle of breakfast. Perhaps we could arrange a meeting for another time."

The council member's smile twitched.

"Keke.... pwahhahaha!"

He laughed loudly.

"You're quite relaxed for someone who's just been approached by the Student Council. Most freshmen start sweating the moment one of us speaks to them. Some even try to run before we finish introducing ourselves."

"That sounds inconvenient for you."

"It is, but we always catch them eventually."

"Then I suppose there's no reason for me to run."

For a moment, the council member simply stared at Gray. His expression suggested he hadn't decided whether to be amused by the answer or offended by it.

Finally, he leaned back in his chair.

"You're an interesting fellow. Tell me, what's your name?"

"Gray."

"Gray what?"

"Gray will do."

The young demon's smile faded slightly.

He was a member of the Student Council, an Early Ruler who stood well above the freshmen, and yet this freshman was treating him as though he were an ordinary stranger interrupting his meal.

It was irritating.

Still, the man had not come here merely to exchange pleasantries.

He stood up, straightened his uniform, and looked down at Gray with renewed confidence.

"Very well, Gray. Since we've established who you are, I'll make this simple. I'm challenging you to a duel under the rules of Hunting Week."

Several students sitting nearby immediately fell silent.

A few turned their heads, while others began whispering among themselves.

It had not taken long for the Student Council to find another target, and this time, the person being challenged was the freshman whose performance during the entrance examination had already become a topic of discussion.

Gray stared at the man, then slowly turned toward Scarlett.

The Crimson Moon Princess had been watching the entire exchange from her seat across the table. Unlike the other students, she showed no particular surprise when the council member announced his challenge.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly.

The corners of her lips lifted into a small, almost imperceptible smile.

It was a look Gray knew all too well.

'Go on, then. Let's see how you handle this one.'

Gray narrowed his eyes at her.

Scarlett raised her teacup and took a slow sip, doing an admirable job of pretending she had no idea what he was thinking.

'Ah. So that's how it is.'

He had expected her to offer some warning or perhaps remind the council member that he was under her family's protection.

Instead, she had decided to sit back and enjoy the show.

"How heartless, huh?"

Gray returned his attention to the challenger and let out a long sigh.

"Phew..."

The young demon raised an eyebrow.

Gray looked him up and down once more, then placed his fork on the plate.

"It's only an Early Ruler. Such a relief."

Silence fell around the table.

The council member's grin disappeared.

"...What did you say?"

Gray looked at him with genuine relief, as though he had narrowly escaped some terrible misfortune.

"I thought you might be a Great Ruler or something along those lines. That would've been troublesome before I finished breakfast. But an Early Ruler? That's fine. I was beginning to worry I'd have to skip my meal."

One of the nearby students choked on his drink.

Another immediately lowered his head, desperately trying to hide his expression, while a demoness sitting two tables away stared at Gray as though he had suddenly lost his mind.

The council member's face darkened.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Not at all. Why would I mock someone who has come all the way here to challenge me? I should be grateful, shouldn't I?"

Gray picked up his fork again, only to pause when he noticed the man's increasingly unpleasant expression.

"Ah, right. I haven't accepted yet, have I?"

He placed the fork down once more.

"Fine. I accept your challenge."

The moment those words left his mouth, a faint silver ring of mana appeared around his wrist, confirming that the duel had been registered under the rules of Hunting Week.

The council member glanced at the ring before looking back at Gray.

His expression had grown cold.

"You seem to have misunderstood something, freshman. Don't let that ridiculous sword technique from your entrance examination go to your head. I don't care how many students you knocked out, and I don't care how impressive your performance looked to the instructors. A single technique doesn't make you invincible."

Gray rested his chin against one hand.

"That sounds reasonable."

The answer seemed to catch the man off guard, but only for a moment.

"And even if I acknowledge your recent breakthrough, you're still an Early Emperor. I've heard the rumors. Apparently, you advanced during the past two weeks, and now people have started whispering that you're some sort of rare genius."

He let out a dismissive laugh.

"Do you think reaching the Emperor Realm suddenly makes you my equal?"

Gray did not answer.

The council member interpreted his silence as uncertainty and continued, his confidence returning with every word.

"The Ruler Realm stands far beyond the Emperor Realm. Two complete realms separate us, with Sovereign and Monarch cultivators standing between those levels. The gap isn't something you overcome by having a slightly better foundation or a flashy technique. Even the most gifted geniuses would think twice before trying to fight someone three major stages above their cultivation."

He tapped his silver badge.

"And I'm not some noble heir who reached his rank by swallowing pills and relying on his family's treasures. I've fought my way into the Student Council, and I've defeated more opponents than you have probably met in your entire life. I've spent years learning how to fight people stronger than myself, so don't expect that strange sword of yours to save you."

His eyes sharpened.

"During the entrance examination, you released one powerful attack when a hundred students were surrounding you. Perhaps you possessed a special weapon, perhaps you used some forbidden technique, or perhaps you simply exhausted yourself gathering enough energy for a single strike. Whatever the explanation, it doesn't mean you possess the strength to defeat me."

Gray listened without interrupting, his expression growing more thoughtful with every sentence.

The council member mistook that look for hesitation.

"In fact, I'll give you one last opportunity to reconsider. You have a promising future, and I would hate to see you ruin it through arrogance. Withdraw your challenge, accept your place as a provisional member, and I'll make sure you receive a reasonable first assignment. You might even find the Student Council more comfortable than you expect."

Gray blinked and turned to look at Scarlett again.

She had lowered her teacup, and the small smile on her face had grown noticeably wider.

She even gave him a slight nod, as though encouraging him to accept the offer and spare himself the trouble of fighting.

Gray stared at her in disbelief.

'You're enjoying this far too much, Princess.'

Scarlett's eyes curved with amusement.

He could almost hear her thoughts.

You were the one who said you wanted to see what the Student Council had to offer. Go on, then. Show me how impressive you are.

Gray sighed and turned back to the council member.

"You're mistaken about one thing."

The man's brow furrowed.

"And what's that?"

"I don't have a special weapon."

Gray paused, then added with a faint smile, "Well, I suppose my rapier is rather special now, but that's beside the point."

The council member's expression twisted.

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"No. I'm simply saying that the sword you saw during the entrance examination wasn't a weapon I pulled out of my pocket. It was a technique."

"A technique?" The man scoffed.

"You expect me to believe a freshman at the Early Emperor Realm possesses a sword technique powerful enough to overcome an army of opponents, yet you still think you'll defeat an Early Ruler in a direct duel?"

Gray shrugged.

"I suppose you'll find out soon enough."

The council member stared at him for a long moment, then gave a cold laugh.

"Fine. Since you're so confident, I'll make sure you remember this lesson. Don't expect me to hold back simply because you're a freshman. Once we enter the arena, I'll treat you exactly like any other opponent who dares challenge the Student Council."

Gray rose from his chair and adjusted his sleeves.

"Wonderful. I was worried you'd go easy on me."