With the crowd surrounding them and seeing him falter under the Wolf Girls presence, Paigos' pride had been wounded to an irreparable degree.

He straightened, forcing his trembling fists to still at his sides. His breath came out sharp through his nose, and though his pride still screamed at him to lash out, he knew better than to collapse entirely in front of the crowd. No—he had to turn this around. He had to reclaim the stage.

A slow, curling smile spread across his lips, brittle at first, then steadier as he found the words that could salvage his authority. "If you truly believe you and your… pet can stand against me," he said, his voice rising, ringing with false confidence, "then I will happily accept your challenge. Not here. Not now. But at the Intergrade Tournament, next month."

A ripple passed through the audience. The name alone carried weight. The Intergrade Tournament was no simple contest; it was a stage where factions, nobles, and rising powers displayed their strength before the world. To accept such a challenge was to bind one's pride to the outcome.

Cain's frown deepened, his hand still steady on Jayden's shoulder. His eyes narrowed. "The Intergrade is a team event. Five against five." His voice was calm, but there was a hint of incredulity beneath it. "Right now, it's just myself and Jayden."

Paigos threw his head back and barked a laugh, a grating sound laced with shameless mockery. "And that," he sneered, "is not my problem. If you possessed even a shred of princely ability, you would have no trouble gathering teammates in time." He spread his arms wide, the showman's gesture of a man who thought he had regained control of the room. "I will be waiting in the arena. Do not disappoint me… or perhaps do. It will make your humiliation all the sweeter."

His laughter rolled out, coarse and triumphant, echoing off the walls. The sound was as much for himself as it was for the crowd, a desperate bid to sew back together the tatters of his dignity.

Cain's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding audibly. Disgust flickered across his face, not from fear but from the sheer gall Paigos wore like armor. His silence said more than words could; his eyes burned with the promise that when the time came, he would make Paigos choke on every smug syllable he had just uttered.

The crowd watched, breathless, caught between awe and disbelief. The stage was set and the tyrant had set the conditions.

The silence that followed was heavy. Paigos' laughter echoed too long, ringing false in the ears of those who heard it. A few in the crowd shifted uneasily, whispers darting back and forth. For years they had bowed to his presence, but tonight cracks had begun to show.

Some murmured about the Ifrit Elixir, others about the wolf girl who had met his gaze without fear. More than one voice quietly wondered if Paigos had overstepped, if he was throwing his pride into a fire he could not extinguish. The weight of his arrogance no longer carried the same certainty it once had.

Cain's silence spoke louder than a thousand curses. He stood still, hand on Jayden's shoulder, and his expression alone told the crowd he would not bend. Jayden herself stood poised, ears flicking with quiet defiance, her presence as sharp as a blade. Together they were steady, unshaken, and that steadiness spread unease among those watching.

Paigos saw it too, and the knowledge burned like acid in his chest. He clenched his fists behind his back, hiding the tremor in his hands. He had thrown the challenge out, wrapped it in grandeur, and the crowd had swallowed it. But he knew. He knew the seed of doubt had been planted, and it would grow like rot if he did not crush them in the tournament.

Cain finally spoke, his words measured and low, meant for Paigos but carried on the silence so all could hear. "You wanted this. Remember that when the day comes."

The words hung in the air, stark and final. No anger, no theatrics, only certainty. That certainty was more damning than any display of fury Paigos could muster.

Jayden's voice followed, quiet yet edged with steel. "You will regret setting foot in that arena against us."

Paigos bristled, his smirk faltering for an instant before he forced it back onto his lips. He turned, cloak sweeping behind him, unwilling to let them see the turmoil boiling in his chest. Each step he took was deliberate, calculated to give the impression of control, though his mind screamed otherwise.

The crowd parted as he left, their eyes following him, not with reverence as before, but with something colder. Curiosity. Doubt. Some even with a glimmer of anticipation for the downfall they had once thought impossible.

Cain exhaled slowly, his jaw easing at last. Jayden glanced up at him, her sharp eyes searching his face. He gave her the faintest nod, silent reassurance that they would face this together.

The Arena remained hushed long after Paigos' laughter had faded. The challenge had been set, the pieces moved into place. All that remained was the clash to come, and no one in the Academy would forget the day the Sinthorne tyrannical aura cracked.

The arena stayed unnaturally still, the weight of what had just transpired pressing down on every student in attendance. Whispers had grown into a low hum, but no one dared raise their voice above it, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the fragile air left behind by Paigos' retreat.

A sharp clap cut through the murmur. One of the senior instructors, face stern and voice carrying with practiced authority, stepped forward. "That is enough. The duel is over."

His words echoed across the stands, and others among the staff quickly moved to reinforce the command. "Return to your dorms at once," another barked, his tone brooking no argument. "There will be no further disturbances."

Students shifted uneasily, many reluctant to leave. They had witnessed something that would be spoken about for weeks, perhaps longer. Some stole one last glance at Cain and Jayden, their figures steady in the center of the arena. Others whispered Paigos' name, their voices edged with doubt where once there had been fear.

A teacher raised her voice, sharper this time. "Enough gawking. Disperse!" She waved her arm toward the exits, her expression pinched with irritation at the stubborn pockets of students who lingered.

Slowly, reluctantly, the mass began to break apart. Groups of students filed toward the exits, their chatter hushed but electric with speculation. The Ifrit Elixir. The wolf girl. Cain's defiance. And Paigos' retreat. The story was already growing, taking shape with every step the crowd took away from the arena.

The instructors kept a close watch, their eyes lingering on Cain and Jayden. Though the duel had ended, the tension still lingered like smoke after a fire. A few muttered to each other under their breath, concern etched in their features. Whatever had just been set in motion, they knew the academy would be dealing with the aftermath for a long time to come.

At last the stands emptied, though the echoes of the confrontation remained. The arena floor was quiet again, but the air still carried the residue of defiance and wounded pride. The duel was over, but the battle was only beginning.

The last of the students filed out, leaving only the scattered instructors and the silence of the emptied arena. Cain let the quiet settle around him, his eyes lowering as his thoughts began to shift from confrontation to what lay ahead.

"I will need three things," he said at last, his voice steady though his jaw was tight. "Materials. Team members. And practice."

Jayden's sharp ears twitched at his words, and when he looked at her, she was smiling softly. It was not the feral grin she had given Paigos, but one filled with warmth. "Then we will get them," she said simply, as though there was no doubt, no obstacle too high.

Cain studied her for a moment, his gaze softening. The fire that had burned inside him during the duel dulled into something quieter, a weight he had carried for far too long. "I am grateful," he admitted, his voice quieter than before, "to have someone I can fully trust. It eases my heart… one that is still scared from betrayal."

Jayden's hand brushed against his, her presence grounding him in a way words could not. For a moment, the cold iron that had built up inside him cracked, letting something gentler through.

They began walking toward the exit together, their steps slow, unhurried. Cain's shoulders straightened with every step, the burden of what lay ahead already settling on him. Yet he did not feel alone.

At the threshold, he stopped and turned his head, his eyes falling on the body still sprawled on the arena floor. Abel's lifeless form looked small now, stripped of all the weight it had once carried in his heart.

For a brief second, Cain's chest tightened. Memories pressed in, whispers of laughter, of promises made when they were young, of trust broken in the cruelest way. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes hardened.

"Once my best friend," he murmured, the words meant for no one but himself.

Then he turned away, his hand tightening around Jayden's. Together, they left the arena behind, stepping into the uncertain path ahead, where vengeance, trust, and destiny waited in equal measure.

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