The Villian Who Broke The Story

The deafening cheers from Kael’s battle had only just begun to settle when another atmosphere took over the stadium. The medical staff hurriedly carried the unconscious Tigerkin away while the arena itself repaired the damage left behind by the previous clash through layers of restoration magic.

The tournament, however, did not stop.

Every battle simply flowed into the next.

Below the VIP lounge, where the Vice Principal was currently giving both the Principal and Lyra the scolding of their lives, two figures sat quietly in the special seating reserved for the Academy’s upper student authorities.

One wore the formal black uniform of the Disciplinary Committee, while the other was dressed in the elegant white-and-blue attire that symbolized the authority of the Student Council President.

Faint echoes of Lyra’s miserable cries could still be heard from above.

”...Please, I can explain!”

”Principal! Say something!”

”No! Don’t tell the Vice Principal!”

Cairo shivered involuntarily before letting out a relieved sigh.

”Thank goodness...” he muttered while placing a hand on his chest.

”I wasn’t caught.”

The Student Council President slowly turned her head toward him, narrowing her eyes.

”...Don’t tell me you actually participated in it.”

Cairo blinked.

”In what?” He asked.

”The gambling.”

She folded her arms.

”You’re the Head of the Disciplinary Committee. You’re supposed to stop things like that, not become one of the perpetrators.”

Cairo rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

”Well...”

”My mentor always told me that we shouldn’t waste our time worrying about every minor crime committed inside the Academy.”

He shrugged.

”At the end of the day, no matter how hard you try, you can’t stop crime completely.”

”Especially among hormone-powered teenagers that can use magic.”

The Student Council President sighed.

”That’s a terrible lesson.”

”It actually makes sense.”

Cairo replied casually.

”The truly dangerous criminals are the ones we should focus on.”

”Everything else is... manageable.”

He leaned back in his chair before remembering something.

”Oh.”

”I heard you met him during the preliminary rounds.”

The Student Council President nodded immediately.

”Yeah.”

”I did meet him.”

”But only briefly.”

”He seemed to be hunting the previous Student Council President.”

Cairo nodded to himself as if that answer was exactly what he expected.

”He must still be looking for a rematch.”

”Their previous battle was interrupted before either side could determine a winner.”

The Student Council President agreed.

”That would explain it.”

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Both simply watched the arena where the officials were already preparing the next match.

The restoration mages completed their work.

The damaged sections of the arena floor returned to their original state.

The announcer stepped forward once more.

The crowd gradually quieted.

Cairo smiled.

”Looks like the next fight is about to begin.”

”It seems... unique.”

The Student Council President also shifted her attention toward the arena.

Her calm expression finally changed.

”...Interesting.”

Two contestants walked onto the battlefield.

One was an elegant elf carrying a polished wand.

The other...

Was a dwarf.

Cairo blinked twice.

”...What?”

”A dwarf is planning on fighting?”

His voice carried genuine surprise.

The Student Council President, being an elf herself, immediately observed the dwarf with far greater scrutiny than anyone else in the stadium.

Around them, whispers quickly spread throughout the audience.

”A dwarf?”

”Since when do dwarves participate in combat tournaments?”

”I thought they only became blacksmiths.”

”It can’t be...”

Unlike the ignorant assumptions of many students, both Cairo and the Student Council President knew the truth.

Dwarves were anything but weak.

In fact...

They possessed naturally stronger physiques than every other intelligent race.

Their bodies were incredibly durable.

Their natural resistance to magic made them ideal front-line knights.

If one looked purely at physical ability...

A combat-trained dwarf was among the most terrifying opponents anyone could face.

Which was precisely why their appearance puzzled everyone.

Long ago, after the war against the Demon Race intensified, the Humans, Elves and Dwarves had signed a military treaty.

Under that agreement, the Dwarven Kingdom chose to support the alliance primarily through crafting.

Legendary weapons.

Magical armor.

Artifacts.

Runic equipment.

Everything necessary for war.

Their combat forces, however, remained within the borders of their own kingdom.