strictlysupreme Chapter 121 121: DISPLAY
Chapter 121 121: DISPLAY
Silas stood in the field, his gaze gentle.
The scenario that had occurred earlier replayed in his mind as he watched the people gathering there.
"Rion, why didn't you tell me that the academy does not accept banished citizens?" he asked, his tone slightly raised.
"I am sorry, Master Silas," Rion replied, his voice still cold.
Silas shook his head.
"So, I must fight here," he said, turning to the person beside him.
Levi looked at Silas calmly, then nodded.
"Lest I forget, where is the governor and Celeste?" he asked with furrowed brows.
"I don't see why that is of your concern," Levi replied, cold and aloof.
"I welcome you all to the first placement match."
Just then, a loud voice echoed through the entire field, reaching everyone's ears simultaneously.
Silas turned to look at the person.
It was a man with auburn-colored hair and silver eyes that seemed like they could pierce through anyone's soul.
He floated in the sky with his two hands folded at his back.
His bearing was like that of a king whose regality had been ingrained into his blood.
"We have the rank one of our sector, Silas Lancaster."
As he said this, Silas, who was still standing beside Levi**,** felt a sudden tug.
Then, he was on the main stage.
A silent gasp escaped his lips as he looked around.
'How?' The question echoed through his mind.
"Then, we have rank seven of our sector, Eric Voss."
Eric Voss appeared in a flicker of white.
But compared to Silas, he was much more composed.
Red hair with silver sheen cascaded down his back.
His eyes were a deep black.
Murmurs rippled through the air.
"The same Voss clan?" One of the spectators muttered, sucking in cold air.
...
"Since both contestants are on stage …"
The commentator stopped.
"What is it?" He asked Silas with furrowed brows.
"I received two challenges, why am I fighting just one?"
The commentator raised an eyebrow.
"You will fight the next person after this one," he replied to Silas.
"No, I don't have time for that,"
"Ahh."
That word echoed through the entire field.
Everyone had said the same word unconsciously.
The commentator's lips twitched.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"My Lord, please, let's humble him and accept his request," Eric cut in, in an attempt to persuade the commentator before Silas changed his mind.
But the commentator did not look at Eric.
His gaze was locked on Silas.
"Yes," Silas replied casually.
"Rank 8 of our sector, Eren Voss," the commentator called.
Eren appeared on the stage, right beside Eric.
"They are twins," Silas said, a calm smile spreading from his lips.
"The Voss twins?" One of the people murmured.
"At this point, this is just suicide."
"Even if he is rank 1, against the Voss twins, this is hopeless," another person whispered.
"Are both sides ready?" The commentator asked.
"Start."
No movement.
Both sides scrutinized the other, watching for any change.
Silas looked at them and sighed.
He pressed his knuckles till they made a cracking sound.
He raised his head again.
Eric's gaze faltered.
Eren's breath hitched.
Silas was gone, faster than their eyes could even hope to follow.
The commentator looked at Silas as he flashed through the stage.
To him, Silas's speed was only slightly better compared to a snail's.
But he knew better**;** Silas was moving at a speed faster than sound.
'Still at Marshal rank, how did he achieve this level of speed without astra augmentation?' He wondered.
But he did not think too much.
Instead, he smiled.
Silas appeared behind Eric in a flash, fist lashing out towards his rib.
Eric's body jerked to the right in pure instinct.
The air detonated as Silas's fist struck emptiness.
Silas looked away from that point.
A blade created a line through the air as it tore towards him.
Silas sidestepped, letting the sword pass.
Eren looked at him with wide eyes.
He did not have the chance to voice out his opinion.
His body folded inward, eyes bulging as Silas's leg drove into his stomach.
Silas withdrew.
His body twisted to the left, avoiding a thrust aimed at his throat.
He looked at Eric calmly.
Eric returned the gaze with equal ferocity.
Silas did not give him time to recalibrate though.
He lunged.
That was all Eric could make out before he felt something collide with his chest.
Blood sputtered from his mouth as he was sent flying.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as they watched Silas beat the twins one-sidedly.
"Is he meant to be capable of doing this?" One of them asked, still reeling from Silas's absurd display of power.
"That's why he is rank 1, not everyone should go around messing with him," someone said behind the person.
The person looked back at the person who had spoken, then nodded.
"Let's be quick about this," Silas said to the twins.
They struggled to get up from the floor after being attacked by Silas.
'This is funny though, they are at Marshal Rank but aren't as strong as the average Master rank I have met,' Silas mused.
Silas looked at both of them as they got on their feet.
Their frames pulsed slightly as a current ran through them.
Boom.
The floor exploded from a pure, unconcentrated release of energy.
They flickered, both of them, at the same time, as if they were thinking the same thoughts.
Eric drove his dagger towards Silas's shoulder.
Silas sidestepped, avoiding the attack by mere inches.
Eren had closed in, sword swinging in a wide, horizontal slash towards Silas's neck.
Silas ducked under the swing, the force from it stirring his hair lightly.
The floor beneath him cracked as he delivered an uppercut towards Eren's jaw.
Eren's body was sent into the air from the impact.
Silas did not wait to admire his work, he rolled from his position.
Eric's dagger met air as Silas slid to his side.
The sound of bone cracking echoed through the air as Silas's fist made impact.
Silence descended onto the field like a plague.
Everyone looked in horror as Silas stood unscathed in the centre of the stage.
"The winner is Silas Lancaster," the commentator said, dragging everyone out of their thoughts.
"He won," someone exclaimed.
The crowd erupted.
Silas looked at them, then looked away.
He had created the image he wanted to create, one that was feared by all.
His form flickered away from the stage, alongside the twins.
He reappeared beside Levi.
[You defeated rank 8, Eren Voss, you have gained 20 points]
[You have defeated rank 7, Eric Voss, you have gained 30 points]
Silas looked at the new prompt.
"What the hell are points?" He said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Congratulations, Master Silas," Asher said from behind.
Silas smiled. "Thank you."
Levi did not so much as turn to look at Silas.
His gaze was fixed on the stage.
Before Silas could talk, he vanished.
Silas blinked.
"Congrats, Silas," someone yelled from the side.
Silas turned to look at the person who had spoken.
It was Sylvester, waving at Silas as he approached.
Amelia and Billie followed, but they were more reserved compared to him.
"Thank you," Silas said as they reached him.
"Let's go celebrate this by spending all your money," Sylvester said, hugging Silas around the neck.
Silas winced.
"What happened to your money?" He asked.
"You are the victor here, why should I spend?" Sylvester asked, tightening his grip around Silas's neck.
"See this guy," Silas said, trying to free himself from Sylvester's grip.
"I agree with him though," Billie said.
It was like adding salt to his wounds.
Silas looked at Billie, his eyes blank.
He stopped trying to free himself.
"Why have you betrayed me?" He asked, his voice dipping below the normal pitch.
They all smiled at those words.
"It is not betrayal since you can actually afford it," Amelia said.
Silas almost coughed out blood.
"I told you a bit of my secret and now you want to crash my business."
They all laughed.
Sylvester left Silas, then glanced at the commentator in the sky, still conducting matches.
"He seems to be from the Orion clan," Silas said after following Sylvester's gaze. "Do you know him?"
"Know him?" Sylvester asked, creasing his forehead.
"He's my dad, bro."
"Ohh, now that I think about it, there's a semblance between both of you," Silas muttered, his head shifting between Sylvester and the man.
"So, where do we go then?" Silas asked, moving away from that topic.
"You want to spend on us?" Sylvester asked, beaming with joy as he stared into Silas's eyes.
Silas nodded.
"Just a little bit, but yes," he replied. "Where do you suggest?"
Sylvester nodded.
"Since you are trusting me with this, I would not fail you," Sylvester said with a salute.
"First of all, let's get a car."
"Asher, you can wait for me in my room," Silas said, glancing back at Asher.
Asher nodded, then vanished in a flicker of white light.
"So, let's go to the garage," Sylvester said, seeing as everyone was ready.