029 THE SILVER HAIRED GIRL
Few noticed what happened next as Lukas' cyclone engulfed the entire arena. Even Principal Misk removed his glasses to get a clearer view.
A scream cut through the chaos. Soone had been hurled toward the stage, his body bloodied, his bones clearly broken. The principal's eyes widened in recognition.
It wasn't Dan Dark. It was Lukas.
"Lukas! Are you alright? Call the paradics!" the principal shouted worriedly.
But the cyclone continued its course, raging violently across the arena. When it finally dissipated, only one figure remained in its center.
Silence fell on everyone.
Dan stood unscathed, calm and steady, while Lukas lay wounded on the ground.
"How… how did he withstand that cyclone?" a student murmured, awe-struck. "Even from here, I can feel its force pulling at ."
"He even injured Lukas… a G-Rank!" another whispered.
"Looks like just one move—one punch—and Lukas was done," a third added.
Dan ignored their murmurs, whether praise or criticism. He walked to the stage, stepping past the battered Lukas, and approached Zairgid, raising his palms expectantly.
"Co on… co on," he urged.
"Here's your money," Zairgid said, handing over all the Aur cards he had collected earlier as wagers. Dan had won them fair and square.
As they descended the stage together, Zairgid couldn't help but ask, "I've been wondering… how did you escape the cyclone and smack that bastard?"
Dan smiled. "A cyclone's strength spreads across its area. The larger it is, the more power it demands. At Lukas' level, his skill isn't overwhelming. I just needed to Bull Smash through the cyclone and knock him out of the ring."
"Seriously? That easy?" Zairgid admitted. "Even I wouldn't beat Lukas so fast."
"Don't worry… you won't be fighting ," Dan replied.
"Your slam charge may be strong but to be able to…", Zairgid asked shocked but Dan didn't reply to him.
Zairgid was right—no ordinary Shield Charge could have wounded Lukas so severely. What Dan used was only a Slam Charge, and usually Lukas' body was strong enough to endure it. He wouldn't be as badly wounded as he was.
But as Lukas was hurled through the air, Dan acted quickly. He pulled out his phone and began Acquiring.
One by one, he siphoned Lukas' Strength, ta, Command, and even Charm.
The cumulative shock of having all his powers stolen at once was what truly shattered him. The Slam Charge alone might have staggered Lukas—but it was Dan's Acquisition that broke him completely.
"Right… I better not get into a fight with you," Zairgid muttered to himself before his face changed completely.
"So… where should we go now?" Zairgid asked.
Dan paused, then smirked. "You ntioned a place with pretty chicks, didn't you?"
"Ha! You ca to the right person," Zairgid replied, slinging an arm over Dan's shoulder.
Together, they disappeared toward the horizon.
Principal Misk watched them go. Orientation was ruined, the students were restless, but Dan had left a lasting impression on him.
"Who is this boy? His potential cannot be underestimated", the principal thought, before turning back to attend to Lukas. "There will be a lot to explain to the Veyran family during Parent-Teacher discussions…"
------
Dan's eyes widened as he realized where Zairgid had brought him.
The Black Owl. The premier entertainnt outlet in lrose City.
This was the sa place where he stole Charm points from the Sneaker band.
Zairgid led him into a VIP room. A massive glass panel looked down onto the dance floor below. Plush sofas lined the walls, and a giant entertainnt screen dominated one side of the room.
"Have you been here before, buddy?" Zairgid asked.
"Yes… once," Dan replied casually.
"I knew it," Zairgid smirked. "People like you value ta scores first, everything else second. I'll be surprised if you co here often. ? I'm practically a regular."
Dan tilted his head. "And what exactly do you value, my friend?"
Zairgid hesitated, his gaze drifting. "It's complicated. I've never wanted for anything… except for the things I can't have."
Dan didn't press. Zairgid was complicated enough already.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
"Ah… here co the girls," Zairgid said but his words were cut off as a woman barreled into him, smashing his face.
He toppled backward onto the sofa, screaming. "Who the hell?!"
"It's —Solana!" the girl shouted.
Dan raised an eyebrow. "Ex-girlfriend, probably?"
"Solana, we parted on good terms… why are you hitting ?" Zairgid asked, rubbing his face.
"It's my cousin… Lukas! You had a hand in what happened to him! He's in a coma!" Solana scread.
Zairgid raised his hands in surrender. "I had nothing to do with that!"
"Lukas' friend said you took money from him!" she shot back.
"It was the wager! I was asked by Lukas to keep the wager. Nothing more," Zairgid protested.
Solana raised her hand to strike again when Dan intervened.
"It was I who defeated Lukas," he said calmly. "Lukas challenged . He got exactly what he asked for."
Solana spun toward him, her eyes wide. "You? It was you?" She stared at Dan, shocked. "I've never seen you before. Since when does a stranger appear in lrose City who can defeat Lukas?"
"What, you want a piece of too?" Dan asked.
"Outside! Now!" Solana scread, stepping forward.
"If you want to fight, fight here—on the sofa," Dan replied with a grin, giving Zairgid a high-five.
"How dare you disrespect !" Solana shouted. She was about to unleash her ta skill when another voice interrupted from the doorway.
"Stop it, Solana," said a second girl.
She stepped inside.
She was tall, slim, perfectly proportioned, silver hair flowing to her waist, with large, rounded eyes, and flawless features.
"Ooooo…."
Dan was awed by her charm and instinctively pulled out his phone and scanned her.
Na: Eryn Veyran
Rank: F
Strength: 19 | Charm: 21 | ta: 36 | Command: 33
Dan read the stats and raised an eyebrow in surprise. This girl is a Rank F, a whole rank higher than him, and she didn't seem much older than him.
"Hey, this is not the ti to be photographing cute girls," Zairgid scolded.
Dan didn't reply. He slipped his phone away and picked up a fruit from the table, taking a casual bite.
"Hey, you… don't ignore us!" Solana shouted.
"Don't scream," Dan said, sipping from his glass. "We booked this room. You're the intruders here."
"Sorry for the interruption," the silver-haired girl Eryn stepped forward. "But I need to ask… was it really you who wounded my cousin Lukas?"
"Yes," Dan replied plainly.
"That's impossible!" Eryn exclaid. "Lukas was wounded by a powerful psychic attack. You don't have the rank to use such a skill—and you're not even a psychic."
"Psychic attack? What do you an?" Dan asked, a flicker of concern crossing his mind.
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