The Bully’s Reincarnation

Chapter 7: First Blood Duel

By morning, the academy buzzed with a rumor too loud to ignore.Someone had challenged Kai to a First Blood Duel.The kind that didn’t end with applause—but with pain.

Official duels at Arcadia were rare for Class E students. Too rare. Usually, they were mock trials or punishment drills, never real matches with real stakes. But Kai’s mark had changed that. His existence was a question now, and the academy wanted answers. Or entertainment or probably both.

The challenge came from Daren Volk—Class C, fire user, son of a merchant noble….known for flashy moves and dirty finishes.

Kai read the notice posted on the board, his name burned in gold at the top. The words “PUBLIC ARENA – NOON” glared like a threat.

Lina stood beside him, her voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t have to do this.”

He gave a dry smile. “It’s mandatory.”

“They want to see if you’ll break.”

“Then I’ll disappoint them.”

The arena loomed at the center of Arcadia’s training grounds—a great circle of stone enclosed by bleachers and magic barriers. Students crowded the edges, voices rising like static.

Half were there for the fight.

The other half were there to see if the Tyrant had truly returned.

Kai stepped through the iron gate in silence. No armor. No sword. Just the uniform shirt clinging to his frame and boots scuffed from too many beatings.

He spotted Cyrus in the stands—alone, arms crossed, watching.

He also saw Lina at the back, half-hidden behind a pillar, her fingers clenched.

And then Daren entered from the opposite end…..grinning like a lion.

His jacket embroidered in fire-thread, his gauntlets glowing with charge.

“Didn’t think you’d show up,” Daren sneered. “Was betting you’d cry behind your dorm door.”

Kai shrugged. “Still might.”

Laughter rippled from the crowd.

Daren turned to the officials. “Let’s get this over with first blood, yeah? I’ll make it quick.”

The proctor stepped forward. “Match rules confirmed. First visible blood ends the duel. No killing spells. Begin.”

Daren didn’t wait.

He struck fast—two fingers igniting a trail of fire along the ground that shot toward Kai’s legs.

Kai jumped back, barely missing the flames.

A follow-up bolt of heat soared past his shoulder, singeing his sleeve.

The crowd cheered.

Daren spun, fire swirling up his arms. “Come on, freak. Don’t tell me you’re just going to stand there.”

Kai’s breath slowed.

He wasn’t as fast. Not as trained. But he had something else.

He reached—not for his fists—but for the memory from the night before. The book. The sigil.

He whispered it.

A pulse of cold coiled around his fingers.

When Daren lunged again, Kai moved—too quickly.

The shadow-walking spell blurred the space between them.

Gasps rose from the audience as Kai reappeared behind Daren, too close to dodge.

He didn’t punch, he used his weight, tackling Daren into the ground….dust rose and Daren cursed.

Then fire exploded from his palm, knocking Kai backward across the stone.

Pain surged through Kai’s ribs. He rolled coughed blood danced in his mouth but didn’t break the skin.

Daren stood again, wild-eyed.

“That wasn’t a blink spell,” he muttered. “What was that?”

Kai didn’t answer.

He stood, shaky but upright.

Daren raised both hands now, gathering fire in a wide arc.

“I was going to go easy,” he said, voice thick with fury. “But if you want to play monster, then fine. Let’s see what a Tyrant bleeds like.”

The flames crackled louder, forming a ring above Daren’s head.

The crowd roared.

But then Kai moved not with magic just with certainty.

He ducked low and drove forward. Daren tried to release the fire—but Kai was already inside the range.

He didn’t strike with fists, he whispered a word.

A single spell from the grimoire.

A defensive one.

A mirror-binding glyph meant to reflect heat into kinetic force.

The spell flared between them.

Daren’s fire slammed into it—and ricocheted back.Not enough to kill but enough to knock him backward, hard.

He hit the wall with a dull thud. A cut opened across his brow. Red smeared down his temple.

Gasps turned to silence.

Then a bell rang.

“First blood!” the proctor called. “Match over!”

Kai stood, chest heaving.

His arm throbbed and his side screamed.

But Daren wasn’t moving, the proctor rushed over.

The crowd watched in breathless awe as Kai turned, sweat dripping from his chin, bloodless but victorious.

Someone muttered, “That move… That was Rafe’s.”

And suddenly the cheers weren’t cheers.

They were whispers..full of fear and awe….of something old being reborn.

Lina caught up with him just outside the arena.

“You won,” she said, out of breath, trying to smile.

“Barely.”

“They’re scared of you now.”

He looked past her. Toward the rising tower of Arcadia. Toward the sky that felt just a little darker.

“They should be,” he murmured.

Then added, quieter: “So am I.”

That night, Cyrus found him again.

This time on the roof of the training hall, where Kai sat alone, eyes on the stars.

“You’re drawing too much attention,” Cyrus said as he sat beside him.

Kai didn’t look away from the sky. “You think I planned that?”

“No. But it worked.”

Kai said nothing.

Cyrus leaned back on his hands. “You channeled an ancient glyph today. Mirror-binding is high-tier magic. Most staff couldn’t have pulled that off without years of practice.”

“I didn’t pull it off. I barely survived.”

“But you survived.”

Kai finally turned toward him. “Why do you care?”

“Because,” Cyrus said, “you’re either going to save this academy or burn it to the ground.”

“And what are you here for?”

Cyrus smiled faintly. “To make sure you pick the right side.”

Kai looked down at his palms—still bruised, still shaking. But stronger than yesterday.

Maybe not strong enough yet but soon.

Something in him had changed….something was still changing.

And he didn’t know if he could stop it.