26 Chapter 26: Iron Fis (2/2)
”Are you sure about this?”
”Yeah.” I nodded, and then smiled. ”At least allow me to look cool.”
Alicia returned the smile uncertainly, and then nodded. ”All right. I'll make the arrangements.”
”…why…why are you helping me? What benefits do you get from this?” Dong Fang Yue Chu was staring at me, stunned. ”Why are you going through such lengths to help me?”
”I assume Richard is going to join your society,” Alicia suggested with a shrug. Dong Fang Yue Chu's eyes widened and jumped to his feet.
”Really? You're really going to join my club?!”
”Honestly, I'm only doing this because those guys pissed me off.” I jabbed my thumb at the Iron Fist Society. An idea began to form in my mind as I saw several ways I could use this to my advantage. ”And don't get me wrong. I'm not joining your society. You're joining mine.”
Dong Fang Yue Chu continued to gape at me, but then he quickly nodded.
”Whatever you say, President! I'll follow you to the ends of the world!”
”Nah, I'll just be the vice-president.” I honestly didn't want the responsibility of heading the club. Dong Fang Yue Chu could take care of all the paperwork and duties that being a president entailed. ”I just want to make a statement. Starting with these guys.”
Turning to the Iron Fist Society, I cocked my head toward the main building, where the arena was located.
”Let's begin then.”
”You had better not regret this,” the Iron Fist Society president said with a feral grin. I merely smiled back.
”No, I won't. What's the worst that can happen? You guys get the booth space. I go back to being without a society. Nothing changes for me.”
Without waiting for a reply, I then proceeded toward the main hall, with Alicia and Dong Fang Yue Chu following me.
*
”Did you hear? Richard Huang is finally fighting a match!”
”It's only been a week. What's the big deal?”
”Are you kidding?! Of course it's a big deal! Let's see if his team kill of Crowley Academy's representatives was only a fluke! Or does he have something up his sleeve? He has to, otherwise he wouldn't be so confident to challenge the Iron Fist Society!”
”Senior Richard is fighting!”
”This I have to see!”
”Awesome!”
Word flew around, and a good number of students abandoned the setting up of booths, or after-school activities to flock toward the main hall. As I expected, the first year students who proclaimed to be my fans turned out in force, eagerly watching the match.
If I actually won these matches, I might actually be able to recruit enough first year students into my newly formed society. They had been pestering me about it for long enough, and I decided to answer their expectations on a whim.
Normally, I wouldn't be bothered – I was not obligated to fulfil their expectations or requests. It really was just a whim, and honestly, it didn't feel bad to have people cheering me on and admiring me.
Of course, I had to win first. If I lost, then everything would collapse and the first year students would realize what a fraud I was. I would lose all my fans.
Given what I had been through over the past year, that honestly wasn't as bad as it sounded. It would just mean I returned to normal, and I could return to being obscure and being by myself again. For someone like me, returning to square one wasn't the end of the world.
”All right. You'll get the honor of fighting against me, the president of the Iron Fist Society, Tie Quan. Usual one-on-one format, ends when one of us surrenders or is unable to battle. I trust you are all right with that?”
The president of the Iron Fist Society, Tie Quan, proudly puffed his chest out and strode onto the stage.
”It appears that you've misunderstood something.”
”Hmm? You want to face one of the other members instead?” Tie Quan tilted his head curiously. ”Well, it's fine. The result won't change either way.”
”No, you can stay on stage. I want to face you. But not just you.” I took a deep breath and loudly proclaimed. ”I want ten!”
Everyone stared at me, and then they began roaring in laughter. With the exception of my fans, who believed that I was truly intending on repeating the feat that made me a legend.
”You want to fight ten of my members? Are you serious?”
”Yeah.” I nodded.
”That's not possible.” Alicia sighed. ”The most we can do is a team format, where five members fight five members. You're not allowed to do ten consecutive matches.”
I shrugged. ”Let's do that then.”
”You're serious?!” Tie Quan exclaimed mockingly. ”You think we're like Crowley Academy? We know your skills very well. We're not stupid enough to give you time to summon your spirit beast.”
”I know.” I smiled mysteriously. ”But it's more fun this way. Or are you afraid? My team only has me and Dong Fang Yue Chu. You can easily provide five members.”
”You had best not regret this…” Tie Quan clenched his fists tightly. ”I'll pound that arrogance and delusions out of you!”
Good. The idiot had taken the bait. Now all I needed to do was survive until I could summon one of my Celestial Guardians.
The only question was whether the new skills I had developed were enough to help me withstand Tie Quan's ferocious onslaught until then.