The Devil's Cage

Standler's self-muttering was too soft for anyone to hear what he was saying, but everyone watched him walk up to the ring.

A lot of them couldn't help but frown; they assumed Standler was being irrational.

"He is still too young."

A lot of them exclaimed as such, and some part of the crowd looked at the ring with utmost anticipation. The neutral professors in wheelchairs and bandages were eager to see the freshmen fall.

Same went for the 4th year student in the ring.

The battle with Maica was too simple and boring for him, not challenging at all.

"It's time to end this," said the 4th year student.

He saw Standler standing in front of him with his head down.

As for the fallen Maica, the 4th year student didn't even look at him.

Should the 4th year student spare a glance at Maica, he would have noticed an unusual look on him.

It wasn't the pain that caused him to look weird, but that he noticed that something was wrong.

Standler and Maica had been eating and sleeping together since the school's start, and they were already the best of friends, so Maica could tell something was unusual about Standler with a single glance, but he couldn't figure out what happened to his friend.

Similarly, all he could do was watch the 4th year student land his punch on Standler's body… which was three meters tall!

Three meters?!

Maica was stunned. He widened his eyes when he saw Standler was like a mini giant, his body buffed to a ridiculous level.

That powerful punch that was strong enough to kill a normal person and heavily injured an Eater did not even leave a scratch on that buff body. The 4th year student was pushed backwards by his own rebounding force instead.

The pain spread from his fist, and his body was covered by a huge shadow.

The 4th year student looked at the ridiculously buff Standler in disbelief.

If it didn't happen before his eyes, the 4th year student could never imagine how a normal person grew into a giant. The confusion and shock flooded his mind like a tidal wave, but the mixed thoughts were discarded soon enough because the huge palm was coming after him.

The 4th year student wanted to dodge, but after the rebound, he couldn't get on his feet properly, and there was an unusual suction from the palm. He had no way to dodge the grab, and on the contrary, he fell into the palm's trajectory.

Excruciating pain spread throughout his body when the palm closed in on him.

Then, the 4th year student was swung around violently like a ragdoll, ferocious roars entering his ears.

"Horhorhor, call papa!"

The roars made his ears ring along with the violent swinging. The 4th year student was completely stunned.

'What happened?

'What in the hell happened?

'Why papa?'

Questions flooded the 4th year student, and his blank state made Standler lose his patience.

Standler then flung him towards the audience seat as if he was hurling a disk.

The professors in wheelchairs and bandages were toppled over by the flying student.

Cries of pain sounded en masse, but no one cared about them because everyone was captivated by Standler.

Some were shocked, some were pondering.

"What kind of talent is this?"

"The freshmen this year are really scary!"

"There are two Eaters with talents among them!"

"Two? You forgot about the fact that they are just the aide, and there is still the First Seat!"

"Monster! Absolute monsters!"

Discussions sounded in succession in the audience seat. All the upper year students in the rings were looking at Standler with heavy expressions, including the First Seats.

"What a surprising opponent!" Tai exclaimed.

As the First Seat of 5th year, he knew the power level of the 4th year student.

Although he wasn't a match for him, it was also impossible for Tai to escape unharmed after sustaining a punch from the 4th year.

It was also impossible for him to easily take out the 4th year like Standler, for he wasn't good at fighting melee combat.

'This freshman's body is terrifying. I can't engage in a melee combat with him, otherwise… the consequences will be unimaginable!'

The thought ran through the mind of Tai and the others around him. All of them were staring at that body built up by pure muscles, and they couldn't help but gulp their saliva.

The only one different was Renata. She looked at the faint image on Standler's body and showed a ridiculing smile.

"A special constitution?" she said.

"Are there more challengers? Otherwise, the freshmen will gain two spots in going up to the main ring!" Senile declared loudly.

All of the upper year students shook their heads.

After witnessing the 4th year elite student fall without even resisting, even the 5th year students dared not simply step into the ring to challenge the giant.

The professors may have paid them well, but risking their well-beings for the sake of payment was a little too much and not worthwhile.

Just look at the 4th year student who got thrown out of the ring!

Although he was taken care of right away and did not die, he would have to lie on the sick bed for at least six months, excluding the treatment and recuperating profess.

It was less than worthwhile for the 5th year students who would graduate within the year.

As for the 4th year students? They did not want to follow in the footsteps of their fellow mate.

The 4th years would soon go up to their 5th year, and if they had to spend half a year in the sick bed, their efforts throughout the entire 4th year would be wasted. It was something they couldn't afford to bear.

Since the 4th and 5th years said nothing, the 2nd and 3rd years wouldn't either; no one liked to be tortured.

Of course, the First Seat of the respective years might have a chance, but the payment from the professors wasn't enough to move them. Moreover, each and every First Seat had their own pride to uphold.

Going after some freshmen themselves? Impossible.

They wouldn't do it even if they were beaten by the freshman First Seat.

The silence from the upper year students ushered Senile to announce, "Maica and Standler acquire the rights to step into the main ring!"

"We won!"

"We got in!"

"Not only is our First Seat is strong, even the two aides are so powerful!"

"No wonder the First Seat selected them as aides! This is the real reason!"

…

After the announcement from Senile, the freshmen cheered loudly and celebrated in joy. Some questions that baffled them on normal days were solved too.

The freshmen did have some dispute about why Kieran chose Maica and Standler as his aides.

Maica's strength was obvious and witnessed by many, but what about Standler, who looked and performed so normally?

Some of the freshmen even had second thoughts and some might even bear malicious intentions.

However, at this moment, regardless of good will or ill will, everything was like drifting clouds dispersing into nothing.

Power triumphed over everything, including and not limited to respect.

In the ring, Standler's eyes turned white again before his body shook. He then regained his senses and looked around.

The spotlights were on him, and the loud cheers echoed in his ears.

'Who am I?

'Where am I?

'Why do I feel like I've reached the peak of my life?'

Standler felt very confused, and his questions did not go away after he helped Maica up to the main ring; instead, they confused him even more.

He learned what just happened through Maica, and he was sure that the buff monster wasn't himself—he didn't even have the related memories!

"Is it a split personality?" Standler started to doubt himself.

"Are you suffering from split personality?" Maica asked.

"I don't think so," Standler replied with hesitance.

"Think on it. Have you experienced deja vu often recently? Have you felt like you've been to this place but you actually haven't?" Maica asked with a serious look.

"Hmm. I did experience a lot of deja vu. Could it be the experience of my other self?" Standler looked even more serious.

"I don't know." Maica shook his head.

"Don't know? Then why are you asking?" Standler looked at his friend with a pout and furrowed brows.

"I just wanted to check if you are still you. Based on my little test, I am sure nothing of you has changed, because if you were that giant from earlier, you would have punched me away."

Maica explained seriously but Standler gave him the finger.

While the two of them were whispering to each other, the competition continued.

In the end, all the remaining spots to step up to the main ring were revealed.

The 5th years took most of the spots; the 4th and 3rd years evenly took up the rest.

The 2nd years were all wiped out because of Standler and Maica's appearance.

Everyone cheered and clapped for the students who entered the main ring.

Professor Tyrese, too, stepped up to the ring from the audience seat and took the mic from Senile.

"I am happy to see changes. Theorate is a product of change; its rules are built on a constant and mutual change, and I am proud that the changes took place in you two."

The kind professor looked at Standler and Maica.

"So, I will personally award you both with an extra 100 academic points each," said the professor after a little pause.

Professors were eligible to give students academic points to boost their scores, but it wasn't unlimited. A professor like Tyrese had only 300 points to distribute in a single semester, which was equivalent to a Bento exchange voucher.

The students who made it into the main ring would be awarded with 100 academic points. With the addition of the extra 100 from Professor Tyrese, Standler and Maica already earned 2/3 of the value of a Bento exchange voucher.

The gazes on Standler and Maica showed admiration but not jealousy because their strength was witnessed by all.

Aside from Maica, who had some rumours surrounding him, Standler's performance was considered a shock to the eyes.

Although Standler was utterly blank at the moment, the applause was given to him nevertheless.

The applause didn't dim down as it went on. Quite the contrary, it grew louder like thunderous claps.

The warming up was over!

Next would be the main segment: the food competition!

The main segment was the most anticipated segment throughout the celebration, and all students were allowed to participate without limits.

The strongest of six groups, Group A, B, C, D, E, and F, would be decided through battle selections. The selected ones would compete in the main ring and the final victor would have the chance to acquire a Proper Meal class food at a discounted price.

As a matter of fact, anyone who reached the top in their respective ring was already eligible to acquire a Bento exchange voucher with only 1/10 of the price.

A big box was pushed up the stage by Leonard. Inside were all the names of the registered participants for the upcoming food competition.

Through drawing lots, the students would be distributed to all six rings. The drawing process was random and no one would know who they would face in the ring, so Dale was prayed hard.

The 2nd year First Seat was praying not to get grouped up with another First Seat.

Although he denied it, Dale knew how far the distance between him and the other First Seats was.

Among the other three First Seats, Tai wasn't really concerned about who he got grouped up with, because for him, as long as Kieran wasn't in the mix, he would surely win against any opponent.

Renata and Jemara exchanged glares before they returned to normal. They were battle aroused, and both ladies were eager to brawl it out with full might.

In fact, not just the two First Seat were eager to exchange punches, but a lot of the students also exchanged fierce gazes with each other, some even starting to clench their fists.

Some were eager because of the discord in normal times; some were eager because they wanted to overtake their rivals.

The competition would be the best place for them to bring out their true power.

"The drawing starts now," Senile announced.

Professor Tyrese walked towards the box to draw names—he was tasked to do so because the students had voted for it to be him.

It wasn't just because Professor Tyrese's friendly personality was loved by the students, but the way he dealt with things during normal times also won the acknowledgement of the students.

Professor Tyrese raised his hand, intending to pull out the first name, but before his fingers could touch the box, the box ignited in flames.

Fuaaa!

A spark of fire grew into a blazing fireball within the blink of an eye, engulfing the box and the names inside altogether.

The sudden fire alarmed the security guards. Even Principal Romuse in the audience seat frowned, but he soon realized what happened.

He looked up to the ceiling of the gymnasium.

Above the strong spotlights, there was a black figure standing on top.

The principal's action attracted the attention of the crowd. All of them followed him and looked up.

Some with better eyesight saw the black figure, but the face was too dark to make out.

When the figure jumped down from the ceiling with loud flutters and landed on the emptied out main ring, everyone cried out in shock, especially the freshmen.

"FIRST SEAT!?"

They were confused when they saw the black figure under the spotlight, but the confusion only lingered for a second before it was replaced by loud, joyful cheers.

Kieran, who landed in the middle of the main ring, said, "Draw names? No need for such a tedious process. Everyone who's participating in the competition can come at me all together. I am in a hurry, so please be quick."