"Vyas got defeated!?"

"His ranking just fell from 24 to 31."

"And the horn guy’s ranking just rose from 301 to 276."

"Talk of being a lucky-ass bastard."

"Lucky-ass? Did anyone notice he didn’t seem to use any Ability in that fight?"

"Wait... for real!"

There were murmurs filling the air after the fight, but White didn’t wait to hear them.

He’s got himself an End Project assignment that he must submit in the next week, and he was barely getting the hang of the knowledge.

His next move after the arena was to go straight back to the library and dive back into the textbooks.

He continued the study for about 7 hours, before the sound of footsteps reached him, and he snapped quietly, turning forward to find someone already before him.

"You look quite serious. First time I’ve seen that without your eyes going all... supernatural."

Nova teased as White rolled his eyes.

"Please..."

He said, preparing to dive back into the study, but his eyes caught the paused video on her device.

"Is that..."

He asked and she showed it to him, as he rolled his eyes again.

It was the footage of him fighting Vyas.

"It’s the new talk in the academy."

"Knowing you though, I thought you would have taken some time before deciding to challenge someone. Don’t tell me you have a popularity ego?"

She asked as White shrugged.

"Not really. I just needed some points."

"Really?"

She asked, grabbing his arm and navigating his runic watch.

"Looks like you’ve got enough?"

She said, and White tapped it, bringing out the history list.

"I only just got 300 from Vyas’s challenge. All I had before was 85... and that didn’t even belong to me."

He said as Nova’s face softened at his watch.

"Wait, you got deducted 100 points from breaking a rule, and... Morgaine sent you 100 points?"

She asked as he nodded.

"How did that happen?"

She asked.

"Just a little skirmish back in the cafeteria. Needed some points to deal with someone, but fighting in the cafeteria comes with a loss of 100 points, so I asked Morgaine."

"What was the guy’s name again, Payfray?"

White asked, trying to recall.

"You mean Pinfrey?"

Nova asked.

"Yes. Pinfrey."

"Tsk, he’s an idiot who thinks himself funny."

She said with a scoff.

"He’s tried the poison thing too on you?"

White asked.

"No one tries that type of nonsense with me."

She said, with an eye roll that made White remember.

"Oh, of course. You’ve got your mentor. Vice Mimura."

White said, but then paused, as he suddenly smooshed her cheeks.

"I wonder what she feels about that type of nonsense."

He probed as Nova giggled.

"You don’t wanna do that in front of her."

"Why not?"

"She’s gonna kill you. She’s not a big fan of this lovey-dovey thing."

She teased.

"I would kiss you even in front of the devil himself... unless, of course, you yourself say no to it."

He said, but in that moment she leaned forward, kissing him on his lips, both sinking into the pleasurable feeling for about 10 seconds before she parted slightly.

"I wouldn’t say no."

She said, leaning in for another kiss, but White placed his fingers on her lips.

"Okay, okay. Mrs Snow Kiss. I’ve got an End Project to study for."

White said, but as expected she only leaned harder on him, kissing for another 20 seconds straight before she broke contact, watching him inhale and exhale roughly, with an evil grin.

"Now you can study all you want."

She said, winking at White before she moved out of the library.

He resumed his studying after, only to pause when he heard a second sound of footsteps at one of the bookshelves.

"You know you can just tell her no. You know that, right?"

It was a masculine voice and White looked up at the young man whose face was hidden by the crimson dreadlocks.

Even with the change in hairstyle, White could still easily identify him.

"And what makes you think I’m not interested in her?"

White asked as Rukun shrugged his shoulders, hand tracing one of the books on the shelves.

"I don’t know. Maybe the fact that you gave her a nice little smooch, even when she would have only smiled from a kiss."

"Or you paused her kiss, something some of these fools have made as their ultimate goal in their pathetic life, or that you’re somehow the first to get out of breath from a kiss, even when you just defeated the 24th genius on the ranking, without even losing control of your breath once."

Rukun listed out, and with an ease that showed he didn’t really think about them.

"All of it just points towards the fact you’re not really that interested in her. So why force things? Don’t tell me you don’t wanna break her little heart."

He said and White rolled his eyes.

"And by the way, I saw your fight with Vyas. The little tap on the shoulder at the end... that was cute."

He said, picking up a large textbook and dragging a chair to White’s table before taking a seat.

"Hello White."

The boy said with a familiar grin. A grin White knew all too well and it made him exhale in tiredness.

"You know, Rukun... I’m actually a fan of a good competitive spirit."

"Oh really?"

Rukun asked, opening the book up.

"Really. But I was pretty sure that the last time we met, that competition was clearly resolved, with a very clear winner. I enjoyed it till that moment."

"But tailing me around and still being sore after 6 months of clearly resolved competition... I don’t know, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth somehow."

"You still think I’m bitter about my losses?"

Rukun asked.

"Isn’t that obvious?"

"To be honest, I don’t mean that. I just saw what I’ve always seen in some rare cases of relationships, one-sided love, and was wondering why someone like you, with all the power and handsomeness, would choose to settle for something you’re not interested in, when there are more than enough choices."

"I mean, which girl would say no to the almighty White Sinclaw... Oh sorry, I mean White Deadclaw?"

"Hahahaa."

He exploded with laughter as White sighed, turning back to his book.

"What do you want this time, Rukun?"