Rudy the Brute, ranked third in sheer strength among the first-year students, could overpower many second-year upperclassmen in a pure test of might. Even with the Strength of the Brute spell cast by the magic apprentices, Qian Jin wasn't certain he could win a direct contest of raw power against Rudy.

Rudy, hailing from a commoner family, possessed such prodigious strength that some whispered he might carry the bloodline of the Northern Barbarians.

"Kid, you want to arm wrestle me?"

Rudy, seated at one end of the table, shifted his shoulders—which were nearly as thick as Qian Jin’s thigh—and slammed his elbow heavily onto the surface, the impact sending a bone-jarring thud through the room.

As Rudy's massive elbow struck the sturdy wooden table, Qian Jin distinctly saw all four legs shudder precariously.

"Bring it on," Rudy said, his free hand slapping the tabletop for emphasis. "Do you need me to use one hand?"

Qian Jin strongly considered accepting the offer immediately, but the contemptuous gazes cast by the surrounding Class Two students made him reject Rudy’s incredibly tempting proposition.

"One hand will be enough," Qian Jin replied, seating himself grandly opposite Rudy. He eyed Rudy’s thick arms skeptically; did this guy even know what fatigue felt like? Judging by the sheer force of that earlier elbow strike, he showed no sign of being tired now.

At this juncture, any man would step up, even knowing defeat was likely! Qian Jin resignedly braced his elbow on the table and grasped Rudy’s calloused, massive hand.

Wait. Qian Jin looked up, slightly surprised, and noticed Rudy staring back at him with an equally surprised expression. Their eyes met in a brief, astonished collision. Qian Jin became even more perplexed—was Rudy planning to go easy on him?

Anyone who has arm wrestled knows that when hands are clasped, the grip strength immediately reveals the opponent's underlying power, allowing one to roughly gauge if victory is possible.

As their hands locked, Qian Jin found it odd that Rudy’s grip didn't feel like he was applying his full strength. If they were truly competing only at this level of force, Rudy's chance of winning was less than thirty percent.

The watching academy students lounging on the nearby beds began yawning listlessly, fishing copper coins from their pockets and tossing them onto the table. One murmured weakly, "I’m betting on Rudy."

"Me too, I bet on Rudy."

"I'm betting on Rudy as well."

Several Class Two students tossed their coins and then turned to gauge the expressions of the Class One members.

"Um..."

"Well..."

The Class One students exchanged glances, their faces awkward as they whispered quietly, "We’re betting on Rudy too..."

Ptooey! Hearing his own classmates place their bets on Rudy ignited an urge in Qian Jin to vomit blood and punch something. They had been classmates for nearly a year, yet they were betting on an outsider to win.

"You're betting on Rudy? How are you placing the bets?"

"Betting on Rudy? Well, you aren't completely stupid, you realize the guy you brought isn't good enough."

"But isn't this a matter of loyalty? He's your classmate!"

The Class Two students, sprawled on the benches, started chattering amongst themselves, one after another, their endless remarks causing the faces of the Class One students to flush crimson. Yet, not a single one switched their bet to Qian Jin to display any warrior's pride.

Rollin approached the table, and Qian Jin shot a fierce glare at his old friend who was currently fumbling with his copper coins. Qian Jin knew Rollin too well; this man was not one to stand firm on principle. Abandoning a friend and placing money on Rudy the Brute was exactly the kind of thing Rollin would do.

Under Qian Jin's sharp glare, Rollin involuntarily shivered. He understood his roommate of nearly a year just as well as Qian Jin understood him.

Normally, Qian Jin was cheerful, outgoing, and polite to others. But if someone truly crossed him, that person was in deep trouble. Qian Jin lived by the creed of absolute retribution for any grievance.

Rollin had not forgotten what happened just two months ago: Kessus, a warrior student from Class One Grade Three, along with two others, had cornered Rollin in the washroom, delivering a brutal beating and warning him to stay away from the campus belle, Juliet.

That evening, when Qian Jin saw Rollin's body covered in bruises, he learned the whole story. At the time, Qian Jin had merely said, "Courting girls is about skill; what kind of person resorts to sneak attacks? This won't just end here."

Initially, Rollin thought Qian Jin was just speaking off the cuff, blowing off steam. He never imagined that a month later, during the inter-class sparring session, Qian Jin would directly confront Kessus and demand a fight.

The moment the match began, Qian Jin, bare-handed, slammed the club-wielding Kessus to the ground and proceeded to pummel him.

The fight was over almost instantly; as soon as they engaged, Qian Jin had Kessus down. Under sparring rules, Kessus had already lost, but Qian Jin didn't give him the chance to concede. His first punch drew blood, and then he pinned Kessus down, raining a relentless barrage of blows upon him.

When the instructors finally realized the situation was out of hand and pulled Qian Jin off, Kessus’s once handsome face was unrecognizable. Rumor had it that when Kessus returned home that evening, even his own mother had to look closely for a long moment before recognizing the son she had raised for over a decade.

If Qian Jin could become this ferocious over something that didn't even concern him, merely the plight of his roommate, Rollin seriously doubted if betraying the 'solid' friendship between them would result in him being beaten to death and left to rot in the wilderness that very night.

"I..." Rollin sighed repeatedly, reluctantly placing his copper coins next to Qian Jin’s pile. His weak tone carried an immense unwillingness. "I'll bet on Qian Jin after all."

The Class One students stared at Rollin as if he were an idiot, while the Class Two students collectively gave him a thumbs-up, saying, "Now that's guts!"

Guts? Of course, it was guts! Knowing Rudy the Brute's strength far surpassed Qian Jin’s, Rollin still placed his coins on his friend. Everyone assumed he was so brave he must have lost his mind.

Qian Jin gave Rollin a look that said, Smart move, and tightened his grip on Rudy's hand, entering the final preparatory stage before the true contest began.

Sensing the renewed pressure from Qian Jin’s fingers, Rudy’s two thick, brown eyebrows shot upward, and astonishment blazed from his ox-like eyes.

Among the first-year warriors, Rudy had never encountered anyone with this much strength, save for the two students rumored to possess a sixth of actual Barbarian blood.

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