Ch-16

I apologize for the late chappy; my mother got sick. My girl and I both moved to my parent's home to help out. We just finished settling in.

I hope the lump is a false alarm; let's cross our fingers.

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After 2 minutes of sharing a passionate kiss, they pulled away, and Esme hid her blushful face on Melio's shoulder.

Melio stares straight into William's eye with mockery and an evil smirk.

"I am here to tell you and everyone else like you. Esme Star is my girl. If anyone has a problem with that..." Melio extended his arm and summoned his sword.

The way he summoned his sword shocked the teachers and squad leaders.

"I don't mind cut an arm or leg off. " Melio said with an evil smile, slowly letting his aura leak out.

However, William's pride is more significant than his surviving instinct.

William takes off his hat, then tosses it to Melio.

"I challenge you to a life or death duel!" William yelled with anger in his voice.

Melio smirks.

"Okay, right here, right now. Or are you a pussy?" Melio said while holding Esme tightly to his chest.

The smirk on Melio's face is getting on William's nerves even more, seeing how tamed Esme is within Melio's arms.

"Okay, bastard. Follow me to the arena." William wants nothing more but to beat the living shit out of Melio. He is different from other people who would engage more in talking than fighting.

William is a man of action than words.

Melio lets Esme go once William starts to lead him back to the academy's battle arena.

Esme gives Melio a look; Melio rubs his neck and waist.

'What a savage cat!' Melio thought as he feels the pain in her pinches and bites.

The group & spectators all arrived at the academy's battle arena.

Melio is standing in front of William.

However, Melio senses someone powerful approaching.

"Are you ready? " Melio said as he starts taking off his school's blazer.

William's eyebrow twitches.

William waited for Melio to face him; that's when he rushed towards Melio.

Melio smirk.

'He is different from most fuck bois, I read from novels.' Melio thought to himself as he blocks William's first punch.

William pulls Melio in & with his left hand; he summons a fire fist.

William aims for Melio's stomach.

Melio used his right leg to kick William's left knee.

CRACK!

William's heart drops.

His fire slowly fades before it reaches Melio.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" William screams his guts out.

The crowd was all surprised that a C-rank broke an A-rank knee.

Melio then puts pressure on William's right hand.

Crack, Crack, Crack, Crack and Crack!

Melio slowly breaks every finger on William's right hand.

"Willy, oh little Willy. Where's that ego of yours? Come on, come on. Sing for me." Melio's voice was sadistic & cold. His voice sends shivers down everyone's spine.

In William's eyes, the one in front of him wasn't a human but the devil himself.

Melio was slowly breaking William's bones.

In the crowd, everyone was stunned or dumbfounded by how easy Melio is handling William.

How a tiger easily dominates every animal before it.

Esme's eyes were wide, with her right hand covering her mouth.

The girls were at the edge of their seats in suspense.

Melio sense's someone above.

Melio kicks William in the stomach, breaking a few ribs.

Melio's kick send William flying outside the battle arena.

Due to the pain, William has been unconscious.

BOOM!

The Dean of the academy arrives in the middle of the two.

She looks at William then at Melio.

"The duel ends her. If you are not satisfied, I don't mind lifting a hand." Elizabeth said to Melio with a calm voice.

Melio stares at The dean.

"That's fine." Melio slowly walks away.

Then he pauses.

"I was told by wise men... Make sure to kill those who want to kill you. " Melio disappears.

Splash!

Thud, thud.

"It was a life or death battle anyway. " Melio said, standing above the dead body of William the first prince of the Eastern Sector.

The dean felt her face hot like its been slapped.

"I at this moment announce your expulsion. The Academy doesn't want to be involved in these matters; you just killed the son of a ruthless king.

I don't want to deal with the Tiger King. Go before the crystal in William's body sends a signal that William has been killed." Elizabeth said to Melio.

Melio stares at the Dean.

Hearing what the Dean said to Melio, Esme jumped down.

Esme walked towards Melio's side and looked at Elizabeth.

"I quit as a Squad Leader." Esme grabbed Melio's hand, and the two left.

Melio felt warmth in his chest.

He put more strength into his hand to tightly hold Esme's hand.

Esme ignored his advance, and they both continued to leave the academy.

Then what shocked the dean, three students followed Esme.

*****

After, the Dean sends the crowd away; right when the last student left, an image of a ruler appeared.

That person was the man known as the Tiger King.

"Hello, Elizabeth. I am here only to know who killed my son." The Tiger King voice was cold and detached from any emotion.

Elizabeth then crashed a crystal.

An image appeared in between the two of the life and death agreement and battle.

Throughout the entire footage, Elizabeth was studying the king before her.

The Tiger King formed a fist while looking at how easily the boy defeated his son.

Yet, his face was calm as water.

Elizabeth looked closer; she spotted blood slowly coming from his formed fist.

"I failed as a father and a husband." The tiger king looks up.

Elizabeth knows the history of this king before her.

His first wife died protecting him, and her last words were to cherish their child to guide him and raise him to be a great man.

However, William was spoiled rotten by his father. Even after he remarried, William was the most beloved child out of all 8.

From this moment forward, Elizabeth knew that Melio would have a massive bounty on his head.

"Liz, Why didn't you truly stop him?" The king asked her.

"You know why; it was an agreement between two men. As the Dean, I have to uphold everything, even if a prince's life is at stake. Adam, you know very well the academy's rules if you have a problem with what I did.

Speak with my husband; he would be happy to talk with you." Elizabeth said to Adam, the tiger king.

Adam was angered even more.

"I see; tell Merlin I said Hello." Adam disappeared.