Transmigrating as an Extra, But the Heroine Has Regressed?!-Chapter 307: Kaigaku vs Kael Ashford.

"Who was his name again?" Kaigaku asked, scratching the back of his head as he strolled carelessly through the corridor.

His friend beside him flipped a hand. "Kaep... Kell... Kael... something like that."

"Kael?" Kaigaku repeated with annoyance. "What kind of boring name is that? Why is everyone talking about a first-year brat?"

His friend shrugged. "They say he killed a giant demon by himself."

Kaigaku clicked his tongue loudly.

"Tch. First years nowadays... all they do is brag until someone beats them up."

He kept walking, boots echoing sharply on the polished marble floor of the main corridor.

His broad shoulders pushed aside a few passing students, all of whom quickly bowed their heads, whispering nervously.

"That’s Kaigaku..."

"Second-year ranker Kaigaku..."

"He beat five second-years last week..."

"H-He’s dangerous..."

Kaigaku ignored all of it. He had only one purpose today: find the truth behind the rumor that was making the whole academy buzz.

He finally stopped in front of the Faculty Conference Room, where the first-year students had been called for a special meeting with the academy’s instructors.

He folded his arms and leaned on the wall.

"How long does it take to talk to a bunch of first-year kids?" Kaigaku hissed.

"It’s been an hour..."

His friend whispered, "...It’s been two hours."

And then—

Kaigaku snapped.

"THREE HOURS?!" he roared so loudly that the passing students flinched and scurried away.

"Why the hell are they taking so long?! What kind of meeting is this?! Are they planning to crown them kings?!"

He kicked the wall lightly, not enough to damage it but enough to express his irritation.

His friend stood silently, wisely choosing not to speak.

Finally, after three hours, the door opened—slowly.

Click...

Clack...

The first-year students filed out one by one, all exhausted, faces pale, shoulders slumped.

It looked like they had gone through a military interrogation.

A few seniors nearby whispered:

"What the hell happened there?"

"Why do they look half-dead?"

"Maybe the instructors yelled at them?"

Kaigaku didn’t care. His eyes narrowed as he scanned their faces.

He stepped forward, raising his voice:

"HEY! YOU LITTLE FIRST-YEARS!"

The entire group froze.

Some stiffened like statues. Others gulped nervously. A few rolled their eyes and ignored him.

One muttered under his breath,

"Ugh... not again..."

Another whispered,

"Why is he always angry...?"

Kaigaku slammed his foot on the floor.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU IS ’KAEP’... ’KELL’... WHATEVER—KAEL! WHO IS KAEL?!"

His voice thundered through the hallway.

This time, all first-years stared at him—some in shock, some in fear, some confused, and some who were too tired to care.

In the middle of the crowd, Elysia stepped forward.

"What is your problem?"

Kaigaku towered over her, but Elysia didn’t flinch.

"I said," Kaigaku growled, "WHO. IS. KAEL?!"

Elysia opened her mouth to reply, but someone else stepped out of the office at the worst possible moment.

Kael.

He didn’t notice the chaos yet.

He didn’t notice Kaigaku.

He didn’t notice the crowd watching with wide eyes.

He was simply talking to Cecelia beside him.

"Yeah... I was thinking the same thing," Kael said to her, rubbing his neck. "Three hours? That was too long..."

Cecelia nodded, sighing. "Professor Sylvia talked too much..."

Kaigaku and Elysia both turned toward him.

Others followed.

Slowly...

Kael became aware of dozens of stares aimed directly at him.

"...Huh?" he blinked.

Kaigaku stepped closer, glaring.

"Are you," Kaigaku pointed a finger to Kael’s face, "Kell?"

Kael blinked again.

"No... Kael," he corrected softly. "Yes, I’m Kael."

Two seconds of silence.

And then—

Without warning—

Without letting Kael defend himself—

Without letting him even breathe—

WHOOSH—!!!

A punch came flying out of nowhere.

A monstrous blow.

A heavy attack.

A strike packed with third-year force.

BAMMMMM—!!!

Kaigaku’s fist slammed into Kael’s stomach.

The air exploded.

Dust flew.

A shockwave rippled.

Kael’s body was completely lifted off the ground.

"U—GAAAH—!!"

He was sent flying like a ragdoll—

—through the corridor,

—through the hallway railings,

—out the open side of the academy building—

—and straight toward Ground One.

Students screamed.

"K-Kael?!"

"He flew all the way to Ground One!"

"That punch was insane!"

Cecelia’s face was drained of color.

She rushed forward—

"KAEL!!"

But Elysia grabbed her arm sharply.

"No."

Cecelia stumbled. "W-Why?! He’ll die!"

Elysia’s voice was cold but steady.

"Kaigaku didn’t use mana. He used raw strength. Kael will live."

Cecelia trembled.

She hated it.

But she trusted Elysia.

Meanwhile—

BOOOOOOMMMMMMM—!!!!

Kael landed on Ground One with a huge crater around him.

Before anyone could react, another tremor shook the ground.

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

Kaigaku dropped down from above like a meteor, landing on both feet.

Dust clouds exploded.

A broad sword gleamed in his hand.

He pointed the blade at Kael.

"KAEL!!" Cecelia cried again, tears forming in her eyes.

Kael pushed himself to his elbows, groaning.

"Ugh... what is your... problem...?" he coughed.

He struggled to stand, holding his stomach tightly.

Kaigaku snorted.

"’Problem’?" he repeated mockingly. "My problem is that every hallway... every cafeteria... every bulletin board... every rumor in this academy—"

He raised his sword.

"—is full of FIRST YEARS."

Gasps scattered around the forming crowd.

Some students from Ground One training area rushed over.

"What’s happening?"

"Is that a third-year?"

"That’s Kaigaku... one of the top fighters."

Kaigaku continued.

"You first-years defeat a few demons and suddenly think you’re heroes? And then... someone like YOU—"

He jabbed the sword closer to Kael’s chest.

"—dare to say you killed a GIANT demon alone?"

Kael blinked.

"...I never said that," he replied honestly.

Kaigaku scoffed.

"Don’t lie. Everyone is talking about it."

Kael shook his head.

"I didn’t tell anyone..."

Kaigaku didn’t want explanations.

He wanted a target.

"You think I care? If you’re that strong, then—SHOW ME."

The tension spread like wildfire.

All around Ground One—

Second-years ran over.

First-years gathered.

Even third-years who were passing by hurried toward the scene.

"What’s happening?"

"A fight?!"

"Who’s fighting?"

"Kaigaku VS... who?"

"A first-year?"

"...Is that Kael? The rumor kid?!"

Students whispered everywhere. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The air buzzed.

Elysia and Cecelia reached Ground One as well.

Cecelia immediately ran to Kael’s side.

"Kael... Kael, are you okay?!" she cried, kneeling beside him.

Kael forced a smile.

"A little.... winded."

Elysia stood behind her, arms crossed.

She stared at Kaigaku with ice in her eyes.

"Kaigaku, this is pathetic," she said. "Picking on a first-year just because of a rumor?"

Kaigaku’s eyebrow twitched.

"Oh? And what’s wrong with teaching a first-year his place?"

Elysia’s voice sharpened.

"There’s a difference between teaching and bullying."

Kaigaku turned his glare to her.

"You want to protect him?"

Elysia smirked.

"No. I want him to fight."

Kael froze.

"W-What?" he whispered.

Cecelia snapped at her.

"Elysia!! He’s injured! Why would you—?!"

Elysia replied calmly,

"Because Kaigaku won’t stop until he sees Kael’s strength. Running away will make the rumors worse."

Kael looked between them, confused.

Cecelia grabbed his hand.

"Kael, you don’t have to fight him... please..."

Kael exhaled deeply.

"...I didn’t want this," he murmured.

Elysia raised an eyebrow.

"Then refuse. I won’t stop you."

Kaigaku cracked his knuckles.

"You can refuse," he said mockingly. "Just crawl away like a coward."

The crowd gasped.

Kael slowly got to his feet.

His body hurt. His ribs throbbed. His stomach screamed from the earlier punch.

But when he saw Cecelia’s worried face—

—and Elysia’s unreadable eyes—

—and the entire academy watching...

Kael inhaled sharply.

"...I’m not crawling anywhere," he said.

Cecelia’s grip tightened.

"You’re not—?!"

Kael gently placed a hand over hers.

"I’ll be fine," he reassured with a small smile. "Besides... if I don’t face this now, he’ll never stop."

Cecelia’s eyes trembled.

She hated it.

She feared for him.

But she knew Kael wasn’t the type to run.

She lowered her head.

"...Okay. But don’t die."

Elysia smirked.

"Finally. Something interesting."

Kaigaku lifted his sword.

"Good. Show me what made the demons fear you."

Students cheered.

"THIS WILL BE GOOD!"

"A third-year vs a first-year!"

"I think Kaigaku will crush him."

"This should be the deserving match of all time"

"No way... Kael defeated a giant demon!"

"But that was a rumor!"

"I want to see if it’s true!"

Kael took a step forward.

He remained calm.

But inside—

Thump... thump... thump.

His heart raced.

He whispered to himself:

"...I don’t want to fight."

But—

"If I don’t... I’ll just make trouble for the others."

"And right now I don’t have my sword"

He clenched his fists.

Straightened his back.

And faced Kaigaku head-on.

Kaigaku grinned wildly, pointing his blade toward Kael.

"This will be fun."

The crowd roared.

Dozens of eyes focused on the two of them.

Another group of second-year students hurried toward Ground One, drawn by the tremors and the roaring crowd.

"Oi, oi... what’s going on?" one of them asked, pushing through the mass of people.

Another second-year peeked ahead and gasped. "No way... Is that Kaigaku?!"

"Kaigaku? monster Kaigaku?! Why is he here?!"

A girl beside him whispered nervously, "Why would he fight a first-year?"

One of them scratched his head. "I heard the rumor. Something about a first-year killing a giant demon alone..."

"That can’t be real," another replied. "But... look!" He pointed. "Even the third-years have gathered!"

The group turned their heads.

Indeed—

Almost an entire section of the arena’s upper stands was filled with third-year students, all watching curiously, some smirking, some whispering.