The gymnasium buzzed with anticipation as I entered nked by ric and Eamon Greene. Heads turned, whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire. I could feel the weight of their stares—some curious, others hostile.


    "There he is," someone murmured. "The troublemaker from the Sterling family."


    "Isn''t he the one who humiliated Julian Hawthorne?"


    "I heard he''s nothing without the Ashworth family backing him."


    I ignored the chatter, my focus locked on the tform ahead where Marcus Valerius stood waiting. Before I could reach him, a figure stepped directly into my path. Nora Donovan''s eyes zed with contempt as she blocked my way.


    "Well, if it isn''t the traitor himself," she spat, loud enough for nearby spectators to hear.


    I maintained myposure. "Excuse me, Miss Donovan. I have a match to attend."


    "You think you can just walk in here like you own the ce?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "After what you did to Lucas? After embarrassing my family?"


    "Your family does that well enough on their own," I replied coolly.


    Her face flushed crimson. "You arrogant—"


    "Nora," a firm voice interrupted. Lucas Rhodes appeared beside her, cing a hand on her shoulder. His eyes never left mine, burning with undisguised hatred. "Save your breath. I''ll handle this trash on the tform."


    I met his gaze without flinching. "Looking forward to it."


    Lucas leaned in, lowering his voice. "For what you did yesterday, I''m going to break you in front of everyone. By the time I''m finished, you''ll be begging for mercy."


    "Big words from someone who couldn''t evennd a proper hitst time," I responded.


    Den Donovan approached, his expression calcting as he assessed me. "So, this is the man causing all the fuss." His smile didn''t reach his eyes. "Lucas, make an example of him. Show everyone what happens to those who disrespect the Donovan family."


    "With pleasure, sir," Lucas replied, cracking his knuckles.


    I moved past them toward Marcus, but not before catching Nora''s final words to Lucas.


    "Don''t just defeat him," she whispered, her voiceced with malice. "Break his legs. Make sure he never walks properly again."


    Something cold and hard settled in my chest. These people weren''t just looking for a victory—they wanted blood. My blood.


    The referee called us to the tform. Lucas and I faced each other, the tension between us almost tangible.


    "Last chance to apologize," Lucas offered loudly, ying to the crowd. "Admit your disrespect and beg forgiveness from Miss Donovan. I might go easier on you."


    I looked him directly in the eyes. "No."


    His face darkened. "Your funeral."


    The referee signaled the start of the match. Lucas immediately shifted his stance, and I recognized the telltale signs of an Inner Strength Expert preparing to unleash devastating power. A ripple of energy seemed to flow through his body as he gathered his chi.


    "Inner Strength Boxing: Heaven Shattering Strike!" he roared.


    His fist shot forward with blinding speed, the air around it distorting from the sheer power. This wasn''t apetitive strike—it was meant to cripple, possibly kill. In that split second, I understood why Inner Strength Experts were so feared. The force behind that blow could shatter bone and rupture organs.


    The crowd gasped. Eamon shouted a warning. Marcus Valerius''s face went pale.


    But I stood my ground.


    As Lucas''s fist hurtled toward my face, I shifted my weight ever so slightly. Time seemed to slow down as I channeled my energy, focusing it into my right hand. With precision that surprised even me, I caught his fist just inches from my face.


    The impact sent shockwaves through the tform. Dust rose from the wooden boards under our feet. The sound of the collision echoed through the suddenly silent gymnasium.


    Lucas''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible," he whispered.


    I held his fist firmly in my grip, feeling the tremors of his chi struggling against my own energy. His technique was powerful—I could feel the force of it trying to push through—but my body absorbed and neutralized it.


    "Is that all?" I asked quietly.


    Panic shed across Lucas''s face as he tried to pull back. I tightened my grip, holding him in ce.


    "You came here intending to cripple me," I said, my voice carrying in the silence. "You weren''t fighting for honor or even victory. You were aiming to destroy."


    "Let go!" Lucas hissed, trying to wrench his hand away.


    I released his fist suddenly, causing him to stumble backward. "That''s not how this ends, Lucas."


    "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, rotating his wrist with a wince.


    "Someone you should have left alone."


    Lucas snarled andunched himself at me again, this time with a flurry of strikes aimed at my vital points. I deflected each one with minimal movement, watching his frustration grow with every failed attempt.


    "Stand still and fight!" he roared.


    "I am fighting," I replied calmly. "You''re just not seeing it."


    His attacks grew wilder, more desperate. The crowd watched in stunned silence as the supposedly formidable Inner Strength Expert failed tond a single clean hit. Sweat poured down Lucas''s face, his breathing bingbored while I remainedposed.


    "Enough ying around!" Den shouted from the sidelines. "Finish him, Lucas!"


    Lucas backed away, his chest heaving. "You think you''re clever, dodging like a coward?" He began circling his arms in aplex pattern, gathering energy. "Let''s see you dodge this. Inner Strength Boxing: Dragon''s Fury!"


    The air around him shimmered with concentrated chi. This was his ultimate technique—I could feel the deadly intent radiating from him in waves. If this connected, it wouldn''t just break bones; it would pulverize them.


    As he unleashed the attack, I made my decision. No more dodging. No more defensive maneuvers. It was time to show exactly who they were dealing with.


    I stepped directly into his strike, meeting his energy with my own. Our forces collided with explosive impact, creating a visible shockwave that rippled outward. The tform beneath us cracked, splinters of wood flying into the air.


    When the dust settled, I stood unmoved. Lucas''s fist was caught in my palm once again, but this time, I''d countered with my own energy. The color drained from his face as he felt my power flowing through the connection, overwhelming his technique.


    "My turn," I said quietly.


    With a simple twist of my wrist, I redirected his energy back into him while adding my own force. Thebined impact sent Lucas flying backward. He crashed into the wall beyond the tform with a sickening thud before crumpling to the ground.


    Silence descended on the gymnasium. Then, a collective gasp as Lucas struggled to his knees, blood streaming from his nose and mouth.


    "I... I''m not finished," he croaked, trying to stand but failing. <q ss="in-imprint-b">This chapter''s true source is My Virtual Library Empire (*).</q>


    I turned to face the Donovans. Nora''s expression had shifted from smugness to horror. Den looked as though he''d seen a ghost.


    "I believe this match is over," I announced. "Unless you''d like me to continue demonstrating the difference between us?"


    The referee, pale and shaking, raised his hand. "Victory to... to Liam Knight and the Valerius School!"


    A heartbeat of silence, then the Valerius students erupted in cheers. Marcus rushed onto the tform, his face lit with disbelief and joy.


    "Mr. Knight, that was... I''ve never seen anything like it!"


    I nodded respectfully. "Your school''s honor is restored."


    Across the gymnasium, Den helped Lucas to his feet, both men ring daggers at me. Nora approached the tform, her earlier confidence reced by cold fury.


    "This isn''t over," she warned, her voice shaking. "You''ve made powerful enemies today."


    I met her gaze steadily. "I''ve made powerful enemies before." I gestured to Lucas, who was being supported by two Donovan students. "They all looked exactly like that when I was finished with them."


    Turning my back on her, I stepped off the tform to where ric and Eamon waited, both wearing expressions of amazement.


    "That''s what you call a warm-up?" ric asked incredulously.


    I smiled slightly. "I was holding back."


    As we walked toward the exit, I could feel the weight of every gaze in the room. The whispers had changed now.


    "Did you see that? He stopped an Inner Strength Expert''s attack with one hand!"


    "Who is this Liam Knight really?"


    "The Ashworths didn''t create his power—they just found it."


    I ignored them all, focusing instead on the satisfaction of the moment. The Donovans had intended to cripple me today, to make an example of me. Instead, I''d sent them a clear message:


    I was no longer the man to be bullied or pushed around. I was something else entirely—and anyone who challenged me would learn that lesson the hard way.