As Leo’s black eyes locked onto Su Yang’s golden ones, an unspoken battle of wills took place between them.
Su Yang’s grip on Leo’s hand was firm, unwavering—yet as seconds passed, he tightened it further, applying slow, deliberate pressure.
It wasn’t just a handshake. It was a test.
A test of endurance. Of composure.
The students around them watched in tense silence, the more experienced ones recognizing what was happening.
Leo felt the sharp constriction around his fingers, the way Su Yang subtly altered the pressure to stop the blood flow while crushing the smallest capillaries beneath his skin. It was a slow but calculated application of force—not enough to break bones, but enough to send a message.
Yet, Leo’s expression never wavered.
His grip remained as steady as it had been from the start. He did not flinch. He did not react.
And Su Yang noticed.
His smirk widened as he finally released his grip, stepping back.
"Interesting…" he mused, shaking his own hand slightly as if to release the tension. His voice was tinged with genuine amusement.
A murmur rippled through the gathered crowd. Only now did they see the aftermath of the exchange—Leo’s palm, faintly reddened, with dark patches beginning to form where the pressure had been highest.
Su Yang had done enough damage to cause internal bruising. Yet Leo showed no sign of discomfort.
He did not wince. He did not flex his fingers to seek relief once Su Yang let go of the grip, he did not move an inch, as if the pain did not affect him at all.
And that, more than anything, impressed Su Yang.
"I’m Su Yang," he finally introduced himself, his tone carrying the weight of certainty. "I’m the student who is going to stand at the pinnacle of Rodova this year."
The words hung in the air like an undeniable truth.
And yet—
Leo did not react.
There was no hint of irritation on his face as Su Yang made that claim, no flicker of ego either.
His cold gaze remained as impassive as ever, as he silently asked Su Yang the question of ’So What?’ as if he simply did not care for his ambitions.
Su Yang’s smirk twitched slightly.
’Not even a twitch of emotion? Tch. Now that’s a rare type of arrogance.’ Su Yang realized, his golden eyes gleaming with intrigue as he tilted his head slightly.
"Do you not wish to challenge me? Do you not wish to ascertain your dominion, Mr. No.1 ranked student?" Su Yang prodded, raising his chin slightly.
Then, grinning, he tapped his own jaw mockingly.
"Come on, take a swing. I dare you. Put me in my place—if you can."
A hushed gasp spread through the crowd.
Was he seriously inviting Leo to attack him?
Some students leaned in slightly, expecting an instant explosion of violence.
But Leo didn’t move.
He merely continued to observe.
Still. Unflinching. Unshaken, as the air around him grew thick with unspoken tension.
Then—
Su Yang sighed.
"What a boring rival I have," he said dramatically, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Not even baited into a proper confrontation…"
He clicked his tongue, before letting his amused smile return.
"Let me tell you something, Skyshard."
His voice took on a grander, almost theatrical quality as he gestured toward the students surrounding them.
"If you want to stand at the pinnacle of an institution, you must have that iron roaring loudly through your veins."
He turned slightly, clutching his fists as he let the veins pop through as he addressed not just Leo, but everyone gathered.
"You must ascertain your dominion loudly and boldly, so that those beneath you never mistake themselves as your equals."
A few students swallowed nervously, already feeling the invisible weight of his words.
"You must crush the weaker competition absolutely and thoroughly, so that they never dare raise their heads toward you except in fear or respect again."
His gaze flickered back to Leo, sharp as a blade.
"You’re too cold, Skyshard. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but with that attitude, you’ll never be a leader."
His smirk deepened.
"You’re bound to be a loner for life."
The words carried weight, but Leo remained unmoved.
Su Yang chuckled.
"Let the iron in your veins roar. Show these lesser talents that you and them are not the same."
He took a step closer, lowering his voice slightly so only Leo could hear his next words.
"Or else… they’ll drag you into mediocrity along with them."
Then—he stepped back.
With a single, casual tap on Leo’s shoulder, he turned away.
"See you around, Skyshard, I think we will be good friends," Su Yang said, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge of satisfaction.
He didn’t get the reaction he wanted from Leo today.
But he would, eventually.
And that was a certainty.
*********
(Su Yang’s POV)
On his way back to his own dorm, the smug smile slowly faded from Su Yang’s lips.
For the first time since stepping foot in Rodova, he found himself feeling something unfamiliar.
Not annoyance. Not anger.
Intrigue.
’He’s dangerous,’ Su Yang concluded, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.
There was something about Leo Skyshard that unsettled him—not in a way that made him feel threatened, but in a way that set his instincts on edge.
Leo’s pain tolerance, his unwavering gaze, his sheer lack of reaction—it wasn’t just discipline.
It was something much more refined. Something cultivated over years of training that wasn’t meant for showmanship, but for survival.
’His self-control is absurd.’
Most warriors, especially young ones, carried an innate fire—an emotional response when challenged. Even the most disciplined among them would at least sneer or show some flicker of pride.
But Leo?
Nothing.
Not a twitch of irritation. Not a flicker of competitiveness.
Not even amusement.
It wasn’t arrogance. It wasn’t confidence.
It was indifference.
And that, more than anything, was what disturbed Su Yang the most.
People who lacked ambition didn’t concern him.
People who showed too much ambition were easy to manipulate.
But someone like Leo? Someone whose drive was unreadable?
That was a problem.
’He’s perfect,’ Su Yang thought, rolling his shoulders slightly. ’I can’t get under his skin through taunts, and he doesn’t seem like the type to stand up for others or form deep bonds of friendship either. He’s the most no-nonsense warrior I’ve ever met.’
For someone like Su Yang, who had built his reputation on charisma, dominance, and psychological warfare—Leo Skyshard was an anomaly.
A complete outlier.
And he hated outliers.
Because outliers could not be predicted.
If Leo was going to be his rival, he wanted to know how to trigger him in battle, how to push his buttons to gain every advantage that he could when they faced off against one another, however, as of today, he found nothing that triggered the guy.
"Tch. Whatever. Once we get to actual combat, I’ll see what kind of beast he really is—" Su Yang muttered under his breath, as a smirk found its way back to his lips once again, as he opened the door to his room.
’I was planning to take my time enjoying my climb to the top this year. But maybe… having someone trying to match my pace will make it all the more entertaining.’
With that thought, he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.
Leo Skyshard may not have risen to his provocations today.
But Su Yang knew better than anyone—
A warrior’s pride always came out in battle.
And he couldn’t wait to see it.
Since his rival was this interesting, he couldn’t wait to challenge him at every turn possible.