Enchanted University of Magemenos

Chapter 110:Battleground Request

Suddenly, someone grabbed Keith's wrist from behind and shouted, "Battleground!"

A glowing white band instantly wrapped around both their wrists, tightening like magic chains. Words burned across the surface in bold letters:

BATTLEGROUND REQUEST

The entire hallway went silent.

Keith stared at the band for one second... then smirked.

"Damn," he muttered, looking way too entertained for someone who'd just been challenged to what sounded like legal murder.

Two glowing buttons appeared on the band:

ACCEPT
REJECT

"Reject," Kate said immediately, almost yelling it.

Keith tilted his head innocently. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Fun?" Kate snapped. "You call random death matches fun?"

Keith grinned wider. "Depends. Is there background music?"

I looked between them in confusion. "Wait—what even is battleground?"

Keith dramatically placed a hand on his chest. "Ah, yes, Rose has not unlocked this traumatic downloadable content yet."

"Keith!" Kate hissed.

He sighed like a disappointed tour guide. "Fine. Battleground is basically when two players challenge each other. Private match. Winner survives with dignity. Loser survives with emotional damage... hopefully."

"That's not how it works," Kate muttered darkly.

Keith ignored her completely. "Think WWE, but with psychological problems and less clothing budget."

The guy holding Keith's wrist glared impatiently. "Accept it."

Keith looked down at the glowing buttons again, still oddly calm.

Then he smiled.

Not his usual playful smile.

This one looked dangerous.

Without even a second of hesitation, he accepted the challenge with that irritatingly confident smirk permanently glued to his face.

The guy immediately regretted every life choice he'd ever made.

"Ahhhh, I'm doomed!" he shouted, clutching his head while people around us burst into laughter.

Keith casually cracked his knuckles like some anime protagonist about to destroy a villain. "Relax," he said smoothly. "I only humiliate people on weekdays."

"You won?" I asked afterwards, staring at him suspiciously.

Keith slowly raised one eyebrow, giving me a look that screamed Was there ever any doubt?

Then he leaned closer dramatically.
"Rose, darling, victory and good looks follow me naturally. It's a burden, really."

Kate gagged loudly from beside me.
"For once in your life, be humble."

Keith placed a hand over his chest. "Kate, humility left my body the day I realised I was gorgeous."

"Even after stealing, you still couldn't get past me, could you?" Keith said with the cockiest grin imaginable, leaning back in his chair as if he'd just won the Olympics instead of an UNO death game.

"I have 220 manny now--what the hell?!" he snapped, staring at Keith as he'd personally offended mathematics. "How did you even have more than me?!"

Kate and I slowly turned toward Keith in synchronised shock.

Because wait.

That made absolutely no sense.

If 190 Manny was practically the highest possible amount right now... then where did the extra come from?

My eyes narrowed.
"Keith... how did you get that much manny?"

Keith casually inspected his nails like we were discussing weather forecasts. "Oh, the guy who died tonight still had some Manny left." He winked at me. "So I just... borrowed it."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Kate blinked twice. "You robbed a corpse?"

Keith gasped dramatically. "Wow, Kate. Robbed is such a harsh word. I prefer financial redistribution."

Kate looked genuinely disturbed. "You're insane."

"And rich," Keith corrected proudly, pointing at himself. "Don't forget rich."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You looted a dead body for UNO money?"

Keith placed a hand over his chest. "Rose, survival requires sacrifice. In this case, someone else's wallet."

Kate looked like she was about to laugh and vomit at the same time.

Kate rubbed her forehead slowly. "One day you're going to get murdered for talking."

Keith smirked. "And yet somehow I'm still winning."

I crossed my arms defensively. "How did you even know that guy had less than you?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Keith instantly leaned back, flipping his hair like a movie star at a press conference. "That was just luck, duh!"

Then he pointed at himself proudly. "Also, natural talent. Also, superior genetics. Mostly the face."

"This idiot..." I muttered under my breath.

But for a split second earlier... the confidence in his eyes had genuinely mesmerised me. Like he knew what he was doing. Like beneath all the jokes and chaos, there was someone dangerous hiding there.

Thankfully, I had returned to my right senses now.

Absolutely not.

I refuse to be impressed by a man who once tried to use a toilet seat as a bunk bed.

The white band around his wrist suddenly disappeared with a soft flicker, like it had never existed in the first place.

Keith stared at it for a second before letting out a whistle.
"Wow. Nice way to earn, Manny," he said, sounding genuinely impressed for once. Then, immediately ruining the serious moment, he added, "Honestly, at this point, I should just rent you out. 

I stared at him. "You're disgusting."

"Creative," he corrected proudly.

Nathan ignored him completely, eyes still fixed on my hand like he was trying to solve a murder case.

Keith suddenly gasped dramatically. "WAIT. I just realised that the band had a sharing manny with a friend option. Next time someone challenges me, I can share the Manny with you.

The lights dimmed out again, slowly drowning the mansion in darkness until only faint emergency strips glowed across the floor. Night had arrived.

Instantly, all of us split apart and ran in different directions like criminals escaping a raid.