Yale smiled after finally upgraded his Passive Skill.
"George, the time is about to end, and this is our last battle today. How about going all out, I know you are waiting to make a great last attack."
George also smiled before replying.
"So, you discovered it. You were only avoiding until now, so you should also have something reserved for the last hit."
George was indeed waiting until the end to unleash his full power, and Yale hadn't used any Origin Qi since the last class, so he was fully recovered, and he needed almost all his Origin Points to the skill he wanted to use.
Yale started to activate his Water Battle Armor, but only the part that was in the solid state.
Yale only wanted to use his swordsmanship against George, so relying upon the long-range attacks from the liquid state armor would leave him with a bad taste.
George was shocked when he saw Yale's Origin Skill. He didn't have any doubt that Yale was showing the Combined Skill he mastered to advance to 2-star mortal.
Moreover, there was no way someone could difference an Origin Skill than a Combined Skill since the main difference was that an Origin Skill couldn't be used without Origin Points. It was dangerous the first time for the world's reaction, but it was safe to use it after that. After all, Yale used Origin Qi to use all the skills, if someone could notice that it didn't matter if he used a Combined Skill or an Origin Skill.
All the other students stopped their battles to stare at Yale, the Water Battle Armor was too shocking, and that was with Yale concealing its true power of combining both states.
Even the teacher was staring at Yale with shock, that kind of skill surpassed Yale's level, but he obviously mastered it.
George also used his full power on the greatsword, making it double its size, at that point it was even difficult to wield, but one strike of it was enough to end a battle due to its heaviness.
All the class was expecting the last clash between the two most talented and powerful students from the Warrior Classes, as for their own battles, they didn't care. They had more chances of improving by looking at that clash of powers.
Yale wielded his sword, which was already covered in ice, and went towards George's sword. That time, he wanted to confront him directly, even though that might seem stupid due to the vast difference in the size of the swords.
George also moved the enormous greatsword with all his strength directing it towards Yale.
Both elemental swords clashed.
The logic dictated that Yale should have stepped back due to confronting such a big weapon.
However, when the weapons clashed, Yale didn't move, he managed to block the enormous greatsword with his ice sword no matter how unreal it felt.
The spectators didn't expect that the little ice sword Yale wielded carried the same power as George's weapon.
The whole class was speechless by the clash, the real strength of both surpassed the power an ordinary 2-star mortal should have.
George's large sword was shocking by itself, but Yale's ice sword wielded the same power even if it seemed weaker than the other, one couldn't judge it only by the appearances.
What no one noticed was that Yale was using the Water Battle Armor to remain in his position. He made spikes of ice appear under his shoes, fixing him to the ground. He could stop the strength of the greatsword with his own sword, but without those spikes, he wouldn't be able to remain on the site.
That strategy was one Yale read in the books while he was in the clan's library.
However, its main problem is that having shoes with spikes would diminish the speed, but Yale solved it with his Water Battle Armor, he could create the spikes when he needed them and discard them when they weren't useful.
A cracking sound appeared a bit after both swords clashed.
Then, cracks started to appear in George's greatsword near the point where it clashed with Yale's ice sword.
If George's greatsword was powerful because it was heavy, then Yale's ice sword was powerful because of its sharpness. Yale's sword cut part of George's greatsword, causing that cracks appeared around that area.
Furthermore, as George's greatsword was too big, the real sword covered only a tiny bit of it, and its endurance was way lower than Yale's sword, which just covered the real sword with ice.
However, even if the greatsword was cracking, the pressure on Yale persisted.
Their struggle continued until the greatsword finally broke apart, and Yale needed to go two steps backward. Even with the spikes of his shoes, he couldn't resist the last strength George used before the greatsword was destroyed.
On the other hand, when the greatsword was destroyed, George lost his weapon and fell to the floor powerless, he didn't have more Inner Qi, and even his physical body reached the limit.
Even if he had a great ability using his Combined Skill, his physical strength was still lower than Yale's since George had just advanced and didn't have any special boost due to a bloodline.
Everyone remained in silence.
Yale's Water Battle Armor was starting to dissipate, but he still had time for one last attack. Furthermore, his energy wasn't wholly exhausted, he couldn't use Water Battle Armor again, but he could use Tri-sword without problems.
However, he didn't attack George as he preferred that the match was a tie.
Yale didn't mind about the result of the battle since he managed to improve a lot thanks to his continuous fighting with George.
Furthermore, he knew that if they battled in different terrain, he wouldn't be able to stop George's enormous greatsword. For example, if he used it from a higher point in the ground.
"How have you resisted my last attack?"
George spoke those words panting on the ground; he didn't have the strength to stand up.
In reply, Yale showed the ice spikes in his shoes, which were also starting to fade.
"That's not fair, don't tell me that you could grow those spikes as you wish?"
"As long as the skill remained with enough energy."
"Then, I lost. You could have used one of those spikes to hit me while blocking my sword. You restrained yourself in the end..."
George sighed after speaking.
"I wasn't restraining myself. We were comparing our ability with the sword, so using a spike to win against you would have been foul play."
"In a real battle that wouldn't matter, I was careless. If you were an enemy, you could have killed me easily. Furthermore, your skill is still active. You still have enough time to give me the last hit."
George's voice sounded quite depressed at that moment.
"We aren't enemies. There's no need to do the last hit. I don't mind about the result. Our battles let us improve, and that's enough."
Yale wanted to cheer up George, but those words had the opposite effect.
"If you say that, I only feel more like the loser. I don't care anymore about today's battle. I lost, but one day I will win against you."
Although George was somewhat depressed, that just boosted his competitive spirit.
"You said the same yesterday, keep trying."
Yale himself didn't consider that he won the battle, but George said that Yale won, so he didn't plan to argue more for that.
No one interrupted their conversation, but everyone heard it.
Then, the teacher went towards them.
"You two really surpassed my expectations, would you want to have some extra classes with me?"
A teacher offering himself to do particular lessons was a strange sight in the beginner classes and showed that the ones who received the offer had excellent prospects.
However, Yale's answer shocked everyone.
"Thank you, but I refuse. I already have a master teaching me the art of the sword. I don't need another one."
There were very few people who dared to reject an invitation for extra private classes with a teacher from the academy.
That wasn't just losing an opportunity, it would also offend the teacher.
Yale knew it, but he still rejected the offer.
He could have private lessons of any other thing, but regarding the sword, he wouldn't accept.
Yale's reply angered the teacher.
"Who is your master? Do you think that he could be better than me, a teacher from the Nacesai Academy?"
Yale was still relaxed; he didn't mind about the teacher's words.
"My master is called Swordmad."
The teacher was ready to rebuke Yale, but he was petrified after hearing the name of Swordmad.
As an expert with the sword living in Nacesai City, there was no way he hadn't heard about Swordmad.
"Is he really your master? The same Swordmad that is now a guest in the academy?"
The teacher's voice trembled as he replied.
"Yes."
Yale only replied with one word, but that was enough to make the teacher start to sweat.
Because with his previous words, he had been disrespectful to Yale's master, who was Swordmad himself.
Swordmad was incomparable to himself. The teacher felt like a clown after saying that he was better because he was a Nacesai Academy's teacher.
Usually, the kids had masters in their own clans, and some of them thought too highly of them even if the academy had students better than them.
A good example was Nosehawk. In the Roanmad clan, he was the archery instructor, but Yale and Zack were already better than him.
The teacher never thought that Yale would be Swordmad's disciple. That information wasn't secret, but the teacher never believed that a disciple of such a figure would attend his class.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want to be disrespectful to the honorable Swordmad. Please don't tell him what I said. I didn't know that he was your master."
The teacher was completely scared, Swordmad had a reputation for exterminating those who offend him.
Even if he was a teacher at the Nacesai Academy, he wasn't safe because Swordmad and Sainac were old friends. In case of a conflict, it wasn't difficult to guess who would Sainac support. The teacher even believed that Sainac would help Swordmad to execute him if Swordmad asked for it.
"I'm not that petty. Don't worry, teacher."
Yale didn't plan to make things difficult for the teacher. After all, initially, the teacher wanted to help him.
"I accept the private lessons. I'm honored that the teacher wants to teach me in person."
George usually wouldn't say words like those even if someone offered to teach him, but after hearing the recent conversation, he feared that the teacher would change his opinion if he didn't reply soon and with a lot of respect.
After all, he didn't have a powerful master like Swordmad. The lessons would be very useful to him.