Executioner Leywin approached the window, the class of espers she saw was no different from the others she had already seen. However, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something important was hiding inside that class, so even if uninterested, she carefully inspected the class.
Her curiosity was suddenly piqued by an ongoing sparring session inside. The class of young espers engaged in several spars in rings arranged all across the gymnasium, but her attention was drawn to a particular spar in the center of the gymnasium. A lone white-haired boy faced off against four opponents, each positioned at a corner of the square ring. Wooden weapons were firmly grasped by the five espers, with the white-haired boy brandishing a wooden katana.
'Four against one?' Executioner Leywin thought surprised, such a match was a rare sight. Typically, such scenarios happened only when the teacher or instructor wanted to further improve the combat prowess of the esper at a disadvantage. That meant that this particular esper possessed exceptional talent. However, what struck Executioner Leywin, even more, was the level of the four opponents.
"Step 3 Manifestation stage espers," she thought, focusing her gaze on the quartet. That meant that the boy in the center was, at most, a step 4 Manifestation stage esper. It was unusual for a teacher to dedicate their time to a student with such a low state, as an esper of that age should, have reached the Integration stage to be considered talented.
A stern-looking woman with black hair approached the ring and signaled the start of the match.
Immediately, the four espers dashed toward Seth, activating their abilities. Attacks were thrown one after the other, but the boy showed incredible agility, gracefully evading each attack and closing the distance between his opponents. An amazing display of skill unfolded as he handled the four other espers at the same time. He deftly dodged and blocked, striking back with calculated precision whenever an opening presented itself. His movements were precise and effective, almost completely devoid of unnecessary movements.
Executioner Leywin's analytical mind processed the spectacle before her. "His skills are above average, but that technique... It doesn't seem to have been taught by a teacher or mentor. It's a self-taught technique, refined through practice. Impressive," she pondered, captivated by the boy's fighting style.
Within the ring, the relentless exchanges continued. Seth, the lone esper, artfully avoided a barrage of attacks from his opponents while occasionally finding an opportunity to counter. The quartet showed a clear lack of coordination, and Seth exploited their vulnerabilities with calculated precision.
Bang!
Seizing an opening, Seth delivered a powerful kick, launching one of the espers through the air, colliding with a teammate. Yet, even if for a second, Seth drifted his focus away from one of the espers, who appeared behind him, ready to strike.
Bang!
The unexpected blow struck Seth, momentarily disorienting him.
Bang!
Another opponent seized the opportunity, landing a solid hit on Seth.
Struggling to regain his bearings, Seth desperately tried to recover. However, before he could regain his composure, an esper activated their ability, enhancing their speed.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The disoriented Seth became the target of a flurry of blows from the empowered esper.
Observing the dire situation, Ms. Leywin couldn't help but notice Seth's peculiar approach. 'Why isn't he using his own ability?' she thought, realizing that Seth hadn't used his own ability to defend himself, despite being overwhelmed by his opponents. At that moment, she realized that she had forgotten to check Seth's stage. Focusing her attention, she attempted to discern his level, but to her astonishment...
'What? Is he fighting without awakening his ability?!' she thought in disbelief, surprised by the absence of any discernible stage signals emanating from Seth. However, she felt an unfamiliar sensation coming from him.
Bang!
Within the ring, Seth narrowly evaded a punch at the last moment, catching his opponent off guard. The missed strike left the esper vulnerable to any upcoming attack. The remaining espers tried to intervene, but Seth had already come back to his senses and swiftly intercepted their attacks, entering again the flow of the battle. Slowly but surely, he started to gain the upper hand against the espers.
From the other side of the window, Executioner Leywin, unable to grasp the weird sensation, finally decided to activate her ability.
Bang!
Seth launched a devastating blow, sending one of the espers flying out of the ring, incapacitated. The remaining trio gritted their teeth in frustration but had no time to worry about that as Seth pressed his advantage, unleashing a barrage of attacks.
Energy started flowing through Executioner Leywin's body as she activated her ability, improving her senses and taking control over reality.
Bang!
Taking advantage of an opening, Seth landed a powerful blow on one of the espers, who fell unconscious to the ground.
Executioner Leywin used her ability and focused it on Seth seeking that elusive feeling she had detected from him.
"Now, this is really interesting," she muttered, a grin appearing on her previously unreadable face.
Bang!
Seth landed a powerful blow on one of the two remaining espers, almost knocking them out. Swiftly turning, he deftly blocked an attack from his blind side, surprising the other esper.
Clang! Bang!
The esper, who didn't expect Seth to block an attack coming from a blind spot, was left completely open. Taking advantage of the opening, Seth delivered a swift kick to the esper's stomach, leaving them gasping for breath as they crumbled to the ground.
Mrs. Cunningham entered the ring, declaring Seth the victor of the intense spar.
From the other side of the window, Executioner Leywin looked in Seth's direction with a grin.