"..." The brown-haired boy stopped what he was doing and looked at the instructor. "It's because I have mastered them long ago, so I thought I would practice other things."
Instructor Valeria raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the boy's confident response. The students nearby glanced at each other, curious about the exchange.
"Mastered them, you say?" Valeria approached the boy with a critical gaze. "Let's see what you've got then. Demonstrate the combat stance, footwork, and a defensive maneuver."
The brown-haired boy, identified as Adrian, nodded calmly. He assumed the combat stance with practiced ease, his movements fluid and controlled. His footwork displayed a level of precision that hinted at a thorough understanding of the fundamentals. As he executed a defensive maneuver, deflecting an imaginary strike, it became evident that Aurelius was not exaggerating.
Instructor Valeria, despite her initial skepticism, couldn't help but acknowledge the proficiency in Adrian's skills. A murmur of surprise rippled through the observing students.
"Well, it seems you're not bluffing," Valeria admitted, her stern expression softening slightly. "Impressive. It's rare to find a first-year with such mastery over the basics. Since you're already well-versed in these, let's move on to offensive techniques. Show me a basic strike and a follow-up combo."
"Instructor Valeria, may I have a suggestion?" Suddenly asked Adrian.
"Yes. What is it?" Valeria replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Why don't you let me demonstrate it in a real battle?" Adrian suggested with a calm expression. "Moreover, I know who can accompany me in this battle. Student Emeric, can you come up and fight with me in a friendly duel?"
Instructor Valeria arched an eyebrow at Adrian's unexpected proposal. The students in the training area exchanged knowing glances, intrigued by the sudden turn of events. Emeric, despite his initial surprise, flashed a confident grin.
"Sure, why not?" Emeric replied, his competitive spirit reignited. "I have been wanting to see what the first-ranked student is capable of for a long time."
Instructor Valeria considered the proposal for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Very well, a friendly duel it is. But keep it controlled, and no unnecessary aggression. Remember, this is a practice session."
"Yes, instructor." The two responded before moving into the center of the training area, creating a circle where the impending duel would unfold. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, and other students gathered to witness the clash between the first and fourth-ranked Awakeners.
Adrian and Emeric faced each other, both adopting a combat stance. The training ground fell silent as everyone focused on the impending duel. Instructor Valeria stepped back, giving them the space to engage.
"Begin!" she declared.
The training ground held its collective breath as Adrian and Emeric faced off. As the fight started, Emeric took the lead by launching a series of attacks consisting of punches and kicks. While Adrian only focused on dodging them or defending.
'Huh, is this all he got? I was worried for nothing.' Emeric, fueled by confidence, wasted no time and launched a series of swift attacks. However, he didn't notice Adrian effortlessly dodging and parrying each strike with calculated precision. In Emeric's eyes, Adrian only looked like being cornered.
"Is this all you've got, first ranker?" Emeric taunted, his grin widening. "I expected more from someone with your reputation. Maybe you're not cut out for real combat."
Adrian, seemingly unfazed, continued to defend with calm composure.
"Feeling helpless, aren't you?" Emeric grew confident, convinced that Adrian was hesitant or inexperienced in a true battle.
"You're just hiding behind your rank. I bet you've never been in a real fight before," Emeric jeered, attempting to provoke Adrian further.
The spectators watched the exchange, some intrigued by the psychological warfare unfolding between the two Awakeners.
"Look, it looks like Emeric is gonna win."
"Yeah, he is clearly overpowering Adrian."
"Haha, is that a first ranker? I bet even I can do better than him!"
Emeric smirked as he heard his classmates' words. 'The crowd is on my side.'
'Laugh as much as you want, it doesn't matter to me.' Adrian thought while studying Emeric's movements. 'Because I already know the outcome.'
Little did Emeric nor his classmates know that he was just biding his time, analyzing his opponent's movements, and waiting for the opportune moment. He wanted to finish in one clean move.
'Now!'
As Emeric continued his barrage of attacks, Adrian seized the chance. With a precise movement, he exploited a slight opening in Emeric's defense, swiftly transitioning from defense to offense. The sudden shift caught Emeric off guard as Adrian's strikes became relentless, driving him backward.
The tide of the duel turned, and Emeric, now on the defensive, struggled to keep up. The realization that Adrian was not to be underestimated dawned on him. The onlookers sensed the shift in momentum, and murmurs of surprise replaced the earlier taunts.
"Wow! Adrian is so freaking cool!"
"He was hiding his powers!"
"He instantly overpowered Emeric. Is this the difference between the first rank and fourth rank?"
"Haha, Emeric is struggling to even keep up with Adrian's speed."
"...."
Feeling overwhelmed and humiliated, Emeric's frustration reached its peak.
'You left me no choice! Even if I will be punished for this, I can't let you continue humiliating me!' Without a moment's hesitation, he summoned a gleaming spear from a pocket dimension, a weapon concealed within his ring. The sudden appearance of the weapon drew gasps from the crowd.
"W-what?"
"A weapon?!"
"But, the rules!"
Emeric, with a determined yet desperate expression, attacked Adrian with the spear, aiming to end the battle with one strike.
"You couldn't wait anymore, huh?" Emeric heard Adrian's cold voice behind him. "I must have overestimated you, then."
Adrian, having anticipated this move based on Emeric's impulsive nature, skillfully dodged the powerful thrust and then spin of the weapon.
"Don't you dare to mock me!"
The spectators watched in awe as Adrian effortlessly maneuvered around the spear, his movements calculated and precise. The training ground transformed into a stage for a display of skill, and Emeric's frustration escalated.
Valeria initially wanted to stop the fight as soon as Emeric took out his spear and broke the rule. However, maybe it was her gut feeling, she stopped. Or she just wanted to see what the dark horse of the first years was capable of.
'Let me see why the principal spoke so highly of you despite you being an affinityless...'