As I stepped into the combat training room, I couldn't help but take in the sheer size of it. The place was massive—easily the size of a football field. There was enough space here for everyone to move freely, practicing without getting in each other's way. Perfect for today's class, which Lona had casually dropped would be a sparring session. Friendly, of course,
but the kind of "friendly" where someone ends up bruised, figuring out their weaknesses. Honestly, it was a solid opportunity for me to see where I stood.
Last night, I put in a little extra work on the sword techniques I dug up from Akashi's memories. Yeah, the guy was a creep, and sure, a total slacker, and a spoiled brat but his skills? Undeniable. The real problem was his strength—or rather, his lack of it. That's why he quit training and started wandering aimlessly, like a ghost of potential that never fully materialized.
But one thing kept sticking in my head. Akashi? He wasn't just some loser. The guy had this insane adaptability, like, born with it. He picked up skills at a freakish pace—sword arts, archery, you name it. He learned everything. His only curse? That weak, fragile body. It's the cruel balance of life, right? You're great at one thing, but there's always something else dragging you down.
The more I sift through his memories, the more I get it. Akashi wasn't always this spoiled brat the world makes him out to be. People shape you, right? You become the reflection of your environment, and his? Well, it wasn't exactly nurturing. Same as mine, really. Even though everyone keeps calling me a genius, not once have I heard praise from my family. It's always that same old line echoing in my ears…
"Your brother was better."
It's frustrating. I'm not him. I wasn't born to be a stand-in or some pale imitation. Why do they insist on comparing us? For a second, jealousy and anger pulse through me.
"Take your weapon and move to the center, Seraphiel."
The sudden voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I was too deep in it, too lost in emotions that weren't even mine. Or were they? They live in this body now. It's messing with my head.
I need to stay calm. That anger? It could push me higher, sure, but it's also the same thing that could send me crashing down. I can't let it consume me.
"Alright, now for your sparring partner… The screen on your bracelet will show a number along with the location. Head to that area when it pops up," Lona had said.
A quick glance down, and the number "19" flashed on my screen. The bracelet—something I'd just gotten a few minutes ago—felt oddly heavy for how simple it looked.
I exhaled. *Please don't be someone ridiculously strong,* I thought. I mean, surely the academy wouldn't just throw us into matches where we had no chance, right? They've got power scaling figured out. No way I'm facing someone in the top 50. I shouldn't even be worried.
With that thought, I started making my way to the designated spot. When I arrived, I spotted my partner. Tall… wait, no, **way** too tall. And then I saw his hair—blonde.
My eyes drifted to his face. **Red eyes**.
No. Freaking. Way.
**Him?!**
The academy couldn't have messed up this badly. They wouldn't pair a guy ranked 900+ with **the** number one ranked student! It's like they're making me face the final boss at level one. This doesn't happen. **This** can't happen.
And wasn't he supposed to fight Liam? The actual protagonist?
What's going on? Have I triggered some kind of butterfly effect just by, what, eating and sitting around?!
Oh, great. He noticed me. But he didn't even say anything—just looked bored out of his mind and strolled over to the arena. It's like I wasn't even worth a second thought. Which, to be fair, probably isn't far from the truth. He's the top of the academy—this guy is a walking catastrophe, the kind of dude who'd get irritated when his opponent is someone way below his level.
*Sigh.* Shouldn't be surprised. Lady Luck's been giving me the cold shoulder ever since I got dropped into this world.
But… you know what? It's not the worst thing. Sure, he'll probably mop the floor with me, but getting a shot at the strongest guy in the academy? That's a rare opportunity. And hey, it's not like this is a death match or anything.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and got into position. It felt a bit awkward not saying anything before the sparring started. Maybe I should make this dramatic—at least try to look a little cool. I can feel all those eyes watching us, judging. The whispers were already rolling in.
"Hey, look! It's the battle of arrogance, haha!"
"Yeah, right. More like 'The Strongest vs. The Weakest.'"
"Vali's about to wipe the floor with him, watch."
I expected nothing less from these idiots. But hearing it still stung a bit. Whatever. I shook it off and focused on my opponent.
Vali's favorite element is lightning—he's a beast with it. Well-built, insane stamina, and his swordsmanship? Deadly. Pair that with his sharp battle instincts, and it's no wonder he's ranked number one. The guy can control a fight with terrifying precision.
Knowing all that… would I lose?
Nah I'd
Really lose
But hey, let me pretend for a second, alright? *I'm gonna win this,* I told myself, even though I knew better.
Okay, maybe not *win*. But still, this is my chance to push my limits. Test out my skills. I don't have any illusions—I won't beat him today. But one day? Who knows.
Ok now all students ready get started when they buzzer buz
And now start
I looked at Vali, just standing there, like he always did. No weird stances, no flashy moves—just holding his katana in one hand, casual as ever.
"What's with that lazy posture?" I scoffed, tightening my grip on my own sword. "You gonna take this seriously or what?"
Vali didn't even blink. His poker face remained intact, eyes barely acknowledging me. "You're the same as always."
Before I could snap back, he moved—**not a flashy move, nothing exaggerated, just fast.** His blade whistled through the air, and I barely raised my sword in time. **The clash sent a sharp vibration through my arm.**
All thanks to the crazy instincts of my skill.
"Still standing?" he muttered, gripping his katana with one hand as if it were nothing.
"Bastard." I shoved him back, shaking off the numbness in my arm. **He made it look effortless, crazy strong, all I could think.**
But I had one thing in my arsenal that could help me through this fight.
Suddenly, without warning, Vali's katana came down in a series of sharp vertical strikes. Each one was fast, precise, and aimed to split me in two.
I barely dodged the edge of his blade whistling past my face. The wind from his swings brushed my cheek, way too close for comfort. I stumbled back, trying to regain my footing.
"Crazy bastard… actually trying to cut me in half?" I growled, keeping my eyes glued to his every move.
Gotta use it now.
Before Vali could come at me again with another slash, I knew it was time. **"Awaken Guardian Instincts, Stage 2!"**
As his blade came for me, I didn't even think—**my body moved on its own, dodging every slash by a hair's breadth.** One after another, his attacks missed, and I could see it—**Vali's eyes widened just a little.**
He wasn't expecting that.
Again, as his katana sliced through the air, aiming for me with deadly precision, I relied on that primal intuition. **My body became a blur, weaving and dodging as if I were dancing through a storm of steel.** Each slash missed by mere inches, the whoosh of his blade brushing past me like a whisper of danger.
I could see the surprise flicker in Vali's eyes—**a brief moment of uncertainty.** He hadn't anticipated my reflexes kicking in like this, transforming my panic into fluid movement.
"Not bad, huh?" I taunted, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth, the thrill of evasion fueling my confidence. **But I could feel the weight of his focus sharpening.** He was recalibrating, and I knew he wouldn't let me slip away so easily next time.
"You've gotten better reflexes. Have you started working out again?" he whispered, his voice almost a ghostly echo.
Suddenly, Vali's movements changed, a fierce intensity surging through him as if he'd tapped into a hidden reserve of power. **He cranked up his attacks, increasing their speed and ferocity by a level I couldn't keep up with.**
His katana sliced through the air with deadly precision, each strike coming faster than the last. I barely managed to evade the first few slashes, but I could feel the pressure building. **My instincts screamed at me to move, but it was like trying to outrun a storm.**
"Damn it!" I grunted, my heart racing as I dodged another swing. **Vali's blade was a blur, a constant reminder of just how outmatched I was.** I needed to think fast before he closed in for the kill.
"Guardian Instincts aren't going to help me keep up with this fight," I thought, frustration gnawing at me. **The harsh truth hit harder than Vali's blade: my body was weak, fragile, and untrained.** No matter how sharp my instincts were, they couldn't compensate for the gap in our abilities.
Vali stepped back, his posture relaxed and almost bored, like he was playing with his food. **He wasn't even planning on moving his legs anymore; this was all just a game to him.**
Then, with a swift motion, he slashed his katana through the air. **In an instant, a yellow razor line shot forth from the blade, slicing through the space between us like a bolt of lightning.**
"Crap!" My heart raced as I instinctively dodged, but it was too close—**the energy from the attack brushed against me, a harsh reminder of how outmatched I really was.** I could feel the power radiating off him, and for a brief moment, panic threatened to overtake me.
As Vali continued his relentless assault, unleashing a series of lightning-fast razor strikes, I braced myself. **His katana came down with terrifying speed, aiming to slice through me.**
"**Iron Wall Block!**" I shouted, recalling the technique Akashi had taught me in the past. It was designed to absorb and deflect attacks—**the key was maintaining a strong, stable stance and letting my sword act as a barrier, much like an iron wall.**
But even as my blade met his, the impact jolted through my arms, a violent reminder of Vali's strength. **The force was hard, like a hammer striking metal.**
"You can do that?" Vali muttered, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
He shifted his grip and sent another razor-like slash my way. **Once again, I did my best to block it with my skills.** Thanks to this great defensive technique taught to me by my brother, I could withstand his stronger attacks with perfect form. But I could see in Vali's eyes what he was really thinking without him needing to say a word.
*You can dodge one? But how about five at once?*
Before I could fully brace myself, he unleashed a rapid barrage of five strikes.
"Ah, this sucks," I thought, adrenaline surging through me.
I dodged the first strike, barely slipping out of its deadly path. I managed to block the second, my blade shuddering from the impact, but I was losing my rhythm. The third came fast, and I deflected it just in time.
But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the fourth slash coming, and I couldn't react in time. My instincts kicked in, but I was already committed to blocking the third attack when it hit me. The force slammed into my shoulder, sending a wave of pain radiating through my body.
"Ahh, fuck! That hurts!" I snapped, gritting my teeth, but I refused to give up. My body felt like it was on fire, jolting with the intensity of the pain, each strike pushing me beyond my limits.
Still, I knew I couldn't let this defeat me. **I had to push through. Just once.** I focused, channeling everything I had into the moment. I steadied my breathing, my mind racing as I prepared for the next onslaught, determined to outsmart Vali and find a way to turn the tide in my favor
My condition was deteriorating; pain itched through my body, each movement sending jolts of agony coursing through me.
"Ah, alright, Vali, give me more..." I called out, trying to sound confident, but I knew my blabbering wouldn't give me an edge.
But there's something I've been doing since this fight started
I focused, channeling the mana I had been gathering since the start of the fight. **Sixty percent surged into my legs, familiar energy sparking through me as I prepared to adapt and strike.**
Let's see how this goes.
In a heartbeat, I launched myself forward, closing the distance between us. **Vali stood there, casually inviting me to approach, with same Poker face
As I surged toward him, katana gripped firmly in my right hand, I aimed a slash at his midsection. But this wasn't just a duel of swordsmanship—it was combat, and I had something up my sleeve.
When our katanas collided, the impact reverberated through my arm, but I wasn't done yet. **With my left hand, which had been channeling mana, I unleashed a blast of molten lava, a skill I had honed to perfection.**
"Crafty," Vali muttered, eyes narrowing as he instinctively moved to block.
But I wasn't finished. As he swung vertically from my right to left, trying to intercept my left hand, I pushed against his katana with my right, forcing him back just enough to create an opening.
He retaliated, sending again a lighting raizor attack flying toward me as I leaped into the air.
"Hehe, just what I wanted," I thought, a grin spreading across my face.
"Lava Blast!"
The molten rock collided with the air and raizor creating an explosion of heat and smoke
a lava blast collide, it would likely create smoke. The intense heat from the lava would vaporize some of the moisture in the air, and the electrical discharge from the lightning could cause rapid heating and cooling, contributing to the formation of smoke and I as thought
.
*The intense heat vaporized the moisture around us, and the resulting smoke enveloped the battlefield, obscuring our vision.**
In the chaos, while most would be lost, I had an advantage. My special eyes allowed me to see through the fog.
I spotted a figure standing amidst the swirling smoke—Vali, completely unaware of my approach.
Now was my chance. I moved as fast as I could, channeling all my mana into my legs, determined to surprise him from behind.
But reality can be cruel. Just as I was about to make contact, Vali anticipated my move, pivoting with surprising speed. **Before my blade could touch his back, he blocked it with his sword, spinning around to face me.**
In an instant, his katana was at my neck, the cold steel pressing against my skin.
"Ah, okay, I lost," I sighed, a mix of frustration and admiration swirling in my chest. I had pushed myself as far as I could, but in this game of cat and mouse, Vali was always one step ahead.
"Geez, I never had a chance from the start," I muttered, frustration bubbling inside me. It was a new feeling, one I wasn't sure how to handle.
Vali hadn't even taken the fight seriously. I stood there, letting that sink in, my gaze dropping to the ground as he walked past me. I felt like I was sinking too, weighed down by my own disappointment.
I'd rather not get mocked, especially not now.
"I hope next time you'll make me use more than I can, Akashi…" Vali said, his tone casual but carrying an undertone that made me wonder if he was actually teasing me.
"Huh?" I looked up, following his retreating figure. Was he mocking me? Or wait, what did he mean by "next time"? He actually wanted to fight me again? My mind raced, trying to wrap around that.
Before I could process that, something else caught my attention, and it was far more urgent.
"Wahh! It hurts! It hurts!"
I turned to see a guy on the ground, kneeling, blood streaming from a wound like he'd been seriously injured. My heart raced. Why was he bleeding like that? And there was Liam, standing over him as his sparring partner.
"Liam hit him? No way…" Panic flared in my chest. There was no way he'd do something like that. Then what had happened?
Confusion washed over me as I struggled to piece together what was going on. This wasn't in the novel at all.