Ray began his assault with raw power, the sheer air pressure from his punches reverberating across the arena. His movements were precise yet relentless, forcing Peter to stay on the defensive. The instructor dodged most of the strikes, blocking only when necessary, his grin widening with every second.
"You're holding nothing back, are you?" Peter chuckled, effortlessly sidestepping a particularly fierce jab.
Ray smirked, his blue eyes glinting with anticipation.
"You told us to give it our all. I'm just following instructions."
Peter's counterattack was swift. A low kick aimed at Ray's stance was avoided with an acrobatic flip, putting Ray back in a stable position. He recognized Peter's impeccable footwork and razor-sharp precision, there wasn't a single opening in the man's movements. Adjusting his rhythm, Ray began incorporating the martial arts he had learned from Zen, his mentor.
His unorthodox style caught Peter off guard. The rapid, flexible movements and fluid transitions between attacks drew a surprised exclamation.
"What's that, boy? Those moves—quick, adaptive... Very good!"
Ray didn't answer. Instead, he planted his hands on the ground and executed a seamless bicycle kick, forcing Peter back. In the same fluid motion, Ray deflected a counterattack and locked Peter's head with his legs, flipping the seasoned instructor to the ground. With a final spin, Ray retreated, giving Peter room to stand.
The students, previously spellbound, erupted in whispers.
"Who the hell is Ray?" someone in the crowd murmured, voicing the collective awe.
Ray ignored the commotion, stepping back to his place as Peter dusted himself off. "Impressive," the instructor admitted, his eyes gleaming with approval.
"Your physical prowess and technique are remarkable. But remember, skill always has room for refinement."
Peter addressed the entire class, clapping his hands.
"Alright, everyone, back to training! Focus on what you're lacking based on today's matches."
As the students dispersed, Peter approached Ray with a proposition.
"Spar with me once a week. I'll teach you my techniques."
Ray hesitated. His schedule was already packed, but the allure of a raw, skill-intensive fight was too tempting.
"Fine," he said simply, nodding in agreement.
The class ended just as the noon bell chimed. Lily grabbed Ray's arm in the hallway, practically dragging him toward the cafeteria.
"Hey, what are you—" Ray started, but Lily's iron grip left no room for protest.
The other students gawked at the scene, bewildered by Lily's brazen display.
At the cafeteria, Lily filled her plate and insisted Ray do the same before finding them a seat. The moment they sat down, she leaned in, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"I've been meaning to ask," she began, stabbing a fork into her salad.
"Why do you always feel so detached from this world? You know, when you smile, you look... really handsome. Why waste that face grumbling all the time?" She laughed lightly, teasing him.
Ray's expression remained flat.
"And why should I tell you that?"
Lily blinked, momentarily stunned by his poker face. Then, irritation took over.
"Aren't we friends? Was I the only one who thought that way? Rude!"
She hurled a fork at him. Ray caught it mid-air with ease, sighing deeply.
"Fine. What about you? Have you stabilized your new power yet?"
Her expression shifted to a mischievous grin.
"Ara, ara~ Are you worried about me, Ray?"
Ignoring her teasing, Ray leaned back, shaking his head. Their banter continued, lighthearted yet oddly comfortable, until lunch ended.
After lunch, Ray headed to the academy's sprawling library. As he entered, he encountered the same guard who had previously denied him access. This time, Ray flashed his ID, which bore the Dragon Tier insignia, a mark of unmatched talent and potential, granted only by Headmaster Sullivan and the Council of Helios.
The Council of Helios is a special task force consisting of elites of elites who specialize in everything, also they are responsible for protecting the continents from any immense danger as well as to take decisions that scale really heavy matters. This is run by the allied force, representatives from different species.
The guard stepped aside respectfully, allowing Ray to proceed to the topmost floor. This section housed ancient texts, forbidden knowledge, and comprehensive records of all known elemental powers.
Ray wandered through the rows of shelves, his sharp gaze scanning the spines. A particularly old book caught his attention, its leather cover worn and fragile. The words in the book were unknown to Ray, even though he already knew all the language in this world that he had learned in Zen's library. Luna spoke,
[That's...Lecronial Language, a forgotten language...of ####]
Ray shuddered and asked Luna immediately,
"What was the Luna? the last part, I didn't understand that and also felt shivers only by hearing that"
Luna replied,
[This is also unauthorized information Ray, but...I can explain the content of this book to you, It's one of the loopholes in the system.]
Hearing that Ray got curious about what this book had in it, and he had forgotten how abruptly Luna had merged with him, also about her existence but still he had his hands already full with other matters that he kept Luna's Identity crisis for another time.
Gingerly picking it up, Ray felt a faint surge of mana emanating from the book, as though it were alive.