Leon's body still ached from the battle against the golems, but there was no time to rest. As soon as Darius left, another instructor stepped forward. This time, it was a woman with piercing green eyes and short silver hair.
"My name is Captain Velora," she introduced herself, her voice sharp and authoritative. "Congratulations on surviving the first test. But now, it's time to see if you can actually fight against a real opponent."
Leon exchanged glances with Elias, Selene, and the others. A real opponent? The golems were already tough enough, what could be harder than that?
Velora gestured to the side, and the gates of the arena creaked open.
From the shadows, a group of warriors stepped forward, their gazes cold and assessing. They weren't students. They were experienced fighters.
Leon's stomach twisted. So this is the next trial?
"You will fight them," Velora said simply. "Each of you will face one opponent. The match ends when one of you is unable to continue."
Dain let out a low whistle. "You're throwing us into real combat already?"
Velora smirked. "If you want to survive in Martial Haven, you need to prove that you're worthy of being here. There is no mercy in battle. Now, choose your opponent."
Leon scanned the warriors, his pulse quickening.
One man stood out among them a tall, broad-shouldered fighter with scarred arms and an unreadable expression. There was something dangerous about him, something that made Leon's instincts scream caution.
And yet, Leon stepped forward.
"I'll fight him," he said firmly.
The man lifted an eyebrow before stepping into the ring. He unsheathed a massive two handed sword, its edge gleaming under the sunlight.
"My name is Garrick," the man said. "Try not to die too quickly, kid."
Leon tightened his grip on his sword. This would be his hardest fight yet.
Velora raised a hand. "Begin!"
Garrick moved like lightning.
Leon barely had time to react before a massive blade came swinging toward him. He dodged to the side, feeling the wind of the blade cutting through the air just inches from his body.
Too fast!
Leon tried to counterattack, but Garrick was already moving again. The older fighter spun around, delivering a powerful kick to Leon's side.
Pain exploded through Leon's ribs. He stumbled, gasping for air.
Garrick didn't let up. He charged forward, his sword descending like an executioner's blade.
Leon raised his own sword just in time, blocking the attack, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward. His arms trembled under the sheer strength of his opponent.
He was outmatched.
Leon's mind raced. I can't beat him with brute force. I have to fight smarter.
He took a deep breath, studying Garrick's movements carefully. Every fighter had a pattern. A weakness.
Then he saw it.
Garrick was strong, but his attacks were heavy and had a slight delay after each swing. That was the opening Leon needed.
Garrick lunged again, bringing his sword down in a diagonal slash.
This time, Leon didn't dodge backward, he stepped forward.
At the last second, he angled his body to the side, letting Garrick's sword pass just inches away from him.
Then he struck.
Leon's sword slashed across Garrick's side, drawing first blood.
The older warrior grunted, stepping back in surprise.
Leon's confidence surged. It worked.
But Garrick only smiled.
"Not bad, kid."
Then, before Leon could react—
Garrick dropped his sword and attacked with his fists.
Leon's eyes widened as a massive fist slammed into his stomach.
The world spun. His knees buckled.
Garrick grabbed Leon by the collar and threw him across the arena like he weighed nothing.
Leon hit the ground hard, his vision going white with pain.
Distantly, he heard his friends shouting.
"Leon!"
But he couldn't move.
He struggled to breathe, his body refusing to obey.
Am I going to lose?
No.
Not yet.
Leon clenched his teeth and forced himself to his feet.
Garrick watched him, amused. "Still standing?"
Leon wiped the blood from his lips. "You're stronger than me. But that doesn't mean you've won."
Garrick laughed. "Then show me what else you've got."
Leon exhaled. Time for his last gamble.
He tightened his grip on his sword and rushed forward.
This time, he didn't aim for Garrick's body.
He aimed for his balance.
At the last second, Leon dropped low and slashed at Garrick's legs.
The older warrior was caught off guard. His footwork had been perfect, but he hadn't expected Leon to attack so low.
Leon's blade cut into the back of his knee, and for the first time—
Garrick stumbled.
Now!
Leon spun, using all his remaining strength to drive his sword forward.
It stopped just inches from Garrick's throat.
Velora's voice rang out.
"Enough!"
The arena fell silent.
Leon was panting hard, his arms shaking.
Garrick stared at him for a long moment—then, to Leon's surprise, the older warrior grinned.
"Not bad at all," Garrick said, stepping back. "You've got guts, kid."
Leon lowered his sword, his heart still hammering.
Velora nodded in approval. "Winner, Leon."
A wave of relief washed over him.
But as he turned to look at his friends, he knew one thing for certain.
Leon's breathing was still ragged as he stepped out of the arena, his body aching from the brutal fight. The adrenaline was slowly wearing off, and with it came the full force of the pain. Every muscle screamed in protest, but he refused to show any weakness.
Velora gave him a nod of approval. "You fought well," she said. "But don't let this victory make you overconfident. That was just a test."
Leon swallowed hard. Just a test? He had barely scraped by, and it was only the beginning?
As he walked back toward his group, Elias and Selene were already stepping forward for their own fights. Elias faced a lithe, fast moving opponent, while Selene was up against a brute of a man nearly twice her size.
Leon clenched his fists, watching anxiously.
Elias was quick faster than his opponent. He danced around the man's strikes, dodging effortlessly before landing sharp, precise counterattacks. It was almost elegant. Leon could tell Elias had been trained well before coming here.
Selene, on the other hand, had to rely on strategy. The man she fought was relentless, swinging a massive axe that could easily crush her with one hit. But Selene was patient. She waited for an opening, dodging each attack with careful precision.
Then, when her opponent overextended, she struck.
A swift kick to the knee followed by a precise jab to the throat sent the brute tumbling backward. Before he could recover, Selene disarmed him and pressed her dagger to his neck.
"Winner, Selene!" Velora announced.
Leon let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
One by one, the rest of the students fought their battles. Some won, some lost, but every match was brutal. The academy wasn't looking for just strong fighters, it was looking for survivors.
When the last fight ended, Velora stepped forward once again.
"That concludes this phase of the trial," she said. "Some of you proved yourselves today. Some of you didn't. But all of you still have a long way to go before you earn the title of warrior."
Leon exchanged glances with his friends. They had survived the first trial, but what came next?
Velora's piercing green eyes swept over them. "The next phase begins tomorrow at dawn. Until then, you may rest, but be warned. Your next challenge will push you beyond anything you have faced before."
Leon felt a shiver run down his spine.
What else could this academy possibly throw at them?
Nightfall
That night, the dormitory was eerily quiet. The exhaustion from the day's trials weighed heavily on every student. Some were injured, some were simply too tired to speak.
Leon lay on his cot, staring at the ceiling. His body ached, but his mind wouldn't let him rest.
"You did well today," Selene's voice broke the silence.
Leon turned his head slightly. Selene sat on the edge of her cot, carefully wrapping a bandage around her arm. A shallow cut ran along her forearm, a small price to pay for victory.
"I barely made it," Leon admitted. "Garrick was stronger than me. If he hadn't underestimated me at the end…"
"But he did," Selene interrupted. "And you saw an opportunity. That's what matters."
Leon sighed. "I don't know if I can keep up with this place. Every fight is harder than the last."
Selene studied him for a moment before speaking. "Then get stronger."
Leon blinked.
"I've seen fighters like you before," Selene continued. "You doubt yourself, but you refuse to back down. That's why you won today." She finished tying her bandage and stood up. "But you can't rely on instinct alone. If you want to survive here, you have to train harder than anyone else."
Leon exhaled slowly.
Train harder, huh?
Maybe she was right. He had gotten this far there was no turning back now.
Suddenly, the door to the dormitory slammed open.
A shadowed figure stepped inside. The flickering lantern light barely illuminated their face, but the aura of authority was unmistakable.
It was Master Darius.
Everyone immediately snapped to attention.
Darius's gaze swept over the room, his expression unreadable.
"I suggest you all get some sleep," he said. "Because tomorrow, you will face the real test of this academy."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Leon felt his heart pound. What did he mean by 'real test'?
Darius smirked slightly, as if sensing their unease.
"Sweet dreams, warriors," he said before stepping out into the night.
No one slept well after that.