Over the past few days, Valerian had familiarized himself with his academic schedule and the various instructors who had taught him multiple things. But today was different. Today was the day of practical combat, where two people would be chosen to fight there was no better way to gain battle experience.
And so, their instructor, Naidrom, arrived.
When he stood in the training arena, he seemed like an unshakable rock facing a storm, unmoving and unwavering. His body resembled a statue sculpted from sweat and effort; his muscles were not mere decoration but remnants of years of fighting and harsh training. His bronze skin bore the marks of time scattered scars like signs on a map of a past filled with battles.
His dark, hawk-like sharp eyes scanned the arena with an evaluative gaze as if they could pinpoint the weakest spot in every trainee. His thick eyebrows added to the severity of his face, while his nose, which bore the mark of an old break, silently told the story of a battle only he remembered. As for his mouth, it knew no smile except when he saw a student surpassing their own limits, achieving a leap in strength they had never dreamed of.
He wore a sleeveless jacket, revealing arms forged by the years, and loose pants that allowed him swift movement. His hands were rough, each joint telling a story of punches thrown and received, and the fabric wraps around his wrists and feet were not mere adornments but armor that shielded him from the harshness of battle, which had become part of his being.
The arena fell silent the moment his feet stepped onto the solid ground. He didn't need to command them to stop his mere presence was enough to silence all voices, making every trainee feel the need to be at their highest level of readiness. This was not the first time they had faced his overwhelming presence, but even now, no one had grown accustomed to the sensation he created. The air grew heavy, as if gravity had increased, and cold sweat trickled beneath their clothes without an obvious reason.
Some students stood straighter, their bodies taut like strings stretched to their limit, while others exchanged quick glances, their eyes filled with that strange mix of fear and admiration.
Leonard, who always tried to mask his nervousness behind a facade of indifference, ran his tongue quickly over his lips in a desperate attempt to steady his rapid heartbeat. He whispered to his colleague beside him, in a voice barely audible
"Why does it feel like this is the first time I've seen him? Every time, I feel the same damn dread."
Nicholas replied in a tight voice, his eyes fixed on the instructor, who was scanning them as if weighing them one by one
"Because it's not just fear… it's the feeling of being exposed… as if he can see the deepest weakness inside you without a single word."
Behind them, Valerian sighed, pressing his fingers tensely as if trying to prove to himself that he still had control over his body.
"Every time I think I've gotten stronger… then he comes and makes me feel like a mere child trying to stand for the first time. But that aura… it's not like what he has."
The three exchanged quick glances, but they didn't dare speak further. There was no need for words when the instructor's heavy steps turned into a slow circle around them.
Naidrom finally lifted his head, his gaze sweeping across them, then he spoke in a deep voice that seemed to come from the depths of the earth itself
"You may think being here again is dreadful, but this time, I won't be the one training you. You will train yourselves."
Everyone wondered about his meaning, but only a few understood his intent.
"Throughout my life, I discovered that the best teacher is your opponent. The more you fight stronger foes, the more you realize your own weakness… and that is what we will do today."
The movement in the arena stopped completely. If they were to fight against their friends, what were their chances of winning?
Here, it was all or nothing.
Instructor Naidrom understood that the best way to train was to absorb knowledge through experience itself. He was powerful his rank was that of a knight.
"Everyone will be placed in different arenas, and of course, the winner will receive a reward, while the loser will face a punishment."
"A reward and a punishment? It seems there's no room for slacking."
Valerian thought about it, but he had no intention of slacking off from the start. Even if he lost, what he would do was learn.
He heard a student beside him, someone who reminded him of his past self, say nervously:
"But… but what if I lose? I don't think I can handle that."
Valerian sighed at his words.
"If you don't have confidence in yourself, then why are you here?"
Finally, the matchups were chosen. The selection wasn't in their hands the instructor himself determined the duels so that each fight was between two evenly matched individuals.
If one sought a fair fight, they had to be on the same level as their opponent. But the opponent Valerian faced was none other than Leonard, the smartest in class D1.
Throughout his time here, Leonard had proven his intelligence. His talent was higher than Valerian's, but in terms of rank, they were equal.
"If only I could steal your talent, Leonard… The Chimera."
Valerian murmured to himself, feeling a hidden desire creeping into his mind that greed seeping into him… But he was aware of the vast gap between them, and thus, he couldn't steal his talent. Not yet.
Leonard, the sharp-minded young man, stood gripping his long spear, while his opponent, Valerian, ran his fingers over the handles of his twin daggers. The arena was stone-paved, surrounded by ancient ruins, and the air was thick with tension.
Neither of them had any intention of backing down.
"May the best one win."
"Yes, of course, the best will win."
Leonard smiled confidently as he readied himself for battle.
Without hesitation, Valerian shot forward with astonishing speed, his feet barely touching the ground, his daggers glinting under the light. He knew that close range was to his advantage and that he had to breach his opponent's defense before the latter could exploit the reach of his spear.
But Leonard had already calculated that.
As Valerian surged forward, Leonard wasn't surprised,he had expected it. He raised his spear at a sharp angle, ready to halt his opponent's advance. He knew that the key to victory against a swift fighter like Valerian was maintaining distance and controlling the tempo.
"I won't let you close in so easily, Valerian."
Leonard swung his spear in a quick arc, targeting the space in front of him to force Valerian to stop or change direction. But Valerian wouldn't yield so easily. Just as the spear moved, he released a sudden burst of energy beneath his feet, propelling himself over the weapon at the last second.
"Not so fast!"
Leonard was prepared he spun swiftly on his heel, using the spear's blunt end to strike Valerian mid air. The strike was precise, but not enough.
At the moment the blow almost landed, Valerian twisted his body acrobatically, planting his foot on the spear's shaft for a brief instant before launching himself directly toward Leonard, his daggers poised for a decisive strike.
But Leonard wouldn't be defeated so easily. He swiftly retracted his spear, then unleashed a surge of his energy through the ground, causing a minor explosion that forced Valerian to retreat before he could deliver his strike.
"You're fast, but I'm smarter."
Both regained their footing, studying each other cautiously.
"I won't let you control this battle, Leonard."
Leonard smirked confidently, then said:
"If you think you can, then show me how!"
On the other side of the arena, Zenith and Alistair stood face to face. But unlike Valerian and Leonard's battle, there was no balance here.
Zenith, with his strong build and cold eyes, did not see Alistair as a true competitor. He was clearly stronger, and everyone in the arena knew it.
As for Alistair, he was sweating profusely, gripping his sword tightly, trying to hide the trembling in his hands. He knew he had no real chance, but he refused to run.
Zenith let out a bored sigh before speaking coldly:
"Come on, let's finish this quickly."
Alistair didn't wait any longer he charged forward with all his might, attempting to deliver a powerful strike to Zenith. But the latter barely moved. The moment the sword was about to land, Zenith simply raised his hand and stopped the blade with his fingers alone.
Everyone was shocked, especially Alistair, who felt as if the force behind his sword had completely vanished.
"Weak..."
Before Alistair could retreat, Zenith unleashed a massive burst of power, sending him flying across the arena until he crashed into the wall with great force, losing consciousness instantly.
Zenith remained standing, not moving a single muscle, then slowly turned away, completely ignoring the fallen body behind him.
"I expected more than that."
While everyone was still stunned by what they had just witnessed, Zenith's mind was elsewhere...
"Where is he?"
This fight was not what he had come for. He was searching for one person only.
And he knew he would find him soon...
The instructor, watching this scene, simply called it:
"One strike is enough."
Then, he shifted his gaze to the remaining battles, noticing that Valerian and Leonard's fight was still ongoing.
Valerian and Leonard stood facing each other, both trying to read their opponent's next move. They both knew that this moment would be decisive.
"This is my last chance," Valerian thought as he steadied his breathing before dashing forward once more at incredible speed, utilizing all his maneuvering skills.
Despite the shallow wound on his shoulder, Leonard remained calm. His eyes meticulously observed his opponent's movements, analyzing every step he took.
As Valerian closed in, he launched a swift attack, using his remaining dagger to strike directly at Leonard's side, aiming for a weak point in his defense.
But Leonard had been expecting this.
At the very moment the dagger was about to land, Leonard loosened his grip on his spear slightly, making it seem as if he was losing his balance for a brief second. A simple trick, but enough to make Valerian believe the opportunity had turned in his favor.
In the fraction of a second that followed, Leonard smoothly rotated his spear, using the momentum to deliver a powerful strike to Valerian's stomach. The impact froze Valerian in place before he completely lost his balance and dropped to his knees, his dagger slipping from his grasp.
Pain surged through Valerian's body, but he could only smile faintly as he lifted his head to look at his opponent.
"You tricked me well..." he muttered, struggling to catch his breath.
Leonard stood over him, holding his spear with composure, then extended his hand with a confident smile.
"You did well, actually... You did very well."
Valerian hesitated for a moment before taking Leonard's hand and pulling himself up, despite the pain in every muscle of his body. They looked at each other with mutual respect.
"You were faster than I expected," Leonard said, patting Valerian on the shoulder.
Despite his loss, Valerian smiled and replied with determination
"Next time, I won't let you win."
Leonard chuckled, crossing his arms
"By then, I'll have grown even stronger too."
After a few moments of silence, they both sat beside each other, catching their breath. There was no hatred only respect forged through a fair fight.
"It's fine... I think I need to reevaluate my approach," Valerian said, gazing at the sky.
"And I need to make sure you don't scratch me again," Leonard replied, glancing at the slight wound on his shoulder.
Then, in a rare moment of ease, light laughter escaped between them, as if the battle had merely been a spar between friends.
The fight was over, but they both knew that their next encounter would be even fiercer.
Valerian stood up with a sigh, heading toward the instructor to receive his punishment. Meanwhile, Leonard watched him go, smiling confidently.
"That was a good fight... but it won't be the last."
Throughout the battle, Valerian had not used his theft ability.
How could he grow if he relied solely on that power?