Mana essence surged through Dain's body, as a sudden influx of mana forced his body to heal rapidly. His wounds sealed and the bleeding had stopped. The once immense pain faded in an instant. His breathing steadied, and warmth spread through his limbs as strength returned to his body.
"It's my unique ability," Dain said.
"W—what?" Vale stammered.
"Why is he telling me this? Wait—why the coin?" He thought.
"If it lands on heads—I fully replenish my mana essence. If it lands on tails—I lose all my mana."
Vale's eyes widened.
"Wasn't he already out of mana? What happens if he has no—"
"Tails would kill me if I had no mana left when it landed," Dain interrupted, as if reading his thoughts.
Their eyes locked. Vale felt a chill run down his spine.
"He gambled his life…for a sparring match?!"
Gambling in a real battle against a monster made sense—especially when the odds were stacked against you. But risking death in a simple training session?
"What kind of lunatic would do that?"
But Dain was done talking.
With his newfound energy, he lunged forward once again—faster and stronger than his previous attempts. Vale had no time to react before a devastating blow sent him flying across the facility, tumbling uncontrollably through the air.
His body bounced off the floor multiple times before he managed to regain his footing.
But he had no time to recover as Dain was already closing in.
Vale's eyes snapped to the massive silver gauntlet rising above him. Without hesitation, he called out for his weapon artifact and just as the Ordinary Katana materialised he gripped it tightly with both hands—ready to block.
A deafening clang echoed throughout the training facility as the gauntlets clashed against the katana. A sharp pain shot up Vale's arms, his muscles trembling under the sheer force of the impact. He gritted his teeth, struggling to hold his ground.
Then, a small crack appeared on the katana's blade as it was struggling to withstand the overwhelming power of Dain's strike.
But before the final moments of the fight could unfold, a loud female voice rang out behind them, accompanied by the rapid tapping of heels against the training facility's floor.
"Stop the fight immediately!"
Both Vale and Dain froze, confusion spreading across their faces as they turned toward the source of the voice.
A middle-aged woman in a white lab coat strode toward them, her brown hair neatly tied back. The insignia on her uniform marked her as a faculty member—one from the medical staff.
"What the hell are you doing, Eleric?!" she snapped, glaring at the combat instructor. "Did you forget your promise? Making students fight before the Second Trial is forbidden! They barely have time to prepare as it is—if they suffer serious injuries now, they'll be at a huge disadvantage. Or worse—"
"Why do you think my students have the highest success rate, Elena?" Eleric interrupted, folding his arms. "It's because—"
"I don't wanna hear it!" she cut him off. "If I see any more fights between students, I will report you to the committee!"
A tense silence fell over the training hall. The students exchanged glances, all equally perplexed by the heated argument.
Noticing their stares, Elena sighed before stepping forward and offering a slight bow.
"I'm Elena. I apologize for my younger brother's reckless actions. We've received multiple complaints about his methods, but he never learns."
Vale blinked. "Brother?" He looked between the two, finally noticing the resemblance.
"Now that I think about it…they do look alike."
Elena continued.
"We've healed Klein as much as possible, but he should avoid any physical training before the Second Trial. It's critical that all of you enter in peak condition. Any small disadvantage could mean death in the Demon Realm."
The students nodded solemnly.
With her warning delivered, Elena turned on her heels and walked away. But not before shooting a deathly glare at Eleric—one that made the combat instructor visibly shrink, his usual confidence withering under his sister's piercing gaze.
Ayla barely managed to stifle a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. Meanwhile, Vale and Dain just stood there, watching the entire exchange in utter confusion.
Their instructor, however, lingered for a moment, coughing awkwardly to mask his embarrassment before stepping forward.
"Well…today's training session is over. You're free to leave and continue your preparations."
Without waiting for a response, Eleric turned on his heels and swiftly left the training facility, clearly eager to escape the situation.
Vale watched him hurry away, still processing everything that had just happened.
"Great fight! You did not disappoint, my friend!" Dain's voice boomed beside him, followed by a heavy smack on the back. Vale nearly stumbled forward from the force.
But before he could respond, a soft female voice cut in.
"I'm starving. I wonder what they're serving at the canteen today," Ayla mused as she casually made her way toward the exit.
The two boys exchanged glances before moving to follow her—only to pause as they remembered Klein, who sat on the floor. Still recovering from his injuries.
Without hesitation, Dain hoisted the injured student up.
"Thanks," said Klein.
"Come, food will help you recover" responded the massive student as he continued to support him as they walked toward the canteen.
Vale followed behind, lost in thought as he was recalling his battle with Dain.
He would have won that fight. If not for the student's unique ability, victory would have been his.
"I need to get stronger," he thought, clenching his fists. If a sparring match against another student was this difficult…what would await him in the Second Trial?
After lingering on the thought for a moment, Vale exhaled sharply and pushed aside his exhaustion from the fight.
He picked up the pace, catching up with the rest of his group just in time to witness Dain lecture Klein about the importance of food.
"Is fighting and eating all he thinks about?" Vale questioned, watching the massive student carry Klein while lecturing him.