“Huff….Just how many monsters have we cleared?” Nora asked, breathing heavily. She was the one I had utilized the strength of in this place.
The reason for not choosing Irina?
It was not because I was picky with her. Using fire magic meant depleting oxygen and increasing the temperature, as well as filling the place with smoke and carbon dioxide. This would mean the more we use it, the more we will feel suffocating.
That was the sole reason why I mostly refrained from using Irina’s fire magic, but there were times when I deemed it good enough.
In any case, in such a manner, we reached the end of the exam after cleaning all the monsters.
Looking at the place like that, I could see a lot of people had already gathered, mostly them being high-ranking students.
The main cast was already there as well.
<Team 13. Time elapsed, 1 hour 48 minutes. 11/600>
As we heard our score, I nodded my head. The scores in the game were not given in detail, but looking at it from here, our ranking seems good enough.
With such people in my team and with this dungeon being compatible with me, this ranking was one of the best we could get right now.
And I am sure we could save at least 15 more minutes if I was the leader from the start, but it doesn’t matter.
The important thing had already been accomplished. Irina learned her lesson for the future, so she will probably behave in a better way.
At the very least, she needs to learn how to cooperate. In the future, I don’t want to deal with a brat who thinks she is high and might be all the time. At the very least, basic respect is essential while dealing with others.
Turning my head, I saw Irina looking at me with a slightly squinting gaze. She made her way toward me, her posture confident and her expression determined. I could sense that she had something to say, a challenge to throw my way.
“I could have done better leading this team,” she stated, her voice tinged with an assertive tone. “Don’t think for a moment that you’re the only one capable of guiding us through.”
I could see her pupils shaking slightly. She was pushing herself to put up a strong front, probably because of her pride.
“Is that so?” I simply answered, but for some reason, I was amused. Her shaking pupils and slightly flinching tone made me feel funny for some reason. “Just like last time?”
When I indirectly implied the last exam score, she scoffed, clearly not pleased with my response. Her pride was evident, but it was also clear that she was a bit taken aback by the comparison.
“Whatever,” she muttered, her arms crossing over her chest as she averted her gaze. It was a classic Irina move, her tough exterior masking a mixture of irritation and reluctance.
And before I could say anything further, she turned to leave, her strides purposeful. It was clear that she didn’t want to dwell on this conversation any longer, but just before she moved too far away, her voice reached my ears.
“Thanks,” she muttered, almost under her breath. It was a fleeting moment of gratitude, a concession she probably didn’t intend to give, but it was not something I was not expecting, nor did I want.
It was a pointless thank.
Thanking or apologizing is not something that should be expressed by words but rather by actions. By changing the things you deem lacking or by taking the consideration of the person you thank, you can actually fulfill the purpose of those words.
“Victor, how is your score?” I could hear Irina trying to talk with Victor, whose sole attention was on the girl with white hair.
“First.”
“I see. You are the best as usual, huh?”
“What did you expect? Even though that trash did nothing, I alone am enough.”
“Just like you.”
Looking at the girl trying to get the attention of the boy she liked, I thought she might be slightly pitiful.
Just like that, the training reached its end.
******
<Combat Practice Lesson.>
THUD THUD THUD
A rapid succession of three slabs came to my face, all to get blocked by my hands.
Standing before me was our protagonist, who had a slightly downcast expression on his face. It seemed something was bothering him, and I knew what it was.
‘It must be his niece, Jane.’
Remembering the little girl who almost died before my eyes, I could see where he was coming from.
In the game, that girl was dead, and we didn’t have any scenes of Ethan with her, but I remember there were certain dialogues that would be triggered when Ethan was with Kaya.
But, again, this was a combat practice, not a place to think of anything else. I am not here to waste my time but get better at everything.
SWOOSH
With a smooth move, I bolted towards him, aiming at his lower abdomen. He lowered his right elbow to cover there, but it was a feint.
Since one’s elbow is in the middle of the arms, to cover with the elbow, one needs to lean to the side. And this limits the movement.
THUD
With a smooth crochet, I blasted him from his jaw.
THUD THUD THUD
His body was natural, as his reflexes were honed by our spars, but that was not enough. With his brain on somewhere other, he couldn’t stand my relentless assault.
THUD
“Burgh-”
As he felt a kick on his belly, he spurted salvia from his mouth.
THUD
And with a loud sound, he fell to the ground.
“It seems you are not in the mood to spar,” I spoke, looking at the protagonist lying before me. His blue hair was wet with sweat, and so was mine. Considering that my body was a lot weaker than him, it was even a miracle that I had been coping with this training.
“I get that you have things on your mind, but if you’re going to spar, you need to focus. Otherwise, you’re just wasting both of our time.”
It was annoying. If I wanted to deal with a mindless doll, I could do it every time inside the training grounds.
Ethan just sat there with his face looking at the ground. His hair was blocking my vision, but it was not that hard to understand what he was thinking.
“Sorry, I got something on my mind.” he finally spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of resignation. Then he stood up, looking at me.
He didn’t have his usual haughty expression on his face, and neither did he have his shiny aura. 𝐕𝐥xt.𝑐𝞸𝔪
“Tch.” I clicked my tongue. “Come.” Since we were trapped in this classroom in the pretense of sparring, there was nothing I could do.
Ethan let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping as if he was carrying a weight. He took a few steps back to create some distance between us, his stance more subdued than usual. It was clear that he was still preoccupied with whatever was on his mind.
As we assumed our combat stances once more, the atmosphere was different. There was a palpable tension, not just from the physical engagement but from the underlying distraction that lingered between us.
SWOOSH
I launched myself forward, and this time, Ethan’s response was sharp and focused. He blocked my strike with precision, his movements fluid and controlled.
THUD
I followed up with a series of calculated jabs, and Ethan countered each one with well-timed defenses. His reflexes were spot-on, and it was clear that his mind was in the right place.
THUD THUD
My strikes met his blocks, and I could see Ethan’s determination in his eyes. He was fully engaged in the spar, his movements fluid and powerful.
THUD
Ethan deflected my kick with a swift motion; his balance was maintained as he countered with a quick punch aimed at my midsection. His strikes were accurate, and it was evident that he was back in the game.
Our exchange continued, each of us pushing ourselves to our limits. Ethan’s focus was unwavering, and his movements were a testament to his combat prowess. We moved in a synchronized dance, a give-and-take of strikes and defenses.
I could feel myself improving, I was integrating my body into each of my movements. It was evident that I was a lot better than my last spar.
But then, I noticed a change.
Ethan’s gaze flickered, his attention momentarily wavering. His movements became slightly hesitant as if he was losing his connection to the fight.
It seemed his thought started wandering around again.
‘Tch. Do you have ADHD or something?’
SWOOSH
I took advantage of the opening, launching a well-timed hook towards his side. But Ethan managed to block it just in time, his defenses instinctual despite his distraction. In a way, even if I was better than him in terms of combat, naturally, as the protagonist, he had one of the best bodies in the world.
THUD
He retaliated with a rapid combination of strikes, his initial hesitation replaced by his auto mode. His body had already learned how to move.
He was a monster, and I was clearly seeing its effects.
His fists moved with precision, and I had to focus all my energy on defending against his assault.
But his focus continued to shift, and after all, even though he was talented, it was not to the point where he could win against me unconsciously.
I saw it in the way his eyes wandered for a split second, his mind clearly drifting away from our spar. His movements became more predictable, and I seized the opportunity.
SWOOSH
I sidestepped his punch and countered with a swift hook to his ribs. The impact landed solidly, and I could see Ethan’s surprise at the successful strike.
THUD
Ethan staggered back, his breath coming out in a huff. He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts, but the distraction had already taken its toll.
“Annoying.”
With that one last word, I dashed towards him, my elbow almost reaching his jab.
DING
At that moment, the sound of the bell rang, signaling the end of our spar. My elbow was one millimeter away from his body, as it was about to inject him quite a lot amount of pain.
“Tch.”
We both stepped back, our chests heaving with exertion. I looked at Ethan, who looked downcast.
Thinking that today’s lesson was a mess, I was about to leave the place, but at that moment, I sensed Ethan’s movement. He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze fixed on the ground. “Astron, can I ask you something?”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden change in topic. “What is it? I won’t answer if it is something stupid like last time.”
“Haha…It is not like that.” He answered, a small smile tinging on his lips. But then, his expression turned serious. He hesitated for a moment before continuing. “How do you cope with the fear of losing someone you hold dear?”
I was taken aback by his question. It was unexpected, and it felt like a breach of the unspoken boundaries between us. After all, Ethan and I were not close. Aside from some sparring, we didn’t talk much. But his earnest expression made it clear that he was grappling with something deeply personal.
However, at the same time, his words made me remember her.
The same vision, the same scene of her chest getting pierced by claws. The blood spilled from her mouth.
The twisted expression on that demon’s mouth.
My arms were tied.
And the small smile she was making before she closed her eyes.
“There is no such person left.”