Chapter 017

"When in hand-to-hand combat, do not channel your strength to attacking, you've all probably heard this before, but you aim to deflect the enemy's strength.

Force them to use their full strength and turn it against them by redirecting it and sending it back two-fold.

Anyone wants to join me for a demonstration??"

Our combat instructor asked.

I was currently in hand-to-hand combat class with the twins, again, due to us having identical schedules.

I was dressed in an all-white Judogi with a white belt.

This class was my third class of the day, the first being control and the second being history, which I already knew far too well.

"I will ask again before I randomly choose someone… who will join me for a demonstration?"

He asked again, but still, no one stepped up for the task.

"You step forward."

The instructor randomly selected someone, a female student.

"As none of you have the guts to come out, she will have to pay the price in all your places."

It wasn't that I didn't have the guts to come out; it was just that I couldn't be bothered and was expecting someone else to do so.

They already don't expect much of a human combatant, all the more reason to disappoint their already low expectations.

That said, I could only feel bad for the unlucky girl the instructor chose, not like she would feel the same if I were in her shoes; they probably won't fit.

The principal walked in with her sights set on me. As I saw her mouth about to move, I felt an unforeseen situation was about to begin.

"Principal! How may I help you?!"

"Not to worry, Charles, I just have a better-suited candidate I wanted to use as an example for your demonstration, Xavier personally!"

'Shit, just my luck with a bit of some "karma is a bitch" seasoning!'

I was actively sweating as I kept wondering how the hell she even knew my name. Was I not meant to be at the bottom of the food chain??

What the hell was this change in the ecosystem?!! Being unable to refuse, I walked up to the mat.

"I want you to pay close attention; this is something that you most likely never get to encounter again!"

She didn't even let me fully get to the front and bow before she sent an attack straight for my abdomen.

Wanting to get this over quickly, I let myself be hit by her attack, or so I thought! Before it hit me, she redirected it to my chin before she said,

"Well, that was quick!"

"Pfft… weak!"

"This is why a human combatant should be on edge and not horizon!"

Comments flew out one after another from students who would certainly not be any better in my position.

"The next time you let yourself be hit by my attack, you will pay for it dearly!"

The look in her eyes told me she was dead serious, and she knew my combat capabilities.

What I didn't know was the depth of her knowledge of my capabilities.

'I'll play it safe just to see what she does and doesn't know!'

I thought to myself as I placed myself in a boxing stance in readiness for her attack.

She sent the same attack like the first time, but the force and speed were almost 3x than before this time.

I dodged the punch before it hit me, moving my entire abdomen to my left side, but I was not given any chance to rest as she grabbed my right hand and pulled me back in.

She sent another punch aimed at the same area, and this time it landed! There was no way I could escape as she locked me in with my arm.

No, there were multiple ways I could have slipped out of her lock, but I couldn't risk letting my physical capabilities be viewed by everyone here.

The punch hurt! Then I felt the intent to kill coming from her. She seemed tired of my art of deception as it wasn't fooling her, even if it fooled others.

"Huh? I'm certain Xavier is way faster than he is showing right now. Did something happen to him that is stopping him from moving like the way he did earlier today?!"

Mya asked her twin, who also said she was just as confused as the former.

I took a step back with unprecedented speed, observing as the former place where I stood was effectively pierced with a thin needle-like dagger.

She struck again! I dodged instantly and sent a kick with my right leg, aimed at her head to which she grabbed with her hand.

I used that as a pivot to rotate at a 180-degree angle anticlockwise, using the heel of my left foot for an overhead sweep.

This move forced her to let go as she took a step back before charging straight back in as I was about to land.

I expected this!

She sent a thrust with the needle aimed at my eyes, but I also made my move as she drew to a halt.

The needle-like object was just centimetres away from my left eye as she smiled, but then I gave a signal to her using my eyes aimed at her throat.

She looked down, only to see that my hand was in a pincer-like shape, ready to strike her throat at any instant.

"Oh??"

Her eyes widened.

"Now that, I wasn't expecting… well done!"

'Bloody liar!'

The truth was she already knew I would do that, but she lied through her teeth.'

"Thank you, principal!"

I responded.

"Not my example of a fun fight, but it was at the very least, 'reasonably practical.' It seems the guide was correct in his evaluation."

I nodded, accepting her compliments.

"What the hell was those moves?!!"

"Why is a human able to move that quick?!"

"He could put up a fight with the principal!!!"

The comments flew around as the principal began to walk out. The out primary instructor was still trapped in a daze, but the following sentence of the principal was going to make history in the school's timeline.

"Ah, yes! Xavier, you, and your team are to meet me after the school's closing hours. You will be sent on your first mission as your guide as well as myself have deemed your team capable!"

'Wait, what??'

"I expect you and your team to not be tardy for the briefing!"

'Was this good or bad?!'