Training

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"Then come at me, all of you at once."

Silence fell upon the group. Although they knew Mateus was strong, they had no idea just how powerful he truly was. Some of them even wondered if he was underestimating them.

Sensing their thoughts, Mateus spoke up, "I'm not underestimating you. I said that because I truly believe I can face all of you."

Instead of merely understanding his strength, some, like Issei, felt challenged, fueling a spark of determination within them. It was as if they all thought, 'I can't afford to lose.'

But thoughts alone didn't change reality. Mateus decided not to use any martial arts, relying solely on brute strength.

Kiba lunged forward with his sword, confident he could land a blow due to Mateus's perceived openings. However, Mateus deliberately blocked Kiba's attacks bare-handed to understand his fencing technique.

"Your swordsmanship is good, but it lacks power," Mateus concluded, delivering a powerful punch that shattered Kiba's sword and sent him flying unconscious.

Unfazed by Kiba's quick defeat, the others bombarded Mateus with spells. While these attacks didn't harm Mateus, they annoyed him. To quickly deal with the situation, he decided to neutralize the mages first.

In a swift move, Mateus disappeared from sight, reappearing next to Akeno and Rias, swiftly knocking them out.

Now facing Koneko, who seemed the most indifferent of all, Mateus engaged in a quick exchange of blows, trying to understand her style. It became clear that Koneko needed to improve her technique. With ease, Mateus incapacitated her.

Left with Issei, Mateus asked, "Aren't you going to use the power of the dragon within you?"

Feeling challenged once more, Issei prepared for battle. "You asked for it! Boost! Boost!"

Observing the intriguing spell from Issei's gauntlet, Mateus thought to himself, 'That's an interesting spell to copy.'

After Issei used boost several times, he charged at Mateus, who easily countered his attacks, thinking, 'This guy lacks any fighting strategy; he's a complete amateur.'

Realizing there was a long road ahead for them to become truly strong, Mateus sighed. "I wish Mahiru were here."

With these words, Mateus prepared for what lay ahead.

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Tomorrow I'll probably send another chapter