Spar [Part 2]

"Start!" Dan said, signaling the beginning of the spar.

*WHOOSH*

Without hesitation, Tessa lunged at Alex, her wooden sword slicing through the air as she aimed straight for him.

Arin, observing from the sidelines, allowed a small smirk to slip. He could read her expression easily. "She really can't stand him, huh?" he muttered under his breath, catching the frustrated determination etched on her face.

Despite the suddenness of the attack, Alex remained composed.

*BAM*

He raised his sword just in time, blocking her blow with practiced ease, his face betraying no emotion.

Tessa's lips thinned into a hard line as she adjusted her footing, preparing for another move, but at the last second, she faltered. Her body tensed, and she leaped back, a flicker of hesitation passing over her features.

[An Unwritten Event is happening.]

"Tch." Tessa clicked her tongue in frustration. 'I almost used my first fighting style.'

She was furious with herself. She'd nearly used her first fighting style. Anger clouded her judgment, and it had nearly cost her.

Alex's eyes narrowed as he studied her retreat. 'She was about to do something... but she stopped.'

Dan, too, had noticed. His brows knitted together in thought. 'What was she about to do? And why did she hesitate at the last second?'

The tension between them was palpable, but Alex pushed the thought aside, his grip tightening on his wooden sword. His focus shifted to Tessa's expression—a mixture of frustration and something else, something that felt personal.

'Maybe something happened before class,' Alex mused. 'I'll have to ask her later.'

Tessa's second fighting style wasn't difficult to understand. It was straightforward—almost deceptively so. She swung her sword in a way that seemed careless, leaving herself open, as if inviting her opponent to strike back. But that vulnerability was a trap. The moment her opponent took the bait, her true attack would begin.

However, against someone as sharp as Alex, it would be hard to pull off. He was too cautious, too observant.

*WHOOSH*

Tessa rushed forward again, her sword raised high above her head. Her movements were quick but calculated, her posture deliberately exposing a weak spot.

Alex's eyes sharpened. 'Too high. She's leaving herself open, but... it's on purpose.'

He wasn't fooled. Tessa was far too experienced to make such a simple mistake. As she closed the distance, her sword came crashing down, but Alex effortlessly stepped back, dodging the strike without breaking a sweat.

'Damn it,' Tessa cursed inwardly, landing lightly on her feet. 'He didn't fall for it.'

She wasn't surprised, though. This was Alex Whiteheart. Expecting him to fall for such a simple trick was foolish.

*BAM* *BAM* *BAM*

Tessa pressed on, launching a series of rapid strikes. Alex met each one with a calm, precise block. His sword moved smoothly, absorbing the force of her attacks without him even flinching.

The classroom was abuzz with whispers.

"Why isn't he attacking her?" one student muttered, watching the scene with growing confusion. "It's like he's only defending."

"Yeah, he's got plenty of chances to strike back, but he's not taking them."

"Maybe he doesn't want to hurt her," another student speculated. "They're pretty close, right?"

"Sure, but that doesn't mean he should just let her have all the offense."

"He's probably trying to play it safe. No point going all out when it's just sparring."

"Still, that doesn't mean he should lose on purpose."

"He's a guy. He shouldn't go easy just because it's a girl."

"Oh, so you'd hit a girl if you were dating her?"

Despite the whispers, Alex remained focused, continuing to deflect Tessa's attacks without attempting a single counterstrike.

Dan's eyes narrowed in thought. 'He's holding back. Why?'

Tessa's attacks were relentless, but there was a clear difference in their styles. While she fought with aggression and speed, Alex maintained a calm, defensive stance. Every time she swung, he blocked or dodged with minimal effort, his breathing steady.

"Time's up!" Dan's voice cut through the tension, bringing the spar to an abrupt halt.

Both Tessa and Alex immediately lowered their swords, though Tessa's jaw remained clenched. She wiped her brow, her frustration barely hidden.

Dan stepped forward, his arms crossed behind his back. "The winner of this spar is..."

The room fell silent, all eyes on the instructor.

Some students murmured quietly among themselves, unsure of who would come out on top.

"It's gotta be Alex," one whispered. "He was in control the whole time."

"But Tessa was the one attacking," another argued. "She was pushing him back."

Dan paused for a moment, letting the anticipation build before finally announcing, "The winner is Alex Whiteheart."

A wave of cheers erupted from the students, some congratulating Alex, others simply glad the spar was over.

Tessa, however, said nothing. Her expression darkened as she turned and walked away, heading toward the crowd of students without a word. Alex followed quietly, his expression neutral, as if the outcome had been expected.

Dan cleared his throat, addressing the class. "With that, today's sparring session has concluded. Tomorrow, the remaining students will spar, and we will resume with normal training afterward."

He gave the class a stern look. "I trust everyone learned something today. Class dismissed."

Arin, who had been silent throughout the entire spar, sighed in relief. 'Finally,' he thought as he merged with the students leaving the classroom.

As the crowd of students funneled out of the academy, Arin slipped outside, eager for a moment of solitude. But before he could go far.....

*WHOOSH*

He felt a tug at the back of his shirt. He turned sharply, expecting trouble, but relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Oh, Lina," he said, his expression softening.

But something was off. Lina's normally pristine white hair was disheveled, and her face looked pale, worry etched across her delicate features.

"What happened?" Arin asked quietly, reaching out to smooth down her hair with a gentle hand.

"I lost," Lina whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Huh?"

Her downcast eyes met his. "In sparring today... I lost."

Arin blinked, unsure how to respond. He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. "It's alright. Go back to your room and get some rest. We'll talk about it later."

Lina's lips twitched into a small, grateful smile. She gave a slight nod before turning to leave.

As soon as she was out of sight, Arin slipped on his mask and made his way to the forest. After several minutes of walking, he reached the usual spot.

Tessa was there, just as he expected, her back turned to him, arms crossed over her chest.

"Tessa..." he called out, his voice muffled through the mask.

She turned, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, Chaos. What is it?"

Tessa didn't know why, but she felt like whatever Chaos was about to tell her was very important.