Ch - 2 My super powers still can't pay next week's rent.

They walked through the curvy halls of the academy, navigating their way until they arrived at the expansive training ground. Upon reaching the open area, they found that it was already in use by another class. A majority of the students were seated on the ground, observing intently, while four individuals engaged in duels, paired off into two groups. Ser Hadrian, their combat instructor, stood on the sidelines, vigilant and prepared to intervene if necessary.

Sam headed off to the armory, leaving Jake behind, who was still engrossed in watching the duels. The armory had a vast array of weapons, offering everything from swords to maces to bows. The only thing you couldn't find there was wooden weapons. Indeed, all the weapons used by students were genuine. However, this special privilege was exclusively for last-year students.

As Sam entered the room, which already had more than twenty students, everyone cleared a path for him to reach the sword section. He was feared because, despite being laid-back in everyday life, once a weapon was in his hands, he turned into a formidable beast. In the class, there was no one he hadn't defeated, and a few had even been sent to the infirmary at times.

Except for Emma, the girl who had answered on his behalf in class. Even though she wasn't better than him, she knew how to make their matches last a long time, often ending in a draw.

Sam casually walked over to the area where the swords were kept. He picked up a few, testing their balance before placing them back. Finally, he found one that met his satisfaction. It was a standard two-handed longsword, its point dulled from repeated use, and there were numerous nicks running along the edges. He tested it by swinging it through the air a few times.

"Hey Sam, why did you leave me back there?" Jake asked, arriving beside him and running. "Did you notice we're going to have duels? It's been quite a while since Ser Hadrian arranged duels."

"I saw you were so into watching that I didn't want to interrupt you. Yes, I noticed we're going to have a real fight, which is why I came here first instead of watching like you. And, by the way, it's been more than fifty days. It was your fault which means we had to practice with dolls. If you hadn't ripped that poor guy's hands, Ser Hadrian wouldn't have banned duels. You remember how much the whole school still hates and fears you for that matter," Sam explained.

As Sam mentioned, even though Jake might not have the most advanced brain cells, he was an excellent fighter. People avoided talking to Jake simply because they were afraid of him and his family. Jake's family had a strong history in the army, with his father even reaching the rank of lieutenant.

"Seriously, I don't remember. Wait, let me grab a weapon before we go talk to Ser," Jake said as he headed toward the mace section.

Jake quickly located a sturdy mace that matched his preferences, and they both headed towards Ser Hadrian, who was now available after the previous class had just ended. Ser Hadrian stood upright with a commanding presence, his piercing blue eyes showing authority. He had dark black hair and a face that looked both wise and strong. He was dressed in a comfortable white shirt and smooth black pants, finding a balance between comfort and a formal appearance.

Approaching Ser Hadrian, Sam greeted him, "Ser, we heard there's going to be duels. Are you really letting us fight?"

Ser Hadrian looked at them with a stern expression but a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Ah, Sam and Jake, always eager for a good fight. Very well, you two can have a match. Make sure it's a clean one, or you'll both be cleaning the training grounds for a week."

"Ser, why is the academy conducting a surprise test all of a sudden?" Sam inquired, looking genuinely curious.

Ser Hadrian sighed before responding, "There are a few guests coming, and they want to have something to showcase. I never intended to let you troublemakers have duels again, but it is necessary for you to practice."

"Really, who is coming, Ser?" Sam asked, pondering who could be important enough for the academy to organize an exam.

"You kids have no need to know that. Go sit over there and only come when I ask for you," Hadrian responded, his tone carrying a hint of irritation, making it clear that he wasn't pleased with the questions.

Noticing Ser Hadrian's growing annoyance, Sam ushered Jake to sit near the boundary of the arena. They settled there for another ten minutes until every one of their classmates had arrived. Finally, Ser Hadrian took the stage in the middle of the arena.

"As Professor John might have already informed you, we're having a surprise test tomorrow. For my combat class, it's divided into two parts. The first part consists of duels, and the second involves target hitting. Today, we'll be conducting some duels in pairs of twos. Let's start with the first two pairs: Robert and Sasha will face Pat and Grace," Ser Hadrian announced to the students gathered in the arena.

"There are two main rules: First, each team can only use two spells, and second, no dual casting. A team will be considered eliminated if both members go out of bounds or if they yield. Now, let the duels begin," Ser Hadrian explained, setting the rules for the matches.

On one side stood Robert and Sasha; Robert wielded a rapier, while Sasha had a shield and sword. On the other side were Pat with his greatsword and Grace, armed with her bastard sword. As soon as Hadrian signaled the start of the duel, Robert swiftly moved forward. His smaller frame suited his fast-paced style, and he advanced toward Pat, who was a foot taller than him. Simultaneously, behind him, Sasha sprinted towards Grace, holding her shield first as she closed the distance.

Watching Robert advance swiftly in his direction, Pat swiftly executed a powerful downward slash, infusing it with considerable force. In response, Robert momentarily halted his advancing movement, allowing the impending strike to approach before deftly sidestepping it. Seizing the opportunity, he skillfully thrusted his rapier toward Pat's shoulder.

It was as if Pat anticipated what was about to happen. He altered his slashing motion, shifting it from a downward trajectory to a horizontal one, specifically targeting Robert's head. Faced with this unexpected maneuver, Robert found himself at a crossroads: he could either persist in pushing forward or opt for retreat.

After careful consideration, Robert chose the latter, taking a deliberate step backward and effectively nullifying his imminent attack. With agility and rapid decision-making, he adeptly avoided the horizontal slash by ducking beneath it. Bouncing back swiftly, Robert returned to an alert stance, maintaining a cautious distance of two hands from Pat and giving him a wary look.

On the flip side, Sasha found herself in a challenging situation as Grace had taken the upper hand. Grace unleashed a barrage of attacks, compelling Sasha to stay on the defensive behind her shield. While fending off the relentless series of strikes, Sasha began uttering incantations in hushed tones. Despite successfully defending against more than twenty strikes in a matter of seconds, the shield had sustained considerable damage.

Having finished her incantation, Sasha strategically decided to step backward. Leaping away, she uttered in a deliberate, unhurried voice, "Thorny vines." The moment the words left her lips, the ground beneath Grace began to tremble, creating space for thick vines as robust as human hands. These vines rapidly shot forth, with the intention of ensnaring Grace. In response, Grace cursed and hastily retreated, exposing her back in a desperate attempt to evade the encroaching thorny vines.

This marked the opportune moment Sasha had been anticipating – an opening in Grace's defense. Seizing the chance, Sasha skillfully manipulated the vines to fashion a snare, causing Grace to stumble and fall. With agility and precision, Sasha positioned her sword at Grace's neck, compelling her to yield.

Following her smaller victory, Sasha joined forces with Robert. However, their subsequent confrontation with Pat unfolded as a prolonged and demanding ordeal. It took an entire ten minutes of relentless back-and-forth, characterized by numerous clashes, significant injuries, and a substantial amount of dirt marring their bodies, before Pat ultimately admitted defeat.

With both acknowledging defeat, Ser Hadrian, serving as the judge, formally announced the conclusion of the duel. He officially declared Robert and Sasha as the winners. After that initial fight, many more duels unfolded. Even Jake's fight concluded with his opponents surrendering before it had even begun. It was nearly two hours later when finally; Sam's turn came up.

Originally, the class comprised 52 students, but due to Jake's actions, the number dwindled to 49. A pair of students who departed from the academy happened to be friends of the unfortunate student impacted by Jake's actions, and their concern for their safety led them to avoid returning. This circumstance left Sam without a designated opponent.

"Since you don't have anyone remaining to be paired with, Jake will be your opponent," Ser Hadrian announced.

"Both take your positions," Ser Hadrian commanded. Sam and Jake positioned themselves on opposite sides. Sam assumed a poised stance, wielding his longsword. He stood sideways, with one hand firmly gripping the sword, while the other remained folded behind his back. In contrast, Jake had no specific stance; he believed in pure strength, not in any martial arts. "Start," Hadrian spoke.

Jake propelled himself towards Sam, clutching his mace behind his head to maximize the force of impact. Surprisingly, Sam kept his eyes closed from the moment Jake initiated his charge. At the critical moment when Jake's mace was poised to strike, Sam executed a skillful parry at an angle, all the while maintaining his closed-eye focus.

Even in the face of Jake's formidable and forceful attack, Sam stood resolute, showing no signs of yielding. In response to the evolving situation, Jake adjusted his tactics. He released his left hand, which had tightly gripped the mace, maintaining control with his right. With great agility, he rotated his hips and shoulders to the right, adopting a position that allowed him to potentially deliver a lethal overhead punch.

Although Sam had no visual cues due to his closed eyes, miraculously, he seemed to anticipate the punch's trajectory and speed. With an almost intuitive sense, he let the punch whistle past him by simply moving his head. Taking advantage of Jake's decision to release his main power-generating hand (the left one), Sam pushed back against the mace and countered by performing a flawless low kick.

The low kick executed by Sam effectively disrupted Jake's balance, leading to a stumble backward. Seizing the opportunity, Sam swiftly closed the distance between them and delivered a quick strike to Jake's side with the hilt of his longsword. While the impact may not have reached the intended level of harm, it served its purpose by further unsettling Jake.

However, Jake quickly regained his composure and retaliated with a forceful swing of his mace horizontally. Sam parried the swing by using both hands, and in a surprising move, he headbutted Jake in the face. Jake stumbled back two steps after getting hit, but he was not given even a minute to rest, and Sam was already advancing, not allowing him any respite.

Sam continued to harass Jake in the same way, skillfully parrying any attack he sent, all while keeping his eyes closed. After maneuvering Jake near the end line, Sam unexpectedly opened his eyes. His once-cyan eyes were now white, as if he had gone blind. In the next moment, Jake found himself on the ground, clutching his chest where a sizable gash had appeared.

"Stop, Sam wins the match. Somebody take Jake to the doctor. Sam, you stay here. Class dismissed," Ser Hadrian spoke loudly, bringing an end to the intense duel.