Combat Assessment [2]

The first round concluded, and the second round commenced. Soon, it was Alex's turn to face off against a student from the Intermediate class.

As both contestants stepped onto the stage, Alex noticed his opponent, a new face to him. It made little difference whether he knew his opponent or not.

The opponent, a swordsman like Alex, displayed a relaxed, nonchalant posture, irking Alex with his dismissive attitude.

"Why do I have to be paired with someone from the Failure class? Well, I suppose it's an easy win for me." the opponent sighed, his grin exuding arrogance.

Alex bristled at the gloating expression, familiar with the disdain others held for Failure class students. The mocking tone fueled his determination.

"I'd relish wiping that smirk off your face when you lose to me. Let's see how bright your smile is then." Alex retorted.

His opponent's expression shifted from arrogance to rage, but before he could respond, the teacher signaled the start of the match. "Begin!"

Without hesitation, Alex surged forward, catching his opponent off guard and knocking his sword from his grasp.

"Why the silence now? Cat got your tongue?" Alex taunted, pressing his sword against his neck.

His opponent, bewildered by Alex's speed, could only sweat profusely as he felt the edge of the sword against his neck. If it were a real blade, blood would have spilled, and he might not have realized his demise.

"Match over. Winner: Alex Blanc of the Beginner class."

"No! How did this happen? This guy must have cheated somehow. You need to check!" the defeated opponent protested, his mind unable to comprehend his loss to someone from the Failure class.

His baseless accusations were swiftly dismissed, quelling the commotion he caused and restoring order.

The incident attracted the attention of many, particularly from the Intermediate class, who recognized Alex.

The underdog challenging the top dog, the fight between Alex and Marcus had left a lasting impression.

Though Alex had lost to Marcus that day, he had shown he could compete with average Intermediate class students, earning respect among his peers.

The guy Alex just fought was someone who didn't consider it worth his time to watch a supposed sore looser lose.

Consequently, he remained unaware of Alex's true strength and became careless in the match. Even if he had known and given his all, the outcome would have remained unchanged.

In simple terms, Alex had leveled up more compared to that day; his speed and strength now far surpassed his opponent's.

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In the judge's stands, where the teachers evaluated the students' performances, a few teachers were engaged in discussion about the recent match.

"Julia, I heard you've been taking Beginner class more seriously lately. Is it because of that guy?" Cyrus, another teacher at the Academy, inquired, casting a glance at Julia.

"You could say that. So, what do you think?" Julia replied, returning the question.

Adjusting his glasses, Cyrus commented on Alex, "Well, not much can be said yet, but his speed is certainly impressive. I doubt many from the Intermediate class could match it."

"Let's not overlook the confidence he exudes. His posture and stance suggest he's a formidable warrior. I'm certain he'll deliver some remarkable results." Max, another teacher at the Academy, interjected.

"I agree, but let's wait and see if he possesses other skills or strengths beyond his speed." Cyrus responded.

"I can vouch for his swordsmanship, as I've been teaching him." Julia chimed in.

"But only for a month or so. Let's see how well your student performs." Cyrus challenged.

Both Cyrus and Max were instructors in the Advanced class, specializing in strategic arts and combat respectively.

Julia simply smiled, refraining from further comment. It had been over a week since she last taught Alex, and in their last spar, she had noticed his continuous improvement.

She wasn't surprised by his recent victory, confident that a newcomer would soon rise in the Intermediate class rankings. However, she anticipated the surprise of seeing which rank he would secure.

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In the next round, Alex found himself paired with someone he was very familiar with—a student from the Intermediate class who was unremarkable overall.

But for Alex, it was impossible to forget who he was. This opponent had been one of Marcus's lackeys, the same guy who had taken the initiative to beat him on his first day at the academy.

'Before going unconscious, I still remember this guy kicked me in the stomach' Alex seethed inwardly.

His opponent, the lackey, was sweating profusely, having witnessed how effortlessly Alex had defeated the previous opponent.

'Fuck! Boss said to steer clear away from him. That day I clearly remember him saying that this guy was not easy to mess with anymore' the lackey thought nervously.

"I've been waiting to meet you guys for a long time. It's so nice to meet again, here on stage. Well, good luck to you, as you will need it." Alex said in a sarcastic tone.

Not wanting to waste time on their personal animosity, the teacher swiftly started the match.

"Well, screw it! Who do you think you are? You're still beneath me." the lackey retorted, mustering his resolve and making the first move.

'So what if you've improved? I'm still better than you.' His thoughts were cut short as Alex remained still, waiting for the lackey to attack.

When the attack finally came, Alex seamlessly evaded every blow before launching his own relentless assault with his wooden training sword.

Alex targeted his opponent indiscriminately, aiming only for non-vital areas as per academy rules. With powerful and swift strikes, the lackey had no chance to defend himself and could only cry out in pain.

Finally, Alex ended the onslaught by stabbing the back of his sword into the lackey's abdomen, causing him to flinch and buckle to his knees.

"Consider this payback for your 'warm welcome'."

Bruised all over, especially in the abdomen, the lackey was immediately escorted to the infirmary for treatment, rendering him unable to continue in the assessment.

Despite some reprimand for his behavior, Alex was allowed to continue participating in the assessment as he hadn't broken any rules.

The chilling spectacle shook the hearts of onlookers, who harbored no pity for the lackey, knowing his history of bullying under Marcus's name. He had gotten what he deserved.

In the sidelines, Marcus watched, his face contorted in fury, witnessing Alex's victory over his underling stoked his anger and desire for revenge. However, he knew the current setting wasn't suitable for retaliation, forcing him to swallow his pride for the time being.

'You pipsqueak, don't think this is the end. One day, I'll make you pay for this humiliation tenfold.' Marcus seethed silently, nursing his wounded pride.

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The first few matches sailed by effortlessly for Alex, winning them without breaking a sweat. However, his last match of the day proved to be a different story.

Facing off against a spear user posed a new challenge for Alex, as spears often held an advantage over swords.

But that wasn't the only hurdle. His opponent was rumored to be the top ranker of the Intermediate class.

With Alex's growing reputation, more spectators gathered to witness his match, overshadowing even the bouts between Advanced class students.

Suddenly, everyone became aware of the emergence of a new dark horse among them. A student from the Failure class was now set to take on the top-ranking student of the Intermediate class.

"I'm Trey. Nice meeting you, Alex. I've been watching your matches, and I have to admit, you've come a long way for someone from the Failure class." Trey remarked, twirling his spear with respect rather than mockery.

Pointing his spear at Alex, Trey continued, "But I can also see that you're still holding back. Fight me and show me what you've got."

Trey exuded a warrior-like spirit, and his skills matched his demeanor. As an experienced combatant, he could sense that Alex was not giving his all in the matches.