Chapter 14 : Mock Battle [ 3 ]

Early in the morning, students can be seen gathering inside the training hall. Anne made sure to take attendance before announcing the start of the mock battle.

"I'm glad to see everyone here on time. Today, we will be having a virtual mock battle to test your combat skills. While this isn't a competition against each other, I want you all to fight as if your life is on the line. This will allow me to gauge your experience in combat and also identify areas where you need to improve."

The students nodded in understanding, their faces reflecting the seriousness of the situation, and soon. a blue holographic panel appeared right in front of every student in the training hall, as it shows the rank of the players, and the name.

[ Darwin Arae : 1st(low) star rank. Class ( Assassin )]

[ Ryu : 1st(low) star rank. Class ( Spearman )]

Ryu and Darwin made their way to the black room. As they entered, the room transformed into a green grass plain, with tall trees surrounding the field. The holographic panel displayed their ranks and names.

Ryu has vivid purple hair that shimmered in the light. He had a lean, muscular build and stood at an impressive height of 185cm and an aura was calm yet intense, exuding a sense of strength and confidence.

Darwin, on the other hand, was an unassuming student with black hair and black eyes. He had a decent body build, standing at a height of 173cm.

The two students bowed to each other and then took their fighting stances. Ryu held his two short daggers in his hands while Darwin wielded a polearm. The two of them locked eyes, each of them showing determination to win.

"So, you're my opponent," Ryu said, "Don't go easy on me, Darwin."

Darwin smirked. "Don't worry, Ryu. I won't hold back."

Anne, who was overseeing the simulation signaled the start of the match, and the two students sprang into action.

Darwin charged forward, the tip of his polearm aimed at Ryu's chest. Ryu uses his skill [ Swift ] moved with a quickness that belied his lithe frame, deftly avoiding Darwin's initial strike with his polearm. Darwin, undeterred, pressed his attack, swinging the weapon in a wide arc that threatened to take Ryu's head off.

With a blur of motion, Ryu ducked under the strike and moved in close, lashing out with his short sword in a flurry of rapid strikes. Darwin parried the blows with his polearm, grunting with effort as he tried to keep Ryu at bay. The two continued to dance around each other, exchanging blows and parries in a deadly dance.

Cling..

Cling..

Suddenly, Darwin made a misstep, leaving himself open for just a moment. Ryu seized the opportunity, darting in and delivering a swift kick to Darwin's side. Darwin grunts in pain, as his grip on the polearm falters for just a moment. Ryu pressed his advantage, raining blows down on Darwin's defenses with relentless ferocity.

But Darwin was not so easily beaten. Darwin begins to use his skill [ Outbreak ], as it's a skill that increases the user's strength by 20% but decreases the user's agility by 10% as a cost and it also increases the stamina consumption.

Darwin proceeds to shake off the blows and redoubled his efforts, striking out with his polearm in a dizzying series of attacks. Ryu retreated, parrying the blows as best he could, but he was starting to feel the strain of the fight.

Cling..

Cling..

Cling..

As the fight continued, the students outside watched intently, calling out words of encouragement or warning as the battle unfolded. Some admired Ryu's swift movements, while others were in awe of Darwin's polearm mastery. Darwin and Ryu were both impressive fighters, and it was clear that this match would be a tough one to call.

The fight continued with both students exchanging blows. Ryu's speed allowed him to dodge Darwin's attacks, but Darwin's [ Outbreak ] skill gave him an advantage in strength. The two of them crashed into a nearby tree, causing it to shake violently.

Both of them began to tire out, with a final, desperate effort, Darwin dashes towards Ryu and swung his polearm in a wide arc, aiming to take Ryu's head off in one fell swoop.

Ryu, seeing the attack coming, threw himself to the side with all the speed he could muster. The polearm missed its target by mere inches.

BOOOM!...

As the dust that got generated by the shockwave began settling down, both students were panting heavily, sweat beading on their foreheads. Ryu, his eyes filled with respect for his opponent as cuts can be seen through his entire body, he staggered back a step and then fell to the ground, his consciousness slipping away as he finally succumbed to exhaustion.

"That was a good fight," Darwin said while panting heavily.

The green green grass plain slowly faded away, as it was replaced by the familiar black room. Ryu and Darwin both instantly healed from their injuries, and Ryu awoke with a start, looking around blearily.

The two students began moving out from the black room while the students in the training hall were all clapping and cheering, congratulating the two on their impressive performance. well except for Lo, who was watching intensely.

Anne, the professor overseeing the simulation, smiled at the two boys, her eyes shining with pride. "That was an excellent match, gentlemen," she said. "You both showed impressive skill and determination. I have no doubt that you both will do great things in the future."

The mock battle proceeds to continue with other pairs entering the virtual arena, each showcasing their unique fighting styles and techniques.

As it was Lo's turn to fight, he couldn't help but curse under his breath, "Fuck! My rank is going to be exposed in front of everyone!"

But he quickly pushed aside the negative thoughts and calmly reminded himself, "Maybe this is for the best. Most people will lose interest in me, and I can focus on improving without the constant attention."

Despite his optimistic outlook, a part of him couldn't help but wish that his opponent was not as strong as Darwin or Ryu.