Weak

"Hmmm... No matter how much I study it, I don't understand," Ri mutters to himself, his hand absentmindedly rubbing the spot on his neck where Lúthien's punch landed. 'This is bothersome,' he contemplates, his mind a whirlwind of unanswered questions and theories.

The tension in the air spikes as the snake, previously subdued, reappears with a vengeance. With an angry hiss that cuts through the silence, its scales harden and darken until they resemble stone, its body swelling in size while lightning crackles ominously across its newly fortified scales. 'This snake,' Ri's gaze sharpens, drawn to the creature in a way it hadn't been before. "What a predator," he acknowledges softly, an undercurrent of respect threading through his voice as he observes the snake's primal thirst for combat

With no warning, the snake launches itself at Ri, its speed unparalleled. BOOM! The impact of its attack sends a shockwave through the forest, uprooting nearby trees and creating a crater around Ri, the ground cracking under the sheer force. "Hmm, not bad," Ri comments coolly, emerging from the dust cloud. To the surprise of those watching, he is seen gripping two of the snake's fangs with one hand, his muscles straining under the effort, blood trailing down his arm as it trembles slightly from the struggle.

Lúthien stares in disbelief, her eyes wide. "W-what the heck... how did he stop it?" she murmurs, stunned by the display of strength. 'Rika's power was sealed by Elder Fëanor after a shameful act. It was supposed to be imprisoned, but Ardalos convinced the elders to give it a second chance, despite its power being sealed. It still outclasses anyone in our ranks. For this demi-human to stop its physical force... he's unusual. We can hurt him, but he brushes it off as if our attacks are nothing.'

In a stunning display of defiance, lightning erupts from Rika's maw, a potent blast that Ri confronts head-on, deflecting it with a sweep of his free hand. The landscape scorches under the trajectory of the lightning. Flexing his muscles, Ri propels the snake several dozen feet away with a single, powerful punch. 'And I thought I was resistant to lightning...' he reflects, glancing at his arm, now marked by a scorched pattern that covers his entire forearm.

"Ugh... what the hell is he," Taelia groans, massaging her temples in frustration. 'I'm tired of fighting, dammit, mom. Why don't you just let me drop out?' she laments internally, her desire to escape the incessant conflict more palpable than ever.

"Mmm... her time is up," Ardalos declares, his voice a tranquil melody amidst the chaos. With a gentle hum, he watches as Rika obediently slithers back into the gate from whence she came, the magic circle fading away into oblivion shortly after. "Tsk, dammit," Lúthien mutters under her breath, her annoyance evident. 'Elder Fëanor limited the amount of mana Ardalos could give Rika to prevent him from leveraging her power against other students unfairly,' she realizes with a sigh.

"Um, we should run," Lúthien suggests, her eyes darting between Ri and her companions, gauging every potential move. Ardalos, however, chuckles softly, the sound tinged with resignation. "Hmhmhm, I don't think they'll let us."

Taelia, summoning a burst of resolve, stretches thoroughly, her joints popping in protest. "Tsk, you two go on ahead. I'm only doing this once, got it?" she states, her tone brokering no argument.

Ri, meanwhile, suppresses a yawn, his interest waning. 'This is getting boring,' he thinks, a sense of ennui creeping in. Stepping forward, he challenges, "Come at me, elves."

Lúthien's fist clenches tightly. "No, it's too—" she starts to protest, only to be interrupted by Taelia's resigned declaration. "Ugh, you know it has to be me," she says, annoyance lacing her voice.

Lúthien grits her teeth, a tumult of emotions swirling within her. 'All this because it took me so long to find someone I can harmonize with,' she reflects bitterly. Ardalos, seizing the moment, grabs Lúthien by the arm. "Good luck~ I hope you haven't gotten rusty~" he teases, pulling her away from the impending showdown.

As Taelia braces herself, fighting back tears, "Shut up, I hate this," she manages to say, her voice choked with emotion. Ardalos offers a comforting pat on her shoulder. "You hate it because you love it," he says knowingly before sprinting off, dragging Lúthien along.

Nia, still ensnared within the tree, calls out, "Don't let the girl get away, doggo," struggling futilely against her wooden prison. "Shut it, woman. I can track her for miles," Ri responds dismissively, his attention now fully on Taelia. "Hmm... how bold of you to fight me one-on-one." 

"Oh please, I'm not that stupid," Taelia yawns, her nonchalance veiling the tension simmering beneath. She examines her broken sword with a resigned sigh before embedding it into a nearby tree. Pulling it out, the blade is miraculously mended, now partially comprised of bark. "Seriously, I hope I don't go insane again," she murmurs, a hint of apprehension lacing her words.

"You better have something to give," Ri taunts, advancing towards her at a measured pace, his curiosity piqued. Taelia exhales deeply, lifting her arm as the grass and trees around them begin to stir, growing at an unnatural pace, the forest becoming denser by the second. With agile grace, she leaps back, grabbing onto a tree branch and flipping herself upwards just as Ri reaches out for her.

"I'm the fastest student in the academy. I doubt I'm faster than you, but I think I can stay away from you," she declares, punctuating her statement with a yawn, her casual demeanor masking the strategic mind at work.

Ri ascends in an instant, his smirk widening. "You're challenging me in speed and flexibility?" he questions, amused. "Hmhmhm, sure. I'm curious to see how far you get." He surveys the transformed landscape, admiring Taelia's handiwork. 'She grew out plants and trees and completely intertwined them with each other. I can easily catch her, but playing at her level feels more refreshing,' he acknowledges, embracing the challenge laid before him. With a powerful swing of his fist, Ri shatters the tree branches blocking his path, forcing Taelia to leap back.

★ ★

-Taelia's POV

"Oh, Mother Earth, I really shouldn't be doing this," I sigh, weaving through the dense forest with agility honed over years of reluctant practice. When was the last time I tried something like this? I can't remember; it's been ages. This is all Mom's fault—if she had just let me flunk out...

I jump back, my feet barely touching the branches as I twist my body up, down, left, and right in a dance of evasion. The man, this demi-human, tries to grab my foot, but in a swift movement, I slip off my shoes and let him catch those instead. Flipping backward, I land on a branch and, with a quick leap, flip over him. I readjust my sword, take a deep breath, and attempt to stab him, but he casually grabs the blade and breaks it with his hand.

"Tsk, this man is a pain. I can't leave more than a scratch on him," I mutter to myself, jumping back to create distance between us. He yawns, bored, and taunts, "Use all your power, elf, or I might just end it here."

I glare at him, rolling my eyes. "Can't you just walk away?" I complain, gripping onto a branch and flipping my body at a 90-degree angle as he punches in my direction. Ugh, my back. Despite the pain, I stand tall. Thanks to my family's footwork technique, I can flex my body without slowing down, but it's so painful.

I exhale, staring straight at him, not bothering to glance at the other two unknown figures. I'm using the plants around me to sense my surroundings, after all. I should find a way to get— "BOOM!" His fist, thrown with deadly precision, obliterates all life in its path.

"O-oh fuck, t-that was close," I gasp, clutching at my chest. "I-I barely managed to coat my legs in mana," I whisper under my breath.

"Seriously? Is this all you amount to?" he asks, his voice husky, almost taunting, as he steps closer.

F-fuck, this demi-human is insane! But if I hadn't stopped training, I could have beaten him. I never expect this ceremony to be so difficult. Even if I slack off, I'm always better than most students, why am I struggling with a single man?

Exhaling sharply, I drop my broken sword and grasp a tree branch, a makeshift lifeline in this whirlwind of chaos. "Dammit, not this..." The familiar pounding in my chest signals the onset of something I've dreaded for years. This feeling, I absolutely hate it. Coating my body entirely in mana, I backstep as he tries to punch me, twisting my body to keep his fists as far away as possible. The branch I'm holding onto transforms into a shield made of vines and wood, but it's instantly destroyed as his punch connects, sending me flying back. "Shit, why now?" I curse under my breath, hating this damned illness that chooses the worst moments to flare up.

My breaths become heavier, my hands start trembling uncontrollably. As a child, I was overflowing with energy for no apparent reason, a genius in my own right, and I bragged about it nonstop. Lúthien was the only one my age I could fight on par with; competing with her was exhilarating, the highlight of my days. I relished our battles so much that I developed this stupid illness, a curse triggered by the thrill of combat.

It wasn't a problem when I had Lúthien to spar with. But as we grew older, I got stronger, and Lúthien... she just couldn't keep up. Without someone to harmonize with, she fell behind. I waited for years for someone, anyone, to catch up, but eventually, I gave up. My illness worsened—whenever I sparred with others my age, I couldn't hold back. I hurt so many students, unable to control my desire for a challenge. So, I gave up fighting. And this feeling, this uncontrollable surge of power and adrenaline when I fight... I despise it because I can't control it. Even when she got stronger and caught up, I was afraid I'd get addicted so I promised myself I'd never train again, never fight again...

"Hmhmhm... hehe hehe hehe," I start giggling, a wild idea flashing through my mind. I wonder what will happen if I use dagger arts.

"Huh, Are you crazy?" he asks, a mix of confusion and annoyance coloring his tone as he grabs my foot, swinging me around, attempting to slam me to the ground. But halfway through, I twist my leg, breaking the bone but managing to turn around. Using my other leg and one hand, I grab onto his arm. With the momentum of his own attempted slam, I twist his arm, making him lose his balance, and he lets me go.

"You broke your damn leg?" he says, sounding genuinely baffled.

"Hehehe, it's just one leg, not my first time," I smirk, popping my leg back into place despite the searing pain, blood spilling all over the forest floor.

"Tsk... you're crazy. I've lost interest," he mutters, stepping back, but I'm not done yet. I pull two daggers from my pouch, spinning them in circles. "Ah~ we're just getting started. You can't be backing out now."

This is so much fun. I'm going to try out new moves I couldn't before. Running through the chaos of branches and trees, weaving my body around, I can't help but laugh. "Hahahaha, Hey, are you having fun? Because I am." I clutch my chest, the thrill of the fight sending my heart into overdrive. Oh, fuck, I want more.

I appear behind him, ready to strike, but he turns around. "I'm done playing," he says, and Boom! A fist thrown directly at my face. I freeze. I'm dead. I can't dodge this. He's been holding back so much power I—

"You can't kill her," a voice interrupts, grabbing his fist with ease. The shockwave from the impact travels horizontally, shaking everything in its path.

"O-oh fuck," I gasp, collapsing to the ground, breathing heavily. Why did he stop him? This man, isn't he in the same group?

"What are you doing?" the demi-human asks coldly, turning to the strange man.

"You moron, you didn't read the contract. If you kill the elf, you'll be sent back," the man explains with a tone of exasperation.

Contract? Can't kill? I'm lying there, trying to make sense of their words through the haze of pain and adrenaline.

The demi-human clicks his tongue in annoyance. "You should have told me that earlier. What a waste of time," he says before they both walk away, leaving me there, trying to catch my breath and piece together what just happened.

.