It's more like punishment

The training ground was eerily quiet, save for the sound of Lucian's measured footsteps and the occasional swish of her robes as she moved. The atmosphere crackled with tension, as if the air itself was holding its breath. Marcus stood facing her, his body aching from the relentless beating he'd already endured. Lucian was not holding back—not in the slightest.

She was testing him, pushing him, and more than that, Marcus could feel that she was hitting him intentionally, landing blows with precision. Every strike was calculated, designed to hurt without crippling. Her cold gaze betrayed no emotion, no pity for the young man now struggling to stay on his feet.

Marcus, panting heavily, felt his muscles scream in protest. The pain from Lucian's relentless attacks was becoming unbearable. He could tell she was upset, likely about what had happened the night before, but this was on another level. This wasn't just training; this was punishment.

'I can't keep this up,' he thought, feeling another sharp jab hit his side, knocking the wind out of him. 'I need to do something... but what?'

Desperate, Marcus called out to his system, his inner voice laced with frustration and urgency.

"System, can I raise my stats?" he asked between ragged breaths.

The system's cold, mechanical voice replied instantly. "Yes, Host. You can exchange 1 stat point for every 100 demon points."

Marcus, now trying to dodge another strike from Lucian, almost faltered. "Why didn't you tell me this before?!"

The system's response was as matter-of-fact as ever. "Host, you did not ask. I am not obligated to tell you unless prompted."

That stopped Marcus in his tracks for a brief moment—just long enough for Lucian to land another brutal blow to his ribs, sending him sprawling to the ground. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain shooting through his body. As he lay there, groaning in agony, he thought bitterly, 'So the system only tells me things when I ask? Great… just great.'

Marcus resolved to have a stern "conversation" with his system later, but for now, he had to survive this "training."

He raised his head weakly from the ground, looking up at Lucian, who stood over him like a warrior assessing her prey. "Can I... take a break?" Marcus asked, his voice hoarse with exhaustion.

Lucian, to his surprise, smiled—though her face remained impassive. "We've only just begun, and you already want a break?" she said, her tone teasing but still carrying a sharp edge.

Marcus thought bitterly, 'It's already been an hour of getting beaten to a pulp!' But he didn't dare say that aloud. Instead, he forced a tired smile. "I think I'll perform better after a short rest," he said, doing his best to sound convincing.

Lucian regarded him for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Five minutes. But don't expect mercy when we start again."

Marcus gave a silent nod of gratitude, internally sighing with relief. 'I'm going to need more than luck to get through this.'

Once Lucian had turned away, Marcus immediately activated his system. "Open system store," he commanded.

His eyes scanned the list of available abilities, his fingers hovering over several options. He didn't have a lot of demon points, but he figured a decent 3-star ability might give him the edge he needed—at least to survive this session.

Finally, his gaze settled on two abilities that seemed perfect for his situation:

- [Clairvoyance Lv 1 - Host can perceive his surroundings more clearly, limited to 1 meter.]

- [Precognition Lv 1 - Host can sense incoming attacks to some degree.]

Marcus smirked. He had readed about these abilities before in games and novels, so he knew their potential. Without hesitation, he upgraded both abilities to Level 2:

- [Clairvoyance Lv 2 - Host can perceive surroundings even with eyes closed, up to 10 meters.]

- [Precognition Lv 2 - Host can predict the opponent's movements.]

This cost him a significant 12,000 demon points(2000 points for purchasing both abilities and 10000 for upgrading both abilities) but he knew they were worth it. Next, he exchanged 5,000 demon points for 50 stat points and quickly allocated them: 30 points to Agility and 20 points to Endurance.

After resting for another minute, Marcus felt his body tingling with the new power coursing through him. He could feel the difference already—his senses heightened, his reflexes sharper, his stamina slightly restored. He still wasn't at Lucian's level, but at least now he wouldn't be a punching bag.

With newfound determination, Marcus stood up and walked back toward Lucian.

"Are you ready?" Lucian asked, her cold golden eyes locking onto him.

Marcus nodded. "Yes, I'm ready."

Lucian didn't waste a second. She leapt forward with blinding speed, her fist aimed straight for Marcus's chest. But this time, something was different. Just as her fist was about to connect, Marcus instinctively sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the hit. Lucian's eyes flashed with surprise.

"That was no fluke," Marcus thought to himself, feeling his enhanced senses kicking in.

Lucian, sensing the change in him, didn't hesitate. She increased her speed, attacking Marcus with a flurry of blows. But to her astonishment, Marcus dodged many of them, moving fluidly and precisely as if he could see the attacks coming before they even began.

"His speed has increased," Lucian thought, her surprise giving way to a spark of curiosity. "Interesting."

For several minutes, the two engaged in a fierce exchange. Marcus, though still at a disadvantage, was holding his own far better than before. His increased agility allowed him to evade Lucian's attacks more effectively, and his upgraded precognition gave him the ability to predict her movements, even if only slightly. Each time she struck, he managed to dodge or deflect the blow, much to her growing frustration.

But Lucian was far from finished.

Seeing that Marcus was adapting, she pushed herself even harder, her strikes becoming faster, more precise. Despite his newfound abilities, Marcus found it increasingly difficult to keep up. His stamina was draining fast, and his mana reserves were almost completely depleted from the constant strain of dodging her blows.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lucian landed a heavy blow to his side, sending Marcus crashing to the ground once more. He was exhausted, his body aching and his energy almost entirely spent. He had done his best, but it wasn't enough to match Lucian's overwhelming power.

After continuous blows, Marcus didn't have any strength left in his body. He lay there on the cold ground, gasping for breath, his limbs heavy as if filled with lead. The pain in his muscles was unbearable, but his mind was strangely calm, the adrenaline finally wearing off. He couldn't move, not even to lift a finger. His vision blurred as he stared up at the training ground's ceiling, feeling utterly defeated.

Lucian stood over him, arms crossed, observing Marcus's state. Inwardly, she thought, 'Oops, maybe I overdid it.' She hadn't expected to push Marcus this far, but she couldn't help herself. His potential intrigued her. Yet, seeing him lying there, completely drained and with a tired, almost defeated expression, she felt a flicker of something unfamiliar.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

'Wait... what is this?:

Lucian's eyes widened in shock as she brought her fingers up to touch her face. Her fingertips brushed her lips, confirming the smile she had felt. She hadn't smiled like this in... centuries, perhaps. The realization hit her like a lightning bolt, leaving her stunned.

'I was smiling... because of him?'

Her mind reeled as she processed the thought. Lucian Silvermoon, the cold, detached principal who rarely showed emotion, had just smiled while thinking about Marcus. It didn't make sense. She had trained many promising students over the decades, but none had ever made her feel... this.

She glanced down at Marcus again, who was still trying to catch his breath, his chest rising and falling slowly. His fiery red hair was damp with sweat, and his golden eyes—though exhausted—still held a spark of defiance. He wasn't broken, not completely. Despite the beating he'd endured, Marcus's spirit remained intact.

Lucian's smile faded as she quickly composed herself, masking her emotions with her usual cold demeanor. But inwardly, she was shaken.

'Why does he affect me like this?'

Lucian, shaken by her own emotions, quickly turned on her heel, intending to leave the training ground as fast as possible. But before she could make it far, she heard Marcus's strained voice call out from behind her.

"Mam... at least help me. I can't move my body."

She paused mid-step, her back still turned to him. For a moment, she considered ignoring him, but then she sighed, unable to dismiss the pitiful state he was in. Turning around, she saw him lying there, barely able to lift his head. His request, though simple, tugged at something within her.

'I really overdid it,' she thought, feeling a twinge of guilt as she approached him.

Without a word, Lucian bent down and helped Marcus to his feet, her movements efficient but surprisingly gentle. His body felt heavy as he leaned against her for support, but she didn't complain, simply steadying him with ease.

As Marcus struggled to stand properly, a sly grin formed on his face despite his fatigue. "Now... do you feel refreshed?" he asked, his voice teasing, though weak.

Lucian's eyebrow twitched, and without missing a beat, she gave him a light punch on the ribs, just enough to make him wince but not hurt him too much.

"Don't push your luck," she said, her tone sharp but not without a hint of amusement.

Marcus inwardly cursed, 'Damn, why do I get overtaken by my intrusive thoughts every time?' He immediately regretted his teasing, feeling the sting of her punch still resonating in his side. But to his relief, Lucian didn't drop him back onto the ground.

Instead, she continued to hold him upright, her support unwavering. For a moment, Marcus was thankful—thankful she hadn't just left him there to suffer or humiliated him further.