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Ashford University – Sports Building:

The sports building at Ashford University was more than just a gym. Equipped with basketball and volleyball courts, it had everything a typical sports complex needed. Beyond that, it also featured designated combat training areas for students passionate about martial arts and physical combat.

The sports hall was totally empty except for two guys squaring off in the middle.

One looked like he was ready for a tournament--helmet, pads, the whole safety-first package, sword in hand.

The other stood opposite him, holding only a wooden sword, No gear. No armor. He looked like he'd wandered in from another world.

Rix gasped for air, as if each breath might be his last. He wheezed like a fish out of water.

Jake stared at him, then let out a long sigh and facepalmed.

"Seriously...? Five minutes. We've only been training for five minutes. I literally invented some new styles last night and picked you as my guinea pig."

Rix muttered a curse under his breath, "Shit..."

He knew there was no escape from the training monster named Jake,

Time to pull out his final move--[the Great Stall technique!!]

Rix let out an exaggerated sigh, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. Then, straightening his back like a sage, he said with faux seriousness,

"Jake, my friend, listen. martial arts isn't just about swinging swords until your arms fall off. It's about balance. About breathing. Rest. Focus. A calm and centered mind. You ever hear about muscle recovery? Mental clarity? You think ancient masters became legends by bashing their heads against a tree for hours?" quoting a line from some dusty old martial arts comic.

He placed a hand dramatically over his chest, striking a pose as if quoting some sacred scripture.

"They trained smart. Rested when needed. Honed their technique with patience. Precision. Purpose. We need that too, man. That stillness between movements… that's where the real power lies."

Rix sighed " so lets take just five minutes rest, five."

Jake tilted his head slightly, raising a brow as he listened to Rix try, once again to pull the "five-minute rest" card.

Jake nodded thoughtfully. "You're not wrong, Rix, rest and clarity do matter. Martial arts isn't all about movement... but don't act like that's why you're asking for a break."

Then, with a straight face, he said,"But you? You say 'five minutes' and come back thirty later with chips, soda, and crumbs all over your shirt. You're not finding clarity--you're finding carbs."

He paused, staring at Rix like he was trying to figure out what species he belonged to."And don't even get me started. Every time, man. You vanish like a ghost and reappear like you just finished a side quest at the vending machine. Sandwich in one hand, smug look on your face, like you found enlightenment behind the snacks."

Then with a flat stare he said. "Last time, you said five minutes and came back with a soda, two energy bars, and a chicken sandwich. I'm still wondering which martial arts master taught you that combo."

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"DAAAMN ITTT!!"

Rix roared, stomping the ground in frustration as his 'genius' move failed catastrophically once more.

Across the field, Jake sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"Stop procrastinating, Rix. Let's actually train. I'm genuinely excited to test my new styles. Be ready—I'm coming."

"W-Wait!"

Rix squeaked, waving his hands frantically.

Jake didn't even blink.

"One!"

"WAIT!"

"Two!"

"One second, pleaaase!"

"Three. Too late."

The moment Jake finished his casual countdown, the atmosphere shifted.

Rix tensed, raising his wooden sword awkwardly in front of him, trying to anticipate the first move.

Jake didn't rush.

He advanced with calm, deliberate steps — his sword low, body relaxed, like a predator toying with its prey.

Without warning, Jake lashed out.

A smooth diagonal slash came from Rix's left — not too fast, but perfectly timed.

Rix yelped and brought up his sword to block.

Crack.

The force rattled his arms to the bone.

Before he could recover, Jake stepped around his left side with a quick pivot, rotating his hips and bringing his sword in a sharp horizontal sweep aimed at Rix's ribs.

Rix stumbled back, barely getting his sword into position.

Their weapons clashed again, but Jake's blade glided effortlessly along Rix's, snapping past his defenses.

He gave Rix a light tap to the ribs with the flat of the sword

Breathing heavily, Rix tried to reposition, shuffling his feet.

Jake, in contrast, moved like flowing water.

Each step was measured, precise, always keeping Rix off balance

Another attack — this time an overhead swing.

Jake's blade came crashing down from above.

Rix raised his sword high to parry, but Jake feinted at the last second, shifting into a low sweeping attack aimed at Rix's legs.

Caught by surprise, Rix tried to jump back, but his timing was off.

Jake's sword clipped his shin lightly — enough to send him staggering.

Before Rix could regain footing, Jake closed the distance again.

A series of rapid strikes followed — one, two, three — each coming from unpredictable angles.

Jake attacked with tight, efficient swings, rotating his shoulders and waist to generate power without wasting energy.

Rix's arms moved desperately, trying to parry and deflect, but each clash pushed him back a step.

Jake controlled the tempo, switching between high and low attacks, never letting Rix settle into a rhythm.

A sharp thrust to Rix's chest.

Rix barely managed to slap it aside with the flat of his blade.

Jake smiled slightly, not breaking momentum.

He stepped in even closer, pivoting on his lead foot, and delivered a brutal shoulder bump into Rix's chest.

Thud.

Rix stumbled backward, losing his footing.

Jake didn't even give him time to recover.

In one fluid motion, Jake raised his sword and brought it down in a clean arc, knocking the wooden weapon cleanly out of Rix's hands.

The wooden sword flew from Rix's grip, clattering several meters away.

Panting heavily, arms limp, Rix had no choice but to fall backward, collapsing onto the floor with a grunt.

Jake stood over him, completely composed, barely even breathing hard.

He rested the tip of his wooden sword against the ground casually and smirked.

"Don't worry, Rix. You're improving… at falling."

Rix just lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling. Getting knocked around by Jake was almost a routine by now — he didn't even feel embarrassed anymore.

---

"C'mon. I've got more moves to try," Jake said, smirking.

Before Rix could even protest, a loud screech of hinges echoed through the vast hall, pulling both their heads toward the door.

Rix still lay sprawled on the floor, while Jake stood casually beside him, wooden sword hanging loosely from his hand.

The heavy door swung open, and three girls — Rina, Ariya, and Sylvia — stepped inside, their footsteps hesitating the moment they crossed the threshold.

A beat later, Seraphine followed, expecting to see a lively crowd gathered around a fierce spar, a buzzing atmosphere where they could just slip in unnoticed and enjoy the show.

Instead, they were met with pure, crushing silence.

Two boys.

One lying flat on his back, the other standing over him.

And four girls frozen awkwardly in the doorway like they had just barged into a private scene.

Rina, Ariya, and Sylvia exchanged quick, uncomfortable glances, a creeping sense of embarrassment rising between them.

It genuinely felt like they had been caught spying on something they weren't supposed to see.

Breaking the silence, Seraphine leaned toward Rina and whispered, confused,

"Uhh... where's the crowd?"

No one answered.

Because honestly, none of them had any idea either.

The hall was eerily silent as the two boys stared at the four girls who had seemingly popped out of nowhere.

Neither side knew what to say first — especially the girls, who stood there awkwardly, almost looking guilty.

Normally, there would be a crowd — not too big, but enough to blend into — watching Jake train or spar. That was the girls' original plan: blend in, watch quietly, maybe have some fun.

But today, by some cruel twist of fate, there wasn't even a single fly buzzing around — just these two boys, and now the four of them.

Lying on the floor, Rix quickly grasped what was happening.

Anyone with half a brain could tell why this suspicious little group had shown up.

He felt a brief flash of embarrassment lying there like roadkill... but he shoved it aside. Right now, escaping Jake's wrath was more important.

Time to use my second ability: [Great Distraction Technique]

Step one: Find a scapegoat.

Step two: Pray it works.

His eyes scanned the girls... and landed on a certain white-haired beauty.

Seraphine.

Perfect.

Rix's lips curled into an internal grin.

"Heh. Even Seraphine joined the stalker squad, huh? Perfect."

He locked onto his target, Seraphine would be his scapegoat today.

The awkward silence hung in the hall like a heavy mist.

Jake scratched the back of his neck, not quite sure what to say, his gaze flickering awkwardly to Rix still sprawled out on the ground like a discarded puppet.

Rix groaned and sat up slowly, brushing imaginary dust off his clothes, all the while sneaking quick glances at the girls who hovered at the entrance like guilty intruders.

Rina fiddled nervously with the hem of her sleeves, staring at the floor. Ariya and Sylvia exchanged uneasy looks, shifting from foot to foot like they'd been caught somewhere they shouldn't be.

Only Seraphine stood firm — arms crossed, her snow-white hair catching the light like a blade, an unreadable expression on her face.

For a few more painfully long seconds, no one spoke. The silence stretched, thin and awkward.

Finally, Jake cleared his throat and broke the tension,

"Uh... you guys lost or something?"

The girls stiffened at Jake's casual jab.

Rina squeaked out, "N-No! We were just... passing by..."

Ariya nodded a little too eagerly, her hands fiddling with the hem of her jacket.

"Y-Yeah! Totally passing by!"

Sylvia, trying to salvage the situation, chimed in, her voice rising an awkward octave,

"We thought maybe... uh, see if there was... something happening..."

She laughed nervously and added,

"I mean, we heard some sounds, so we just came to take a look. That's all."

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he drawled,

"Ohhh, good thing you said that. Otherwise, someone might think you girls were stalking us."

Rina flushed an even deeper shade of red, practically hiding behind Ariya's shoulder.

Ariya gave a weak chuckle, scratching her cheek in embarrassment.

Even Sylvia, usually the calm one, looked like she seriously considered digging a hole and vanishing into it.

Despite being naturally shy and a little awkward around girls, Rix knew he had to somehow act if he wanted to escape another brutal round of Jake's training.

He shuffled on his feet, gathering what little courage he could, trying to appear casual — and failing spectacularly.

Seeing the girls' obvious discomfort, Rix cleared his throat lightly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh... you actually came at a good time..." he mumbled, his voice a bit too soft, his eyes flickering anywhere but directly at them.

"Jake was... um, practicing... on me."

He gave a small, sheepish shrug, wishing he could sink into the floor.

Jake raised an eyebrow, amused, but let him continue.

Seraphine tilted her head, arms still crossed.

"Practicing? Looked more like bullying from what I saw."

Rix let out a weak chuckle, scratching the back of his neck again.

"Yeah, well... you know... intense training, I guess..."

His words stumbled out, barely louder than a mumble.

Rix glanced quickly at Jake, then at the girls, and tried to steer the conversation, still sounding like he wasn't quite sure if he should be speaking at all.

"Maybe... maybe you could, um... spar with someone else too. You know, for...uh, variety?"

His suggestion hung awkwardly in the air.

Rina blinked, looking more lost. Ariya and Sylvia exchanged a subtle glance, like they weren't sure what he was getting at.

Rix cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to sound casual.

"Well, I mean... since everyone's here anyway, maybe a little match would be fun?"

He shrugged.

Jake knew where rix was going, but he smirked and said.

"What, you wanna get flattened again?"

Rix chuckled nervously, waving his hands.

"No no no, not me. I mean, maybe someone else could... uh..."

Rix chuckled nervously, waving his hands.

"No no no, not me. I mean, maybe someone else could... uh..."

He darted a glance at the girls.

Then, Seraphine stepped forward with a smirk tugging at her lips.

"why don't we spar then "

The other girls stiffened in shock.

Jake blinked once, then lazily shook his head, as if the idea exhausted him.

He pointed a finger back at Rix.

"Can't, I am busy, I am training with him "

Seraphine clicked her tongue, shaking her head in mock pity.

"What's the matter? Scared?"

Her voice was light, but it held a sharp edge of mockery.

Jake snorted, completely unfazed.

"Yeah, terrified," he said dryly. "Petrified. I can barely stand."

He exaggerated his wobble, swaying comically as if on the brink of collapse.

Rix watched his carefully laid plan crumbling. He needed to act fast.

He clapped his hands together, faking an idea. "Oh wait! Actually, Jake, wouldn't it be better training for you to spar someone new?!" He pointed animatedly at Seraphine. "You already know all my weak spots. It's... boring! But fighting someone you don't know? Way more challenging!"

Jake yawned exaggeratedly. "Sounds like more work."

Seraphine raised an eyebrow, folding her arms with mock sympathy. "Poor Jake. The great fighter, afraid of a little girl?"

Jake chuckled lightly, but didn't move.

Rix leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Come on, just a quick spar. It'll be like a warm-up. Besides..." He added, voice dropping even further. "If you don't, people might think you're chickening out in front of all these witnesses."

Jake glanced at the girls.

Rina, Ariya, and Sylvia immediately looked away, pretending to focus on the floor.

Seraphine's smile was polite, but her eyes told a different story.

Jake sighed, dragging his wooden sword along the ground. "Fine. But only one round."

Seraphine grinned mischievously, her eyes gleaming. "One round's enough. Someone wants to make your ego work out, huh?"

Jake smiled, unphased. "I see."

After both parties agreed, Rix shrugged with a grin. "Ahh, I think I'll wait for you outside."

Jake raised an eyebrow, giving Rix a curious glance. "Aren't you gonna watch my fight?"

Rix scratched his head and shrugged. "Alright, I'll stick around for a bit. Just a few minutes, though."