End Of Semester (XXII)

"Bam! You're dead now."

The moment I opened my eyes, Eleonora's teasing voice greeted me.

I groaned.

"...Agh, that hurts."

Blinking, I reached up, rubbing my aching forehead.

A dull throb pulsed where she had flicked me.

Eleonora stood above me, arms crossed, a smug grin on her lips.

"You really thought you could break through my mana pressure just by pushing harder?" She clicked her tongue, shaking her head.

"Aestrea, brute force isn't always the answer. You were wasting energy the entire time."

I exhaled sharply, sitting up.

"I wasn't just pushing harder—I was trying to outmaneuver you."

"And that's the problem," she said, crouching beside me.

"Your movement was predictable. You relied too much on speed and direct attacks, thinking you could overwhelm me. But I barely needed to move."

I frowned.

"You did move."

"Only when I felt like it," she shot back.