Practical Battle (2)

The morning sun bathed the academy's training field in a soft golden glow. A group of students had gathered for their Practical Battle lesson, though few seemed happy about it.

Several students stood together, arms crossed and faces marked with sleepiness. Their quiet grumbles and yawns filled the air. Among them was Daemon.

He wasn't a morning person.

Waking up early two days in a row wasn't something he enjoyed. His half-lidded eyes and sluggish movements made that clear.

The students shifted on their feet, still groggy from the early start, as the gentle breeze swept across the field.

"Who thought it was a good idea to have these lessons at six in the morning?" one student grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"I can barely think straight this early," another added with a big yawn.

"Yesterday was seven, today six... what's next? Five in the morning?" a third sighed, shaking their head.

The complaints continued, a mix of yawns and groans filling the air. 

But then, the sharp sound of heels echoed across the field.

Click. Clack. Click.

The students instantly fell silent.

Professor Elena had arrived. Her short yellow hair gleamed under the morning sun, and her sharp gaze swept across the group.

"Good morning, everyone," she greeted, her tone firm and steady.

No one dared to grumble now. They all knew just how strict she could be.

Professor Elena stood tall before the gathered students, her sharp eyes scanning the group.

"As I mentioned before, starting today, we will begin your practical battle lessons," she said, her voice steady and serious.

The students straightened up, their tired expressions shifting to ones of curiosity and anticipation.

"Today, you will be paired with partners to practice. Keep in mind, your performance will be graded."

A quiet buzz of whispers spread among the students. Despite their complaints about the early hour, excitement flickered in their eyes.

"Now," Elena continued, glancing at the list in her hands, "let's begin with the pairings."

The field fell silent again as everyone waited to hear who they would face.

As Professor Elena spoke, she began pairing students based on their rankings and the strength assessments she had made.

It was clear she had a method. After all, pairing students with a large gap in skill would be pointless. A fair fight required balanced opponents.

"Nicole and Javier," she announced.

"Emily and Sylvie."

"Jasmine and Quinn."

One by one, names echoed across the training field. The pattern was obvious—students were mostly matched according to their ranks.

The students whispered among themselves, some pleased with their partners, others nervous. Daemon stood quietly, waiting to hear his own name.

"Daemon and Arthur."

The moment Daemon heard his name, he let out a quiet sigh. Of course, it had to be Arthur. No matter how much he tried to avoid the main cast, fate—or bad luck—always seemed to pull him back in.

Still, when he thought about it, the pairing made sense. Arthur's rank was 1150, and his own was 3250. The gap looked big, but in reality, both were considered low-rankers. At least, that's what it seemed on the surface.

Daemon knew better. His strength far exceeded his rank, and Arthur was the same. After all, he was the main protagonist.

At that moment, Daemon felt a gaze on him. He turned his head, searching for the source. His eyes soon met Arthur's.

Arthur stood there with his black hair falling neatly over his forehead, blue eyes sharp and clear, and a face that could easily turn heads. For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence.

Then, Arthur smiled—a bright, confident smile—before turning his head away. Daemon, unfazed, turned his head away as well.

Meanwhile, Professor Elena continued announcing the training pairs, her voice steady and firm.

************

"Now that the pairings have been decided, it's time to begin the practical lesson," Professor Elena announced, her voice sharp and steady. "I will call the pairs one by one. Each pair will have ten minutes."

The students grew quiet, anticipation filling the air.

"Okay, first pair—Jasmine and Quinn," Elena said.

As their names were called, a soft murmur spread among the students. Jasmine stepped forward, her short black hair swaying slightly. Her brown eyes were calm, and her cute face showed a focused expression. In her hands, she held a sleek bow, ready for battle.

Beside her, Quinn moved with quiet confidence. His lean, athletic build matched well with the daggers he gripped firmly. Blue hair framed his face, and his green eyes gleamed with determination. Though not as striking as the main cast or Daemon, he had a face that drew attention.

The two stood facing each other, weapons in hand, ready for the first match of the day.

"Start," Professor Elena announced, her voice firm.

The moment the words left her mouth, Quinn dashed forward. His figure blurred as he swiftly closed the distance between them. But Jasmine was quick to react. With practiced ease, she raised her bow, pulled back the string, and a glowing arrow made of mana appeared.

Whoosh!

The arrow shot toward Quinn. Seeing it coming, Quinn twisted his body, narrowly dodging the attack. But Jasmine had already achieved her goal. The brief moment Quinn took to dodge gave her enough time to widen the gap between them.

As an archer, Jasmine knew distance was her greatest advantage. On the other hand, Quinn, a dagger user, relied on close combat. With more space between them, Jasmine clearly held the upper hand.

Arrow after arrow flew toward Quinn. He kept dodging, his movements sharp and precise, but no matter how fast he moved, the gap between them only grew wider.

'If this keeps up, Quinn has no chance,' Daemon thought, watching the fight closely.

He wasn't just watching for entertainment. His mind was already analyzing the battle. How should I handle an archer in a real fight? What's the most efficient approach?

While Daemon thought, the fight between Quinn and Jasmine continued to heat up. Each arrow flew faster than the last, and Quinn still hasn't made a decisive move.

At that moment, Quinn stumbled.

An arrow had struck his leg.

"Ugh..." he groaned, his balance faltering.

Jasmine didn't hesitate. More arrows flew toward him, fast and sharp. For a second, it seemed like the match was over. But then, Quinn paused. He took a deep breath.

A blue, hazy aura wrapped around him.

And in the blink of an eye—he vanished.

The next moment, Quinn reappeared, speeding past the arrows with ease. His figure blurred as he closed the distance between him and Jasmine in an instant.

Jasmine's eyes widened. Caught off guard, she quickly released more arrows in panic. But Quinn dodged them all, his movements smooth and precise.

Before Jasmine could react, Quinn was standing right in front of her. His dagger hovered inches from her throat.

Silence followed.

"The winner is Quinn, Rank 1640," Professor Elena announced.

Daemon watched with a calm expression.

Jasmine's rank was around the 1200s. After this match, Quinn's rank will definitely rise, he thought, analysing the outcome.

The crowd murmured, surprised by Quinn's comeback. 

Professor Elena called Quinn and Jasmine over after their match. She gave them advice, pointing out their mistakes and explaining how they could improve.

Afterward, she glanced at the list in her hand and called the next pairs.

One by one, the fights continued. After each match, Elena shared feedback—what the students did wrong, what they should have done, and how they could get better.

Time passed, and soon, it was Daemon's turn.

"Arthur and Daemon, come to the stage," Professor Elena announced, her voice clear and firm.

The murmurs among the students stopped. All eyes turned toward the two boys.

Daemon sighed quietly as he stepped forward. So, it's finally my turn, he thought.

Daemon walked toward the stage, his black hair swaying with each step. His deep purple eyes held a mysterious glow, and his strikingly handsome face drew the attention of many.

Standing across from him was Arthur Drenmor—the main protagonist of Hunter's Academy Online.

Now, Daemon and Arthur stood face to face. This wasn't just any fight. It was a battle between two complete opposites.

The world's chosen hero versus the one the world had forsaken. The protagonist versus the extra.

Today marked the first clash between Daemon Gracefall and Arthur Drenmor.

A fight that would trigger a chain of unfortunate events, that would change everything.

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Hello Everyone!

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