Daemon Gracefall vs Arthur Drenmor

"Start," Professor Elena announced, her voice sharp and clear.

The moment the word left her mouth, Daemon and Arthur dashed toward each other.

Daemon gripped his sword tightly, while Arthur held his spear, giving him the advantage of reach. Arthur swung his spear in a wide arc, aiming to keep Daemon at a distance.

But Daemon was faster. With a swift move, he raised his sword and deflected the spear, closing the gap between them in an instant. A faint blue aura glowed around his blade as he slashed toward Arthur's side.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise at Daemon's speed. But he quickly regained his composure, lifting his spear to block the strike.

The moment their weapons clashed, Arthur was pushed back, sliding across the ground.

Though Arthur had been growing stronger at an impressive rate, Daemon's progress was on another level. He had been using hidden pieces and rewards from his system—his growth outpaced even the protagonist's.

Arthur stood back up, brushing the dust from his uniform. A smile tugged at his lips.

"Just as I thought," he said, his blue eyes gleaming with excitement. "You're strong."

Daemon smirked and replied, "And you're weaker than I expected."

Without wasting a second, he lunged at Arthur again.

But this time, Arthur was ready. A golden aura wrapped around his spear, glowing brightly.

[Sacred Spear Art – 2nd Form]

Arthur thrust his spear forward, releasing a golden beam of energy.

Daemon's eyes narrowed. The speed of the attack was too fast for him to dodge. He quickly raised his sword to block, bracing for impact.

The golden beam struck him head-on, sending Daemon sliding backward across the stage.

Arthur chuckled, his bright smile never fading. "Not so weak anymore, am I?" he teased.

Daemon didn't answer. He stared at Arthur for a moment, then grinned back.

'Looks like I'll have to go all out after all.'

Daemon narrowed his eyes, gripping his sword tightly.

That attack... it made things clear.

He had been wondering about his current strength. The best way to know was to compare himself to the main cast. Of course, he wasn't close to the level of Amelia, Celestina, or the others at the top. But Arthur? Arthur was a perfect benchmark.

Arthur was currently ranked 1150. Within the next semester, he would be strong enough to challenge the top rankers. His rapid growth would shock the entire human domain, drawing attention not only from humans but from other races as well.

If I use him as a measure, I'll know exactly how fast I'm growing.

With a determined look, Daemon raised his sword. Blue energy began to swirl around the blade, glowing brighter with each passing second.

It was the same move he had used in the dungeon, the one that had taken down countless creatures. But back then, his mana reserves were too low to unleash its full power.

Now, things were different. His mana reserves were full—and far greater than before.

Blue energy swirled around Daemon's sword, growing brighter as it compressed. Soon, it looked like a blade made entirely of blue light.

[Sky Slash]

With a powerful swing, a wide arc of blue energy shot forward. The attack seemed to slice through space itself, reaching Arthur in an instant.

Arthur's eyes widened—he couldn't react in time. The blue arc cut through him, sending him flying backward. Blood sprayed from his mouth as a deep wound appeared across his chest.

The attack was deadly. Had Daemon not held back, it could have killed him.

Arthur struggled but managed to stand, his legs unsteady. The wound on his chest was deep, a clear sign of Sky Slash's power. For an ordinary person, it would have been fatal.

But Arthur was an awakener. His body had natural healing abilities, allowing him to survive such injuries.

Even so, the wound was still severe.

Arthur took a deep breath as a golden aura enveloped him, his wound started healing, in an visible rate.

His complexion improved as he steadied himself. His smile disappeared replaced with a serious expression. 

Looking at the golden aura surrounding Arthur, Daemon narrowed his eyes.

"The real fight begins now," he thought.

Daemon tightened his grip on his sword, steadying his stance. For a moment, neither of them moved. The air grew tense.

Then, in a flash, they clashed again. Daemon swung his sword with precision, while Arthur countered with his spear. Each strike sent shockwaves through the training field. The ground cracked, and nearby structures trembled from the mana surges.

"W-What the... are they really low rankers?" a student whispered, disbelief clear in their voice.

"Was Daemon always this strong?" another asked.

"Yeah... he almost defeated Arthur," someone else replied, still stunned.

The students watching were shocked. Even Professor Elena observed the fight with narrowed eyes, her usual composed expression replaced by curiosity.

Meanwhile, Amelia watched from the sidelines. When she heard that Daemon would fight Arthur, she had been thrilled. She expected Daemon to be humiliated in front of the entire class.

After all, she had fought alongside Arthur and Celestina against demonic humans at the museum. She knew how strong Arthur was.

But now, watching Daemon stand toe-to-toe with Arthur, her smile faded. 

Meanwhile, Daemon and Arthur's fight reached a new level.

Daemon was clearly stronger and faster, but Arthur managed to hold his ground. His spear moved with skill and precision, blocking Daemon's powerful strikes.

"I still lack experience," Daemon thought.

It hadn't been long since he started using a sword. On the other hand, Arthur had trained with a spear for years. The Drenmor family was famous for their spear techniques, after all.

"If that's the case..."

With a sharp clash, Daemon leapt back, putting some distance between them. Arthur lowered his spear slightly, watching Daemon with a focused gaze.

Daemon raised his sword, pointing it straight at Arthur. A confident grin spread across his face.

"Keep up if you can."

['Dash' has been activated]

In the next instant, Daemon vanished. His figure blurred, and before anyone could react, he reappeared beside Arthur.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. Sensing the danger, he jumped back on instinct. But he wasn't fast enough.

A shallow cut appeared on his left side.

Arthur winced, gripping his side as he stared at Daemon.

Daemon lowered his sword slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're too slow." 

Daemon charged at Arthur again, his figure blurring as he moved. With [Dash] still active, he moved like the wind, leaving faint afterimages behind him.

Arthur tried to keep up, but Daemon was too fast. As the fight went on, shallow cuts started appearing all over Arthur's body. Blood trickled from his wounds, staining his uniform.

Just as Daemon was about to strike again, Arthur made his move.

With a determined expression, Arthur gathered the golden aura swirling around him. The light concentrated into his spear, glowing brighter with each second.

Then, with a powerful swing, Arthur unleashed the energy.

A wave of golden aura exploded in all directions.

[Sacred Spear Art – 3rd Form]

The golden wave surged toward Daemon. He raised his sword to defend, but the force was too strong. The moment he touched the aura, he was thrown back hard.

Sliding across the ground, Daemon barely managed to stop himself. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he wiped it away with his sleeve.

Narrowing his purple eyes, Daemon stared at Arthur.

"The 3rd form of the Sacred Spear Art... he wasn't supposed to use that until the mid-terms."

He clicked his tongue.

"Damn protagonists and their sudden awakenings."

Daemon gripped his sword tighter, readying himself for another attack.

But just as he took a step forward, Arthur suddenly collapsed.

The golden aura around him faded, and silence fell over the field.

Daemon stopped in his tracks.

Arthur lay on the ground, his body covered in cuts and bruises. His uniform was soaked with blood. It wasn't surprising. Earlier, Arthur had taken a direct hit from [Sky Slash]. Although his body healed faster due to his awakening abilities, the damage was still there.

And to make things worse, Arthur had pushed himself too hard. Using the golden aura to boost his strength and speed had drained him completely. His last attack had been too much for his body to handle.

He simply couldn't keep up anymore.

"Student Daemon Gracefall wins," Professor Elena announced, her voice calm and clear.

Raising her hand, she made a slight gesture. Arthur's body lifted gently off the ground, floating in the air. She turned to the rest of the class.

"The classes are dismissed," she said before walking away, taking the unconscious Arthur with her. Daemon watched them leave. For a brief moment, his purple eyes glowed faintly.