Chapter 21

The special training dimension was once again filled with the students of Class S. The sounds of punches, kicks, and occasional groans of pain filled the air. Unlike yesterday, today they focused on hand-to-hand combat training.

In one corner of the arena, Rin and Ina were practicing together. Rin's energetic and explosive movements clashed with Ina's more refined and precise techniques. Sweat soaked their training uniforms, but both seemed to enjoy the training session.

"You're getting faster, Rin!" praised Ina as she gracefully dodged Rin's spinning kick.

"And you're still as hard to hit," replied Rin, panting, but with a smile never leaving her face.

Elsewhere in the arena, other pairs were also training seriously.

However, Aliff stood alone, without a training partner. His eyes observed his friends practicing until Ms. Hayyana approached him. The young teacher still looked fresh and energetic as usual, as if this training dimension was her natural habitat.

"It seems you don't have a training partner," Ms. Hayyana smiled, but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes. "In that case, I'll be your training partner. We'll practice hand-to-hand combat."

"What?!"

Aliff looked at his teacher intently. He knew Ms. Hayyana's reputation as one of the strongest fighters in the academy. Despite her young age, her skills were not to be underestimated.

"Hmm..." Aliff nodded, accepting the challenge. He thought this might be a good opportunity to measure his abilities without using full power.

"Don't worry," Ms. Hayyana took a fighting stance, "I'll adjust to your level."

"Yeah, right..."

Those words made some students who heard them stifle laughter. They knew well that Ms. Hayyana's version of 'adjusting the level' would still be a nightmare for her opponent.

The training arena suddenly fell silent as Ms. Hayyana took a fighting stance in front of Aliff. Some students even stopped their training, interested in watching the 'show' about to begin. A circle of spectators began to form around them, with curious whispers heard among the students.

"The rules are simple," Ms. Hayyana's voice was clear, breaking the silence. "Hand-to-hand, no magic or special abilities, and the fight ends when someone surrenders or I say it's enough." She grinned slightly, her black eyes sparkling with confidence. "Are you ready, Aliff?"

"Ready, Ma'am," he replied shortly, taking a classic defensive stance—feet slightly apart, knees bent, fists in front of his chest.

Ms. Hayyana nodded, her sharp eyes never leaving Aliff. There was something in her gaze—as if she was assessing something deeper than just Aliff's fighting abilities.

"Start!"

Without further warning, the young teacher shot forward with a speed nearly undetectable to the ordinary eye. Aliff only had time to raise his arm to block the punch aimed at his face.

THUD!

Even though he managed to block it, Aliff felt a strong vibration throughout his arm. Ms. Hayyana's punch was far more powerful than he had imagined. It felt like deflecting a thrown boulder, not a punch from a slim woman.

"Good reflexes," praised Ms. Hayyana, still with the same smile. "But you're too passive. Attacking is also part of defense, you know."

Aliff snorted, understanding that his teacher was playing with him. He stepped forward, launching a quick combination of punches aimed at Ms. Hayyana's stomach and chest. However, like dancing, his teacher moved gracefully, avoiding each attack without losing balance. Ms. Hayyana's movements were so smooth, it was as if she could read Aliff's mind and knew exactly what attack he would launch next.

"Too predictable," Ms. Hayyana commented, while parrying Aliff's last punch and countering with a low kick that swept Aliff's legs.

Aliff fell with a loud THUMP, his back hitting the arena floor with enough force to knock the wind out of him. Some of his friends winced at the sight, while others whispered. He could hear Dimas, a student who didn't like him, laughing mockingly from the crowd.

"How can he be considered special when he can't even fight?" someone whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Alright, I'll get a bit serious now."

"Did you say something?" asked Ms. Hayyana with a raised eyebrow, her head slightly tilted to the side with curiosity.

"No, Ma'am," Aliff shook his head, taking his ready position again. "I'm ready to continue."

Ms. Hayyana wasted no time. She attacked again, this time with a more complex combination of punches and kicks. The first attack—a right punch aimed at his chin—nearly hit Aliff, but at the last second, he managed to dodge by tilting his head. The following kick aimed at his side was successfully blocked with his arm, though its power was enough to make him stagger back a few steps.

However, Aliff was prepared this time. He moved faster than before, his body spinning and dodging with a precision that surprised many spectators. Every attack from Ms. Hayyana now met with more organized and measured resistance.

"Ooh," came an awed murmur from some students as Aliff managed to avoid three consecutive attacks from Ms. Hayyana with almost impossible movements.

"How can he move that fast?" whispered one student.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Aliff launched a counterattack—a right punch toward Ms. Hayyana's shoulder, followed by a spinning kick to her waist. His attacks were so fast and precise, leaving little time for his teacher to react. Ms. Hayyana managed to parry both, but there was a flash of surprise in her eyes, as if she hadn't expected her student to deliver such effective attacks.

"Not bad," she praised, for the first time sounding sincere. "You're finally starting to show your potential."

A thin smile appeared on Aliff's face, an expression rarely seen on the quiet boy. "Thank you, Ma'am. I'm just getting started."

The fight continued, now with much higher intensity. They moved in a deadly dance—attacking, parrying, dodging, and countering. The sounds of thuds and slaps from physical contact echoed throughout the arena, interspersed with heavy breathing and feet scraping against the floor.

"You have potential, Aliff," said Ms. Hayyana amidst the fight, her voice calm despite her increasingly irregular breathing. "But you're holding back too much. What are you afraid of?"

"This boy is clearly holding back, is he afraid I'll get hurt?"

"I'm not afraid of anything, Ma'am," replied Aliff between the attacks he launched. "I'm just—" His words were cut off by Ms. Hayyana's punch that nearly hit his face.

"Liar," interrupted Ms. Hayyana while continuing to launch attack after attack. "I can see it in your eyes, Aliff. There's something you're hiding."

"She's a very perceptive teacher, she also knows I'm holding back."

Those words momentarily shook Aliff's concentration. Ms. Hayyana didn't waste the opportunity, immediately launching a spinning kick toward Aliff's ribs. The kick almost hit its target directly, but at the last second, Aliff managed to jump back, though the tip of Ms. Hayyana's shoe still grazed his uniform.

"Predictable," muttered Aliff.

The crowd of spectators grew larger. Nearly the entire class now surrounded the arena, captivated by the fight far more intense than they had expected. Even some passing teachers stopped to watch.

[System: Entering danger zone.]

The warning voice echoed again in Aliff's head. Simultaneously, he felt a strange sensation in his chest—like something beating out of rhythm with his heart.

Just as Ms. Hayyana launched a kick toward his stomach, Aliff felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was like a knife stabbing from the inside. His reflexes were disrupted, his body's coordination thrown off in a split second that proved fatal. The kick landed squarely on his stomach. Its power was so great that it lifted Aliff's body a few centimeters off the ground before he staggered back, almost falling if he hadn't quickly regained his balance.

"Ugh!" Aliff groaned, one hand clutching his throbbing stomach, while the other grabbed his chest that felt like it was burning from the inside.

Ms. Hayyana immediately stopped her attack, her expression shifting from combat mode to genuine concern. "What's wrong, Aliff?" she asked, stepping forward with an outstretched hand. "You don't look well."

Aliff bent over, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Cold sweat trickled down his temples, and his face quickly paled. "I'm... fine, Ma'am," he lied in a barely audible voice. "We can... continue."

Ms. Hayyana observed him with a scrutinizing gaze. As an experienced teacher, she could tell something was wrong. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed Aliff's hand clutching his chest.

"That's enough for today," she decided firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You need to rest, Aliff. There's something not right with your body."

"Alright," Aliff replied.

"It seems there are too many people watching me, this is really troublesome," Aliff thought to himself, lowering his face to avoid the scrutinizing gazes of the other students.

Sweat still flowed heavily from his temples, soaking his already crumpled training uniform. This morning, physical training felt more brutal than usual—fifty push-ups, a hundred sit-ups, and running around the academy complex fifteen times. His body screamed in protest.

Days continued to pass like this for Aliff. Waking up early, facing the grueling physical training at the academy, then rushing to his part-time job at a café on the edge of town.