Chapter 9: Rivalry

"Is he seriously trying to throw this match?" murmured one of the candidates, disbelief spreading through the crowd as they eyed Jonathan's weapon of choice—brass knuckles.

Whispers rippled across the gym, but Jonathan remained unfazed. Their opinions didn't matter. What did was giving his best in the sparring match.

Lady Aegis assumed a ready stance, her staff steady in hand. "Are you prepared?"

Jonathan nodded—and then he moved.

He dashed forward with startling speed, launching a swift strike at Lady Aegis. She barely managed to block with her metal staff, eyes narrowing as the clang of impact echoed.

"You're quite something," she muttered, surprised by his aggressive opening.

Fire-style martial arts, combined with speed and precision—an uncommon and deadly combination. Sensing the threat, Lady Aegis leapt back to regain distance.

"This just got interesting," Jonathan thought as he pressed forward again.

He closed in, aiming a straight punch at her left shoulder.

"A feint!" Lady Aegis realized, countering with a sharp swing of her staff.

Jonathan backflipped out of range, narrowly dodging the blow. Landing lightly, he reassessed. Her reach and weapon gave her a clear advantage—exactly the kind of challenge he needed to test himself.

"I'll give you a chance," Lady Aegis called, lowering her weapon slightly.

"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked.

"Choose another weapon. You're clearly at a disadvantage."

Jonathan shook his head, eyes steady. "I'm fine... but thanks for the concern."

Dropping into a low stance, he tapped into the wind element, channeling it through his limbs. A soft breeze swirled around him as his speed increased.

"Not bad for a candidate," Lady Aegis remarked, intrigued. "But that alone won't be enough."

Jonathan smirked. "We'll see about that."

He dashed forward—a blur of motion. Lady Aegis met him head-on with a flurry of strikes. Jonathan bobbed and weaved, slipping under a wide swing and moving into her guard.

She saw an opening and launched a heavy strike toward his temple.

Jonathan raised his arm in time—his brass knuckles clanged against the staff. Pain surged through his arm, but he held firm. Gritting his teeth, he swept a kick at her, but she blocked it without effort.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even the assessors leaned forward.

To stand toe-to-toe with Lady Aegis—one of the academy's finest—was no small feat. Jonathan wasn't just holding up. He was forcing her to take him seriously.

"Who is this guy?" someone whispered.

But Jonathan didn't hear them.

He wasn't fighting for recognition.

He was fighting for himself.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped. Jonathan felt a chill creep over him, and with it, his speed slowed. He backed away, confused.

Lady Aegis had manipulated the water element to cancel his wind enhancement. She gave him a playful smirk, then taunted him.

Jonathan now understood—his buff was neutralized. Worse, his body felt heavier.

Should he charge again? Or play defensively?

Lady Aegis didn't give him time to think. With a powerful leap, she raised her staff overhead and brought it down in a crushing arc.

Jonathan barely dodged. Without the wind boost, everything felt slower—heavier.

The tide had shifted. Lady Aegis was now in control, pushing him on the defensive. Jonathan was being cornered.

He couldn't stay like this. He had to act—fast. Dodging alone wouldn't win the match.

"Is that the best you can do?" Lady Aegis taunted again as she launched a flurry of rapid attacks.

But Jonathan had a plan.

After slipping past a heavy strike, he flipped backward in a sudden somersault.

"What the—!" Lady Aegis exclaimed, caught off guard.

He followed up with a sharp hook—just inches away from landing—when the horn sounded.

The match was over.

The crowd fell silent. Jonathan returned to his corner, breathing heavily.

Lady Aegis, impressed, stood and walked toward him.

"As promised, here's your reward," she said with a smile. "Thanks for the warm-up. I'm glad someone like you is here at the academy."

She handed him a card. It bore the Nexlark Group logo and her contact details.

"If you ever need help, don't hesitate to call me."

Jonathan took the card, a bit surprised. "Thanks..."

"It's my pleasure!" she said, then turned and left the stage with her attendant in tow.

After the match, Carl and Beatrice hurried over to Jonathan, their faces lit with excitement.

"You're no ordinary candidate," Carl said, slapping Jonathan's back. "If it were me, Lady Aegis would've ragdolled me across the gym!"

Jonathan chuckled, rubbing his sore arm. "No, it was just luck."

"Luck?" Beatrice shook her head with a smile. "No way. Even if Lady Aegis was holding back, you still gave her a real fight. That takes skill."

Meanwhile, across the gym, Gina and her group stood watching. Their expressions darkened as they glared at Jonathan from afar.

"Just how strong is this guy?" Gina thought, clenching her fists.

One of her friends leaned over and whispered, "Want to go confront him?"

Gina shook her head. "Not now," she muttered and turned on her heel, walking away.

As she neared the gymnasium exit, she spotted someone standing in her path—Lisa Emris.

Gina's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Tch. It's a shame. An Emris losing so pathetically. Getting shown up by a nobody."

Lisa, clearly not in the mood, shot her a cold glare. "Gina? Oh, I've heard about you."

Gina raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What have you heard?"

"That you prey on the weak to climb to the top," Lisa said proudly, crossing her arms. "You and I aren't the same. You can't even hold a candle to someone of my caliber."

Gina snorted. "Caliber? You mean the one who got toyed with by Lady Aegis? If it were me, I'd never lose like that."

"I have no time to waste on you," Lisa replied, brushing past her.

At that moment, an attendant hurried over. "Miss Emris, you're being summoned by your—"

"I know," Lisa interrupted curtly and followed the attendant without a backward glance.

As Lisa disappeared down the hall, Gina called after her with a smirk, "Make sure this is the only loss you ever suffer. Because the more you fall, the easier it'll be for people like me to tear down your precious 'status.' Keep that in mind."

Gina's words echoed in the corridor long after Lisa had gone.