"What's up with that girl?"
Before he could find time to think about this strange encounter, the current match ended, and the supervisor announced the names:
"Gilbert Klein and Beatrice Driesen, step forward."
Athena looked at him as soon as his name was mentioned, then gave him a gentle push on the back.
"This is not the time to get distracted.
Show me an entertaining match."
Gilbert smiled faintly and waved at her before moving forward.
As he stepped onto the dueling arena, a somewhat familiar face greeted him… the girl from earlier. When their eyes met again, she smiled and waved, which only added to Gilbert's confusion.
He sighed, adjusting his stance, while she appeared completely relaxed, exposing several gaps in her posture.
Gilbert wasn't sure if she was taking the match seriously or if she was completely unaware of the situation.
Should he even anticipate anything?
He glanced aside at Athena and Ethan, then cleared his mind of all unhelpful thoughts. The supervisor announced the start of the duel.
In a friendly, low voice, she finally assumed her fighting stance:
"I hope this fight will be enjoyable, Gilbert."
Something about her aura had changed—a strange sensation he picked up on.
All his previous thoughts about a gap-filled, unskilled opponent no longer applied.
'Can a person's presence really shift so dramatically in a fraction of a second?!'
Gilbert moved first with a direct, straightforward strike, only to be surprised by a subtle sidestep from her, followed by a light spin that let her evade him entirely.
Her sword grazed the tip of his arm without hurting him—a professional move, smooth as if effortless.
What was supposed to be a small probing attack to test her skills had turned out very differently. He could only smile and continue more seriously.
Strike after strike followed.
The faster and sharper he attacked, the more she moved fluidly, blocking him steadily. She slipped between his attacks as if reading his moves before he even thought of them. Each time, she returned a precise strike, her sword rebounding powerfully.
Her blows, despite her slight frame, carried an inner strength.
From the first moment, he had not expected her to put him in a difficult position… let alone anyone else.
In a distant corner of the arena, under the shade of a tree, a tall young man with silver-blond hair and stormy dark eyes observed calmly.
His expression was indifferent, yet his gaze was focused intently on every detail of the match.
Isolated from the crowd, his presence alone caught the attention of anyone passing by.
'That girl is completely manipulating him… but she's not revealing herself clearly. Meanwhile, her opponent isn't weak either, his movements are calculated and precise, showing no signs of fatigue even after all those strikes. Looking closely, it seems he's controlling the force applied on the sword to avoid breaking it accidentally. Impressive.
I wonder if he's the same kind as me…'
On the other hand, the girl's style, though seemingly erratic, intercepted every strike at the right moment, even anticipating them before her sword made contact.
The difference in experience was clear. If this pace continued, the outcome would be in her favor, unless he had something up his sleeve.
Nearby chatter interrupted his thoughts:
"Isn't that Raymond Baskerville?"
"Yes, you're right.
But what's he doing here? Don't tell me we'll have the same lessons as him later?!"
"Don't speak ill of it. I'd be happy not to see him in my class."
"Yeah, but his roommate is bound to be unlucky.
If it were me, I'd request a transfer immediately."
"I hadn't even thought of that.
Just imagining breathing the same air near him gives me chills."
The young man's expression darkened at their gossip.
He said nothing but stared at them coldly.
When one of them noticed his gaze, they shivered and pulled their companion away.
Though he tried to ignore them, he was distracted enough not to notice the ongoing match.
He muttered sharply:
"Damn…"
'Damn!!' Gilbert thought as he found himself in a loop.
Every step he took was countered by her maneuvers.
After exchanging strikes for some time, Gilbert clearly realized the gap in their abilities.
'If this continues without finding a way to turn the tide, this loop won't end.
This duel has become purely exhausting…'
Athena, watching Gilbert closely, noticed the gossip near her and thought:
'People like this exist everywhere… What's the point of talking behind someone's back? They don't even have the courage to confront him directly. How dare they gossip like this?! Judging by that young man, his life must have many twists and turns.
Being the center of rumors like this… he made the right choice not to escalate things.'
She sighed and turned her attention back to the duel.
'I didn't think I'd see anyone match my brother in strength, yet she seems even stronger… Is that really possible?'
She clenched her fist until her knuckles whitened, her expression stern.
"You can do it, brother…"
Beside her, Ethan had noticed her concern but ignored it, keeping a neutral expression while watching the match.
As the strikes, blocks, and maneuvers continued, the duel remained intense, lasting longer than the previous matches.
'Her movements are perfect.
It feels like I'm facing a professional, not a classmate my age… She's not trying to win.'
Gilbert finally understood: her strikes weren't aimed at critical points.
Her movements weren't defensive—they were tests.
He wasn't fighting an opponent… he was being tested.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes hardening with seriousness, increasingly annoyed as he realized what was happening.
He changed his strategy, pressing harder, raising the tempo, leveraging his flexibility and hand speed.
He didn't want to be a mere plaything, he wanted to force her seriousness.
Then, for just five seconds, something changed in her eyes. They sparkled for a moment, and a new smile appeared, as if she finally tasted the thrill of battle.
She moved with blinding speed, making him barely able to parry her next strike.
Yet he noticed… she suddenly stopped before completing it.
It was as if… she deliberately held back.
Despite the fierce attack, she paused for some reason.
He took advantage of this hesitation, landing a precise, strong strike that pushed her back. Without giving her time to regain balance, he struck again, almost toppling her.
She braced herself with her right hand on the ground, pivoted backward, and rose firmly while holding her sword in the other hand.
But her opponent gave no time for a perfect defensive stance.
With a calculated, swift blow to her left arm, her sword slipped from her hand and flew away.
Her eyes widened in mild surprise, then her lips curved into a strange smile, breath ragged from the fight… a smile of defeat, but tinged with a subtle thrill.
Her features reflected someone who had finally found what she was searching for.
Silence spread around them.
After a moment, the supervisor announced:
"The winner_ Gilbert Klein."
Gilbert exchanged a brief glance with Beatrice, who spoke in a low voice, charged with a strange exhilaration despite her loss:
"That was fun. Especially in the final moments, your consecutive attacks were amazing and confusing… Gilbert, let's do this again sometime!"
He looked at her briefly, unable to fully grasp her reaction, then looked away and sighed:
"Facing someone who made me work this hard… will be useful in several ways."
Beatrice smiled brightly, adding enthusiastically:
"So that's a yes? I look forward to our next duel… Let's meet again."
After a moment, she waved goodbye and stepped back.
Gilbert quietly left the arena, but the mental strain of the duel had taxed him far more than his body.
By his side, Athena was the first to speak, noticing his distracted expression:
"That was a truly strong opponent…"
Gilbert nodded, replying with a wry tone:
"She seemed to be playing with me more than dueling seriously… reminds me of someone I know."
Athena's eyes widened for a moment, then she looked away and muttered with a trembling smile:
"That's like my mother…"
Gilbert smirked sarcastically, taking a step back as he waved his hand, leaving Athena behind:
"I'll wander around for a bit.
If you want to watch the remaining duels, feel free. We'll meet later."
"Understood," she replied softly, left behind.
A familiar tightness gripped her chest, but she decided to let Gilbert be.
She glanced at Ethan beside her, his calm expression since earlier offering a quiet reassurance. Though she disliked his over-the-top style, she couldn't deny he often eased tense moments. Right now, she missed that subtly.
Rarely did Ethan remain silent… and that alone was enough to stir her concern.
In the end, she decided to stop thinking and focus on the remaining duels.
As she turned to the stone arena, watching the students gradually clear out, the supervisor announced the next match:
"Raymond Baskerville, Luke Mirval… step forward."
Athena felt the first name was somewhat familiar.
Within seconds of the duel starting, a loud clash echoed, followed by the impact of a solid body, then everything stopped abruptly.
In a flash, Luke's sword split in half, one piece remained in his hand while the other flew through the air, hitting the stone floor with a sharp thud.
Gilbert had stepped aside and didn't see it, but Athena and Ethan witnessed everything. The same young man from before had shattered his opponent's sword in an instant.
A brutal force that stunned the spectators, while the opponent's hand trembled from the impact.
He had no time to react, he was shocked by his lack of skill.
Whispers ran through the crowd:
"Impossible… that fast."
"A monster, as expected."
"Lucky I wasn't facing him… I don't want to imagine myself in that situation."
Among the spectators and the arena where the duel had just occurred, Athena remained stunned by the events. What caught her attention most was the young man standing in front of her.
Calm outwardly, yet his gaze revealed a lot…
He wasn't angry; rather, an unseen weight seemed to press on his chest, evident in the quickened rhythm of his breathing.
Most didn't notice, focused on the previous events, but she—having spent most of her life observing opponents' body language for weaknesses—recognized it instantly.
The supervisor announced Raymond Baskerville's victory, who immediately left afterward.
Athena's eyes followed him unconsciously, her mind lost in thought:
'The previous incident affected him more than I expected… He's similar to my brother. He doesn't show emotions through words or expressions, but they're clear in his actions.
The difference is, my brother confronts himself, while this person avoids it…'
With three matches left, what she had seen so far was enough to plant a single thought in her mind: this place shattered all prior expectations.
Here were the finest talents of the empire, the coming days would certainly be full of unprecedented events.
She glanced aside where Gilbert had departed, but Raymond Baskerville's passing caught her attention again.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before he looked away and continued.
That brief moment was enough to plant a strange feeling within her.
'His gaze… cold enough to send chills down my spine… Am I imagining it?'