"You don’t need to become a master of every style. But if you want to survive real combat, having more than one way to fight will always be an advantage."
I had to admit... that actually made sense.
Well, of course it did. She was a professor—and not just any professor. Lena was an official A-rank hero.
She clearly knew what she was talking about.
Coming to this class might’ve actually been a good decision after all.
For the first time, I started to understand just how useful hand-to-hand combat could be. Especially in situations where your weapon’s out of reach or your usual skills don’t cut it.
Professor Lena paused the video and turned to face us, her expression calm but sharp.
"Watching a video is one thing," she said, folding her arms. "Experiencing it yourself is something else entirely."
Her eyes swept over the group of cadets in front of her.
"To start, pair up. We’ll be doing a series of mock battles—not to see who wins or loses, but so I can assess where you all stand."
A quiet ripple moved through the class as people glanced around, searching for partners.
I let out a small sigh.
Great. Time to get punched in the face... all in the name of education.
Sparring only really works when both people are on the same level. Physically speaking, I wasn’t on the same level as anyone here.
I glanced around again, hoping—just maybe—Ryen or Leona had shown up late. If either of them were here, I could’ve partnered with them. They knew my situation. They wouldn’t go all out.
But no luck. Neither of them were attending this class.
I didn’t even recognize most of the people here.
Just as I was starting to contemplate asking Professor Lena if I could sit this one out—
"Hey, loser."
Ah. Right.
Scratch that. There was one person here who knew me.
I turned my head and instantly frowned.
Of all people...
It was her.
Buttcheeks.
Yes, that was what I mentally called her, and no, I wasn’t going to stop now.
She strolled up to me with that ever-present smirk, hands on her hips like she was the main character in a teen drama.
"Want to spar with me?"
God, what was her deal?
Why was she acting so different from how she did in the original story?
In the novel, there was this dramatic falling out between Ryen and Leo during the entrance ceremony. Ryen got mad at Leo for not saving people even though he had the power to, and Leo couldn’t stand Ryen constantly throwing himself into danger to protect others. That tension eventually led to a full-blown rift.
This girl—Buttcheeks—had a massive crush on Leo. And because Ryen and Leo didn’t get along, she started spreading rumors about Ryen. Picked fights with him. Stirred drama for no reason.
Leo, for his part, never cared about her.
He always found her annoying and petty—and after ignoring her one too many times, she became an easy target for bullying. Classic extra character downfall.
Later on, it was Ryen who stepped in and helped her. She had just started to warm up to him... right before she died like some tragic background prop.
Kind of messed up, honestly.
And now here she was, standing in front of me, grinning like she’d just found a new chew toy.
Maybe she switched targets this time around because there wasn’t a falling out between Ryen and Leo. That plot point never happened.
And me?
I rejected Leo’s invitation to join his team.
That’s probably why she’s after me now.
Real mature.
I blinked at her, slowly raising an eyebrow. "You want to spar with me?"
She tilted her head with faux innocence. "Well, no one else was looking your way. Thought I’d be nice and offer."
Right. Nice.
Sure.
I glanced toward Lena, who was helping another pair nearby adjust their stances. She looked calm, focused—until, for a brief second, her eyes met mine.
She paused, like she could sense something.
Before she could say anything, I had already turned my gaze back to Buttcheeks.
Yeah, that’s what I was calling her now. Fitting name.
I tried to keep my voice level. "Did I do something to you?"
It came out as polite as I could manage—because hey, I was the adult here.
Mentally, anyway.
She laughed, loud and obnoxious. "What could you possibly do to me, loser? You think you’re special or something? Please. You didn’t do anything to me—and not like you could, either."
Right on cue. Exactly the kind of response I expected.
Characters like her were the worst part of any novel.
The petty, pointless bullies who existed for the sole purpose of being awful and getting taken down later.
Honestly, dealing with her was just as annoying as reading about her.
And you know what?
People like her needed to learn.
The kind of lesson you don’t forget.
I wasn’t naturally kind—I was polite because the people I met so far deserved it.
But if someone tried to step on me for no reason?
I wasn’t just going to take it.
Maybe I’d lose the spar. That’s fine.
But with my talent, [Enhancement], I could at least land a hit.
Maybe even catch her off guard and show her I wasn’t someone to mess with.
I opened my mouth to accept the challenge—
"Stop."
A firm voice cut in before I could speak.
I turned my head.
Professor Lena stepped between us, calm as ever, but her expression was unreadable.
She glanced at Buttcheeks first—who was practically bouncing with anticipation—then at me, and finally at the space between us like she was sizing up an invisible tension.
Then, after a short pause, she spoke.
"Cadet Rin Evans won’t be sparring with you."
She wasn’t talking to me. Her eyes were fixed on Buttcheeks.
"What? Why not?" She snapped, almost immediately. "Isn’t it up to him who he spars with? I don’t think you have the authority to—"
Lena’s eyes narrowed, and he cut himself off.
"He’s physically weaker than the rest of you," she said, voice cool but firm. "I’ll be instructing him personally for his sparring session."
Buttcheeks blinked, clearly caught off guard. "What? That’s— that’s discrimination, isn’t it?"
The word hung in the air for a second.
To be honest, I didn’t know how to feel either. On one hand, I was incredibly relieved not to be tossed into a ring with a muscle-brained gorilla like him. On the other hand... being called out as "physically weak" in front of the entire class wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time.
Lena, though, didn’t flinch.
"It’s called tailored instruction," she said calmly. "I treat all my students differently—based on their needs. If you have a problem with that, you’re free to talk with a chairman. I have her permission."
Buttcheeks opened her mouth, then shut it.
I think she realized, too late, that arguing with Professor Lena wasn’t just a losing battle—it was social suicide.
She clicked her tongue and stormed off to the other side of the training ground.
Lena glanced at me briefly. Her expression had softened just a bit.
"Don’t worry," she said quietly. "We’ll take it one step at a time."
I nodded, still trying to process what just happened.
Somehow, I’d been spared a humiliating beatdown—only to end up getting special treatment in front of everyone.
Great.
Now I was that guy.