"Hector and Gil!" Dan called out, and two male students stepped forward. Both held wooden swords in hand, their expressions reflecting the anticipation of the upcoming spar.
"Alright," Dan began, eyeing the pair, "as I said earlier, your goal is to pressure your opponent. The spar will last five minutes. If neither of you wins by then, I'll decide the victor based on performance."
Hector smirked, radiating confidence, while Gil gave a slight nod, his eyes calm and composed.
"Also," Dan said, turning his attention to the rest of the class, "keep your eyes open. Pay attention and learn something from this spar."
The students collectively nodded, their gazes sharp as they focused on the duo. Of course, not everyone would get to spar today—time was limited, and a few students had already taken their turns. Still, everyone watched closely, hoping to pick up on any techniques or strategies they could later apply.
Tessa narrowed her eyes as she watched Hector and Gil take their positions. Both were students who could use the Water Element in her class. She found herself particularly curious about them now, scrutinizing their every movement.
'That Hector...,' Tessa thought, eyeing his smug grin. 'He certainly isn't Chaos.'
She shifted her gaze to Gil, whose brown hair and calm demeanor somewhat reminded her of Chaos. He stood there without much expression, simply waiting for the spar to begin. Something about his stillness intrigued her.
"Could it be...?" Tessa murmured under her breath, but shook her head quickly, dismissing the thought. Gil, despite his calmness, didn't give her the same feeling she got from Chaos. No, she was certain he wasn't the one.
'Then who is it?' She sighed, closing her eyes briefly and massaging her temples. The search for Chaos was wearing her out more than she cared to admit.
"Alex," Arthur whispered, nudging his friend's arm, "I think something's wrong with Tessa."
Alex, who had been watching the spar preparations with mild interest, shifted his gaze to Tessa. His brows furrowed when he noticed her massaging her temples, eyes shut tight.
"She looks... off," Arthur continued in a low voice, making sure only Alex could hear. "Like something's really bothering her."
Alex's concern deepened. Arthur was right—Tessa appeared lost in thought, her usual confident demeanor absent.
"I'll talk to her after class," Alex muttered, sighing softly.
"Alright," Arthur said, glancing at Tessa one last time before turning his attention back to the spar.
Dan's voice rang out, loud and commanding. "Begin!"
Hector and Gil moved at the same time, their wooden swords cutting through the air with force. Despite the absence of magic—since this was purely weapon training—the intensity of their movements captured everyone's attention.
"Your grip's too loose, Hector!" Dan's voice barked out. "Tighten it, or you'll lose your weapon!"
Hector adjusted his hold on the sword mid-swing, his smirk fading slightly as he realized his mistake.
"And Gil, stop hesitating! The moment you second-guess yourself in battle, you're already done for!"
Gil's brow creased as he processed the advice, trying to adapt without overthinking.
"Back straight, Hector!" Dan's voice cut through the air again. "And Gil, don't just block—counter! You won't have time to think in a real fight!"
Arin, seated near the back, tapped his foot impatiently on the floor, barely paying attention to the sparring match in front of him. His mind was elsewhere, his thoughts clouded.
His eyes flicked to Tessa briefly before zoning out again. 'She'll manage it,' he thought, not overly concerned about her. He was confident Tessa could handle whatever was going to happen later. She was capable.
"Stop!" Dan's voice boomed, signaling the end of Hector and Gil's spar.
Hector stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He flashed a grin, confident that he had won.
"Well, I'm definitely winning this," Hector muttered under his breath, his smile widening as he prepared for Dan to announce the result.
The class fell silent, anticipation building as Dan took a moment to consider. It had been an intense spar, and no one was quite sure who would come out on top.
"The winner of this match is..."
Hector's smirk grew as he prepared to raise his hand in victory.
The class erupted into cheers, and Gil's face lit up with a smile—small but sincere.
"But... why?" Hector spluttered, his earlier confidence replaced by indignation.
"Simple," Dan replied, his tone steady. "You failed to apply the corrections I gave you. You'd start to, but then you'd do your own thing, and that's why you lost."
Hector opened his mouth to argue but then closed it again, clearly frustrated. With no other choice, he stomped back toward the crowd, casting a venomous glare at Gil as he did.
Finally, it was time for the last spar of the day.
"Alex and Tessa," Dan called.
The murmurs among the students grew louder as the pair stepped forward. Some whispered bets on who would win, while others speculated if Alex would go easy on Tessa because of their close relationship.
Tessa tightened her grip on her wooden sword, her eyes cold and focused, as if she had locked onto her target. Gone was the worried expression she had earlier; now, she looked as if she was ready to kill someone.
Alex noticed the shift immediately. 'That's... strange,' he thought. Tessa's previous look of distress had vanished, replaced by something far more intense. It was almost unsettling.
"Ready?" Dan's voice cut through the murmurs, bringing everyone's attention back to the upcoming spar.
Meanwhile, Arin stared at Tessa as he folded his arms, waiting to see what she would do.
As for Alex, Arin already knew what he would do. Well, you couldn't blame someone who was in love.
Alex gripped his sword firmly, eyes locked on Tessa. Neither of them bothered to take the stance Dan had taught them.
Dan raised an eyebrow but didn't intervene. "Hmph. They want to spar without a proper stance? Let's see how this goes..."
"Start!" Dan commanded.
Both of them launched forward at the same time.