Instructor Vallen Raenhir was already waiting for me in the training field when I arrived, arms folded and posture as steady as stone. Unlike her usual flowing red robe, today she wore battle attire—practical, fitted, and undoubtedly designed for movement. That alone was enough to put me on edge.

  Her golden eyes locked onto mine the instant I stepped onto the field. There was no warmth there. Just cold calculation. A silent, burning challenge that made my palms itch and my instincts buzz like static.

  “Ten minutes,” she said, her voice as even and cold as polished steel. “If you land a single hit on me, you win.”

  That was it. No dramatic speech. No drawn-out explanation. Just one condition.

  One hit.

  How hard could it be?

  The answer came the moment the match began.

  With a simple flick of her wrist, the ground exploded—literally. A massive boulder tore free from the earth, spinning through the air like a meteor summoned from the depths. I raised my scepter and slashed at it with Wind Cutter, a crescent of howling air cleaving through the sky.

  It barely scratched the surface.

  The boulder didn’t slow.

  My instincts screamed.

  I dove hard to the left, rolling across the packed dirt as the boulder thundered past where I’d been standing. The ground behind me erupted in a shockwave of flying rocks and dust, the air ringing with the sound of stone on stone.

  Before I could even catch my breath—

  Stonebind.

  The earth convulsed beneath me. Thick, jagged tendrils of rock burst forth, lashing around my legs like the jaws of some hungry beast. I gasped, the crushing force of the spell locking me in place.

  "A combo already?" I muttered, half-strangled by the pressure. I could barely keep the admiration out of my voice. Of course she had chained her spells. Of course she was already five steps ahead.

  [Rejuvenation casted.]

  A surge of warmth coursed through me, tendrils of green energy seeping into the stone. Cracks formed, then shattered as I tore free. No time to breathe. I rolled to the side just as the boulder from before changed direction midair and hurtled back toward me, controlled by Instructor Vallen’s will.

  "Phew," I muttered. Luckily I’m aware of that combo.

  I ducked. Barely. It grazed my shoulder, sending me spinning, the breath knocked from my lungs. I hit the ground and slid, boots skidding through dust. I scrambled up again—but the moment my feet touched the earth, it betrayed me.

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  Another surge of power rippled through the earth—more tendrils erupted around me.

  I was pinned again.

  “Again?!” This spell’s cooldown is faster than my Rejuvenation.

  BAM!

  I casted Inner Beast.

  I felt the transformation surge through me—my muscles bulged with wild energy, my vision sharpened, a primal growl rumbling deep in my chest. With brute strength, I shattered the rock imprisoning me.

  And then the ground… cracked.

  A deep, resonating tremor.

  My breath caught.

  Earthshatter.

  Fissures splintered outward in a violent web, jagged chasms racing straight for me. I leapt, just in time. Behind me, the ground erupted in a fountain of debris, dust and stone rocketing skyward in a deafening explosion.

  “Seriously?!” I yelled mid-air. “She has Earthshatter too?!”

  Four minutes in. It was painfully obvious now—Vallen was stalling for time. I hadn’t managed a single attack. Every time I got close, she locked me down with Stonebind, pelted me with Boulder Barrage, or cracked the earth beneath me with Earthshatter. And now—

  The whip.

  A long, barbed weapon hissed through the air. I barely had time to react before the first lash struck, slicing through my skin with a burning sting. Another followed, then another, the sharp thorns digging deep. A numbing sensation crept from each wound.

  Poison.

  My breath became ragged. Muscles burned. But I pushed forward, breaking into a run in a wide arc to regain distance. I hurled Wind Cutters at her, not to hit, but to buy space—to blind, to confuse.

  It didn’t work.

  The training field was too open. Too exposed. No cover. No escape.

  Two minutes left. Time for a different approach.

  I had memorized the rhythm of her attacks. I knew her spell cooldowns. The moment I saw my opening, I sprinted straight toward her, using a spell to propel me forward. But this wasn’t just the usual Windstride. It was something more. Something faster.

  The world blurred around me as my speed exploded. The whip lashed again—too slow. I tore through the air, a blur of green light, straight toward her.

  Instructor Vallen’s eyes widened—she hadn’t expected this.

  In a blink, I was right in front of her. A transparent barrier shimmered into existence, but I was ready.

  My hands, now coated in a thin green energy, crashed against the shield.

  Thud. Thud. THUD.

  Not with my scepter. Just my bare fists. Each strike sent violent ripples through the barrier, spiderweb cracks forming with every impact. Stonebind latched onto my legs again—but I didn’t care. My body moved on instinct, faster than I thought possible.

  Galestride—an upgraded version of Windstride. Not only did it boost movement speed by 100%, but also attack speed by a staggering 150%. The downside? High mana cost and a ridiculous cooldown.

  "This is it!" I roared internally.

  I activated Inner Beast again.

  And then—with one final, thunderous blow—the barrier shattered with an earsplitting crack.

  My fist drove into Instructor Vallen’s stomach.

  Direct hit.

  She staggered. Her eyes widened. The field went utterly still.

  Panting, I took a shaky step back, arms trembling. “I win,” I breathed. “I hit you.”

  But my victorious grin faltered.

  Something was off.

  please drop your bad habit already?

  halfway, then leave us hanging! Like, hello? What’s off, exactly??