I had one idea that could potentially earn me a victory in this sparring duel. But just like against Selvan, it would be nothing but a gamble to try to catch her off guard.
But I'm not gonna do that. Oh no. I have a much stupider idea on how to fight her. An idea that latched itself onto me the second I stepped into the Arena and met her gaze.
`Fuck it. Would lose anyway. Might as well have some stupid fun with it.` I disregard my desperate need for points for the time being. `Just this once.` And again, I refuse to draw my wand. Instead, I pump my arms before I pull my fists to my chin. In a simple boxing stance.
And just like before, my stance and my refusal to draw my wand earn me a lot of confused looks. Leaving most onlookers and my opponent baffled. Serathen looked annoyed, too. Probably already tired of my bullshit.
But this time, Serathen isn't the first to speak up. It's my opponent. A chuckle escapes her while she shakes her head. "You're not serious, are you? Are you stupid?" She asks incredulously while shaking her bracelet pointedly.
Clearly hinting at the fact that she uses her bracelet for what it's made for. To use Corpus magic. And the use of Corpus magic is enhancing the body.
I've seen as much.
When she dueled Thalis last week, she moved faster than any human on Earth ever did or could. To dodge the magic attacks and find the right timing to counterattack with her own magic.
However. That was precisely why I wanted to face her like this. I want to see what it's like to brawl with someone who uses Corpus magic. To see just how bad the difference would be.
So I shoot back confidently. Challengingly. "You seriously asking me that? I thought the answer to that was pretty obvious. Yes, I'm stupid. Now come at me."
Somehow, our exchange placated Serathen. Because, despite how stupid my idea is. He gives the go-ahead to proceed with the duel. "Enough talking. Begin." Probably just to see what I would do in the face of such a foe.
The go-ahead of Serathen was, however, not enough to get our duel started. Not this time.
I tighten my guard. Waiting for her first move.
But she hasn't moved yet. She looked a little sheepish. Scratching her neck awkwardly while looking between me and Serathen. "Ahhh…. So… I get that you gave the go-ahead, professor. But this is pretty dangerous, right?"
I was a bit surprised and moved by her hesitation. Others in this school would have surely relished the chance to beat the dogshit out of me. Loran, on the other hand, seemed genuinely worried about my safety.
Too bad Serathen seemed deadset on having us duel. No matter what form that duel might take. "Can I take this as you forfeiting the duel, Adept Loran?"
Loran, at hearing this, quickly shook her head. Trying to explain herself. "No. No. It's just-"
"Just come at me." I interrupt her.
Since I knew that Serathen wasn't going to listen to her reasoning. These duels are supposed to prepare us for real combat. And there often isn't any reasoning with enemies. So, of course, Serathen wouldn't listen to any excuses.
However. Considering she showed me such consideration, I decided to do the same. "If you're really that worried about hurting me, just fight me without using magic. Let's just have a brawl. I promise I won't punch you in the face or anything." By assuring her that I'll be fine. That we can just leave the magic aside for now.
I grin and wink at her. Which isn't enough to convince her. But based on the way she sighs and puts her hand on her hips, she is just one push away. "Come on. Or are you afraid you'll lose?" It's a bold-faced lie from my part. One we both see for what it is.
But my taunting finally does the trick. She drops her hands. Sighs again. And then locks in. Putting her own arms up. Mimicking my stance. Though clearly knowing much more about hand-to-hand combat than I do. Just based on how she carries herself. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Her tomboyish side clearly comes with a heavy dose of competitiveness. Just like I had thought. `Oh yeah. Knew this would work.`
And now that she was finally ready to go, I decided to initiate the fight. I rush forward as fast as my legs can carry me. Closing the distance between us as quickly as I could before abruptly stopping and throwing out a jab.
Because. I might have never been in a fight. But I sure knew how to theoretically win one.
Not because I had any formal training. Rather, it's because I've watched more martial arts movies than most. Always imagining and planning how I would fight in any given situation.
My daydreams often involved me fighting all manner of creatures. I often made up scenarios and built whole elaborate stories in my head just to challenge my theoretical knowledge of combat and how the human body may be able to move.
Like many men, I've even shadow-boxed in my room and done even more embarrassing things while no one was looking.
And sure. While that might mean nothing. It still gives me a pretty clear picture as to what I want to do in a fight. How to lead my opponent and what to do in response to their moves. How to take the pace and dictate the fight myself. I can envision all of it.
I also know what's important in a fight. More than strength and speed. Maybe even more than skill. Fights are decided by one thing only. Relentless aggression. `If I just rush her down, there won't be much she can do besides defend.`
For that tactic to work, though, I'd have to first unsettle my opponent. To make them afraid of being hit by me. Which I thought I had done.
But as it turns out, Loran was less than shaken. She dodges my jab by simply pulling her head to the side. Before retorting with an uppercut that hits me square in the jaw.
I stagger back and blink rapidly to clear the stars from my vision. Reflexively tightening my guard for her next attack. Turtling like a sitting duck.
It's only thanks to her not having the time or the room to wind up her swing too much that I even manage to stay conscious. And it's then that I'm reminded of the wise words of Mike Tyson. "Everybody has a plan until they are hit in the face."
And finally, I understand that saying. Because very suddenly, I didn't know what to do anymore. The plan I had laid out in my head to beat her was all jumbled up. Half of it forgotten. I couldn't do anything but guard my important areas while trying to recover from her counter. Totally at a loss on what to do.
Even without magic, she was easily twice as strong, fast, and tough as I was.
Her next strike. A simple, quick jab hit my guard. It impacted right on my left forearm. Yet it almost blew right through me. It felt like I was hit by an actual heavyweight pro boxer. Not that I actually knew what that felt like.
I retreated instinctively. Avoiding the follow-up attack by staggering back. But she did not give me a break. Setting after me and throwing out two more quick jabs.
Both impact my guard. Both land on my left arm. Which goes down. Leaving my side open. But it's just bait. After all, if there was one thing I was good at, it's taking punishment. No way my arm would actually drop after just a few hits.
And it works. She fell for the bait I threw out. Hook, line, and sinker.
I try to intercept her right hook to try to grab her arm and grapple her. But she is too quick.
She slips my grab by stepping back and throwing a left instead. Right at my face. But my right arm is there to block the strike. Even at the cost of having my arm smashed into my face from the force of the punch.
I jerk back instinctively. To avoid leaning too far back and leaving myself open. But once again, she was ready for that. Trying to end the fight early by swiping my feet out from under me while I try to step back.
She only manages to swipe one of my feet, though. So even though I do fall, I manage to catch myself with my hands and roll away quickly.
Getting back up in one smooth motion. As fast as I can. Before Serathen could consider this my loss. Putting my hands back up as I rush forward again. To confront her for the next exchange.
Another one she easily and without difficulty wins. I'm getting beaten like a dog. She suppresses me completely with her quick but powerful strikes. Locking me into a totally defensive position if I don't want to risk getting hit.
Her attacks seemingly come from everywhere at once. I can barely keep up. And the more she hits my hands, the heavier they get. The more they hurt.
My attempt to bait her in before by pretending to drop my guard now made her wary and careful. So she dismantles me meticulously. Focusing on actually bringing my guard down before taking a risk.
But it's also thanks to this that I manage to strike back. Without thinking. Purely on instinct alone, I come up with another idea.
The next attack she throws out. A left-straight aimed at my chest. Or rather, at my right forearm. I take. I grit my teeth and pull my arm away at the last second. Bracing myself for the pain of getting hit while at the same time moving my hand to grab her wrist once her arm stops moving.
And it works. For a moment.
I underestimated just how hard she would punch me. All the air was forced out of me despite her not hitting center mass. My hold on her wrist is weak.
So weak she reverses it instantly. Grabbing my wrist instead and doing to me exactly what I wanted to do to her. She pulls me in and trips me up before throwing me on the ground. Flat on my back. Where I remain. Dazed and out of breath.
The fight? Obviously over. It's my complete defeat. She beat me handily. And all without even using magic. `Well. So much for that.`
But in comparison to other fights I have been in, in this world, I was doing just fine after this trashing. I sit up quickly. Before, either Serathen or Loran could worry.
Pretending to be unhurt. Though my chest still feels tight, and the place she punched hurts. Her punch was like getting hit by a sledgehammer. `Yep. That's gon bruise.`
"Someone ever tell you that you hit hard as hell, girl?" I groan half playfully, half seriously as I get up. Rolling my shoulders and cracking my neck. Before I stretch out my hand to Loran. "This is your complete victory." For a handshake that she reciprocates.
My admission of defeat is echoed by Serathen a moment later. "Winner. Adept Loran." He sighed before turning to me with a stern look. "Adept Blackwell. This will cost you." Warning me that I'll obviously lose some points for my loss.
I can just hope it's not more than I gained last week when fighting Selvan. Since I believe I did all right given the circumstances. Given the vast gap between me and Loran when it comes to physical ability.
"You know you really are crazy. What did you think was going to happen? I've trained my whole life to become a knight. Of course, I would win." A sentiment Loran seems to share. "But I suppose you did all alright. You're tough if nothing else." Her compliment was more than enough to make me forget my little loss.
"Thanks. I appreciate it." That she thought I was tough was more than I could have hoped for after that performance.
Sadly, this is pretty much where our interaction ends for now. With both of us leaving the arena on opposite ends. Even though I wanted to talk some more to her. About just what kind of training she does.
`No. Focus on first mastering what I used to do back on Earth.` Then again. Considering I can't even do what I used to casually do back on Earth. Maybe asking for her training regime was me leaning way too far out the window.
So after some contemplating, I decided to stay in my lane. At least for the time being. `There was always later.` I could always ask her about what kind of training she does once I'm comfortably able to do my own.
Of course, while I'm thinking the duels continue. But I barely pay attention. None of the people that caught my eye last time are up against each other. They all just fight battles that they easily win.
Especially Selvan. He completely dominates his opponent. Who himself wasn't unskilled. But he was no match for Selvan. As if to show that last week really was just a fluke. Our eyes met briefly after his fight. An exchanged nod is all the communication we need between us.
Selvan also just so happened to be the last duel of the day. And then it's right off to exercising. Where I'm once again reminded that I'm nowhere near the level of my peers yet. In all regards.
What baffles me most, though, is the fact that Loran isn't first when it comes to physical prowess. At least from what I could tell.
When it comes to just raw strength and speed. Without accounting for magic, the person who is actually on top of the class when it comes to that is the boy called Drosir.
The one that lost helplessly last week against Liora. Much to my surprise, he absolutely crushes every exercise. His lanky build is that of an athlete instead of just a growing teen, as I had previously thought.
His running was especially impressive. It seemed like he could run forever. Without so much as breaking a sweat. `Damm. Maybe I should ask for his training routine instead.` I think while huffing and puffing on the track. Watching him lap me for the tenth time.
More than glad when classes are finally over for the week. Shambling towards the showers like a zombie after absolutely obliterating myself with those exercises. The right side of my chest, still stinging a little from the punch Loran gave me.