'I an, I expected him to be strong…but that wasn't just a matter of difference in strength, ' Raph thought, his gaze following Cricken Royce as he joined them back in line.
None of the students thought it wise to clap or cheer, or more like they were too frightened to do so.
His gaze flickered, returning to the Sparring Ring.
'It was the difference in experience….that much difference made him use the techniques adequately without wasting movents'.
A mory of the first duel between Lucy Zachary and Ban Xen played in his head, and then the duel between Felic Manhartten and Cricken Royce played next.
'There was the obvious difference.'
Ban showed no intention of fighting back, even though he had clearly mastered the guarding technique, so Lucy had the upper hand from the start.
Felic and Cricken on the other hand, started from scratch, and the result was simply a testant to the difference in their skills.
'He is the princess's Bodyguard, after all; a warrior or knight should, at least, be that strong.'
A smirk grew on his lips as the next duelists walked up to the Sparring Ring while two of his classmates assisted Felic in getting down.
The body suited had inbuilt automatic mana healers that functioned as a cushion to prevent severe injuries and a healer when they were unconscious and required healing.
'His leg would have been ripped the other way if it weren't for the body suit.' Raph thought with a sigh, while he observed his.
'Well, let's just continue watching for now'.
The next duel was about to begin. Marshall Lorientt Vs Tiffany Rudia. Marshall was from the 4th Vassal family, Lorientt, a household of Knights, though their techniques lacked greatly if compared to the Jun household. They were still considered prodigies in the Knight departnt nonetheless, and the other, Tiffany Rudia, was one of Canary's friends.
Both stood apart on the Sparring Ring, their gazes locked on one another as Lecturer Wisdom prepared to begin the duel.
Marshall held a glaive, and Tiffany didn't seem to physically hold a particular weapon, but there was a long shot it was well hidden sowhere. Another testant, to the long list of weapons the Academy provided to her students.
"Ready?" Lecturer Wisdom asked, his tone low, and commanding. Both students nodded in unison, and at that mont, he began the duel. "Begin".
In a swift, slicing motion, Marshall's glaive sliced through the air with a sharp whoosh, its blade dancing in a fluid, curved motion as he sprinted forward with a forceful speed.
His physique was large for his age, including his muscle mass and his height; he was nearly twice the height of petite Tiffany. His ssy black hair flowed with the wind, and his fiery onyx eyes fixed on his target as he slamd his glaive onto the ground.
BOOM.
His glaive made a dent in the cent floor, but his target was nowhere to be found.
"Co on, big guy, you could do better than that".
His gaze flickered as he turned backward rapidly to find Tiffany's charming pink eyes staring at him in an almost maniacally attractive manner.
She was floating upside down, and her arms were crossed to her sides.
Confused for a mont, he ignored the question that bothered him and charged forward with a grunt, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
He swung his glaive upwards as the curved blade ford a white arc in its wake, and attempted to strike her when his movents were halted by an invisible force.
His eyes bulged in realization at that mont, as the sun's light reflected thin white threads that held him back.
His gaze turned towards Tiffany, who was still upside down, and the question that bothered him a mont ago was answered, but then again, another question popped up.
'What is she attaching her strings to?'.
Tiffany was currently using white strings that connected her fingers to the whole diater of the Sparring Ring.
She controlled it to her will and was using it as a ans to hold her in her position, but what were they attached to? They were out in the open after all.
"Curious?" She asked with a giggle, tugging the strings on her fingers, which caused a chain of motion around them, and at that mont, Marshall's gaze widened in shock.
At the four corners of the Sparring Ring were floating kunais and attached to it, as well as the whole length of the Sparring Ring were white strings.
'This is absurd! How is she so proficient in using the string?' He thought in confusion, but that didn't stop him from moving.
He planted his feet to the ground, and using the body suit property to his advantage, he pulled himself backward, trying to set free from the string traps.
"Oh no you don't". She said, tugging her strings, which caused a chain of effect to occur, and her legs were pulled upwards with the aid of her strings.
She backflipped to the other side of the Sparring Ring behind Marshall and tugged the strings with the might of her muscle.
The strings taunt and pull Marshall's limbs to the sides, opening up his defenses at the sa ti. He groaned in pain due to the stinging sensation of the string on his flesh.
These strings were strong enough to slice through his skin, but the body suit prevented severe injuries such as that.
He groaned bitterly, unable to resist the string, until he let go of his glaive and grabbed the strings with his hands.
He pulled on it, and at the sa ti, a loud battle cry escaped his lips as his muscles tensed and bulged.
He pulled on the strings, pulling Tiffany along, and swung her into the air.
She cried out in shock, unable to resist the brute strength he possessed, and in a single sweep, he pulled the string downwards, forcing her body to co along with his motion.
"Barbarian Shuffling Technique: Sky Slam".
Her body was slamd into the ground, and the sickening sound of bones crushing echoed as a muffled scream of pain escaped her lips.
She lay on the ground, conscious as the body suit began to heal her from her injuries, but the pain remained, serving as a scar for the horrible defeat she just experienced.
Marshall, on the other hand, panted deeply, blood dripping down his fingers as he stared at her, his gaze overwheld with satisfaction and confusion.
'She…She made go all out?' He thought in surprise. 'I don't rember the last ti I was forced to use my raw strength'
Marshall Lorientt was blessed since the day he was born. He was the third son of his household, wasn't riddled with responsibilities, and was given a fair opportunity to grow his strength. Born with an innate herculean-like strength, he had quickly grown himself to who he was now.
"Tiffany Rudia, do you concede?" Lecturer Wisdom's voice pierced the heavy atmosphere in the air as the students turned towards him for the first ti since the beginning of the duel.
Each student that ca up to the stage showed sothing peculiar, and they had to admit, this was even better.
Tiffany's display of the string and kunai tactic in an environnt that did not suit her showed her constant practice, but even hard work pales when it cos to natural talent. And the natural strength of Marshall proved so.
Tiffany slowly sat up, her body aching from the collision. She looked up at Marshall, her pink hair dancing to the wind, and her pink gaze suffused with resentnt.
"I…I will get you back for this". She said in a bitter tone, her voice laced with pain, a testant to what she felt at that mont.
"Alright then, that is the third duel; Winner, Marshall Lorientt".
The students remained silent this ti as well, perhaps mixed feelings assaulting them at the mont.
This duel was not just a farce to embarrass Raph but a reminder, or perhaps a clue, to find out the people to watch out for in their Class.
The Entrance examination didn't prove any of that for them, but this thod proved a lot.
Marshall took so steps forward and stretched his hand towards Tiffany, a skeptical hue in his gaze.
Tiffany looked up at him, her gaze growing narrow and her body shaking in rage.
She slapped his hand away, and stood up, clicking her tongue as she walked away.
Marshall watched her carefully, and with a sigh, he retreated from the Sparring Ring as well.
'So far, I'm more impressed with Tiffany….that was skillful…though, what she showcased wasn't any of the techniques so far,' Raph thought as the two students retreated from the Sparring Ring.
He had witnessed all he could in that short mont.
"Alright then, Raffaelo Jun Vs. Javier Wright." Professor Wisdom called, and the two students stepped forward in unison.
Raph's gaze lingered on Marshall as they walked past each other, and he instantly noticed the smirk that grew on Marshall's face. 'No one really expects to win? Well, ti to see what I've learned'.
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