Bough looked at Aeren, a tight smile pulling at his lips. He leaned in and spoke in a low voice only Aeren could hear.
"Aeren, correct? We met this morning."
Aeren's expression remained neutral. "Yes, through Lyra." He responded in an equally quiet tone.
"Right. Do you remember what you said this morning?" Bough's eyes held a glint of challenge.
"What did I say?"
"You said you have a fiancée in Class A." Bough's voice was dripping with condescension.
"Why don't you just forget about her? She deserves better than a low-ranker like you."
Aeren tilted his head slightly. "You think so?"
"I know my place," Bough scoffed. "But someone closer to her in skill and class, not some nobody from C-class."
Aeren gave a faint nod.
Professor Davin looked at the two students. He couldn't hear their conversation, but the tense atmosphere was obvious. "Are you two ready?" he called out.
"Yes," Aeren and Bough said in unison.
Bough took his stance and charged. A gasp rippled through the onlookers as he disappeared, a burst of speed that left a faint, shimmering afterimage. He reappeared directly in front of Aeren, a straight punch aimed for his face.
Aeren moved. It wasn't a sudden jerk or a panicked retreat. It was a fluid, almost lazy sidestep, a fraction of a second before Bough's fist arrived. The punch whistled past his ear, missing by a hair's width. Bough immediately followed up with a left hook, but Aeren's hand, which had been at his side, shot out and caught Bough's fist with a soft thud.
Bough yanked his arm back, his face a mask of surprise.
"You're better than your given rank," he said, breathing a little heavier. "But that won't be enough to defeat me."
He charged forward again, this time faster than before. He infused his fist with a bright swirl of mana, the golden light intensifying as he threw a powerful punch. Aeren dodged it again, the wind of the attack ruffling his hair. But in the next instant, Bough used his knee to strike at Aeren's stomach. At the same time, his mana-infused fist came up toward Aeren's chin. Aeren blocked the knee with the toe of his boot and pushed off, flipping backward into the air.
Bough saw his chance. He infused even more mana into his fist and leaped up to meet Aeren mid-air. But Aeren flicked his body to the side, the motion so quick it was just a blur. Bough's mana-filled punch whistled through the empty space where Aeren had been. Aeren landed silently on the ground, untouched.
"You fucking loser, fight back!" Bough shouted, his irritation reaching a boiling point. The air around his last punch was so potent with mana that it pushed the students at the edge of the circle back. Professor Davin quickly put up a barrier to protect them.
The students began to whisper in disbelief.
"What is happening? Why can't Bough hit him?"
"He's probably trying to wear him down first. Then he'll finish him off with a single blow."
"Look at that guy. He's barely even moving!"
Bough couldn't take it anymore. The fight should have been over in an instant, but here they were, still going. A vein pulsed on his forehead. This next move would definitely end it.
Bough channeled mana from his entire body, the golden light of it growing brighter. He disappeared, faster than before, and in an instant, was directly in front of Aeren. He released all of his mana in a massive, single blow aimed at Aeren's face.
Professor Davin saw the danger and prepared to intervene, but he knew he was already too late.
To the professor's and the class's surprise, Aeren dodged the attack. The mana Bough released didn't hit its target, but it hit the students at the edge of the circle who hadn't been quick enough to react. They flew back, hitting the benches with a painful thump. The class's attention shifted from the fight to the students who had been hit.
In that moment of chaos, Aeren's eyes grew cold. He took a single step forward, and his fist, with a simple, unadorned motion, hit Bough in the stomach.
BOOOOM.
Bough's eyes went wide. His mouth opened, and a stream of saliva shot out before his eyes rolled back in his head. His body went limp, and he crumpled to the ground.
Professor Davin, who had seen it all, knew the outcome before the dust had even settled. He announced loudly,
"The winner of this spar is Aeren! Next student, prepare to fight!"
Four students remained. Their earlier smiles were gone, replaced by expressions of dread. Gen, a tall, thin student, took a deep breath and stepped forward, a forced determination on his face.
"I'll go first," he said.
"Fine. Take your stance," Professor Davin instructed.
Gen looked at Aeren. "You got lucky with that last hit on Bough. He let his guard down. But I will never let my guard down." He clenched his fists.
"My rank is lower than you, but don't underestimate me. I'm going to reach S-class with my hard work and passion. You all laugh at my words now, but one day you all will see me there."
Aeren gave a simple nod in response.
"Ready?" Professor Davin asked.
"Yes," Gen said loudly.
Aeren simply nodded again.
"Fight!"
Gen moved with incredible speed, a blur of motion. He reached Aeren in an instant and swung his leg in a high kick aimed for his face. Aeren dodged with a slight lean. Gen didn't lose control. He spun and used his other leg to try and strike Aeren's stomach.
Aeren jumped into the air, and Gen followed, throwing a punch. Aeren blocked it with his palm, and in the next moment, delivered a single punch of his own. Gen was sent flying back and hit the ground, unconscious.
The students in the class were completely shocked. The whispers started again, this time filled with disbelief.
"What the hell? This fight was one-sided, too!"
"Gen got crushed. I thought he was a good fighter."
"This Aeren guy... he's not what he seems."
Professor Davin looked at the three remaining students and gave them a signal to get ready. One by one, Pearl, Kate, and Ross stepped into the circle. One by one, they were all defeated with a single, precise punch from Aeren.
Professor Davin was impressed. He took the five defeated students aside, explaining their weaknesses and teaching them how to handle similar situations.
He then announced to the whole class, "That's all for today. We'll continue the spars next time. Class dismissed!"
With that, the professor left. Aeren watched the other students get up and leave the classroom, their faces filled with a mix of awe. Aeren knew his Assessment had just begun.