William and the girl, who introduced herself as Mia, stood facing each other in the wide-open gymnasium.
Even with two hundred students scattered around, the place still felt huge—easily big enough for six hundred. There was plenty of room for sparring.
Most students had started their own training, leaving the chosen ones to their duels. William glanced toward Emma, who was holding her ground impressively against her opponents.
"Umm, would it be okay if I hurt you a little?" Mia's soft voice drew his attention back.
William smirked. "Is that a threat?"
She fidgeted. "Ah… no… it's just—these are metal knuckles. If I hit your head, it'll definitely sting."
William couldn't tell if she was being genuine or just confident. Either way, she wasn't ordinary.
"A battle without pain is just a game," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Come on. Don't hold back."
Mia nodded, slipping on her knuckles. "You don't want a weapon?"
