A few seconds later Sevran and Professor Gilderoy stood facing each other in the middle of the sand arena.
The contrast between them was obvious. Sevran looked tense, unsure whether this was meant to be a demonstration or a punishment. Gilderoy, on the other hand, looked perfectly relaxed, his posture loose, feet planted firmly in the sand.
"Listen carefully," Gilderoy crossed his arms as he spoke, his voice carrying clearly across the arena. "Your muscles are not stupid. Every movement you repeat, every stance you hold, every strike you throw, your body remembers it."
He tapped his chest once with a thick finger.
"Train the same motion every day, and one day, when you don't have time to think, your body will move on its own. That's real combat."
Some of the students nodded slowly. Others leaned forward, paying closer attention now. After he explained it that way, it sounded more logical.
"And it's not just muscles," Gilderoy continued. "Ether works the same way. Circulation, reinforcement, output. The more diligent you are in training it, the faster and smoother it responds. No hesitation or wasted motion."
That explanation made several expressions shift.
Now it made sense.
Dominic nodded quietly where he stood.
It reminded him of his first real encounter with a Labyrinth creature. Back then, he hadn't known any proper techniques and no formal training.
And after that, when the next moment he fought again came, his body had moved naturally. His footing adjusted on instinct. His strikes flowed without conscious thought.
Even his ether had followed, circulating faster than he expected, responding as if it already knew where to go.
He had thought that was normal.
However, right now Dominic didn't realize that something was strange about him.
He didn't know that what he experienced wasn't the same as everyone else.
Most people struggled to circulate ether smoothly, especially while moving. For Dominic, it had felt almost effortless.
While the others were still processing Gilderoy's words, the professor dropped his arms and looked straight at Sevran.
"Alright," Gilderoy said, grinning. "Lesson starts now."
Sevran stiffened. "Huh?"
Gilderoy rolled his shoulders once and planted his feet.
"Go on," he said casually. "Punch me."
The entire arena went silent.
Sevran didn't move right away.
Something heavy seemed to press down on him, not fear exactly, but hesitation.
His jaw clenched as his gaze flicked from Gilderoy to the surrounding students, all of them watching and some even chuckled.
The arena felt too open, too exposed for him.
Dominic frowned slightly seeing that.
Sevran didn't look scared. And he didn't look embarrassed either. If anything, it felt like he simply didn't want to show what he could do in front of everyone like this. As if revealing it carried a cost.
Dominic couldn't be sure, but that was the impression he got.
"Come on," Gilderoy said with a grin, sensing the tension. "This is going to be fun and relaxing. I'm not going to go hard on you, of course."
Sevran let out a slow, helpless sigh.
There was no way out of this.
So he stepped forward.
His shoulders settled. His stance lowered as his body shifted almost automatically.
Then, without any flourish, Sevran threw a straight punch.
Gilderoy didn't move. But Sevran's fist stopped dead in the air.
A dull impact echoed as if his knuckles had struck solid stone. The sand beneath his feet shifted from the force, but his punch had hit something invisible.
Sevran's eyes widened.
Gilderoy chuckled. "See that?"
He lifted one hand slightly, though he still didn't touch Sevran.
"A strong warrior doesn't need to move his hands to defend himself," Gilderoy said. "With proper ether control, you can form an invisible barrier around your body."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the students.
"That was ether…?"
"No movement…?"
"Did you see that?"
Dominic stared, also feeling impressed. He could sense a dense layer of ether compressed around Gilderoy's body now. Stable and efficient.
"This is insane…," one student whispered. "With a Bloodmark like that, I could become the strongest fighter in the kingdom!"
Others nodded, whispering their own excited guesses about their own potential.
Gilderoy didn't respond to the praise. His sharp eyes stayed on Sevran, studying him for several long seconds, thinking of something.
Then suddenly he moved.
Without warning, Gilderoy stepped in and threw a punch of his own.
Sevran's eyes widened but his body reacted faster than his thoughts.
He shifted his weight, raised his arm, and blocked the strike with a sharp twist of his shoulder.
Sand burst beneath his feet as he turned, his other hand snapping forward in a counter that looked far too practiced for a first-year student.
The arena erupted in gasps.
Gilderoy's grin widened.
"I know you've had training, boy," Gilderoy said with a loud laugh.
The words echoed across the arena.
A wave of murmurs spread through the students almost instantly.
"Did you see that counter?"
Dominic blinked. Gaudia did the same. The two of them exchanged a brief glance with surprise clear in both their eyes.
So that's it.
Sevran swallowed hard.
He hadn't planned for this. His body had moved on its own, just like Gilderoy described. And now it was obvious to everyone watching.
Something he had wanted to hide for as long as possible was out in the open.
Gilderoy stepped back and clapped his hands together once.
"That's enough."
The sound cut through the noise.
"Today's introduction for my class is done," he announced. "You've seen what real combat training looks like. We'll start proper drills next class. Dismissed."
Relief washed over the arena. Students immediately began talking among themselves as they turned and filed toward the exits, excitement buzzing through the air.
Sevran sighed slowly, his shoulders finally loosening.
But before he could take more than a step away, a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder.
Sevran froze.
Gilderoy leaned in beside him, his grin wide and sharp. "Not so fast."
Sevran looked up. "Y-Yes, Professor?"
Gilderoy studied him closely, eyes burning with interest. "You've got good instincts and a solid foundation. And you don't waste motion. I see potential in you."
Sevran's heart skipped.
"Come to my extra training sessions," Gilderoy continued. "I don't invite just anyone. And I don't repeat myself."
Sevran hesitated for half a second, then nodded. "I… I will think about it, sir."
Gilderoy. "Good."
Only then did he release Sevran and wave him off.
Sevran walked away toward Dominic and Gaudia, his expression unreadable.
Whatever he had hoped to keep buried was no longer hidden while this was only the first day.
"Don't ask. I'm not ready to explain," Sevran glared at the two of them.
—