SSS Ranked Isekai: Summoned To The Apocalypse With My Classmates

The forest clearing was eerily quiet, the only sounds the labored breaths of the students and the dull thuds as they dropped their bags. 

Each bag landed with a forceful impact, creating small craters in the dirt. Aaron's knees buckled as he shrugged off the weight, his legs trembling beneath him.

"Finally," he muttered, adjusting his glasses with a shaking hand. His entire body felt like it was on fire, every muscle screaming for relief.

"Don't get comfortable," Sir Gideon said, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

Aaron groaned internally, looking up just in time to see a wooden sword flying toward him. He barely managed to catch it, the sudden weight nearly pulling him off balance.

"Darius!" Sir Gideon barked.

Darius straightened, his smirk widening.

"You're sparring with Aaron. Now."

Aaron's stomach sank. He glanced at Darius, whose confidence was practically radiating off him, and then at the wooden sword in his hands. 

It felt heavier than it should have, the weight of the weapon compounded by his exhaustion.

"Are you serious?" Aaron asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sir Gideon's expression didn't waver. "You'll thank me later. Now get into position."

Aaron sighed, forcing himself to his feet. His legs felt like they might give out at any moment, but he managed to shuffle to the center of the clearing. 

Darius was already waiting, twirling his sword lazily as though it were a toy.

"Ready to embarrass yourself, four-eyes?" Darius taunted, his grin sharp.

Aaron didn't reply. He tightened his grip on the sword, trying to steady his breathing.

"Begin!" Sir Gideon's command rang out.

Darius moved first, lunging forward with surprising speed. Aaron barely managed to raise his sword in time to block the strike, the impact sending a jolt through his arms. 

He stumbled back, his feet dragging against the dirt.

"Come on, Holt," Darius said, his tone mocking. "Try to keep up."

Aaron gritted his teeth, shifting into what he hoped was a defensive stance. He didn't have the energy to launch an attack, so he focused on blocking Darius's blows, each one coming faster and harder than the last.

His arms burned, his muscles straining with every parry. Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes and fogging his glasses.

"You're not even trying," Darius said, stepping back to give Aaron a brief reprieve. "This is pathetic."

Aaron took the moment to catch his breath, his grip tightening on the sword. He could feel the stares of the other students, their judgment heavy in the air.

Darius struck again, this time aiming for Aaron's side. Aaron twisted his body, the move awkward but effective, as the blade whizzed past him. 

He countered instinctively, swinging his sword in a wide arc.

To his surprise, the blade connected, smacking Darius's shoulder.

Darius stumbled back, his expression briefly shifting to shock before morphing into anger. "Lucky shot," he growled.

Aaron didn't have time to process what had just happened before Darius came at him again, his strikes more aggressive now. 

Aaron's blocks grew sloppier, each one leaving him more off balance than the last.

"Stay on your feet!" Sir Gideon barked.

Aaron tried, but his exhaustion was taking over. His legs felt like lead, his arms numb from the constant impacts. Darius, while slightly winded, still had the upper hand.

Another strike came, and this time Aaron couldn't block it in time. The wooden sword slammed into his ribs, knocking the air out of him. He fell to one knee, gasping for breath.

"Give up already," Darius said, standing over him. "You're not cut out for this."

Aaron's vision blurred, the edges darkening as he struggled to stay conscious. He could hear whispers from the other students, some murmuring about how unfair the match was.

But one voice cut through the noise.

"Get up," Naomi said, her tone firm but encouraging.

Aaron looked up, his gaze meeting hers. She wasn't smiling, but there was a fire in her eyes that reignited something inside him.

He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly but managing to stand. His grip on the sword tightened, his knuckles white.

"Let's finish this," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.

Darius rolled his eyes but didn't hesitate. He charged again, his blade swinging toward Aaron's shoulder.

This time, Aaron moved with purpose. He sidestepped the attack, letting Darius's momentum carry him forward. Before Darius could recover, Aaron swung his sword upward, the wooden blade connecting with Darius's wrist.

Darius yelped, dropping his sword as he stumbled back.

The clearing went silent.

Aaron stood there, panting and shaking, but victorious. He looked at Darius, who was clutching his wrist, his face a mixture of pain and disbelief.

"Winner: Aaron," Sir Gideon declared, his voice calm but with a hint of approval.

The other students erupted into murmurs, some shocked, others amused. Darius glared at Aaron but said nothing, his pride clearly wounded.

Naomi walked over to Aaron, her expression softening. "That was impressive," she said.

"Thanks," Aaron replied, his voice hoarse. He adjusted his glasses, which had somehow stayed on through the chaos, and let out a shaky breath.

Sir Gideon approached, placing a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "You fought through your exhaustion and found an opening. That's what it takes to survive. Well done."

Aaron nodded, the weight of the knight's words sinking in. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt like he'd accomplished something.

As the group dispersed, Aaron sat down on a nearby log, his body still trembling. Naomi sat beside him, handing him a water flask.

"You're tougher than you look," she said with a small smile.

Aaron chuckled, taking a sip of water. "I think I might actually believe that now."