The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

"Let's go again!"

The words barely left my mouth before Eleonora's lips curled up into a smirk.

"That's the kind of reaction I wanted to see!"

Her eyes glittered with excitement. She immediately dropped into a fighting stance, hands poised in front of her, legs bent and ready to spring.

But this time...

I wasn't going to fight like I usually did.

I wasn't going to follow any patterns or predictable movements. I was going to let my instincts take over.

And instead, I'm going to use the strange movements I always used against stronger opponents.

The most unpredictable way possible.

A high-risk, high-reward style.

I didn't wait for her to make the first move.

I lunged forward, taking an unexpected angle—my feet sliding across the floor in a smooth arc, aiming right for her left side.

But then, without warning, I twisted my body mid-step, bam—a hard jab aimed at her face, but she sidestepped, already prepared to counter.

SWISH!

Her hand was coming for me, but I let it happen.

I let her strike.

THUD!

She landed a hit square on my chest, the force of her palm sending me stumbling backward. My chest burned, but I didn't care.

I didn't even flinch.

I let her think I was down.

Let her think she had me.

"HAH!"

She followed up with a quick left hook aimed for my jaw, but this time, I was ready.

I dropped low, sliding under her arm, my own fist shooting upward, landing solidly in her side with a sickening thud.

"Kugh!"

A solid hit!

Eleonora grunted, stumbling back as I followed up with a kick to her midsection, driving her further off-balance.

But she didn't let herself fall.

Instead, she spun, fast and sharp, throwing a roundhouse kick aimed directly at my head.

I didn't even bother dodging it.

I let it hit me.

THWACK!

The impact rattled my skull.

My body was momentarily stunned, but I didn't stop.

I didn't let the pain slow me down. Instead, I leaned into the hit, using it to propel myself forward and grab hold of her leg.

"Gotcha!"

She struggled against my grip, but I wasn't giving her a chance to break free.

My body twisted with hers, and with a sharp tug, I spun her off balance. She hit the ground with a loud thud, but before she could react, I was already on top of her.

SMACK

I planted a fist into her side, hitting her with a flurry of punches, each one landing faster and harder than the last.

But then, Eleonora surprised me.

With a sharp movement, she caught my fist in mid-air, blocking the next punch with one hand while her other shot out, slamming into my stomach.

"Hagh!"

The air was knocked out of me, and I stumbled back, but I didn't give up. I quickly lunged forward again, aiming a kick for her side.

But she blocked it with her forearm, barely even flinching.

My jaw tightened.

Eleonora straightened up before a smirk apçpeared on her lips.

"I'm starting to see through your tricks." She wiped a bit of dust off her sleeve as if completely unfazed by my earlier attacks.

"And unfortunately, that's not enough to win, Aestrea."

Before I could react, she moved.

Her body a blur of motion, she closed the distance between us, her fist crashing into my chest with a sickening CRACK.

I staggered back, struggling to keep my balance.

The blow felt like it had knocked the wind out of me again.

"HAH!"

I barely had time to recover before she was on me again. This time, her foot swept low, taking my legs out from under me with a quick and precise move.

I hit the ground hard, a sharp pain running up my spine.

"Ugh!"

I rolled to my feet quickly, but Eleonora was already there, blocking my punch with a quick move before driving her knee into my ribs.

I gasped for air, my body screaming at me for a break.

But there was no time to stop.

She wasn't holding back anymore.

"That was... too slow."

Her voice was cool and detached as she threw another series of punches at me. I barely managed to deflect one, but the others landed—hard.

BAM! BAM!

Each hit was harder than the last, and I could feel my body starting to ache.

My thoughts raced as I tried to keep up with her, but it was harder now.

She was blocking my strikes, countering with brutal efficiency.

I threw another punch, but Eleonora ducked under it, spinning with a graceful motion and landing a sharp elbow into my back.

CRACK!

I grunted, my body jerking forward.

Fwip!

I immediately threw a quick jab, followed by a low kick aimed at her legs.

Eleonora blocked the jab, but she didn't expect the kick. It struck her side with a sharp THUD, and she stumbled slightly.

I pushed forward, throwing a knee up toward her chest.

THWACK!

She gasped, and I seized the opportunity, going for a straight punch aimed at her face.

But she was too fast, her arm shooting up to block the blow, and then her other hand struck with lightning speed, landing a clean shot to my ribs.

CRACK!

I coughed, feeling the impact deep in my chest.

"Didn't I tell you? I've got the hang of it now," she said, her tone calm, almost too calm, as she looked at me with her arms crossed.

I took the chance to get distance away from here.

Damn it.

What could I do to hit her?!

Her combat technique and mana control are better than mine.

My unusual moves don't work anymore.

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

What else can I do—

Thump!

H-huh…?

What is this... feeling?

Tick...

...Tock.

My body twitched slightly.

I could hear my heartbeat, but it wasn't just in my ears.

It felt like it was reverberating through my entire body, vibrating through my ribs, my limbs, as though everything was in sync with that tock.

That feeling… it was like a switch was flipping inside me.

I remembered Eleonora's words, echoing in my head.

"Trust your instincts."

A sudden rush of clarity filled my mind.

For the first time, I let go of everything I knew—everything I thought I knew about combat.

This wasn't about technique or thought-out movements anymore.

It was about feeling, about reacting to the rhythm of the fight in my body.

I let go.

Fwoop!

Without thinking, without hesitation, I dashed toward Eleonora. My feet moved faster than I could track, my body already in motion before my mind had time to question it.

She reacted instantly.

Fwip!

A jab came flying at my face, but this time, I was ready for it.

Thump!

I ducked under it, my body moving on instinct, as if I had always known it would happen. It felt natural—like it was the most obvious thing to do.

But in that same motion, she twisted her body, launching a powerful kick at my side.

My right arm shot up, adjusting instinctively to meet it.

Ssshhh!

Her leg slid down my arm, the force of her kick gliding smoothly against my skin, but I didn't let up.

I didn't think about what to do next—I just did it.

I threw a quick, forceful punch at her exposed stomach.

Plop!

She easily caught it, clenching it forcefully.

Thump!

But right now...

Her movements seemed quite slow.

『 Body's Time Acceleration (✯ 8th-Level Spell ✯) 』

My movements felt… different, almost like I was moving faster than the flow of time around me.

In that instant, I twisted my body downward, bending low, diving toward the ground, my hand pressing against the floor for support.

THUD!

I spun my legs in the air, a fluid, fast movement aimed directly at Eleonora's head.

"Haagh!"

I could hear her grunt as my feet connected with her head, knocking her backward slightly.

But I wasn't finished.

I planted my other hand on the ground, pushing myself forward, using my legs to launch me back into the fray.

Eleonora was still recovering, her movements sluggish from the blow.

"H-how d-did you get so fast?"

But I wasn't listening to her.

I was already moving again.

BAAAM!

I surged forward, but a burst of mana leaked from her body—an uncontrolled release of energy.

The pressure hit me like a wall.

I had to retreat, jumping back a few paces.

I could feel the energy rolling off of her, pushing against me, like a gust of wind that was just too powerful to ignore.

She was using more of her power now.

I could feel it.

Eleonora smiled.

Her stance shifted again, going from surprised to serious in the blink of an eye. She was ready to fight again, no hesitation.

Thump!

I lunged forward, throwing a quick jab aimed at her face, but she dodged to the side with a fluid movement.

Swoosh!

Her hand shot out to my side, fast and precise. I barely managed to twist my torso, blocking it with my forearm.

The impact made my bones rattle, but I didn't flinch.

"Not bad."

She murmured, her voice sharp and steady as she followed up with a low kick.

Thud!

Her foot connected with my knee, sending a shock through my leg, but I didn't stop. My other leg shot forward, aiming for her midsection.

Splat!

She blocked it with her arm, pushing me back. I took a moment to step back, resetting, but my heart was already racing.

It was almost like I could hear her movements before she made them.

She smirked.

"You're getting better," Eleonora said, raising an eyebrow.

"But you're still predictable."

I gritted my teeth, my muscles tense, and before I could think, I lunged again, more erratically this time.

My movements weren't clean; they were messy and disjointed, but that was the point.

I wanted to throw her off.

Swoosh!

Eleonora easily dodged, her eyes catching my every move.

ut then—

CRACK!

I slammed my fist into her ribs, the sound of the punch ringing through the air. Her body jerked back, and for a moment, her expression flickered with surprise.

"Got her!"

But she recovered quickly.

Her fist shot out, aimed at my chest, and this time, I didn't have time to react.

BAM!

Her punch landed hard, sending me skidding backward across the ground. My chest burned from the impact, but I didn't give her the satisfaction of seeing me wince.

"That's the kind of punch I've been waiting for," she said, a playful grin spreading across her face.

"Let's see if you can handle a few more."

She was coming at me fast now, faster than before. I had to move, or I'd be hit again.

Fwip!

I slid to the side, narrowly avoiding her punch.

Her other fist came down, and I caught it with both hands, but the force behind it made my knees bend. She was pushing harder now, testing my limits.

Screech!

Her foot swept at my legs, aiming to knock me off balance, and I barely managed to jump over it.

Thud!

I landed hard, but kept my footing.

Fwip!

I darted to the left, anticipating her next move, and when she aimed another punch, I dodged and twisted around her, sending an elbow straight into her back.

Crack!

Her body jerked forward, but she quickly regained her balance, spinning to face me.

"You're improving," she said, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow, but there was a fire in her eyes.

Thump!

I felt my heartbeat in my chest again, louder now. I was on the edge of something. I couldn't think too much, couldn't hesitate.

Just react.

Fwip!

Before I knew it, I was right on top of her, throwing a series of quick punches to her face and chest.

Thud!

She blocked the first few, but one of my strikes slipped through, catching her cheek.

"Ah," she grinned, wiping the blood from her lip.

"That's more like it."

She stepped back, then closed the distance in an instant, throwing a lightning-fast roundhouse kick.

I barely managed to duck under it, but the wind from her foot brushed my hair.

Swoosh!

I wasn't fast enough to avoid her second strike, though. Her fist hit my shoulder, spinning me around.

Thud!

I stumbled but didn't fall.

I was out of breath, my body aching, but I refused to let up.

Fwip!

I charged at her again, my body moving before I even thought about it. This time, I didn't throw punches.

I faked left, then right, weaving unpredictably, hoping to throw her off.

But Eleonora's eyes locked onto mine.

She wasn't fooled.

Swoosh!

She sidestepped my attack and grabbed my wrist, twisting it behind my back. I gasped in pain as she yanked my arm, forcing me to the ground.

Thud!

I landed hard, but before she could pin me, I kicked my legs out, sweeping her feet from under her.

Plop!

Eleonora fell with a surprised grunt, but in the blink of an eye, she was already up again, her eyes flashing with excitement.

It's not enough...

I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

Fwip!

I moved again, pushing forward, throwing punch after punch, each one faster than the last. This time, I didn't think—no time for that.

I just felt it.

The flow of the fight, the rhythm of her movements. I knew what she was going to do before she even did it.

She blocked my first few hits, but then I slipped one past her guard. My fist connected with her jaw with a sickening CRACK!

She staggered back, her eyes narrowing.

"Nice one," she muttered.

"But you'll have to do better than that."

I could see it now. The small cracks in her defense. The way she hesitated ever so slightly. That's all I needed.

One mistake.

Fwip!

I moved again, faster, leaning into the fight, giving everything I had.

But Eleonora was no slouch.

Swoosh!

Her kick came out of nowhere, hitting me square in the chest with a powerful BAM!

I flew back, hitting the ground with a painful THUD!

Everything around me felt distant for a moment as I gasped for air. The fight had become a blur. I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up.

But then I heard it again.

Tick...

...Tock.

And just like that, everything clicked again.

I could feel it.

The moment I'd been waiting for.

A cold breath escaped my lips...

『 Time Freeze (✯ 9th-Level Spell ✯) 』

Soon, a black-colored clock symbol appeared in both of my pupils.

And in front me, Eleonora had frozen entirely.