Chapter 114: Self-Assessment
/// A/N - Chapter 113 has been redone completely, after it had some major flaws, please re-read it, because I've corrected some major mistakes. ///.
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(One Week Later, Rodova Military Academy – Practical Combat Class)
In the week following Rodova's dominant performance against the Nature Academy, the atmosphere within the military academy shifted significantly.
Watching the Circuits Team in action firsthand had ignited a fire within the first-year students, pushing them to approach combat with a newfound emphasis on strategy rather than just raw strength.
Gone were the days of mindless brawling, as students began to analyze their fights before engaging, carefully considering their matchups and adapting their tactics accordingly.
By now, nearly everyone in the class had faced off against one another multiple times, giving them a solid understanding of their peers' strengths and weaknesses. This, in turn, made their battles far more intricate and unpredictable, as students tried to outmaneuver one another rather than relying purely on brute force.
However—despite this surge in competitiveness, the dominance of Su Yang, Mu Shen, and Leo remained untouched.
While the rest of the class had grown noticeably stronger and their matchups had become more engaging, the trio continued to stand leagues above their peers, their superiority undisputed.
'It's getting easier and easier to fight within this class…' Leo thought, his fingers flexing as he sidestepped yet another incoming attack with casual ease.
'It's almost like… I don't even feel pressured by any of them except for when I face Mu Shen or Su Yang.'
A faint flicker of disappointment crossed his mind as he realized just how much the gap between him and his classmates had widened.
Ever since he had fully grasped the Complete Marrow Meditation Manual and begun meditating six hours a day without interruption, his body had started undergoing drastic changes.
His blood cells were rapidly replacing themselves, refining his physique to an entirely new level—one that placed him beyond the reach of his peers.
And to top it off, just a couple days ago—
He had received his second dose of the Genetic Awakening Serum alongside the rest of the class and the effects had been immediate.
His height had increased by another inch, his muscle density and bone structure had reinforced even further, and his body felt stronger than ever.
Unfortunately, unlike his first awakening, he hadn't unlocked any new skill moves this time.
But he had expected that.
It was common knowledge that the second shot was not as effective as the first one when it came to unlocking the body's hidden genetic potential, and from the second shot onwards, one could only expect a skill unlock to happen once in a blue moon.
But, although his abilities hadn't expanded, his raw stats had skyrocketed after the second shot.
And with the increasing gap between him and the rest of the class, Leo couldn't help but wonder—
Would the Practical Combat Class ever be a real challenge for him again?
'I wanted to go select a couple skill moves from the Academy Archive to learn today, however, it's hard to make a choice without understanding what exactly it is that I lack the most?
I know that I don't have any good defensive maneuvers on me, however, there are a thousand different types of defensive maneuvers…. The question is, which one do I need the most?' Leo thought disappointedly, as he had hoped to find the answers to his questions after facing a few tough fights, however, the peers in his class were simply not strong enough for him to feel the heat.
"Umm… Excuse me Major Hen—" Leo called out, after knocking his opponent out by giving him a chop to the neck, as from the far corner, Hen raised his eyebrow at the unexpected call.
"What is it, Skyshard?" He asked, as Leo shamelessly looked into his eyes, a serious expression on his face.
"Can you fight me next? I want to go a few rounds with you, if that's okay—" Leo said, as shockingly, the entire class fell momentarily silent, listening to his words.
The sound of metal clashing rolled to a pause, as for a moment, everyone awaited Hen's reply with bated breaths.
"Yo, did Skyshard really ask an instructor to be his sparring partner?"
"Is he suicidal or what? Major Hen is a Grandmaster! And a pretty strong one at that—"
"Skyshard is going to get his ass kicked today!"
The students around Leo whispered, however, Leo was not affected by their chatter even slightly.
Thankfully, due to [Monarch's Indifference], Leo was no longer affected by the opinion of the crowd around him.
As once he determined that something was important for his growth, he did not care what others thought about it, and pursued it regardless.
"Well sure, it's been a while since I've stretched my muscles…. So why not?" Hen replied, as he began rotating his shoulders, flexing his body as he prepared for his fight against Leo.
"Alright, Skyshard, let's see what you've got," Hen said as he took his starting spot within the sparring ring, planting his feet firmly on the ground.
"If you make me move a single step, backwards or forwards, it's your win–" Hen said, as listening to that declaration, Leo felt a lot more confident about his odds to win.
Taking a slow breath, Leo tried to think of the best strategy to attack his opponent, and after thinking about it for a while, he realized that if he did not attack Hen with a genuine intent to kill him, then he would most likely be swatted like a fly.
Hence, deciding to go in for the kill from the start, Leo coiled his muscles and decided to charge at full speed, once the battle began.
"Begin—" said the referee officiating the spar, as immediately—
Boom!
Leo shot forward, wasting no time, as he closed in the gap between himself and Hen in an instant.
"Take this—" he muttered, as he executed (The Kill Strike)—a textbook-perfect, high-speed thrust aimed straight for Hen's ribs.
But Hen didn't move.
He simply shifted his weight slightly.
And then—
WHAM!
Leo barely registered what had happened before an iron-like forearm slammed into his stomach.
His vision blurred. His breath escaped him.
His feet left the ground.
And then—CRASH!
Leo's body slammed against the floor, skidding back several meters.
What just…?
Leo coughed, his arms trembling as he pushed himself back up. He had never felt such raw impact before—Hen's strike had been devastating, and yet, it was clear that he had held back enough to avoid breaking bones.
Hen let out a short breath, shaking his head. "Too direct," he said, voice calm but firm. "That speed is good against fighters at your level, but not against me. Charging in recklessly only makes my job easier."
Leo clenched his fists, absorbing the lesson as he staggered back to his feet.
"Again," Hen said, stepping back to allow Leo to reset.
Leo narrowed his eyes. If charging in recklessly wouldn't work, then…
This time, instead of rushing straight in, he circled Hen, analyzing his stance. He activated (Vanish), flickering in and out of visibility, trying to confuse his opponent as he darted from angle to angle.
And then—
He struck from Hen's blind spot.
Leo's blade swung down—fast. Precise. Perfect.
But—
WHAM!
Leo felt his world spin as a heavy kick crashed against his side, sending him flying once again.
This time, he managed to land on his feet—barely—but the force still knocked him off balance.
"Better," Hen admitted, rolling his shoulders. "But you're too predictable. Your ability to vanish is impressive, but it's meaningless if you still follow basic attack patterns. Try again."
Leo's breathing was heavy now, but his mind was racing.
Think. Analyze. Adapt.
Hen was a wall. A moving fortress. His attacks weren't just strong—they were calculated. He wasn't just reacting to Leo's movements; he was dictating the pace of the fight.
Leo had never fought someone like this before.
But that didn't mean he couldn't learn.
This was exactly the kind of pressure that he needed if he wanted to understand just where he was lacking as a warrior, and hence, even though he was being humiliated, Leo enjoyed every second of this lesson.