strictlysupreme Chapter 63 There are no such people anymore.
Chapter 63 There are no such people anymore.
"Huff... how many monsters have we cleared?" Nora asked, panting. She's the one I'm making the most of here.
Why not choose Irina?
It's not because I'm being picky about her. Using fire magic means consuming oxygen and raising the temperature, as well as filling the room with smoke and carbon dioxide. This means the more we use it, the more suffocated we'll feel.
That's why I avoid using Irina's fire magic most of the time, only using it in certain situations.
In any case, in this way, after clearing out all the monsters, we finally reached the end of the exam.
Looking around, I saw that many people had already gathered here, most of them were high-ranking students.
The main characters are already there.
＜13号小队。所用时间，1小时48分钟。11/600＞
I nodded when I heard our ranking. The game's rankings aren't that detailed, but judging from the current situation, our ranking is quite good.
With someone like that in my team, and this dungeon suiting me, this ranking is one of the best results we can achieve right now.
I'm sure if I had been the leader from the beginning, we could have saved at least 15 minutes, but it doesn't matter.
The important things have been accomplished. Irina has learned her lesson, and she may perform even better in the future.
At the very least, she needs to learn how to cooperate. In the future, I don't want to deal with a little girl who thinks she's superior anymore. Basic respect is essential when interacting with others.
Turning my head, I saw Irina looking at me with slightly narrowed eyes. She walked towards me, her posture confident and her expression resolute. I could sense she had something to say, as if she had a challenge to throw at me.
“I could have led this team much better,” she said, her tone firm. “Don’t think you’re the only one who can lead us.”
I saw her pupils tremble slightly. She was trying to project a tough image, perhaps because of her pride.
"Really?" I answered calmly, but for some reason, I found it somewhat amusing. Her slightly trembling pupils and the hint of hesitation in her voice amused me. "Like last time?"
When I indirectly mentioned her previous exam results, she snorted, clearly unhappy with my response. Her pride was evident, but it was also obvious that she was somewhat dissatisfied with this comparison.
“Whatever,” she said softly, crossing her arms and averting her gaze. It was Irina’s classic gesture; her tough exterior masked her inner turmoil and reluctance.
Before I could say anything, she turned and left, her steps firm. Clearly, she didn't want to continue the conversation, but her voice reached my ears not far after she had gone.
"Thank you," she said softly, almost mumbled. It was a fleeting gratitude, perhaps a concession she didn't want to express, but it wasn't something I hadn't anticipated, nor was it something I wanted.
This is a meaningless expression of gratitude.
Gratitude or apology is not expressed in words, but in actions. You truly realize the meaning of these words when you change what you feel is inadequate, or when you consider the feelings of the person you are thanking.
“Victor, how are your grades?” I heard Irina trying to talk to Victor, but Victor’s attention was completely focused on the white-haired girl.
"First."
"You are the strongest as always."
"Even though those useless people did nothing, I alone am enough."
Looking at the girl trying to get the attention of the boy she liked, I felt sorry for her.
And so, the training session came to an end.
......
bang bang
Three stones flew towards me in quick succession, but I blocked them all with my hand.
Standing before me was our protagonist, his face bearing a slightly dejected expression. Something seemed to be troubling him, and I knew what it was.
'It must be his niece, Jane.'
I remember that little girl almost died right before my eyes, and I can understand how he felt.
In the game, the girl is dead, and we don't see any interaction between Ethan and her, but I remember there were some dialogues that would trigger when Ethan and Kaya were together.
However, this is a place for combat practice, not for thinking about other things. I'm not here to waste time, but to become stronger in every way.
Swoosh
I moved quickly and attacked his lower abdomen. He tried to block it by pressing his right elbow down, but that was a feint.
Because the elbow is located in the middle of the arm, to block an attack with the elbow, it must be tilted to one side. This limits the flexibility of movement.
Bang
I skillfully landed a hook punch on his chin.
bang bang
His body reacted quickly, and after our sparring, his reactions had become quite precise, but that wasn't enough. When his mind wasn't on the subject, he couldn't withstand my relentless attacks.
Bang
"Uh--"
When he felt a kick to the stomach, he spat out saliva.
Bang
With a loud bang, he fell to the ground.
“Looks like you don’t want to continue sparring now,” I said, looking at Ethan lying in front of me. His blue hair was soaked, just like mine. Considering that I’m much weaker than him, it’s a miracle I was able to handle this training.
“I know you have something on your mind, but if you’re going to have a match, you have to concentrate. Otherwise, we’re both just wasting our time.”
If I want to practice with a mindless puppet, I can do it every time in the training ground.
Ethan sat there, head down. Although his hair blocked my view, I knew what he was thinking.
"Sorry, I'm a little preoccupied," he finally spoke, a hint of helplessness in his voice. Then he stood up and looked at me.
His face lacked its usual confident expression, and his dazzling aura was absent.
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue. "Come on." Since we're stuck in this classroom pretending to spar, this is the only way.
Ethan sighed deeply, his shoulders slumped as if bearing a heavy burden. He took a few steps back, creating distance between us, his posture more subdued than usual. Clearly, he was still troubled by what was on his mind.
When we got back into fighting stance, the atmosphere changed. It wasn't just the physical confrontation, but also the lurking distraction between us that made the atmosphere more tense.
Swoosh
I lunged forward, and this time Ethan reacted with sharp, focused precision. He blocked my attack with fluid, controlled movements.
Bang
I then launched a series of precise punches, while Ethan countered with perfectly timed defenses. His reactions were flawless, and it was clear that his focus was now fully back on the fight.
bang bang
My attack clashed with his defense, and I could see the determination in Ethan's eyes. He was fully engaged in the sparring, his movements fluid and powerful.
Bang
Ethan swiftly deflected my kick and countered with a punch aimed at my midsection. His attack was precise; he was clearly back in fighting spirit.
Our exchange continued, both of us pushing ourselves to the limit. Ethan's focus remained unwavering, his movements proving his fighting prowess. We alternated between attack and defense.
I can feel myself improving; my body has become part of every movement. Clearly, I'm much better than in the last sparring session.
However, I noticed a change.
Ethan's eyes flickered, his attention momentarily diverted. His movements became slightly hesitant, as if he were beginning to lose touch with the battle.
It seems his thoughts are starting to wander again.
'Tsk, do you have ADHD?'
Swoosh
I seized the opportunity and swiftly launched a hook punch towards his side. But Ethan blocked it in time; although distracted, his defense remained instinctive. In some way, even though I was stronger than him in combat, as the protagonist, he undoubtedly possessed one of the most powerful bodies in the world.
Bang
He swiftly counterattacked, launching a series of fierce attacks; his initial hesitation was replaced by automatic reflexes. His body had learned how to move.
He's a monster, I see that clearly.
His punches landed with pinpoint accuracy, forcing me to concentrate all my energy on defending against his attacks.
But his focus remained unfocused. Despite his exceptional talent, he was not capable of defeating me unconsciously.
I could tell from the fleeting shift in his eyes that his thoughts had clearly wandered away from our sparring session again. As his movements became more predictable, I seized the opportunity.
Swoosh
I dodged his punch and swiftly landed a hook to his ribs. The impact produced a clear sound, and I saw Ethan's surprise at the successful attack.
Bang
Ethan staggered backward, panting. He shook his head, seemingly trying to clear his mind, but this distraction had already paid the price.
"Annoying."
After saying that, he rushed towards me, and my elbow almost touched his punch.
Ding
At that very moment, the bell rang, announcing the end of our sparring session. My elbow was only a millimeter away from his fist, almost causing him excruciating pain.
"Tsk."
We all stepped back and stood there, panting. I looked at Ethan; he had his head down and looked somewhat dejected.
Feeling that today's class was a bit chaotic, I was about to leave when I sensed Ethan make a move. He sighed deeply, his eyes downcast. "Morse, can I ask you a question?"
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden change of topic. "What is it? If it's a silly question like last time, I won't answer it."
“Haha…it’s not like that,” he replied, a slight smile playing on his lips. But then his expression turned serious. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “How do you cope with the pain of losing someone you cherish?”
His question took me by surprise. It was unexpected, and I felt it crossed an unspoken line between us. After all, Ethan and I weren't close. We rarely spoke, except for sparring. But his sincere expression clearly indicated that he was troubled by some profound personal problem.
However, as I spoke to him, her image appeared in my mind.
The same scene unfolded: her chest was pierced by claws. Blood gushed from her mouth.
The devil's twisted expression.
My hands were bound.
And that little smile she gave before she closed her eyes.
"There are no such people anymore."