AT THE SAME TIME
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
It was enough until I noticed a familiar person walking towards out direction. Headmaster Celvin stepped closer, his piercing eyes sweeping across the room before landing on Villiam.
"Is there a problem?" Celvin asked, calm but firm.
"Your prodigy thinks he's smarter than the entire teaching staff." Denlor muttered.
The Headmaster raised a brow, his gaze now fully locked on Villiam.
"Do you?"He asked.
Villiam stood slowly, eyes sharp.
"No, Headmaster. I know I'm more experienced." He didn't even sound smug.
He sounded like he was stating a fact. Silence. Thick, suffocating silence. Celvin's eyes gleamed like something ancient had stirred in him.
"Then perhaps we settle this the traditional way."Heamaster said.
The room held its breath as our hunting teacher grinned lightly.
"What do you mean, sir?" I asked, unsure if I wanted the answer.
The Headmaster's lips curled into the ghost of a smile. "The arena. We'll test Mr. Blackstone's knowledge with live examples. One of each rank. F through A. Let's see how his knowledge holds up against blood and bone."Headmaster said.
Gasps. Even Denlor blinked, shocked into silence. Villiam's eyes lit with something dark and satisfied.
"I accept."Villiam said.
Just like that. No hesitation. No fear.
"You will face each rank alone." Celvin said, his voice echoing now. "In front of your peers. Fail, and you'll attend every lesson without complaint. Succeed... and perhaps we start rewriting a few textbooks."
I couldn't look away. Neither could anyone else. Villiam smirked, just a flicker.
"Do I get to keep the loot?"Villiam asked.
"Only if you survive." Celvin replied, turning on his heel. "Arena. Tomorrow."
He left as swiftly as he came, robes trailing behind him like smoke fading into air. And Villiam? He just sat back down and tossed a wink my way like he hadn't just agreed to fight half the monsters in the Empire for fun.
"Don't think it's easy."Denlor said.
"It is. For me."Villiam said calmly.
Gods help us. I think that I am like my sister in love with a lunatic.
The gates of the arena creak open. The moment the Tuskjaw steps into the light, the crowd quiets down. Denlor, the hunting teacher, stands by, arms crossed, muttering to himself.
"Villiam Blackstone. Today, he will show us his skills, as he so confidently believes he knows better than the age-old teachings. Will his arrogance be justified, or will the beasts in this arena put him in his place?"Headmaster Celvin said.
The students snicker, muttering amongst themselves, already betting on how badly Villiam will fail.
"He's got no idea. Books know more than some arrogant fool."One of them said.
Villiam doesn't flinch. He stands still, watching the massive F-Rank Tuskjaw. The monster roars as it charges, tusks bared, and the crowd collectively holds its breath.
"Tuskjaw. F-rank. Mistake one. Don't ever get too close to its tusks. But also... don't stay too far."Villiam said.
The beast charges, moving fast, but Villiam remains calm, sidestepping the attack with effortless grace. The tusks slam into the stone floor with a thundering crash, leaving the Tuskjaw off-balance.
"He's got this… but it's too early to be impressed."I muttered.
"Books tell you to stay out of reach of the tusks. But they don't tell you what happens when the Tuskjaw misses. Its balance is compromised. Once you get in close, you have a moment to strike."Villiam explained.
With a swift motion, Villiam dashes forward, his blade flashing in the sunlight as he cuts deep into the Tuskjaw's underbelly. The beast lets out a horrified roar, its body collapsing as it falls to the ground, the life draining from it.
"Keep your enemies guessing. Don't just avoid their power, use it against them."Villiam said before pulling blade out.
The crowd was silent for a moment, stunned by the efficiency of the kill. Then, a slow, hesitant applause starts, then grows louder. Some students are too shocked to cheer, while others exchange murmurs of disbelief.
"Wait… that was it? He killed it like that?"One student said.
"He didn't even hesitate. That was different from what we've read…"Second student said.
Denlor shifted uncomfortably, his arms uncrossing for a moment as he muttered under his breath.
"Dammit, he's right. The books didn't say anything about striking there..."Denlor said.
"Well, well. Villiam Blackstone. You've shown us a different way today."The headmaster said. "Release E rank.
The ground shakes as a Slumberfang enters the arena. Its shadowy fur glows faintly, and its eyes burn with hunger. Villiam stepped forward, unsheathing his blade, eyes locking on the beast.
"Next, we have the Slumberfang, E-rank. Known for its speed and elusive attacks. Let's see if our bold contender can stand against it."The headmaster said.
"Slumberfang. E-rank. Mistake number two. You don't outrun it. You predict it."William said.
The Slumberfang pounced in an instant, its claws tearing through the air. Students gasped as they watched it move faster than anything they've ever seen.
"That's fast. Too fast…"I whispered.
"The books tell you to dodge. But they don't tell you to predict its next move. The Slumberfang relies on confusion, on misdirection. Don't run from it. Stay calm, observe, and strike when it's committed."Villiam said.
The beast tries to lunge again, but Villiam moves like a shadow, sliding underneath its body. As the Slumberfang turns to attack again, Villiam already has the opening he needs, striking at the vulnerable area between its ribs.
"You see? The key isn't avoiding it, it's knowing where it's going next."Villiam explained.
In a final, precise motion, Villiam delivers the killing blow, plunging his sword through the creature's heart. The Slumberfang lets out one final scream before collapsing.
"He just knew where it was going... How did he do that?"One student asked.
"It's like he could see into its movements… That wasn't just speed, he anticipated it. Another said.
"Dammit… he's more dangerous than I thought."Denlor muttered.
"Impressive. Villiam Blackstone is proving himself to be quite the... unconventional warrior."The headmaster said. "Release C rank, we don't have D right now."
The next beast to be released is the Dreadnought. It's a hulking figure, its thick armor nearly impenetrable, with claws that could tear through anything. The ground beneath it cracks as it takes its first steps into the arena.
"The Dreadnought. C-rank. This will be a true test. Can Villiam defeat this brute, or will he crumble like the others?"The headmaster asked the crowd.
"Dreadnought. C-rank. Mistake number three. Its armor isn't the real threat."Villiam said.
The Dreadnought charged, faster than expected for its size, and its claws rise to strike. Villiam doesn't move at first he's waiting. Villiam dodged the first strike easily, then ducked underneath another blow, his movements fluid and calculated. He gets close to the monster, darting in and out, finding the small gaps between its thick armor.
"The Dreadnought's true weakness is its rage. It's too focused on destruction. You don't need to fight it head on. You have to make it lose its temper."Villiam said.
The Dreadnought swings wildly, its movements becoming less coordinated with each failed strike. Villiam continues to slide in and out, landing hits on the monster's exposed joints.
"There's no such thing as an unstoppable monster. Every monster has a flaw."Villiam said as he pushed the blade into the monster joints. The Dreadnought roars in frustration, but with a final, crushing blow to the neck, Villiam ends the fight. The beast crashes to the ground with an earth shaking thud. The crowd goes wild. Some cheer, others stare in disbelief, but no one dares to speak as loudly as before. The students exchange hushed whispers.
"He's good. Damn good. Maybe even better than what's written in those damn books."Denlor said.
The crowd was still buzzing with excitement after the last fight. The Dreadnought had been a spectacle, and Villiam's performance, calm, precise, and calculated, had earned him respect and admiration. But the air now feels different. There's a shift, like a storm brewing.
"And that concludes Villiam Blackstone's demonstration. Let us applaud the skill and precision shown today. A display of mastery, without a doubt."Headmaster said.
Villiam stands at the center of the arena, breathing steadily, his expression unreadable as the crowd's cheers echo around him. But as the Headmaster tries to move the event to its conclusion, Villiam raises his hand, a determined look in his eyes.
"I'm not done yet. Give me a B-Rank monster."Villiam said, and crowd goes silent.