Ravenna slowly adjusted her grip on the practice sword.

The arena had gone completely silent now.

No one was laughing anymore.

No one whispered.

Because every upperclassman present could see it clearly—

Alex Thorn wasn’t surviving through luck.

He was adapting in real time.

Adoff paced anxiously near the arena wall, claws scraping lightly against the stone floor.

I really hate this academy.

Alex wiped a small line of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Could’ve warned me the teachers here fight like murderers."

Ravenna’s expression didn’t change.

"If that injured you, then you’re weaker than I thought."

"...That sounded personal."

Boom.

She moved again.

Alex’s pupils narrowed instantly.

This time he reacted earlier.

Clang!

Their blades collided mid-step instead of at the last second.

The impact still blasted cracks across the battlefield, but Alex managed to hold his ground slightly longer this time.

Ravenna noticed immediately.

So did everyone else.

"He adjusted already..."

"That’s impossible."

Ravenna twisted her blade sharply.

Alex instinctively shifted his stance to redirect the force instead of blocking directly—

Boom!

The ground beneath him still shattered, but his body no longer got thrown backward.

Adoff blinked.

...Okay that was actually kinda cool.

Ravenna’s golden eyes sharpened slightly.

"Better."

Then she accelerated.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The attacks became relentless.

Every strike targeted something different.

Shoulder.

Neck.

Knee.

Wrist.

Ravenna wasn’t simply overpowering him.

She was dissecting his fighting style.

Testing every weakness.

Alex quickly realized something terrifying—

She wasn’t using full strength.

Not even close.

And yet he could barely keep up.

His arms burned from the impacts while his instincts screamed warnings nonstop.

But—

His movements were improving.

Tiny adjustments.

Smaller reactions.

More efficient positioning.

Battle Instinct adapted rapidly under pressure.

Ravenna suddenly swept low.

Alex jumped backward instantly—

Wrong choice.

Boom!

Her fist slammed directly into his guard midair, sending him flying across the battlefield again.

He landed roughly before skidding across the stone floor.

Several upperclassmen winced.

"That had to hurt..."

Alex slowly pushed himself upright again.

His entire body ached now.

But his eyes remained sharp.

Focused.

Excited.

Ravenna studied him silently.

"...You enjoy this."

Alex rolled his shoulder once.

"Not really."

"You’re smiling."

He paused briefly.

"...That’s probably a bad sign."

A few upperclassmen laughed nervously.

Adoff groaned internally.

You’re becoming more insane by the minute.

Suddenly—

A blue screen flickered before Alex’s eyes.

[Battle Instinct Lv. 2 → Lv. 3]

[Condition fulfilled.]

[Skill Acquired]

└ Combat Flow Lv. 1

Alex blinked once.

Then smiled wider.

Ravenna immediately noticed.

"...You just gained something."

The entire arena froze.

"What?"

"She can tell?!"

Alex looked genuinely surprised.

"You can sense that?"

Ravenna lowered her sword slightly.

"Your mana shifted."

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Most people couldn’t notice system-related growth at all.

This woman somehow sensed the change instantly.

Dangerous.

Ravenna pointed her blade toward him again.

"Show me."

Alex adjusted his grip on the [Abyss Blade].

Then—

Boom.

He moved first this time.

The battlefield cracked beneath his feet as he lunged forward faster than before.

Several upperclassmen widened their eyes immediately.

"He got faster again?!"

Clang!

Ravenna blocked effortlessly.

But Alex didn’t stop.

His movements flowed differently now.

Cleaner.

More connected.

Each strike transitioned naturally into the next instead of relying purely on instinctive aggression.

Ravenna’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Combat Flow.

Even Alex could feel the difference.

Less wasted movement.

Less hesitation.

More precision.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The pace intensified rapidly.

Shockwaves exploded across the arena while both figures blurred through the battlefield.

Upperclassmen stared in disbelief.

A first-year was actually exchanging blows with Ravenna Voss.

Even if she held back—

That alone sounded ridiculous.

Alex twisted beneath another strike before counterattacking toward her ribs.

Ravenna blocked.

But for the first time—

She stepped back.

The arena immediately erupted.

"She MOVED!"

"No way—"

Adoff’s tail wagged slightly before he forced it to stop.

Okay maybe I’m a little proud.

Ravenna looked down briefly at the practice sword in her hand.

A small crack had formed near the center.

Then she looked back at Alex.

"...Interesting."

That word again.

And somehow, hearing it from her sounded dangerous.

Alex exhaled slowly.

His body screamed in pain now.

Every muscle burned.

Yet the system continued stabilizing his movements gradually.

Ravenna stepped forward once more.

This time—

Her aura changed.

The atmosphere instantly became heavier.

The upperclassmen immediately stiffened.

One student near the back whispered quietly:

"...She’s getting serious."

Adoff’s ears flattened.

NOPE.

Even Alex felt it immediately.

The pressure earlier had been overwhelming.

This felt different.

Sharper.

Predatory.

Ravenna lifted the sword casually onto her shoulder.

"Final lesson," she said calmly.

The arena became completely silent.

"Raw talent means nothing."

Then—

Boom.

The entire battlefield shattered beneath her movement.

Alex barely reacted in time.

Clang!!!

The impact blasted through his defense instantly.

For the first time since the fight started—

Alex lost control completely.

The [Abyss Blade] nearly flew from his grip as Ravenna’s strike sent him skidding violently across the arena floor.

His arms went numb immediately.

Fast.

Too fast.

Heavy.

Too heavy.

Ravenna appeared directly in front of him before he could recover.

Her blade stopped one inch from his throat.

Silence filled the arena.

Alex looked upward calmly despite the sword at his neck.

Ravenna stared down at him.

"This," she said quietly, "is the difference between surviving... and being strong."

The entire arena remained frozen.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Then Ravenna slowly lowered her blade.

"Class dismissed."

The pressure vanished instantly.

Students exhaled sharply all around the arena.

Alex remained sitting on the cracked battlefield for another second before sighing deeply.

"...Yeah, okay. That was educational."

Adoff immediately rushed over toward him.

You almost died AGAIN.

"I’m starting to notice a pattern."

Ravenna turned away calmly before speaking one final time.

"Alex Thorn."

He looked up.

Her golden eyes met his.

"You’re weak."

The upperclassmen visibly stiffened hearing her say that so directly.

But Ravenna continued.

"However..."

A faint smirk appeared on her face.

"You learn faster than anyone I’ve seen in years."

Then she walked away.

Leaving the entire arena staring silently at Alex.