The afternoon sun stood high above the academy training grounds, its light falling sharply across the open arena as dust rose in faint, swirling patterns beneath swift movements. The space was alive with the clash of metal and the controlled rhythm of combat, and at its center—

Luca and Aurelia moved.

Not cautiously.

Not hesitantly.

But with intent.

Aurelia’s spear cut through the air in a precise arc, the tip flashing toward Luca’s shoulder with speed that would have overwhelmed most opponents, yet Luca shifted at the last possible moment, his body turning just enough to let the attack glide past him as one of his sabers rose in response, deflecting the follow-up strike with a clean, controlled motion.

The impact rang sharply.

Steel against steel.

But neither of them paused.

Aurelia stepped forward immediately, her grip tightening as she spun the spear around her body, using the momentum to launch another thrust—this time lower, aimed at his side—only for Luca to intercept it mid-path, his second blade sliding in from below to redirect the strike upward while his body pivoted seamlessly into a counter.

His movement was faster than before.

Not drastically.

But noticeably.

Refined.

His footwork carried less wasted motion, each step placed with deliberate precision as he pressed forward, his twin sabers moving in tandem, one attacking, the other controlling space, forcing Aurelia to adjust.

She did.

Effortlessly.

Her spear shifted from offense to defense in a single fluid motion, the shaft absorbing the force of his strike before she twisted it sharply, attempting to lock one of his blades in place.

Luca felt it.

And reacted instantly.

Instead of resisting, he released pressure, letting the force carry through as he stepped inward rather than away, closing the distance in a way that forced Aurelia to abandon the lock altogether.

Faster...

The thought flickered through his mind even as he moved.

Not just faster... cleaner.

His breathing remained steady.

His body responded without delay.

The compressed mana within him flowed with a smoothness he had never experienced before, each movement supported, reinforced, refined.

This is what Core Compression feels like...

Aurelia’s eyes narrowed slightly as she adjusted her stance, clearly noticing the shift.

"You’re different today," she said between movements, her voice steady even as she pushed forward again, her spear sweeping low before snapping upward in a sudden, sharp thrust aimed directly at his center.

Luca crossed both sabers in front of him, catching the strike just in time, the force pushing him back half a step—

But not further.

Before... that would have pushed me off balance.

He shifted his footing.

Stabilized.

Then pushed back.

Their weapons slid against each other before breaking apart once more, the distance between them opening briefly before collapsing again as both moved forward simultaneously.

Aurelia advanced with a rapid series of strikes, each one flowing into the next without pause, her spear weaving through the air with precision and speed, forcing Luca into a defensive rhythm as he parried, deflected, and redirected each attack with growing ease.

And yet—

He did not lose ground.

Not once.

Instead—

He matched her.

Step for step.

Strike for strike.

At one point, their weapons locked briefly, the shaft of her spear pressing against his crossed blades as they stood close, their eyes meeting for the briefest moment before both pushed off simultaneously, creating distance once again.

Aurelia’s lips curved slightly.

"...So it’s not just my imagination," she muttered, adjusting her grip.

Luca exhaled lightly.

"...Guess not."

They moved again.

Faster.

Sharper.

The exchange intensified as their movements blurred slightly against the afternoon light, dust rising beneath their feet as each clash echoed across the training ground, drawing occasional glances from those nearby.

Luca pressed forward this time, his sabers cutting in alternating arcs, forcing Aurelia onto the defensive as she shifted her stance, her spear spinning in tight, controlled motions to intercept each strike while maintaining her balance.

No unnecessary strain...

He noted it clearly now.

No lag between intent and movement...

Everything connected.

Everything flowed.

Aurelia stepped back once more, then suddenly surged forward, her spear thrusting with a burst of speed that aimed directly for his opening—

And Luca met it.

Perfectly.

One saber deflected the thrust.

The other slid along the shaft, closing in—

Until both stopped.

Simultaneously.

Her spear halted inches from his chest.

His blade hovered just at her shoulder.

Neither moved.

For a moment—

Time stilled.

Then—

They both exhaled.

Stepping back at the same time, lowering their weapons as the tension between them dissolved into the quiet aftermath of the spar.

Aurelia rolled her shoulder slightly, catching her breath as she planted the butt of her spear lightly against the ground.

"...Not bad," she said, though the faint smirk on her lips suggested more than simple approval.

Luca let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair as the exertion finally caught up to him, though even then, the fatigue felt... lighter than before.

"...Yeah," he replied, a small smile forming.

"...Not bad at all."

And for the first time—

They had ended in a draw.

The echo of their final clash still seemed to linger faintly in the air as both of them stepped away from the center of the training ground, the tension of combat dissolving into the quiet rhythm of recovery. The afternoon sun had softened slightly, its warmth no longer harsh but steady, casting a calm glow over the field as the dust they had stirred slowly settled back to the ground.

Luca and Aurelia moved to the side, taking a seat along the low stone boundary that edged the arena, their bodies still carrying the aftereffects of the intense spar. Their breathing remained heavy for a moment, chests rising and falling as they allowed their muscles to relax, the exertion finally catching up to them now that the fight had ended.

Aurelia reached for her water flask first, uncapping it with practiced ease before taking a long drink, the movement unrestrained, as though she had no intention of hiding her exhaustion. After a moment, she extended it toward Luca without a word.

He accepted it with a small nod.

"Thanks."

Tilting the flask, he took a steady drink, the cool water easing the dryness in his throat before he handed it back, leaning forward slightly as he rested his forearms on his knees, letting out a slow breath.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Aurelia glanced sideways at him, her expression thoughtful, though the faint hint of a smirk lingered beneath it.

"...So," she began, her tone casual, yet clearly curious, "why are you suddenly sparring with me today?"

Luca paused for a moment, his breathing still heavy, his gaze lowered as he let out one final, deeper exhale, as though releasing the last of the tension from the fight before answering.

"...Why can’t I come spar with you?" he replied slowly, his tone light but not dismissive as he lifted his head slightly.

Aurelia’s smirk deepened.

"Of course you can," she said, her voice carrying a teasing edge. "It’s just... you usually stick with my little brother and Aiden, don’t you?"

Luca let out a faint chuckle, reaching for the flask once more to take another sip before setting it down beside him. His gaze drifted forward, toward the open field, as his expression grew a little more thoughtful.

"Well... since I’ve broken through," he began, his tone more measured now.

Aurelia raised a brow immediately.

"What, you look down on them now?" she asked, her voice half-serious, half teasing.

Luca laughed at that, shaking his head as he leaned back slightly.

"Not at all," he replied, the amusement still present in his voice. "It’s just... I can’t really feel my limits when sparring with them anymore."

His gaze remained fixed ahead, thoughtful.

"So I wanted to see where I actually stand now," he continued, "and... sparring with you seemed like the best way to figure that out."

Aurelia watched him for a moment, then nodded slowly, her earlier teasing easing into understanding.

"...That makes sense," she admitted, resting her chin lightly against her hand as she looked at him.

A faint smile formed on her lips.

"You’ve definitely gotten stronger," she added, her tone carrying a quiet certainty now. "If we were back in the Holy Kingdom... you’d probably be able to take on most of the Holy Knights on your own."

Luca let out another soft laugh, shaking his head again.

"That sounds a bit exaggerated," he replied, though he didn’t entirely dismiss it.

A brief silence followed, comfortable and unforced, before Luca spoke again, his tone shifting slightly as he glanced toward her.

"By the way... what are you doing tonight?"

Aurelia looked at him, a hint of curiosity returning to her expression.

"Nothing much," she said. "Just some studying, probably."

Then, tilting her head slightly, she added,

"Why?"

Luca shook his head lightly, his expression casual.

"Just wondering."

There was a brief pause after that, as though something more had almost been said—but wasn’t.

Then he pushed himself up to his feet, stretching slightly as he rolled his shoulders back, the last traces of fatigue leaving his body.

"Well," he said, turning slightly as he looked down at her, "I’ll take my leave now."

The afternoon lingered quietly around them.

Unhurried.

Unfinished.

***

"Good evening.... professor Seraphina!"