Chapter 75: Chapter 75

By the time Lindarion arrived at the training grounds, a small crowd of students had already gathered.

'Of course they would gather..'

Vivienne Valerian didn't challenge people often. And when she did?

She didn't lose…well, except to Luneth. But she was built different.

Lindarion scanned the onlookers, noting familiar faces—some first-years, some upperclassmen.

Even Jack Valerian was there, arms crossed, watching with a blank expression.

Lindarion smirked slightly.

'He probably thinks she will embarrass me, how insane is he mentally..?'

Vivienne was already waiting in the center of the sparring ring, her posture relaxed but poised.

She turned as Lindarion stepped into the ring, her sharp eyes assessing him.

"Good," she murmured. "You actually showed up."

Lindarion rolled his shoulders.

"You sound surprised."

Vivienne's expression remained unreadable. "I wasn't sure if you'd take me seriously."

Lindarion exhaled. "I only take actual fights seriously."

Vivienne's lips curled slightly.

Instructor Sera Vallora stepped forward, arms crossed.

"ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP."

The murmurs in the crowd quieted.

Sera's fiery red gaze swept over them.

"STANDARD RULES. NO WEAPONS, NO MAGIC—JUST TECHNIQUE."

She looked between Lindarion and Vivienne.

"FIRST TO SCORE THREE CLEAN HITS WINS."

Vivienne nodded once. "Understood."

Lindarion tilted his head slightly. Easy enough.

Sera stepped back, raising a hand.

Vivienne moved first.

Not just physically—but mentally.

Her approach was clean, controlled—testing his reaction.

She threw a sharp feint toward his ribs—not meant to land, just meant to see how he moved.

Lindarion didn't take the bait.

Instead of dodging, he simply shifted slightly, just enough to make the attack useless.

Vivienne's eyes flickered.

She adjusted instantly, following up with a real strike—a precise elbow aimed at his jaw.

Lindarion leaned back.

The attack missed by a breath.

Vivienne didn't hesitate.

She flowed into the next motion, her body turning with perfect efficiency, aiming a sharp kick toward his legs—

Lindarion stepped forward instead of back.

And with perfect timing—

A brief moment of pause.

Vivienne's eyes widened slightly as her balance was thrown off.

She was quick. She adjusted immediately, avoiding a full takedown—

But she couldn't stop him from scoring the first hit.

A controlled tap against her ribs.

The watching students murmured.

Vivienne exhaled slowly.

Vivienne was many things.

Prideful. Arrogant. But most of all—adaptive.

This time, she didn't rush.

Lindarion took a step forward.

She shifted her weight slightly—not committing to an attack, just responding.

'Good. Make this worth my while.'

Lindarion tested her.

He feinted a strike toward her ribs—similar to how she had tested him earlier.

Vivienne didn't fall for it.

Instead, she countered instantly—aiming for the opening he had left.

Lindarion had anticipated her reaction before she even moved.

The moment she committed to the strike, he was already gone.

And another controlled tap against her shoulder.

The watching students murmured louder.

Vivienne didn't react.

Then—she smiled again.

But this time, it was sharper.

Vivienne changed her approach.

Instead of engaging directly, she adjusted her distance.

Not attacking immediately—waiting for him to move first.

Lindarion raised an eyebrow.

She knew she couldn't outread him, so now she was forcing him to act first.

Because Lindarion had already won.

He stepped forward—a deliberate movement.

Vivienne's body tensed slightly, preparing to react.

And that was all he needed.

Because at that moment, he did nothing.

A brief second of uncertainty.

And in a fight of this level—that was death…or loss. To be more precise.

Lindarion moved instantly.

A clean, precise strike—his palm pressing lightly against her shoulder.

Vivienne exhaled slowly, rolling her shoulders.

Just genuinely amused.

Lindarion tilted his head. "Something funny?"

Vivienne shook her head, smiling.

"You really are something."

Lindarion smirked. "I know."

Then—she turned sharply on her heel and walked away.

The watching students whispered.

Jack Valerian was still stone-faced.

Cassian groaned. "Of course you won."

Luneth simply nodded once.

Lindarion stretched, sighing.

"Alright," he muttered. "What's next?"

Cassian groaned again.

"Can you just let the rest of us catch up first?"

The whispers in the crowd hadn't even died down when Sera Vallora stepped forward.

Lindarion immediately noticed.

Not because she was loud—she was always loud—but because the air shifted around her.

The natural command in her movements, the way students instinctively made way for her—it wasn't just respect.

Sera Vallora was not a normal instructor.

She was looking directly at him.

Her crimson eyes gleamed with something dangerous.

"Not bad, Sunblade," she said, rolling her shoulders. "Didn't think you'd handle Vivienne that well."

'Why do I sense a 'but' coming?'

"But…" she continued, cracking her knuckles, "you still haven't fought someone like me."

Cassian made a strangled noise.

"Wait, wait—hold on—"

She tilted her head, eyes locked on Lindarion.

"Since you're already warmed up…" she smirked, "how about you and I have a little match?"

The training grounds fell silent.

Even the upperclassmen students who were watching from the sides were surprised, they usually had nothing but arrogant expressions , but that changed now completely.

"Is… is she serious?" someone whispered.

"She's an instructor," another muttered. "That's not even fair—"

"Maybe she's just going to test his skill?"

Lindarion exhaled sharply.

Sera Vallora wasn't challenging him to win.

She was challenging him to see what he was made of.

'She is going to be holding back.'

Of course she would hold back.

If she went all out, he'd be on the ground before Cassian could count to fifteen.

Lindarion rolled his shoulders.

"Fine," he said simply.

Cassian's jaw dropped. "You're actually saying yes?"

Lindarion glanced at him. "Would you say no?"

Then, very quietly, "Yes."

"Good," she said. "Let's make this quick."

Lindarion stepped into the ring again, standing across from Sera.

She wasn't even in a stance.

She stood completely relaxed.

But Lindarion knew better than to be fooled.

Sera Vallora didn't need to stand properly.

Because she was already prepared to move the second the fight started.

"Rules are the same," she said. "First to three points wins."

She flexed her fingers.

"I won't use my full strength."

Then—her grin widened.

"But you better use yours."

Lindarion's eyes sharpened.

Lindarion had been watching her carefully.

Even before she moved, he knew her speed would be a problem.

And still—he barely saw her move.

One second, she was standing across from him.

She was already at his side.

Lindarion reacted instantly.

A hard pivot, his arms snapping up to block—

Sera's strike was already past his defense.

A solid hit—just a tap against his ribs.

That would have been enough to break something.

Sera stepped back, smirking.

The students were muttering now.

"She's that fast while holding back?"

"Lindarion couldn't even block it—"

He wasn't discouraged.

He had learned something.

Sera wasn't just faster.

She was unpredictable.

Which meant—he couldn't fight her normally.

This time, Lindarion moved first.

The moment Sera stepped toward him, he attacked immediately.

He knew he couldn't match her in pure speed—so instead?

He forced her to react.

A sharp feint to the left—then a real strike to the right.

She dodged—but barely.

And that was the opening Lindarion needed.

He adjusted instantly, his movements precise, striking where she was moving instead of where she was.

A light tap against her shoulder.

The crowd erupted in whispers.

"He actually scored?"

Cassian looked like he was about to faint.

As if she had expected it.

Sera stepped back, shaking out her arms.

"Well," she mused, "that's interesting."

"Let's pick up the pace, boy."

Sera stopped holding back.

But enough for Lindarion to feel the difference immediately.

She closed the distance so fast it felt like she had teleported.

Lindarion barely managed to react, dodging by a hair's breadth.

But Sera was already moving again.

Not literally—but she might as well have.

One moment, Lindarion saw her in front of him.

His instincts screamed.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up—a sharp pivot, his arms coming up to guard.

A fist slammed into his ribs—controlled, precise, just hard enough to knock him back.

Lindarion barely managed to recover his stance.

The moment he blinked, she was already moving again.

Another strike—faster, sharper.

Lindarion dodged—but only barely.

He countered immediately, aiming for the gap she had left.

Sera's grin widened—like she had been waiting for that.

She twisted, her movements fluid, unreadable—

And before Lindarion could adjust—

A sharp tap against his ribs.

"He almost had her, though—"

Lindarion exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders.

Sera took a step back, flexing her fingers.

"Not bad," she admitted. "You lasted longer than I expected."

Lindarion didn't respond.

Because his mind was already replaying everything.