It’s been a few days since then. Needing to go to class was one thing, but another trouble was keeping this person off my tail. At least he had the decency to not intrude or try to look for me in the dormitory. It would be a pain in the ass if he was even waiting for me when I was in the bathroom.

“Fight me!”

I’ve gotten used to him saying that. I ignored him for the most part. He should realize that he was putting me in quite the predicament too.

Because if he were to attack me out of nowhere one day, I wouldn’t know how to respond. If I fought him, then that would be playing into his desire. If I didn’t… I’ll think about the consequences when and if it happens.

“Don’t grab my leg.”

“Please just hear me out!”

I still had no clue why he wanted to fight me so much. Whenever I asked, he went on and on about learning and being the best or whatnot. It was confusing, to be frank.

I eventually decided on something else.

“Fine.”

“Go challenge a girl named Melissa. If you win, I’ll consider it,” I said. At least I think that’s what I said. I was pretty absentminded—if it were any other day, I’d have just ignored him.

And now that I reflected on my stupid mouth, I should have said Sam’s name instead. I’m pretty sure her name was still on the class roster, except she wasn’t here. I wasn’t too knowledgeable about what happened, but it definitely had something to do with that woman. It would explain why she had her letter for me.

As for Melissa…

From my understanding, that girl was considered strong among the other students. That was the only conclusion I could draw from the fact that she doesn’t seem to have friends.

I don’t know what to say about her two eye colors other than them supporting her “unique” character. No one else seemed to have heterochromia.

I didn’t like being around her, but luckily, she’s mostly been in that training facility so she rarely bothers me with the exception of meal times where I shut my ears as she goes on and on about several conversation topics.

I’ve learned to adjust to her behavior at least. I still had the same opinion of her, but I could bear her presence a little more.

Some part of my brain said that she was only a teenager going through puberty so she couldn’t be as vicious as I imagined. It didn’t change the fact that I don’t like her voice and the way she talked.

I knew why I was like this, but hell—I don’t care if my feelings weren’t justifiable through rational means.

I’ve ranted long enough. Go away now.

—Eric—

“Hey you!” I shouted at the girl in the black uniform. I was pretty certain that was her.

“Are you Melissa!” I shouted again, getting her to turn around.

“Yes? And you are?”

I didn’t expect it at first, but wasn’t she really pretty? Like, really really pretty?

“Eric.”

And those blue and green pupils… Wait—the Eisenhower family?

‘Snap out of it!’

*Pak

“Um, are you okay? You shouldn’t slap yourself like that.”

“Uh—ah! I’m Eric. Just Eric.”

‘Didn’t I already introduce myself?’

I couldn’t understand what I was saying.

‘Was I always this bad at talking?’

“Nice to meet you, Eric?” she said hesitantly, as her eyebrows perked, searching for a response.

“Oh that’s right, I challenge you to a duel!”

She looked at me with a straight face as though she didn’t know what to say to me before speaking.

“Um… No? Duels are outdated, you know that right?”

“It doesn’t matter. I need to win against you!” I shouted resolutely.

I needed to get stronger no matter what. And while I thought Daniel was the perfect opponent to hone my body, the fact that this Melissa person wore the uniform only given to those in the Combative Squadron meant she was no joke either.

“May I ask why you want to challenge me?” she was confused, but she also didn’t appear too opposed to my request, unlike a certain somebody.

And while I knew I had no good reason to tell her, I blurted it out anyway.

“Daniel said he’d duel me if I can defeat you!”

“Daniel? Hmm,” one of her eyes squinted as she peered off into the distance, possibly thinking of something profound before saying, “Alright. If Daniel told you to, then sure.”

“Yes!” I couldn’t stop the dragon from roaring in me as I jumped up with my fist in the air.

Being rejected for the past several days has had a toll on me.

“Alright then!” Once my feet came back down to the grass, I readied my body with both feet gripping the toes, preparing for blast off.

“Eh! We’re doing it now?” She was startled by my aggression but prepared herself too.

“Alright then. Going without a sword should be a good handicap,” she said.

‘A sword?’

I’ve never used one before. All of the swords gifted to me on my birthdays were intentionally broken or stolen the next day.

It must feel great to swing one.

‘Focus!’

That’s right! I had to win! If I keep losing like before, I will never be the best!

“Oh yeah, just to clarify: there’s nothing at stake, right?”

“Nope!” I replied.

“Then can’t you just lie and say you won?”

She asked a really weird question.

“There’s no point in lying if your talent can’t show for it. So I will win no matter what.”

“That’s if you win,” she said with a light smile.

“Not if. I will.”

With that, we both shut our mouths.

I was waiting for some sort of signal to begin, but before I knew it, I was blown back by some invisible force.

“Akh!”

I fell on my back but got up quickly. I’ve experienced falling more times than I could count.

‘Chantless Wind magic.’

Chantless. Not many amateur magicians could do that.

I couldn’t help grinning to myself.

If Daniel could cast chantless magic and she could do it too, then wouldn’t this be the perfect warm-up for when I finally fight him? The only difference is that his lightning was faster. Much faster.

‘Now.’

With my eyes attuned to her silhouette, I hopped out of the way at the slightest movements that mimicked the process of casting magic.

‘Now.’

Seeing her hands flinch again, I hopped in the other direction, trying my best to cut the distance between us.

She was also moving away with every cast, rendering my advancements useless.

‘If I can’t get close, I’ll lose.’

I rolled to the side this time, nearly avoiding nature’s breath by a hair.

‘This would be easy if I could cast magic.’

I could defeat her with magic.

‘No, I don’t need that.’

I could no longer cast magic while moving around. My mind clogged up whenever I tried, making it hard to focus on anything—not to mention multitasking.

‘That isn’t the way.’

I could no longer rely on my magic because of them.

‘I must win with my power.’

This was only my first step. I couldn’t lose here. I was going to be the best so I can’t just go lose to someone I didn’t fully acknowledge.

She was just a student like me. I should be able to defeat her.

‘NOW!’

With an extra breath, I hopped to the side, using the momentum from bouncing off the grass to jump forward a great deal.

“HAA!”

My right arm felt heavy. Heavier than a rock.

So I threw it at her, just like how rocks were thrown at me.

‘Harder!’

“HAA!” I couldn’t hear what was coming out of my mouth. All I knew was that I couldn’t stop it from coming out.

With a final roar, my fist looped around to meet her head.

“Hut.”

I missed.

“Akh!” I was blown away by the wind again.

She had ducked right before my fist landed.

‘It’s not even bruised.’

And while a hole had opened up around my stomach, the skin underneath was completely fine.

“You’re tough.”

“I know,” I said as I inhaled deep breaths.

“But you still have a long way to go.”

She wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t mean I would lose here.

‘Now!’

“Akh!” The breath in my lungs was forcefully expelled as I collapsed onto my back.

‘What?’

I didn’t understand.

Didn’t she move her hands? That was supposed to mean she cast a spell… Unless it was a feint!

‘Damn it.’

I needed to get close again. Just one more time. It was going to land this time; I was sure of it.

‘Not now!’

I saw her hands move, but it could have been a feint like before so I advanced without moving to the side.

“Akh!”

The invisible gas struck my chest in the instant I thought I was safe.

‘She got me again.’

I glanced down at my bare chest—now exposed.

It stung a little, but…

‘It’s not bruising.’

Which gave me an idea.

“You really are tough. Most people would be bleeding.”

I ignored those words for once as I was completely focused.

Inhaling my last leisure breath, I made a dash for it.

*Ksss

The wind slammed into my body.

It hurt a lot more this time as I was running straight at the Wind magic which intensified the impact. But compared to the crude texture of sticks and stones, this was nothing.

I kept up with the forward lean as I ran with my head far ahead of my hips.

*Ksss

While the ball of air hit my head, it was only the forehead. And while it knocked me back a little, with my forward lean, it didn’t stop me from continuing my charge like a horned beast.

After a certain point, she had realized her magic was ineffective and started focusing her attention on making distance, only casting magic occasionally.

I tanked all of the shots.

Each and every one of them targeted the same place: my head.

But little did she know, the body part that endured the most punishment over the years was exactly that.

The damage was nothing to me. My skull won’t break. It never did. And I trusted that it wouldn’t. And the pain—I could endure it for an eternity if that’s what I need to become the best.

I was going to win no matter what.

I could see it already. On top of that mountain, all three of my sibling will bow before me. They will see the insurmountable mountain that was me. They can’t curse me. And they can’t beat me down. I would show them what my true talent is.

And for that reason, my legs wouldn’t give in. Even if they weren’t that fast, I could run for an entire day without stopping. All it was, was pain. And pain can't stop me.

“HYAA!”

With one solid punch, I swung it straight at her as I darted forward.

Unable to evade like before as her legs were occupied by running, she chose to receive it with her forearms instead of her face like I did.

She was scared of pain.

That was her mistake.

*PSSS

My punch sent her crashing down as her knees gave in, unable to withstand the sudden force while running.

‘It’s not over yet.’

I knew.

Even when they beat me till I couldn’t breathe, they’d continue on as if they couldn’t tell.

So I knew.

One blow wasn’t enough.

I readied another fist, but just as I was about to smash down…

“Fine! You win… I surrender.”