The silence was deafening.
It was public knowledge that Silas was at the peak of the seventh level of the body refinement realm, yet he possessed the power to take down multiple individuals at the peak of the body refinement realm.
So saying that he couldn't pair them with any of them was understandable, but saying that he couldn't even pair him with the new guy was something they couldn't understand
That being said, some began to look at Valdis in a new light as they believed that the instructors don't make mistakes.
The moment the instructor finished speaking, the entire training ground fell into stunned quiet.
Valdis and Silas stood still, their expressions calm, not putting the reaction of those around them to heart.
Even Luminara's gaze lingered a fraction longer than usual, analyzing both of them.
The instructor, however, showed no sign of changing his decision.
Instead, he turned slightly.
"Since the two of you cannot be paired with anyone here…"
His voice was steady.
"You will wait."
A brief pause.
"Your match will come last."
The implication was clear.
Valdis and Silas stepped aside without complaint.
"Since that is all, let's begin," he said
After a short while, two papers lit up and the instructor said, "Those holding the number two step forward and almost immediately, two trainees stepped forward
A broad-shouldered boy, wielding a wooden greatsword, and opposite him was a lean girl, wielding twin daggers.
After they arrived, the other trainees quickly gave them room, and soon after, the instructor looked at both of them before saying.
"Begin."
The clash was immediate.
Heavy strikes met swift footwork. The greatsword user swung with power, forcing the girl to dodge repeatedly, her movements quick but pressured.
Thud!
A heavy strike cracked against the ground, sending dust into the air.
She tried to close the distance, but he anticipated it, instantly retaliating with a wide sweep, forcing her back.
Then, at the worst moment possible, the girl made a mistake in her footwork, and the boy, seeing this opening, wasted no time capitalizing on it.
And before she could react, the wooden blade was before her, stopping inches from her neck.
"…Winner."
The instructor's voice was calm.
The boy lowered his weapon, breathing heavily as he turned and returned to his position.
After that, two more papers lit up and another pair stepped forward.
One was a spear user, while the other was a sword user. They approached the center and stood facing one another, waiting for the instructor's signal to begin, and in no time, he spoke.
'Begin"
Hearing the signal, they immediately charged at each other, and the spear user dominated early, keeping his opponent at bay with sharp thrusts.
But the swordsman quickly adapted and closed the gap, forcing the Spearman into close combat.
After a quick exchange, the swordsman made a risky but decisive strike.
"…Winner."
The pace was steady.
The matches continued.
Each one revealing their skills, their strengths, and their potential.
And just like that, the matches went on in a normal fashion, and after a few matches, the next people called up caused a stir.
As usual, two papers lit up and two people stepped out, and seeing the chosen two, everyone was shocked.
"Thorne. Tyras, this is going to be good," someone said
The two being discussed stepped forward, with one big grin on their faces.
Even Valdis and Silas were shocked, and seeing their puzzled expressions, Cassian said
"It makes sense why they are being paired together; they are far stronger than the regular trainee, but apparently lack the power to compete with the two of you, and besides, their scariest attribute is their unlimited stamina, so matching them together is the best choice."
While Cassian was busy explaining his thoughts, the twins stood facing each other, stretching their muscles.
"Finally, I thought my opponent would probably not be worth the effort," Thorne said.
"Me too," Tyras added.
After those words dropped, they rushed each other immediately without holding back.
They were both saber users, and as they fought, they wasted no time unleashing deadly blows. They moved like madmen, determined to kill one another.
But the problem was that each twin could precisely know what the other was about to do and could form a proper defensive measure against it, so while the fight looked brutal on the surface, their blades hadn't gotten close enough to draw blood.
After some time, the instructor seemed to have seen enough as he pointed his finger towards them, releasing a force that froze each twin where they stood.
"The result is a tie; you can both return," the instructor said
Once he finished speaking, the power that held them in place disappeared, and they quickly returned to their original positions
"…Next."
More and more people were called up as the sparring matches continued quietly until a certain pair of numbers was picked, causing quite a stir,
The moment they stepped forward, the atmosphere shifted, and the people who stepped forward were none other than Cassian and Luminaria.
Cassian stepped forward, rolling his shoulders lightly as he sighed, cursing his luck.
Luminara, on the other hand, stepped forward slowly, her disposition the same.
Silent.
Cold.
Still.
They faced each other.
Wooden weapons in hand.
"Begin."
The moment the word fell, Luminara moved.
Fast.
Her blade cut through the air with precision, aiming straight for Cassian's center.
He reacted instantly.
Stepping back, deflecting the attack before evading a kick from her
From the very start, he was on the defensive as her attacks were relentless, clean, and perfectly timed.
Each strike flowed into the next without pause.
Cassian blocked, dodged, and retreated.
Never countering.
Never pressing forward.
Tap!
Her blade grazed his shoulder.
Seeing this, he instantly created some distance between them as he stared at her with eyes that analyzed her every move.
The instructor's voice rang out.
"Cassian."
Both fighters paused slightly.
"Stop holding back."
The words cut through the air.
Silence followed.
Cassian stepped back.
Luminara lowered her blade slightly, her cold gaze fixed on him.
"…Is that true?" she asked.
Her voice was calm.
But direct.
Cassian didn't answer.
He simply smiled and scratched the back of his head.
The instructor sighed.
"Being cunning is useful," he said. "But not in every situation. There are times when direct action is the better path."
Cassian's smile faded slightly.
Then—
He exhaled.
"…Alright."
And immediately the air shifted subtly, but noticeably.
"Sorry about the action from before, let's go again," he said.
This time, he moved first.
His actions were fast, direct, and without hesitation.
Their blades clashed once again, but the rhythm had changed this time Cassian no longer retreated. He actively clashed with her, matching her speed.
Countering her precision with calculated aggression.
The exchange intensified, it got faster, sharper, and more dangerous.
During the exchange, Luminara's eyes narrowed slightly.
Because for the first time, she was being pushed back, as she had no control over the rhythm of the battle anymore
Cassian attacked her side as she moved to counter it when the blade changed directions, mid-swing.
'A feint,'
But before she could reposition herself, Cassian's wooden blade stopped at her side.
Silence.
"Winner. Cassian"
Cassian exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon.
Luminara stared at him for a moment before she turned and walked away.
After that, more matches came up, but their battles were lackluster compared to the battle between Cassian and Luminaria.
Once the last trainees were done sparring, they all looked towards Valdis and Silas, waiting for what the instructor had planned for them.
At that moment, the instructor stepped forward.
His gaze immediately shifted toward the two individuals who stood away from the rest.
Valdis and Silas.
The air grew still as he stared at them intently and said
"For the final match, you two will fight me."
As his words dropped, a wave of shock exploded across the training ground.
"What?!"
"Fight… the instructor?!"
"Is that even fair?!"
Even the twins frowned.
Cassian's eyes widened slightly.
Luminara, she watched silently.
Valdis remained calm.
Silas let out a low whistle. "Well, this just got interesting," he said
The instructor stepped forward, picking up a wooden weapon.
"Come."
His voice was simple, but absolute.
"Show me everything you've got without holding back."
The air tightened as the final match began.