"They were lacking, but you're not bad."
Looking at the girl struggling to stand, Skirk evaluated her recent performance without any expression.
"Knowing your direct combat strength is inferior to others, you chose to look for openings while the majority were attacking me. Your timing was very precise."
"But your strength is still too weak."
Kurogane Shizuku, Ikki Kurogane's younger sister, had come to Hagun Academy with the top graduation score, making her the representative of the freshmen.
Whether in practical combat or theoretical foundations, Shizuku was almost beyond reproach—an absolute honor student.
But her flaw was also very obvious: Shizuku had always stayed within the framework of a student, never taking even a single step outside of it.
Even though the girl trained very hard and worked constantly to improve her strength, she was merely a powerhouse at the student level, fundamentally different from those who were 'rule-breakers'.
Being the center of attention was Shizuku's current treatment at the academy. If she continued to grow in such an environment, it would likely take her a very long time to break through to the next stage.
"That's enough for today. I've understood your strength. Go back and rest."
Skirk seemed like she didn't want to say another word. She turned to leave, but the moment she did, a stream of water shot straight toward the back of her head.
Whoosh!
With a flick of her head, Skirk dodged the girl's sneak attack, but she didn't turn back to look at Shizuku.
"You can barely even stand, and you're still attacking?"
This was Shizuku's current state. She clearly looked like she could collapse at any moment, yet she forced herself to stand tall, her hand tightly gripping her Device, a dagger.
In fact, one could tell just by looking at Shizuku's Blazer evaluation.
Name: Kurogane Shizuku
Blazer Rank: B
Device: Yoishigure
Title: Deep Sea Witch
Attack Power: D
Defense Power: B
Mana Capacity: C
Mana Control: A
Physical Fitness: E
Luck: C
This six-dimensional chart made it clear: Shizuku specialized in precise mana control and manipulating the water element for offense and defense.
But that Physical Fitness rating exposed everything. Shizuku was not suited for a war of attrition at all; once a situation became a stalemate, it turned against her.
And just now, Skirk had given these students a proper lesson, making them feel their own weakness.
Logically, Shizuku should have been lying on the ground unable to get up like the others... yet she had stood up!
"The battle isn't over yet!"
"I'm still standing right here!"
Shizuku let out an angry roar. Ever since this teacher named Skirk had arrived in their class, her attitude toward everyone had been the same...
From the start of the battle until now, even though Skirk had only used strength roughly equal to theirs, she had still crushed the entire class.
In this female teacher's eyes, there was absolutely no regard for them as students—mostly just indifference.
Shizuku was certain that under this teacher's guidance, her strength would definitely improve, but...
Skirk's attitude was proof enough that she wasn't providing serious guidance!
And Shizuku knew the reason for all of this...
Neither she nor the group of students lying behind her had shown anything that could attract her interest!
And this would inevitably determine Skirk's future teaching attitude.
If they just wanted to get stronger, this level was already enough—enough for these students to see significant improvement in the coming days.
But if they wanted to 'go a step further on the basis of getting stronger,' they had to show their true bottom-of-the-barrel trump cards to make this teacher notice them!
As Ikki Kurogane's sister, Kurogane Shizuku already knew about the family matters, so she had resolved to become stronger, to stand by her brother's side...
How could she back down because of a little difficulty like this?
"I still have one last move! Watch me!"
Even though her Device was a short sword, a dagger, better suited for sneak attacks than a frontal battlefield, Shizuku still charged toward Skirk, even abandoning any intention of dodging.
"Foolish."
Skirk still didn't turn around. She simply waved azure radiance casually, and several streaks of sword light flew toward Shizuku.
Puchi! Puchi! Puchi!
Though these sword lights were small, they left countless wounds on the girl's body, even splashing blood onto the ground.
In just two or three seconds, Shizuku was completely covered in blood; not a patch of skin was visible, and even her clothes were soaked crimson.
Skirk hadn't dealt a killing blow; they were all superficial wounds that could be healed in a short time. But even so, it wasn't something a young girl should have been able to endure.
In other words, Shizuku's will was very firm!
Pain and blood could not block her path forward.
"But how could such a straight-line attack possibly hit?"
Shizuku was running in a straight line and had already entered Skirk's attack range. If Skirk wanted to, she could knock the girl unconscious at any moment. Even if Skirk simply stepped aside, everything Shizuku did would be in vain.
Would Skirk step aside?
Impossible!
Who am I? Who are you?
When a teacher deals with a student, is there any need to dodge?
So Skirk turned around. The girl's will had successfully moved her, making her decide to show some skill and let Shizuku see a wider world.
This way, after this lesson, Shizuku would surely gain a great deal.
Since coming to this world and knowing her mission, Skirk had directly narrowed down her candidates for disciples to the male and female leads.
After all, Ikki Kurogane and Stella were both talented children. If she guided them, it would surely shorten the time needed to complete the mission.
As for the others...
Even for Ikki Kurogane's sister, Jingliu and Skirk hadn't considered it. After all, with a mission to guide two or more disciples, the fewer the disciples, the better.
"Let's end it here, Kurogane Shizuku."
Skirk's sword hand suddenly shifted, striking directly at Shizuku's stomach with the hilt. If this hit landed, the intense pain would surely knock the girl unconscious.
The strike did indeed appear to hit...
But the feeling was wrong!
"This sensation... it's not a human body. A water clone?"
"No, not a water clone either..."
"Elementalization?"
A teenage girl had actually achieved a special ability similar to the Logia fruits from the world of One Piece through her own efforts...
Worthy of praise!
It took Skirk only one second to analyze what Shizuku had done, but that one second was enough for Shizuku to launch a counterattack.
"Don't you dare look down on me!"
Shizuku threw the dagger in her hand at Skirk, but it was casually caught between the other's index and middle fingers, neutralized with ease.
But all of this seemed to have been anticipated by Shizuku. Through this series of attacks, the girl had reached Skirk's front, her head less than a meter away.
Without her Device, her offensive means would indeed drop significantly, but that didn't affect Shizuku's next plan.
The girl jerked her head back fiercely and then launched a headbutt. This was Shizuku's final attack...
She used no weapon, nor any external force, but slammed her own forehead hard against the other's forehead.
Thud!
Next, a crisp sound reached the ears of all the students...
Kurogane Shizuku had successfully landed a hit!
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