After Igna and May finished their fights, the training didn't stop. Yash's eyes moved toward Sele and Emily, and without needing more words, both of them stepped forward.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
This wasn't like the previous fights.
This wasn't about overwhelming someone weaker.
This was different.
Sharper.
Deadlier.
Yash gave a small nod.
The fight began.
Sele moved first.
Her body disappeared from sight for a moment, appearing right in front of Emily with a precise strike aimed at a vital point. There was no hesitation in her attack, no wasted motion, only clean intent to end the fight in a single hit.
Emily reacted immediately.
But instead of attacking, she chose to defend.
She shifted her body slightly, just enough to avoid the fatal path of the dagger, her hand moving to deflect the strike. It wasn't a perfect block, but it was enough.
Sele didn't stop.
She attacked again.
Faster.
Sharper.
Each strike aimed to finish the fight instantly.
No second chances.
No repeated exchanges.
Only decisive blows.
Emily stepped back, blocking and dodging, her movements calm and controlled. She didn't rush forward. She didn't try to overpower Sele.
She waited.
Observed.
Calculated.
Igna watched carefully, his eyes trying to follow every movement.
(This… is different.)
Sele's attacks were on another level. Every move carried deadly precision. If even one strike landed cleanly—
It would be over.
But Emily understood that clearly.
She didn't take risks.
She defended every attack, redirecting force, creating just enough space to survive. Occasionally, she tried to counter, launching quick attacks of her own.
But none of them landed.
Sele gave no openings.
Even the smallest mistake was instantly corrected.
The fight continued like that.
Fast.
Silent.
Deadly.
Neither side gaining a clear advantage.
But slowly—
The truth became clear.
If Emily landed one clean strike, Sele would lose.
But landing that strike was extremely difficult.
Sele's movements, her precision, her control—it made her almost untouchable.
At the same time—
Sele knew her own limits.
She couldn't afford even a single mistake.
Not even one hit.
The balance between them stayed tight.
One focused on perfect attack.
The other on perfect defense.
Then—
Yash raised his hand.
Yash: "Stop."
Both of them stepped back instantly.
The fight ended.
Silence followed.
Igna was still processing what he had just seen.
Yash looked at him.
Yash: "Did you understand?"
Igna hesitated.
Igna: "…Not fully."
Yash nodded slightly and spoke calmly.
Yash: "Sele is an assassin."
He glanced toward her.
Yash: "She knows she cannot take more than one direct hit."
A small pause.
Yash: "So she fights to end it before that happens."
Then his gaze shifted toward Emily.
Yash: "Emily knows that too."
Another pause.
Yash: "She also knows landing a clean strike on Sele isn't easy."
Igna listened carefully.
Yash continued.
Yash: "If Emily goes all out from the start…"
A brief silence.
Yash: "…she will win."
Igna's eyes widened slightly.
Yash: "But she will take damage."
That line stayed.
Yash looked at both of them.
Yash: "And in a real battle… that matters."
He turned back to Igna.
Yash: "Strength alone doesn't decide the outcome."
A pause.
Yash: "Understanding your weakness does."
Another pause.
Yash: "And using your strength to cover it."
Igna looked down slightly, thinking about his own fight.
His mistakes.
His approach.
His lack of control.
For the first time—
He started to understand something deeper.
Fighting wasn't just about power.
It was about knowing yourself.
And knowing your enemy.
Yash stepped back slightly.
Yash: "That's where real battles begin."
Silence followed.
But this time—
It wasn't confusion.
It was realization.