Sylvie was initially surprised by what was happening before her eyes. Suddenly, a large amount of mana surged in the environment, and the sight of blue and red mana colliding with each other was overwhelming.
The scene was like a natural disaster, almost beyond description.
“Stay calm and don't make a sound.”
However, his voice pulled her back to reality from her shock.
‘That's right.’
She swallowed hard, trying to calm herself down.
‘I can't show weakness.’
She knew she had to become stronger, more resilient than before. Although she didn't know why, she instinctively felt the need to change.
This change had started with her awakening. From the moment she awakened that power, she knew the world would change, and a sense of urgency always lingered in her mind. She couldn't even sleep properly because every time she fell asleep, she would dream of strange things.
“Seraphina.”
Hearing Irina's cold voice, she turned her gaze to the newcomer. It was a girl she didn't recognize; however, judging from the emotions within Irina, it was clear they had an unpleasant past.
Irina's anger and frustration were rising every second, and Sylvie could see she was gradually turning into a volcano about to erupt.
But what was strange was not Irina but the girl in front of her.
“What a surprise to meet you here, Irina.” Seraphina's voice was as calm as ever, with a hint of coldness in her words. “I was just discussing the strength of the Phoenix family's heir with my team.”
Her words were clearly malicious and directed at Irina, but what mattered was the emotion within her.
‘She's enjoying this.’
With each word, her sense of joy increased, as if she enjoyed teasing Irina. Besides that, beneath her cold face, a simple gray emotion veiled her heart, suppressing her emotions like someone…
“Ugh, what a pain.”
And that “someone” was now showing an impatient expression.
“Sylvie, are you ready?”
“What?” she asked, looking at his face. What’s happening? They’ve already seen Seraphina is here.
However, her question was quickly answered.
Clang!
The sudden sound of metal colliding echoed through the tense atmosphere, interrupting the verbal sparring between Seraphina and Irina.
Sylvie's eyes widened as she followed the trajectory of the arrow, which had been precisely deflected. The arrow fell to the ground, leaving a moment of silence.
In this brief pause, Sylvie's gaze turned to him beside her, the one who had skillfully intercepted the arrow.
His expression was focused, and the air around him seemed to fluctuate with a silent chill. His purple eyes were fixed on the surrounding trees, as if tracking the source of the arrows.
‘There are others.’ At that moment, everything became clear. Since Seraphina was here, it meant she was with her team, and the team had at least three people.
‘Then the other one…’
Clang!
Before she could think further, another sound of blades clashing rang out. A dagger met a sword, sending sparks flying.
This time, it was another student wielding a longsword.
However, strangely, within just a few seconds, he easily repelled the swordsman. Then, he used this brief moment to pick off the archer who had initially attacked them.
‘Wow.’
She couldn't help but feel amazed. She couldn't determine if the arrow hit, but she could feel the power contained within it.
After that, the sound of metal clashing continued, forming a chaotic symphony in the clearing.
Sylvie watched the battle, her first time witnessing a real fight between students. She had seen battles with monsters, but this was a whole new experience.
‘Exciting…’
For some reason, it made her feel thrilled.
Initially, the swordsman seemed to have the upper hand. The rapid exchanges kept Morse on the defensive, and his movements became somewhat passive.
Sylvie's heart raced as she watched the intense battle unfold before her.
“Ugh…” Subsequently the swordsman was pushed back frustration filled the air, his face etched with determination and annoyance. Sylvie felt a strange mix of tension and excitement, unsure of what was happening before her.
‘Is he okay? I should be ready to help if needed.’
His dagger clashed against the swordsman's blade once more, but this time he was forced back. It took him a moment to switch back to the dagger, and Sylvie sensed a slight imperfection in his stance.
‘I have to be ready.’
Whoosh!
He nimbly parried and dodged. However, the swordsman's speed seemed to be increasing, making it harder and harder for him to fend off the attacks.
“Heh… I thought you were stronger than this; it seems I overestimated you.”
The swordsman's words pierced the air with contempt, exposing a brief opening in his defense.
‘How much do you know about him? What gives you the right to judge him like that?’
Strangely, she found herself disliking the swordsman. She was annoyed by the swordsman's blatant disrespect towards him. As someone who knew he was struggling from the start, she was aware of what he had gone through.
“How foolish.”
At that moment, a phrase echoed in her mind. The voice sounded somewhat familiar too.
‘What?’
It was as if she could hear his thoughts. As she focused more, Sylvie could see the struggle in his movements but also sense an underlying confidence.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, he activated a skill, and the burst of speed caught the swordsman off guard. The tables turned in an instant, and Sylvie couldn't help but feel a wave of relief.
Wow…
She watched his clean and efficient movements in a daze. She could see through her own eyes how he was manipulating the mana within his body. It was a novel and wondrous experience, and what she saw was not overwhelming mana but skillful control within his body.
“Sylvie!”
However, at that moment, his urgent call pulled her back to reality. Their eyes met, and Sylvie saw, beneath those purple eyes, both trust in her skills and a hint of impatience…
He needs me, I have to do my part.
“O-okay… Sorry.”
She understood his request, realizing her importance in this fight.
‘I need to concentrate; he's counting on me.’
It might sound a little strange to say, but this was the first time in her life she felt someone was relying on her. In the previous dungeons, even though her teammates were healed by her, she knew in her heart that they weren't really dependent on her.
She felt like just a fill-in character in the party, even useless most of the time because of her fear of battle.
“I… I'll try.”
Her hands instinctively moved in the air, beginning to channel mana. Her support skills flowed from her, enveloping him in a faint glow.
Whoosh!
As the opponent realized Sylvie's support role, a new surge of strength coursed through him. His movements became more fluid and precise, shaking off his previous constraints.
‘He's showing his full strength now.’
The clashes of blades became even more intense, and Sylvie swayed between anxiety and fascination. Each attack and parry tested his defenses, and she found herself silently cheering him on.
‘He's so fast; is he okay?’
The opponent's use of earth magic for defense added another layer of difficulty to the fight. Sylvie realized it wasn't just a battle of brute force but a strategic game.
‘This is getting dangerous.’
Sylvie sensed an earthquake-like attack was coming as the opponent gathered mana. He reacted quickly, leaping backward and barely avoiding the powerful blast.
‘His reactions are so fast.’
Whoosh!
After getting sent in the air from the intense shockwave, he demonstrated acrobatic prowess. Sylvie was amazed by his ability to move so nimbly in the air, realizing his training went far beyond standard combat techniques.
‘He's so cool.’
She felt kind of cool seeing him move like that. She even thought for a moment that he could participate in the 【Awakener Olympics】.
However, in that moment of distraction, she made a critical mistake. She failed to notice the archer approaching from behind, resulting in her being taken hostage.
“Drop your weapon, or your companion gets hurt.” The archer threatened, managing a forced smile.
‘This is…’
The atmosphere became even more tense, yet he remained calm, refusing to comply with the archer's demands.
‘That's just like him.’
Sylvie, who knew him, knew that was how he would react, which made the situation even stranger.
“I won't warn you again.”
In that moment, Sylvie felt a strange sense of calm, albeit briefly. The situation was still critical, but at least she wasn't hurt.
Just as the standoff reached its climax, Sylvie noticed a change in his expression. His eyes, initially filled with impatience, now sharpened with a hint of anger. He didn't seem angry at the archer but at Sylvie, for allowing the situation to happen.
‘He's right…’
It might have been a while, but she remembered the advice he gave her at the beginning.
Despite her best efforts, she had been avoiding an important issue. Her fear of pain was still holding her back, and she finally realized it.
Subsequently, as if in an instant, she was saved by him. However, his last words stung her deeply.
His words: “If there's no one around to protect you, you're just a burden,” echoed in her mind.
‘A burden.’
The word resonated deeply within her. It was a stark reminder of her vulnerability and the need to become stronger.
“If you're unwilling to confront your own weaknesses, then perhaps you should reconsider staying at this academy.”
At that moment, a firm resolve ignited within Sylvie's heart.
If that's what you want, then I will do it.
I won't be a burden.
With this determination, her gaze became intense, staring straight at him.
......
“Please teach me how to fight.”
These were the words she said in the classroom…
