The physical combat class was located in a separate section of the academy — a complex of buildings designated for courses involving intensive physical activity. As Vahn and Han approached the building, its spacious, minimalist design greeted them. The interior was empty of equipment, except for the large, clearly marked sparring zones on the floor, with the center zone being the largest.
"Wow…"
"Not bad…"
"So empty."
"Is that the instructor?"
Amidst the students' comments stood a towering man near the center. He was close to two meters tall, muscular, with fiery red hair cascading down his shoulders. His face carried the weathered experience of middle age, but the wide grin beneath his military uniform melted any fear his size might have provoked.
"Hahaha… such spirited students," he laughed heartily, hands on his waist in a relaxed pose.
"Gather around! Welcome to Physical Combat class. My name is Tremblin; just call me Trainer Tremblin." His voice boomed as the students formed a loose circle around him.
"The first thing I want you all to know is this: a fight is NOT a sport." His tone dropped, his grin faded, and he emphasized the word NOT with gravity. It was clear he expected the students to understand the difference between survival and spectacle.
The atmosphere was about to turn tense when he revealed a large smile and continued, "Now, let's see how you perform against one another. Pair up, we're going to spar!"
The students looked in surprise at the sudden change of events and obeyed.
As students dispersed to find partners, Han turned to Vahn with a grin. "Hey, let's fight," he said, pointing at an open sparring zone.
' Why does it feel like he had been expecting it?' Vahn wondered. But he didn't hesitate. He followed Han to the marked floor, his anticipation rising.
'I've been wanting to test my strength too.'
After his encounter with the two-pair winged demon, Vahn hadn't fought. This was the perfect opportunity.
Once everyone was positioned, Trainer Tremblin barked, "Remember, this is physical combat. No abilities allowed. If you're caught using your powers, you'll receive a deduction and immediate punishment. Got it? Now… begin!"
Ahhhh!
A chorus of battle cries echoed as the fights erupted across the hall. But Vahn and Han stood still, locked in a silent stare.
'Is Han trained?' Vahn observed his opponent closely. His posture was solid, his stance confident, so confident it felt like he was secretly using his ability. But that didn't fit Han's character.
Likewise, Han was analyzing Vahn. 'He survived and killed a two-pair winged demon. He has to be strong.' Though Han seemed quite carefree, he was vigilant. How else would Vahn have escaped an underground experiment site if he weren't strong?
Without another thought, Vahn pressed against the ground and, in a flash, lunged forward and threw a powerful punch.
Bang!
His fist sliced through the air, but Han had already ducked. Countering from below, Han launched an uppercut, but Vahn stepped back just in time to avoid it.
Han shifted into a stance, legs spread, slightly squatted, fists pulled back toward his waist in a reversed grip. A martial arts pose.
"Come," he beckoned.
Vahn responded immediately, charging and swinging his leg for a low kick. Han blocked with his knee, absorbing the hit with a grunt, the impact strong enough to make his bones creak.
Vahn landed his leg and deflected an incoming punch before retaliating. Han blocked it, but the force lifted him slightly off the ground, sending him skidding back.
But he didn't stop. With a grin, Han rushed forward again.
The two clashed fiercely, fists, kicks, dodges, parries — a blur of motion erupting at the center of the room.
"Uh… huh?"
"What's with those loud sounds?"
"Is it them?"
"A-Aren't they—"
The rest of the class gradually stopped their own fights, stunned by the rhythmic crashing and the near-invisible figures moving at inhuman speeds.
They looked to Trainer Tremblin, expecting him to intervene — surely, they were using abilities. But he only grinned wider, arms crossed, silently watching.
'That's their physical strength?'
The realization sent a ripple of awe through the class. If this were them without abilities…
A quiet boy with a stoic face watched with slight surprise, clearly, he had believed he'd be the strongest in the class. What he was currently witnessing shook him to an extent.
Twin girls exchanged a glance, clearly shaken. They could track the fight better than most, but even they struggled to follow every movement.
A burly student, currently holding his sparring partner in a headlock, muttered, "Interesting…"
Trainer Tremblin watched with narrowed eyes. 'I thought there were four standouts in this class. Seems like there are six.'
His attention focused on Vahn.
'Clumsy in spots… but powerful and fast. He knows how to use his body. It's like watching a natural-born fighter, untrained but instinctual.'
Then to Han.
'Now him… that technique. Where did he learn that? Did a faction already develop a martial style?' Though not many could see it, he could tell that what Han was using was some sort of martial technique.
It didn't come as a surprise at all.
Abilities came in various forms. They weren't always external, meaning they weren't limited to what one could emit from their body or how they could change their environment.
They came in various forms, for example, Blade axe. His ability was a type of condition of some sort, and the condition was that he had to cut something for him to use his ability. And as one saw, he selected the demon he wanted to cut, and his ability activated on it.
And some others came in raw forms. Further processing had to be done to turn them into an ability.
Then, as if on cue, Han spoke mid-fight:
"This technique was created to make our abilities easier to use. We call it… Crouching Tiger Stance."