The training grounds had filled quickly after the command, the scattered activity from earlier dissolving into structure as all fifty students of Class S gathered and arranged themselves into clean rows of five, their postures straightening instinctively under the weight of the presence that had called them.
Damon stood at the far end of one of the back rows, his shoulders relaxed in contrast to the others as he let out a quiet yawn, his gaze drifting lazily across the field while his mind caught up with the situation.
So this is today's hand-to-hand combat lesson for Class S…
He tilted his head slightly to the side.
And then his eyes settled on the instructor.
The man standing at the front of the formation was impossible to ignore.
His frame was massive, built with a density that made it seem less like muscle and more like something forged, as though each part of his body had been carved deliberately for strength rather than appearance. His shoulders were wide enough to cast a shadow of their own, his arms thick and heavy with power, while coarse fur traced along his forearms and the back of his neck, blending into skin that carried a rough, hardened texture. Two blunt tusks pushed slightly upward from his lower jaw, and even in stillness there was a sense of contained force about him, as though the ground beneath him might crack if he so much as shifted his weight too carelessly.
He stood like a pillar.
Unmoving.
Yet overwhelming.
Damon's eyes narrowed just slightly.
So he was one of the instructors inside the core breach…
The beastman slowly rolled his shoulders once, the movement subtle but heavy, as his gaze swept across the assembled students, sharp and pressing, like a predator assessing the worth of each one before him.
Then he spoke.
"Name's Brakkar Ironhide…"
His voice rolled out deep and rough, each word carrying a thick beastman accent that made it sound more like a growl than speech.
"Ain't here t'teach ya pretty moves…"
He cracked his knuckles slowly, the sound echoing across the training ground.
"Ah'm here t'teach ya how not t'get yerselves killed."
Brakkar's gaze hardened as he looked over the rows, and without any warning his voice rose, crashing across the training grounds like a hammer striking steel.
"Look at ya… standin' there all neat an' proud like parade dolls…!"
Several students instinctively flinched at the sheer force behind his words, their shoulders tightening as the pressure in the air seemed to grow heavier with every syllable he spoke.
"Flashy techniques… long-range attacks… fancy resonance tricks…"
"HAH! Exactly!"
Khaira's voice rang out from the very front even before he could continue, her grin wide as she nodded aggressively, clearly enjoying every word.
Brakkar's eyes flicked toward her for a brief moment before continuing, his tone only growing harsher.
"Ya think battles are fought from a distance? Ya think yer enemy's gonna wait fer ya t'pose an' throw pretty lights at 'em?!"
"THEY WON'T!!"
Khaira barked again, louder this time, almost like she was echoing him on instinct, her excitement barely contained as a few nearby students flinched at her voice as well.
A few others shifted uncomfortably.
None of them answered.
Brakkar's eyes sharpened further.
"In a real fight… when yer breath's ragged, when yer vision's blurin', when yer body's screamin' at ya t'stop…"
He raised a hand slowly, clenching it into a fist.
"…that's where this matters."
His fist tightened.
"Not yer strength."
He slammed it lightly against his palm, the sound echoing far louder than it should have.
"It's about knowin' how much yer opponent can endure…"
His gaze swept across them like a blade.
"…an' makin' damn sure ya can endure more."
"YEAH!! THAT'S IT!!"
Khaira shouted again without hesitation, her voice filled with raw agreement, as if she were hearing something she had always believed but never needed to put into words.
The air went still.
A few students swallowed unconsciously under the weight of it, their earlier confidence cracking just slightly as the reality behind his words settled in.
"And if ya gotta bite, claw, break bones, gouge eyes, use the dirt, the walls, yer own blood—"
His grin spread slightly, savage and unapologetic.
"—then ya do it."
Silence followed.
No one dared interrupt.
Except—
"YEAH!!"
Khaira's voice rang out once more from the very front, her grin wide and fierce as her eyes burned with excitement, her tail flicking behind her as if she had just heard the most natural truth in the world.
"That's how ya fight!"
Brakkar's lips twitched faintly, almost approving.
Damon, standing at the back, watched the exchange quietly, his expression unreadable as his gaze shifted between the two of them.
What is this…
His eyes narrowed slightly.
A play between a monkey and a juggler?
Brakkar let the silence hang for a moment, his sharp gaze sweeping across the class as if weighing each of them one last time, before his voice boomed out again with renewed force.
"Good… now!"
He rolled his shoulders once, then slammed his fists together with a loud crack that echoed across the training ground.
"Spread out… form pairs… an' fight till yer last breath!"
A ripple of tension passed through the students.
"And if Ah see anyone holdin' back—"
A savage grin spread across his face as he smashed his fists together again, the sound heavier this time, more threatening.
"…Ah'll personally make sure ya regret it."
Several students flinched.
No one dared hesitate after that.
The formation broke instantly as students hurried to find partners, voices overlapping in low urgency, some calling out, others quickly pairing with whoever was closest just to avoid drawing attention.
From the front row, Serena's calm voice cut through the movement.
"Instructor, there is one student absent today."
Brakkar's head turned toward her sharply, his presence pressing down once more.
"Who?"
"Mira Halewind," Serena replied without hesitation, her tone steady. "She is not well. The academy's doctors have asked her to rest."
Brakkar held her gaze for a moment, then gave a short nod.
"Hmph… solution's simple."
The class had already begun pairing.
At the back, Damon glanced around, his golden eyes scanning the field with mild disinterest as he looked for someone—anyone—to spar with, but wherever his gaze landed, students avoided it just as quickly, some turning away, others suddenly finding partners they hadn't noticed a second ago.
A faint irritation crossed his face.
"Tch…"
Then his eyes shifted and landed on Eric.
Damon began stepping toward him—
Only for a heavy weight to suddenly fall onto his shoulder.
"You…"
The voice came from above him.
"I will spar with you."
Damon paused, then turned and found himself looking up.
Up.
And slightly more up—
Until he met the towering figure of Brakkar standing directly in front of him, far too close for comfort, his massive presence completely eclipsing the space around Damon.
For a brief moment, even Damon's expression stilled.
Then—
He felt a burning gaze.
Sharp. Intense.
Almost hostile as Damon turned his head slightly.
At the front of the field, Khaira stood with her fists already raised, her eyes locked onto him with a fierce, almost accusatory glare, as though something that belonged to her had just been taken away without permission.
Damon blinked once.
Did I steal her virginity or what?
Then muttered under his breath—
"…Just what is this…"
Around them, the training grounds quickly dissolved into motion as pairs spread out across the wide field, the air filling with the sounds of shifting feet, clashing blows, and sharp breaths as students began sparring with varying degrees of intensity, some testing cautiously while others threw themselves fully into the fight under the weight of Brakkar's earlier warning.
In the midst of that growing chaos, a small open space remained.
Damon stood on one side.
Brakkar on the other.
The contrast between them was almost absurd.
Damon rolled his shoulders slowly, loosening the stiffness in his muscles before tilting his head from side to side, a faint crack running along his neck, followed by a sharp twist of his torso that produced another series of controlled pops along his back as he exhaled quietly, his expression settling into calm focus.
If it's just pure close combat…
His fingers flexed once.
No one here can rival me.
Across from him, Brakkar watched.
Then—
A loud, booming laugh erupted from his chest.
"HAHahahahahah…!"
The sound carried across the field, heavy and wild, drawing attention even from nearby pairs as his lips pulled back into a wide grin, his eyes sharpening—burning with something far more primal than mere interest.
"Come at me with everythin' ya got, boy!"
His stance shifted slightly, weight grounding into the earth beneath him as if he were rooting himself into place.
"Don't disappoint me…"
And just as the tension between them reached its peak—
"AAAAAAAaaahhhh!!"
A panicked scream tore through the training grounds.
Utterly out of place—
Like a pig being dragged to slaughter.
Damon's focus broke instantly as his head turned toward the source of the sound.
And what he saw—
Made his expression freeze for half a second.
At the edge of the field, Khaira stood with blazing eyes locked directly onto him, her presence practically radiating heat, her grip firm and unrelenting—
Around Eric.
Who was currently clutched tightly in her arms.
Completely unconscious.
His body limp and face pale.
As if his soul had already left him.
Damon stared for a moment and sighed faintly.
Of course.