Chapter 228: Jelo vs lira

Jelo stood still for a moment after Kael walked away.

The tension from the fight hadn’t fully left his body yet.

His arm still carried a faint tremor from that last exchange. His breathing was controlled—but heavier than before.

Around him, the crowd slowly began to disperse, voices rising again as the intensity faded.

“That guy fought Kael and held his own…”

“He’s actually insane…”

“He’s not slowing down either…”

Jelo ignored them.

His focus turned inward.

Kael was strong.

Not just in power—but in control, timing, and pressure. Every movement had meaning. Every strike forced a reaction.

Jelo clenched his fist slightly.

He replayed it. The way Kael had read his rhythm. The way each counter had arrived exactly where space ran out. No wasted motion. No noise.

That kind of precision didn’t come from talent alone.

It came from someone who had lost before—and learned from it.

But I wasn’t pushed far enough.

The heat inside him stirred faintly again… then settled.

Not yet.

He exhaled.

“Then I keep going.”

Without wasting another second, Jelo turned and walked deeper into the academy grounds.

⸻

The training area shifted as he moved further in.

Fewer spectators.

More serious fighters.

Here, students trained with sharper focus, their movements less about showing off and more about refining themselves.

The sounds changed too. Less cheering. Less noise crowding the air. Just the clean rhythm of strikes landing, bodies adjusting, breath being managed properly.

These were people who understood the difference between performing and improving.

Jelo’s presence didn’t cause whispers here.

It caused attention.

Measured.

Evaluating.

Eyes tracked him from the edges. Not the wide-eyed stares from the outer grounds—these were calculated glances. Students cataloguing what they saw. Weighing it.

Then—

“Hey.”

A voice called out.

Jelo stopped.

Ahead of him stood a girl, slightly shorter than him, with tied-back hair and a calm but alert stance. Her eyes were sharp, studying him with clear intent.

She didn’t move toward him immediately. Just watched. Like she was confirming something she’d already half-decided.

“I watched your fight with Kael,” she said.

Jelo faced her fully. “And?”

“You didn’t lose.”

It wasn’t praise.

It was assessment.

Jelo nodded once. “I didn’t.”

She stepped forward.

“Good. Then you’re exactly what I’m looking for.”

Jelo’s eyes sharpened slightly.

“Your name?”

“Lira.”

A brief pause.

Then—

“Fight me.”

Jelo didn’t hesitate.

“Alright.”

⸻

They moved into an open space.

No crowd formed immediately this time.

The atmosphere here was different.

Quieter.

More dangerous.

Lira didn’t take a wide stance like most fighters.

Instead, she stood relaxed—almost too relaxed.

That alone put Jelo on guard.

She’s confident.

Not the performance kind. The kind earned through repetition—through knowing exactly what her ability could do and exactly how far her control extended.

“Start,” she said.

⸻

Jelo moved first.

Not rushing—but testing.

He stepped forward, watching closely.

Lira didn’t react.

Three steps.

Four.

Then—

She vanished.

Jelo’s eyes widened slightly.

Fast.

He reacted instantly.

“Wing Burst.”

WHOOSH.

He shifted just as something sliced through the air where his neck had been.

A thin, nearly invisible line traced through the space.

Jelo reappeared a few meters away.

His eyes narrowed.

Not energy like before… something sharper… thinner.

The kind of attack that didn’t announce itself. No buildup, no visual tell. Just—contact, and then the damage already done.

Lira stood where she had reappeared, her fingers slightly raised.

“You dodged,” she said.

Jelo didn’t respond.

His enhanced vision kicked in harder now—focusing, analyzing.

There—

Faint distortions in the air.

Like threads.

She’s cutting with something I can barely see.

Fine lines. Tensioned at different angles. Not stationary—she was repositioning them as she moved, adjusting the geometry of the trap with every step.

“Good,” Lira added. “Most don’t.”

Then she moved again.

This time, Jelo saw it.

Multiple thin lines slicing toward him from different angles.

“Skilled Guard.”

CLINK!

A sharp, high-pitched sound rang out as the invisible strikes collided with his hardened skin.

Not heavy—

But precise.

Targeting joints.

Weak points.

Jelo felt it immediately.

She’s not trying to overpower me… she’s trying to break me down.

Methodical. Each hit placed where the damage compounded over time. Not a fight to end quickly—a fight to end with certainty.

He moved.

“Wing Burst.”

Closing distance.

Lira stepped back—but not fast enough.

Jelo’s hand came forward.

“Dragon Claw.”

SLASH!

The energy tore through the air toward her.

But—

It split.

Cleanly.

Jelo’s eyes widened slightly.

Lira had cut through it.

Not fully stopping it—but redirecting enough to avoid the full impact.

She slid back, breathing steady.

“Your attacks are strong,” she said. “But predictable.”

Jelo exhaled slowly.

She’s precise… extremely precise.

He adjusted his stance.

Then—

He disappeared.

“Wing Burst.”

This time, not in a straight line.

He reappeared to her left—

Then again.

Right.

Then behind.

Rapid repositioning.

Forcing her to react.

Lira’s expression sharpened.

She turned—

But Jelo was already attacking.

“Dragon Claw.”

Close range.

Fast.

BOOM!

This time, she couldn’t fully cut through it.

The impact sent her sliding back, her footing breaking slightly.

A shallow mark appeared across her side.

She steadied herself.

Breathing heavier now.

“…Better.”

Jelo didn’t stop.

He pressed forward.

No pause.

No gap.

Lira raised her hands again—

Threads moved—

But this time, Jelo didn’t defend.

He pushed through.

“Skilled Guard.”

The thin strikes hit—

CLINK! CLINK!

—but he endured them.

Closed the distance.

He could feel each line biting in. Stacking. But it didn’t matter. Not now.

Then—

A direct strike.

Enhanced by momentum.

“Dragon Claw!”

BOOOOM!

The impact landed cleanly.

Lira was sent backward, hitting the ground and sliding several meters before stopping.

Silence.

Jelo stood still.

Watching.

Waiting.

Lira slowly pushed herself up.

She tried to stand—

But paused.

Her arm trembled.

She exhaled.

“…That’s enough.”

The tension broke.

Jelo lowered his hand.

The energy faded.

Lira looked at him, her sharp gaze softer now—but still focused.

“You adapt quickly,” she said. “Faster than I expected.”

Jelo nodded once. “You forced it.”

A faint smile appeared on her face.

“Good answer.”

She straightened slightly, though still clearly worn down.

“If we fight again… I won’t lose that easily.”

Jelo replied calmly, “I won’t make the same moves twice.”

That made her chuckle softly.

“…I believe that.”

She turned and walked away without another word.

⸻

Jelo stood alone again.

Then—

[100 points gained.]

The system’s voice echoed in his mind.

Jelo closed his eyes briefly.

Two fights.

Kael.

Lira.

Both different.

Both pushing him in different ways.

He could feel it clearly now.

His control had improved.

His timing sharper.

His reactions faster.

But—

The heat inside him…

Still incomplete.

He opened his eyes.

Calm.

Focused.

Determined.

Not yet.

His gaze lifted once more, scanning the academy grounds.

There were still stronger opponents.

Still more to gain.

Jelo turned and walked forward again.

Not slowing.

Not stopping.

Because he knew—

If he wanted something new…

He had to keep fighting.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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