Aurora Over a Dead World

Rouge’s tail wags gently as she takes a step forward. Since this is a duel, she doesn’t even need to worry about the others—Charlotte and Ashlyn have already dragged them off the floor, clearing enough space.

Her eyes sharpen, focused like a predator locking onto prey as she stands still.

"If you don’t make a move, I’ll take the opening and attack first." The moment I say that, her muscles tense, especially in her thighs, and she leaps with explosive speed, gaining momentum to close the distance.

She throws a high kick—lower than usual, just like I advised—and I finally understand why she relies so heavily on kicks. Given her mutation, which gives her wolf-like traits, her legs must be far stronger than her arms.

I meet her kick with one of my own. The impact reverberates faintly through the air as she shifts her stance slightly and launches another kick at my leg. I answer with another kick, clashing against hers.

We trade the same strike over and over. Her stubbornness yields nothing—my metallic parts begin to bruise her leg. She dips low and sweeps fast.

But I slam my foot into the ground, bracing with my tail. Her leg crashes into mine and stops dead as I drive a kick into her face with my other leg.

"Only use a sweep on a target you know you can take off their feet." She’s hurled violently to the ground by the kick as I offer that small piece of advice.

"You must feel so damn good about yourself doing that, huh?" she asks, frustration thick in her voice, wiping the back of her hand across her face to clear the blood trickling from her nose.

"Not really. It’s more frustrating than satisfying." The fact that they’re this weak shows just how terrible the path the academy chose really is. If Rouge, with all her natural ability, had been training properly since she was seventeen or eighteen, she’d already be insanely strong—maybe even matching me, considering her mutation.

Her mutation gives her a huge edge in physical combat, and that factor was simply ignored. It makes me look over at Charlotte. She has a mutation too—hers is feline, with cat-like traits. She’d probably develop incredible physical abilities with proper training as well.

"Don’t get distracted." She lunges at me with a punch. I grab her hand and try to twist, but instead of resisting, she follows the motion and drives a knee toward me.

’No room to use my tail...’ I lean back, releasing her to avoid the knee, and grab her fluffy tail, squeezing hard. A little yelp escapes her.

"I’m not distracted. Don’t worry. And understand this—if you have a tail, never forget someone can attack it at any moment. You slipped up." I let go and leap backward, dodging one of her punches.

"Professor Zenith, who trained you?" She asks a good question. I notice some of the knocked-out students starting to wake up.

"No one. I only went through basic military training and learned the rest over time. Mostly by copying interesting things. Only people with money or a good family can afford private training." I snap a kick into her waist, landing cleanly.

But she uses everything I taught her to minimize the damage. She grabs my leg with both hands and pulls, managing to lift me off the ground. I twist my body and slam her down, forcing her to release me.

’That physical strength is terrifying... she’s probably the student with the most powerful muscles... with the right training, she really could match my prosthetics...’

"Isn’t that stupid?" She asks another good question. I see an opportunity to show them just how unfair the system is.

"Let me show you something interesting." I sprint toward her as she gets up, and before she can retreat, I execute a martial arts strike on her legs.

The move resembles a sweep but shifts the center of mass, spinning her entire body in the air until she’s upside down. Then I land three punches to her stomach, and before she hits the ground, I deliver a powerful kick that sends her flying.

She crashes down, curling into herself, coughing. Hands clutching her stomach, she gasps and looks up at me through tears.

"Urgh... wh-what did you d-do?" She can barely ask, writhing on the floor in pain.

"That’s a martial arts technique. A blend of two old combat styles. I saw it being used when I passed by a private martial arts training center."

"I was very interested in joining, but the price was absolutely absurd—for something that’s barely useful against most monsters. That’s when I understood."

"...?"

"Rouge, martial arts aren’t taught because the system wants to keep you weak. That’s not the real reason if you think it through. It doesn’t make sense for the system to leave you weak in something that would be useful. No—it’s because martial arts, outside of Aurora Island, aren’t designed to kill monsters. So the government sees no reason to get involved in controversies by teaching it."

"..." She stands up, legs trembling, realizing what I’m implying.

"It’s designed to kill people. All modern martial arts have been refined and shaped for one purpose: fighting other people."

"Tell me—do you really think that move I just did would work on a monster? Monsters with insane, chaotic shapes? Most monsters aren’t humanoids with four limbs, a head, and a torso where you can apply that kind of technique."

"There are rare exceptions. And worse, those exceptions can be immune to it. Do you think I could use martial arts against an aberration like Nemesis—the one you saw in the simulator?"

"Martial arts are interesting, but their only real function in combat boils down to teaching you how to survive better or kill troublesome humans and other Kairas. In the past, most martial arts were for self-defense. They had a doctrine of using them only to protect yourself."

"They were ’appropriate’ for a society that wasn’t so decayed—cleaner, fairer, more focused and centered. But that had to evolve."

"Today, everything is private because what they teach is how to kill your opponent faster. Something civilians shouldn’t have contact with. Those three punches hit vital areas. The kick—if I had used full force—would have ruptured your vital organs from the pressure already caused by the punches."

"You seem interested. I can see it in your eyes. The principle is simple." I decide to explain, because instead of fear or anger, I see fascination in her gaze—something rare in this kind of situation.

"The upside-down position disrupts your perception, your ability to move, and momentarily throws off your blood circulation. The entire sequence of strikes is designed to cause severe internal bleeding and organ rupture by applying pressure to specific points." Rouge shudders, realizing what could have happened to her.

"I’m going to teach all of you martial arts. Not because it’s mandatory curriculum—only because it’s useful. I ask that you avoid talking about it. The academy wouldn’t like me teaching you this kind of thing." Rouge falls to her knees, unable to get back up.

"...Professor, w-what’s the point of teaching us this, then? Why go against the academy and add things you’re not supposed to?" Eirwen asks. I see that everyone has woken up now.

"...Because I’m teaching you to survive my way. I’m not like the other teachers you’ve had—the ones who taught you only the basics and then ran off like you were monsters impossible to teach." I understand it’s natural for most teachers to fear the powers they possess, combined with their troublesome personalities.

"And also because I despise the academy. This place is creating a generation of paper soldiers while concentrating power in the hands of veterans who could drop dead any second..." Obviously, that’s done to protect civilians to some extent—so they don’t have to feel afraid. But it’s still problematic.

"Rouge, can you continue?" I ask her. She plants her hands on the floor, trying to stand, but she’s clearly in bad shape.

"...Help her to the infirmary. This duel is over." Rouge looks at me with defiance, as if trying to insist she can still go on, but she can’t even produce a coherent sound.

"You’re bold, Professor," Charlotte says with a smile as Eirwen and Ashlyn move closer to carry Rouge away.

"Whatever. Class, you’re dismissed for today. Tomorrow, I’ll give you a more focused training session and teach you the fundamentals of some martial arts. We’ll start from the basics." They begin leaving, but Charlotte stays behind.

"...Do you want something?"

"Just curious... aren’t you afraid that what you’re teaching will be turned against you? You teach some crazy things—practically teaching us to be less human—"

"Careful with your words. I’m not teaching you to be less human. I’m teaching you not to die when you leave here and have to take on real missions. Whether you stop being human because of what you learn is your responsibility."

"Ohhh! Really? How is it ours if you’re the one who taught us? Isn’t that the teacher’s responsibility?"

"You’re vastly overestimating authority figures. If I give you a weapon and teach you to shoot in self-defense, it doesn’t mean I taught you to kill people for fun. What you do with what you learn is your choice."

"Same thing here. I never told any of you to use what I’m teaching to walk all over others. Only to not die. That difference is what you’re deliberately ignoring."

"As for whether you’ll turn against me... whatever. I honestly wouldn’t care. It’s your choice. But if one day one of you tries to kill me... you’d better be ready to die." My gaze makes Charlotte take a step back.

"B-Bold statement, Professor Zenith..."

"I think yours was bolder, since you already assumed using it against me." She flashes an innocent smile and starts walking away.

"I saw you try to cheat." She stops when I say that.

"...I didn’t do anything."

"But you tried—before giving up during the duel. If you had gone through with it, I would have retaliated. Don’t forget, I also have spatial powers. I can sense it when you try to tamper with space." She quickens her pace, as if fleeing from the problem.

"...Tsk." I click my tongue. It seems I’ll still have plenty of trouble and challenges with these students.

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