As soon as the first round of sparring started, Kalon realized that while most of his attributes were on par with Thea’s, there was one area where he was lacking.
Agility.
All of Kalon’s other attributes had progressed into the D-Rank, whereas his agility was still E-Rank.
After all, agility was the attribute he had practiced and relied on the least in battle.
Meanwhile, Thea Bluegale likely had D+ agility, or perhaps even C-. Her body had also been strengthened since she had advanced to Steel Rank after her excellent performance in the mock battles.
This was why it didn’t take long for Kalon to be hit by one of her water skills.
Water Whip.
Thea thrust her hands forward from across the field, and a whip made of water lashed out from her palms, striking him across the chest.
Immediately, his health dropped from 150 → 145. A deep sensation of drowning washed over him, draining his stamina as well.
However, he also felt something else.
It was as though his body was adapting.
Kalon continued dancing around the field, trying to evade Thea’s attacks.
The woman smiled at him and pointed her fingers like she was aiming a gun.
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!
Three droplets of water shot from her fingertips, each one the size of a clenched fist.
Kalon couldn’t help but feel uneasy about taking those attacks head-on. Of course, he could use Astral Counter, but that would defeat the purpose of the training.
Not only that, but this attack also highlighted the biggest weakness of Astral Counter.
Due to its cooldown, it wasn’t effective against rapid attacks fired in quick succession.
It was much better suited to countering an opponent’s ultimate ability.
Kalon rolled clumsily to the side, narrowly avoiding the first projectile, only to realize the following two curved toward him.
They slammed into his left shoulder and chest, reducing his health to 137.
His body felt bruised, his shoulder slightly out of place. His breathing slowed, and so did the rest of his movements.
He managed to get back onto his feet after the roll, but by then, Thea was already attacking again.
This time, she charged straight at him with water encasing both of her hands like gloves.
Shit.
Thea stepped into range with a downward chop, which Kalon barely managed to deflect with his forearm. She immediately followed it with a palm strike aimed directly at his stomach.
THUMP!
Kalon slid backward across the grass, the wind knocked from his lungs.
He tried to retreat, but Thea pressed forward.
She ducked low before driving both palms upward, her wrists pressed together.
It was a clean hit.
Kalon’s head snapped back from the impact, and he was launched a meter into the air.
He couldn’t believe what was happening to him.
Never in his life had he been beaten like this, not even by his bullies. It was like he was fighting a professional.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. His head was tilted toward the sky as his body drifted helplessly through the air.
Then something appeared above him.
A growing sphere of condensed water.
It swelled to the size of a cannonball.
Then it kept growing.
In less than a second, it had become the size of a boulder, ready to crash down on top of him with all of its great weight.
No... not good. I can’t let this one hit me.
Just as the massive sphere came crashing down, Kalon was forced to activate Astral Counter.
The attack wouldn’t have killed him, but it definitely would have done serious damage, dropping his health to an alarming amount.
That was damage that he wasn’t prepared to take.
Kalon raised both arms as though trying to stop the falling water boulder with his bare hands.
The instant it crashed into them, an immense weight bore down on him, as though a car had been dropped onto his shoulders.
Then the force was absorbed throughout his entire body.
The water dispersed, and its mana flowed through him.
His system instantly filled with knowledge of the skill.
B-Rank Skill: Water Boulder
A B-Rank Skill... This must be her strongest attack.
Kalon landed on his feet, sliding several meters backward before finally coming to a stop on the grass.
The woman’s bright blue eyes pierced into him.
"Sorry, but I knew you’d hold back. I had to do what I could to make you go all out."
She smirked from across the grass.
So that’s why it looked like she was trying to kill me.
"What was that skill?" she asked. "How were you able to erase my strongest water attack without even having a water affinity?"
Kalon didn’t answer.
If only she knew I didn’t just absorb it, I turned its power into my own. If I wanted to, I could strike her with the force of a Water Boulder.
Seeing that he remained silent, Thea began making guesses.
"Do you secretly have a Void affinity?"
"I wish."
"A water affinity that somehow lets you weaken other water skills?"
"No. No water affinity."
"Then it can’t be a standard defensive skill. Otherwise, it would have to be ranked higher than my attack. The laws of the System state that unless you’re countering an offensive technique with its elemental weakness, a defensive skill has to be at least one rank higher to block it. Since your skill erased my attack so effortlessly, it would have to be ranked above my own if it were a normal defensive skill. By a decent amount too."
Kalon stood there silently, listening to Thea’s explanation.
He seemed to have forgotten something.
Thea was a genius and the daughter of one of the strongest fighters in the United Kingdom.
It only made sense that she would analyze their fight so thoroughly. Her knowledge was extensive.
He scratched the back of his head, stumped on what to say to her.
"Well... everyone has their secrets, don’t they?" was all he managed.
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