Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Mock Battle Part 02.

The bulky teacher extended his right hand forward while pointing his index finger at Soma, who still didn't release his stance. Soma, who received a sudden proposal, twitched his body slightly at first. Still, as he saw his opponent's face flashing his white canines deliberately trying to rouse his fighting spirit, he exhaled and loosened his nerves.

"Soma?".

Hina beside him turned to glance at him. In Soma's eyes, Hina could see a flicker of burned amber. With a slight push from some wild wind, it could ignite a spark that would burn his fighting spirit. She also saw a faint grin he had. Those eyes that seemed calm radiated a firm stance that urged him to step forward and accept the challenge.

Soma replied with a single nod, and Hina took a step behind as she understood his meaning.

"Okay. Good luck, Soma".

After seeing Soma's determined eyes, Hina understood that he couldn't be disturbed anymore from this point onward.

"Everyone, please follow the red-haired girl there outside the arena. I have a feeling this mock battle will be a blast one".

After hearing the teacher's clear and hoarse voice, every candidate and the other people in the arena exchange looks. Hina ignored everyone's gaze, walked imposingly and stepped outside the arena.

Once outside the arena, Hina turned her back and directed her gaze at Soma, still showing his broad back, standing still, undeterred by many obstacles. She wants to use this experience to see how Soma will fight, and she also wants to learn from him. What Hina wants to learn from him is the strength of his heart, which is never bent and keeps burning bright despite any obstacles he faces.

She wants to learn from him, and someday, she wants to become a person with a strong heart like him.

The other candidates hesitated at first. Then, seeing Hina outside and the teacher who always kept his gaze on soma made them shrug their shoulders and raise their feet, leaving the arena. The teacher exchanges glances with each other, and the female teacher sighs before she leaves the arena. Now, only two people are standing in the area.

"Names Lee. Kid, state your number, names and choice of weapon if you are ready".

"Yes, Number a hundred twenty-five. Name Soma, I am using these. Please guide me?". Searᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He raised his hands while clenched both fists to tell teacher Lee.

"Okay, Soma, the rules are simple. We will conduct some mock battles to access your battle power and the technique you have. The usage of skill, magic, and real weapons is permitted, but don't deliberately try to inflict fatal harm on the other opponent. Let's keep it in moderation, shall we? Prepare your stance!"

Soma nodded his head and shifted his standing position in a straight line where his feet were aligned vertically, keeping his face facing forward. He bent his feet slightly in the middle stance and raised his hands slightly. This stance was his usual martial arts stance, an unorthodox style he learned from his deceased father in this world.

"Good".

Lee also prepared his stance with a front stance where his body was facing forward, and his feet were in a diagonal position. His hands were raised high, nearing his jaws.

Soma knitted his brows, inhaled a deep breath of oxygen, and exhaled it several times. With every breath he took, he tensed every muscle in his body before loosening it again as he repeated it three times. His eyes were serene, catching only important information before him, watching every nook of Lee's body as he heightened his senses to the limit.

"Here I come".

"Sure, Come at me. Let me see what you got".

Lee's words act as a cue, and Soma sprung into action, closing the distance with Lee. Lee's eyes twitch for a brief moment to see how swift Soma's movements are, but he manages to observe his movement fine.

Soma, whose confidence in his speed and status in physique was higher than any other candidates, close the distance with Lee, and when he entered Soma's range, putting his right leg firm to the floor, Soma swung his left leg to aim at Lee's right foot, who was in front.

With his upper guard that seems tight, Soma decides to disrupt his stance first. But Lee knows where Soma's plan is, so he slides his left leg to the back and intends to do the same with his right leg, but he opens his eyes wide, seeing Soma's left leg lose his intensity. Instead, Soma's left leg planted firmly on the ground and used it as an axis to launch a straight kick directed at Lee's abdomen.

Realizing it was a straight kick, and he didn't have any cover to his abdomen. With trained feet, Lee slid further back and managed to avoid Soma's leg range. But Soma still wasn't finished with his attack.

Using Lee's bent right leg as a foothold, Soma lifted himself up and swung his left leg as hard as he could toward Lee's right jaw. Lee, who saw that coming, raised his right hand, and then they flash clashed and sent a bit of jolting pain to each other's limbs. With his superior strength and defense, Lee managed to stop the attack easily.

Seeing his kick has been neutralized. Soma leaped back and created some distance to reorganize his plan.

"..Impressive, organized attack".

"Thank you, teacher".

"Since you had the first strike. Let me do the next attack".

"Yes, don't be too hard on me".

Soma peered his eyes open to observe Lee's every move. When the moment Soma tried to blink, Lee's figure vanished from his sight, and he reappeared before him, casting a huge shadow that confused his sight and brain.

With his 190cm height and bulky body, Soma was being enveloped by its shadow, and Soma, with his heightened sense to the peak, managed to see a glimpse of the tilted hips Lee had, and his left leg was leaving its post. Difference from the technique Soma shows, which emphasizes speed over power. This kick was intended to eliminate their opponent with its single swing.

Soma could see an image that his right shin was broken into two.

So, he abandons defending and leaps back to distance himself, but again, Lee disappears from sight and now appears from his left. A fist appeared in Soma's line of sight, blocking his view. Lee, who uses his left hand clenched tight, is ready to blow Soma's consciousness away.

Soma, with his alarmed instinct, ducks down, but another incoming attack also appears in the form of a low kick. With his crumpled stance, he couldn't avoid this kick, So he raised his hands.

"Ack".

A huge jolt of pain runs its course through his body, starting from his hands spreads to his entire nerves like electricity, making his hands numb momentarily. But Soma knew that he didn't have the luxury to groan in pain. His body sends a rush of adrenaline that heightens his euphoria to the pain, nullifying it.

[Skill Adapt activated]

[Nullified the Physical pain 30%]

While being thrown from his place, rolling on the ground a couple of times, Soma fixed his stance, raised his body and prepared his middle stance once more before him appeared a translucent window that notified him of the activating skill.

"Crap".

Soma's thought began to accelerate as he saw the teacher disappear from his sight once more. He couldn't let this fight prolong, or he would surely receive some backlash from the skill adapt who nullifies his pain.

[Oni strengthening technique activated]

[All stats have been enhanced 50%]

[Consumed fifty mana per second]

[Time remaining 16 seconds]

"Next round!".