The Guardian

Chapter 20: Results

Professor Miller looked at Aurora, who was stretching her body to begin combat.

“Wasn’t that the young lady who hid in the closet?” Cecile asked curiously, and looking at Aurora, who was calm, commented. “She doesn’t look frightened at all.”

Professor Miller thought the same thing but didn’t mention it.

Aurora differed from that young woman who hid in the closet, trembling with fear, but he didn’t overthink it.

Maybe she had just been ‘blocked’ by having to face other humans... It was hard to tell.

“It’s starting,” Director Vincent said.

In the arena, a creature appeared from the magic circle.

An Armored Crab, a Rank B creature that not only had strong defences, but its claws seemed to have a metallic tint to them, making it clear that they were weapons to be reckoned with.

That creature with its legs reached a meter tall, making it a rather scary creature.

However, Aurora moved without hesitation.

Professor Miller, as a Rank A fighter, could see how the young woman reinforced her body with magical energy at an impeccable speed.

Her speed and control over her own body allowed her to dodge the armored crab’s pincers and jump to position herself on top of its shell.

Impressive footwork, but that wasn’t all...

“Grrr...” The armored crab made a pained sound as Aurora’s fist collided with its shell.

Her blows did not pierce through the heavily armored shell but instead created an impact force that got damage to the internal organs.

A technique that every capable fighter should know when facing a creature whose outer defenses were high.

Aurora’s combat continued, and she kept using the same tactic against the crab, whose intelligence was not too high.

Her constant blows caused the crab to fall to the ground in submission after it could not resist the successive blows.

“Pretty impressive,” Cécile commented with a smile, and tapped Professor Miller’s shoulder, and added. “To go from a young woman who hid in the closet to a young lady capable of fighting an ugly crab is impressive.”

Professor Miller was pleased that Aurora didn’t freeze in fear or lock up, but that was the only thing he was satisfied with.

“She lacks talent as a fighter... She’s a disappointment,” Professor Miller commented dryly.

Cecile looked at him like he was the world’s biggest idiot.

Aurora’s movements were perfect, methodical, and calm, worthy of an experienced B-Rank who has been through dozens of battles.

“She has the qualities of a swordsman. I can see it. Fast reacting magical energy, impeccable reflexes, speed, and quickness. I think she would make an excellent expert,” Professor Miller stated, insisting on his point of view.

As an A-Rank Swordsman, he could notice those qualities in Aurora just as a mage would see the affinity of the elements in his students.

“Maybe so, but as a fighter, she’s not bad at all,” Cécile said in a severe tone.

Professor Miller shook his head.

“As a fighter, she seems to be taking it out on her enemy, as if she doesn’t put her heart and soul into the fight,” Professor Miller commented, and seeing that they were still looking at him like an idiot, he explained. “A swordsman who does not love his sword art will not advance to Rank A, and it is the same as a fighter who does not love the way she fights.”

Cécile could slightly understand.

The duty of mages was to understand the elements they controlled and to understand the magic they studied; for swordsmen, it was to grasp the essence of their sword, and for fighters, it was basically the same.

“What Professor Miller is trying to say is that Aurora lacks reason to engage her enemy. Although her skills and style are quite good, she without reason won’t get very far,” interjected Director Vincent with a sigh and, looking at Professor Miller, he added. “It is for that reason that Professor Miller has been being very hard on her.”

In the stories, the characters increased their power when they realize an important reason to fight.

To protect their family, friends, or just to survive.

It was no joke that happened in reality. People’s willpower could affect reality and the body, leading people to overcome their limitations.

That was the biggest reason why Aurora had been stuck in B-Rank for years; she had lost her motivation to fight... And the teachers noticed it slightly.

“I tried to belittle her and told her that she had no talent not only so that she could change her style, but that she could question ‘why’ she became a fighter and that she could find her ‘reason’, her ‘soul’.” Professor Miller revealed, adding. “But in the end, she didn’t seem to get it.”

“What an idiot,” Cécile commented with no hesitation, looked at her partner and pointed with contempt. “I’ll never understand fighters and swordsmen. Just tell her what her flaw is and be done with it.”

A mage would learn quickly from his mistake and adapt; it was a simple thing.

That’s why she found it idiotic that her partner didn’t speak truthfully to his student.

“It’s not about teaching the fault, it’s about her finding it on her own. Once she succeeds in doing so, I am very confident that she will become a Rank A fighter. If someone mentions it to her, she may not get the feedback necessary for her to manifest her combat aura,” explained Director Vincent.

As a Grand Archmage, he had a wealth of knowledge on varied subjects.

Self-learning and, in some cases, enlightenment itself, achieved individuals could improve much faster than those who were directly taught each step.

“If she cannot grasp it in the next stages, then I will tell her directly,” Professor Miller stated with a sigh.

His duty as a teacher was to teach his students, but also to seek what was best for them.

That Aurora could find her reason on her own was more important than his duty to teach her step by step.

Even if he had to continue to belittle a young woman who, deep down, was capable, Professor Miller was willing to do so.

If Aurora felt bad about her performance and questioned why she was a fighter and the reason she fights, then there could be a significant improvement.

******

“Congratulations on your success, students,” Archmage Cécile said with a smile.

Aurora looked at Cecile’s smile, that seemed to be directed at Alice.

She didn’t know what had happened, but Alice had come out of her bout grumpy and with apparent animosity for Cecile.

The surrounding students smiled and sighed at their own success.

For some, this was the first time they had fought a creature; for others, the nervousness of being tested was a hard thing to bear.

In the end, everyone was glad it was over, regardless of what their results were.

“With my students, we will stay for a week so that you can continue training,” Cécile revealed, and before the students got excited, she added. “But this time your opponents will not be wild creatures, but real monsters.”

Some expressions changed.

Monsters born of chaos were violent and savage beings that only sought to eliminate their enemy; it was known that they represented a greater difficulty than simple creatures or beasts.

Cecile smiled as she saw the look on the students’ faces, and saying no extra words, she withdrew after giving Alice a very enthusiastic look.

“...” Alice narrowed her eyes and glared back at her spitefully.

Aurora sighed when she saw Cecile run away, perplexed and disappointed.

“That’s all for today. Remember that on your academy app you will find your results,” reported Professor Miller, and without bothering about the students, he withdrew.

They all opened their holographic watches and looked at their result.

Aurora was one of them, but froze at the sight of it.

“Decent and well-performed skills, however, are still deficient by the standards set by the Professor. You are expected to question your own skills and improve. The Professor and the Academy would like to see an improvement in the dungeon phase.”

Aurora read the result marked in the combat class and was momentarily stunned.

“Didn’t you say you did a good job?” Alice asked doubtfully as she read Aurora’s result.

“Well... I did.” Aurora answered sincerely.

She did her best and showed the best skills of a B-Rank fighter.

“Am I that bad?” Aurora asked doubtfully.

Her confidence had not been shaken as she defeated that crab flawlessly without taking damage.

It was hard for her to question what she did wrong... So she couldn’t understand the results.

“I just feel you are stiff and mechanical... I think you need to loosen up more when it comes to fighting. If you do, I think you could improve,” commented Alice, nodding to herself.

Alice wasn’t a fighter and wasn’t very interested in those topics, so she could only analyze Aurora’s situation from her experience and knowledge.

Aurora nodded in understanding a little.

It was true that she took the fight too ‘methodically’.

Aurora had enough reaction time to determine her moves step by step, and that was because her physical abilities had surpassed a B Rank fighter.

But since she could not manifest her combat aura as a fighter, she had stagnated at that rank, so she had chosen a particular method when fighting.

With her superior senses, she determined the steps to defeat her enemies without the need to use her combat aura... Her fights ended up lacking the spontaneity and savagery of the fighters.

—It’s not your technique or skill that’s lacking. It’s naturalness... Without naturalness, it’s difficult for you to show your full potential.

Her system gave that comment and showed her an image of when she had jumped to defend the young man with the enchanting eyes.

Her speed had surpassed a mere B-Rank, without her being able to tell.

Before Aurora could grasp the reason, Clémentine and the other members of the group approached.

“How did they do?” Clémentine asked with a smile.

Aurora and Alice showed their results, and they saw the results of the other group members.

They all got excellent marks, and although there were some comments about improving, none got a result equal to Aurora’s.

“They must have a deep impression of you,” Clémentine commented with an odd expression.

As someone who had fought at Aurora’s side, Clémentine knew the skill of the young woman’s ability.

An expert, skilled and capable one.

That the teachers would give such comments, she could only understand as them looking for her to excel, surely looking for the ‘birth’ of a new A-Rank.

“Well, just keep training and use the week the summoners are in.” Leslie said, nodding with a sigh.

Her grade was excellent, but she was urged to go back to practice against a B Rank creature.

“How about some food to celebrate?” Nicole asked with an exhausted expression.

Her combat had been one of the first, but her nervousness had consumed much of her physical and mental capacity, so now she wanted to relax.

“Eat? Sure.” Alice replied with a nod.

Aurora just put the topic about their sparring aside and smiled at seeing Alice so animated.

It was good to enjoy the breaks from time to time.

******

“What do you think, master?” Aurora asked her questionable and unreliable teacher.

She had gone to lunch with the others, but after arriving at the mansion, Aurora could not sit still, and so she came to visit her master in search of an answer.

She had showed her skills to him directly and in the confrontation against the armored crab.

“You are like a puppet,” replied the old man, and touching the sheath of his katana, he added. “It is difficult to walk two different paths. It’s not only about time and dedication but also about will.”

It was the reason why many people were known as A-Rank of a specific profession... It was usually complicated to be an expert of two different arts or occupations.

“Don’t you wish to return to your principal weapon?” The old man asked with a gentle expression.

His student was a skilled swordsman worthy of being his personal student, unfortunately...

“I would like to learn something new...” Aurora lied shamelessly.

Her words sounded good, but it was clear that wasn’t the reason.

The old man looked strangely at his troubled disciple, but in the end, he sighed and declared. “I’ll tell my acquaintance to hurry.”

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