Previously due to Boris urge to evaluate and the sudden visit of Richard, the elite class had to take their lessons in the normal clothes they use to attend to their classes, but this time they were given special uniforms to train.
Three months before the admission exams, every applicant has to send information to the academy such as their measurements, age, the clan to which they belong etc. there are many reasons to that one of them being these special uniforms.
Or at least that was Aliya's explanation as she distributed them, something Daimon found weird because on the surface they just looked like the ones used back on earth for physical education classes.
For the boys, it consisted in loose pants, a short-sleeved shirt and tennis shoes, for the girls it was more or less the same with the difference that they had shorts instead of pants.
They went to the changing rooms and after a couple of minutes returned using those uniforms, Richard nodded seeing them.
"Every year the uniforms are better, this time they are embedded with some magic formations to increase the mana gathering ratio and the natural recovery of those who wear them".
As soon as Calvin left the changing room his eyes focused on Loren, but the same could be said of Daimon, the only difference was that he paid all his attention to Aisha, the uniforms… fitted to their bodies perfectly making their beautiful figures obvious to the eyes of others.
There were two different reactions, Loren blushed and covered her chest with her hands, as for Aisha she enjoyed being seen by Daimon so she didn't do anything.
Leaving that little episode aside, Richard told everyone to go up the training platform.
"As I said before, our classes will focus on survival techniques since we don't know that is hidden in that magic ruin, the main reason of death for young mages is the incapacity to defend without magic".
"Yvi please take a few steps ahead", said Richard in a proud voice.
Yvonne sighed, but she did as she was told, Richard pointed at his granddaughter and then continued with his explanation.
"People often believe that a good fighting style needs to have several movements to react to different situations and that is not necessarily wrong, but it is also not exactly true".
Richard changed his pose, his left foot was two steps ahead of the right one, as for the upper part of his body he took a guarding pose similar to those of a boxer, his right fist was placed a few centimeters in front of his heart and the left one protected his chin.
"This is the standard pose for hand-to-hand combat I only teach to my most trustable students, we from the beast races have a high vitality and although for some rare talents it might not be the end… for others suffering damage on the heart or the head is lethal", said Richard as he stole a couple of glances at Daimon.
Michael rose his hand and then asked what was on his mind.
"I don't mean to offend, but isn't that the pose for amateurs and street fighters?".
Richard smiled, "Yes, this pose is generic by all means, but that is the point, you know what is the problem in following a style that already exists?".
"You make the same mistakes as the creator, and can be countered as easy a him too", answered Yvonne.
Calvin shrugged.
"When it comes to fight, I think I'm not that useless, the old man has beaten me a couple of times to prevent me from being predictable, but even then, how are we supposed to create a new style in a month or so?".
"A one-eyed man can be the king in a land of blind people", mumbled Daimon.
Richard laughed out loud, "Kid I swear I will break my own promise just to witness how will you do when you attend to the obligatory service at the army".
Richard's logic was simple, others always follow the style taught to them, their movements will be easy to read if you have some knowledge about said style, then what happens if you can to some degree predict your enemy's but your opponent can't… a huge advantage.
Calvin was speechless, "That sounds cool and all that, but I don't think we are the only ones that try something like this".
This time Boris answered.
"Of course, it might be possible that others have the same idea, but how many have the courage to keep walking through a path created by themselves, do you know why I'm intentionally keeping myself from advancing to the peak of the Archmage realm?".
…
"Because I still need to find the next step in my path, the number of people that have created their own way can be counted with the fingers of two hands, one of them resides in this academy… no one has ever been able to counter the style of the principal".
Richard nodded, he is way older than Aura but he hasn't been able to advance because he is in the same predicament of Boris, but if there is something he takes pride in, is that one of his students achieved what he couldn't, just like Aura, the current field marshal has never been defeated in battle.
Richard directly gazed at the students he had in front of him.
"Just like the knowledge little Aliya has granted to you, what I'm going to teach you can be an advantage over others if used correctly, that being said I won't force you to learn, out of respect for those who already have a master like Michael".
Michael let out a sigh of relief, he has been following his master since he was a little kid, and he is convinced that in a one versus one fight his master will in the worst-case scenario tie.
Besides Michael the others had no objections in developing their own hand to hand fighting styles, so the pairs for sparring were settled, Daimon and Calvin, Leslie and Liliana and last but not least Aisha and Yvonne, Loren stayed out of the training too her family also had their own fighting and she didn't want to change it.
"Although I will only teach you this generic pose, that doesn't mean you can't integrate the weapon you use or your element also, the limit is you imagination, I guess there is no need to mention it but don't aim at any vital spots during the sparring, just make your opponent lay in the ground for five seconds, leave the platform or surrender by their own will".
Calvin wanted to curse Michael, if he didn't step aside from this training, he would have been his sparring partner instead of Daimon, but now he was trapped with a monster like him.
"Class rep, be gentle with me okay… I have a girl I want to impress".
Daimon sighed, he wanted to train with Aisha, but it was true that Calvin was a good match for him, earth mages have the best defenses among mages after all, to the point that they can rival knights.
With Richard's green light the sparring started, magic was forbidden with the exception of Calvin which was allowed to use a self-strengthening spell, because Richard calculated just using his physical body Daimon had a strength similar to that of a five-star ranked knight.
Richard left the platform and sat down with Boris and Aliya to evaluate the sparring, the first match they paid attention to, was Leslie versus Liliana and just like their elements, their styles seemed to be completely different.
While Leslie moved in circles around Liliana and threw punches and kicks from time to time, Liliana focused on blocking her attacks and then look for an opening to finish the fight.
Boris shook his head, "She's too impatient, fire users tend to be either aggressive or energetic, that girl from the fire crane clan is quite agile but she lacks strength so her attacks can't break the defense of her opponent".
Richard smirked, "I remember a certain someone which even up to this day "heats up", at the slightest provocation though".
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of something falling, but the image they saw one they focused their attention on the platform was rather different that what they expected.
Both Leslie and Liliana were in the ground and both got up before the five second mark passed.
Leslie stuck her tongue at Liliana.
"Lili, when I lost again Aisha, I noticed I wasn't aggressive enough in my attacks… and that led me to freeze when that idiot tried to force me go with him, but that won't repeat ever again".
Liliana saw her leg which now had the mark of a foot, she found hard to believe that Leslie used a feint to sweep and kick her leg so that they both fell to the ground, but she took more of the impact and her leg was now trembling a bit due to that.
She looked at Leslie's eyes which now seemed to be on fire, and she mentally thanked both Aisha for teaching her childish friend the difference between someone that takes training seriously and someone who doesn't… and to Daimon for showing her some of the cruelty of the world.
The cycle started again, Leslie moved around Liliana to confuse her but this time things went different, Liliana interrupted her pace by placing her foot in Leslie's way and when she moved to not trip over, Liliana held her arms and pressed her against the floor.
*Thud*, with a dull sound Leslie fell to the ground and whenever she tried to stand up, Liliana placed her knee on her back, so she had no choice but to surrender after the five seconds passed.
"Oi Lili, you were quite brute, I'm going to have a bruise in my back you know!!!".
Liliana shrugged, "I remember you bragging about making me fall, so it's only retribution, I have a bruise on my leg thanks to that".
They left the platform as they argued about who was more "vulgar" on the fight.
