CHAPTER 138: THE ATTACK

"Your environment is a weapon as much as your body," he instructed, voice carrying easily through the trees. "Use what is around you, trunks for cover, rocks for stepping stones, branches to obscure your movements. Awareness is key. Timing and coordination with your partner will often mean the difference between success and failure."

Students paired off, practicing careful footwork, stepping lightly over roots and mossy stones, using trees and boulders to break line of sight.

Jae fell into his usual rhythm, but his mind wandered often, replaying thoughts of the night before, the nervous but trusting faces of Elise and Yuna, imagining their reactions if he pulled them aside later tonight.

His smirk returned more than once as he watched other students stumble or miss a subtle instruction, his own confidence shining in contrast.

Elise moved with quiet precision beside him, eyes keen on every detail, occasionally glancing at him with a mix of concentration and the soft warmth of admiration.

Yuna was more animated, stepping lightly over uneven ground, her usual blunt energy softened by the shyness he had coaxed from her the night before.

Both girls were intensely focused yet subtly aware of his presence, the three of them forming a small, almost magnetic unit amid the larger group.

Teacher Han’s corrections came in short, precise bursts. "Shift your weight to the rear foot. No, higher on the trunk. Faster transition, flow with the environment, not against it."

Students adjusted quickly, eager to please, eager to keep up. Jae absorbed every word, every movement, but the forest itself seemed to sense something, the quiet rustle of leaves whispering through the canopy, too rhythmic, too intentional.

Xxx

The forest air was calm one moment, then shattered. Two masked figures sprang from the shadows. One charged toward the cluster of students, hurling rocks and forcing screams.

The other moved like a predator toward Jae, cutting him off from the group with frightening speed.

Jae barely had time to react. He dove behind a fallen trunk as the first swipe grazed his shoulder, nearly knocking him off balance. His heart pounded, breath ragged, red eyes scanning for escape.

The attacker circled him with a calculated patience, forcing him back over roots and jagged stones. Every step threatened a stumble; every movement had to be precise.

He tried to strike, raising a fist and summoning a flicker of Dragonfire Blade, but the masked assailant blocked effortlessly, moving with speed and strength Jae hadn’t anticipated.

A grunt escaped him as he stumbled, realizing this wasn’t a simple ambush. This was coordinated, practiced.

He leapt onto a root, twisted midair to evade another grab, and barely rolled clear of a second strike that could have pinned him.

The forest became a maze; branches scraped his arms, roots threatened to catch his boots. Sweat slicked his hair to his forehead, and frustration burned hotter than any flame he could summon.

"Too fast..." he muttered under his breath, ducking low as the attacker lunged again. He swung his Dragonfire Blade, but the figure anticipated the move, deflecting it and forcing Jae back another step.

Jae’s mind raced for options, his body straining to match the assailant’s precision.

Every instinct screamed to fight back, but with each exchange, he felt himself being pushed farther, cornered, realizing painfully that his usual tricks, Ember Step, sudden strikes, brute force, were not enough.

The realization hit him like a weight: he was outmatched

xxxx

The forest hummed with tension, every leaf and branch vibrating with the echoes of the fight. Jae’s chest rose and fell rapidly, sweat slicking his blonde hair to his forehead.

His eyes flicked across the trees, tracking the masked assailant who had kept him isolated, testing his skills with relentless precision. Every dodge, every swing, every step demanded his full attention, yet the figure seemed always one step ahead.

Then came reinforcements.

Mr. Han emerged from a tangle of roots and low branches, moving with the fluid grace of a master combatant. Behind him, Byun’s shadow manipulation snaked along the ground, coiling like living tendrils.

Sun’s scowl cut through the forest light as he moved with controlled authority, dual swords gleaming faintly, his Sovereign Vein technique pressing a palpable weight into the surrounding space. Tirel’s flames burst in bursts of red and orange, heating the misty air and scattering the remaining shadows.

The coordinated assault was immediate and precise. Byun’s shadows whipped toward the masked figure who had been harassing the students, ensnaring him momentarily.

Tirel’s fire followed, dancing across the forest floor and forcing the assailant backward. Sun closed in, his blade arcs shimmering with the weight of his technique, and Mr. Han’s strikes cut into the space between them, leaving the figure no room to maneuver

A sharp cry echoed through the trees, muffled by the heat and energy crackling in the air.

The masked mage staggered, his footing uneven. Panic flickered across his movements, a rare break in his practiced composure.

With a final glance at the overwhelming force arrayed against him, the figure turned and vanished into the deeper shadows, leaving a thin trail of disturbed leaves and trampled undergrowth in his wake.

Jae exhaled slowly, muscles trembling from the sustained effort. His hands itched with the adrenaline of combat, his Dragonfire Blade still faintly glowing.

He felt the burn of exertion, the sting of scrapes across his arms, the ache of strained muscles, yet there was no shame, only the sharp awareness that, despite his abilities, he had been pushed to the brink.

Before he could process further, Elise stepped forward. Her dark hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she focused on the remaining primary attacker, who still lingered at the periphery.

Jae watched as she raised her hands, summoning her mana in a precise flow. He could see the effort etched on her delicate features, she had practiced this new draining technique, but she was still learning its limits.

A thin, almost translucent thread of energy reached from Elise to the attacker, siphoning mana from him. The figure shivered, forced backward, but not enough for a clean capture.

Elise’s lips parted slightly, her focus absolute, yet Jae caught the faintest flush on her cheeks, a mix of exertion and pride. She was powerful, yes, but still human.