POV: MIGUEL CASTRO.
They had no idea… what they were facing.
The training court was quiet, the surroundings empty. After all, students were still in class at this time of day, they would only leave for recess later.
Everything was calm, except for the sound of blows impacting or feet moving quickly from one side to the other, during the combat.
I had already activated Diamond of the Mines earlier; now, I needed to use it in a way that would separate them to prove my point.
Diamond of the Mines was the result of an enchantment originating from my military academy days.
The good old classic companion of Don Quixote's knight. Its representation was strongly influenced by my favorite manga at the time of adolescence – JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
It was one of my main enchantments; its appearance was a kind of extension of my will. It acted as a squire, protecting me when necessary.
I intended to use it to separate Renata and Helena, and deal with each one individually. That was enough for me to control the environment around me with absolute precision.
And, more than that, it gave me speed. Lots of speed.
The duo maintained their position with everything. Helena in front, using a different enchantment…
Something that resembled a kind of guardian or summon made of light blue energy. The court's shape was long, so there was space to maneuver within it and exchange blows with both.
However, that would be ineffective if both stayed in formation. After all, Renata was right behind, covering both flanks, always observant and ready to react to any opening. She left little room for me to disrupt the formation.
Their synchronicity was commendable. But they didn't know all the tricks yet.
Channeling energy into my hands. I brought Diamond to my right arm, where it concentrated its energy together with my arm. And the next moment.
"Naturalness of the Common Man!" I uttered, as I activated my JOJO support enchantment.
'Being an agent taught me a few things about interpretation…'
A second version of me materialized momentarily, and Diamond took over its movements, calmly advancing towards them.
With a rigid and simple posture… Like a normal man in a suit and tie going to work on a cold morning.
At the same time, I advanced quickly from their left flank. With a sudden leap, I positioned myself between them, charging my hands again with the defense and attack marks.
I attacked Helena, who spun with speed, already expecting me, but her partner couldn't keep up with the same swiftness.
I took advantage, placing a barrier that prevented a sequence of attacks from Helena, forcing her to move away, advancing forward. Then, with Diamond beneath my feet, I moved again, appearing next to Renata, who had to retreat in a hurry.
"You're getting in each other's way," I commented amidst the exchange of blows.
"Coordination is great, but it won't do any good if I separate you".
Renata growled in frustration and tried to hit me with a side kick, but I was no longer there.
My speed kept them always one step behind. I shifted my focus, now heading towards Helena, who was catching her breath.
Attacking her directly was risky; she was dangerous, and I knew it, but I wanted to test her limits. At the same time, I directed Diamond of the Mines to deal with Renata meanwhile.
We engaged in a direct exchange. Helena blocked, counter-attacked, dodged. Her style was fluid, her technique precise.
For a few moments, she kept pace with me. A glint of determination in her eyes showed me that she wouldn't give in easily.
But then, I saw it; I saw her rhythm begin to falter. Her constructs began to lose resistance, and her strength gave way slightly.
The fatigue began to weigh on her shoulders. Her breathing became more irregular with each second, and her movement, once precise, became slightly hesitant.
One opening was enough. A slight drop in her guard, and the sweep kick was quick. Her impact on the ground ended her participation in the sparring.
"Good try," I murmured, as I turned back to Renata.
"But you're out".
Looking over my shoulder, I saw that Helena didn't respond. She just nodded, lying on the ground, out of breath. She knew she had done her best.
And I respected that.
Now it was Renata's turn. She was alone and dealing with Diamond, and seemed to know it. Her hands clenched into fists, and her eyes shone with determination.
She felt cornered, but not intimidated. A common mistake was to underestimate her for being the strategist, the one who stayed behind.
But I knew there was much more to her. Renata charged, and I let her come.
Diamond of the Mines' defense was solid. With its activation, I could change its form. I focused on dodging her first attacks with ease. They were fast, technical, but predictable.
"You fight well up close, but you rely too much on cover," I observed, as Diamond dodged, and I advanced towards her.
"Alone, your style leaves you vulnerable".
She spun quickly and almost hit my shoulder. I smiled. The girl was good, but she lacked a lot of experience and martial training.
Her movements were simple taekwondo; they could be improved.
I moved once more, now with the intention of finishing. Her guard was weakened, and although she still fought with technique, her advantage was in teamwork.
Without Helena to protect her, she wouldn't last long.
And indeed, she didn't. With an advancing movement, I rotated my body and hit her leg with a low side kick.
The impact unbalanced her. Before she could react, her body was already falling sideways, off balance. I stomped my foot on the ground, officially ending the combat.
Silence fell. Renata was still breathing with difficulty on the ground, trying to understand what she had done wrong.
Helena remained seated, observing.
Both had performed better than many of the recruits I had in the SFR for years.
'If anything, they were even better than Noah himself when he started…'
"You two have potential," I declared, wiping sweat from my forehead with my forearm.
"But, both of you have to learn how to fight alone too".
As soon as I said that, I deactivated my marks and let Diamond dissipate. Moments later, it vanished completely.
They didn't respond immediately. They were still processing the defeat.
That kind of confrontation wasn't just physical.
It was a lesson, and I was sure they were listening.
It was time for us to do some revisions.