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As soon as everyone had chosen their weapons, Professor Wilhelm walked to the center of the training hall and looked around at the students.
"Before I start teaching all of you, let me see your current level."
His gaze swept across the room before stopping on two students.
"You two."
He pointed at a pair of boys who had both chosen greatswords.
The weapons were almost comically large compared to their scrawny builds.
It was obvious they had picked them because they looked impressive rather than because they knew how to use them.
The two students immediately straightened their backs and walked into the practice area.
"Training match. Begin."
The moment the professor gave the signal, both boys charged at each other.
The result was painful to watch.
Neither of them had any idea how to use a greatsword properly.
Instead of controlling the weapons, they seemed to be fighting against them.
One boy swung with all his strength, nearly spinning himself around from the momentum.
The other tried to block but held the sword incorrectly and almost dropped it from the impact.
Ash had to suppress a laugh.
It looked less like a duel and more like two children waving around oversized pieces of metal.
Around him, several students were struggling not to laugh as well.
The match continued for nearly a minute.
Neither boy landed a proper hit.
Most of their swings missed entirely or struck the floor.
Eventually, one of them lost his balance and fell backward.
The other immediately tripped over his own sword while trying to capitalize on the opening.
Both ended up lying on the ground.
The hall fell silent.
Professor Wilhelm rubbed his forehead.
"I see."
The two boys quickly stood up, their faces bright red.
"Do either of you have any experience with greatswords?"
"No, Professor."
"Then why did you choose them?"
The first student hesitated.
"They looked cool."
The second nodded.
"Yeah."
Several students snorted.
Professor Wilhelm closed his eyes for a moment.
"Put them back."
The two boys immediately obeyed.
"Battle Mages are not performers."
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"We choose weapons because they fit our fighting style, not because they look impressive."
The professor pointed toward the racks.
"A weapon is a tool. The wrong tool makes your life harder."
The two students quickly exchanged their greatswords for more manageable weapons.
Professor Wilhelm then began calling up pairs one after another.
Some students clearly had basic training.
Others had never held a weapon before arriving at the academy.
The differences became obvious very quickly.
After nearly twenty matches, Wilhelm's eyes finally landed on Ash.
"You."
Ash looked up.
"Professor?"
"Get in the ring."
Ash stood and walked into the practice area.
"Choose an opponent."
Ash glanced around before pointing at a student carrying a spear.
The boy looked surprised but quickly stepped forward.
"Good," Wilhelm said.
"Let's see what you can do."
The two students took their positions.
Ash held his longsword in his right hand and his dagger in his left.
Across from him, the spear user lowered his weapon into a proper stance.
That alone told Ash that this opponent had at least some training.
Professor Wilhelm nodded.
"Begin."
The spear immediately shot forward toward Ash's chest.
Instead of retreating, Ash stepped diagonally to the side.
The spear missed.
Before the other student could recover, Ash's dagger slapped the shaft aside while his sword stopped inches from the boy's neck.
The entire exchange had taken less than two seconds.
Silence filled the hall.
The spear user blinked.
Professor Wilhelm raised an eyebrow.
"Again."
This time the spear user attacked more carefully.
He thrust, feinted, and attempted to maintain distance.
Ash calmly moved around each attack.
His footwork remained smooth and controlled.
Every movement was efficient.
After several exchanges, Ash slipped inside the spear's effective range and lightly tapped the student's shoulder with the dagger while resting the sword against his chest.
"Point."
The professor nodded.
The match continued for another minute.
Each time, the result was the same.
Ash consistently controlled the distance, avoided unnecessary movements, and found openings with ease.
Finally, Wilhelm raised a hand.
"Enough."
Both students lowered their weapons.
The professor looked at Ash for a few moments.
"You've received formal training."
It wasn't a question.
Ash nodded.
"I spar regularly."
"With whom?"
"A friend."
Wilhelm stared at him.
"Your friend knows what they're doing."
Several students nodded in agreement.
Several students nodded in agreement.
Even those with little combat experience could tell the difference between Ash and most of the class.
The professor smiled slightly.
"Good."
He looked at the rest of the students.
"Pay attention."
Then he pointed at Ash.
"This is what someone who actually trains looks like."
Professor Wilhelm looked at Ash before nodding.
"I will now teach you how to weave spells between your sword and dagger strikes."
Several students looked surprised.
"Normally, I don't begin this part of the course until after one or two months of weapon training. Students first need to learn proper stances, footwork, and weapon control."
He pointed at Ash.
"But you've already mastered the basics of swordsmanship. There's no point making you repeat exercises you've clearly practiced for years."
Ash nodded.
"For the rest of you, return to your positions and begin practicing with the weapons you've chosen."
The students did as instructed.
Many looked at Ash with envy, but none complained.
After watching his performance, they understood that he had earned the professor's attention.
Soon, the hall was filled with the sounds of training weapons cutting through the air.
Professor Wilhelm moved from student to student, correcting mistakes whenever he spotted them.
He adjusted stances, fixed grips, corrected footwork, and occasionally smacked someone lightly on the shoulder with a wooden stick when they repeated the same mistake too many times.
After spending some time helping the other students, he finally returned to Ash.
"Show me your basic forms."
Ash immediately began moving.
His longsword flowed through a series of strikes while the dagger remained active, guarding openings and preparing counterattacks.