Arlo stood in front of Joe as they faced off.

The entire opened space was enough to fit the 174 students allowing them to pair up with fair distances between them.

Arianne wanted to pair up with Arlo but after being showered with pleading looks, she relented and allowed Joe to face Arlo.

"This is just a simple spar. Is that clear?"

"YES!"

"Begin!"

The students faced off against each other.

Since it was a simple spar, they all fought at a leisurely pace.

Evangeline had her divine sense covering the entire building so she was able to observe the 87 fights ongoing.

And with her clan's supernatural analytical ability, she didn't find it a problem keeping up.

She immediately started correcting the students on their postures and suggested suitable martial arts for each of them.

The students got more excited upon being taught the proper way to fight.

She reached Ric's side and upon seeing the one-sided fight, gestured for them to stop.

She looked in several directions and saw similar situations.

Not wanting to interrupt the others, she used her divine sense to instruct them to stop.

The other outstanding four stopped their matches.

Arianne who was standing nonchalantly while a small wall of blood moved to block all her opponent's attacks also stopped.

Finally, Joe who gave a low war cry and charged at Arlo imposingly also stopped.

Looking at Joe, the corner of Evangeline's mouth twitched.

She had been simultaneously observing all the fights, so she saw how Joe attacked grandly but Arlo dodged quietly by simply sidestepping.

'Are they sparring or acting out a play?' she couldn't help but question in her mind.

Another pair of students also stopped.

They were Bon and Judi, as siblings, the two didn't fight with all their minds.

While what Rosaline wanted was a spar, she still wanted them to take it seriously.

Bon and Joe's pairs obviously didn't.

As for the outstanding five and Arianne, they were overwhelmingly stronger than their opponents so the spar couldn't even be counted as one from the beginning.

She moved them to another area from the others.

There were currently ten in front of Rosaline.

They were the outstanding five, Bon, Judi, Arianne, Joe, and Arlo.

She had already assigned their previous opponents among themselves.

These were the only ones remaining.

Evangeline's black gem-like eyes looked at the students before her, specifically at the outstanding five and Judi and Bon.

"I know you don't want to reveal your cards for the ranking war tomorrow. But what we are doing now might be what will help you tomorrow. So, let me see your moves."

"You and you, pair up."

"You and her, together."

After a short while, she paired the ten against themselves.

Arianne was facing off against Judi.

Bon with one of the outstanding five, a boy whose name was Sol.

Joe against another outstanding five, a boy, James.

The only two outstanding girls were facing off against each other.

Arlo noticed it was the girl with specs and the first girl who had transformed her legs into a monster's and barely dodged Moose's attack.

Looking at the opponent before him, Arlo sighed.

Is this fate?

"Brat! We meet so soon!" Ric flashed him an evil grin.

"Start!" Evangeline ordered.

Even though she said to start, none of the ten moved as if waiting for something.

Rosaline didn't mind this.

Using that opportunity, she used her divine sense to guide the other students sparring against each other some distance away.

"Right." A spar kicked off.

It was the two outstanding girls.

The girl with monster legs had transformed her legs once again. Her feet turned into a monster's; she had four toes, while a bone protruded out the heels of her legs. Her toenails also resembled talons.

With a fast speed, she kicked off and punched at her opponent, but the girl with specs seemed to have predicted her movements.

"Left."

"Up"

Rosaline, the girl with specs studied her opponent's every move.

With her acute vision as a vampire, she was able to see how the muscles of her opponent's limbs flexed and contracted. Coupled with her inhumane analytical ability, she didn't find it difficult to dodge her opponent's move even when she was faster.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

'Very good.' Evangeline's voice suddenly resounded in Rosaline's head.

'You already know how to use your strong points in a fight. However, are you only going to defend forever?'

Rosaline's eyebrows furrowed.

While she could dodge her opponent's attack, she found it difficult to attack at the same time. After all, her opponent was truly faster than her.

Evangeline voice suddenly resounded in her head:

'Don't think too much. Attack once you dodge. Use that gap when your opponent tries to adjust her posture. Not all your enemies will be faster than you. Take advantage of this spar.'

'Yes!' Evangeline answered in her mind, her eyes flashing with excitement.

Simultaneously as Rosaline was guiding Evangeline, she was also guiding her opponent, Lysa.

'You are fast. But if your opponent can predict your movements, your speed advantage becomes useless. First, don't let your opponent's words distract you. Block out all sounds.'

Lysa did as instructed. It wasn't hard for her to block her sense of hearing.

Truly enough, she saw a difference in the fight, but still, she couldn't land a punch.

'Now, I am going to teach you how to use feints in your attacks!'

Another fight started.

Arianne flashed in front of Judi and sent a punch, but the latter raised both of her hands to block her face.

Seeing that her attack was blocked, she sent another attack, but this time it was a kick.

Judi blocked the attack successfully once again, but this time she was pushed backward.

Evangeline's eyes suddenly shone.

She watched Arianne spar for a while longer before her voice resounded in both girls' heads.

'Princess Arianne.'

Arianne's eyes widened slightly upon seeing a spiritual sense invade her mind, but she soon collected herself.

'Lady Evangeline, it's my pleasure to meet you.'

'Likewise, Princess. Your brother only has praises for you. I can see they are well deserved!'

Arianne felt genuinely happy upon being praised by one of the vampire's supreme genius.

'Now...' Evangeline's voice suddenly turned serious, 'I have a task for you.'

'Yes?'

'I want you to only focus on your legs. Don't use your hands to attack.'

'Ah?' Arianne was stunned.

At the same, Judi who was being overwhelmed by her was also being guided by Evangeline.

This was the ability of the supreme genius, a woman whose forte was her enhanced analytical ability, yet her fighting prowess was way above her league.

The other spars had also started.

'Little boy, you are from the Royal serpent family, right?'

Evangeline's voice suddenly resounded in Joe's head.

Only his spar didn't look as one, as his opponent James sat on top of him while throwing punches.

Screaming underneath his opponent, Joe lost count of the number of times he had already surrendered.

Funny enough, their fight had not even lasted for a minute.

Evangeline shook her head before communicating telepathically with him.

'Yes! But what does that have to do with this? I quit already. Help me!'

'Shut up!' Evangeline shouted in his mind, causing Joe to fall silent.

He could only groan under the punches launched by his opponent.

'Do you enjoy being so pathetic?'

'You want to remain weak?'

For some reason, her words stung his mind.

'No...' Joe whispered, 'I just can't help it.'

'That is what a coward would say.' Evangeline's voice turned colder.

'Is there really nothing you can do?' she asked once again.

Joe fell into thought as he covered his face with his arms.

His opponent was stronger than him.

Faster than him.

Better than him in every way possible.

'What is it that I have that he doesn't?' Joe thought deeply about it.

Eventually, he found his answer.

He stretched his hands beside him, causing James's punch to finally fall on his face.

Painful groans escaped from his lips, but they still couldn't kill the determined light that shone within his eyes.

Two poison bombs suddenly appeared above James, and before the other could react, they collided with his body.

"AH!" A painful shriek echoed in the training center, causing most of the students to flinch.

James felt his body corrode from the poison, and even his regenerative ability couldn't heal him from it immediately.

Using that opportunity, Joe pushed his opponent off himself and quickly stood up. He was just about to pay the latter back in full when Evangeline's voice resounded in his head once more:

'You did well! Now keep your distance! Anyone that fears pain is not fit to be a close-range fighter.'

Joe couldn't agree more with the last part of her words so without any hesitation, he did as instructed causing Evangeline to be speechless.

Using this small opening where his opponent was yet to regain himself, he formed several poison bombs around him.

'Good!' Evangeline praised.

At the same time, her voice resounded in James's head as she guided him on how to expel the poison from his body.

.....

Arlo and Ric stood in a stare-off.

They were the only pair yet to start their fight.

"Hope you won't fall quickly."Ric mocked.

But as usual, Arlo gave him the same reply.

Silence.

Infuriated, Ric closed the distance between them and punched out.

He might be fast to others, but in Arlo's vision, he moved so slowly.

In fact, Arlo could swear that Bon moved faster when they had fought back in Tibu's castle.

He ducked to the right and even before his opponent's punch could reach him, he sent his own out.

Both punches arrived at the same, confirming that he was truly faster than his opponent.

Ric's punch passed beside his body, while his punch landed.

Arlo was not happy about it and instead frowned.

He felt as if he was punching a metal.

Ric flashed him a grin, "You can't hurt me with those weak fists."

Arlo didn't get affected by the taunts and instead continued at the same pace.

He dodged his opponent's attack while launching his own.

His fighting moves were quite eye-catching.

But Ric also wasn't one to be underestimated.

He ignored all his opponent's punches and didn't bother trying to block or evade anyone of them.

Seeing that his attacks didn't work, Arlo was about to concentrate his ki on one part of his body but later decided against it.

'This is a spar. My goal should not be to win. I must use this opportunity to train myself. What would I do if I faced such an opponent in a life-and-death situation?'

Various ideas flashed within his mind.

Suddenly his eyes shone.

Seeing that his attacks were not working, Ric wanted to try something different.

He suddenly sent a round kick but Arlo ducked in time and successfully dodged it.

Taking this chance when his opponent's body was still completing a turn, Arlo straightened his body and closed the distance between them.

He raised both of his palms and waited.

Ric finally completed his turn but before he could react, Arlo smacked both of his palms against his ears causing his head to ring.

Using this short time when his opponent was disoriented, Arlo hurled out tens of punches as he targeted his opponent's joints.

His shoulder joint.

Elbow joint.

Knee joint.

Tens of punches were thrown out in barely five seconds as Arlo moved his body to his limits.

Regaining himself, Ric wanted to attack when suddenly a wave of pain hit him.

Immediately after, he collapsed on the ground like a dead dog.

'Beautiful!' Arlo turned his head in Evangeline's direction.

Feeling her intense gaze on him, he couldn't help but flinch.

Evangeline didn't care about what was going on in his head, as she was in a world of her own.

In fact, she stopped instructing the kids at this moment.

'Great strength.'

'Great speed.'

'Fast reflexes.'

'Quick thinking.'

This was all she observed from Arlo within this short time.

Her heart beat sped faster, as she clenched her hands in excitement.

'Finally, I found someone I could teach this martial art.'

She was a fourth-year teacher.

She wasn't supposed to be here, but after being persuaded repeatedly by her only student, Arianne's brother, Stefan, she finally decided to come to see what was so special about these new first years.

'Don't tell me it wasn't Arianne he had in mind, but this boy?'

'Either way, that foolish brat deserves a gift.'

She quickly sent her voice directly into Arlo's head.

'Boy, I am going to teach you a unique martial art. Would you like to learn?'

Arlo was stunned.

Looking at Ric who constantly tried to get back on his feet without success, he was unsure of what to do.

<< Accept! She is one of the strongest vampires in existence. Not to say she is an unparalleled genius of her generation. Aside from Scarlett and Arianne, she is the only god-tier talent among the vampires. She is worthy to be your teacher. >>

Arlo quickly accepted upon hearing Old Bro's words.

But he became speechless when he received her response.

'You must first prove you are worthy to be my student by earning first place in the ranking war tomorrow.'

Looking at Evangeline's smiling face, he became stunned again.

'I still need to prove myself?'

As if reading his mind, Evangeline continued:

'Don't worry, you will soon see it is well worth it.'

Looking at Ric who finally stood back up, Arlo narrowed his eyes as he listened carefully to Evangeline's next words.

'What I am about to teach you is called 'Dirty martial art!'

*****

AN: This is one of the longest chapters I have written to date. Appreciate me!