?Noir stared face to face with former strangers.


    Their eyes were on him, and he carefully observed them. For a brief, yet seemingly long moment, there was silence.


    Noir remembered when he told them;


    "These three months will be the most painful moments of your lives. But at the end of it... you''ll be totally unrecognizable from your past selves."


    Three months had passed since then, and finally... It was time for the final ss.


    "Fight me. All three of you." Noir ordered, with his usual expressionless face.


    The people he was referring to—Ciara, Lorna, and Gnd—knew better than to object to Noir''s demands.


    As a tutor, his rules were absolute, and it was only due to adhering to them that they were able to get this far.


    The three nodded to themselves as they looked at one another, before letting out abined


    "Alright!"


    "Good, let us begin." Noir said calmly.


    The three lunged at him, causing the Dark Knight to vanish from their sight. However, they expected that.


    "[Repel Field]" Gnd quickly chanted.


    Suddenly, an energy pulse resembling a gust of wind discharged. The color was green, a Tier 4 Spell.


    Noir, who had appeared visible, moved back a couple of meters away from his opponents.


    Without giving him much time for thought, Lorna and Ciara lunged at him, leaving Gnd to the rear.


    "To prepare arge-scale spell eh?" Noir reasoned to himself.


    He dashed past Lorna and Ciara and made for Gnd, who was busy chanting and concentrating his energy.


    ''Gnd is the most powerful of the three. It''s reasonable that you''d leave him to perform the most decisive attack since it has the best chance of reaching me.


    But... Doing this makes your n too obvious and easy to counter.'' Noir thought to himself.


    "This is check." He smiled, getting to Gnd''s front before the others could fully react.


    He faced Gnd, ready to strike. However, the old Mage opened his eyes, and let out a mischievous smile.


    Noir, quickly realizing the setup, looked behind him to see Ciara and Lorna also readying their attack. He couldn''t help but slightly chuckle at their na?veté.


    "I can easily evade—" He thought to himself.


    "[Heavy Constraint]" Gnd quickly said.


    A red glow shone, indicating a Tier 5 Spell. The light covered Noir, making his movements waver.


    He suddenly felt dizzy, heavy, and disoriented. He knew what they were ying at, but it seemed his reaction would be slower than usual, giving them just the time they needed for theirbined attack.


    >VWOOOSHHH<<


    Lorna, who was with a sword, lunged forward, as her sword shone bright orange.


    ''Fascinating. So that''s how it is..."


    Gnd had probably been chanting on the de earlier—Ciara and Lorna must have also helped in itspletion, considering how impossibly difficult it would take only Gnd.. A tier 6 enchantment on Lorna''s sword.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Impressive move, a joint effort to create an excellent Enchantment in such a short time. But... that doesn''t matter if the wielder doesn''t reach." Noir smiled slightly.


    Suddenly Lornaunched the sword she held, and like a mighty spear, it aimed for Noir. Gnd was directly behind Noir, so if the attack missed, it would mean Gnd''s fatal injury.


    "Sorry sir Noir, this is Checkmate!" Lorna said with a satisfying smile on her face.


    ''They would risk that? That shows how far their resolve goes doesn''t it?'' Noir said to himself. "Well, maybe it''s time I got a bit into this as well." He retorted.


    He vanished before their eyes, and so did the sword.


    The three opponents looked around, but before they could even let out a word, Noir fell them all down, using his legs to disturb their bnce.


    As for the sword, they saw it on Noir''s hand, glowing orange and squirming on his strong and tightly gripped hand.


    "But you said you wouldn''t use [Null]," Ciarained.


    "I didn''t. This is just [Code]. Equivalent to tier 6 enhancement. I simply offset the force of the enchanted sword by giving it an equivalent, or rather, a slightly superior blow. Then I proceeded to restrain the sword. After that, I swiftly restrained you three, so It''s my win!"


    The opponents realized the reality of their loss andughed.


    "I can''t believe I thought we could win!" Ciara smiled awkwardly.


    "I actually thought I got you there..." Lorna grimaced with a frustrated smile.


    "Well, We just need to get stronger then!" Gnd said, trying to be optimistic, but just as upset about their loss.


    Noir noticed the emotions that pervaded the room, evident that he too had been training, in his social rtive skill.


    "You all did well. I admit it was a close call for me." Noir said, encouraging them.


    "You don''t have to patronize us," Ciara said defiantly.


    "Oh, I''m not! You are all still very weak." Noir said bluntly.


    The three of them could feel themselves sinking deeper into their depression as the words hit them... HARD!


    "I mean, I wasn''t even using [Null] and yet you still lost." Noir continued.


    Their faces fell more, awaiting more spears of terror, also known as Noir''s words.


    "But...pared to three months ago, you''ve definitely gotten stronger—all of you!" Noir said proudly, looking at the three before him.


    The growing Tier 3 handmaiden of Ciara, Lorna.


    The growing Tier 6 Mage and guard of Ciara, Gnd.


    And the growing Tier 3 youngdy, daughter of a Duke, Ciara.


    "You''ve all grown!"


    The faces of the three lit up as they realized their strength.


    The three months of hell were finally over, and Noir made good on his promise. They knew within themselves that they had gotten better, and they weren''t about to stop now.


    They would keep growing and growing until they were satisfied with their strength.


    Until they would be able tond that one hit...


    ... One hit, on a Noir who went all out.