The atmosphere in the hall grew electrified as Ss and Vic took their stances, facing each other. David and Angelica moved to the side, eager to spectate, anticipation gleaming in their eyes. Ss stood calmly with one hand tucked into his pocket, while Vic cracked his knuckles and tilted his head, loosening up for the fight ahead.


    Vic continued to warm up, his knuckles popping as he sized Ss up. After a moment, he settled into his fighting stance, his gaze never wavering from Ss, who still had his hand in his pocket, unfazed.


    "Are you trying to mock me by keeping a hand in your pocket, mate?" Vic sneered, a slight frown creasing his forehead.


    "Not at all," Ss replied with a chuckle, slowly pulling his hand out and clenching it, his expression sharpening as he prepared to fight.


    For a moment, they merely red at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The hall was silent but for the sound of their measured breaths, the tension thickening with each passing second.


    "Are you just gonna stand there and stare at me all day?" Vic taunted, a smirk tugging at his lips as he gestured at Ss toe at him. "Come on, mate! Don''t be a coward!"


    Ss took a steadying breath and, without another word, sprinted forward, catching Vic off guard with the sudden burst of speed. Ss closed the gap between them in an instant, his fist drawn back as he prepared to strike. Vic tensed, bracing himself. As Ss''s fist shot toward him, Vic sidestepped at thest moment, narrowly dodging the punch, and swung his own fist toward Ss''s head in response. But Ss ducked, the attack slicing harmlessly through the air.


    Without missing a beat, Ss leaped back to create some distance, then immediately lunged forward again, his fist aimed at Vic''s chest. This time, Vic managed to cross his arms defensively, absorbing the brunt of the impact. The force of Ss''s blow sent Vic staggering backward, his arms throbbing from the intensity of the hit.


    ''Even when he''s holding back… he''s still this strong? I''m d I''m his friend, not his enemy,'' Vic thought, regaining his bnce with a determined gleam in his eye. He quicklyposed himself, unwilling to let Ss see him falter. Experience new stories on empireN?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Is that all you''ve got, Griswold?" Vic called out, grinning defiantly as he raised his right leg above his head. "Brace yourself for what''s about to happen, mate." Without warning, he brought his leg down with a mighty stomp. The floor trembled, a shockwave rippling outward, and a gigantic round rock tore free from the ground, hovering before him.


    The small quake drew the attention of the other students in the hall, who paused their own training to watch the unfolding duel with bated breath.


    Vic held his stance for a moment before he leaped into the air, twisting his body as he delivered a powerful kick to the massive rock, sending it hurtling toward Ss. The rock shot forward at an astonishing speed, almost too fast for the untrained eye to track.


    Ss, however, remained unruffled. Watching the approaching boulder with unwavering focus, he drew his right arm back, gathering his strength. Just as the rock was about to collide with him, Ss thrust his fist forward, meeting the stone head-on.


    BAM!


    The hall echoed with a thunderous crack as Ss''s fist connected with the boulder, shattering it into countless fragments that scattered across the room. The spectators gasped in awe, some shielding their eyes from the debris, while others stared wide-eyed at Ss''s disy of raw power.


    "I wonder why Vic is holding back against that trash," a female student muttered under her breath, clearly unimpressed by the scene.


    But Vic wasn''t holding back at all. That boulder was one of his strongest attacks, and Ss had dismantled it without even breaking a sweat, all while maintaining his calm demeanor.


    Outside the hall, a tall, imposing staff member with spiky golden hair covering his eyes walked down the hallway with his hands tucked into his pockets. As he passed the hall entrance, he paused mid-stride, a faint look of interest flickering across his face. Turning slowly, he shifted his gaze toward the door.


    "What was that surge of energy I just sensed?" us mused to himself. Driven by curiosity, he pushed the door open and stepped into the hall, his eyes scanning the room until theynded on themotion near the center.


    Inside, the students had all turned their attention to the ongoing duel. When us''s gaze fell on Ss and Vic, he felt a spark of intrigue. "Ah, so that''s where the energy came from," he murmured, watching intently. "But the question is… which one of them was responsible for that power surge?"


    Meanwhile, Vic wasn''t done yet. Letting out a fierce battle cry, he stomped his foot on the ground, and three makeshift earthen spears rose from the floor, hovering in the air. Without warning, heunched the spears at Ss with unrestrained speed.


    The earthen projectiles sliced through the air, each spear aimed to hit Ss with pinpoint uracy. As the first spear closed in, Ss shifted to the side, narrowly avoiding it. The second spear came at him from a different angle, but Ss crouched low, allowing it to soar harmlessly overhead.


    Ss straightened, his eyes locking onto the final spear as it neared him. With a swift, decisive move, he thrust his hand forward, catching the spear mid-flight. In one fluid motion, he spun and hurled it back at Vic.


    Vic''s eyes widened in shock as his own spear flew back toward him. Reacting in thest second, he raised his hands and summoned an earthen wall that sprang up between him and the iing spear, blocking it just in time.


    Whoosh!


    But Ss wasn''t finished. Before Vic could lower the wall, Ss charged forward, his body a blur of motion. He swung his fist with brutal force, shattering the barrier, and his momentum carried his fist forward, connecting squarely with Vic''s face. The blow sent Vic sprawling backward, the impact leaving him momentarily dazed.


    From a few meters away, us continued to observe, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he watched Ss with a keen eye. His lips curled into a faint, unreadable smile as he observed the young fighter. "Impressive…" he muttered to himself, his gaze lingering on Ss Griswold.