Leanna and the others found Aixi and told her about the nearly cruel punishment that Isavel had imposed.
However, to everyone’s surprise, Aixi’s reaction was eerily calm.
“The punishment is to defeat Kaelan in a month?” she repeated, her eyes devoid of panic, filled only with a quiet, steadfast flame. “I accept.”
In just a single class, they felt as if Aixi’s whole demeanor had undergone a dramatic transformation, as if something within her had awakened and become unbreakable.
Yet in corners where no one could see, that forced strength would quietly melt away.
Aixi sought out Selis again, like a fledgling bird seeking shelter, burying herself in that warm embrace, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly.
“Can I… can I really defeat her?”
“Of course you can. But please remember who you are at this very moment.”
Selis’s voice was as gentle as ever, but carried a certainty that could cut through all confusion.
She gently cupped Aixi’s face, making her look directly into her eyes.
“You are a Rose Knight chosen by the Goddess herself, a member of our Oracle Hall. What you possess is a talent that surpasses all others. Magic has never been the only path.”
Aixi was one blessed by the Goddess.
Selis had long since seen through the talent overlooked by worldly eyes—it was a pure, terrifying strength.
Aixi’s weapon was an unparalleled warhammer. Without borrowing any magic, no one in the entire Rose Knights could even budge it.
But Aixi could—and with ease.
Her gift was ignored precisely because, in this era where magic was everywhere, anyone could use magic to lift the warhammer, and everyone longed for the terrifying magic constructed by mana.
Yet they forgot what kind of world-shaking power would erupt when raw strength was fused with magic.
Meanwhile, news of the duel spread through Mills Academy like wildfire, met only with scornful laughter.
Who was Kaelan?
She was a true magic prodigy. Though not especially outstanding within Mills Academy, anyone who could even enter the academy was already among the elite.
At only twenty years old, her magic level had already reached 25.
As for magic…
She had already mastered First-tier Magic, and was advancing toward Second-tier Magic.
And yet, someone dared to challenge such a magic genius?
Just the thought of it made the students laugh.
But Aixi knew nothing of this. Ever since that class ended, she had thrown herself into hellish training.
She had put magic lessons behind her; her new battlefield was a magic stone about thirty meters tall and fifty meters thick.
“Ha!”
After thousands upon thousands of monotonous punches, she struck the stone again, leaving only a shallow pit ten centimeters across, stained with mottled blood.
Her knuckles split open in an instant, pain stabbing to the bone, her eyes reddening with tears.
Still, she bit her lip, forcing the tears back.
Afternoon brought weighted runs.
The special sandbags felt as heavy as a thousand catties; after just a few steps, she collapsed to the ground, unable to lift even a finger.
Next was shouldering the giant stone.
The massive weight pressed down, and she lasted only three seconds before she was crushed, her mind plunging into darkness.
Night was for sparring. Her opponent: Teresa.
There was no suspense in the result. Unable to use magic, Aixi could barely get near her.
Teresa only had to cast a simple Vine Magic, not even worthy of being called apprentice-level magic, to bind Aixi’s leg and easily defeat her.
On the first night, deep into the darkness, Aixi curled up in the corner of her dorm balcony, staring emptily into the distance as if all her strength and faith had been drained away.
“Can training like this… really make me stronger?”
“Persevere.”
Selis’s reply was simple, yet full of strength.
With no other choice, Aixi took a deep breath and pushed herself up with her bandaged hands, a faint but unwavering flame rekindling in her eyes.
Five days later.
“Ha!”
Her fist collided with the magic stone again. This time, the imprint was thirty centimeters wide, and fresh blood still seeped from her split skin.
She could now last fifteen minutes with the weighted run, and though she would still fall under the stone’s weight, she no longer fainted.
At night, she still lost to Teresa, but no longer so quickly or easily.
Ten days later.
Her fist print reached a meter in diameter, she could run with weights for half an hour, last longer beneath the stone, and exchange several rounds with Teresa.
Every day, she bought the tiniest increments of progress with sweat and blood.
At last, a month passed.
Taking a deep breath, Aixi’s gaze was calm as still water.
Gathering all her strength into her right fist, she struck the magic stone in front of her, which was covered in dried blood and countless fist marks!
Boom—!
A thunderous, dull roar echoed. Unlike before, this time cracks like a spider web spread across the surface of the stone, and then it shattered before her eyes!
By now, she was accustomed to wearing the magic sandbags at all times. The stone that once crushed her now felt light as a toy in her grasp.
Even Teresa’s First-tier Magic Ice Shield couldn’t withstand a single punch from her brute strength.
Without even invoking Divine Grace, Teresa could barely stand a chance against her.
The reason was simple: the current Aixi was too fast and too strong.
After all, while magic was formidable, most mages had fragile bodies.
Against ordinary mages, Aixi only needed to get close—one punch would settle everything.
Of course, the knights of the Rose Knights were an exception.
No matter their magic, their physical strength was always among the very best.
Tomorrow was the day of the duel.
Late at night, Aixi once again sat alone on the newly rebuilt, magic-reinforced balcony, gazing up at the cold moon.
Selis quietly came up behind her, gently resting her hand on Aixi’s tense shoulder.
“Relax.”
Her voice flowed like moonlight, soothing restless souls.
“You may not believe in your own talent, but you must believe in the training and progress you’ve achieved this month.”
Aixi lowered her head, looking at her hands, thickly wrapped in bandages, already riddled with scars.
Deep in her eyes, a trace of childhood-born inferiority still lingered.
“…I’ll do my best.”
She murmured, a little unsure.
Selis lowered her gaze, and simply hugged her gently from behind, saying nothing more.
Because she knew that the only thing that could cut off the inferiority in Aixi’s heart was tomorrow—the battle she had to win.