Aku walked through the academy’s illuminated hallways with the usual precision of his steps. His eyes, deep and dark, swept the blue and white walls, the morning light reflecting on the golden edges of the uniform he wore. Beside him went Bīng Xuě and Gerald. The former walked with his usual carelessness, almost floating over the floor with fluid and light movements, while Gerald slightly dragged his feet, adjusting his glasses every two steps, with serious expression and breathing a bit heavier than his companions’.

The building was full of student murmurs, some practicing light spells, others talking about Morgana’s combat from the previous day. Aku paid no attention to them, his mind concentrated on anticipating today’s class dynamics: Duels. It was an exercise involving direct and measured confrontations, and each combat served as an evaluation of skill, strategy, and power control.

Upon reaching the duel room, the sight was imposing. It was a wide space, with a polished stone floor and marks from ancient confrontations. Students already occupied the assigned seats, all with blue and white uniforms. Light entering through large high windows formed patterns on the floor, highlighting the contours of combatants and spectators. Before everyone, standing, was the professor. His black tuxedo contrasted with the skull mask covering his face, the eyes behind it cold and calculating, the grave and firm voice when he spoke.

"Well," he said, with an acidity that made some shudder. "I will be the one supervising your duels. I won’t teach you movements, I won’t intervene, except to correct technique or strategy flaws. Each confrontation is an opportunity to learn from direct practice."

Students murmured among themselves as the professor pointed at the combat area. Aku observed the space’s edges: impact marks, traces of residual energy that barely dissipated in the air. The room was impregnated with the metallic smell of concentrated energy and the slight humidity filtering through the ancient stone.

The professor began calling duelists in order. First entered a couple of names unimportant to Aku, quick combats, precise blows and movements, but none stood out too much. When the voice finally pronounced Antony Heart’s name, Aku advanced toward the center.

Antony appeared with the arrogant confidence that characterized him, the rose still in his pocket, his arm recovered and his defiant smile. His golden eyes shone with anticipation.

"Ah, looks like today I get to have fun," he said, tilting his head with an air of superiority. "I’ve been waiting for this."

Aku remained motionless a few seconds, analyzing each gesture, each of Antony’s postures. His tense muscles, the marked pulse, the minimum movement of his hand’s fingers. His breathing was calm, controlled.

"Let’s begin," he responded with neutral voice, letting Azoth flow around him. The dark energy formed slowly, like a dense liquid moving with its own intention, stretching into tentacles that stirred and formed spheres, floating around him like an extension of his will.

Antony advanced first, making quick gestures in the air, painting his green and red brambles. His movements were precise, and soon the plants began emerging from the ground, wrapping and attacking, seeking to immobilize Aku’s form.

Aku dodged with smooth and calculated movements, Azoth tentacles breaking the brambles before they could touch him, hitting the air with controlled force. Each of his movements had weight, each gesture measured. The Azoth spheres launched offensively impacted on the plants, breaking them into dark pieces that dissolved before touching the ground.

"How... disgustingly repugnant," Antony growled with a grimace as he retreated and released another series of brambles and small flames emerging from his paint compositions.

Aku didn’t respond. His Azoth energy was malleable, dark, liquid, forming solid structures that moved at his will, acting as shield and attack at the same time. The flames were partially absorbed, deflected, or dissolved by the density of the liquid touching them. Each impact felt like a blow in the air, a tangible resistance not seen but perceived.

Bīng Xuě and Gerald watched from the stands. Bīng Xuě smiled widely, enjoying the combat’s choreography, while Gerald frowned and adjusted his glasses without taking his eyes off the confrontation.

Antony began raising his attacks’ intensity, combining brambles and small energy explosions, seeking to open any gap in Aku’s defense. His movements were fast, arrogant, calculating his opponent’s reaction speed. Each attack was direct, powerful, trying to push Aku backward, toward a limit he knew he shouldn’t surpass.

Aku remained concentrated. Each Azoth tentacle, each sphere thrown, deflected or blocked the attacks, but he restrained himself. He wasn’t showing the totality of his strength. His movements, though precise and efficient, were barely a glimpse of what he could deploy if he wished. He knew Antony needed to feel an opportunity, needed to believe he could find an opening.

"You’re going to have to try harder than that," Aku said in a murmur, barely audible over the noise of energy and impacts. His words were dry, short, without emotion, simply an observation comment.

Antony frowned and charged his next attack. This time, the combination of brambles and fire converged at a single point, seeking a definitive break in Aku’s defense. The attack’s pressure was felt even at distance, the condensed energy forming a tangible weight that made the surrounding air vibrate.

Aku retreated slightly, deflecting the brambles with fluid movements, but each Azoth impulse began requiring more concentration, more precision. His liquid tentacles crashed against the fire and brambles, undoing them, but the attack’s force was increasing.

From the stands, Gerald exhaled forcefully, adjusting his glasses and murmuring something unintelligible, while Bīng Xuě leaned forward, enjoying the combat’s tension.

Antony saw the opportunity and launched a final blow, direct, seeking to pierce through Aku’s defense with a combination of fire, brambles, and pure brute force from his artistic energy.

The Azoth sphere Aku had formed before him began wobbling under the pressure. Each tentacle he launched was forced to move rapidly, but Antony’s energy was intense, and the attack combined speed and power, seeking to overflow any containment.

Aku felt the blow’s weight approaching, measured the distance, the trajectory, and the impact’s force.

He was restraining himself, maintaining maximum efficiency without revealing all his potential, evaluating Antony’s capacity to sustain a sustained attack, anticipating each movement.