Penelope stood ready to strike Edsel, but strangely enough, she could feel something different about him.
The pressure emanating from his body was not the same as the coward from last year. He had changed completely.
Even his facial expression was different now.
It seemed as if another person was imitating him from within his own body. Nothing about him felt familiar anymore.
Edsel raised an eyebrow at her hesitation.
"What is wrong with you? Are you going to attack me, or should we both fall asleep standing here?"
Penelope shook off the strange feeling and glared at him with renewed intensity.
"Never mind all of that. He is still the same bastard underneath!" she yelled while pushing aside her doubts.
She refused to let him intimidate her. If she lost concentration now, it would give him an advantage that she could not afford.
Edsel turned serious as well. He could also feel the difference in their skill levels. In the game from his past life, she was one of the heroines who contributed greatly to the subjugation against the demon king. During that final battle, she had raised her rank to the ninth circle at only twenty years old, making her the youngest mage in history.
Suddenly, Penelope lunged forward at full speed. In the blink of an eye, she was already beside Edsel, her fist aimed directly at his head.
He ducked quickly and dodged the initial attack, but she twisted in midair and swung her leg around to kick him in the back.
The strike landed solidly, and Edsel stumbled forward while catching himself before falling.
He straightened up immediately and analyzed the situation. 'That was the speed of a true battle mage. She is faster than anyone I have fought so far. But this is good. I can use her speed to learn and adapt during the fight.'
He ran towards her, and she met him halfway. She threw a rapid combination of punches at his face and body. He managed to block several of them, but more landed on his shoulder, his stomach, and his knee.
Each strike sent shockwaves through his enhanced bones.
"Yes! Keep going!"
"Beat him up !"
The watching students cheered while Penelope continued landing blows.
Osias was happy while cheering alongside Edwin.
"I knew that she would win! She is dominating the fight!"
Penelope smiled confidently while looking at Edsel.
"How does it feel to be on the receiving end for once, Edsel?"
Edsel got up from his stance and lunged forward again without responding. The fight continued with intense exchanges. She kicked him in the ribs, and he slid backwards while holding his injured side. She followed up with another punch, but this time he dodged completely, and her fist slammed into the ground instead, cracking the stone beneath.
Adriel smiled while analyzing the battle carefully. "She is performing very well as always. But what is interesting is that Edsel is actually keeping up with her pace despite taking damage."
Nova shook her head in disagreement. "He will not last much longer at this rate. What is the point of taking so many punches from her without fighting back effectively? She will win this match exactly as I predicted from the beginning."
Edsel, despite the pain, continued to study Penelope's movements. 'Her footwork is precise and efficient. She commits to every strike fully, which leaves her open for counterattacks if I can predict where she will strike next. Her breathing pattern changes right before she throws a powerful blow. If I can read that signal, I can dodge more effectively.'
He wiped blood from his lip and smiled while waiting for her next move.
Penelope ran towards him with explosive speed, her fist aimed directly at his face.
"Smiling while you are losing the fight? I hope that smile disappears permanently after this punch lands!"
The punch was about to connect when suddenly Edsel's sharp eyes widened. He slowed his breathing pattern deliberately, and each passing second seemed to stretch longer than before.
Penelope's movements appeared to slow down dramatically, as if she was moving through thick water. Even the watching students seemed frozen in place around them.
He blinked once, and the moment returned to normal speed. Her fist shot towards him, but his arm rose smoothly and parried the strike away. The deflection threw her off balance, and she stumbled forward while her eyes widened in shock.
"What just happened?"
She gasped while regaining her stance.