Starting With SSS-rank: I Get A New Skill Every Livestream

Chapter 258: Man v child

Kyle hadn’t expected his first assessment to happen today.

He had only been invited for a counseling session.

Wasn’t this supposed to be a simple conversation? A chance for two people to talk and help him discover where his interests truly lay?

Then why was he standing beside an arena, looking as though he were about to fight?

"A battle always reveals a person’s true character," Russel said as he calmly unbuttoned his coat.

Kyle flinched.

Surely he wasn’t expected to fight the bear-like man.

"Your assessment will determine which faculty suits you best, where you need the most guidance, and what path will shape you into a complete Nightwalker."

They stood inside a vast, empty dojo. Tiered seating rose along the sides, overlooking a massive arena at its center, spacious enough for several duels to unfold at once.

"You decided this on the spot, didn’t you?" Veronica asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Russel smiled.

"Since Kyle is now my responsibility, I’ll use whatever method I believe is best to judge him."

Kyle lowered his voice. "You said this is my first test. Will there be more?"

Russel nodded. "One more. It will assess your academic standing and your understanding of the Aether World." He let out a brief chuckle. "That assessment module was created specifically for you."

Kyle couldn’t find anything amusing about that.

Still, if he was being tested, he intended to give it everything he had.

He undid the buttons on his sleeves and slowly rolled them up.

Veronica walked over to him. "Don’t worry, Kyle. No matter how you perform here, your enrollment is guaranteed. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself."

Kyle returned her smile. "I’ve failed enough over the past six months, Veronica. I don’t want to get used to that feeling again."

The words made Veronica fall silent. A flicker of concern crossed her face.

Sensing it, Kyle added, "But I understand what you’re saying. I’ll be careful."

He slipped off his shoes as well. Walking in them had already been uncomfortable, let alone fighting.

After pulling his pant legs up slightly past his ankles, he stretched his legs and looked at Russel.

"So, who will be my opponent?"

Even if it turned out to be the man himself, Kyle was confident he could put up a good fight.

He had recently fought an ancient warrior with a build similar to Russel’s, so he was confident he could handle himself.

However...

"Well, wait for them," Russel said with a grin.

Kyle frowned. "Them?"

A moment later, he got his answer.

The doors leading deeper into the dojo slid open, and Jean walked out alongside five young boys and girls.

Veronica’s brows knitted together the instant she saw them.

Russel gestured toward the group. "These are your opponents. Second-year students of the academy."

Kyle stared at them in disbelief.

"Sir? They’re awfully young to be fighting me."

Russel nodded without the slightest concern.

"They may look young, but each of them is trained in martial arts. They come from backgrounds where they’ve been honing their skills since they were children."

A smirk spread across his face.

"Besides, you can’t afford to hesitate just because of their age. Once you enter the academy, you’ll find yourself in similar situations more often than not."

Kyle grimaced.

So this was it.

His official introduction to man versus child.

Letting out a slow breath, Kyle turned to face the children.

Three boys and two girls.

One of the boys looked older than the rest, though the lingering baby fat on his face made it clear the difference came from his height, not his age.

"Students," Russel called, addressing the five before him. "A reminder. If you want top marks in your mid-term assessment, your objective is simple. Bring him down."

His gaze swept across them.

"You may use any means necessary. The only restriction is that lethal attacks are forbidden and no Genesis should be used. Attempt one, and you will be stopped immediately and disqualified."

Kyle’s lips parted.

So this wasn’t only his assessment.

These students would be coming at him with everything they had.

Unlike Kyle, they had grown up in an environment where duels and magical training were part of everyday life. He, on the other hand, had only a handful of real combat experiences to rely on.

"This is unfair," Veronica muttered.

She was about to protest, but Kyle gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It’s okay," he said. "I can handle this."

"But, Kyle..."

She stopped herself.

The determination in his eyes left no room for doubt. He had already made up his mind.

Veronica could only sigh.

"Just... be careful."

Kyle gave a small nod before stepping into the center of the arena.

Five opponents stood before him, all waiting for the signal to begin.

Thankfully, they weren’t the kind of bratty kids who mocked others for fun.

Instead, they introduced themselves one after another.

"Greetings. My name is Ren," the tallest boy said first.

"I am Grey," said the boy with round eyes and slightly chubby cheeks.

"I’m Annie," the girl with twin tails introduced herself next.

"My name is Mary," the green-haired girl with round glasses said in a curt voice.

Finally, the last boy stepped forward with a smug smile.

"I’m Ethan."

A vein throbbed on Kyle’s forehead.

"Ethan, huh? Nice name," he said with a forced smile.

He didn’t know about the others, but he already had a feeling he might not be able to hold back against a certain young man.

[Host, should the system start the stream?]

Kyle didn’t think much before giving his consent. ’Yes.’

Soon, Russel stepped between the two sides and raised his arm.

Both sides readied themselves.

Kyle settled into a basic fighting stance, his eyes moving from one opponent to the next, carefully studying each of them.

Across from him, five pairs of eyes remained locked onto him without wavering.

Their intentions couldn’t have been clearer.

They were here to bring him down.

Silence settled over the arena, thick with anticipation.

Then Russel brought his arm down.

"Begin!"

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.

(Sorry for the short Chapter)