Kai rose slowly, placing his hand against the area on his abdomen where he just felt pain. The fabric over it was burnt and his skin was scorched.

  He raised his gaze sharply to see Reinhart standing before Garrion.

  "Took you long enough..." Garrion chuckled, collapsing to the ground fully.

  He scanned Garrion's body, taking note of the different cuts he had sustained. Each, despite not being at a vital point was deep. He had lost a lot of blood enough to put his life at risk.

  Aside from that, he could also feel Garrion's life force fading.

  Reinhart clenched his fist in anger "I'm sorry... I was late."

  As he leaned to pick Garrion up, he felt the presence of an individual heading towards him at a high speed. It was Kai.

  He leaped towards him, thrusting the poisoned dagger towards Reinhart, his body emitting blood lust and killing intent enough to freeze anyone weak-hearted in their shoes.

  Reinhart wasn't flustered. He simply turned, and stood firmly, taking the thrust from the knife straight to his chest without blocking. Upon coming in contact with Reinhart's body, Kai's knife shattered into pieces.

  One would expect him to be at least taken aback by this or to retreat but rather than backing up and acting more cautious, he stood his ground. It was like what happened was within his expectations.

  A smirk developed on his face. He attempted to punch Reinhart in the face. Reinhart swiftly dodged to the left, following his evasion with a kick to Kai's midsection, sending him flying backwards.

  He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. A spark of fire ignited in his palm, and quickly grew into a large fireball, twice the size of a boulder.

  He hurled it at Kai, who crossed his arms to block Reinhart's attack. Reinhart snapped his fingers again, triggering an explosion that destroyed everything in its path, except Garrion whom he was protecting.

  Using that as a momentary distraction, he took Garrion and dashed back to the area where Layla and the others were.

  Lian had already erected a three layered barrier to protect them, and was already busy healing the injured students.

  Levi caught sight of him. "He's back..."

  "He can pass through," Lian said, focusing on the student she was currently healing.

  However the moment Reinhart stepped through the barrier, her gaze rose immediately. She felt it, the fading life force of Garrion who was in his arms.

  Reinhart set Garrion down before her. She immediately examined his body, her hand hovering above him with her eyes closed. They emitted a warm glow.

  She stopped and looked up at Reinhart, her eyes welling with tears. "I... I don't know what this is..." She said, her voice racing with panic. "It's not poison. It's eating through him. It's like his body is decaying from the inside"

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  "And it's gone too far..." She closed her eyes shaking her head.

  Layla's gaze was fixated on Garrion's body. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, her shaky eyes betrayed her composure. "What is this..."

  Levi and his friends hearing this, looked at Reinhart expecting a response from him. But Reinhart said nothing. Instead he vanished instantly.

  They could all tell, he was outraged.

  When he appeared back at the area where he left Kai, he saw the smoke from the explosion clearing and Kai was still standing. Reinhart looked at him, his face showing no emotion.

  Kai smirked. He charged at Reinhart, throwing a punch at his face.

  Reinhart blocked the punch with his left arm, which was covered by a thin layer of fire.

  "You've gotten faster..." Reinhart said, his tone remaining calm. "And stronger too."

  Without hesitation, Reinhart grabbed and twisted Kai’s arm and drove a fist into his stomach.

  The blow detonated like a thunderclap, launching Kai across the battlefield. He slammed into the ground, carving a trench as dirt and stone erupted around him.

  Kai staggered, blood dripping from his lips, but a crooked grin spread across his face. He launched forward again, faster this time, aiming a brutal kick toward Reinhart’s chest.

  The moment his leg connected, Reinhart’s right hand snapped up and caught it effortlessly. The pressure of his grip made Kai’s bones crack.

  Reinhart’s eyes narrowed. There was something off about Kai. He kept getting faster and faster. It was like he was testing him.

  But each time Kai charged at him, Reinhart could tell he wasn't holding back. Was it an ability of his?

  He swung his arm like a whip turning him into a human projectile. Kai slid to a stop, landing in a crouched position with his feet carved deeply into the earth.

  Reinhart walked toward him slowly, each step sending out subtle shockwaves, the ground trembling beneath his weight.

  And then it happened again. Kai got faster. He appeared right before Reinhart, thrusting his fist towards him.

  Reinhart raised his arm just in time, blocking the blow. The impact didn’t simply stop there, the space around them warped, a violent shockwave exploding outward and tearing the ground into craters.

  And Reinhart was forced back. For the first time, he hadn't simply absorbed his blow, he’d been pushed back completely.

  It was no doubt that Kai's threat level could be ranked to a Grade 1A after he completely decimated Garrion who was a Grade 2. But even among A ranks, Reinhart stood out as the strongest in Metreona.

  While he wasn't yet qualified as an S rank, there was barely and Grade 1A Sentinel able to challenge him. Hence, this was the reason why even Kai who easily defeated Garrion had been having problems with him. But now he just got pushed back.

  "What an ordeal..." Reinhart muttered, while finally taking a fighting stance for the first time in their fight.

  They vanished from their spots and clashed in the center of the clearing.

  There are two types of fighters. Those who overwhelm their enemies with explosive strength and those who overwhelmed their enemies with techniques.

  Given his evident explosive power, Reinhart had always been identified as the former. But he was quite far from that.

  His movements had now completely changed. His strikes flowed like a rhythm, his flames were no longer wild bursts but like parts of his body. Each punch left trails of fire that curved through the air like burning brushstrokes.

  Reinhart twisted smoothly, his arm cutting down in a blazing arc toward Kai’s neck.

  Kai ducked, slipping beneath it, and countered with a sharp jab to the gut. But Reinhart caught it, flames coiling around his hand like serpents.

  They pressed on with many strikes, counters, and parry.

  Then Kai burst forward, his fist slamming against Reinhart’s guard with bone-rattling force. The impact hurled Reinhart back across the clearing.

  Sliding to a stop, Reinhart flexed his wrist, calm as ever. “So… I'm guessing that's it. That's the full extent of your power.”

  "You've finally decided to get serious."

  Kai’s chest heaved. A wild grin spread across his face. “Heh. Now I’m sure.”

  He raised his voice, his words bursting out with a twisted excitement. “At first I thought it was just a coincidence, a teacher with that name, too weak to be him.”

  His grin widened, eyes blazing. “But you… it really is you.”

  Reinhart's tight gaze faltered a bit. Kai's words gave off the impression that he knew him personally. And the more he stared at him, the more he seemed familiar.

  But he couldn't place him with a memory. He wasn't one who forgot a face. But yet he couldn't remember. And Kai was now addressing him with familiarity.

  "Tell me, where the hell have you fucking been?!" His voice rang through the battlefield, each word covered with exhilaration.

  “Reinhart!”