Reincarnated as an Elf Prince

Sera let the silence settle for a moment, her fiery red gaze sweeping over the assembled students.

Some looked nervous. Others were eager.

However Lindarion?

He just watched silently.

Because there was one thing he was certain about with Sera.

A woman like this didn't care about fancy titles or theories of combat.

She only cared about one thing.

'She cares about action more than words.'

Sera suddenly clapped her hands together with a thunderous smack, making several students flinch.

"ALRIGHT, SINCE MOST OF YOU LOOK LIKE YOU WOULDN'T LAST FIVE SECONDS IN A REAL FIGHT, WE'LL START SIMPLE."

Her grin widened, the kind of dangerous, amused expression a predator wore before sinking its teeth into its prey.

"I NEED TWO STUDENTS TO DEMONSTRATE. YOU'LL SPAR, AND THE CLASS WILL ANALYZE YOUR MOVEMENTS."

She didn't even pause before pointing a scarred, battle-worn finger straight at Lindarion.

"SUNBLADE!"

Lindarion blinked once, slow.

Then exhaled.

'Of course…this is just my luck.'

A few murmurs rippled through the students, heads turning toward him.

But Sera wasn't done.

Her crimson gaze locked onto another student, standing toward the back.

"VALERIAN!"

The murmurs grew louder.

Lindarion turned his head, expression blank, as Jack Valerian pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against.

Sharp-eyed, and every bit as arrogant as expected.

Jack's lips curled slightly as he stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. "You're picking me for this? Professor?"

"DAMN RIGHT, I AM," Sera barked. "YOU THINK HAVING THAT LAST NAME MAKES YOU SPECIAL?"

Jack's smirk twitched slightly.

Lindarion could already tell.

He didn't want to fight…not because he was scared. But because he thought people were unworthy of his attention…

Sera crossed her arms, looking between them.

"One of you is a Sunblade, the other's a Valerian." She grinned. "SHOULD BE ENTERTAINING."

Lindarion tilted his head slightly.

He wasn't particularly interested in Jack, not after what he did at the ball back then. It was beyond embarrassing.

But this?

This was a great opportunity.

To see how human nobles fought. To gauge their movements, their techniques.

'I'll have to hold back a little, don't wanna go all out just yet…This is just a spar after all.'

Without another word, he stepped forward, hands loose at his sides, expression unreadable.

Jack did the same, though his movements were more deliberate.

Too confident.

Sera took a step back, gesturing to the wide sparring circle in the center of the training ground.

"BOTH OF YOU, GET IN THE RING."

Lindarion walked forward without hesitation, stepping onto the hardened sand of the sparring circle.

Jack followed, rolling his neck.

The energy in the courtyard shifted.

This wasn't just some casual demonstration anymore.

The class was watching.

Sera Vallora grinned.

"RULES ARE SIMPLE. NO WEAPONS, NO MAGIC. JUST FISTS, STRIKES, AND TECHNIQUE."

She stepped forward, lowering her voice slightly.

"Show me what you're made of."

Then—

"BEGIN!"

Jack moved first.

Fast.

He lunged forward, aiming a quick jab toward Lindarion's ribs.

'Seems like he doesn't remember me at all.'

Lindarion's body reacted instantly.

Not with thought—

With pure instinct. His fighting wasn't perfect, not even close. However he had fought people during his stay with Erebus…they were definitely unforgettable memories.

He shifted just out of range, the strike grazing past him.

Jack's footwork was solid. His movements were controlled, practiced.

But Lindarion had seen better.

And more importantly?

He had seen faster. Way faster.

Jack twisted, going for a follow-up hook toward his side.

Lindarion ducked under it, smooth, effortless—

And drove his heel forward, aiming for Jack's legs.

Jack barely managed to shift his footing in time, stepping back just before Lindarion's leg could sweep his balance out from under him.

A few gasps rippled through the watching students.

Sera grinned.

"NOT BAD! KEEP GOING!"

Jack's smirk had vanished.

Now, he was focused.

'Good, seems like he's trying.'

Jack adjusted his stance, hands raised higher this time.

Lindarion watched.

Waited. For the perfect opportunity.

Jack exhaled—then suddenly rushed forward again, feinting left before twisting his weight into a sharp elbow strike.

Lindarion moved with perfect precision.

Not backward—

Forward. Towards the strike.

Instead of dodging, he caught Jack's wrist mid-motion, stopping the strike before it could land.

A brief moment of pause.

Jack's eyes widened.

'Got him.'

Lindarion tilted his head slightly.

Then, with a sharp movement—

He yanked Jack forward and twisted, throwing him straight to the ground.

The impact kicked up a small cloud of sand.

The class stared.

Jack let out a soft grunt, pushing himself up immediately, but his expression was no longer amused.

Now, there was something else in his gaze.

A flicker of something that wasn't arrogance anymore. It was annoyance, perhaps anger.

Sera chuckled.

"Alright, STOP."

Both of them stilled.

She took a few steps forward, nodding to herself.

"INTERESTING."

Her gaze flicked toward Jack first.

"YOU'RE TOO RELIANT ON YOUR SPEED. YOU EXPECT OTHERS TO PLAY INTO YOUR TEMPO, AND WHEN THEY DON'T—" She smirked. "YOU GET PREDICTABLE."

Jack exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulder. He didn't argue..or he just didn't care.

Sera's gaze turned to Lindarion.

"And you."

Lindarion met her stare, unblinking.

Sera raised an eyebrow.

"YOU'RE CONTROLLED. CALCULATED. YOU DON'T WASTE MOVEMENT."

She crossed her arms.

"BUT."

Lindarion waited.

Sera grinned.

"YOU DON'T PRESSURE ENOUGH."

Lindarion's brow twitched slightly.

"YOU'RE REACTIVE," she continued. "GOOD AT READING ATTACKS, GOOD AT ADAPTING. BUT I DIDN'T SEE YOU PUSH FOR ADVANTAGE."

She pointed at the ground where Jack had fallen.

"YOU HAD AN OPENING. YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW UP."

Lindarion exhaled quietly.

She wasn't wrong.

It wasn't a mistake, it was necessarily that way.

It was purely just the way he fought.

But Sera?

She wanted aggression.

She wanted him to push harder..to crush his opponents.

'A real meathead..'

He made a mental note of it.

Sera clapped her hands together.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW."

She turned back to the class.

"THAT'S HOW WE LEARN! WATCH, ANALYZE, ADJUST. COMBAT ISN'T JUST ABOUT STRENGTH—IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPPONENT!"

She turned back to Lindarion and Jack.

"YOU TWO, GOOD WORK."

Jack exhaled, rubbing his wrist. He glanced at Lindarion briefly, then muttered under his nose—

"…God damn it."

Lindarion simply tilted his head slightly. "Try again next time."

Jack snorted, a vein throbbing on his forehead as he shook his head and walked off.

Sera, meanwhile, clapped her hands again.

"ALRIGHT, NEXT PAIR! LET'S SEE WHO ELSE NEEDS A REALITY CHECK!"

The lesson continued.

—

Lindarion stepped back, crossing his arms as he watched Sera's eyes slowly scanning the students.

He could still feel Jack's gaze flicking toward him occasionally.

But Lindarion didn't exactly care.

He was already thinking about the next fight. He didn't bother with such thoughts about Jack.

Sera clapped her hands again, her voice booming across the courtyard.

"NEXT PAIR!"

The tension in the air shifted, eyes darting between students.

Sera's fiery gaze scanned the class, her lips curling into a wicked grin as she pointed.

"YOU."

Her finger landed on Cassian.

Cassian froze.

"…Me?"

"YES, YOU," Sera barked. "WHAT, YOU WANT AN INVITATION? GET IN THE RING."

Cassian swallowed but nodded, stepping forward hesitantly.

Lindarion could already tell.

This was not going to end well for him.

Sera then turned her crimson gaze toward another student.

And grinned.

"YOU'RE HIS OPPONENT."

Lindarion blinked.

Sera was pointing directly at Luneth.

Luneth stared for a second. Then, without a word, she walked forward.

Cassian visibly tensed.

Lindarion understood why.

Because if there was one thing they both knew, it was this—

Cassian had no chance…based on what he said earlier..he was talented in magic. Extremely so. But in hand to hand combat, he wouldn't be able to beat Luneth.

Both students stepped onto the hardened sand of the sparring ring.

Cassian rolled his shoulders, taking a deep breath. He looked determined.

Luneth, on the other hand…

She simply stood there.

Silent. Expressionless.

Like this wasn't worth thinking about.

Sera folded her arms, watching.

"SAME RULES AS BEFORE. NO WEAPONS. NO MAGIC. JUST HANDS AND TECHNIQUE."

She paused.

Then, with a sharp smirk—

"BEGIN."

'This is going to be a complete disaster..'

Lindarion thought as Cassian moved first.

He wasn't slow.

His footwork was decent. His stance was steady.

But Luneth?

She didn't move at all.

Cassian lunged, throwing a quick jab toward her shoulder.

And then—

Before Lindarion could even fully process what happened—

Luneth tilted her head slightly, her eyes sharp—

And Cassian's attack whiffed through empty air.

He stumbled slightly, caught off guard.

Luneth stepped in quickly.

Her movements were fast, efficient—brutal in their simplicity.

Her elbow shot up, striking Cassian squarely in the ribs.

Cassian let out a choked grunt, stumbling back.

But Luneth wasn't done.

Her knee struck Cassian's ribs hard..

The impact of his ribs being hit again stole his breath, staggering him just long enough for Luneth's legs to sweep under him.

Sending him crashing onto his back.

Silence.

Lindarion exhaled softly.

It was already over.

Cassian blinked up at the sky, stunned.

Then—

Luneth crouched down, staring at him with her usual blank expression.

"…You were too slow."

Cassian groaned. "I—yeah, I noticed."

Luneth blinked once.

Then stood, stepping away.

Sera let out a booming laugh.

"HAHA! OH, THAT WAS BRUTAL."

She grinned, walking over and nudging Cassian's shoulder with her boot.

"YOU GOOD, KID?"

Cassian grumbled something unintelligible before pushing himself up.

Sera shook her head, still smirking.

"LESSON FOR YOU ALL—IF YOU HESITATE, YOU LOSE."

She turned toward Luneth.

"AND YOU."

Luneth tilted her head slightly.

Sera's grin widened.

"YOU FIGHT LIKE A DAMN PHANTOM. GOOD TIMING, MINIMAL MOVEMENT, NO WASTED ENERGY."

Luneth said nothing..just stood still like a doll.