Chapter 190: Academy Training II

Kevin continued fighting the training puppet, trying to keep up as its strength increased with every passing minute.

For the first few minutes, he managed to hold his ground. His flames clashed with the puppet’s water attacks, and he gradually learned to concentrate his Rule’s power more efficiently. However, the longer the fight continued, the more difficult it became for him to keep up.

After twenty minutes, Kevin was visibly exhausted. His breathing had become heavy, and the flames surrounding his body had weakened considerably. The puppet, on the other hand, continued attacking without showing any signs of fatigue.

Kevin tried to defend himself against another incoming attack, but his movements were too slow.

BAM!

The puppet’s fist struck him squarely in the face, sending him tumbling across the training floor. He tried to get back up, but his body refused to cooperate, and he soon lost consciousness.

"That’s enough!" Abigail announced.

Two academy healers immediately rushed forward and carried Kevin away for treatment.

The academy had prepared several healers for these training sessions because serious injuries were common when students pushed themselves beyond their limits. These healers possessed Healing Rules, which allowed them to repair injuries caused by Rule energy. Ordinary healing methods were often insufficient for such injuries, so having people who could use Healing Rules was essential.

After making sure Kevin was receiving treatment, Abigail turned toward the remaining students.

"Who’s next?"

Several students stepped forward one after another. Each chose a training puppet that suited their Rule and began fighting. Some lasted only a few minutes, while others managed to continue for much longer. As time passed, the training hall filled with the sounds of colliding attacks, exploding energy, and Abigail’s instructions.

Kaiser and Alex watched the battles carefully, paying attention to how the students used their Rules.

Among the students, one girl named Lila particularly caught their attention.

Lila was usually quiet and shy, rarely speaking unless someone approached her first. However, once she entered the training area, her entire demeanor changed.

She had comprehended the Rule of Vast, a unique Rule that allowed her to expand the scale of things she created or controlled. By applying it to her attacks and weapons, she could make them far larger than their original size, greatly increasing their range and destructive power.

As soon as the battle began, Lila created several weapons from her energy and applied her Rule to them.

The weapons expanded rapidly, becoming enormous blades that occupied a large portion of the training area. She swung one of them toward the puppet, forcing it to retreat while the blade swept across the floor.

The other students watched with amazement as Lila continued attacking. Every time the puppet tried to approach her, she changed the scale of her weapons, making it difficult for her opponent to find an opening.

Alex stared at the battle.

"Rules can do all sorts of things, huh?"

Kaiser nodded. The variety of abilities granted by Rules was far greater than he had initially expected.

Abigail approached the two of them and stopped nearby.

"That’s the most interesting thing about Rules. Their applications depend on how well you understand them and how creatively you use them. Even people who comprehend the same Rule can develop completely different fighting styles."

She gestured toward the training area.

"Lila’s Rule of Vast allows her to change the scale of what she creates or controls. She focuses on enlarging her weapons and attacks, but with enough mastery, she could discover other ways to use it."

Kaiser kept watching Lila as she landed another heavy attack against the puppet.

’The same Rule can have many different applications depending on the user’s understanding,’ he thought.

That was something he needed to remember when training his own Rule of Shattered Soul. Simply using it to damage an opponent’s soul might not be enough. He needed to understand its underlying principles and discover other ways to apply its power.

After Lila finished her session, several more students took their turns.

One of them was Ryan, who had comprehended the Greater Rule of Cutting. Unlike Kevin, who relied on elemental attacks, Ryan’s Rule focused on enhancing the cutting power of his attacks.

He carried a sword into the training area and faced his opponent.

The moment the battle began, he swung his weapon, releasing an invisible cutting force that traveled toward the puppet. The attack struck its defensive barrier and left a deep mark across its surface.

Ryan continued attacking, each swing releasing another cutting force. Even when the puppet tried to defend itself, his attacks managed to break through its defenses and force it backward.

Kaiser watched closely.

’The Greater Rule of Cutting allows him to strengthen the cutting properties of his attacks. With enough mastery, even a simple sword strike can become dangerous.’

Ryan’s performance was impressive, but the next student attracted even more attention.

It was another girl, whose Rule was the Greater Rule of Exploding Ice. It was a rare Rule within the high level of the Greater Rule category, and her combat style suited it exceptionally well.

As soon as she entered the training area, she summoned several ice spikes and launched them toward the puppet.

The puppet raised its defenses, expecting the spikes to shatter against its protective barrier.

Instead, the moment the ice spikes made contact, they exploded.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of explosions shook the training area, sending ice fragments in every direction. Before the puppet could recover, the girl created another wave of ice attacks and launched them from different angles.

Every attack carried the same explosive property, forcing the puppet to defend against both the initial impact and the resulting explosion.

Alex watched with widened eyes.

"Her Rule is practically made for that kind of fighting style."

Abigail nodded.

"Exactly. Her Rule allows her to combine the vesatile properties of ice with explosive attacks. She can create traps, launch long-range projectiles, and even use the explosions to disrupt an opponent’s movements. As her comprehension improves, she’ll be able to develop even more applications."

Kaiser observed the battle in silence.

The training had given him a clearer idea of what Abigail meant. Comprehending a Rule was only the beginning. Its true potential depended on how well the user understood it and how effectively they could apply it in combat.

He looked toward the training puppets, already considering how he could use a similar approach to improve his comprehension of Shattered Soul.

Soon, it would be his turn.