Tenebrous Wolf
Chapter 51: Iron Fist Style

Chapter 51: Iron Fist Style

What was the best weapon to use in close combat?

This was the question Klaus had been pondering for a long time. At first, he thought the sword was a great pick since it was easy to use and simple to wield, but some swords were designed more for offense than defense. A spear was also a strong contender because of its long reach and defensive capabilities. However, it required more training to master, making it less ideal for beginners. This led him to an even greater dilemma.

What was the easiest and simplest weapon to wield?

The answer, of course, was gauntlets. Not only did they offer tremendous striking power, but they could also be used for defense. However, their biggest drawback was their short reach. Klaus had already analyzed this limitation and developed a new fighting style to counteract it.

The Iron Fist Style.

A unique style forged through countless virtual simulations in the Tactical Survival class. It was still a work in progress, but where else would he refine it if not in combat class?

With that thought, Klaus adjusted the pair of black gauntlets on his hands. His gaze shifted as his opponent, Quinn Sinclair, stepped into the arena, sword in hand. From his composed stance and refined aura, it was clear that he was a trained swordsman. More than that, he also wondered what his ability was.

The two exchanged respectful nods before moving to their designated positions.

Seeing both fighters ready, Instructor Kai’s voice rang out:

"Begin!"

Quinn launched forward with his sword at the ready, whereas Klaus raised his hands into a defensive stance. As Quinn entered striking range, he swung his sword in a swift, horizontal arc — his speed drawing murmurs of admiration from the spectators outside the arena.

But to Klaus, the aspirant was too slow for him to view as a threat. With a slight pivot of his foot, he dodged the blade by a hair’s breadth. The sword cut through empty air, and before Quinn could recover, Klaus countered and shot gauntlet-clad fist forward and aimed a quick jab at Quinn’s midsection.

Accompanied by a heavy ’thud’, Quinn staggered back and groaned painfully. Even though Klaus had only used a small fraction of his strength, the impact was enough to momentarily knock the wind out of him.

But instead of retreating, Quinn smiled like he was impressed. Then, without warning, his body shimmered and split into two identical figures.

Klaus narrowed his eyes. A cloning ability?

The second Quinn, which was a perfect replica, materialized beside the original. Unlike mere illusions, this clone was tangible and just as fast and moreover, just as skilled. It was as if Klaus was now fighting two swordsmen instead of one.

Both Quinns dashed forward in sync. The first swung high, while the second aimed for Klaus’s legs in a coordinated assault.

Klaus didn’t panic. He had already considered the possibility of opponents with unpredictable abilities. Instead, he took a deep breath and shifted his weight.

In such a situation, dodging or retreating was meaningless so instead, he stepped in and closed the distance.

The first sword came down, but Klaus raised his left arm, blocking it with his gauntlet. The second sword slashed at his legs, but before it could land, Klaus slammed his right foot into the ground, channeling his full force into a counterattack.

With just raw striking power, he drove his fist into the clone’s chest.

Crack!

The clone shattered into fragments of light and dispersed like a broken mirror. It was as if it was made of powder.

Seeing his clone getting destroyed, Quinn clicked his tongue.

"Tch... Guess I can’t rely on that trick too much."

Klaus flexed his fingers and replied:

"Clones might work on most people, but splitting your strength doesn’t make you stronger. In fact, in some cases, it would just make you weaker."

The swordsman smiled bitterly.

"Is that so? Well, I guess you’re right. My teacher also said the same thing."

He took a step back and tightened his grip on his sword.

"It is my mistake. Forgive me for underestimating you," Quinn said, exhaling as he adjusted his stance. His playful smile faded, replaced by a sharp, focused expression. "From now on, I’ll fight you seriously."

Why are you talking like a knight? was what Klaus wanted to say but chose to remain quiet. He rolled his shoulders and spoke casually:

"Well, show me what you got."

The moment the words left his mouth, Quinn moved. Suddenly, his figure blurred and then, there were two of him again. No, not just two. Klaus’s eyes widened slightly. Three.

He can create more? The first clone had been easy to destroy, but now there were two in front of him.

One Quinn dashed to his right, another to his left, while the original charged straight ahead. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, making it nearly impossible to tell who was real.

Clever. He’s trying to overwhelm me from multiple angles.

Even so, Klaus smiled confidently.

Three weaker opponents won’t make a stronger one.

Instead of waiting for them to surround him, he surged forward, straight at the original.

Quinn’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he didn’t hesitate. His sword flashed in a diagonal slash.

Klaus didn’t dodge. He raised his gauntlet and took the strike head-on. The blade scraped against the reinforced material with a sharp screech and sparks flew as it failed to cut through.

The impact landed, but something felt off. The Quinn he hit dispersed into light. It was a fake!

During his temporary confusion, a shadow loomed from behind.

Shit-! It was a bloodly trap!

In a fraction of a second, Klaus twisted his body with incredible speed and slammed his foot into the approaching figure, only for it to disperse into light as well. The real Quinn emerged from his blind spot and swung his sword forcefully.

Gritting his teeth, Klaus reacted instantly. Dragging his body across the floor, he launched a fierce rising uppercut from below.

Thud–! The gauntlet connected with something solid.

The force of the blow sent Quinn skidding back, but Klaus didn’t give him time to rest. Like a bullet, he lunged forward, closing the distance in two steps. Quinn’s stance wavered. His grip tightened on his sword as he frantically swung it down, only for Klaus to catch the blade with his gauntlet-clad hand.

"W–What?" Quinn muttered in shock.

Still holding the sword in one hand, Klaus clenched his other fist. Then, with a swift, forceful strike—

Crack!

The blade shattered in half. Fragments scattered in all directions, catching the arena’s lights in fleeting glimmers.

Before the swordsman could even process what had happened, Klaus’s gauntlet-clad fist crashed into his face.

Quinn’s body twisted midair like a spinning bamboo copter before slamming into the ground outside the arena. The impact echoed through the hall as his unconscious form lay sprawled on the floor.

He hadn’t just been knocked out of bounds, he had been knocked out cold.

A single punch had sent him straight to the dream world. What a terrifying display of power!

Instructor Kai announced:

"Winner, Nikolaus!"

Hearing the victory declaration, Klaus relaxed his shoulders. But as the tension left his body, his eyes widened in sudden realization.

Oh my god! Did I go too far? That’s definitely going to hurt tomorrow!

A wave of worry crept over him. Surely, he wouldn’t be held accountable for this, right? The last thing he needed was to foot someone else’s medical bill. A terrible sense of premonition coursed through his body.

Then, in an instant, two men in military uniforms materialized — literally out of thin air — and whisked Quinn away to the infirmary. It was as if they had teleported into the room.

Well, actually, that was exactly what had happened.

Thanks to the advancements of modern technology, instant teleportation was now possible. Of course, it wasn’t without its drawbacks. In fact, the technology came with countless disadvantages.

But that didn’t stop Klaus from being impressed.

He sighed.

The murmurs of the spectators buzzed in the background, but he paid them no mind. What mattered was that he had won and without taking any real damage.

Still, that last exchange had been close. If he hadn’t reacted in time, Quinn’s final strike might have landed.

More importantly, he had knocked his opponent out with a single punch. Even so, the moment his fist had connected with Quinn’s face, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he might have broken something. Or perhaps that was just his imagination.

He hadn’t done anything wrong. He hadn’t gone too far. It was just a fight, nothing more.

Right?

As he stepped out of the arena and returned to his sitting spot, a familiar voice called out to him.

"That was one hell of a fight, Nikolaus," says Adrian excitedly, still seated on the floor. "I hope you know that you just knocked one of the top-ranked aspirants unconscious."

Klaus blinked.

"Wait, top-ranked?"

Adrian nodded.

"Quinn. He’s the twentieth seat in the academy rankings. You really didn’t know?"

Klaus scratched his cheek, feeling a bit awkward.

"Uh... no, not really. I just figured he was decent with a sword."

Adrian let out a short laugh.

"Decent? Your sense of humor is terrible. He comes from a family of swordsmen and knights. Not only that, but he was also trained by many great swordsmen in the Sanctuary. And here you are, calling his swordsmanship decent. You’re really something. You even broke his sword and knocked him out with a single punch. You do realize people are going to talk about this for a while, right?"

"..."

Klaus didn’t know what to say. He could only rub the back of his neck.

He hadn’t realized he was up against that kind of opponent. He never paid much attention to the ranking list, only the top-ranked Aspirants. Aside from Adrian, Miguel and Seraphim, everyone else had been an afterthought.

Maybe that was a mistake.

I should have really paid attention to the ranking list. Now I’ll bring more attention to myself, when my goal is the opposite. What a pain.

Obviously, he had already known that avoiding attention was impossible, especially after the incident where he had practically destroyed a strength-measuring machine. However, it would be incredibly troublesome if even more eyes were on him. Unfortunately, that was precisely what was about to happen.

He clicked his tongue.

As expected, it was a fleeting dream to avoid Misfortune.

With that thought, he sighed and sat down beside Adrian.

Following that, the matches continued to unfold, with Miguel, Cecilia, Adrian, and Seraphim dominating the arena. Each of them won their matches without exception, just as Klaus did, emerging victorious in every matchup without sustaining so much as a scratch.

The matches were structured so that Aspirants could secure a few wins before inevitably facing the top rankers. But once that happened, any hope of victory was effectively forfeit.

Before long, only the top rankers remained, and they began clashing against one another. The results were as follows: Miguel triumphed over Adrian but fell to Cecilia, only for Cecilia to lose her match against Seraphim, who didn’t even bother using her ability.

That fact alone made Klaus uneasy.

What kind of monster wins without even using their ability? Seriously, it didn’t make any sense. This was the same girl who casually kicked vending machines around like they weighed nothing. And right now, she looked nothing like the reckless delinquent he knew. She carried herself with an air of cold, mechanical efficiency like a heartless murder machine.

It was as if the girl had two sides; the one which was a delinquent and this cold-hearted person.

Even more frightening was the simple, inescapable truth.

He was the next candidate.

As if to mock his anxiety and unease, Instructor Kai shouted the words he had been dreading:

"Nikolaus and Seraphim, come to the stage."

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