As the instructor announced Alex's victory in the spar, the students regained their composure. This was soon followed by their excited comments.
"Did you see that last move?!"
"What are you talking about? Aside from the instructor, I doubt anyone else did."
"True. And I bet he was still holding back."
"Of course he was. He didn't even activate his ability the whole fight!"
"Doesn't that mean he is stronger than all of us?"
"…"
This time, they couldn't say anything. If there was ever a doubt about the abilities of Alexander Gray, then this short and straightforward spar answered that question.
The fact that they couldn't see him move was proof enough. The instructor heard everything the other students were saying and made no effort to silence them.
He simply stared at the boy as he made his way back to his friends.
'For the better part of the year, you've kept a low profile, not drawing attention to yourself. But without a doubt, you're the strongest first year I've ever taught.'
The instructor reached this conclusion because he could tell. Among everyone here, aside from Alexander himself, he could vividly see how much the boy was holding back.
'And it's not just about physical abilities either. Something is definitely different about him.' His mind went back to one of the questions Alex had asked some time ago, during one of the classroom lessons.
'Mana infusion, huh?'
Usually, the mana stored in the manitoria functioned to power a person's abilities. And while it also added the extra benefit of strengthening the body as one grew levelled up, that was only a passive addition.
As a hunter's level increased, so did their strength.
Throughout their months at the academy, the students had grown stronger overall, but Alex was different. He had yet to mention this to his friends, but his situation could not escape the instructor's notice.
Alex's cultivation had barely increased over the months! But somehow, his physical abilities were the highest among his peers.
Alex sensed his instructor's gaze and smiled up at him before taking a seat. Ross, Julia, and Sophia offered their congratulations on his win.
"You could have finished that fight just as quickly as Julia did, you know?" Ross asked. "There was no need to play around."
"Now, where is the fun in that?" Alexander grinned. "Seeing everyone's progress is equally important. We have to know what level our competition is, no?"
Ross shook his head at Alex's reasoning. The trio was at a completely different level, and although they were not sure about their classmates, Ross believed they were still stronger than them.
This was not him underestimating his classmates; he just knew where his strength was. While they engaged in their little chat, the instructor continued the sparring matches.
However, the display that Alex and Julia presented made their matches appear bleak. Additionally, most of the students were tied, and even with their abilities, they could not conclude the matches swiftly.
When it was Ross's turn, his opponent managed to put up a good fight for a few seconds before she too was put in her place.
Their fights had solidified their status among their classmates. Without a doubt, they were the strongest first years ever.
Sometime later, the sparring matches came to an end, and the instructor proceeded to give his next set of instructions.
"With these fights, I believe everyone has a fair idea about their strength level, weaknesses and what they need to work on; some more than others.
"This marks the conclusion of all your combat lessons. From now on, your skills are yours alone to polish. And for fights involving beasts, you'd be doing that in your second year."
Listening to his words brought a smile to their faces. What that meant was a free period they could use however they wished. Of course, they also had to pay attention to their points.
"With two weeks left till your end-of-year competition, I expect everyone to prepare themselves thoroughly, especially with the coming one-week break you'll be given. More information about the event will be made available to you in due time."
He ended the class, and everyone began exiting the VR world.
Once outside, the students quickly dispersed since this was their last lesson. However, all they could discuss was how the trio of friends had dominated their opponents. The looks of admiration only increased as they spoke about them.
"You have a mountain to cross, Zen." One of his friends commented as they made their way back to their dorms.
The frown on his face spoke volumes about his current thoughts. While he also dominated his opponent, it was not as awe-inspiring as what Alex and Julia did.
At that moment, as Alex and his friends were about to leave the combat systems building, Instructor Horvey called out to him.
"Wait for me outside," Alex told Ross and Julia, both of whom nodded in understanding. He approached the instructor, trying to think of the reason why he had been called out.
'Is it because of my fight?' He doubted that was the reason, but he would soon find out regardless.
Instructor Horvey led Alex to a secluded spot where they were out of earshot.
"How's your cultivation?" The instructor asked.
His question caused Alex's expression to darken. He stood frozen before his instructor, unsure how to respond.
'Shit. Did he notice?'
His thoughts ran quickly, thinking of a reasonable response. The fact that he asked that question meant he was somehow aware that his cultivation had not increased at all.
"I'm not asking to chastise you…." Instructor Horvey sighed, observing the frightened expression of the boy. "If you're experiencing any difficulty, you can come to me anytime. Is that okay with you?"
He added with concern etched on his face. Since Alexander had such an expression, it was clear he was not ready to share.
'No matter, he will come around eventually.' The instructor thought. 'Hopefully, we can find out what's causing him to lag behind in his cultivation.'
Alex quickly regained his composure after the instructor took a step back from the question he posed. "Understood, Sir."
"Mm…" Instructor Horvey nodded and then turned around to leave.
Alex sighed with relief after his instructor disappeared from view. For a moment, he feared that his instructor would think he was neglecting his cultivation.
"I need to find a solution as soon as possible." With that, he too set off to locate his friends.