Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me

"Achoo! Tiana, this is just going to give me a cold!" Daniel laughed and made a short leap toward Tiana. Panicked, she fired [Water Wave].

A thin stream of water rushed forward but, instead of hitting Daniel, splashed back on her, soaking her clothes.

Tiana, her hair wet and her face flushed, gripped her staff tighter, but hesitation filled her eyes. Daniel, with a swift movement, struck her staff with his wooden sword, knocking it out of her hands. Tiana let out a short cry and fell to the ground.

Alice, now even more frustrated, charged again with [Leap Strike].

She swung her sword with full strength at Daniel, but he, treating the fight like he was playing with children, tapped her wrist lightly with his wooden sword, knocking her real sword away.

The sword clattered to the ground, and Alice, eyes burning with anger and embarrassment, shouted, "That's cheating!"

"Cheating? I'm using a stick, kid!" Daniel laughed, resting the wooden sword on his shoulder.

The fight ended. Tiana was sitting on the floor, wet and embarrassed, her staff lying several steps away.

Alice stood beside her sword, her cheek scraped, her hair covered in dirt, and her face full of frustration. Daniel, without so much as a scratch, walked toward them with a gentle smile and said,

"Well, let's have a talk now. There are a few things you need to learn."

"Talk? You just beat us up! I'm telling Mom!" Alice growled.

Daniel laughed and flicked her forehead.

"Playtime's over. Whether you think so or not, you both have a lot of problems, and if you want to improve, you need to fix them."

Tiana and Alice glanced at each other, their expressions turning serious.

Seeing that, Daniel smiled, set aside his wooden sword, and spoke in a friendly but serious tone.

"You two are talented, and honestly, for your rank, you're really strong. But despite thinking you're the best, you both have a lot of flaws, and there's a long way to go before you can truly be considered strong. Let's take a look at your mistakes."

"Alice, you're too impatient. You think just because your sword is sharp and shiny, you can cut down anyone. Your leaps are flashy, but when you miss, you hit the ground like a kitten! You need to think before you attack."

Alice fell silent, realizing her brother was right. She had attacked with the mindset that her strikes wouldn't miss.

But what if they did? At that moment, she'd be completely vulnerable, which could be extremely dangerous for her.

"That [Leap Strike] of yours—until you learn to land it properly, it's just putting you in danger. Did you see how you slipped? A real opponent would've finished you ten times over already. Every time you used that move, you basically brushed against death," Daniel sighed.

Her offensive potential was impressive, but her movement and control were lacking. Though, it wasn't entirely her fault.

After all, she hadn't faced truly strong opponents yet, and even his Fallen only trained her without actually fighting seriously. And when they did spar, they were heavily restricted.

"That [Light Barrier] was more like a joke! If you're going to defend, you need to focus and channel your energy properly, not just throw up a thin layer and hope it works." His tone grew slightly more serious this time.

Her defense was by far her weakest point—so weak that Daniel actually felt embarrassed.

Alice wasn't even trying to improve her skills or fix her flaws. Maybe before she didn't realize them, but how could she not see how useless her defense was?

Both Alice and Tiana didn't have many skills, and the ones they did have were either newly created with the help of the Fallen or borrowed from the Academy.

Yet both of them seemed content with that and weren't making any effort to refine their abilities further.

"I understand, brother… I'll do my best to fix them," Alice said with a bit of embarrassment.

"I'm here whenever you need help, so don't worry." Daniel patted her head gently before turning to the other sister.

"Tiana, unlike Alice, who overestimates herself, you underestimate yourself way too much. Did you see how long you hesitated before casting each spell? In battle, a moment of hesitation means you're finished. You need to trust yourself."

"No matter what I do, I can't… I just keep thinking about what will happen if I mess up," Tiana admitted with embarrassment.

"Your [Small Flame] and [Water Wave]—it's like you're scared of your own magic! Magic is like a nervous friend—if you don't guide it properly, it'll backfire on you. You saw how you ended up soaked, right?"

"And without that staff, it's like your hands are tied. What if an enemy knocks it away? You need to learn how to use at least some magic without it—or at least know how to run. I know a staff boosts a mage's power, but it's not a necessity, so don't get dependent on it."

"I'll give you both some advice, and you'd better follow it." He shifted his gaze to both sisters and continued.

"Alice, practice your balance every day. Walk on a rope, or swing your sword while standing on one leg. If you want to leap like a cat, you need to land like one, too."

"Before you attack, watch your opponent. I dodged on purpose because I knew exactly where you were going to strike. Take a moment, then attack. Don't just launch yourself into the air hoping to hit something."

"For [Light Barrier], try to make it as strong as possible, whether by channeling mana or using other external energies. A good shield can save your life."

"And you, Tiana—practice casting small spells without hesitation every day. Even if your flame goes out, try again. Confidence comes with repetition. You can practice on the Fallen."

"Strengthen your control over your magic with simple drills first, then move on to harder training!"

"And practice at least some magic without your staff. Even if it's weak, it's better than being helpless without it."

"Thank you so much, brother. I promise that next time we fight, I'll win."

"Thank you." Both sisters looked at each other, then smiled brightly as they thanked him together.

Daniel smiled as well and patted both of their heads. Most of the issues they faced were simply due to a lack of experience.

They could easily defeat other F-Ranks and even some E-Ranks, but if they faced an experienced prodigy, they would lose.

He had to find a way to solve their lack of experience… though, he already had a few ideas.

"In any case, I have to go for now. I'll be away for a while." Daniel looked at them and explained that he needed to head to the Celestial Domain.

He had already told his mother, so only the two of them were left. After that, he left the training room and returned to his room to change clothes and head to the guild first.

Apparently, Lana wanted to discuss something important with him regarding the Celestial Domain and needed his help.

As a member of the guild, he naturally has to help.