As the clown made his play and the instructor made his interference, everyone took their places.
"I will leave it to you…"
"Hmm?"
Before I could proceed, I heard a small whisper behind me coming from a familiar voice.
Aliya left with a smile on her face, nodding as she walked to the chamber with one of her friends. This left Emma and me partnerless, in other words, partners.
'What are you doing?' I thought, not understanding her intentions. 'Are you trying to protect your friends or something?' Considering Emma's emotions, it was highly possible that she would lose control of the spar.
As the other students filed into their designated chambers with their sparring partners, I was just standing face-to-face with Emma. The tension between us was palpable, the air heavy with unresolved grievances. In a way, the scars of childhood never faded away.
Emma's grumble broke the silence. "Just my luck," she muttered under her breath, her arms crossed defiantly. "Of all people, I end up sparring with you."
Hearing this girl's annoying voice, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. 'Believe me, I don't like sticking with you either.'
"Oh, believe me, the feeling is mutual," and the words left my mouth instead of staying in my head, as my tone was filled with sarcasm.
Emma shot me a withering glare, her eyes brimming with unspoken frustration. The way Arthur had acted already put a stool on her mentality, as I could see her clenched fists. "Fine, let's get this over with. Don't expect me to go easy on you."
Since I was known for my magical capabilities, in her eyes, I should look like an easy opponent, at least when it comes to swords. But, of course, that is not true.
I couldn't resist a smirk. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it." The more I saw her agitated response, the more I felt joy. 'Is that why people like bullying others? It is quite fun.' I thought. Of course, the thing I have done would come quite short compared to what bullies have done, but whatever.
"Tch!" As she said with a grumble, she entered the chamber, taking the sword provided by the academy.
Following her, I, too, entered the chamber while taking the sword provided by the academy.
It was nothing fancy, just a simple short sword. Because the topic of this spar was swords in general, everyone had the same sword in their hands.
'It had been quite a long time since I wielded another sword than Nihil.' I thought, swinging the sword for a second to get used to the feeling. Of course, it wasn't basically possible to get used to using a new sword in just a second, but I still did nonetheless.
Then, as I put the bracelet on, as well as Emma, the familiar feeling of my strength sealing erupted inside.
<Host's knight and mage rank is set 0-star rank.>
<Mana is inaccessible.>
<Aura is inaccessible.>
As the chamber closed, plunging us into darkness, the hum of anticipation filled the air. We stood on opposite ends, our swords at the ready. The tension was palpable, the unspoken rivalry between us fueling the intensity of the moment.
Since this time, we would be using swords, the chamber was quite large enough for one to display their footwork.
Then the memories flooded in, as I remembered the times when I would be dragged to have a spar with this girl. Then, of course, I would be beaten quite harshly, as I was a 0-star and she was 1.
'Tch…. What an unpleasant memory….' I thought as I threw a glance at the girl who had already taken her position.
The instructor's voice reverberated through the chamber, signaling the start of the sparring session. "Begin!"
/SWOOSH/
???????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????.????????????
And the moment, the instructor finished his words, we both lunged into each other at a rapid speed.
/CLANK/
Our swords met in the midst of the chamber, just as our eyes. I could see the agitated fire in her blazing yellow eyes.
'Her strength is quite good for a girl.' I analyzed her moves. 'Let's see your response time.'
Even though that might sound sexist, this was essentially true as we both were fighting with our 0-star strength, meaning our normal bodies.
/SWOOSH/
Instantly, pulling my body back, I threw a quick slash to her chest aimed at her navel.
/CLANK/
However, my sword was blocked instantly. "Ho… You are good…" I couldn't help but mutter seeing her fast moves. Even though, at first, we would spar with Emma as a player in the game, in later times, there were no scenes where we would fight with her. Thus, I didn't know how strong she was right now.
"Shut up!" I could see the faint annoyance in her words, as she was clearly not expecting me to attack this swiftly.
/SWOOSH/
Then another fast strike followed her parry, but my eyes were already tracing her muscles.
'A swing from right to my face, huh?'
/SWOOSH/
Lowering my center of gravity slightly, I evaded the attack.
Then, I was about to throw a palm strike at her chest without knowing, but I was able to stop my movements. 'This is a sword spar; I shouldn't use anything else.'
Instantly dropping my palm strike posture, I raised my sword again, but Emma was a skilled swordsman. Thus, she didn't miss the opportunity as she attacked me at a fast speed.
'This footwork reminds me of old times…' I thought, seeing the way she was moving.
/CLANK/ /SWOOSH/I think you should take a look at
As I blocked the sword with mine, I could sense Emma's determination and resolve to match my own. Her strikes were swift and precise, her footwork agile and controlled. 'The blood of Augustrides is still there.' I thought.
/SWOOSH/ /CLANK/
At this point, Emma had already forgotten what Arthur had done. Her eyes solely focused on our swords as the inner swordsman inside her woke up. Her eyes constantly scanned my movements as she looked for an opening.
But I was doing the same….
/THUD/
We moved in perfect synchrony, each attempting to exploit any opening in the other's defense. It was a battle of strategy, where our minds raced to predict our opponent's next move.
'Ah… It had been a long time since someone put up such a strong front….' I thought as I felt the sword blocking my own.
/GRIT/ /BLOCK/
The absence of Aura and Mana leveled the playing field, stripping away the advantages we once held. Yet, it also presented an opportunity for us to showcase our true swordsmanship skills, unencumbered by external enhancements. We relied solely on our technique, agility, and instinct to navigate the duel.
It was the best thing for a swordsman…. Even though this was a spar, slowly but surely, it turned into a duel.
/SWING/ /DODGE/
With every clash of our swords, we exchanged blows with equal force and determination.
We danced around each other, constantly adjusting our positions, seeking an advantage. The intensity of the fight fueled our adrenaline, pushing us to the limits of our physical and mental capabilities.
At that point, my heart was filled with joy that could only come from clashing swords. Even though this girl was the one that pushed me through despair at that time, knowing she was one of those that could rival me alone negated the past, at least for now.
/FEINT/ /COUNTER/
Emma's strikes were precise and measured, her timing impeccable. It was evident that she had honed her skills through countless battles and rigorous training. Her judgment in making fast decisions and seeing faints was also good.
'This girl is certainly different from that guy…' I thought as I compared Emma to Arthur at that time. 'She is a real swordsman.'
But who was I?
Certainly not someone that would bow down.
I countered her attacks with equal fervor, relying on my agility and quick thinking to evade and retaliate, as the skills I honed were not inferior in any case.
/CLINK/ /GRUNT/
The duel continued with a ferocity that belied our equal strength.
We pushed each other to our limits, exchanging blows with unwavering resolve. Sweat dripped down our foreheads, our breaths heavy with exertion.
/SWOOSH/
As she increased the distance between us for a second, I could see a faint doubt in her eyes.
"How are you this strong?" She asked, her eyes looking at me. Considering our past, I knew.
"Does it matter?" I answered, matching. "In the end, aren't you here to win?"
"I am."
"Then, don't bother with useless thoughts. Come."
As those words left my mouth, I could see a faint smile on her face.
"Then, I won't disappoint you." With those words, she took her position and clenched her muscles.
'This move…' Seeing what she was doing, I couldn't help but smile as well. After all, it was a move I knew very much.
Seeing it, I, too, took mine.
/SWOOSH/
'Sword of Lightning, Trick of Light.'
The moment she finished her position, she jumped at me with her sword raised.
'Annihilation Sword. Unseen Sword.'
-------------------A/N-----------------------
Hope you liked the chapter.
I think I managed to convey the feelings of Emma and Callius quite well. After all, no matter what his past is, Callius is essentially someone that always seeks improvement.
You can check my discord if you want. You will be able to see the illustrations here and engage in a conversation with me if I am available.
https://discord.gg/XJEgBRM3C
Check out my new book if you are interested.
This time it will have a modern hunter theme, where MC will be driven by the feeling of vengeance.
The name is; Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest
