Chapter 71 - Sparring Match - Crow VS Solus Ferrum, the One-Ard Sword Demon
We left the hall last and reached a mini coliseum, located furthest back in the academy grounds. Twenty knight candidates were minding their business in their corners, either ditating or practicing their moves.
As I arrived, so of them cast glances at , Lenitia, and Lia. Their bodyguards also stared.
Lenitia froze and muttered, "T-Thirty level 5 knights?"
All followers of the knight candidates were level 5. Indeed, Frogine Fortress wasn’t a major boss stage for nothing. This was a lair of top elites.
I braced the danger and entered the field. A lone instructor in the arena, a level 6 middle-aged knight with a missing arm, turned toward . He rested his hand on a wooden longsword as though it were a cane, yet a threatening air exuded from him. His right jacket sleeve fluttered in the wind, dangling to the side.
He was one of the unlockable ga characters, the One-Ard Sword Demon. His real na was Solus Ferrum, who would serve one of the two Rickson’s future rivals—but that was a story for another ti.
"A freshman? From the royal class?" Solus asked.
"Yes, sir." I perford the customary local salute by placing the heel of my right hand on my left chest, with my other arm behind my back. Sasageyo to you, sir.
"Where are the others?"
"Still fighting for musou energy pills, perhaps."
Solus chuckled. "Foolish brats. I’m glad you didn’t join that ss. By the way, why are you level 2? Shouldn’t the standard be level 3 or above?"
As soon as the words dropped, all other students stopped what they were doing and stared at . One of them sneered.
"Level 2? Seriously? Did he snatch the seat from soone yesterday?"
"Is this year the year of commoners? I heard the crown prince and the son of a marquis were supposed to join. Where are they?"
"Fighting for scraps, probably?"
So students laughed, but most had solemn looks. A few cringed as though rembering their dark past.
Solus yelled, "Shut your mouths, imbeciles! You did the sa when you were freshn! With his current strength, he’s achieved more than you have! Look at you, still recovering from your early-day injuries! How are you going to get stronger with internal injuries, a cracked musou core, or a damaged tendon?!
Everybody looked away and broke a sweat. These so-called "seniors" might have done sothing irreversible during their early years, as none of them seed to be in their best conditions.
As Solus had ntioned, many of them had bandages. Even the most fit had scars on their arms and face. To what extent had they fought?
Solus turned to . "Don’t mind your foolish seniors. They fought so much that most of their colleagues are dead, drafted to the military, or retired. Out of the second and third year, only forty regular students remain. Anyway, I’m Solus, your instructor. You’ll be receiving lessons from ."
What a waste of manpower. Still, they produced several level 5 knights every year, and each level 5 knight was worth more than a hundred level 4s or ten thousand common soldiers. The system spoke for itself.
"So," I looked around. "What do I do here, sir?"
"Let test your foundation. Co at without using your musou energy. But if I catch you using it, you’ll be in for a world of pain."
Solus tossed a wooden sword while he adjusted his posture, holding his wooden broadsword casually with his left hand.
Since I couldn’t abuse my counterattacks, I adjusted my stance and aid for a diagonal strike to his right chest.
"Too straightforward."
Solus swatted away my strike, and the weapon slipped from my fingers. A second later, a thrust ca for my neck, but the wooden sword of Solus turned red.
Impossible to counter?
I tilted my head to the side and narrowly dodged the jab.
The sword changed trajectory mid-thrust, moving to the side and smacking my neck.
Although the sweep lacked montum, it felt like soone had hit with a steel pipe at full force. I collapsed, coughing and clutching my throat.
"That dodge was a little too arrogant. Respect your opponent’s strikes, especially when they’re level 5 or stronger. No risky, flashy moves. Pick up your sword and try again."
I wanted to argue. My dodge and first strike were repetitions of the training dummy scroll events I had gone through for two lifetis. I guessed those weren’t strong enough to impress the sword demon. Or maybe my talent was just that bad.
I picked up the sword and exhaled deeply. Since he requested proper sword form, I replied with a full-force forward strike toward his wrist.
Solus’s eyes followed my sword as he flicked his wrist, accepting the blow with his own weapon and stepping forward to counter my montum.
I twisted my sword and followed through, still aiming for his arm. Solus twisted his sword as well, pressing mine to the ground.
The next mont, the heel of his fist and the hilt of his sword slamd into my chin. The impact shook everything in my head.
Falling to the ground, I stared at the spinning sky.
"Breathe and stay down. Do not sit up or you’ll waste the rest of the day. Also... good attempt. Good form. Weak physical strength. Too rigid. Once you’ve recovered, we’ll focus on improving your reflexes, eyesight, swordsmanship, and physical strength."
I chuckled, wondering whether that was praise or insult.
Still, the observers whistled and giggled.
"Hey. He got a ’good attempt and good form’ on the second try?!"
"Kek. I got ’terrible overall’ after three attempts. He’s not too shabby."
"Eh. I guess they sent him here for a reason. Good job, boy."
"A lot better than mine. I got smacked in the head seven tis. SEVEN TIS! All I got was, ’try again.’"
None of them jeered or mocked . Strange. I thought the seniors were all douchebags or trash of society. They seed more like proper military n in my eyes.
The next question was... how would they react if they discovered Lia and Lenitia’s true gender?
Solus picked up my sword and tossed it toward Lenitia. He smirked.
"You two next. I’ll train you too. Take off your armor. We toughen our bodies through getting beaten up. No cheating."
Oh, shit.
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