I liked the humid morning air. Even the rain that fell all night made Bastia happy. All of these things were like a blessing from Kemor (the god of dueling) that was thrown into the swordsmanship test that was about to begin.
He lived as a gladiator and fought numerous sword fights with hardened gladiators. I also watched my colleagues’ fights until I got tired of them. The best fight spectacle for him is, of course, the fight of newcomers.
Besides, fighting in the mud like this.
It was definitely his taste.
Moreover, in the first battle, there was a guy who he thought was interesting.
“First battle. John and Evins. Grab a wooden sword, come out and stand face to face.”
John checked the opponent’s face. He was a well-rounded boy who would slap his cheek and start a fight.
Evins swung the wooden sword with a confident movement and said.
“Can I not check your sleeve?”
Yohan understood the intention of the other person’s words and smiled.
During the [Ceremony in Bastia], he had resorted to hiding a piece of wooden sword in his sleeve. Perhaps it’s a twist on the trick.
John quietly raised his wooden sword and held it.
“Fight and see.”
“Hey, kids. It’s hot.”
Bastia was satisfied with the hostility of the two children from the start.
Bastia spoke loudly in the eyes of the children waiting for their turn and the children who just came to watch.
“now. Talk only with swords! Stop the confrontation when the right blow comes in or when one side surrenders. Get your posture started!”
John’s ankle was already healed.
As soon as Bastia finished speaking, John moved first.
“John goes!”
“John who defeated the swordsmanship teacher!”
Children’s praise was not needed.
What John needs is to prevent the Jackal from coming in first place in this test. And one thing, John had something he wanted to add.
It was also a warning message to the Jackal.
Johann approached Evins, remembering Sabaki’s steps. The aptitude for [replication] faithfully followed the basic level of that step. Mud splattered in all directions as he twisted his pelvis and walked forward.
Surprised by John’s approaching speed, Evins clumsily took a defensive position at the top, and John struck his wooden sword over the sword.
Evins’ eyes widened.
‘fast!’
Ta-evil!
John’s sword bounced lightly.
It wasn’t a blow by force in the first place. A sword that moves quickly.
Every time the wooden sword rang out, Evins felt dizzy.
Ta-evil! right! Tadak! Ta-evil!
Like a drumstick striking a drum, Johann’s sword slammed down merrily. By the time the children’s exclamations of ‘Ohh-‘ got used to it, Evins realized.
‘This guy is on a different level than me!’
At the same time, John also became aware of the difference. It was because of the self-confidence he felt.
‘No matter where I hit, I’m faster.’
It’s not arrogance.
He could immediately see where this confidence came from.
[Special skill]
[Swordsmanship Lv. 4: See through the method of destruction that suits the situation in the battle with the sword. (This skill has been upgraded by 1Lv through ‘Equipment of Justice’.)]
The difference of 1 in the savior from another world is huge. This swordsman must know himself before he knows his enemy.
The speed at which your sword moves, the trajectory it extends, and the distance it can reach.
[Equipment of Justice] allows you to learn it.
Yohann started throwing his sword to his heart’s content.
from the neck. from the flank. in front of the chest.
The well-aimed sword and the sword that defended it collided.
Evins sweated. The defense continued to work, but no matter how you think about it, it was more like a fluke. From a certain moment on, he couldn’t even see John’s sword properly.
Tadadadadadadak-!
The moment John’s sword strikes exceeded 20 moves, Evins felt fear. It wasn’t just that they couldn’t find a chance to counterattack. I had strong doubts.
Tadadadadadadak-!
John’s attack was coming in as if being sucked into his own wooden sword.
‘Could this all be a coincidence?’
‘If it’s not a coincidence… .’
‘Could it be on purpose?’
It was a terrifying realization.
That John was deliberately hitting the place he was defending. There could be only one reason for that.
‘no way… To make me say ‘surrender’ myself?’
However, it was Bastia who was more surprised at that moment.
‘That guy has no formality?’
When you learn the sword, everyone has a fixed formula. For example, patterns or habits.
Sword patterns and habits are gathered and divided into schools, and finally a classification called ‘sword method’ is organized.
But John didn’t see that. There is nothing fixed in the flow that leads to footwork-posture-offensive. This means that he is prepared for a long-term battle.
The moment he reached 40, Evins completely lost his will to fight.
“Ha, Hang… .”
Evins thought that what John wanted was his own renunciation.
It was an illusion.
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Noticing that the opponent was about to surrender, Yohan swung his sword a little differently this time.
To the place where Evins’s sword is not.
“… Anti-Boaak!”
Pa-gak!
Han’s slash hit Evins’ side of his forehead. Hit by a wooden sword, he slipped and rolled on the wet sand.
Iron pudduck.
My black gym suit was covered in mud and my head was on the floor.
“Whoa-”
Yohan let out a long breath while receiving the eyes of the children. A sigh escaped from the children watching.
“hey. It was cool.”
“How many sums did you exchange?”
Evins lifted his dusty face and looked up at John fearfully.
Bastia said with a satisfied face.
“end. John W. Those who were hit can go to the infirmary if necessary. next guys. come out.”
Evins stood up and touched the affected area. The sides of the eyelids were already swollen. The jackal’s gang swarmed beside him.
“hey. It was a waste.”
“really. You stopped almost all of them and got hit at the end.”
“cheer up. cheer up.”
They looked concerned at Evins’ eyes. But John believed that the worry would not continue.
‘Because all the jackal gangs in the match with me will all have the same face.’
I wonder what will happen to the jackal gang after this. If they still swarm, they will be told to pull out the jackals with swollen faces.
***
The match-up did not differ from Bastia’s expectations. The Jackal, who pressured the opponent with force, and Evangeles, who had a solid base, continued to overwhelm the opponent.
And the more interesting side was the student who had been beaten by himself. That single student made opponents daunted just by looking directly at them in most of the duels. There were even those who couldn’t even make eye contact with him while holding a wooden sword and standing face to face.
“Ha, surrender.”
“What?”
“I will surrender, Bastia.”
As a swordsmanship teacher at the academy, it was a situation that could only be evaluated as pitiful.
“what is this. The guy gets scared before he even tries… . What was your name?”
“… Sabaki Taro.”
“okay. Savaki. win.”
“… .”
“What. What are you going to do if you stare at me? Come in, man.”
Sabaki glared at Bastia once before returning to her seat.
Bastia was not an opponent to shrink from [Ghost Eyes]. Watching him return with an imperfect gait, Bastia seemed to be able to understand the reason why he was conserving his stamina. There are people who want to fight in the best condition in their tournament brackets.
And Yohan, who was originally thought to be ambiguous, was surprisingly pressuring his opponents. And Bastia, who did not separate the jackal gang, thought that Yohan, who finished the game by hitting a similar spot, was as fun as expected.
‘Am I practicing hitting the forehead sideways?’
But as the confrontation continued, only the Jackal knew it was John’s message. It was because the children returning near him were touching similar parts with their hands.
‘Are you saying they’re going to run around with the same face?’
If that’s the case, it’s likely that they’ll get nicknames like ‘The Foolish Face Crew’.
The jackal met John’s eyes and revealed his teeth.
Jackal tended to simplify human relationships.
If you follow yourself, accept it. But if you’re hostile to yourself, you’re welcome. There is no gray area in that black and white distinction. If there is, it’s just worms occupying only the number of people like a landscape.
And Jackal tended to be cold-hearted in his evaluation of his opponents. That guy named John, at least he wasn’t a scumbag.
Of course, I had no intention of playing with John’s number.
He told some of the kids who were going to have a matchup with John.
“When you fight him, just surrender.”
“What? Without even fighting?”
“okay. Just don’t fight.”
“Still, surrender… . Even if it’s fast, everyone’s just on the edge-”
“It just seems that way. You can’t win.”
Among them, there were some children who were good-looking and had a strong sense of humor, but they had no choice but to nod their heads at the jackal’s words.
The Jackal double-checked the brackets that Bastia had handed out. If he faces Yohan, he will face him in the finals.
‘I don’t think I’ll lose.’
The jackal honestly thought so. Rather, there was another opponent who looked more dangerous.
“Until there. Redhead, you won. Baby, hit me up.”
Evangeles bowed his head to the opponent with a polite gesture. Then he brushed his hair and walked away.
Jackal was sure. Among the students, if there was someone who could deal with him, it would be him.
***
“ruler. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Is it the semifinals now? Relax and give your best performance.”
The jackal thought for a moment before speaking to his gang.
“You guys, don’t follow me.”
“yes? Where are you going?”
The jackal didn’t answer and walked towards John and Evangeles. After several matches, everyone’s gym clothes were covered in mud. As expected, Evangeles, who had a fight with the Jackal in mind, could see him approaching.
When enough jackals had approached, Evangeles spoke.
“Something. Is it enemy search?”
“I don’t use shallow numbers like that.”
John’s voice came out a little uncomfortable.
“I guess so. They seem to prefer to come to their dorm rooms.”
Jackal wasn’t stupid enough to make excuses for that. The lynching inflicted on Mubartrigger, there is no evidence that he ordered it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course you will. Tell me about your business.”
“This is the last offer. Do you really want to join me?”
Johann crossed his arms and looked the jackal up and down. Then, conscious of the affinity between the Jackal and Evangeles, he said.
“… Are you crazy about not being the school principal?”
“That is just the beginning. My fight is not like that.”
“Then what is it? Your proud ‘fight’.”
The jackal thought it might be a conversation to be had in a quieter place. However, it seemed that if he avoided answering here, he might be seen as someone with another ulterior motive.
‘Anyway, there are only a few days left before the election.’
Then the jackal spoke in a distinct voice.
“I want to unite the nobles in my generation.”