《The Guardians' Throne - The First Magic Swordsman 》Chapter 23: Difference
Advertisement
Unlike his father's attack that Zaos saw a few days ago, that one wasn't aimed at his shield but at his left shoulder. Zaos tried to move his arm and block the attack, but then he noticed that he could only block a part of the attack with that stance. Unless he raises his shield and loses sight of Tars for a moment, the bigger kid would easily surpass his block.
In the end, Zaos decided to compromise in all senses. He raised his shield and lost sight of Tars' right side, but by doing so, he blocked the attack and gained some time to move backward and avoid the full power of the attack. Regardless, Zaos's shield trembled since that had been an awkward position to defend.
Tars didn't hesitate and stepped forward with his sword raised and shield, ready to block any attempt of resistance. Zaos clenched his teeth and just accepted the attack with his shield raised. This time he successfully blocked it without losing sight of Tars, but the pain in his left arm was starting to trouble him.
"How can I spar when I know a single move?" Zaos thought while biting his lips in annoyance. "This is so stupid."
Zaos noticed that he didn't know a single move… he was trained to use it in different situations. Still, then he recalled that Smash could be used just after a type of parry that he hadn't practiced yet. While trying that without any previous attempt was dangerous, the opponent was just a six years old child. So, the danger level was laughable. The only problem was that the stance was to parry frontal attacks, but not the ones that come from above.
Before Zaos could come up with an answer, Tars prepared another attack. In the end, he instinctively raised his wooden sword and aimed at Tars' hand. Since that wasn't a move he had practiced, Zaos missed. However, his sword still got in Tars' way, and the speed of his attack decreased due to the obstacle.
Advertisement
Zaos used that chance to suddenly move his shield and hit Tars' sword to the side. While his stance broke, he didn't expose his chin. Only his right side was unprotected. Zaos faked an attack with his wooden sword. Still, the very moment Tars' strengthened his defensive stance to receive the attack from above, Zaos stopped his arm's movement and then charged with his shield close to his left shoulder.
Tars were caught off guard by the sudden attack, and he ended up getting hit by the charge and knocked down on the grass. Zaos relaxed a little since he finally landed a hit… even though it had been with an attack that certainly didn't belong to any sword style.
Tars quickly got up, and Zaos recalled that the spark would only end once one side gives up. That brief moment of rest allowed Zaos to calm down and then relax a little bit. He was facing a kid who was only two years older but that also knew only a couple of things. Instead of trying to cheat with the knowledge he obtained a few days ago, Zaos decided to improvise with the things he already knew and practiced. With his shield raised and protecting half of his face, Zaos began to run to his right side. That caught Tars off guard, but obviously, Zaos wasn't fast enough for him to escape his sight.
Tars began to spin while Zaos was running in circles around him. When the bigger kid got impatient and prepared an attack since he was starting to get dizzy, Zaos increased his speed. That forced Tars to give up in attacking, but then Zaos suddenly stopped and charged at him when he corrected his stance. Tars were caught when he was still spinning, so Zaos managed to land a hit on his right shoulder. Tars fell on his knees while he slightly moaned in pain, but he managed to get up and assumed his stance in the end.
Advertisement
"As expected, this kid was trained to become a slow but sturdy knight," Zaos concluded. "Well, I guess it is enough of trying to win here. I should make most out of this spark."
Using his brain to win against a kid wouldn't be that satisfying since Zaos already knew that he could do it. So, he assumed his defensive stance. In the end, he would obtain much more by enduring the attacks of someone who was slightly stronger than him than winning just because he was faster.
For quite a while, the two of them stopped moving and only focused on attacking and blocking each other's attacks. Since Tars' attacks were pretty obvious, Zaos managed to avoid some of the damage by parrying them with his shield, but at the end, when the spar already surpassed one hour of duration, Zaos made his decision.
"I give up," Zaos said after a long sigh.
Zaos had plenty of confidence in his stamina, at least when it compared to other kids. Still, he didn't lose because of stamina but because his left body had been fractured. He was one hundred percent sure the other kid wasn't in a much better situation. Still, unlike Zaos, he had a glow in his eyes that made him think that he would fall unconscious due to blood loss first instead of saying give up.
"Thanks for this opportunity, sir," the armored knight said to Laiex. "I believed my son learned a lot. I don't think he had the chance to spar against an opponent as stubborn as him."
"I also thank you for this, let's make our kids spar again once they improve," Laiex said.
After saying that, the knight and his son left the residence. Zaos imagined that the kid would be scolded for not being able to defeat a smaller kid faster. Still, in the end, he patted his son's head before using a spell to heal his arm. In any case, Zaos wasn't expecting the same kind of action from his father since he could feel his cold stare.
Advertisement
- In Serial54 Chapters
Cursed Era
Tilvrade is born into a family of country nobility. A baby with vague memories of another world, he begins his life trying to come to grips with the world he is in now, while fitting into his household's lifestyle and maid's loving attentions. Soon, shadows of intrigue, creep out from the capital of the kingdom and disrupt his day to day. Revelations of odd vestiges of a civilisation spark memories of who he was. Cover is a work by a great artist called madimb. You can find the full image here. Read if you enjoy reincarnation plots, medieval fantasy and a slow developing negative protagonist. Don't read if you like fast developments and action. This story is overly detailed and not for everyone (The MC is still not a teenager as of chapter 40, if that gives you a hint of the pacing...)
8 106 - In Serial34 Chapters
Horizon of War
A foreigner got thrown into a medieval paradise with lush green meadows as far as the eyes can see. War thrust him to lead a band of misfits. The man, Lansius, doesn't come from riches and has no superpower. Suffering from amnesia and yet to make peace with his past life, he vowed to protect his family, but he’s nothing more than a pawn, an expandable henchman to do his master’s biddings. An epiphany comes that there are only two viable choices: Either let the chain of servitude tighten around his family or risk it all to become part of the ruling class even when it means shedding innocent blood. Using only his vague understanding of the art of war, Lansius resolved to fight.
8 239 - In Serial7 Chapters
Newton's Cradle
Tristan Jameson has a couple of missions: to make sense of how quantum forces are changing Newtonian laws; to help his sister, Ricky, who’s targeted by the force that set these changes in motion; to foil Ricky’s nemesis, a psychopath who wants to be Jesus—Oh, and to come back from the dead in order to do all this. As Tristan searches the worldlines of those he cared about in life, he learns that reality is far different than can be seen with physical eyes and how easily it may all slip away…..
8 123 - In Serial15 Chapters
Flash Step
A boy had been convicted to 20 years in prison for castrating a man. No one truly knows why he did that, all they know that he hasn't harmed anyone else in his life and has always been a role model for others, kind of. After serving 2 years in the ""juvenile correction institute"", he is allowed to go to a public high school for his exemplary behaviour. Although, he has two guards with him all the time, alongside a GPS. His usual day takes a turn for the worse, when someone decides to hold the school he was just admitted to as hostage...PS. This fic will contain cursing, a lot at times, so read at your own risk.PSS. When leaving a rating, let me what you like or didn't like. Read this aswell: http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=51354PSSS. Im Awesome.I go at my own pace, I'll write when I do. Some days there may be multiple chapters but at some days, there may be none. Deal with it *puts sunglasses on*A big Thank You to Fabulous Stranger for the Cover Art. Check out his other works here: http://irregularowl.deviantart.com/
8 76 - In Serial11 Chapters
The Knower
Since the beginning of time, the King has always gifted his children with a title at the age of 15. The title would impart knowledge and give them gifts to find their way in life. A Farmer would learn more profound mysteries of the soil, and a knight would learn how to protect. It wasn't as if each title was a surprise, but some would get unique titles and become great names in the annals of history. Oli, A young elf, doesn't get his title at the age of 15 but receives news that he is being prepared for great things. The King intends to mold him into his agent on Gaia, a man who knows all things. An agent who will fight the Grot of the soul that comes with disgracing the creations of the King. With Inspiration from great works such as The Name of the Wind, By Patrick Rothfuss, or The Riftwar Saga, By Raymond E. Feist, Oli is called into the schemes of the world. Groups on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books/
8 159 - In Serial23 Chapters
Prose For The Soul
[The Prosaist ─ For The Soul #2]Words are more powerful than any weapon you can purchase.Hence, why not use them to make a difference?Instead of inflicting pain on other people with slander,Why not comfort and encourage them to be better?
8 138

