:A/N: Hey everyone, author here! Quick shout out to CPT Ratchet and Mek for PRing the chp! Also, I feel like the story is at the stage where I can get a cover art. Already got a awesome idea for it just need to find a artist. Hopefully will find one soon and be able to show you all. Welp that's about it enjoy the chp!

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“So how long have you learned swordsmanship for Zer?”

“Since I was six. How about you Azrael?”

“Mm. My dad also started teaching me since I was six. I wanted to start learning sooner but he kept saying no.”

“Supposedly if you start learning before the age of six, you will do harm to your body so that’s why they don’t let children learn before the age of six.”

“You two are so lucky. My dad refused to let me train when I was young…”

After eating dinner Azrael, Winston, and Zer were heading toward the forest at the edge of the school’s limit. When Zer had arrived to the school early, he had conducted reconnaissance around the school and found the area inside the forest to be the most suitable.

After travelling in the forest for about five minutes, the three stop and let out a sigh of admiration. In front of them was a large grove that was bathed in moonlight. With flat ground and no obstacles, it was perfect for training.

“Here we are. Not bad eh?”

“No, it’s perfect Zer”

“Of course it is, it’s where I chose after all Azrael. Anyways, we should start training you first Wiston”

“Sounds good, please teach me well you two!”

Saying that, the three of them head toward the center of the grove. While holding onto the wooden swords that Zer had brought from his room, Winston takes up the center and gets into an awkward position. Zer, wincing at the site, stands in front of Winston and starts giving him commands.

“Are you left handed or right handed?”

“Left handed.”

“Okay then. First let’s go over your stance. Put your right foot out six inches in front of your body. Do the opposite with your left foot like….. that. Next grab the upper portion of the sword with your left hand put your right hand underneath it.”

As Winston was fixing his form, Zer circled around him and corrected any mistakes. Watching this, Azrael couldn’t help but nod his head in approval. The form that was being taught to Winston was one that would ensure that at any moment he could react and make quick movements.

As Winston was attempting to get comfortable to the stance, Zer bent his knee and let his right palm rest on the ground. Curious as to what he was doing, Azrael focuses his attention to Zer. After a few moments, the ground quickly rose and formed into a humanoid shape.

“Alright, we’ll use this to practice your swings. All you need to do is swing down and hit it. Swing five hundred times tonight okay?”

“Fi…five hundred times?!”

“Yup, that’s just the basic man. Everyone does it, right Azrael?”

“Five hundred is too lenient Zer…”

“….Five hundred swings is light… you monsters.”

For someone who had never swung a sword before, five hundred seemed as far away as the moon in the night sky. Hearing that he had to swing five hundred times and that it was only “light” made Winston’s face lose color. While he tried to think of a way to escape the situation, Winston’s face brightens at a thought.

“Hey guys, why don’t you show me a demonstration of a sword fight? I feel like it’ll give me a better understanding of what to do and give me motivation!”

“…..Why does it feel like you’re trying to get out of the training…”

Seeing Azrael gaze at him with suspicion, Winston begins to sweat beads. He really didn’t want to swing at the earth doll so many times. While he was trying to think up an excuse, a life line comes from Zer.

“I don’t think that’s such a bad idea. It will show him how good he can get. I’ve wanted to see strong you were anyways.”

“Yeah I guess it would be. Sure, why not? Just watch us and try to see what we’re doing okay Winst?”

Seeing him nod, both Zer and Azrael take a distance of ten feet away from each other and get into their stance. Zer takes a form where he spreads his left leg forward while he moves the center of his body to right above his right leg, which is bent and ready to explode forward. He kept his sword at shoulder height and parallel to the ground with both hands holding on.

On the other hand Azrael was in a position where he brought his left leg a little forward and his right back with both knees bent, ready to spring at any time. With his center of mass still in the middle, he extended his sword backwards at an angle, parallel to his right leg. Zer, seeing this, was quite interested. Even though he had already fought against numerous styles, none took this stance.

“Ho, that’s quite the unique stance Azrael. Where did you learn it?”

“Eh, after training with my Dad for so long I just found that this stance was the most suitable to me”

The truth though, was that this was the stance that Azrael had used countless of times in his previous life. Even though it was a little awkward since he was using a sword instead of his preferred weapon, it still was what Azrael was most comfortable with.

“Hee, that’s interesting. Anyways, so how should we do this spar?”

“We’ll go at full strength, but no aiming for vital locations. Also time limit of three minutes. Sound good to you? Also what about use of magic?”

“Those previous ones sound fine. We don’t want to hurt each other in a spar after all. Let’s also use magic. I want to see for myself whether you are a tri elementalist and how strong you are.”

“Alright then. Hey Winst, start the match for us.”

“Sounds good. Alright Zer you ready? Azrael you ready? Okay we will start the spar when the countdown reaches 0. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1….0!”

When Winston reached 0, Zer dashed forward and immediately went for a horizontal slash. After recovering from the surprise, Azrael moves his body to the left by a couple of inches and barely avoids the strike. Seeing that his attack missed, Zer’s face momentarily shows surprised.

‘Damn, he’s fast!’

Azrael had also been alarmed by the quick speed and precise attack from Zer. His friend was obviously very well acquainted with swordsmanship. After dodging the strike, he immediately begins his counterattack.

With water starting to converge on his sword, Azrael does an upward slash that aimed from Zer’s left hip to right shoulder. Seeing his opponent cast magic and prepare a counterattack, Zer also casts a spell in defense.

Seeing that Zer wouldn’t be able to defend himself from the counterattack in time, Azrael quickly attacks his body. While Azrael should have felt soft skin and muscle at the end of his strike, to his shock, his hand become numb momentarily due to hitting a hard object. Jumping backwards, he takes some distance from Zer and look at him in surprise. Zer’s originally light skin now had a tint of grey.

“To dodge my slash and even think to counter by casting a element onto your sword. Not bad, not bad at all Azrael!”

Azrael could see the hint of excitement on Zer’s face. Truthfully, even Azrael felt excited and more hopeful for this spar. It was obvious to him that Zer was a very skilled swordsman. If they kept sparring against each other, the two of them would grow rapidly.

“I was surprised that you were able to cast a spell so quickly too. That must have been a steel element spell right?”

“Yup, it’s called wall of steel. The spell gives your skin a layer of steel to make it harder. Unfortunately, right now I’m barely strong enough to get the most basic steel, iron.”

“Ho… This is the first time I’ve seen steel element magic. It’s quite impressive.”

“Haha that water spell wasn’t a joke either Azrael. Well let’s begin once again.”

With that, the two sprinted forward at each other and attacked. Even though it was only a friendly spar, if someone would see them from afar they would surely be shocked to see two such young children having such an advance fight. Winston, who focused intently on each strike and body movement was shocked. How could two children be so strong?! Even some of his guards would easily lose to these two.

Slashes, thrusts, hacks, faints. All different types of attacks were being used by both Azrael and Zer as they tried to find weaknesses in their enemy’s defense. If Zer overreached on a slash, Azrael would simply dodge and attempt a counter attack. If Azrael’s thrust was too far, Zer would parry and attempt to slash back.

The two also started to seriously use magic also. Zer used earth element spells to make Azrael lose his balance or create a wall for defense. Using the traits of the steel element, he would also increase his speed and strength by strengthening his muscles.

Azrael, on the other hand, used darkness magic to blind Zer momentarily while he moved in for a strike. He also had to use his affinity with water to create water barriers to protect him from a strike he wouldn’t be able to physically react to. He even used weakened fireballs to attack while also creating sudden bursts of light to blind his opponent.

Even though Azrael should have a big advantage with the use of three elements compared to Zer’s two, the fight was even. Zer’s affinity with his elements seemed to be no less than Azrael. He also made up for the weakness of one less element with his superiority in swordsmanship against Azrael.

’Zer is really good! Even though I have been training for just as long as him in swordsmanship, he’s much better than me. I would’ve lost a long time ago if I didn’t have the advantage of one more element and having actual battle experience. Even though I’m not using stronger magic since I want to see his skills and train myself, his natural talents for the sword seems higher than mine. It really wouldn’t be a stretch to call him a genius..’

Since Azrael didn’t want to harm his new friend and also wanted to train more with the sword, he restrained himself from using more advanced spells. Still, for a child to be evenly matched with him who had a clear advantage in actual battle experience was very surprising. He really did feel amazement toward Zer’s natural talents and battle instincts. He could see that his friend would quickly get even stronger and rise quickly to become one of the best swordsman in the continent.

“Alright, three minutes are up!”

To both Azrael and Zer’s surprise, Winston announced the end of the time limit for the battle. The both of them had been so focused on the spar that it had felt as though they had just begun.

After the two of them took a step back, they both looked at each other with a grin. They both were very thrilled that they had found someone that was on par with them to push them even further. The existence of an equal was very important for people who trained as they would use it for motivation to get stronger and not be left behind.

“Are you sure you only learned from your father? It felt like as though I was fighting against a famous swordsman’s apprentice.”

“Haha yes, I only learned from my Dad. Where would my family get the money to hire an instructor? Anyways, you’re really strong too. I didn’t expect to find someone like you in our class. You don’t mind if we continue practicing together every night right?”

“Of course not. Training with you will definitely help me improve greatly.”

“Haa… somehow I feel as though I’ve been turned into a side character in a story. Don’t leave me out guys!”

Hearing the sudden retort from Winston, the both of them turn in surprise to see him with a discontent look. Almost immediately the two break into laughter and head over to Winston.

“Don’t worry Winston. I’ll make sure that you become strong enough to be able to spar with us too.”

“You better strengthen your heart Winst! We won’t be going easy on you!”

“....It really is my rotten luck to have two demons for instructors…. I must have sold out an empire in my previous life….”

Hearing that, both Azrael and Zer break out into laughter. Afterwards, Winston begins his routine of five hundred slashes under the supervision of Zer, who would occasionally stop him to give him advice.

Two hours later, Winston was plopped on the ground in exhaustion with his wooden sword beside him. Breathing heavily, he glares at the two demons who had forced him to continuously slash five hundred times.

“You guys are demons, demons I say!”

“Hahah you think we’re demons already Winst? Just wait until tomorrow night.”

With Winston making an appalled face, the two pick him up and laugh as they head back toward the school and prepare for the next day.