This scaly bastard challenged me to a duel. A cliché fucking duel. He should be glad if I don’t outright kill him. Then again, when I was being introduced by the instructor, he was one of the two he remained serious about their training, so maybe he will be a good demonstration of this world’s martial arts. I decided on hand-to-hand combat because there were some earth world martial arts moves I wanted to try to mimic from films, regardless of whether or not they were fake.

The instructors guided us to what appeared to be a dueling ring or practice ring, a space of dirt sequestered away from the field of grass this class took place in, beside what appeared to be an equipment shed. We were prompted to take positions on opposite sides of the circular ring.

“Ah, Lord Veloth, will there be magical enhancement, or none?” Instructor Garret, the one who was initially introducing Veloth to the class, asked.

“Ah, lizard boy there can use it, while I will refrain from doing so.” I wanted to see the greatest strength he could muster, and then crush it. Maybe it will prove a challenging obstacle for me, but if the gods themselves are to be my opponents, then I should make destroying a lizard within my capability.

That very lizard's scales abruptly turned from their dark blue color to a shade of purple, and he began trembling. He glared at me with his slit pupil sapphire eyes and roared loudly, “I am no lizard! I am a son of the mighty Dragsul! I will make you regret holding back!” Oh, so that resembled his anger then?

Garret raised his hand and asked us, “Are you both ready?” We nodded our ascent, and Garret brought down his hand in a chopping motion “Then… Begin!”

Lizard boy lunged at me with a good speed, but it was still extremely slow to my senses. I simply waited for him to come within my range. Once he stepped in my range, my fist swiftly met the underside of his extended lizard-like maw in an uppercut. The lizard boy went flying up a good distance.

I propelled myself above him, steering myself in the air with my tails. I did a front flip, landing my foot squarely on his stomach, sending him in the direction of the ground. I steered and propelled myself past him to reach the ground first using my tails. I was genuinely surprised I managed to get this part to work, because physics dictates it should not be possible.

Now underneath the falling lizard boy, I thrust my fist into his back when he was within the desired range. A classical DBZ video game move, although to the point where it bordered cliché… Now I feel regret for actually having pulled it off.

Lizard boy simply fell to the ground and did not stir… Was that all his constitution could handle? “Tch, damn lizard.” I clicked my tongue in exasperation. I wanted to try out more moves on him, but my new punching bag is already down for the count.

“W-winner, Lord Veloth!” Garret announced to gasps of surprise and astonishment. Was my combo too harsh? There should be no other reason to make those obnoxious sounds…

Hahnu was just smiling, almost to the extent that she looked proud, while another stared at me intently. It was a beautiful angel girl with pearlescent skin and long curly blonde hair. Her feathered wings were large, probably a wingspan of 10 feet when extended, and an icy-white color. The rest, instructors and students, all had looks of awe or fear.

“As expected of master, Nya.” Hahnu was the first to speak up. When she spoke, the students suddenly began murmuring among themselves. Normally I would be able to hear what they were saying, but there were so many speaking at once I couldn’t sort it out. Amidst the noisy students, angel girl approached me.

“Lord Veloth? My name is Sival. Marry me.” My mind went blank and the surroundings suddenly fell silent. Hahnu also now wore a frown.

“P-pardon? I think I misheard you?” I stammered.

“Marry me.” She simply said once more. I didn’t mishear her… So sudden. What is with this woman? I don’t even know her and she proposes marriage? The surroundings were even awkward now.

“No.” I answered her simple words with one of my own. I’m not about to marry some stranger, even if she is a beauty.

“No. Marry me.” Did this woman speak nothing but simply? And what does she mean ‘no’? Is she denying my denial?

“I said no, damn you!” Clearly I need to be more forceful with my words.

“You will marry me.” This woman was insanely persistent… She is probably hat trope… the kind I need to beat some sense into…

“Nya! Who do you think-“

I cut off Hahnu with a motion of my hand.

“Then, if you can defeat me in a duel, I will marry you.” She saw what I did to lizard boy. Surely she wouldn’t be so foolish as to challenge me. If she did, I just had to knock some sense into her.

“Then I challenge you to a doubles duel. When Nilus recovers…” Here, she gestured toward a now stirring lizard boy, “He and I will duel you and any person of your choosing.” Her sentences were as curt as her words. She didn’t seem to be the type to banter, and simply stated what she wanted.

“Then I accept. My partner shall be… Hahnu.” I gesture towards Hahnu, and she nods as if it were a matter of course. Even if she couldn’t fight at all, I should be able to handle the both of them.

“Ah, t-then, Lord Veloth, as the challenged party, you once again have the right to choose the rules of the duel…” Garret prompted me for the details of the duel.

“Whatever suits each person best. A no-holds-barred battle!” Was my answer.

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