Chapter 25 : SPARRING

"What are you doing here Francisco?"

Francisco finds some excuse but he quickly tell his intentions.

"... I thought that Kyle was the only monster in your group. But I'm actually wrong. You're stronger than Kyle. Tell me, what level are you?"

"Guess it."

I clenched my weapon. If he tries to do anything funny then I'll stab his heart out. I'm not trusting anyone who's hiding when I'm doing my training.

"Woah, woah. I'm not a bad person, don't worry. I just wanna talk. How about it?"

He wave his hands.

"Tell me about it"

"Mm. I'm level 78 right now. I'm guessing you're around... Hundred perhaps?"

"Wrong"

"Oh, around level 90 then."

I just look at him. He can easily deduce my level, so why bother answering him?

"Looks like I'm right. You see Mikael. When I learned that we can return to Earth. I decided to level up and become stronger. "

".... Go straight to the point, please. I don't want to hear another rumblings. You're always talking nonsense and non-stop. I'm actually sleepy whenever you talk."

"... Ehem. Sorry about that. Then I'll go straight to the point. I want a sparring. If I fight the strongest, I'm sure I'll gain a thing"

"Then why are you hiding? You should just ask me instead"

"Oh, that. Hehehe, I'm actually shy."

"....."

Yeah, right. You want a fight, huh. Then I'll it give to you. I actually want someone to spar with, to deduce how strong I am.

"Sparring?... Fine. We can do it. "

"Thank you very much."

"But don't expect I'll go easy on you"

"Thanks, but that's what I want"

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" Pant, pant. I can't believe that you're this strong. Pant, pant. Ugh, my ribs just broke, ack!"

Francisco is lying on the ground. It only takes ten minutes to fully break him. But instead of being sad or angry. He just smiles and thanked me.

"Thanks about that pant pant. So this is Level 90 huh. Pant, pant. My body can't move. Ugh "

Then why are you smiling!? Could this be...

"Francisco, excuse me, but are you....."

"What Mikael? Pant, pant. You can ask me anything"

"... are you... ehem. Are you perhaps a masochist?"

"....."

He didn't say anything... This is awkward.

"I- I'll bring you to the Healing Pond. Your body is aching, right!?"

"Th- thank you very much."

Yosh. My 'change topic aptitude' really did a good job.

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After taking him from the Healing Pond. I leave him. I have already finished my business.

But it was fun. The sparring may have looked like friendly match, but it's still a fight. Francisco is good at using a sword. A longsword to be precise. He uses the two handed sword and swing it like a stick.

To swing that sword needs a great amount of strength.

"And that Skill. To use illusion as a double and confuse me. That was really awesome. I can't identify who's real and not. So I decided to destroy the whole land to distract him and identify the real one. Then after finding his weakness. I smash him and broke all of his bones"

... It's really a mystery how he still smiled at me. Perhaps he's really a masochist.

"Nah. At least I got some fun fighting him."

By the way, what's the skill of the other leaders? I bet it's a strong skill.

"I guess I can see it when they fight the bosses."

All the leaders agreed to fight the monster boss. They even want to participate on their own. The Monster Boss dropped good Items. I can understand why they want to kill it.

When I came back, I didn't see the others except one. Niña. She's alone and fiddling with her knife.

"... Where's the others?"

I ask.

"Sigh. Miriam takes Lane to find food. But I'm sure she left us for us to talk"

"Yeah. Miriam has Clairvoyance. I believe she saw me coming. She set us up"

She wants us to reconcile I guess. She's predictable. She use this timing to leave. And give us a chance to talk... Sigh.

"Yup. Set up... Say Mikael. Does it not hurt? Your cheek?"

" No, not anymore. I visited the Healing Pond and I wash it off. There's no aching anymore."

"So you really did hurt. I'm sorry"

"... Me too, I'm sorry."

She takes a step and take out her hand. She look at me and says.

"We're good right. W- we were still friends?"

"Yes. We're friends"

I took her hand and we did a handshake.

Our eyes met and... This is awkward

"L- let's go find them."

"O-okay. By the way, Lane gained her Second Skill. "

I saw Lane controls a tree so I know it. Based on Niña surprised expression I guess our little child is shy about telling this.

"Really!? Wow, that's a good news. We need to celebrate this!! Ah, I'm jealous, but I don't want to suffer and practice every day... "

We leave to find them. It's already 4:00 pm. The afternoon will come and we need to eat our dinner early. The monsters will come every midnight.

"Before that, can I touch your face... I- I mean I want to see if there is no bruises."

".... Okay"

She touches my face and look if she can find any marks.

Too close!! Your face is too close. Her face may look serious, but I can't control my expression. I'm embarrassed, damn my face is turning red!!

"S- so what it is? Did you see anything?"

"... you're right. There is none"

She takes off her hands and step back. My heart beats faster.... DAMN!!! I'll get heart attack with this. Niña, be conscious of what you're doing. You can make others misunderstand you.

Mikael control your emotion. It's just a touch! You've already touched a woman. You even have experience touching and licking it down there. So you have no reason to be embarrassed!! Okay!?

"L- let's go already."

"Okay".

I walk out and she followed me. She looks at my back... and I walk faster.

" Hehe, cute "

She murmured something, but I can't hear what she says.