It was a consecutive series of sharp thrusts, fluid and quick. Not twice or thrice but several times in several different location. Some of it was pointed at my chest while some were at my arms and shoulders. I dodged and parried most of them but it took and stretched the whole of my concentration just to do any of that. Sometimes, the pattern of the attacks suddenly alternate and so forth.

I remembered that she introduced herself as a Royal Archer with a secretive role but her level of handling close combat was something beyond me. If this is a how Royal Archer fought in close combat than how would I fare against a knight like Kiefy?

Right now, we were in the same place- the badminton court gladiatorial arena of-

Oh, I slipped up on my concentration.

The wooden sword passed through my parry and hit my left shoulder.

I, as though in cue, fall down on my left knee and hold my left shoulder. It wasn’t that painful but it was like being bitten by hundreds of ants while lathered in honey because the pain had spread throughout my body.

This is new. The previous sparring’s was nothing like this. I don’t know how she does it, but at that time, I felt numbed and a bit nauseous.

And she was also holding back.

Just as usual, I took my ‘timeout’ lying on the ground. I think I developed a preference of sleeping on the floors.

Vefal sat beside my left.

“How do you do that?”

“How do I do what?”

“How did you make my entire body felt the pain? It’s was not that painful but it felt sharp and instant as a whole although it only lasted for a second.”

“Oh… I was testing whether this technique would work or not in this world or rather whether it works on another species.”

Curious, I got up on my upper half and got closer.

“You see, it was a technique taught to me when I was training as a spy. This sort of technique needs three things in order for it to be effective. First is by setting the opponent into a combat distress and from there, into the right psyche or a state of mind. Second is by hitting at the precise location of the most effective of the pain sensory nerves. And lastly is to apply a specified amount of force on the strike. A minimal force can cause a mild nausea just like what I did to you but the maximum one can make a person or a creature unconscious in an instant.”

That’s… a dangerous technique to try on me. Although this is the first time I heard such a technique.

“That technique sounds pretty useful. Must be hard to master eh?

“Indeed, it is hard but as you said, it is useful. Because of that I always got the assignments in abduction although…”

Her expression went slightly awry.

I knew what was troubling her mind.

“Have you ever… killed? You don’t need to answer that if you don’t want to.”

Vefal awry expression remained but she was smiling ironically.

“It’s alright. I have… killed before but I still feel my hands shivers after killing in cold blood. Some of my fellow spies had killed so much, that they done it mechanically and they looked empty like an unfillable void when they’re not. I remembered the feeling of not wanting to be that. The last I had killed was before the summoning…”

There was a moment of silence. Before she could continue, the portal suddenly fizzled up.

What came out was Gavrau and beside him was that Elf Inheritor whose name was Drafgnai or something. Behind them was the mighty morp- No wait, it’s the Heirs.

Last night, we had wanted to do a joint training. I thought their instructor would consider for a few days but Sir Drafgnai seems to take the suggestion immediately.

Perhaps he wanted to see the capability of the other group or to observe how the Heirs would fare against us.

Either way, I am of the same sentiment of wanting to know how capable they are.

“Hey there guys, it seems like we have special guests or rather participants for today. Oh, after the training is over, I have something to announce to all of you.”

Gavrau came forward and smiled at us ferociously. Perhaps it was a signal to let loose against these ‘participants’.

“Oho, those guys looked really tough? You sure you guys wanna go against them?”

Drafgnai leaned his face slightly forward, scanning us from left to right.

“It is only training. It’s a time of learning, not of measuring oneself pride.”

The ubersmench had uttered his first quote that will be remembered in this world’s annals of history.

“Well, I’m fine with this too but Herkaloi, don’t throw a fit.”

Sir Drafgnai nodded and then he turned towards the aloof Herkaloi and said that.

“Tch, I’ll show you, Drafgnai.”

Herkaloi glared at Drafgnai with an open dissatisfaction.

“Well then, Sir Drafgnai and I will leave all of you for a while because we have a meeting. We’ll come back after one hour.”

And so they left us to our own device.

After they left through the portal, there was silence lingering in the air as few pairs of eyes were looking at each other.

“… Well, I think we all should evaluate our strength aye? For starter, shall we have a few mock matches between one of ours and one of yours?”

Kiefy broke the silence by politely offering them that.

“That is a sound idea. Who shall go first?”

The Ubersmench answered agreeably. Watching the two unparalleled, peerless and matchless of perfections conversing was like that the main stage was between the two of them.

“I’ll go, as I travelled with my band and spread joy with my music, I self-taught myself in combat along with our guards. Even though I may not be as skilled as Herkaloi or Horatius but I can fare well enough to stave off a bandit or two!”

Stryklos, showy as ever, came forward with a style. He had a brave and daring smile plastered on his face as every movement he made was filled with confidence.

“Although, can I inquired a few questions regarding about our mock match?”

Kiefy and the Ubersmench turned towards him and nodded.

“Is special ability allowed and is there any rules regarding about what weapon or how many weapon we can use?”

“Special ability is part of our natural skill, so naturally it is allowed and there are not restrictions on your particular way or numbers of weapons you can wield. Fight however you will.”

Kiefy stated that after much considering. The ubersmench agreed wordlessly.

“I see, well then!”

He walked towards the court and suddenly, six of the wooden sword levitated and float close towards him as he used [Invisible Legions].

“Who will challenged me!!?”

The dandy-looking bard stood at the centre of the court and issued as such. I’ll say if anyone should take the challenge, it would be August or Akujin since they can at least last longer than fifteen seconds.

Just as I thought of that, the person next to me got up. Vefal had the face when we first met. It was unassuming, indifference and cold.

After she had taken two wooden swords and walked inside the court, she stood facing towards Stryklos in a distance about three metres.

The rest of the Heirs had sat near us. Aeriasus had sat beside my right.

“Even if you are a lass, I will not fight half-heartedly as sign of respect. From the looks of it, you have what an old friend of mine had told me, the eyes of a warrior.”

Well that doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how scary Vefal is when she’s in battle mode.

“Good, save me the trouble. Less talk, more action.”

After both of them had spoken, Vefal assumed her battle stance and from behind her, [Shadow] had arisen.

The [Shadow] took the other sword and stood at her right side. The air had tensed with Vefal silently emitting fighting intent. I know this personally because I had experienced them several times in a rather intimidating way.

The first one to make the move was Stryklos as he sends out two swords, flying towards Vefal with the speed of a thrown weapon.

Vefal gracefully dodged but the swords didn’t past her but instead stop around and began attacking her. Even so, the speed of the attacks was something even I could dodge at my current level, so it wasn’t a problem for Vefal.

Meanwhile, the [Shadow] went past and left Vefal right side, as it was running straight towards Stryklos.

Stryklos sends out his other two swords to intercept the [Shadow] but the [Shadow] was gliding through blocking and dodging the two swords without them even hindering her.

The [Shadow] was now within melee range but as she attack, the other two swords circling Stryklos was blocking and parrying the [Shadow] attacks, defending their master indefinitely.

The [Shadow] wasn’t able to focus on the offense as the two swords earlier were attacking from behind and the sides.

It went on with Vefal and the [Shadow] defending herself while Stryklos press on with the assault. Suddenly, one of the swords attacking the [Shadow] suddenly flew with a swift speed towards Vefal.

Stryklos had thought Vefal had let her guard down for a third sword but he was wrong. As far as I know, this amount of ambush is not effective against someone like her.

She dodged all three continuous attacks from the three swords and then she threw her sword at her [Shadow].

The [Shadow] backflip avoiding the attacks from the other two swords and it caught the thrown sword. With a cross slash, the swords intertwined and strongly push back the swords that were defending Stryklos.

Due to the force, both of the swords were planted into the ground.

In a swift motion, [Shadow] reversed the grip of both swords and then thrust them forward. The swords intertwined again and Stryklos was caught with two swords on both side of his neck. It was like he was caught with a huge scissor around his neck.

“I forfeit.”

Stryklos, quickly admitted his defeat with a nervous smile and Vefal’s [Shadow] swiftly retracted the scissor.

Everyone was silence at first but then we all clapped for the very entertaining and spectacular performance on both side especially Vefal.

I’m so proud of her. All those time as me being a punching bag has its worth after all.