“That was impressive milady. I had lost fair and square and the only thing I can give to you is a sonnet about a warrior prin-”

“No, we don’t have time for that, I will try next. Sir Kiefy, will you be my opponent?”

Stryklos, still as cheerful as ever, tried to start performing some poem until the Ubersmench shuts him down and stared at Kiefy after he asked that.

Vefal bowed and went back sitting next to me.

“You’re amazing, Vefal. You moved way faster than my eyes could catch!”

Aeriasus, like an impressed child, excitedly told the shying Vefal of her admiration.

“T-thank you…”

She answered with a small voice.

As far as I had observed, Vefal had three way of presenting herself- The cold Vefal for strangers. The warm and caring Vefal for her close ones and cute things and the shy and timid Vefal for girls who had befriended her.

We saw both of the Ubermensch and Kiefy entered the court and both assumed their stances.

The Ubermensch charges at Kiefy.

It was a relatively a simple horizontal slash. It was quick and easily retractable, so as not to overextend. He was probing Kiefy defence.

Kiefy was only parrying and evading the attacks while the Ubermensch relentlessly attack with an optimal balance of speed and force.

I can see that the Ubermensch looked quite skilful as he said he knew some knowledge in combat. He probably studied martial arts in our world and invigorates himself on some physical activities.

From the way he was carrying himself, he looked as though he was born to be ready and his aura of natural authority was establishing itself throughout the court.

Kiefy on the hand was a solitary bastion. His firm and yet unassuming presence was like a mountain of a strong foundation. He would remained steadfast and resolved even when being pushed on his limit.

He was a knight thus he was trained to be subservient but this doesn’t absolved him of his own pride but rather it shines through what a knight would usually embody which is the strength of chivalry.

It was the chivalry to stand on his ground and to fulfil his duty without fail.

Those qualities were reflected on their combat style.

After a minute, they stopped.

There was no winner or loser in this match.

The ubermensch looking out of breathes, couldn’t break through Kiefy defence, so they both stopped attacking and defending at the same time.

“Your defence was impregnable. No matter what I planned in my mind, everything was futile. May I train with you?”

The ubermensch’s smile that would have been able to charm the most egotistical and narcissistic of women but he was showing this to a handsome elf. Does he swing that way?

“I am fine with that although, anyone else wanted to try?”

Kiefy asked all of us.

Herkaloi stood up and wordlessly entered the court.

“Is it alright, if I spar with you?”

He inquired that to Kiefy as he stood in front of him.

“I had my share, let’s ask someone else...”

He then surveyed our group and our eyes met.

“Ruigne, want to try?”

“Is he one of the combat-trained?”

“No, he’s not.”

“Tch, don’t waste my time. Give me that large guy over!”

Just as Kiefy had asked me, Herkaloi rudely interrupted him and afterward, he dismissed me as a waste of time. He then pointed at Erganisu to pick a fight.

I don’t mind. From the looks of it, this Ulf looked young judging by how prideful and brash he is. It is time for a proper ego cleansing, Erganisu, go bag em.

“I… believe Erganisu is too much for you. He was the only person that was able to beat me in a mock match so far. So before you fight with our combat-trained, you had to pass through our three untrained first. If you can beat Ruigne, then maybe we’ll consider.”

Damn it Kiefy, if you are so insisting about that then why does it have to be me? There’s August and Akujin beside me? Why me?!

“… Alright then, let’s make this quick.”

He cracked the bones on his fingers as he smirked at me. I believe in his mind, he was a tiger staring at a deer.

Perhaps I can reverse our role or rather let the hunter become the prey as I have the element of surprise.

I nodded to Kiefy and stepped into the field. As soon as we faced each other, he immediately darted towards me.

Fighting with Vefal had improved my reflex and reaction time higher than what I use to have especially when I had also considered myself good enough with those two from years of gaming although I started to lose interest in gaming last year.

He was the first to make a move as he charged towards me. To me, it was kind of a slow of a charge.

He swung it in a diagonally downward direction on his right. This was easier to dodge and I did. Also he had quite a gap interval on his next attack. With him, I could spare some time to dodge, parry and countered him in an equal term.

After a few exchanges, he backed down and clicked his tongue.

It was then that-

Huh, who was I fighting against? After looking around several times-

!!!

A sensation of pain shot up from my left shoulder.

Apparently, Herkaloi had appeared behind. He was using his special ability, [Fade].

I leapt backward, taking distance from him. How can I deal with this? Not only he literally disappeared but it seems that after he activated [Fade], he even blanked out from the target’s memory temporarily.

Oh ye gods, I hate losing memories.

We traded blows again for some times and then-

……

Huh, I was… fighting…

!!!

There was a sharp pain in the left thigh.

Ugh.

How can I get out through this situation? My element of surprise of surprising him with my combat skill was already been used. I had originally planned to wait until he showed an opening and I also had prepared a contingency for his special ability but the memory temporary erasure of his existence was something out of my expectation.

But there is something that I needed to check which is essential in my plan in countering his special ability so I positioned myself in a proper place to observe and try to pull it off but first, I need to condition myself because conventional means wouldn’t work here.

……

I’m here, why? Okay, sudden confusion, imminent attack incoming, retaliates. As I said that, I had confirmed my theory and with that, I put my right foot forward and did a 360 degree horizontal slash.

“What the hell!!?”

Herkaloi had appeared from left side but my sword had met his and both them clashed. He backed down looking very surprised.

Seeing this, I gave him no room to stare and pursued him. I rained relentless attacks on him.

After sometimes had passed…

Huh, here I am again wondering who I was fighting with?

Sudden confusion, imminent attack incoming, retaliates.

I again swung 360 degree horizontal slash when I received the ‘signal’.

He was blocked the second time and he backed down looking even more shocked.

What signal was it?

Well, you see, I realized that I was the only target for the [Fade] so it’s almost impossible for me to know when I would get attacked but the spectators outside would know.

The thing is, their reaction gave it away especially Kristalisha. Her eyes were looking at us but after Herkaloi [Fade], she was looking directly at where he was and as he commenced his attack, her eyes would widen a bit.

That was the signal.

Now how did I bypass his [Fade} memory erasure?

I guess you can say it’s a mix of observation and logical reasoning with a little sprinkle of intuition as ludicrous as it sound. The moment he use [Fade], I will take note of my surrounding.

I’m in a battle considering there are spectators and I’m inside the field so that means I’m the one who is battling but there is no enemy as far as I can tell, so what does that mean? Most likely he is invisible but I can’t remember who I’m battling with. Most likely, it was memory erasure to throw off my composure so how can I tell when I’m attacked? Observe closely. The spectator reactions changed when I was going to be attacked. What kind of battle is this? Considering the field and the spectators, this is a mock match, so the probable weapon is a wooden sword. Taking in and analysed all the facts. Counter measure had been made.

And that’s how it was but this countermeasure fall short because it doesn’t have a conclusive basis but that’s where a little sprinkle of intuition comes. It the second best thing to count on.

Hopefully he wouldn’t notice why I was standing opposite of the spectators.

Huh? Oh yeah, sudden confusion, imminent attack incoming, retaliates.

Signal received.

I did the same thing for over four more times. More or less, out of those four, I hit him twice. He was getting frantic as he was panicking that I was able to counter his special ability.

Well, part of the attacks was luck and I only adjusted my range of attack based on my body level.

After several more exchange, he was partly bruised from my random slash as I didn’t really considered on how much force I applied. I’m sure he’ll be fine.

He was down on his right knee as he panted heavily.

“How-how the hell did you know where I was?”

He spat as such. I stood there looking calm and poised but in truth I twisted my waist after doing so many circular slashes.

“Well, can I keep it a secret for a while?”

He looked at me with disbelief on his face as though he was severely shocked when I said that.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if he ever would use them to peep at… it’s just a thought that every man with a healthy sexual need would have.

He got up abruptly and went back to the where he had seated before with a sulking expression. For someone like him, losing to an untrained commoner-looking guy like me must have been a blow to his pride.

When I reached to where I was seated before, Vefal was smiling brightly at me along with Aeriasus who looked slightly amused and giddy.

“You guys are amazing especially you, Ruigne! How did you know where he was? I experienced [Fade] before so I know it’s almost impossible to avoid the surprise attack.”

Aeriasus got up and the mounds jiggle with the sudden momentum.

“He was looking at us and our reactions.”

Instead of me answering it, Vefal stood up and said that.

She then explained to Aeriasus on how I was able to counter [Fade]. How I was positioning myself opposite the spectators, how I indoctrinate a logic to myself on attacking and analyzing the pattern of Herkaloi's attack every time he uses [Fade].

It was all correct.

She’s sharp.

“As a warrior, observation on every detail during battle is necessary in order to gain an upper hand.”

Aeriasus nodded several times in a serious manner.

For the remainder of the time, our group and the Heirs spars with us. Kiefy, Erganisu and Vefal instructed everyone as they sparred.

After the Ethka had sounded and few minutes after that, the portal fizzled and out came Gavrau and Drafgnai.

“Guys, we have something to announce!”