Mercedes had felt somewhat humbled after her experience with the mock battle. For the longest time she had been the top dog of the troop, but she finally felt her position being threatened by the ten year old dark horse, "Astrid Hokuto." She came from a reasonably rich family but they were not that of nobility, so Mercedes only gained her spot due to her incredible talent and hard work. Her propensity to bully others was borne from her insecurities that grew due to herself being suppressed during her magic classes as she was not of noble birth.
She didn't live in the dorms like the others as she lived reasonably close to the barracks. Instead she was in her room, rummaging through her drawers. She was confident in her own ability but realized that before the mysterious and powerful strength of Hokuto, tricks were useless. She had come up with the ability to use Hokuto's immense strength against herself.
Mercedes' father, Remus, was a powerful, talented swordsman who fought under the banner of one of the Magic Knight Regiments in his youth, but had retired at a later age, entrusting his Magic Sword techniques (which he would continuously attribute to the innovations of the Sword Magus) to Mercedes to learn when she felt she needed to rely on its power. Remus had always warned Mercedes that in the world, there would always be someone stronger than her and that she should use them as a target to improve.
That time finally came. Though Mercedes wanted to avoid learning the techniques of her father too early, she felt she could no longer wait. She took a yellow book which looked like an instruction manual. On it was written "Thunder Mirror Sword," the magic sword technique that made Remus famous in his generation. The principle of the Thunder Mirror Sword was to use the power of thunder energy to reflect and counter the strength of the opponent.
During the clash of swords or weapons, the Thunder Mirror Sword would diffuse the strength aimed at the recipient of the enemy's attack by taking it into itself. The resultant lightning would smash into the enemy and paralyze them, even inflicting severe internal injury. It was a domineering Magic Sword technique and Mercedes felt blessed to even be holding the manual of such a powerful attack. She opened the manual and began to comprehend its meaning. She was looking forward to having a good fight with Hokuto.
...
The next day.
Everyone was gathered in the training hall again. Vermont eyed Hokuto curiously. Something about her seemed to have changed. He could also sense the change in Mercedes. The latter seemed to have ignited her battle spirit, her intent to fight was obvious. Even her friend Nami, who sat right next to her, felt somewhat afraid. "Mercedes..." Nami comfortingly put a hand to Mercedes' shoulder, but shook her head.
"I'm fine."
Vermont suddenly realized something. "Today, I would like to invite the newcomer, who has displayed an immense talent and battle power, up..." he and Hokuto had a tacit understanding of each other by now and the 10 year old girl went to the center of the hall.
"And I would like to invite Mercedes to fight her again. I want their battle to be studied intensely by the rest of you fellas." Vermont nodded. He wanted to see what these two geniuses in the younger generation could do to each other. He also knew Mercedes had not been discouraged by her defeat and was instead inspired to improve. He had a feeling that the appearance of Hokuto had dampened her mischievous spirit.
"I told you, Astrid, I'm going to beat you in a fair fight."
"I also told you that I'd be waiting, but I didn't think that time would be so soon," Hokuto grinned. "You seemed to have comprehended something."
"That's right." Mercedes suddenly materialized a steel sword in her left hand. It crackled with a ferocious purple lightning.
Hokuto still didn't have this ability yet, so she asked Jonas to get her a sword.
"You're using a sword this time?" Mercedes was shocked as she saw Hokuto get a plain iron sword from Jonas who in turn had retrieved it from a weapons rack.
"Did you forget my teacher is the
"Fair enough! Then, let's see who has the stronger sword arts!" Mercedes got into a stance and invited Hokuto to attack first.
Everyone immediately sensed that Mercedes had a sudden change in mentality. She no longer had that tyrannical, dominating aura she once had in the past, where she would wantonly bully others. She had become calmer, more subdued, and even scarier than before since you couldn't read her thoughts anymore. Vermont watched with subtle amusement.
In a flash, Hokuto charged forth, leaving after-images in her wake.
Crystal gasped. "She's so fast all of a sudden?"
Jane shook her head. "As expected of someone who has a master of Internal martial arts as a teacher. It must be some kind of mystic technique!"
Only Vermont knew the truth behind the matter, that Hokuto was even more ferocious than Astraea was at her age. Hokuto had forcefully used the Nature energy in the hall to boost the speed of her legs and reduce the air resistance, giving Mercedes little chance to counter.
"Mirroring Thunder!"
A cry.
Hokuto ignored Mercedes' cry as she silently and quietly swung her sword diagonally upwards. It was the most simple, least profound stroke that anyone had ever seen. However, the more perceptive students saw traces and threads of earth energy swirl around her plain, non-magical sword. At the same time, Mercedes clashed her thunder sword against Hokuto's, the strength made her wrist go numb, but a peal of thunder suddenly exploded at the point of contact between the swords. As an earth stalagmite was about to rise from the training hall's ground, it was immediately smashed to pieces by the thunder bolt.
Hokuto dashed back as Mercedes only took one step back, smirking. Hokuto herself was shocked. When did Mercedes comprehend such an absurd skill? Summoning thunder at the point of two swords clashing?!
"I have to admit your talent is surprisingly high, but the more ferociously you attack me, the worse off you'll be in the face of my Thunder Mirror Sword!"
Thunder Mirror Sword!! Vermont realized something once again. This kid was the daughter of the Thunder Sword Adept, Remus... He was the one who conceptualized the Thunder Mirror Sword, turning the ferocious lightning energy into a powerful shield that could counter even the most demonic warriors in a melee situation.
Hokuto looked at Mercedes more seriously as she looked at her wrists. They were trembling a little bit but as she circulated the Dust of Gaea subconsciously, she felt them recover quickly, and even absorb the lightning energy. She had, for the most part, only used the earth and the wind, but didn't think she could control thunder, too.
Hokuto had a devilish idea all of a sudden.
"Thunder Mirror Sword, huh? A good whetstone has arrived in my lap!" she confidently muttered.