"Fighter, huh?" I walked over to a few racks containing some wooden weapons and some inferior steel weapons under the confused gazes of Brand the guild master and his secretary. I picked up a bastard sword and tested it out a few times, swinging it to get a feel for it. I preferred a Nodachi but considering the rack did not even have the standard katana I could only use what I could get.
There was no way I was pulling out my own either. With how weak this minor mortal sector was, I would probably end up slicing the entire sector apart. A few tens of thousands of planets in a vicinity made a sector. I did not want the old man nagging me to literal death. No thank you.
"Let's say I'm a swordsman." I calmly walked back to Brand, who's grin had grown even wider. I did not even know that was possible. Without another word, we both rushed towards each other. His fists contained terrifying power, and it was heading straight for my head. He was fast. I moved my head completely to the side but then a slight cut still appeared on my cheek. That was why I dodged completely. A monk's ability [Echo strike] could still connect with an opponent even if they missed. It was like a shadow following beside the attack. The 'shadow', however, was as large as the attacking part, say a fist, arm or feet.
I did not pause. I immediately countered with a slice to his throat. He was about to block with his fists but suddenly quickly shifted backwards at almost a 90-degree bend, barely preventing his face from being sliced off. He kicked forwards at his weird angle, trying to strike my stomach but I jumped back to avoid it. I quickly followed through with a downward slash, but me jumping back to dodge his attack was more than enough respite for him. He stood back up firmly and dodged, shifting his body to the side while a fist came towards my chest at the same time.
'Amazing' I thought to myself. He dodged my attack but stuck close enough to produce a disadvantage to a swordsman. Distance. That would have worked on others, but not on me. [Void slash]. Brand felt a sudden danger but instead of retreating, his body suddenly glowed a whitish color and proceeded with much force than before. He completely unleashed his [Diamond Body] looking to trade with me. An annoying sharp and high-pitched screeching sound echoed out, and I was blown backwards striking into a few boulders and breaking them apart, picking up dust and rubble everywhere.
I slowly walked out of the dust to reveal myself. I rolled my eyes at the image I was seeing. The crazy monk looked like a crazed beast with his red eyes and savage grin. On his chest, was a long white slash mark and a few long white scratches of white on his right arm. It looked like his [Diamond Body] was able to resist that level of my [Void Slash]. That meant I had to increase the power if I wanted to do even more damage, or worst, kill him. It was good for me, though. I now had a basic grasp of how to cap my strength in the current mortal world. That included the power of my body as well.
I looked down at my chest which had a few glass-like cracks on it, spreading outward from the center of my chest. That was not my chest, but one of my dumbed down defensive abilities [Mirror Armor]. The ability not just protected me from harm, but also returned the damage being dealt back to the attacker. That was why his arm also looked to have those white marks as well. If it were any other person, they would have long since lost their entire arm. The [Mirror Armor] shattered into pieces and disappeared into nothingness.
…
The secretary by the door looked like she was about to jump in the moment her guild master moved. It happened every time, but he never connected with the attack. He always stopped just shy of hitting the person. It was a way to not only show the recruit the gap between their current level and the powerful adventurers, but also to test out their reaction to approaching death. Kind of a way to let them know the life of an adventurer was no joke.
This time, however, he looked like he was out to kill. She had never been so terrified in her entire career. What was even more shocking was the youth before her. He was actually unscathed? She was a powerful adventurer in her own right, but she could barely follow the movements of her guild master. If so, then how was he able to not just follow, but move out at the last second?
She saw that their battle did not cause any kind of great destruction, but one error and it could cost either of their lives. They were moving at a pace that she could barely follow with her eyes, but she felt they could move even faster if they wanted. They were both holding back. She looked shocked at the handsome youth before her. Who was he, really? Would he be some kind of threat? A few thoughts run through her mind as she began to think of contingencies just in case.
In a final attack, she barely caught sight of her guild master activating his [Diamond Body] before Riggs was blown away. To think someone so young had forced her boss to activate [Diamond Body]. That was not the problem now. "The kid." She whispered to herself. He took the full brunt of her boss's [Diamond Body Strike]. She was afraid this time the old man had finally done it. He had killed someone. She was worried about how to explain the situation to the young man's father. He had not even died while out adventuring. This would be a very bad blow to the guild.
Just as her mind was wandering worried, the person she thought was dead slowly walked out of the dust. She could not help but open her eyes and mouth wide. Shocked. It looked like cracked glass on his chest. That must have been what protected him. "Magic Swordsman?". Her eyes turned wider. That was a rare class. In the entire Lorks, she had only heard of the current king being one. Amidst her thoughts, the glass shattered and dissipated into nothing.
…
I could feel the battle aura of Brand rising. He slowly closed his eyes for a moment, stabilizing his erratic breathing before his battle aura receded like a tide. He opened his eyes and laughed loudly. He had returned to his happy go lucky self before the battle. "Now that was fun. But I have to say kid, you really are a monster." He genuinely looks happy.
"Says the monster that tried to kill me just now." That final attack of his was definitely powerful enough to take out most high-level scary monsters. And that was him holding back. It was a shame that the fight ended so quick. I had wanted to keep going for a little while.