The next couple of days, I went outside with Gerald to watch him train. Our bonding time from that really got us close. Hell, He's even showed me some Beginner techniques from Water king style and Earth King style. It was the first time he's shown me Earth King style first hand. His stance looked like it was in a more defensive stance than his water king style one. Both hands gripped his sword as he seemed to perform blocking attacks, blocking any attack. It was like he was a stone wall.
Gerald told me that Swordsmanship styles have a similar ranking system to that of magic. However, for each style of the swords, there is a 'emperor' ranked user who is essentially the ones who've fully mastered that style. Gerald has only the one for the water king style. That person's name was Alazard Farron.
Gerald was actually an advanced rank in both Earth and water king styles, but was an intermediate rank in just Fire king style. I asked why he didn't study for the Wind king style as he told me about that one.
Wind king style was mostly based on unpredictability and being able to adapt to your surroundings, which Gerald blatantly said "Anyone with a smart head could literally be an emperor's rank in that." So he never really trained or studied it.
I wasn't really into the swords styles or really wanted to handle a sword once Synthia showed me magic and taught me it. But you know who was interested?
Lilith, who coincidentally showed up at our front gate once me and Gerald finished our little training session today.
"Huh? Kota, are you learning how to use the sword?" She said behind the front gate.
I casually walked to the gate and opened it. Never understood why she'd wait for us to open it when there was also a handle on the side she was on.
"Lilith, you know you can just open it, right?"
"Yeah, but that would be rude if I just barge in." She shyly said, looking down.
God damn it, you're so cute!
The level of politeness you have is astounding!
Lilith then ran past me to greet Gerald, who was getting ready to stow away the practice sword he was using.
"Oh, hey Lilith!" He didn't look back as he already knew she was coming.
"Hi, Kota's dad!" She kept running around him, trying to look at the swords he was stowing away in a bin.
For some reason, Lilith was being really energetic and excited today. Usually, she always either was shy and calm or just in a laid back happy mood. I wonder what she wants from my dad today?
"Teach me how to use the sword!"
"Uh, hmmm?" Gerald stopped what he was doing and looked at her, confused.
I don't think Gerald really noticed that she was more interested in his training.
"Teach me, it looks cool!" She insisted.
Gerald gave me a look, it was that kind of look that said "Am I really doing this?"
And I gave him a look back that said "Absolutely!"
I even enhanced that with a Thumbs up.
"Uh…I guess? Have you been watching me train? I mean, do you know any of the sword styles?" He asked her.
She looked down and then gave him a pout face.
"No, that's why I'm asking you as Kota's friend to teach me…"
Gerald hesitated, scratching his chin as he thought about his options.
I'm not sure why Lilith was interested in swordplay, she showed interest in magic as well.. but when swords became a topic, she was all over it with how cool it was. Maybe her parents wanted her to be a swordswoman. Hold on, thinking about it now…I haven't seen her parents yet…
"Hm…alright. I guess I can use a sparring partner!" Gerald picked out the practice sword he was stowing and an extra one.
I watched as Gerald handed her a somewhat short wooden sword, maybe a wooden dagger? When Lilith grabbed onto it, It looked like a typical dagger. The blade itself looked like it was double edged, but the hilt of it looked very distinctive. Almost like a handguard, but it was too small to even be one. Look, I never studied anything on swords or The classification of them. Let's just call it a Shortsword.
She looked at it, she was completely mesmerized by it, Shifting it in her hands and playfully swinging it. Has she held a sword before? Maybe her own dad probably trained as well, She couldn't have gotten her interest from just my dad.
"Ok, Lilith. I'm going to show you one of the styl-" Gerald was about to start his training with her when both of us noticed something.
Lilith's eyes glowed even more pronounced than usual. What was even more interesting to look at was her left eye. It was now in a much darker hue than usual. Wait..no it changed. It's amber color has swapped to a pure red color now.
It wasn't the only thing that's changed in her, her demeanor has changed as well. The shy timidness she gave off vanished and was also swapped with much more…fiery one
"Um…Can we skip the lessons? My father has already told me about them..I've been trained by him" Her tone was cold, sharp. She flexed her arms and stared at Gerald.
Gerald was stunned at first, but quickly hid it with a more serious look.
"I see…so that's where this is coming from.." His eyes examined hers, fixated on that red eye.
"…"
Both stood distance between each other, Gerald went to put himself in his Water King style stance as Lilith…
Well I don't know what Lilith was really doing, she hopped like a boxer with her practice sword in hand.
"Erm..Kota's dad? Can you not… use that style? I've only trained in…Fire king style.." She asked
"Well…Can't keep you waiting, especially if you really are a part of the dragon race!" Gerald immediately switched from His Water king style to Fire king, His body posture now resembling that of a samurai.
"Hmph!" As soon as Lilith landed from one of her hops, She dashed forward at him. Her speed wasn't as fast as Geralds from what I have seen from him, But her speed was still remarkably fast.
She went in for a thrust with her sword, but Gerald easily turned to the side and connected his sword with her's.
But that didn't stop her, She quickly rebalanced herself from that and turned towards him again.
With all intent I saw in her, There was bloodlust in it. The Aura she pulsed signified one thing.
Anger.
She went in for a swipe at Gerald, Who instinctively went for a guard. But that looked like bait once He guarded it. She went for a knee kick right into his stomach.
Was she incorporating hand to hand combat in her Fire king style? I've never seen Gerald do that when he would train. And it was obvious when it even took him by surprise as he gasped from the impact and pushed her away.
Gerald then responded with a slash at Lilith's leg, Who tried to move back away from it, But was too slow. She was knocked off balance and landed on her back as Gerald pointed his sword at her.
"Hah..hah…lilith, you are one hell of a fighter. But I won this sparring match." Lilith slowly got up as He was panting from the fight.
He let his guard down. Because Lilith wasn't going to let this battle end.
As soon as she got up, She jumped and went for a left hook at Gerald's Chin, Connecting the hit.
That caught him by surprise as it shortly stunned him. Once Lilith landed back down, She Immediately swung around with her sword and hit him on his neck.
And Gerald was knocked to the ground, out cold.
Lilith stood over him and looked at me, her left eyes still pulsing red.
Oh God, Am I next? Actually hold on.
This whole thing I just witnessed has quite frankly, has taken me by surprise. Is lilith part of the dragon race? I remember reading a fairy tale about that when I was three or two. Could it be that her family is actually a part of a generation that mated with dragons? Lilith is a dragon hybrid? She literally knocked out gerald, and she's fucking Eleven. What the hell.
I was too focused on thinking about what transpired before I realized Lilith stood in front of me, crying. Her eyes are now back to their normal amber color.
"I-I-I'm..I'm SO SORRY!" She blurted out, her head went down as tears fell. Her Timidness returned as well.
I didn't really know what to do. I was still in shock and awe at what had happened. All of that happened in a blur.
Synthia came outside to see what happened, Confused but then worried once she saw Gerald on the floor.
"W-what happened out here, Kota?" She asked as she checked on Gerald.
I tried to talk, but Lilith Interrupted me with her cries.
"It's my fault,I'm SO SORRYYY! Waaahh" Lilith cried.
Synthia gave me a confused face, But then switched to a serious face.
"Kota, Help me get your father inside. We'll figure this out inside. Same with you, Lilith. You need some explaining to do."
What the hell was going on?