"Your mother and I discussed it, and if you want to take your training in the art of magic to the next level, you're going to have to also become a half-decent swordsman!"
"I don't understand…why?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
He could tell the discussion that Julius had with his mother was likely more of the eccentric, brawn-for-brains man convincing her to have him undergo this training.
"Balance is key! Sometimes, a sword is going to come in handy over magic! Having both options will make you a twice as powerful combatant!" Julius told him, "Now, if Veldalla here passes you by the end of your lessons in six months–you can get your magic tutor!"
It was a deal, or rather, a challenge issued to him.
Despite his shortcomings in close-quarters combat with a sword, he nodded, accepting the deal.
"Fine. You're on," he smiled.
"That's the spirit!" Julius smiled, giving a thumbs-up to the crimson-haired woman behind, "Alright–he's all yours, Vel!"
–
As Julius left, he was now all alone with the amber-eyed woman who towered over him, though it wasn't exactly rare for him to be loomed over, there was an imposing aura that exuded from the woman of clear strength.
"You're Julie's kid, eh?" Veldalla knelt down, looking him up and down.
"'J-Julie'?" He stammered, leaning back with a nervous laugh from being stared at so closely.
Veldalla held her hand to her chin, which was covered in a black-leather glove, lined with fur, "You do have his eyes, but…I don't see the same fire in you. Well, it doesn't matter. I'll see that for myself with how you handle a sword."
Tossed to him without warning was a metal sword–which he certainly didn't expect as he frantically caught it, letting out a sigh of relief as he didn't lose his fingers in the process.
The slightest movements caused the chain decorations on Veldalla's black armor to jingle.
"...A real sword? Shouldn't we use wooden blades?" He said nervously.
Veldalla had a half-smile, holding a replica of the sword he held, "Don't worry; they're dull, but that doesn't mean it won't hurt like hell to be hit by 'em."
"Oh, good…" He sarcastically breathed out.
"Just try not to get it!" Veldalla warned.
Without any clear signal, it seemed their training began as the tan, muscular woman with luscious, fiery-red hair dashed towards him.
She's fast–! He thought.
Naturally, rather than relying on his sword, he extended one hand outward–silently invoking a burst of wind magic, sending a cone of powerful air pressure tunneling towards his fire-haired instructor.
"--!"
With a pivot of her foot, Veldalla spun around, seamlessly evading his spell, much to his dismay as he found himself stifled from his words.
Having achieved but a single level, he realized it was not enough to overcome the shortcomings that were already present in his life--that is, with a sword, he was woefully outmatched.
"Nice try, but a little wind isn't going to stop me! Raise your blade!" Veldalla called out with a smile.
What frightened him was just how excited the woman seemed to be within the environment of a battle, even if it was just a mock match between the two.
Of course, as she drew in, he refused to rely on his sword once again–using a burst of wind beneath his shoes to blow a few meters into the air, launching right over Veldalla's head as she swiped her dull blade in a horizontal slash.
"Gkk!" He looked down in surprise.
With the howl of air that released at the end of the sword swipe, he could tell that it wouldn't be pleasant to have been on the receiving end of it.
"I don't mind if you use your spells, but it's only going to make it worse when you're caught," Veldalla warned with a smirk.
"--"
As he landed back down on his feet, he was taken aback by that speed of hers once again as she flashed across his vision.
It was simply impossible for him to react to her speed, prompting him to rely on a spell of a more broad scope, one that could reach her without having a specific aim.
As he clenched his fist, he shifted the soil beneath the woman's black, steel-studded boots to shift into mud, taking away the firm ground beneath her step.
"Oh?" Veldalla looked down in surprise.
Just as her boots sunk into the mud, he squinted, focusing as he exhaled smoothly–clenching his hand again. This time, he shifted the mud back into a solid substance, but made it more akin to rock than soil.
He had cemented her boots into the ground.
Heh. Gotcha, he smugly thought.
But, Veldalla's smile only widened as if feeling as though a challenge was extended to her–
"Not bad, kid. But–"
His eyes widened as he witnessed the woman break free from the rocky hold with just a simple raise of her legs; shattering the stone that clung to her boots as she vanished from in front of his vision.
–Behind?! He thought.
"--You're too caught up in your spells, you've abandoned any hope once I get close!" Veldalla yelled.
Before he could react, just as he spun around, the dull edge of the steel blade smacked into his stomach, sending him flying back and crashing back down onto the ground.
"Ngh…Ghh…"
He groaned, coughing out as he tried to breathe in, but had trouble doing so as his lungs frantically tried sucking in air.
Burns…My stomach…burns…I can't breathe, he thought.
Sweat exuded from his pores as he held onto his stomach, curling up into a fetal position. Though he was allowed no reprieve as a kick straight to his rear knocked him to his feet as he looked up at the red-haired woman.
Veldalla casually rested the sword against her shoulder, which was protected by an all-black pauldron in the shape of a wolf's face.
"See? That's the weakness of magic users: once you get in their face, they're totally helpless," Veldalla told him.
"--"
"Pick up your sword. Let's try this again," Veldalla instructed.
That's right, he remembered, in this world, I can't just level up and overpower my obstacles. I have to practice, fail, learn, fail...rinse, repeat--I have to work my way to the top in this world without leveling!