After beating her 6th opponent, Claire immediately declares defeat again. "I admit defeat!"
Terrence, the platoon vice commander, didn't bother making any more announcements and turns to his commander. "There you have it, your loser of losers."
Bernadette chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "Alright, I'll be taking it from here." She approaches Claire with her a corner of her lips curving up and crossed her arms. "You've been impressive to get this far. But why?"
Claire had a look of determination as she answers. "Because it's just as I thought, everyone here sucks. Only you seem to be a worthy sparring partner."
"Hah! That's true, and you seem too strong for your rank. You've been beating ranks higher than yours here and there..." Bernadette's smile fades into a suspecting gaze. "...low ranks aren't capable of defeating people that ranks higher than them, which defies the sense and logic of the ranking system."
Claire chuckled. "I don't believe and depend on ranks."
"...how interesting. Claire Duvent, just who on Earth are you?"
"Who knows?" Claire got on stance and gestured at her to start their match.
This made Bernadette laugh a little, but in a split second, she dashes towards Claire with her shifter axe and swings it to slash her opponent's torso. Claire jumps back and clashed her shifter katana against Bernadette's axe. "You'll regret wanting to spar with me, Duvent. You're too early to challenge me!"
"We'll see about that!"
Both kept swinging and clashing their blades while also learning each other's fighting style so that they'll know what to expect when the other makes a move. "...I recall that you also owe me an explanation, Duvent." Bernadette reminded, referring to the time they were deployed at the North Western Territory. (Refer to chap. 15)
"Is that so? I've no idea!—" Claire ducks to avoid Bernadette's next swing and grabs on to her right arm, attempting to flip her over only to receive a knee to the chin. "Ugh!—" Claire lost grip of Bernadette and almost fell down, she sorts to flip over and got back on her toes.
"Oh, I thought that would quickly end this." Bernadette smirked.
"Like hell that would!" Claire bolts to her opponent again and pulled a series of swift and full force kicks that aims to strike Bernadette. Though every swing only gets deflected by Bernadette's axe.
She pretends to yawn, mocking Claire. "This is getting boring, why don't we kick it up a notch!" And Bernadette grabs Claire's katana with her right hand that was protected by her own shifter weapon. "What ju—GAH!!" Surprisingly, Bernadette was able to toss her into the air like a ball.
"You're lighter than I expected!"
While on air, Bernadette awaits Claire to fall down and punch her. Though she instantly evades the situation by using her shifter rocket which directed her fall to another spot farther from Bernadette.
"Woah!! That was pretty cool!" Bernadette begins to feel excitement and chased after her.
As Bernadette closes in, Claire instantly transforms her shifter into a shotgun and aimed it at her opponent's head. However, Bernadette easily deflected the energy bullet from the shotgun and will almost reach Claire in a few seconds.
Bernadette's hands that reach out to Claire were almost sliced from her arm if she hadn't leaped away. She was glad to notice the swift morphing transition of Claire's shifter and her attempt to make a full swing. "You almost had me there!!" She chortled.
"My bad, I'll make sure not to miss this time!"
"In case you forgot, this is training! You don't slice up your subordinates, and especially your superiors!" She darts at Claire who just got back on her feet, and was only a few seconds away from landing a hit.
Claire swiftly twists her body, her right leg adorned with the shifter katana quickly rising to block Bernadette's fierce attack. The impact of her opponent's full force hit jolts through Claire, causing her to stumble slightly, but she remains resolute, locking both of them into position for a few seconds.
Claire attempted to trip Bernadette with her other leg, but Bernadette swiftly stomped on it, causing a sharp crack in her bone. Claire couldn't help but wail in pain. "AHHH!!"
The ones that Claire have beaten in the early matches cheered for Bernadette. "Whooo! Way to go commander!!" They felt avenged after seeing Claire scream in agony.
Bernadette backs away from her and stretched her arms. "Fufufu, should've think twice before pulling that off." She decides to conclude their spar that lasted no more than 3 minutes.
"Congratulations for becoming the very loser of losers." She says as she kneeled to grab Claire on the hair and lift up her head. "You certainly got ahead of yourself, next time remember to pick battles that you can actually fight."
Claire brushed her hands off and sat right up, looking at Bernadette with a serious gaze and confidence. "...I'll pick my own battles."
Her words made Bernadette smile, it was a first for her to encounter a person with such character. "Haa, seriously! I've taken a liking to you."
Claire didn't expect that response and got confused to why she would like her. She was prepared to be hated and receive harsh treatments since she knows that she's gotten quite arrogant to dare the platoon commander to spar with her, though the situation turned out to be the opposite.
"You'll be going places, I can tell! But let me in on one thing—" Bernadette holds on to Claire's shoulder, expressing her great interest on this certain thing she wants to talk about. "—what's your relationship with Raphael Novick?"
Claire was caught off guard once again by Bernadette's spontaneity. "...I have nothing to do with that man."
"An obvious lie!! I've never seen Raphael so concerned for another person before, and you can't deny what I saw back then at the North Western battlefield. Tell me, what is your relationship with him!?"
She sighs from the demand of her nosy commander. "I lost my memories during an accident, so I have no clue to what my relationship with him before." And even with a broken leg, Claire managed to stand up on her own. "So just forget about prying on somebody else's insignificant past. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to the clinic for my broken leg, 'commander'."
Bernadette was disappointed with not getting anything out of Claire to satisfy her curiosity. And Claire was even more disappointed in herself after finding out the huge gap between her and the commander's strength.
"Next time... next time for sure." She mumbles to herself.