I kept my dagger poised just above my waist, ready to attack. The cacophony of sounds that filled the arena was quickly drowned out as my attention was drawn exclusively to the man in front of me.
Leonard, the man in front of me, held the frightening spear lightly in his right hand. He stood tall, making figure eights with the tip of his spear's point and humming softly. Despite this, he had no openings. As he dared to smile innocently, the venomous pressure of his blood lust burst forth.
As my attention sharpened to the limits, the air between us became tight. Leonard's spear rattling in the air, the crinkled sounds of his thin clothes, and the regulated breaths he took were the only sounds that came through my ears. My body screamed at me to be cautious around this man.
Even when I sensed his mana flow to be at the same level as mine, I could feel my hands trembling slightly, not from fear, but from excitement. I didn't expect to meet an opponent of this caliber so soon. This wasn't a death match, but I knew it would be different than the trainings I have gone through.
"You appear to be a disciple of the Magic Guild's master. Show me what you got, Kid!" Leonard exclaimed, lowering his position.
"Gladly," I replied, taking a deep breath.
This isn't just any fight. This fight determines my rank as an adventurer, and I don't want to be some low-ranked one as I aim for a higher rank.
To fight is to first see and analyze my opponent. Just as Leonard was about to attack, in that little instant, I sifted through every piece of relevant information I could find about this individual.
His reach was about a foot longer than mine, and his stance suggested that he depended on thrusts, spins, and piercings rather than control. It seemed safe to presume that he wouldn't make any thoughtless blunders based on the amount of mana I could sense flowing about him.
The lady who brought us here said that Leonard is an S-rank adventurer by the amount of experience that is visible from his scars and body.
I should be cautious; the lower the guard, the harder I fall.
"What's the hold-up, shorty?"
He rushed forward, leaving a dust trail behind him as he closed the distance between us. He thrust his spear like a coiled spring in one seamless move, using the momentum of his first step.
I twisted my head to avoid being stabbed by its tip.
"Excellent dodge," he mused as he drew back his spear in preparation for his next assault.
I held up my dagger as I immediately followed up with an angled lunge. The contact sent a harsh thud reverberating around the arena, knocking me off-balance. With this immature body, it appeared that I was still unable to use the full scope of my previous life's swordsmanship knowledge.
I rebounded from this setback by twisting and used the momentum generated by his strike to swirl my weakened body into a strong swing.
Leonard leaned back just as my blade was about to strike his head, but a faint crimson line emerged across the tip of his nose.
His small eyes opened in astonishment, but he quickly recovered. I took advantage of that single second by drawing my blade back and striking his unguarded legs with a swift, upward sweep.
As I soared into the air, my blade reflected the arena lights, creating a glittering arc.
My opponent, on the other hand, was able to move his spear to defend against my swing. Leonard and I both flinched at the harsh ring of metal on metal.
We both seemed to have the same goal in mind as we took advantage of the opportunity to gain distance. Despite the fact that the fatal exchange lasted only a few seconds, everyone escaped with minor injuries. Since the impact of our last blow caused a harsh vibration that made my right hand tremble, I switched my sword arm.
I didn't think this fight would go this long without anyone using mana and only our physical strength.
As I coaxed my hand, it became clear that I was still habituated to battling in this body.
"Ha! You're one tough one, aren't ya! I'm sorry for underestimating you, shorty. I'll be a little more serious now!" Leonard's voice was eager, and his face was serious in a way that it hadn't been previously.
His razor-sharp eyes sparkled with a tremendous killing purpose that could only be found in someone with years of fighting experience. His spear was aimed at me, but as he got closer, the spear began to glow with a dazzling tint.
"Ha!" With a sharp breath, he thrust out his spear, piercing the air in front of me like an infinite piercing.
My body screamed for me to flee, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I shifted my weight away from where my opponent had planned his strike. As hot blood crept down the sleeve of my robe, a stinging pain sprang from my shoulder...
"You sure you have trained as a mage more than a warrior?" Leonard questioned me with a smile in action.
"Why don't you find out, mister!" I replied as I started to act my part.