As Asher stepped into the room, he was greeted by an impressive display of weaponry. One wall was lined with rows of various swords, another held an array of spears and maces, while a third showcased bows and axes. The final wall featured shields and throwing weapons.
In addition, shelves were stocked with an assortment of weapons, and boxes were filled with miscellaneous gear.
Asher noticed Aurora had already grabbed a bow and some throwing knives and was heading out. He quickly turned his attention to the wall of swords. At the bottom, a row of daggers caught his eye. After examining each type, he selected a Kris dagger.
Asher then moved to the wall with throwing weapons and examined its contents. Rows of throwing knives and shurikens were neatly arranged. Before making his selection, he retrieved the beast hide robe he had brought from the League and donned it. He chose six throwing knives, tucking two into his shoes and the rest into the sleeves and pockets of his robe.
Next, Asher placed the Kris dagger carefully in a concealed pocket inside his robe. He then turned his attention to the boxes scattered around the room, searching for claws. He found various unusual weapons like chains, whips, and sickles in some boxes, and a box filled with clubs and morningstars in another. After a thorough search, he located a box in the corner that contained a stack of gloves and gauntlets, but unfortunately, no claws.
Disappointed, Asher searched the other rooms but couldn't find the claws.
Seeing that nearly fifteen minutes had passed, Asher returned to the training ground. Most of the other students had already gathered, and he was among the last to arrive with his weapons. He noticed that most were equipped with swords or spears, while only a few carried bows, maces, or shields. Lyra, however, was holding a chain-like weapon with a hooked blade at the front.
When Darius saw that everyone was back, he said, "Alright, now that everyone is here, I'll ask once: Is there anyone who didn't get their desired weapon? By 'desired,' I mean one that you are most familiar with."
Asher glanced around and saw that no one else raised their hand. Shrugging, he raised his own, drawing many curious looks from the others.
"Come here," Mr. Darius said, pointing at Asher.
Asher nodded and moved closer to Mr. Darius.
"What type of weapon do you use?" Mr. Darius asked lightly.
"Claw type," Asher replied.
"Do you have a claw type weapon that is less than uncommon rank?"
"Yes."
"Alright, then you may use that."
"Thank you, teacher," Asher said, retrieving Hunter's Claw from his storage space and equipping them.
Once Asher was ready, Mr. Darius announced, "Now that you have your weapons, I want to assess your current ability. For that, we'll have a friendly duel. The panel here will randomly select your opponents."
"Remember, it's not whether you win or lose that matters. What counts is how you fight. Based on your performance, I'll arrange different practices for you. Note that skills and traits are not allowed in this duel. For those who have relied solely on skills or traits until now, don't worry—this duel will test your performance based on your attributes alone."
"Alright, let the duel begin. Those whose names are called, step forward to the Duel Ring," Mr. Darius said, clapping his hands. A screen above the ground displayed various names, flashing past before finally stopping.
"Finn Voss vs. Evan Ried."
Finn, armed with a shortsword, and Evan, equipped with a dagger, moved forward and entered the Duel Ring.
"Fight with all your strength and don't be afraid of getting hurt. There is a formation that will expel you if a life-threatening attack is aimed at you, and the healer next door will restore your health."
Both Finn and Evan nodded and sized each other up.
Asher used his Insight and saw that Evan was at level 2.
Name: Finn Voss
Level: 2
Bloodline: Nil
Titles: Nil
Traits: Wind Whisperer
Skills: Whispering Gale, Echoing Breeze
Power: Minor
Profession(s): Nil
Familiar: Nil
Summons: Nil
Strength: 7
Agility: 9
Physique: 7
Aether: 80
Intelligence: 9
Affinities: Wind
After examining Finn's skills, Asher realized that Finn was more suited for scouting or messaging rather than direct combat.
"Alright, start!" Mr. Darius announced loudly.
In an instant, Evan charged at Finn, who was armed with a shortsword. It quickly became apparent that Evan had more experience with the dagger than Finn had with his sword. Evan's dagger clashed with Finn's blade, and Finn skillfully slid the dagger aside to attempt a slice at Evan's belly. Evan swiftly leaped back to evade the attack.
The two combatants momentarily paused, each waiting for the other to make a move.
A few seconds later, Finn advanced towards Evan, holding his shortsword at a low, angled position. Evan prepared to defend, and when Finn's upper slash came in, he managed to parry the blow. However, as he moved to counterattack, a sudden, intense pain struck his head. Dizzy and disoriented, Evan collapsed to the ground.
Finn had used the hilt of his shortsword to strike Evan on the temple during the parry.
"Winner: Finn Voss," the panel displayed with the announcement.
Evan, realizing he had lost, looked slightly angry but did not protest. He held his head, which was bleeding, and walked over to the next room for treatment.
"Go to the room next door and heal yourself," Mr. Darius instructed, pointing to the door.
"Alright, next duel," he said, clapping his hands. The panel above displayed the next match-up.
This continued for about half an hour. Asher observed a variety of fighting styles with swords, daggers, and spears. He even saw some participants teleport out of the ring just before a potentially fatal blow.
The tenth match was announced: "Lyra Vesper vs. Nolan Crest."
Lyra entered the ring wielding a chain, drawing curious and apprehensive glances from the crowd. Nolan, armed with a dagger, seemed uneasy at the sight of Lyra's weapon.
Asher used his Insight and noted that Nolan possessed the Invincibility trait, making him an excellent assassin. However, with the restriction on using skills or traits, Nolan faced a challenging situation.
"Alright, start!"
In an instant, Lyra moved backwards as Nolan lunged forward to stab her. She deftly swept her chain towards Nolan's feet, forcing him to leap to avoid it.
Before anyone could react, Nolan was suddenly teleported outside the ring, leaving the spectators in shock. No one had seen Lyra move. Only Asher and Mr. Darius had witnessed the event clearly.
As Nolan jumped, Lyra had swiftly manipulated her chain in a unique manner, causing only the tip to flick upward. The hook blade was poised to strike Nolan's skull before he was teleported out.
Asher marveled at how skillfully Lyra had executed the maneuver, but after a moment of reflection, he realized that such a technique would not work on him.
With a clap from Mr. Darius, everyone snapped back to attention as the next match was announced.
"Asher Ember vs. Rex Kane."
Seeing his name, Asher tightened his claws and made his way towards the Duel Ring.