Five days later.
As Rein gradually demonstrated swordsmanship skills at a Lv2 standard, the observing swordsmanship instructor Humbert was mostly convinced that Rein possessed an extremely high understanding of swordsmanship.
Frankly speaking, Rein was a swordsmanship prodigy, but only a common one – one in a hundred.
This made Humbert look at Rein in a new light.
With proper training, he had the makings of a guard, or even a captain of the guard!
"Today, we will begin sparring with swords!"
"In swordsmanship, if you want to improve quickly, you need a sparring partner."
"And the sparring partner should not be chosen at random, the best is someone of equal strength. Only then can your swordsmanship improve the most." Humbert's ringing voice echoed across the training field.
"Rein, Richard, the two of you come up and demonstrate the sparring, the rest of you watch closely!" Humbert called out.
The man with thick eyebrows was none other than Richard.
"Yes, instructor!" The two men said in unison.
After speaking, they quickly stepped out from the ranks and positioned themselves in front of the troop, assuming the initial stance of basic swordsmanship, with the tips of their iron-wood swords pointing at each other.
Thick-Eyebrow felt an indescribable anxiety and irritation about Rein's recent changes.
Previously, when Rein stood out while fixing donkey hooves or nailing horseshoes, he did not care at all.
Because his goal was to become a manor guard, and it was clear from his studying basic swordsmanship with his relatives in advance for the past two years.
But what he did not expect was that during the swordsmanship training, Rein once again attracted the attention of the swordsmanship instructor Humbert.
This, he found difficult to accept!
If this continued, this kid Rein would sooner or later become his formidable rival.
Moreover, Rein had fought with him before, and he had come off worse.
So, Thick-Eyebrow had been thinking all along whether he should "accidentally" hurt Rein during the sparring, maybe even to the point where Rein would be unable to hold a sword?!
"Begin!"
Right after Humbert's command, Rein and Thick-Eyebrow both thrust their swords at the same time, but Rein immediately noticed that Thick-Eyebrow's sword was slightly faster.
This was due to the other's taller stature, longer reach, and more practiced basic swordsmanship giving him an advantage.
Instantly, Rein quickly changed his move and used the strong sword body to block the opponent's thrust.
"Bang!"
The iron-wood swords clashed with a dull sound.
Rein stepped back three paces, while Thick-Eyebrow only stepped back one, clearly showing he had the upper hand.
Thick-Eyebrow showed a look of triumph!
No matter how prodigious you are, kid, it'll be at least half a year before you can surpass me.
But Rein's expression remained calm, as he had anticipated this situation all along.
Firstly, when it comes to height, Thick-Eyebrow was nearly a head taller than him, which naturally meant he had a much longer reach.
This is quite advantageous in a swordfight.
Secondly, with nearly two years of studying basic swordsmanship, Thick-Eyebrow's skills were not something Rein's current Lv2 basic swordsmanship could compare with.
Rein estimated that, converted into the system's display of swordsmanship levels, Thick-Eyebrow's swordsmanship skill should have reached or be close to a Lv3 standard.
Rein continuously blocked Thick-Eyebrow's multiple attacks, and it was fraught with danger!
Although there was no threat to his life, the heavy strikes of the iron-wood sword were enough to cause excruciating pain!
"If I don't increase my own swordsmanship level, I'm definitely going to lose this match!"
"What is Instructor Humbert's purpose in having me spar with Thick-Eyebrow this time? To motivate me to strive harder after a defeat, or to further stimulate my potential?"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" The dull sounds of the iron-wood swords clashing kept coming!
Humbert, standing with his arms crossed, watched the two duel with an impassive face.
Although he had already made up his mind that if nothing unexpected happened, Thick-Eyebrow would win the bout.
Then Rein, having undergone a minor setback, should be inspired to strive harder!
Good steel needs to be hammered!
At this moment, the tall Cleya took the lead, accompanied by a group of nobles and rich merchants' sons, riding into the outer fort from outside, seemingly having just finished their horseback riding training.
On their high vantage point, they clearly saw two servant boys sparring.
The sweaty Rein also sensed the hostility from Thick-Eyebrow!
Because several times the opponent had deliberately aimed at his vital points.
"Damn! Holding a grudge, are we?"
"No wonder this bastard has been so quiet these past few days, so he's been waiting for me here!"
"Serious injury? To put me out of action for one or two months?"
"Fuck, this is utterly intolerable!"
Rein's face showed a trace of fierceness!
Add points!
As Rein decisively used a skill point, in an instant, Basic Swordsmanship rose from lv2 to lv3. At the same time, fragments of training memories regarding Basic Swordsmanship also flooded into his mind.
Meanwhile, the thick-browed man noticed that Rein had a moment of blankness.
He inwardly thought, "Good opportunity!"
With that, a fierce look crossed his face as he stepped forward and chopped down at Rein's right shoulder.
If this blow were to hit, lying down for ten days to half a month would be considered mild, and moreover, it was very likely that he could not study swordsmanship for one or two months.
Facing the thick-browed man's attack, in an instant, Rein felt the wooden sword in his hand as if it was an extension of his own arm!
That feeling was as though the longsword was an extension of his arm!
In the blink of an eye, Rein once again blocked strongly with the sword horizontally.
"Bang!"
The two wooden swords struck each other, once again making a dull sound.
But this time, Rein firmly caught it and did not retreat!
The thick-browed man, using the recoil from the clash, smoothly spun around and executed a spinning downward chop, swiftly aiming for Rein's face and eyes.
At this moment, the thick-browed man felt incredibly exhilarated!
This move was him performing above his swordsman level.
In his mind, there was no way Rein could block it!
When the time came, all he had to do was pretend that it was an accidental injury and act the part!
Heh, the nickname 'One-Eyed Rein' doesn't sound too bad!
The corner of the thick-browed man's mouth curled up with a tiny trace of smugness!
This downward chop immediately made the onlooking boys exclaim in surprise.
George watched Rein anxiously, unsure if his close friend could fend off this attack.
Swordsmanship instructor Humbert was poised and ready to intervene and block the sword!
A jolt of alarm shot through Rein's heart, and in an instant, he put power into his waist, instinctively leaned back quickly, and, using the strong blade, once again shielded himself, blocking the thick-browed man's fierce strike.
Then, using the strength of his abdominal muscles, he sprang up and counterattacked rapidly.
"Snap!"
The thick-browed man's wrist, holding the sword, was struck heavily by Rein, and the wooden sword dropped in response!
The swift reversal of the situation left the surrounding youths dumbfounded!
Suddenly, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!
"Huh! This sort of instinctive intuition with swordsmanship, seems like I underestimated myself before!" Humbert was both surprised and slightly excited at this point.
And at a distance, Cleya, daughter of Earl Habsburg, also had a glint of admiration in her beautiful eyes.
"I remember Shadia saying that this black-haired boy seems to be named Rein, his father is a tenant farmer of the manor. Very good, a clean family background, maybe... I could try nurturing him?"
If he truly had talent, she wouldn't skimp on giving him a chance.
However....
Whether or not he could seize the opportunity, that remained to be seen in his performance.
"Rein wins!" Swordsmanship instructor Humbert immediately announced loudly, with an approving expression.
The thick-browed man, expressionless, watched Rein's retreating figure as he left the field, feelings of resentment rising in his heart!
"Go on and be smug, Rein! Just you wait, damn it!!"
He had already thought of another way to deal with Rein!
Originally, he had been too proud to stoop to such methods.
But this brat Rein was improving too quickly!
So quickly that it gave him a feeling of alarm and dread!
His family had run a tavern for many years, and the thick-browed man knew many people from all walks of life.
For instance, Drunk Jack, who was a great choice, having been a mercenary, was no ordinary talent!
Rein, stepping off the field, suddenly stiffened!
Then, he was overjoyed.
The system notification read as follows:
[Your skill Basic Swordsmanship has improved, Experience +17]
[You have experienced a battle, Militia Professional Experience Points +9]
"A short bout of sparring, and I actually gained 9 points of Professional Experience Points, this is almost the result of two days' worth of training!"
"It seems what Instructor Humbert said was completely right!"
"Constantly sparring with an opponent of similar level is the shortcut to rapidly improving swordsmanship!"
For a moment, Rein felt that the thick-browed man was not as repulsive as before....