The day after my first match against my mother, I lost again. It wasn't even close. Every time I stepped onto the battlefield, I couldn't shake the lingering fear of that mysterious move she had used in our first bout. My thoughts were consumed by it—when would she do it again? How could I possibly counter it? My mind was a chaotic mess of doubts and anxieties, preventing me from focusing on the fight.
For six days straight, the pattern repeated. Each day, I was defeated, and each day, I felt more frustrated. Only one day remained before our agreement was up. I was starting to lose hope, my confidence eroded by the constant failures.
Now, I sit in the backyard, where I've been training tirelessly, with Chris by my side. Chris, my best friend and confidante, always seems to know when I need support. Her deep blue eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, were filled with concern today.
"You're telling me you couldn't see that move at all?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Yeah, it's as if she stopped time," I replied, my voice heavy with frustration. "I'm sure my water arrows hit her, but they just... vanished. And the next thing I knew, I was on the ground, staring up at the sky."
Chris furrowed her brows, deep in thought. "Your arrows vanished? That shouldn't be possible, right? Unless you canceled the spell or something hit them, they should've kept going. Are you sure nothing else happened?"
Her rapid-fire questions didn't help my already confused mind, but one thing she said struck a chord. Of course! The arrows wouldn't just disappear on their own—they had to have been interrupted somehow.
"Wait a minute... You think she slashed the arrows? All three of them? And then still managed to get to me in time?" I asked, the pieces slowly falling into place.
"That can't be," Chris said, shaking her head. "No matter how strong your mom is, she wasn't using her sword skills, right? So her speed and strength should be lower than usual."
She had a point. My mother had promised not to use any of her sword techniques during our training sessions. But if it wasn't raw speed or strength, then what was it?
"Then how did she do it?" I asked again, even though I knew Chris wouldn't have the answer. My mind was racing, trying to figure out the impossible.
Chris grinned suddenly, a mischievous spark in her eyes. "Why don't we try it ourselves? I've been practicing, and I can cast a water ball spell now. Maybe if we recreate the situation, we'll figure out what happened."
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Chris always had a way of lifting my spirits, even when things seemed hopeless. So, I decided to go along with her plan, even if it felt like a long shot.
"All right," I said, standing up and grabbing my wooden sword. "Let's give it a shot."
Chris nodded and took a deep breath, preparing to cast her spell. "I call a pleasant burbling stream here and now. Let the tremendous protection of water be on the location thou seekest," she chanted, her voice clear and steady.
A ball of water materialized in front of her, shimmering in the sunlight. She looked at me, her eyes filled with determination. "Here it comes, Will. Get ready!"
The water ball shot towards me, and I instinctively slashed at it with my wooden sword. The ball of water burst apart, scattering harmless droplets in the air. But the experiment didn't seem to answer anything.
"I don't see how this helps..." I began, but before I could finish, Chris cast another water ball, this one faster than the last.
Caught off guard, I raised my sword to block it. But instead of bursting, the water ball bounced off my sword and splashed onto the ground in front of me.
"Did you see that?" Chris asked, her face lighting up with excitement.
I stared at the spot where the water ball had fallen, realization dawning on me. "Yeah... I think I did."
***
The answer had been right in front of me all along. My mother had used her sword to redirect my water arrows, deflecting them just enough to break my concentration for a split second. That's all she needed to close the distance and knock me down. It was a simple technique, but in the hands of someone as skilled as her, it was devastatingly effective.
Now that I knew how she had done it, I just needed to figure out how to counter it. A plan began to form in my mind, one that might just give me the edge I needed.
The hours flew by as I practiced, running through the steps in my head over and over. Finally, the time for our final battle arrived. My mother stood across from me, a confident smile on her face, her golden hair tied back into a neat ponytail. Her eyes, a striking green that always seemed to see right through me, glinted with anticipation.
My father, Aunt Lyshia, Chris, and Uncle Philip—who had just arrived to pick up his family—were watching from the sidelines. The tension in the air was palpable.
"You can do it, Will!" Chris shouted, her voice full of encouragement.
"Yeah," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. I couldn't afford to show any weakness now.
My mother tossed the coin into the air, and the moment it landed, our match began.
Just like before, she closed the distance quickly, forcing me to cast a water shield to block her approach. She stepped back, circling to my left, and I responded by casting another water shield. Predictably, she darted to my right, trying to get behind me.
But this time, I was ready. As I jumped back into the collapsing water shield, I began to cast a spell. My mother, anticipating another water arrow, prepared to parry. But instead of arrows, I cast a water shield directly in front of her.
Surprised, she couldn't stop her momentum in time and crashed into the shield. For a split second, she was off balance, and that was all the opening I needed.
"Water arrow!" I shouted, and three arrows formed from the remnants of the shield. But I didn't stop there—I sprinted forward, right behind the arrows.
My mother managed to slash through the first arrow, but she didn't see me coming. Before she could react, I was right in front of her, my wooden sword pointed at her chest.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, with a sigh, my mother smiled and lowered her sword. "I lost," she admitted, the words sounding strange coming from her lips.
I couldn't believe it. I had actually won.
"Mother, I finally won!" I exclaimed, barely able to contain my excitement.
She took my outstretched hand and stood up, her smile warm and proud. "Yes, you did. You've grown a lot, Will."
Before I could respond, Chris came running over, her face glowing with pride. "Will, you were amazing! I knew you could do it!"
"That was really something," Aunt Lyshia added, her voice filled with admiration. "You outsmarted the Sword Saint herself."
Uncle Philip, unable to hold back his laughter, finally let out a booming guffaw. "I can't believe it! The great Lily, defeated by a seven-year-old! Hahaha!"
My mother rolled her eyes, but there was no anger in her expression. "Laugh all you want, Philip. Just remember, I'm still a Saint, and you're just an Advanced Swordsman."
"Well, I'll listen to that after you manage to beat your son!" Uncle Philip teased, still chuckling.
My mother shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Will, tomorrow at the same time, come here, and I'll teach you the beginner swordsmanship skills as promised."
"Yes!" I replied eagerly, unable to hide my excitement.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow over the backyard, I realized that this was just the beginning. I had a long way to go, but today's victory had given me something more valuable than any skill—confidence. With my mother's guidance, I would continue to grow stronger. And who knows? Maybe one day, I would be the one to carry the title of Sword Saint.
And that is how I finally won against my mother, the Sword Saint, even with a huge handicap. At last, I was allowed to learn the beginner swordsmanship skills I had longed for.