Chapter - 18
Me and Tiberius stood in front of each other, surrounded by curious students. it was clear that Tiberius was far from thrilled about this matchup.
He gave me a quick glance, sizing me up, and then let out a barely audible sigh. "Alright, let's get this over with," he muttered under his breath, rolling his shoulders. He wasn't even trying to hide his lack of enthusiasm.
"Tiberius, try not to break him too quickly," Ares said, the faintest grin playing on his lips. "And Callum, don't forget to at least try."
Yeah, you're not getting any glowing stars in my student feedback report, nuh ah.
Tiberius looked at me again, this time with a little more patience. "Look, Callum," he began, his tone shifting to something almost instructional, "I'll give you a few pointers before we start. You don't stand like that." He gestured toward my feet. "You're going to fall over the moment I move. Widen your stance, hold the sword like this." He showed me how to grip the sword properly, although his eyes told me he already knew this was pointless.
I awkwardly tried to copy him, but even I could tell I looked ridiculous. Tiberius rubbed his temple and sighed again. "You know, you don't have to win this fight, just... don't make it that easy," he said, giving me a crooked smile. Arrogant? Yes. But he wasn't wrong.
"Alright, let's begin!" Ares called out.
Tiberius moved toward me with a casual air, his sword barely raised, as though he expected this to be over in seconds. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on me, his movements measured.
"Come on, Callum. Show me what you've got," he said.
I swung my sword, but Tiberius still dodged effortlessly. "Try again," he said.
I swung again, this time with a bit more control. His movements were smooth, almost lazy, like he wasn't even trying. There was no counter-attack. He just watched me.
"Better," he said with a faint grin, "but you're still leaving yourself open." He stepped forward, adjusting my stance with a tap of his foot. "Your swings are too wide. Tighten it up, or you're just begging to get knocked down."
I gritted my teeth, trying to follow his advice. My sword wasn't as unwieldy, but compared to Tiberius, who looked like he could fight in his sleep, it felt like I was still a toddler flailing with a stick. He dodged another strike with ease, barely moving as my blade sailed past him.
"Focus on your balance," Tiberius said, now more teacher than opponent. "Stop lunging like that, or I'll put you on the ground."
There was a grin on his face, almost like he was having fun with this. The other students were watching closely, waiting for the moment when Tiberius would inevitably put me in my place.
But I wasn't completely hopeless. I wasn't on his level, sure, but I had enough strength to at least keep up the charade of a decent fight. My swings weren't too wild; they had direction, but every time I thought I might land a hit, Tiberius would sidestep effortlessly.
Then, as I tried to press forward, I saw it. The smallest of openings. Tiberius was still grinning, probably thinking I was about to collapse from exhaustion. His overconfidence had left him just slightly off-balance. I tightened my grip on my sword and went for a thrust, aiming for his midsection—not to injure him, just enough to make him flinch.
But Tiberius, in that instant, moved back. My sword hit nothing but air, and I overextended just slightly. Tiberius smirked, already stepping in to finish me off. But his foot landed on a slick patch of the arena floor.
And he slipped.
It was like watching a tree fall in slow motion. One moment, Tiberius was poised, graceful, every bit the seasoned fighter. The next, his feet were sliding out from under him, and he crashed to the ground with an undignified thud, his sword clattering beside him.
The arena went silent.
I blinked, processing what had just happened. Tiberius, the unbeatable prodigy, was flat on his back. My sword was still in hand, and before I knew it, I stepped forward, pointing the tip at him.
For a split second, Tiberius stared up at me, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Then, to my utter surprise, he laughed—a deep, hearty laugh that echoed across the arena.
Ares, equally stunned, raised his hand. "Uh... victory to Callum?" he said, sounding unsure.
Tiberius, still laughing, sat up and brushed some dirt off his uniform. "Unbelievable," he said, shaking his head. "I've never lost a sparring match, and here I am, flat on my back."
I lowered my sword, still trying to figure out what had just happened. "I... won?" I felt more confused than triumphant.
"You won, Callum," Tiberius said, grinning up at me. "Though I'm still not sure how to feel about it."
"You know, Callum," Tiberius said, getting up, "I think I might need to watch out for you. You've got some... unconventional moves."
"Y-yeah," I replied. "Unconventional."
Dear Host,
Quest Complete - Defeat Tiberius Scipio in Class Combat Duel