I returned to work shortly after, formulating how my annoyed thoughts would be revealed to Eiko when I got out of here.
There was way too much work to be done in one day. Thankfully, I devised a more efficient way.
Still, now and then I would stop to watch the seemingly never-ending spar. Seinaru fought with several people and did not seem to get tired.
Of course, he took breaks. Nonetheless, that vibrancy did not seem normal especially when he had not even stepped on the path to power. Yes.
Something eventually happened towards sun-down.
By this point I was done with work and sat, recuperating whilst wondering how I would approach my target the next day.
Having fulfilled my quota for the day, I was going to be led out by the Empire's soldiers soon.
Someone's shadow suddenly loomed over me at some point, and thinking it to be my escort, I raised my head to look up as it had been within my thighs.
Surprise traveled across my features in an instant as rather than the person I expected, my gaze fell on the only blue-haired person I had seen since I awoke.
"You," Seinaru called. "Come with me."
??...
Wonder was all I could feel, even if I obeyed. Although he was a captive, it was evident that just like his twin sister, he had privileges within that place. His facial features reminded me of Nura.
Moreover, I could only feel more surprised when he led me towards the now-empty field since the others had been summoned.
"Please what is the meaning of this?" I asked when he tossed me a wooden sword and entered a stance. What in Sol's name was he thinking?
Furrowing his brows as though he did not expect me to voice my confusion, he straightened his figure to inspect me. Despite my low-grade attire, he was more captivated by my crimson hair.
Yes, I could not leave it covered as it was not allowed. For security measures that is.
After a few moments of awkward silence, he finally spoke, "I sense a master swordsman in you."
My eyebrows threatened to rise, even if I took hold of them.
'Ehhh?' An amused smile crept into my lips, and Seinaru simply nodded at it. I could not hide my amazement. Only true experts could notice other experts by something as terribly vague as their eyes. It was either that.
Or.
"It seems genius runs in the family," I remarked, using that chance to draw him closer to my goal. It worked.
"Family? What do you mean?" He asked, very much interested.
I shook my head and played with the wooden sword in the process. "If you win I'll tell you," I announced, and my dare summoned the competitive fire that I had seen him burn with all day.
The young man was a battle maniac. I had met many in my days to know one.
We each took a stance and after creating enough distance between ourselves. Then we began to circle the field.
I had seen him fight all day, and it was safe to say I understood his style a bit—Enough to know I would win.
Yet, I did not underestimate him, thanks to the strengths he had. Amid all the Empire's soldiers I had seen fight all day long, he happened to carry the most potential. Even if he still had a lot of refining to do.
We eventually moved after collecting our thoughts, and I ended up closing the distance first. Surprising him.
Utilizing footwork that strained my calves, I covered the ten-meter gap between us to perform a lunge aimed directly at his chest.
Seemingly unfazed by my skill, but honestly taken aback, Seinaru took a step back and swung upward at my incoming blow.
CLANK!
Our swords clashed, echoing with the courts. But when he tried to fling mine out of my grip, he met impressive resistance, and could barely move my blade up.
I used that opportunity to almost touch him, but timing his reaction, he managed to jump back in time, escaping my grip.
"You're good… strong," he admitted, rubbing his chest. It already stung even if my attack had not connected. His instincts had gotten a sense of how painful my blows would be, and avoided them.
Uninterested in using words, I closed the gap again, pressing him till he took the whole thing seriously.
A series of clashes unfolded at that point, the clanking sounds of our clashing swords ringing out in all directions. Unfortunately, there was no one present to watch.
We sparred for twenty minutes before I decided I had gotten enough experience of how he fought, therefore my actions intensified.
Before this point, Seinaru had been doing a good job keeping up with me, to the point that he was comfortable enough to launch attacks that aimed to take me out in one blow. Attacks I evaded, of course.
The grip on my wooden sword tightened when our weapons collided in a proper flurry of swings, parries, and counterattacks, to see who could overpower the other in a test of pure speed and strength.
Our arms continued to move whilst our legs remained in an unmoving stance—One that allowed for that powerful burst.
Still, my swings grew stronger since I pushed the full extent of my trained physique into them, and slowly but surely, began to overpower him.
I did not utilize anything fancy, just brute strength, and even began to enjoy it. Not anyone could achieve a clash of this type. A more-than-average understanding of the sword had to be in place for it to be possible.
Seinaru had great potential. But that was all for now.
Our wooden swords turned into a blur that began to generate enough wind force to make my hair dance wildly.
Yet, not being the least bit tired, I continued to pressure the young man who soon took a step backward to try and regain his stability.
My eyes shone at that gap in his defense and my swings exploded in power as I tried to cause his arms to give up. Which they would… eventually.
However, disbelief rocked my mind when a snapping sound rang out into the world, and I watched the upper part of my sword fly high into the air before landing a couple of meters from us.
Uninterested in wasting that chance, Seinaru regained his composure, took two steps forward, and placed his sword on my neck In a set of fluid motions.
Gasping, he uttered a single declaration.
"I win."
??!