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Jan stood at the training room entrance, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and surprise.

Just my luck – getting caught practising with a sword by the one person I\'d prefer to keep in the dark.

Explaining this mess was the last thing I needed.

Especially to an idiot like him.

What excuse could I possibly use?

"Ah! So you think I didn\'t notice? Mr... Archer? Or should I call you a duelist?"

He practically crowed.

haah...

A sigh escaped me.

"I\'m not a duelist," I said, loosening my grip on the wooden sword.

This situation was a minefield.

How was I going to talk my way out without raising even more questions?

"Are you sure? Because the weapon you\'re holding isn\'t exactly your preference, according to your records."

Jan smirked, pointing at the sword.

"I think–"

"I think that if you don\'t want anyone knowing about this, you should hear me out. Maybe I\'ll consider keeping it a secret,"

He interrupted keeping that smug grin on his face.

This was getting ridiculous.

I\'d managed to turn a simple training session into a potential disaster.

***

"What is it?" Rel asked, his voice flat.

Jan\'s smile widened.

"Let\'s have a spar. Just us two."

Rel frowned. The idea was absurd. Why would he fight someone considered one of the academy\'s top swordsmen? "That sounds stupid," he retorted.

"Oh, come on! I\'ll go easy on you. And if you even manage to get a scratch in…"

Jan paused, dangling the bait.

read-more-at-MvLeMpYr

"I might even let you in on something I\'m planning."

Rel stood motionless. It seemed fighting Jan was the only way to save his reputation.

For the sake of a peaceful academic life, he would do what was necessary.

"Okay," he said finally.

"Good." Jan smiled.

...

...

...

Minutes later, Jan had instructed the AI to generate a standard dueling platform.

Rel watched with anxiety and grim determination as the pristine white stone rose from the training room floor.

Jan selected a wooden sword and stood across from him, ten feet separating them.

"So, are you ready?" Jan asked.

Despite a subtle tremor, Rel responded with a curt, "Yeah."

Jan grinned. "System, set countdown to five."

—Got it. Setting up countdown now... countdown starting...

— 5

Both fighters gripped their swords tightly, adopting their chosen stances.

— 4

— 3

— 2

— 1

— Fight.

Rel charged forward, his determination overcoming his lack of skill.

Jan, immediately noticed the absence of a recognizable swordsman\'s form. It was sloppy, almost aimless– "fascinating".

Jan was always under the impression that Rel always seemed to hold back, and this was no exception.

A flicker of curiosity sparked in Jan.

Maybe he should try to draw Rel out a bit...

Rel\'s attack was awkward, a wild swing easily blocked by Jan.

The parry was almost effortless, a gentle flick of the wrist that sent Rel\'s sword skittering a few paces away.

Jan followed it up with a controlled push, just enough force to send him stumbling.

A frown creased Rel\'s forehead.

Jan was obviously toying with him, trying to gauge his skills.

It was annoying, but Rel just wanted this whole spar to be over with.

Using the ability Trickster At Arms was out of the question – it would only prolong the fight and likely raise even more questions about his sudden proficiency.

He steeled himself, charging forward again.

This time, he was half-expecting to be effortlessly disarmed.

huuu...

The urge to focus was overwhelming, a demand rising from deep within him.

It swept aside everything else: doubt, uncertainty, even his usual focus on hiding his skills.

This one attack, this single strike – it felt important as if his very being was channelling into it.

A strange warmth blossomed in his chest, spreading through his limbs. It wasn\'t heat, not in the usual sense.

He closed the distance to Jan, and a strange sensation tingled in his hands.

As he swung, a glimpse of energy enveloped the wood, as if some hidden force responded to his will.

cccc...rr....a....c...k..l.e

CLASH!

"...!"

CRACK!!!

A quick glow of a bright light manifested from Jan\'s wooden blade and on instinct, he reflexively used aura and broke Rel\'s sword without realising it.

Rel watched the remnants of his wooden sword crumble, his expression eerily calm.

"I take it that you\'re not telling anyone, right?"

Jan, still startled by that surge of power, forced a smile.

"Of course."

— Rel Laurence - Time in Training room #3: 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Jan watched Rel leave, turning the fight over in his mind.

Jan watched Rel leave, turning the fight over in his mind.

The sting in his hand where Rel\'s sword connected… It was almost like there was something wrong with the wood itself for a split second.

But what he\'d seen even earlier, the focused expression, the crackling sound just before the clash… It all matched the criteria of aura.

He glanced at the clean scratch on his hand. "Did Rel somehow manage to use… that?"

***

[Pinnacle Academy, Male Dorms: Room 4-A]

[Wednesday, 9:50 PM]

FWANG!

[Swordsman [Grade 10]: 1/10 | Mastery: 1.2% >>> Mastery 3.2% (2.00%) -]

I slumped onto my dorm bed, staring at the system screen.

My swordsman mastery had moved up nicely, but like with archery, I doubted it would keep improving outside of actual combat.

Despite that, training with Jan boosted the numbers significantly. 3.2% in one day is incredible.

Still, that spar worried me.

My mind went blank for a moment back there, that strange feeling after that one attack.

I should be relieved though – things worked out well enough, and my exhaustion after today\'s mess is only natural.

Jan wouldn\'t gain anything by exposing me... but sometimes, a story\'s protagonist warps under the influence of those around him.

People he shouldn\'t have even met in the first place. (he\'s talking about himself.)

haah...

A sigh escaped me.

I\'d have to trust him – for now. Worrying wouldn\'t solve anything.

It\'s far better to focus on getting better, on avoiding drawing even more attention to myself.

Now... let me see If Jaxon Cain has replied...

click!

BZZZZT!...BZZZZT!

My wrist vibrated.

And with a glance down at my watch, the email projected itself in front of my eyes.

I scanned the text.

[Thank you for responding to the email, we have notified your guild leader of your acceptance and we have sent the details of all the contents in this email below: Codes, IDS Access, and uniform. We are expecting you tomorrow afternoon at 5:30 PM.]

The uniform arrives tomorrow as well... It seems that they need new employees for the mercenary corps.

I know that they\'re currently in high demand because the current state of this world needs mercenaries assisting with countless dungeon and monster outbreaks.

So Jaxon needing students fresh out of Pinnacle was the best option.

But assuming Gerrard kept his third years or soon-to-be members of Miracle, from being a mercenary, meant that he was still willing to enter the towers.

It was a good choice on his end, but I knew sending myself there wouldn\'t be much help, given that I had a quest that could give me one of the strongest abilities in this novel.

I knew I had to do whatever I had to in order to achieve it.

...

...

...

[Thursday, 5:30 AM]

ding...dong...ding...dong...

_______________

Authors Notes:

- Duelist in the novel refers to a person who can use more than one weapon. the other term used for this definition is also a dual wielder.

- Principals of Aura #5 Aura requires absolute focus and mental clarity.

- The thenar space is the fleshy area at the base of your thumb, just where it meets your index finger that\'s the spot in between where Jan had been cut by Rel.