"Oi Henrik, you become the judge" Loris looked at the guy he was fighting with.
"Ah, i guess I have no other choice. Then okay, i will be. Take your positions." Henrik said.
"Oi Ralf, take your stance and make the first strike" Loris said to Leon.
Leon casually held his sword, making no effort to take a stance. Loris was furious.
"You should take this fight seriously" Loris said Leon. His voice hinted a bit of frustration.
Leon ignored him and continue glaring at Loris. Seeing this, Henrik started counting.
"3.... 2.... 1.... Go!"
As soon as Henrik said go, Loris disappeared from his place and reappeared behind Leon.
"I told you to strike first, but you refused the proposal. Now suffer." Loris shouted. Everyone thought that there's no chance for Leon to win.
But suddenly, a sound of swords clashing with eachother echoed through the whole training hall. Everyone felt a sudden shock on seeing the scene infront of them. Loris attack got parried.
"H-how can you-!?" Loris murmured.
"Are you really an knight?" Leon stared at him with a hint of boredom.
"How dare you look down on me? I was just going easy on you. Now take this." Loris shouted and used his technique aura blades.
Loris' sword glowed in red. He slashed at Leon with his all might.
"How boring." Leon used his speed and dodged his attack. Loris turned and delivered another slash at Leon's direction.
With a sigh, Leon tightened his grip and released his aura. He swinged his sword at Loris and a aura slash was about to hit Loris.
Before the attack could have landed, a voice echoed through the training room.
"Stop!"
Everyone looked at the entrance. It was Arwin.
"Wh-what were you guys doing?" Arwin panicked.
"We were just sparring." Leon spoke up.
"Sparring? S-so why do he looks like he is about to pass out"
Everyone in the training hall looked at Loris. He looked like his soul was about to leave his body. Lean sighed and touched his shoulder. All of a sudden, the once soul less body, came to life and started screaming.
"Did you see that?" "Y-yes, but how?" "Didn't you say Ralf is just a newbie?" "Y-yes, that's true but.." everyone in the crowd was murmuring among themselves.
Once realised, Loris screamed "No-no. It can't be. I haven't defeated. I was jus-"
"Silence"
Before Loris could even finish his sentence, someone stopped him. A man came to the room and stood beside Arwin. Even without doing anything, his body was releasing aura, signaling his otherworldly strength.
"You don't need to explain yourself sir Loris."
"Genral?" Loris spoke up. Everyone in the training hall were feeling the pressure just by looking at him.
"Why are you hear general?" Loris asked with nervousness.
"Hm? I felt a strong aura from the training hall so I came here to check. And on my way, I met with young master who was also heading towards the training hall so I decided to come with him."
"Oh, yes, I was fighting with Rolf. He is the new recruit." Loris replied.
"Oh so you are Rolf?"
"Yes general, I'm Rolf Valor. A new recruit. It's my honour to meet you." Leon replied.
"Hm.." General thought in mind, "New recruit huh? You are saying a mere newbie just eminated that terrifying aura which made me come to the training hall? And above all, he even defeated sir Loris?"
"I will ask you only once. Who actually are you, Rolf?" General asked, aura around him became heavier.
"I'm just a new recr-"
"Don't try to fool me" General unleashed a wave of aura. That alone was enough to send a chill sensation through everyone's body.
"General Karl.." Arwin interrupted him.
"He is someone, our family promised to save. So please stop using your aura to intimate him."
"Okay but... I will test him myself. Boy, tomorrow morning, come to this training hall. I will personally observe your powers."
"But General..."
"Okay, I'm ready." Leon agreed.
"Well then, we will meet at this training hall tomorrow." Karl said and left the training hall.
"I refused to believe he is a new recruit" Loris said to Henrik.
"Yes, me too. I guess we will only know tomorrow when General will personally test him." Loris said.
"Yeah I hope so"
At his room, Leon sat on a chair to think of a way to regain his powers.
"Huh, it's not good. I need to regain my powers as soon as possible. I used up so much energy just to defeat an knight."
"Are you awake?" A voice asked Leon through the closed door.
"Yes, you can come" Leon replied.
Arwin entered the room and asked Leon "Are you sure you can fight with General Karl? He is a Sword Master"
"Sword Master?.." Leon was confused.
"Oh yeah, you will not know this. Warriors and Mages are divided into some ranks. It happened 300 years ago." Arwin said.
"Hm... Tell me more" Leon replied.
"Mages are divided into 4 ranks.. Novice, Low Rank, High Rank, Monarch. Where Novice are the once who just started their mage path and to become a Low Rank, they need to form 3 mana circles. And if a mage successfully forms 5 mana circles, then he will be considered as High Rank Mage. And if someone manages to form 7 mana circles, he will become a Monarch. And just like that, warriors are also divided into 4 ranks.. Novice, Low Rank, High Rank, Master. And the ranking system is same too. But there are also some exceptionals who have mastered a particular element or weapon to it's peak. They are called Kings. One can become a King only after defeating the previous King. And after all those ranks, there's a rank, the limit of human being, Demi god. Only one person achieved that formed and it's non other than you, Leon." Arwin sighed and looked at Leon with curiosity.
"Hm... According to the things you have told me, I guess currently I'm a High Rank Warrior. I need to recover my powers soon." Leon went into deep thoughts.
"But before that... Can you defeat Genral Karl?" Arwin asked.
"With my current powers... The answer is no!" Leon replied.
"Then wha-" Arwin was about to say something but Leon cut this sentence and said, "But, there is a way."
"Wait really?" Arwin excitedly asked.
"I need to recover some of my powers to use that move." Leon said, with a smile on his face.
"What do you mean by 'that' move?" Arwin curiously asked.
"You will know tomorrow, now I need to focus on recovery. And also, I will need 20 more mana stones." Leon replied.
"20?? I can give you but what will you do with that many stones?"
"I will use those to recover myself."
"But using more than 10 mana stones in a day is considered deadly even for a High Ranker and a Monarch can use 12 or 13 in a day only." Arwin worriedly replied.
"You don't need to worry. I will be fine." Leon replied.
"Huh! Okay I will send you just don't overdo yourself. I will ask the servants to give you mana stones" Arwin agreed and left the room.
"Hm... To regain my powers, I need to take some risky steps." Leon said to himself, his voice determined and serious.
What will happen? Will Leon succeed in gaining his power? What's the move he's talking about?
To be continued ~