One hand went up in the crowd, “What if someone breaks the rules?”
“In that case, they will be disqualified and forbidden from participating in the next three events. So, they would miss out on a lot,” Marshall answered, his stern tone putting emphasis on the importance of abiding by the rules.
Hearing his words, the newcomers realized that there was deep repercussion to breaking the rules. Some were planning to cheat and sneakily use their bloodline skills, but they clearly became more hesitant as breaking the rules was not worth the risk.
Another participant chimed in, “What if we get injured during the fights?”
“Don’t worry about injuries. We have priests on standby ready to heal any wounds. However, if you’re too frightened of getting hurt, you don’t have to participate,” Marshall answered reassuringly.
A few more queries were raised, each answered by Marshall with an air of authority and experience.
After hearing the details of the training event, Eliana decided not to participate. She was a support-type bloodline user and excelled more in aiding others than in direct combat. Fighting wasn’t her strong suit.
Val, on the other hand, decided to participate. Having been trained in the use of various weapons by the League of Shadows in his previous life, he was familiar with all sorts of arms. He had used a sword predominantly because it was the only weapon-type cursed artifact he possessed. However, he was more skilled in the use of guns and daggers than swords.
“All right, then. Since no one has any more questions, let’s start the tournament. Those who don’t want to participate remain where you are. Those who want to participate step forward,” Marshall said.
Val, Alfred, and several others step forward. Eliana and several others remained where they were.
“Val and Oliver, choose your weapons and get to the stage!” Marshall announced, prompting the participants into action.
Oliver went up to the weapon rack and picked up a sword.
Seeing this, Val also picked up a sword from the rack, wanting to beat his opponent at his own game.
“Val, let’s do our best,” Oliver said with a sincere smile on his face.
Val gave the teenager a quick glance. Oliver had sky-blue hair and ocean-blue eyes. His facial features were soft, causing him to look like a gentle young man with a calm demeanor, but his ocean-blue eyes held a fire that hinted at his desire to win.
Val looked at him and cast Detect, his System revealing Oliver’s statistics.
Name: Oliver
Strength: 20
Agility: 23
Stamina: 40
Reflexes: 15
Profession: Wizard (Low-Level)
Val’s gaze narrowed slightly. Oliver had reached the third stage of bloodline user. He was also a wizard, like Val, but more experienced. Moreover, his stats were impressive. Val had used the stat points that he obtained from the system for leveling up to increase his own, but Oliver didn’t have that.
Oliver must have used special resources and undergone extensive training to achieve such an impressive physique.
Val deduced that Oliver was definitely not from an ordinary family.
Moreover, while Val was lower-leveled, a few of his stats were slightly better and his experience with weapons was significantly greater as compared to Oliver. So, it wasn’t clear who held the advantage in this fight. 𝒩𝞸𝐕𝔩xt.𝔠𝒪𝔪
“Okay,” Val replied calmly. His gaze locked on Oliver.
“The spar will start at the count of three,” Marshall announced, his voice reaching the ears of everyone in the field.
The crowd’s murmurings died down. They were all eager to see how this match would unfold.
The second the countdown ended, Oliver moved. With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, covering the short distance between him and Val in the blink of an eye.
Whoosh!
A silver light flashed as his sword cut through the air. The strike was swift, precise, and charged towards Val with an undeniable force.
Val responded by deftly swinging his sword. It was a simple move, but it parried Oliver’s powerful blow, neutralizing the incoming attack effectively.
Then, without missing a beat, Val countered with a horizontal slash, but Oliver was quick to block it with his sword.
Both Val and Oliver shared a brief moment of surprise. They had underestimated each other. But it was just a split second of hesitation before they continued, both understanding they’d need to get serious.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their dance continued, and their weapons clashed repeatedly, sending sparks flying and creating a rhythm that hummed throughout the field, intensifying the tense atmosphere. The crowd watched in awe, their eyes widening to the size of saucers as the fight was exceeding their expectations.
Oliver suddenly thrust his sword forward like a spear, aiming for Val’s torso. Using a minimal amount of movement, Val sidestepped the strike, causing Oliver to be left defenseless. Val didn’t hesitate. He brandished his sword, aiming to seize this split-second opportunity to secure his victory. But Oliver seemed to defy gravity, launching himself into the air and avoiding Val’s attack before landing agilely behind him.
At the same time, Val felt the gravity acting on him increase. It wasn’t an illusion, the ground beneath his feet cracked under the unnatural pressure. He also felt a throbbing sensation in his back. It alerted him of the danger he was in. An attack was coming towards him!
Sensing the incoming danger, Val mustered all his strength. His muscles bulged, veins surfacing on his skin as he pivoted just in time. His sword moved swiftly, meeting the lethal strike aimed at his back head-on.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out as their weapons met under the gaze of the onlookers. The impact caused Val to be pushed backwards. He skidded back a considerable distance. By the time he came to a stop, several meters-long skid marks were left on the ground.
The crowd’s reaction was instantaneous. Eyes widened beyond the size of saucers, jaws dropped to the ground, and the field was filled with stunned silence. Even Alfred was speechless as if struck by a bolt out of the blue, his eyes glued to the action happening in the field. Marshall, the host of the event, was equally shocked. He hadn’t expected these young contenders to be so proficient in combat.
Catching his breath, Val looked at Oliver. “How did you pull that off?” he asked, his tone mixed with curiosity and a hint of admiration. “It shouldn’t be physically possible.”
With a proud smile, Oliver responded, “It’s wizardry.”
Wizardry was an act only wizards could perform. Val didn’t know anything else about it.
There was no rule that prevented a wizard from using his wizardry in this mini-tournament, so Oliver wasn’t breaking any rules. He was playing the game to his strengths.
A spark ignited in Val’s eyes as he gripped his spear tighter. His opponent was strong, but that only made the fight more interesting. He was not going to back down.
“Using wizardry, huh?” Val mused aloud, a small smirk playing on his lips. “Well, that’s just going to make this victory all the more satisfying. Brace yourself, Oliver. This fight is just beginning. I have much to show.”