Chapter 39 - The Test.

"Now what would you do Bilal? We usually don't take the rejected candidates with us, and the nearest Human Settlement is beyond these tribal lands crossing over the Saint Equina's Forests, it's a magical forest which spans over 2 thousand miles and within these forests rests innumerous magical beasts and dangers, even though you've bought him out of pure kindness, but where would you take him? You used to be in the Hunting party of the Green Wind Tribe, he wasn't." Dayes said softly while he fixed his gaze towards the Illusion Barrier.

'What pure kindness, that kid's Useful. And why is he suddenly asking me all this?, he doesn't want me to become a 'Worker' right?' Bilal pondered.

"So I show an affinity for the Light Element or become a Worker?" Bilal asked earnestly.

"You wouldn't have been in the Hunting party if you were to have the affinity for the Light Element. And 'Workers' basically are slaves, who don't have any right including their Death, they both aren't viable for you correct?"

To which Bilal replied with a short nod.

"Actually there's a way to fix your current predicament" Dayes told with confidence.

'tap' 'tap' 'tap'

Abruptly from behind came a series of footsteps, turning around Bilal saw an Old man transversing towards them.

"There he is, he's the captain of my Team" Dayes spoke with a sense of immense respect in his voice.

'Fuck!! This Kingdom must be close to doom keeping Old men like these in the army.' Bilal cursed inwardly and waited for the Old man.

"Dayes, Is he the one you told me of?" The Old man asked from a few meters of distance, his voice had a tone of tiredness.

"Yes captain, he is the one" Dayes said.

"Young man, Dayes had told me of your good deed, if you hadn't freed that kid, he would have to live a life of slave, the silver which you've paid goes directly to the Federation, we can't cheat, especially not in his presence" The old man discreetly tried pointing towards that heavily guarded house.

"We aren't supposed to enroll anyone like this, but it is what it is, using some perks as a captain I can allot you a place in the army but I would have to take a test since I can't enlist a nobody right?" he said.

'yes, whatever goes' Bilal pondered for a second and said "Yes sir, I'm ready"

"Quite well then" The old man nodded and pointed his finger to a distant tree tens of meters away "With my command, go running to that tree with your fastest speed"

"Go…"

With the advent of the Command, stomping the dust off with his fastest speed, Bilal dashed to that tree in a flurry, in that instant itself he observed the extraordinary boost in his agility. And utilizing it he reached the Tree within moments.

'He's indefinitely closer to the Mortal Apprentice realm' The old man concluded in his mind seeing Bilal's pace.

"This was your agility test, it was meant to measure your speed, the next test is gonna be of your reflexes" The Old man yelled from afar and picked up a few pebbles of the camp's ground "I'm going to throw these pebbles at you, your objective would be to dodge them, Brace yourself"

From the sudden flick of his wrist he launched a pebble, the actions were minimal but the result were mind-boggling, the pebble travelled in a straight line path akin to a bullet albeit a lot slower, within seconds it reached Bilal.

Facing the incoming pebble Bilal didn't panic and remembering the Swordsman module training, he performed a smooth side step to the right effectively dodged it with ease.

The stray pebble crashed and dug an inch deep into the ground, with just a flick of wrist the Old man was able to hurl a pebble at this speed, Bilal was just terrified of the Old man's Full strength, the previous Kingdom doom thoughts just vanished at that instant itself. He was glad not having them as enemies.

"Two more to go, Brace yourself" The Old man yelled again and this time using the full left arm he hurled the pebble with a force previously unknown.

Before Bilal could even trace the pebble, it came lightning fast just a few meters away, his instincts abruptly reacted and utilized the Black Cat's Leap hastily. He somersaulted out of the Pebble's trajectory, and somehow managed to dodge this time also.

The pebble bounced off ricocheting the earth a few more times, the force behind the rock was unimaginably greater than last. It crashed a few more times here and there before decelerating.

'No wonder he's still in army' Bilal thought and waited for the third.

"Two's enough, you won't be able to dodge the third, not even an Initiate be able to get away from it, do you want to see the third?" The Old man asked.

"Yes, sir" Bilal answered, he too wanted to see how weak he was.

"Fine then, watch that tree carefully" The Old man said and threw the pebble while adopting a baseball throw pose.

Bilal only saw a flash, before a loud 'Boom' was ensued from the tree, bewildered, he hastily ran towards the tree and found a half-broken pebble clogged deep into the tree penetrating the bark reaching the inner wood. Thin spiderweb cracks were spread out surrounding the blast area.

'This…' He couldn't think of anything nor could he utter a word.

"Ok, that's enough, your reflexes are good enough, now only three tests remains, they are Strength test, Magic talent test and Fighting prowess test. Strength test isn't quite required for now and Magic talent test would be done tomorrow, only the Fighting prowess test remains" The Old man stared at Dayes and said "Dayes is a Mortal Apprentice realm Warrior, you would have to survive 30 seconds under his attacks, to prove your Fighting prowess satisfactory"

"Captain…he isn't even an Apprentice" Dayes frowned slightly and quietly protested.

"Don't worry, he's indefinitely closer to the Apprentice realm, he would be able to handle you for some seconds, don't hold back" The Old man whispered.

From afar Bilal couldn't hear their whispers but seeing Dayes walking out determinantly with his Double-edged sword, he knew he couldn't afford to lax around.

Stopping a few steps away Dayes said "Draw your sword out, Bilal"

Without wasting a single moment more, Bilal drew his Shamshir from its scabbard. And held it with both the hands adopting a defensive posture, both the fighters simply stared at their opponent, they tried observing the opponent's movements, they acknowledged their opponent to be as skilled as their own, both the men circled each other.

"Start it already…" The Old man yawned.

With the Captain's command, Dayes tensed his leg muscles and dashed forward, with his sword he launched a horizontal slash.

"One" The Old man started the count.

The Double-edged sword collided directly with his Saber in a flash, the metallic music resounded in the foreground.

"Two"

Bilal was able to barely block the slash, he didn't have it easy as he was pushed a few steps back, the guy Dayes' strength was astonishing…at least to him. It was his first time fighting a Human with a sword and a person with extraordinary powers too.

Stabilizing his posture he shook Dayes' sword off and dealt an uppercut slash, which was blocked by his opponent.

"Three"

'Side step and kill won't work he's a human, sigh' Bilal inwardly sighed and blocked the next incoming strike.

"Four"

Bilal's his opponents attacks and understood the difference between them, Dayes's attacks were heavier and stronger. Yet he mostly relied on Brute force. But Bilal too wasn't much skilled in handling swords either, since that Module only dealt with basic sword forms and not much techniques, it was perhaps intended only to set a foundation for sword wielding, although a bit strengthened his body still was of a Normal Human.

"Five"

Both the men aware of their opponent's skills, begun clashing their blades in desperate attempt to find openings.

"Six"

Honestly speaking Bilal's strength was barely sufficient to match his opponent's strikes yet he was able to drag the battle by dodging around the attacks with minimal side steps. By parrying, blocking and redirecting attacks he ensured no harm in his stead.

"Seven"

To catch their breaths, both men jumped a few steps back and reengaged within a moment's notice.

"Eight"

Their clash of iron attracted the attention from a few soldiers in the distance, they closed onto the Old man and stood besides him, watching the battle intruigingly.

"Nine"

And hearing the Old man count, they confirmed the questions in their mind at that moment itself.

'Old man's still haven't stopped his practices, huh?'

'That guy got some skills'

'So, he's gonna be the new recruit, then?'

They speculated many things in their minds and started cheering for Dayes, intending to support.

"Ten"

But to their dismay, their cheers distracted Dayes for a second, which was rapidly taken advantage of by Bilal, launching heavy attacks one after another, Bilal forced Dayes into a defensive stance pretty soon.

"Eleven"

If they were to be using practice swords, Dayes would've directly endured the attacks onto his body, but unfortunately these were real sharp swords not meant to be taken lightly of.

"Twelve"

Within a second worth of time, Dayes conjured a feint with his left leg with still in defensive. If Bilal doesn't take a step back, he would be tripped over, following Dayes's plan he jumped a few steps back, hence Dayes was successful in breaking the Combo.

"Thirteen"

Both men breathed heavily with beads of sweat dripping off their forehead drenching their clothes.

"Fourteen"

'What's he gonna do?' Bilal thought with a bad feeling creeping over his spine.

A unique aura surrounded Dayes, his figure suddenly appeared majestic and powerful.

'What's this? Extraordinary power??!' Bilal panicked at that instant.

"Fifteen"

"Dayes, stop!! He hasn't conjured Battle Energy yet, you'll hurt him badly" The Old man shouted loudly.