Sword Demon.

Hey guys, had to work on my exams for the last two days bc my ass kept procrastinating, but I got my groove back now.

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Baldr happily hummed a tune to himself while wolfing down on the food in front of him. The taste was subpar, but there was no reason to turn down fuel.

More than that, today the world would have a hard time breaking his joyous streak, not that it wanted to. He had discovered a lot about it and his abilities.

For now the only elements he conversed with were the Earth, Water and the Wind each bringing their own peculiarities. And currently, he felt like their affection was slowly turning into trust.

A bit more and he'd learn their True Names possibly? But he didn't think so. The wiseful nature of Earth made it reliable in helping him discover more about his powers. But it's impassive attitude served as a reminder that while Baldr gained it's favor, he didn't have the right to hear it's secrets

As he said before, the winds weren't one to talk about themselves, preferring to discuss of everything around them instead. And water wasn't that talkative, only responding if absolutely needed. Even then, he learned much about his abilities.

Nothing could ruin this day.

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With a wet thud, and under the stunned eyes of everyone around, Instructor Rock's arm fell to the ground, rolling a little as even he watched it get farther from him.

Baldr was still smiling, even with droplets of blood staining his cheek. His handsleeve was cut horizontally with it being so clean it seemed like it had been made this way, weirdly enough the small group of Sleepers looked at Baldr hand with apprehension and horror.

Behind Instructor Rock, Caster was watching with a wary expression, a small amount of fear and confusion hidden under the cold calculating glint in his eyes.

"Call the healers."

The bear-like man calmly tasked two Sleepers with getting healers, holding his bleeding stump with a grip strong enough to cut the bloodflow. As long as they got one here fast enough reconnecting both ends was a small task.

But that didn't matter to Instructor Rock instead, he was grimly looking at his arm on the ground. As a man that prided himself in his defense, having them overcome by a Sleeper was both something he was proud of and also felt ashamed about.

He of course had heard of the interviews result, but in his mind a Sleeper was still just that, a Dormant Awakened. But this new batch might be the one able to conquer the 4th Nightmare...

While this was all happening the smile never left Baldr face.

'Aa I thought nothing can ruin it.'

To understand how we arrived to this situation, there was a need to go back in time, to the start of the combat class.

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The sound of a chalk hitting a board with absurd speed echoed in the classroom. There wasn't an auditorium dedicated to the course taught here compared to other theoretical classes due to the simple fact that so few individuals decided to participate in it.

Matter of fact, only two Sleepers participated in it, listening to the ramblings of their Awakened Teacher. One of them furtively looked at the time before smiling a little wider when the old antique that served as a clock ringed ten times

Shuffling with the mountain of papers that had been stacked on his desk, the radiant teen proceeded to put it all in his bag before directing himself to the exit of the room.

"Well good luck then, Sunny."

Baldr smiled, leaving the Wilderness Survival class. He had learned most of the course by himself, in preparation of getting infected by the Nightmare Spell. But there was some things you couldn't just find with private teachers.

Teacher Julius was known to be the person to learn history and languages from. The man was a walking library, having spent much of his long life learning the history of dead civilisations and their languages, along with the intricacies behind them.

So while Baldr survival skills were extensive, understandably so as he had put a lot of money and effort into them. His knowledge of the Spell's dead languages was subpar. So having someone as passionate as Teacher Julius helping him learn them? It couldn't get better.

He bid farewell to Sunny, who was learning how to make jerky out of monster meat. Since the treacherous shadow knew nothing about living in the wild, he'd have to receive a four weeks crash course to assure his survival.

Having already confirmed his ability to survive under the jealous gaze of Sunny, Baldr didn't have to take all those extra assignments Teacher Julius would give his other student.

Not that there weren't many for him. Having seen that Baldr would only take part in two class for his curriculum. With one of them not requiring any work outside of it. the Teacher had generously given him a list of assignments to study and report back on his progress with history and languages.

'This should be the place right?'

Lost in his thoughts, Baldr let the winds guide him to the dojo the Introductory Combat class would take place in.

Due to the numbers of Sleepers that wanted to take it, Instructor Rock insisted to either personally or via an assistant, take some time to introduce the new individuals to it. The process wouldn't normally take longer than twenty minutes before the real class started.

While it would happen once a month or so at the start of the year this close to the Winter Solstice it wasn't uncommon for it to be held every two days, the Instructor made sure that everyone would be prepared before the end of the year, the man was throughout in making sure as much Sleepers survived.

Baldr arrived a little late compared to others due to the wandering of the winds, as he entered the dojo a small breeze followed him, ruffling his short hair.

"I'm sorry for being late, I had trouble finding the dojo."

That was a good excuse, the distance between the dojo and the Wilderness Survival class wasn't large, but it looked like a real maze to the point that Baldr wondered if he would have even made it in time had he focused on the path he was taking.

"Just get dressed."

The Instructor in charge, Rock, grunted a response before refocusing on the new batch of Sleepers. Baldr left for the lockers, coming out in a white gi that wouldn't look out of place in a judo competition.

'Or is it a dobok?'

He couldn't really tell the difference between the two since he never bothered to memorise their characteristics. But the earth shook, a bit dumbfounded and then he knew.

He returned to where the small gathering of Sleepers was, they currently were testing their physical strength against a machine meant to numericize it.

The technology was quite new, showing how much the Academy cared about classifying new Sleepers. Due to his late arrival, Baldr was the last one to take part in the exercise.

"Don't hold back."

As he walked into the center of the circle that was made by the group of awakened, Baldr looked around, failing to locate where or even if Sunny's shadow was around.

He didn't have time to press the winds for an answer as the Sleepers and the Instructor were waiting for him to act. A lot of then would be lacking interest in his result if he wasn't who he was.

The big shots such as Nephis or Caster had already given a more than apt dose of dopamine to the Sleepers, excited to see how they would far off against others or simply to use their Aspects they would have been distracted if not for his dazzling appearance.

Clearing himself of useless thoughts, Baldr got in a simple boxing stance before delivering a devastating left hook. The machine shook a bit before displaying a number.

Eighteen.

While not the best it was still much better than everyone else, landing him between the people who obtained a score of sixteen such as Nephis, and Caster who's score was at a staggering 21.

This was mostly a result of Baldr [Radiant Body] filling his being with strength, he didn't know much of what else it gave him, as the description hinted to something more. But the unnatural physical strength was enough of a boon as is.

Stares of acknowledgement came his way, after the strike displayed by Caster there was little shock left in the Sleepers mind, seeing a number like eighteen wasn't a commodity but they had seen more not longer than a minute before.

But through his shadow's eyes, Sunny was able to discern what most missed, Instructor Rock looked at the same spot Baldr had struck, the machine, supposed to handle any kind of physical stress up to a hundred had a little indention.

Looking closely at it, it was as if something penetrated the machine, only slightly and not making any lasting damage to it, even then Instructor Rock mind reminded him that the radiant teen had not made any kind of piercing motion.

This was as blunt of a strike as it could get that he had delivered. And even then he had cut the machine.

"Not bad, now we will move to sparring and evaluate your general level of training. I need two volunteers to begin."

Nephis stepped forward and the massacre that ensued reminded Baldr who she really was, not a fictional character. She was the daughter of Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword, this wouldn't matter as only individual prowess mattered in theory

But there was a reason Legacy clans were so prominent and Baldr knew from the way the novel was written that she had to have a Divine Aspect.

And you had to do something exceptional to have one of those.

Before long, Caster stepped forward, he slightly bowed, muttering a few words with his silver tongue before attacking.

As the clash between the two echoed throughout the dojo, Baldr smile only widened. He wasn't able to follow Caster with his eyes, the young Legacy having too much speed for him to follow simply with his sight.

Fortunately he didn't have to limit himself to it. Caster's speed was accompanied with immense power be it his strike or his steps. So each time the Legacy moved, the winds followed him with glee screaming with invisible zeal and the earth grunted.

Through it along with the use of his sight he could feel the moments the Legacy slowed down to change his position or direction. In those instants where he could finally see him, Baldr would pick up and dismantle his stance, the way his feet shifted on the ground along with a plethora of other information on the way he fought.

This was mostly possible due to the time spent training himself. Even without experience against real opponents, other than some Dreamscape bouts he had participated in. Baldr understanding of swordsmanship was unparalleled.

And unfortunately for the young Legacy, the way the sword influenced his hand to hand fighting did not go unnoticed by the radiant teen.

Nephis tried to strike a decisive blow to Caster but without her Aspect it would be difficult to rival the Legacy's own. And so, with a grim look on his face, Caster ended the match much in the same way that Baldr had read.

"Baldr, you're up next."

Murmurs of this showdown had already spread among the Sleepers at the start of the sparring session.

There was no contempt or mockery thrown at Nephis for losing, rather, a lot of admiration was sent her way, for the exception of the Legacies.

After all her True Name wasn't revealed, so in the opinion of others, she just had done incredibly well even as a Sleeper with a strength rating of sixteen. Showing that her true battle prowess was much higher than what the machine seemed to indicate.

Still, the number given by the machine created an unspoken ranking that was almost confirmed by Caster's win that broke Nephis victory streak.

So Sleepers were excited to see how Baldr would far against the Legacy.

Getting in the ring, Baldr smile only grew as he exchanged greetings with Caster, and then they moved.

Contrary to Baldr expectation, Caster wasn't as aggresive as he had been before, preferring to wait for him to strike first.

'Well here goes nothing.'

In opposition to his thoughts, Baldr smile turned vicious as he attacked Caster, sending a blow from under the Legacy's guard.

Something clearly unexpected for Caster as he stepped back and tried to counterattack, delivering an incredibly fast kick to Baldr's elbow, hoping to dislocate the joint.

Having already seen through the attack, Baldr simply retracted his arm before stepping forward, picking up speed as he did.

And as he was about to deliver an inescapable uppercut to Caster, the Legacy disappeared from his vision.

Reappearing at the edge of the ring, the Legacy had a smile on his lips, but Baldr could see the well restrained contempt hidden under his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to be so good, then shall I get serious?"

As much as the line seemed to have been taken out of a children's book, the importance of it striked everyone as the pace of the fight drastically changed.

Or it should have.

As Caster moved, too fast for anyone except possibly Instructor Rock to follow, Baldr moved too. Not particularly fast but each of his steps were poised, serving the very difficult purpose of keeping an opponent vastly faster than you in check.

Caster was able to make contact with him a few time, but it was like hitting a ghost as Baldr moved an uncountable number of steps before the Legacy.

Even then, damage accumulated on Baldr due to the Legacy's tyrannical speed, he didn't plan to use his Aspect, preferring to test his martial prowess here but even with it, he had no real way of keeping Caster in check.

It couldn't be called a battle of attrition as it was visible that the winner would be Caster, but a single move from Baldr changed the keen eyed perspective on the possible winner.

'Thinking of it, who said I had to fight like a pugilist?'

That thought entered the mind of Baldr, and with this new perspective he made one simple motion.

He formed a knifehand.

While there was no killing intent or anything that could warn about this, Caster guts told him that this action by itself was dangerous.

Maybe the radiant teen had finally decided to use his Aspect? Caster knew that much like Nephis he hadn't made use of it. Something the Legacy was quite ashamed of.

But the situation changed now.

Rather than prolonging the fight, he decided to end it with a well placed strike. Baldr gleefully met it by using a stroke from Philia. But before the two could continue, Instructor Rock stopped their attacks.

"This is meant to be a spar, there's no need to take it so—!"

Before he could finish his sentence, something fell to the ground, and as red painted the floor of the ring and the Sleepers expressions turned from awe to horror, Instructor Rock looked at his left hand.

Or where it was supposed to be.

He was a man that prided himself in his defense, his Aspect Ability enhancing it to level similar to that of a Master when activated, and giving a passive defense augmentation when not.

He had blocked the strikes with his forearms, confident in his ability to end the conflict without anyone getting harmed, even if something did happen, he didn't think he'd be the one to suffer.

Where once his hand and forearm stood, only a marble of flesh was left, cut so cleanly that one thought it was made to see the inner workings of an Awakened body.

But the fact that his body didn't even realise it had been cut meant thst his strong and powerful heart continued to pump blood toward his arm, and so a fountain of blood almost spurted out.

Fortunately Instructor Rock felt it happen and had made an excuse of a tourniquet with his hand, only letting a small trail of blood leave his stump, his arm didn't have the same chance.

He barked a few instructions at the stunned Sleepers and thought about the future.

Two Sleepers with True Names, each with a raging torrent of power hidden between different masks of indifference.

The future looked bright for the Awakened World.

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First time actually writing a fighting scene, hope it turned out well. We're seeing another side of Baldr and why ten years in isolation can't be good for anyone's mental.

This was funny to write, see you guys next chapter.