Final Training: Battle [+Extra Words]

"Your last part of the training is.."

Half of her face was covered by a cold and creepy smile.

".. to fight me."

Oh Lord Buddha. Thank you for reincarnating me in this life..

* * *

On both sides of the field, stood me and the usually-oblivious woman, who now, didn't act anywhere near as close as she usually does.

It was like she had two different personalities herself.

On one side, she was a normal woman who someone would think would cause no harm, not even to a fly; and on the other end, was in stance like a trained veteran.

Her eyes glowed.

Just that enough was able to shake my hands.

Inhale, exhale.

I tried breathing exercises to calm myself down and I thought back to one more thing—my purpose.

I knew that my purpose had to be something that only I could relate to.

Would I find out from this battle? Who knows?

Maybe I will, maybe I won't.

'I guess I'll leave that to fate itself..'

"Hey. This is the final part of the training. But since I'm far stronger, I will pose a handicap on myself."

"There will be three. To list them:

- I cannot exit this five meter radius line.

- I will limit my strength to match the same exact level as yours.

- Lastly, I will use only weapon techniques and use no magic."

"This may seem easy to you, but beware, this is barely enough to contain me."

She took out a shield.

'A shield..?'

I had never seen not even a single person fight with that weapon before.

Usually, it would have been used only for defense.

Ah, wait.

'A five meter radius and a shield..'

Those two things go very well together.

If someone is very experienced in the shield, they can easily stay within an inch of their spot without moving.

And, if that's the case..

Then this battle will be extremely difficult to win.

'I need to formulate a plan..'

As I thought of a plan, a few hundred meters away, an eagle sat on the tree branch and spectated with its incredible vision.

"We will begin the fight in three..."

I breathed out and got into the perfect stance while glaring straight at Aree.

"Two..!"

My eyes shrunk from the amount of focus i placed on her.

"One..."

Begin.

Immediately, I shot myself like a bullet towards the dark-elf with incredible precision and focus.

Although, her body reacted way too fast.

I felt the incredible weight of the shield against my chest which I could never parry well.

"K-hukk..."

Skid!—

I was launched extremely far away where I began skipping back as my feet attempted to slow myself down.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh..!"

I screamed as I used my feet and the spear to stop myself from skidding too far.

My eyes jolted at my feet as I observed my feet in an incredibly dire state.

They burned.

The heat was too much to handle,

But I needed to ignore it as much as possible.

'If not, I will lose..'

She grinned and shouted from afar.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me all of that time that I spent training you was for nothing?"

My ears never let me down when I spent my time listening to her disheartening words.

And..

Even though my legs felt as if I had roasted them on the barbecue, I needed to move on.

"Agh!"

I constantly groaned every single time I took a step.

My eyes were about to sprinkle a few drops-

"No!"

I couldn't.

If I gave up now, what would everyone think of me? What would I think of myself?

I began running towards her.

'I need a plan..'

I think as I run twenty meters closer.,

But how?

I never had anything that I could think of currently.

The only thing I could do with a spear was to attack until I found an opening.

'But knowing her, that's going to be ridiculously hard..'

I reach within a few metres of her radius and aim for her face.

Ting!—

The core and lower sounding metal caused the two metal parts to react.

My spear wobbled.

"Kuhh.."

It was too thick.

My spear felt like a soft toy against the shield.

I regained my balance and jabbed her feet.

However,

Ting!—

The same thing happened, but only this time..

"Gotcha.."

She bashed the shield against the wooden staff part of my spear and sent me back.

"Aughh.."

This isn't enough.

Simply hoping for an opening will not help-

"Remember your purpose.."

I had a thought that glimpsed into my head.

Right.. my purpose.

"Is that it? Are you going to fail that easily?"

She smirked and her voices surrounded my head.

I wiped the blood off of my mouth.

'It's way too realistic..'

I shifted my attention to her head and feet.

"I may not know much.."

But..

'I know that her weaknesses are the head and feet..'

I needed to counter that.

My eyes began to blur a little.

'Shit..'

The recoil felt way too heavy and my head spun around.

My feet felt like they were about to tumble.

But I returned to my stance.

"What's wrong? Are you tired?"

She clearly began mocking me, but I could barely hear her words.

My ears rang and felt a high pitch screech.

I threw myself at her with all of my courage.

Clatter!—

My spear continuously jabbed the same two spots.

With slightly different attack patterns.

'What is he doing?'

My attack patterns were way too simple.

She easily evaded and blocked them.

'My purpose..'

My mind was barely focused on the battle itself.

I was occupied.

—Precision.

That's something which I had always thought of during my training.

And, even in real life.

"But how am I supposed to link that in with my purpose?!"

I input more force into my thrust at her face.

'Why?'

「 Skill - Lightning manipulation lvl. 1 activated 」

Bzzztttt!—

My anger at myself increased.

'Why?'

Just why is it that I always have had terrible luck in life?

I can't even think of the right things at the critical moment.

"AAHHHH!!"

My spear aimed for her waist which she dodged.

She created wind to reduce the state of my lightning.

Dud!—

Subsequently, the shield threw me away.

I get launched on my bottom and barely get up.

"You idiot!"

My eyes widened as I looked up at the woman.

"Think calmly! Are you seriously going to throw everything away after coming this far?!"

Oh.. she's right.

My head that was once clouded by fog, had risen up.

I get it now.

My knees trembled as I smelt the lingering and disgusting flavor of my own blood.

'Ha..'

It was that simple.

"It just needed me to calm down.."

I glare at her.

'Precision, or in other words...'

My feet get into position.

「 Skill - Lightning bolt lvl. 1 activated 」

My breathing calmed my mind into a state of peace..

"Huuuuu..."

I opened my eyes and charged in one direction at her.

'This again? Isn't this too predicata-'

Grunt!—

She felt the force of the lightning bolt and spear's thrust impact her at the same time.

Bzzt—

Tang!—

The shield deflected the thrust and lightning bolt.

She twisted her body and launched a boot into my stomach.

"K-hukk..!"

Boom!—

"Haa.. Xela, you idiot. Why would you try such a plain attack- huh?"

She looked at her left foot..

"Kehe.. HAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!!"

I laugh like a maniac.

"Or in other words, my purpose is to strive for perfection.."

Her foot was an inch off the five meter radius.

Shock.

「 You have acquired the skill 'Absolute Precision (B)' 」