Friends

[+1 Focus]

Lumiel went back to their home and the vacation was about to end. He woke up at four-o-clock in the morning and took a warm bath.

With time passed by, he finally gritted his teeth for his upcoming practice. The vacation has just begun and he trained hard core this time around. Push ups, sit ups, squats and many many more!

"Dragon Shattering kick! First form!"

"Wataw!" he shouted as he skip-kicked the air.

The droplets of sweat sprinkled the ground as he rotated with a spinning kick.

For Lumiel, it was still not enough. His signature martial arts was on the limit. Contrary to the past which was in its full. He knew the drill of what to do and its forms. But, his body couldn't cope up. Their backyard training ground was not lonely anymore with him training. His sister was practicing her two-handed sword skills with the wooden great sword they had.

"Hut! Hut! Hut!" she was screaming with every strike and was in her sweater and pajamas. His sister was surely a hardworking one.

It was a hassle to exert his muscles. It could rip his muscles out and would be in intense pain.

He should still develop his basics and foundations.

Lumiel bathed and did his morning exercises. After his exercises, he rested and his mom said that his friends were waiting inside. He entered and saw three people.

"Oh! Patrick and Stella! and Hanna too!?" He said in shock, never expecting them to visit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd come today," Lumiel said to them.

"Um, we agreed yesterday to come to visit your house after Stella suggested it," said Patrick.

"Okay wait for a bit because I'm gonna change my clothes," Lumiel said to them.

Lumiel hurriedly changed his shirt and talked about his daily routine, showing his training equipment his father gave. Patrick was amazed that his friend was not slacking but he was a diligent hardworking person.

"Okay now, let's see how you will apply your training in the battle! I know what you lack friend, it's your experience," said Patrick.

"Uhm okay, but how do I get experience?" Lumiel asked. He needed to play the role of a side character.

"It's simple! Just have a mock battle with us!" Patrick replied.

Lumiel didn't expect his reply but thought it was a sensible answer.

"Okay, Hanna you go first!" Patrick commanded her.

"Huh me first? But it's .....Okay fine but don't blame me on not getting easy on you Lumiel. I always do my best to defeat every opponent," Hanna smiled.

Lumiel took his two one-handed training swords and gave the other one to Hanna.

"Patrick serves as the referee for the match. Okay the rules are to make your opponent surrender and it is prohibited to make a fatal strike that will make your opponent killed or will result in permanent injury," said Stella.

Lumiel readied his sword and made a stance.

"I will beat you, so don't go easy on me even though I'm a girl," she said while on stance.

"Okay! That's reassuring!" Lumiel replied.

His sister then saw them and was interested in watching his little brother.

"Oh? What's this? Lumiel will spar? Let me be the referee!" she immediately grabbed a sword and stabbed the ground.

"Okay! Don't be too harsh on each other. Just practice okay?" she said then her corner of her mouth arched.

"Yes!" they both said.

Hanna smiled then she became serious. Lumiel was slightly stronger to her in raw strength but Hanna was constantly training to spar with her father. So Lumiell have to outwit her in both strength and techniques.

"This will prove to be difficult to Rain because he doesn't know Hanna's techniques yet, so who do you think will win?" Patrick asked Stella.

"Uhm I don't know but based on Hanna's experience, it will be her who's gonna win, but let's see the outcome!" Patrick said to Stella. Slightly confused on what the outcome might be.

At the moment, Hanna charges with reflex and accelerates to Lumiel but Lumiel doesn't flinch. Instead, he approached with fierceness to rival her speed.

He moved like a beast and made a slanted slash but she parried it with a glance. Lumiel's attack was so strong that it will produce a shock to your shoulders if not parried at the right time.

She slashed again but he evaded while stepping back, crouching and touching the ground.

Posing in a beast-like manner, he attacked again holding the sword in his right hand.

Hanna then went aggressive to make a hit, their swords clashed making a loud sound and Lumiel took hold of the sword with his two hands. Hanna swings it to his head vertically. Meanwhile, Lumiel blocked it with his sword.

Lumiel slid his sword and it slashed her but she evaded. She attacked faster than before and she became more focused. Lumiel attacked with a horizontal slash but she countered it.

"You're slow! Focus more and predict my movements!" she shouted.

She gave him a hint and thought of him with techniques as he continued his battle. Lumiel learned how to [Parry] and [Counter] for several minutes. He also learned to [Block] her attacks and to [Evade] her swings.

"He adjusted faster than I thought, but he is still learning the basics compared to her who is just playing around," Patrick said while observing.

"Haaaah, I'm getting bored," Hanna said in dismay and she struck his sword faster than his eyes could cope up.