Chapter 13.6 – Dragon’s First Guild Job

Apparently, the guild has a huge training room downstairs for things like this. It's basic and the floors are just packed dirt, but it's got high ceilings and solid looking construction.

Nina and I have been left down here alone, while Gerard has gone to prepare and bring the other adventurer we'll be fighting. Or more accurately, Nina will be fighting.

After a short wait, Gerard returns in heavy armor with a longsword. Following him is an early 20s guy about Nina's height with brown hair and eyes and a lean frame. Judging by the lack of obvious weapons, and the extra light armor, I'm going to guess assassin-like skills or a mage?

While I'm mulling it over, Gerard interrupts me.

"Nina, Mizuki, this is Levi. He's a fairly new A-rank adventurer, and member of the second highest ranked party at our guild. He'll be my fighting partner today. We can begin whenever you're ready." (Gerard)

Levi waves politely, and scans Nina and I casually. I nod back in return with a polite smile, and Levi gives me a curious expression. What's that about?

Before I can wonder about it further, Nina walks forward in front of me a few meters to face Gerard and Levi, and they separate some.

Levi gives Gerard a nod, then they draw their weapons. Levi is wielding dual daggers and seems to be staring intently at…me? Shouldn't Nina be the obvious threat here?

I apply max body enhancement and draw my katana, just in case. If I get involved, I can't show any overt magic or strength.

With that, the match seems to start. Levi runs around the side of Nina, and Gerard blitzes forward to try a side slash with his longsword on Nina. Based on his speed, I think he's alteration class.

Nina pulls her daggers and blocks Gerard's sword easily, then tries to counter at him with a slash. He jumps back and barely avoids it.

Thus, Gerard and Nina begin a game where Gerard repeatedly baits her to attack, then deflects it to create more room. He tries a few counterattacks, but he seems to be fighting defensively.

I look back over at Levi, and I see that he's to the side of Nina now, still quite some distance away from her. I'd imagine he just left Nina's line of sight. Then, he vanishes from my view as well.

What the hell!? Is that a dark class invisibility spell?

[Nina, the other one can turn invisible like me, he'll probably try a sneak attack on you. I'll track him and try to give you a fair warning.] (Mizuki)

[Tch…how cowardly! Fufufufu…I doubt his weapons could hurt me, though.] (Nina)

I quickly activate my magic sense to track everyone in the training area. I identify a fourth magic presence that I can't see…Levi. Based on his trajectory, he should reach Nina in…he's heading for me!?

Crap. I promptly slow time so I can think. Hmm…how can I stop him without taking serious hits or using obvious magic?

It's a little risky, since it's obviously not something other people could do, but maybe by 'looking' at him constantly I can bluff him into dropping the spell or stall him until Nina finishes Gerard? I drop the time spell.

I glance over, and Gerard seems overwhelmed. I sense Nina getting annoyed, probably from him being harder to incapacitate than she thought, so maybe she's getting serious now.

I line up a fencing stance towards the invisible Levi, and his movement starts to slow about 10 meters from me. He begins circling left and right, like he's testing me, but I keep my gaze on the center of where I sense his magic, and I keep adjusting my fencing stance to face him.

After a few more moments, he stops moving. He doesn't seem to be dropping his spell, though. Just then, I get an idea.

[Hey, Nina, fire an arrow to your left! Just a basic one, and the aim doesn't have to be good!]

I sense curiosity from her, but she doesn't respond. After a second, she jumps back from Gerard and quickly does as I ask. Gerard looks confused. Perfect.

I focus on altering Nina's arrow with gravity magic as she normally would. I maneuver it around behind Levi, and then I apply enhancement to the arrow and accelerate it towards Levi's magic signature. At the same time, I start moving toward him. When I'm a few meters away, a cry rings out.

"Gahhhh!"

As I close in on Levi, I see his spell break, and he falls over on his knees. Nina's arrow is sticking through his side from the back, and blood is spilling out slowly below him. I'm glad I avoided his spine. I capitalize on the momentary window to stick my katana next to his neck.

"Alright, Levi, can you yield so I can get you healed up? I have a potion in my bag. We can watch Nina and Gerard finish their fight afterwards." (Mizuki)

Levi looks up at me with a good-natured grin, but he seems to be in a lot of pain.

"Tch…yeah, man, I yield." (Levi)

I run over to my pack and grab the last potion I have from Percivil, then I hand it to Levi. He cuts off the arrow tip, and he pulls the arrow out from his back with a yell of pain. Then, he chugs the potion, and he lays back on the ground to rest. Poor dude. He put me in a corner, though.