Duel

'To make an impression to Roland and not make things too suspicious, I should probably just re-enact what I did in my previous life'

'heh, how nostalgic, I think I was 6 ? From what I remember... I should've been a desperate poor kid that've learned fighting over fighting small monsters... cunning and unpolished.' 

Rio grips the small dagger with both hands, its size making it feel more like a short sword. Rio could feel the sun's heat on his skin, and the wooden texture of the dagger seems awkward in his hand.

Galwin stood in front of Rio with a somewhat nonchalant manner. He was only holding his wooden sword with a single arm and in a neutral stance. 

Rio quickly analyzed his opponent. 

'Great, he is underestimating me'

'Neutral stance, right handed ... too easy.'

Staring at his opponent in the eye, Rio quickly charged towards his opponent while holding the dagger with both his hands and positioned it near stomach like a amateur. 

Galwin looked at his charging opponent with slight amusement, he quickly positioned his sword in an attempt to parry the incoming dagger. 

As Rio is quickly approaching Galwin at a highspeed for a 4 years old, Rio raised his dagger high and quickly swinged it down at Galwin's sword.

*Clack*

The wooden sword collided. 

Rio let go of the dagger upon impact, allowing it to fly out of his hand. 

'what ?' Galwin was not trying to embarrass the young boy, as the goal of aptitude test was use to test the full extent of the other's combat ability, not as a show off. 

*Thump*

Rio, after dropping his sword, he quickly brought his center of gravity down and continued to charged towards the neutral stanced Galwin. 

"Hmph.." being hit in the stomach, Galwin, was again not prepared for this, as the 4 years old perfectly hides his footwork with his lower height disadvantage, making him unable to predict his movement. 

But Galwin was not an expert swordsman for nothing, he quickly stabilized himself by trying to push Rio away with his hand and stabilizing himself with his right foot and get into a proper stance. 

But Rio was expecting the shove as he dropped himself even further and somersaulted towards the right side of Galwin and reached down his pants to grab another short dagger and threw it directly at Galwin's head while reaching down his shoe to grab another spare dagger. 

Galwin quickly turned and parried the flying dagger, but his stance was in a bit of mess as he deflected the dagger at the last possible moment. 

Taking advantage of this, Rio quickly charged towards Galwin again while holding the dagger in a reverse grip and stabbed towards Galwin's knee joint.

But Galwin, with his experience, was able to pull back in time and dropped his sword pummel on top of the charging Rio. 

*Crash*

Rio was hit in the head and was sent to the ground with a bit of force. 

Galwin could be seen quickly backing away from Rio, as if expecting a counter attack soon, but soon realized that he was just fighting with a 4 years old kid.

"Scary kid... Roland ! Where do you find this kind of feral animal ? From the Hollow Forest ? Damn near knock me off the foot !"

Roland looked at the skinny kid on the ground with a tinge of excitement in his eyes. 

"Galwin, you'll have extra training session after this matter has settled. Now leave us ! I will take it from here. "

"Bu..But sir ! how am I suppose to know this is a feral monkey and not a 4 years old kid ?" 

Roland looked at the young man and sighed " On the battlefield, hesitation spells imminent defeat, what seems like a wounded kid have the power to end a general's life with a well placed dagger. You shall learn this lesson well. " 

Galwin turned away from the general in defeat and muttered under his breath. "Af if anyone could get past your defence, tsk ... old man."

"I heard that ..." Roland said with a stern voice.

"Sorry general ! I will be heading off now !" Glawin's figure could be seen running away from the court yard. 

Looking at the kid laying in the sand unconscious, Roland walked over and cast a minor healing spell on Rio. 

An green aura leaked out of the general's firm hands as it begins to envelop Rio's wounded head. 

"Nnnngh." Rio woke up with a slight grunt. 

"Where did you learn to fight like that ?" Roland asked. 

"No where ... Just occasional small monsters and fighting with my friends. " 

"Small monster huh ?" Roland said in a inconspicuous voice. 

"You should be around apprentice level right now... For your magic quality, we'll measure that once you're of age." Roland then continued "You'll now be training under a small division of mine, tidied up! we'll head over there shortly." 

Rio then stood up and dusted himself off and asked "will we be going to an orphanage ?"

"No... Well... It is made of primarily orphans, and we do take care of them. So I guess it is a orphanage to some degree. Heh... Just with more focus on physical training. You'll know soon enough." 

'As expected... It should be a church secret task force. I guess it is a right choice when I picked dagger and underhanded tricks.' 

After grabbing a drink in a nearby fountain, Rio was quickly led by Roland to a small plaza with some magicians gathering. 

"They will take us to the orphanage, learn the code words, and you will be able to return to the orphanage in any church that offers teleportation service. "

Then, Roland led Rio onto a platform to begin the teleportation. 

"Roland ! Where you heading ?" The magician, as if familiar with the general asked.

"The orphanage, code word 'Eidolon Eumenides'."

"Yes sir !"

'Eidolon Eumenides ?' 

'Huh... it really is a secret task force.'

Then, after a short while, with great familiarity, Rio opened his eyes and see that he is in a different place again...