Intently intent

It was definitely a bout of power, the ground was innocently upheaved while a rising group of spectators formed around the arena. Making sure to leave as much space between the massive weapons we were swinging about.

"AGH! Why are you so hard to hit!" Alicia once again fiercely swung her black scythe only to find no purchase. "Damn it!"

Even in the back of my head, I wondered why this felt somewhat easy? 

But I knew it was more than that. It wasn't my movement art that was messing her up, it was something else. It was pretty clear who was faster amongst us as well. So it couldn't be my skills, but my ability.

In that particular moment, it clicked to me.

"...You know what Alicia, it's been good and all fighting you. But it seems this fight is going to come to a close." A haughty grin stretched on my face as a rather strained one grew more intense on her's. 

At this moment we were currently a few paces from each other, but I quickly met the distance as my feet slithered and carried the momentum of my greatsword.

Alicia's eyes squinted as she spaced her grip on her 'bone' scythe in readiness. The long blade of her's lay low against the ground as she seemed to prepare for my approach.

Too bad I wasn't going to, well not me anyhow.

"...!"

My greatsword tore through the air before her eyes.

Instructor Donny watched with intensity as Alicia adjusted her stance to deflect that massive slab of metal.

Sensing her distraught, I rapidly closed in with fists clenched. The streets didn't just teach you to use space, but to also fight back. And what better than with those hands of yours.

As I neared Alicia it felt like time began to slow. The motion of her scythe twisting to face me, the way her face scrunched. My mind subconsciously began to go into overdrive.

A thought popped into my head before another option intruded. A certain sensation tingled over my body as these two thoughts overlapped each other and resounded in both my mind and heart.

This body of mine moved accordingly and found itself tucking itself to the left side of Alicia. But to all the onlookers surprise the motion of her scythe swung itself in a completely different area.

As if she saw a hallucination...

"What the!" A smile of victory plastered itself on my face as I swung my fist towards her stomach. 

*pah*

My strength had drained completely before my fist even touched her stomach. Sensations of weakness permeated through my body as my mind grew heavy.

"...Hey, what did you just do?" 

I looked up at Alicia and wanted to respond. But as a wet feeling started to seep from my nose, I stopped my self. Or rather my body shut down.

My vision blurred for a moment before the weight of my body became too much for me. Just as I fell to the floor, a wide palm which I recognised was Instructor Donny's, held me up.

"Alright kiddo, I'm going to call the medical team now so you just rest right here." The Instructor carefully put me into a sitting position as he made Alicia support me. "...Do you know what you just did?"

I looked up at him with a look in my eye. 

"What are you talking about?" I managed to spew out.

There was a moment of silence as we stared at each other, neither wanting to break. As I looked into his eyes I could sense this bewilderment and caution directed toward me. 

"Nevermind, Ka-Hell." Donny was the first to break. The Instructor rubbed his balding head before sighing deeply. "...Nevermind."

The back of his departing figure made the heaviness in my chest go away. Back to what he said, I guess I have a faint idea of what I did.

Having read the entirety of 'Academy's Weakest Revival of a Sword God', I was thoroughly well versed in the power of the world. So I absolutely knew what I was doing, I just didn't know I could do it.

In a fantasy world the laws of perception is skewed. There is such thing as aura, mana and intent.

Aura referring to the manifestation of the energy of the body, more commonly known as 'Ki'. This utilisation of aura to empower and create powerful attacks simply from the body.

Mana obviously refers to the energy of the world that most creatures if not all manipulate in some certain way. But in most cases, it is used to replicated the phenomena of the world through spells or used to power certain devices and vessels. 

As for the last one, it is intent. The obscure cousin of the trio which operates on the perception of the mind and subconscious. Manipulating one's own perception to influence others through overpowering or tricking.

The trick I pulled on Alicia was based on the laws of intent making her believe I'd go one way when I actually went another. Simplified a great deal, it wasn't something a normal person could do.

The only way I must've pull it off was the nine subconsciouses in my body. In a rather unrefined and brute way I convinced both myself and Alicia I was going to attack her right side, only for my real self to will my body to go left.

Usually only masters of their craft could perform something like that, to have the mental capability to affect 'reality' through their intent. Like a master swordsman or an ancient monk.

Of course my display was an incredibly bootleg replication of intent and had severely wounded me, it was still impressive to say the least.

Basking in my own hidden accomplishments, a certain pink haired chick was starting to bother me.

"Hey, how'd you just do that?" Having put away her scythe she began to poke me aggressively. "Hey! Can you hear me? Don't tell me your mind is braindead because that would really suck... Hey!"

I glared incredulously at this girl. It seemed it wasn't getting through to her.

"Listen bro, what makes you think I'm just going to tell you?" I'm almost certain she would be braindead if she just tried what I did.

"Fxxk you too, then!" Unaware at the time, Alicia stood up to leave and in consequence my body crashed against the floor in a limp mess. 

*thud*

I stared angrily at the shocked girl who I still couldn't understand.

"...Was that your head?" Her hand covered her mouth in maybe ridicule or concern. Who knows at this point. "Sorry."

"I'm going to kill you."

A scoff quickly responded to my monotone voice as she returned to supporting me. Now with a burning sensation at the back of my head, I was once again upright with my nose spewing even more blood.

"Don't think you can, buddy. Pretty sure I just won our fight." Instead of actually supporting me properly, she took the time to lie on the ground behind me and prop me up with her dirty boots. "In conclusion, you suck and should get good."

"As if you won." I was peeved with the way her shoes didn't seem to be clean. Was that gum sticking to my clothes?

"Hey! I won that by a long shot! Who was stronger? Who kept having to run away, remind me exactly?" Her foot annoyingly pressed assertively against my shoulder which I winced silently.

"I'll be the mature one for once and tell you it straight, winning isn't about being stronger. It's about be-" 

"Boooring! I don't want to hear it from some guy who nearly fainted to my good looks and battle prowess..." As soon as Alicia said it, there was an uncomfortable silence in the air.

I made a serious effort to turn around and give a questioning look. That flushed face of her's gave me assurance she wasn't as shameless as I think she is.

"Okay then, but think about it. How many times did you hit me that wasn't my weapon?" Diverting the conversation back to what I was saying, I wanted to change something about her. It was something that constantly got her and the protagonist into a lot of trouble. 

"...None..." It seemed she was beginning to realise ever so slowly. Although I could still sense some pride in her voice.

"Exactly, so maybe start listening to the guy who hit you once."

"Pfft..." I sighed. "Seriously though, is your strength grade F?" I sighed deeper than ever.

"I don't want to talk to you anymore."

I want a different backrest.