Chapter 17: Misfits (3)

Although the kids reunited every day to practice their fighting styles, it took several weeks for people of different tribes to spar with others. In the meantime, Billy noticed something weird happening… When a red-haired girl of the archers' tribe nocked two arrows at the same time and fired, she hit the dummy while she was being scolded for some reason. Billy saw a notification.

The skill Double Shot is now available on the skill list shop.

Double Shot - 10 skill points

Swordsmanship - 50 skill points

Staffmanship - 50 skill points

Iron Fists - 50 skill points

...

A new skill appeared, and it wasn't a passive one… it seemed that Billy could increase the list of available skills, but he had to see the skills in action.

"I suppose the others existed already because I saw them in some game or movie…" Billy thought. "That also explained why despite having so many skill points, there is no spell to acquire…"

In order to be able to learn magic, Billy will have to see the magic first… which seemed like a problem. In any case, the cost of Double Shot was only two SP, so it was a skill even newbies could use often. As long as they have arrows.

Regardless, while some tribes began to spar with each other, no one tried to contact Billy's tribe or their members. Still, Alexander was looking toward with eyes full of expectation.

"You are wasting your time, we are the newest tribe here, so we will probably be the last to train with others," Billy said.

Not to mention, practicing with other kids with weapons would be dangerous. Even if some instructor keeps an eye on them… in any case, Alexander didn't hear what Billy said because he was looking toward the red archers as if he was mesmerized by them. When Billy followed his gaze, he found the girl who had been scolded earlier for using Double Shot. She was probably as old as Alexander, but she looked like a tomboy with short red hair and always frowning. It seemed a bit soon for Alexander to fall in love, but that wasn't Billy's problem.

Billy looked around for another partner to spar with until Alexander recovered, but he didn't find anyone. Some kids were resting, but they avoided his eyes when he looked at them. That was weird… Billy didn't remember doing anything to make him look bad in front of the other kids. Was it because his father was the commander, more or less, of the tribe? In any case, Billy could learn and level skills by watching them or by using the system, so finding sparring partners wasn't something he had to do now. Or so Billy thought… Eventually, the people of his tribe began to be called by other kids to spar, and Alexander was the chosen Guinea pig. He hesitated in leaving Billy training alone, but Billy said that he could go with them. He didn't need his permission anyway.

"Maybe I should be more proactive about this… instead of waiting to be called by the other kids," Billy thought while he was rubbing his chin.

The question was, who Billy should ask first? He also needed to worry about the instructors since they were starting to get busy. He had to choose someone who wouldn't cause trouble. After looking around for a while, Billy found some people in the other tribes who were also like him, kind of like outcasts who didn't get along with the other kids of their tribes for one reason or the other. He found a yellow-haired girl on the tribe of the closed-eyed guys. Billy heard a few days ago that they called themselves the Light seekers… which was weird since they weren't supposed to see anything with their eyes closed. Nevertheless, while the girl seemed to be two or three years older than Billy, that wasn't a problem since everyone in their tribe fought using short swords, in reach and weight, Billy had the advantage.

"Hello, my name is Billy. Would you like to spar with me?" Billy asked.

The girl didn't open her eyes, but she looked at Billy from head to toe. It was weird and uncomfortable since she stayed silent for a while, but eventually, she gave a reply.

"I am sorry, but the age difference is too big. I will probably end up hurting you," the girl said.

"I wouldn't have chosen someone who wouldn't be able to land a hit on me to spar," Billy said. "That is good."

"... fine, don't cry later for that," the girl said.

Billy wanted to toke that she probably wouldn't hit him if she kept her eyes closed, but a kid would take that too seriously. In the end, they headed toward the corner of the training plaza to spar there. The girl assumed her position while pointing her stone sword toward Billy with a single arm. Billy assumed his stance while holding the staff with two hands but while pointing at her feet. Suddenly, the girl stepped forward, and by following the shortest route, she thrust her sword toward his stomach. Billy partied the strike to the right side while frowning… she was too into the spar. She clearly wasn't holding back.

The girl stepped backward and analyzed Billy once again with her eyes closed. She realized that she had underestimated him, and he probably was hiding some skills since he parried her fastest attack and didn't complain. In the end, the girl assumed a resting position with her sword while holding it with both hands. First, a pretty quick attack, and now she was planning to use both arms with all her weight behind it… perhaps Billy had chosen the wrong partner. She looked quiet and meek from a distance, but perhaps she was an outcast because of her violent behavior… Nevertheless, when she attacked with all her might, Billy just moved his spear and blocked the attack, the weight behind it was a bit troublesome, but he didn't let her notice that. Bad kids need to be taught a lesson...