章節 18: C18. Spar
[Bloodline: +2 Imp]
[Dexterity: +2]
…
"Congratulations on completing the 100th round of the Quick-Fire mode. Your accomplishment has been recorded on the Arena Leaderboard." A loud voice announced as I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
Seeing the sun still somewhat directly above my head, I'd assume around an hour and a half had passed since I stepped foot in the Arena.
"Please make your way out through the open gate." The voice announced once more as the gate from which I arrived slowly opened up.
Making my way out, I wiped the blood off my sword, nodded at the administrator by the exit, and instantly spotting Palmer waiting by the stairs wearing an extremely excited expression.
"Lenso! That was amazing!" He cried out, complete admiration in his voice.
"Your sword was like flying in the air, and with one swoop-!" He mimed my moves with his own sword.
"Was it meant to be difficult?" I frowned with slight confusion.
"N-No, the monsters weren't meant to be difficult to defeat, the quick-fire mode that you chose was meant to test our endurance rather than strength. But you just kept going, it's like as if you have unlimited stamina!" He explained with wonder.
"I, I see…" I replied, not knowing how to respond to his sudden and unexpected enthusiasm, "Anyway, I heard I got placing in the leaderboard or something." I looked around.
"You got placed in the leaderboard?" Palmer froze, "You got placed in the top 100 of our school?"
"Top 100?"
"Over there," He pointed at a large metal greyboard by the Arena, "Only the top 100 students in each mode gets placed on the leaderboard. It's basically the school's hierarchy board."
I walked over, intrigued.
[87th Place - Palmer Pharamond - Rapid-Fire Mode - Completed Round: 100, Time: 1:37:56]
"Huh?" Palmer froze as he saw his own name on the leaderboard, "Why am I on there?"
"Maybe because I used your card to get in." I speculated, glancing all the way to the top of the leaderboard.
[1st Place - Grayson Seabert - Battle Royale Mode - Difficulty: Hell, Time Survived: Victory]
"Grayson…" I muttered. A familiar name - one of the targets.
"Grayson Seabert. He's an honor student so we don't see him around much." Palmer explained, "I heard he's a battle junkie."
"Sounds like an interesting fellow," I muttered, skimming through the rest of the list.
[2nd Place - Aligard Mackimore - Duel Mode - Completed Levels: 453, Time Completed: 1:57:22]
[14th Place - Dallian Aldridge - Battle Royale Mode - Difficulty: Hell, Time Survived: 0:03:61]
[27th Place - Arnatt Grazian - Battle Royale Mode - Difficulty: Hell, Time Survived: 0:00:30]
It seemed like the rest of my targets were also on the leaderboard.
"What's the Battle Royale mode? Is it really that difficult?" I frowned, seeing the incredibly low Survive Times of the top 100 students of the academy.
"I haven't tried it personally, but apparently the Battle Royale Hell mode is the only one that was extremely difficult. It was deemed impossible to complete until Grayson went and did it a few months ago, though he was covered in cuts and bruises by the end."
"I see," I nodded, putting a mental note to check it out later.
"Einsoi," A sudden deep voice interrupted our conversation as a bulky reddish-grey-haired man walked towards us.
"Professor Deil." I turned and smiled,
"Did you challenge the Arena?" He asked, stopping before us and glanced down at the arena stage, where a mountain of monster carcasses was being cleaned up by some men in protective grey overalls. "I see you've done the Rapid-Fire Mode." He said, spotting the type of monsters that were being cleaned up, "So what did you want my help for?" He got straight into the main topic.
"I'd like to request a spar," I replied, lifting my sword.
"A spar?" He raised his eyebrow, "Are you sure?"
"That's how I learn best," I smirked,
The professor let out a small sigh before nodding his head, "Alright then, follow me." He headed down the arena stairs and gave the administrator a nod, to which she quickly stepped aside and let him through.
"He's with me," The professor said as he stepped through, allowing me to go through as well.
Swiping away the selection screen, he looked to the right wall of the arena entrance, pressing a small button camouflaged to the stone brick of the wall.
Within a second, the giant metal gates began creaking it's way up, creating a loud thud as it reached its maximum height.
"Come on," He gestured as he stepped through.
The arena stage had been cleared again. Not a single trace of my previous massacre remained.
"Come at me," He gesturing at me as he leaned his sword on his shoulder.
Without a second of hesitation, I placed my power to my legs, instantly flying at him, and swung my blade.
TIINGGG
He blocked with the hilt of his sword.
Quickly retreating a step back, I saw him looking at me with a slight glimpse of interest.
"Go again,"
I flew at him again, this time attempting to create a feint.
TIING
Blocked again.
"You rely too much on your speed." Professor Deil scolded, his blade intersected my own, "Your moves are so easy to see through. You swing like an amateur."
He applied a tiny amount of pressure then swung his own sword, his movement difficult to decipher, and before I knew it, he had managed to disarm me.
"If you know your way around your sword, you can easily do that too." He lectured, the tip of his blade pointed at my neck. "Learn the weakness of your sword. Know where to aim to apply the most pressure. Practice until it feels like an extension of your arm. Wielding a sword isn't just about speed and strength. It's about your strategies. Where to swing, how to block, parry. It's about thinking 2 steps ahead."
"Yes, Sir," I grimaced, staring at the tip of the blade before me with my hands raised.
"Good," Professor Deil lowered his sword, "You're skills weren't too bad, just unrefined. As if you watched and mimicked someone else's movement. More practice and you'd be at the same level as the Knights of Suin."
"Understood," I sighed, going over to pick up my sword.
[Sword Proficiency: +3%]
每周推薦票狀態
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榜單 
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