Kian Goldmaul POV

  It has been a few hours after my win. It is currently 4:43 p.m.

  "It is a good thing when you ran away from that spearman kid," my father says. "Fighting a medium distance fighter is quite risky. Although you have a massive advantage because of your archery and swordsmanship, you still could have lost if you stayed still."

  "As for Rhaelor kid," my grandpa talks this time. "He is good for his age. From what I have seen, his swordsmanship is slightly worse than yours, likely because Helmut is your teacher. So you focusing on shooting him instead of running and engaging in close combat right after was correct."

  "But you will give me a headache soon," he says this part without explaining.

  "By the way, Dad, did you watch the fight?" I ask.

  "Yes, in a private room," he says as he starts laughing. "Watching the fights in a private room while you guys, pillars and semi-pillars, have to watch it in the same room is quite an experience."

  He looks at Thaddeus. "I even had access to look at the people outside watching."

  "That is just because you have to hide like a rat," Thaddeus argues back.

  They argue for a while before my grandpa slaps the back of their heads. "Shut up, both of you!"

  "Oh, speaking of the private room, Theoderic passed by and watched some fights today before leaving," my father says while scratching the back of his head.

  "Theoderic? Is that old man bored as well?" Thaddeus says.

  "Dunno. He just watched the eleven-year-old to thirteen-year-old fights before leaving."

  He nods casually. "By the way, isn't there an event after this?" Thaddeus says.

  "Yes," my grandpa replies. "It seems like Torsten will put on a show for the kids at 5 p.m."

  "Huh. Although he was grumbling about us intruding on his military base, he still put something on," Thaddeus says.

  "Yeah. He put in two first-tier soldiers to fight. They are going to just use their swordsmanship and some sword magic. It is going to be in the sparring arena. He has set up seats there in advance."

  "Their magic isn't their strongest point, so do not put hope in flashy fights," Grandpa says this time to me and Nicolas.

  We nod.

  After saying that, he checks the time. "It is 4:50 p.m. Let us return. You said it is in the sparring arena, right?"

  Before Grandpa can reply, Thaddeus gets a message.

  "Oh. I just received the mass message from Torsten. It is in the sparring arena at 5:10 p.m."

  "Well then, let us go."

  After saying that, we follow him.

  After ten minutes, we arrive at the training arena.

  We take the seat that has our name. We are among the first to arrive.

  "How would it be any different today?" I ask. "I usually see knights sparring when training back at the military training facility."

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  "Oh, right. You did usually watch them spar. Well, the difference is that they are not allowed to use magic in the facility, but in here it is okay," Thaddeus replies.

  "Oh."

  "Usually, sparring shows between knights are not allowed outside the digital world. But I think when Theoderic came today, he gave Torsten permission for it."

  "Who is Theoderic?"

  "Theoderic Grymon Harthveil, the Supreme Marshal of the armies," Thaddeus replies calmly.

  After another ten minutes, the place gets filled.

  I look at Thaddeus as Orhan is seated next to him, angering Orhan red, just as he promised.

  "Alright. Enough," Spiro says, holding back his laugh. "Torsten is arriving to the center of the arena."

  "Ahem." Torsten clears his throat before talking. "The sparring will last five minutes, between two first-tier knights."

  "They will not be using any enchantment magic. After all, we want the kids to see what is happening."

  "All of you should already know this, but I will say it: you are not allowed to record any second of this fight."

  "Well then, I will not be commentating or introducing them. When the fight ends, you can leave on your own."

  He finishes talking and comes to the sitting area.

  As he sits down, a few seconds later, fully armor-covered knights—one with red patterns, the other with blue patterns—walk in.

  Their swords were already unsheathed before walking in. After reaching ten-meter range, suddenly the Blue Knight slashes his sword. The Red Knight uses shield magic in front of him.

  The shield gets a cut mark in it from nowhere.

  Huh? There was literally nothing?

  "You can think of that as a space slash or something like that. It does not cut air or anything like that. It is made to cut specifically the flesh, ignoring everything else," Ophira says.

  "It would pass through normal physical shields."

  "Space slash?" Nicolas asks, confused.

  "It is not exactly a space slash, but that is the closest surface description for it."

  We both nod while keeping our eyes on the fight.

  After that exchange, they engage in a normal close combat swordsmanship fight.

  The Red Knight throws a whip kick toward the shin while at the same time slashing with his sword using one arm while freezing the ground under the other party.

  The Blue Knight steps back, breaking the ice, and blocks the slash while counterattacking with a stab.

  The other leans back while using shield magic in the path the sword is passing.

  Even though he dodged it, the shield still got damaged.

  Huh? Is it the same move as before?

  The Blue Knight lets himself fall to the ground, throws a kick toward the Red Knight's head while keeping himself balanced with one hand and using the other to slash the front leg.

  The Red Knight uses shield magic on his head and leg while stepping back.

  Huh? Why did he not just cut the leg?

  The shield on his head gets cracked, almost breaking, while the one on his leg gets cut.

  Again? And he used two magics at the same time. So it is exactly as my father explained that one time.

  "Why are they dodging it if they are using a shield?" I ask as the Red Knight steps forward, attacking the Blue Knight before he could stand up.

  The Blue Knight uses shield magic on where the attack is supposed to hit while at the same time pushing his free arm on the ground, making him rush to the right side of the Red Knight while throwing a slash toward his arm at the same time.

  The Red Knight moves his arm, blocking the attack with a shield.

  The Red Knight's shield gets cracked while the Blue one does not.

  Huh? I am confused now.

  "If he does not dodge, his shield will not be enough to block it, and it would hit his armor," Thaddeus says.

  "That magic expands the attack range so that when they step back or dodge, it will still hit, but it is still weaker than the physical attack."

  No wonder.

  After they continue fighting like that for what is left of the time, using no extra magic other than this one.

  "That is it?" I ask as we leave, speechless.

  “Yea that’s it, Torsten did warn it’s not gonna be anything flashy. And plus they are not trying to kill each others.” Thaddeus answer.

  After walking for a while, something bugs me a little.

  "Those knights were swordsmen, right? Not magicians?" I ask.

  "Yes, they were. Why are you asking?"

  "Well, it is because I saw them using magic that does not seem to belong to sword magic category, or at least from what I know. Like that ice magic. Were they close combat mages?"

  Hearing me, he shakes his head. "They know magic outside of sword magic, but that does not mean they are close combat mages like me," He says. "It is like saying an archer is using a sword when it is convenient, or when a gun user switches to a knife. It does not make them close to far combatants, but they still use them when they need to or when it makes things easier."

  "Real close combat mages are extremely rare, as they are hard to train. They have all trained from childhood to become that like myself. Anyways, we should head to your grandparents' house now," he finishes explaining as I nod.

  Chapter End