Ethan and Ilika stood at a distance of five meters from one another, in the backyard of Ian's home, the latter hesitant, excited, and at the same time, a little afraid. This would be his first official spar, supervised by his uncle nonetheless! He had to perform well if he hoped to learn proper swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, Ethan stared at the trembling young boy with unease. He didn't know what to do, or why Ian had proposed such a duel in the first place. It could be out of goodwill, lethargy, or he could have ulterior motives.
Was he trying to study the Foreigner's swordsmanship and uncover some clues? Or did he have something else in mind? Ethan was unsure, and that was why he was filled with unease.
'Hmmm...'
Defeating Ilika is an easy task, but how must he go about it? He couldn't use Vakuman swordsmanship in front of a former member of the Beastly Aris; he was unsure of how many Vakuman swords Ian had seen.
Although Ethan's swordsmanship came from his grandfather, who rarely appeared on the frontlines and ushered in a time of peace, should he use it here? In theory, there was no issue with it; Ethan's sword was known only by his Father, and Grandfather. His Swordsmanship was special and secret even in Vakuma.
But then again, this was a veteran member of the Beastly Aris, he had definitely been to Vakuma once or twice, and that experience may give Ethan away. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could fully conceal his tiny habits and things like that.
Defeating Ilika was an easy task; fooling Ian was not. Ethan was unsure of how to respond and sighed. He had to be 'good' enough to qualify as an actual warrior, but not good enough that he could be linked to the Rakaru Knights.
Ian was important; not only was he a powerful warrior, stronger than Ethan, but Igimo had told Ethan that he would need Ian's support for the Adventurer's Guild if he wished to speed things up. Otherwise, returning to Vakuma could take a decade or more. Ethan didn't have that much time...
In the end, Ethan sighed and drew his sword. He placed it on the ground and used the scabbard instead. Ilika frowned, but this was only expected.
As a Knight, Ethan couldn't use a sharp blade against those unworthy, especially children. His values wouldn't allow that. Furthermore, Ilika held a blade with a blunt edge. He could see clearly that it was a training sword.
He shouldn't use an actual sword against someone so... sloppy.
"Use the damn sword."
Ilika growled, and although Ethan understood it, he didn't respond in any way. He showed no deviation in his body language and simply waited for Ilika to charge in. The duel had already begun the moment both of them wielded their weapons.
His stance was simple: his feet were planted firmly on the ground, his right hand holding the sword was extended slightly forward, and his left hand was behind his back. Ethan didn't use his swordsmanship, merely swordplay.
The sword is the most versatile of weapons; you can use it in almost any situation, and although there exist an infinite number of ways to wield a sword, similarities still exist. Basic Swordsmanship shouldn't be too different in Alapur.
A sword is a simple weapon, and at the same time, it is the most complex of weapons.
"..."
Ilika charged at Ethan without any proper form. He didn't dash, he merely ran. His sword was held up high above his head, as if he intended to slam the weapon into Ethan. A vertical strike, but it was crude. The sword was raised too high.
Ethan could slit Ilika's throat, he could stab his heart directly, or stab it into the gut, just beneath the ribs, and drive his sword up. He could cut Ilika's tendons; he could drive his sword into the boy's chin and into his brain. He could circle and deliver a swift slash across his back, impeding his movement for all time...
There were so many ways to deal with it, the attempt was so sloppy, Ethan almost cringed. But then again, He couldn't be too harsh; he was the same when he began as well. A fool who was ignorant of the ways of the sword.
Ethan moved forward, unlike Ilika's expectations. Ilika tried to bring his sword down early, but Ethan was faster. He swung up, hitting the bottom of the handle, escaping through Ilika's tightly gripped hands. The sword flew up, and Ilika shivered as his bones cried out in pain, and then, he fell.
His knees touched the ground, his hands cried out in pain once more as they too collapsed into the ground, but he didn't notice any of that. There was a stiff sensation at his neck; it was all he could feel. Ilika's eyes naturally went down, seeking that stiff sensation, and he saw a scabbard at his neck.
It was turned sideways, just in case. It would be trouble if the edge scratched him or not. Ilika continued to stare at it, as Ravu remained silent. He hadn't expected it to be over so soon, and so... easily.
In the back, Ian let out a whistle.