* SPARK *
* CLASH—SPARK *
* JUMP *
" HMPH! "
Our swords intertwined again and again, the bind of the two sturdy blades sending molten bits of metal everywhere. Every time our weapons met—conversing in their own way, more and more sparks would fly about. Thrusting forward after the quick separation, the tip of my sword met with the downward arc of my opponent's.
Aura flared. The troublesome opponent let out a burst of colored Aura, his sword smashing into my own and shattering it. The clash left nothing but a jagged weapon that lost whatever small amount of purpose it held.
" Not like I was attached to it. "
I quickly remarked as I put up my fists, suddenly bursting with energy. Colored Aura made fighting so much easier. And now, with golden energy whirring and zipping around me, I stared at the man I would consider my first real obstacle in saving the future.
Knight "Allen Gaylord", The Knight employed to put an end to me.
* JUMP *
. . .
" Takumi...I've been doing this for so long...Do I really have to keep going? "
" If you want to get stronger, you do. "
Elise and I had been in our usual spot, right in the training grounds. However, unlike most other times, we weren't the ones doing the training. At least not physically. The training grounds were for the entire Knight's order to use. Both the fully fledged Knights and the Knights in training used it together. Though they did tend to separate the sides of the grounds with an invisible line.
Such as saying, "Don't overstep your place," to those in training.
I had been forcing Elise to do something like image training. However, instead of coming up with an opponent in her head, I had her use the people training. She would imagine herself as their opponent and come up with a counter to their every move. And of course, she had to verbally say all of her counters to me.
The human brain is very receptive to the spoken word, and by saying the counters out loud, I can both correct her while she internalizes the advice. Over the past 4 hours, we've been doing this—she rarely needs correction or advice now.
As for me, I had been taking note of everyone's movements myself. Why? So that when she is ready, I can act out everything she's witnessed so that she can act upon her conceived counters.
But I hadn't yet told her that I would be refining every technique and move used by the people training to see if she could come up with new counters to better movements on the spot.
" Takumi...This is borring... "
" I bet it is! "
And just like that, hours passed, we sparred, and split up for the night.
I found myself eventually walking down the hall of the Palace as I came from grabbing an apple from the kitchen. It wasn't hard to get in there and take whatever I wanted, and I truly had no qualms about doing so.
However, as I was walking and eating, someone bumped into me. If I weren't so sturdy from my training, I would've fallen. The person hit me with what could only be described as deliberate force meant to knock me down. And such a move nearly made me drop my apple.
" What was that for? "
I looked at the person. Their expression had been tight, and their body language clearly showed aggression. They wore an outfit somewhat similar to my own, though, instead of blue with white trimming, it was all black with a completely white shirt under the coat. His features were refined but had a hint of ruggedness to them—especially that chin. His eyes were a piercing blue, accompanied by dark blue, almost midnight, locks that fell down in front of his face. His hair was wavy.
Where had I seen him before?
His deep-set and aggressive eyes were burning a hole into my own.
" I don't know—you tell me, Hero. "
" Is there a problem you have with me? "
I looked at him more and realized where I had seen him before.
Before I regressed and turned back the clock, I had finally gotten to see the man who had Elise executed. He hadn't yet been dead at the time, as most men and women were during Raksha's invasion, and when I found out why...I was sick to my stomach.
This was the aristocrat Noble known as Baron "Butovich Gaylord". My eyes twisted a bit with anger before I let it go. Just thinking of my past life and my interaction with him upset me. But then to be face to face with the man who killed a person I now consider a great friend?
I had half a mind to end him right then and there.
" If you do have a problem with me...We can settle it. "
My words were colder now. I had a hard time maintaining composure with scumbags.
" I don't have a problem with you, Hero. It's the person you dare to hang around. That Elise Tera. She's a parasite—a filthy commoner you should discard. "
" What was that? "
" I'm simply saying you should do all of us a favor and stop ruining the good name of both the Kingdom and the Hero title by fraternizing with the dregs of society. "
That was the last straw. This guy...
* GRAB *
My hand latched onto his collar, immediately pulling him closer. The anger in my body started to show very physical signs. I could feel the veins in my forehead popping, showing under the bangs that came with my ponytail hairstyle. And before I could control it, Aura came from my body and tightened my muscles, causing me to crush the apple I held in my other hand.
" Watch your damn mouth, you piece of shit. "
I, Hikari Takumi, was not the type to curse very often. Honestly, that was more Ryota's thing. But even I had a few buttons you couldn't push. I always felt myself lose it when my friends were attacked.
" Unhand me! "
With a swift motion, he slapped my hand off of him. I hadn't been holding on tight enough. For a moment, I contemplated snapping his neck while I held him. I must've loosened my grip when that thought crossed my mind, and he took advantage of that.
" I'll have your—no. I'll have her head if you dare act up! "
* SNAP *
" That's it. "
She already died before in the old timeline. And he dared to threaten her once more. Unlike before, where I hadn't had any connection with her at all—she was the only friend I had here. I couldn't hold back my anger now. After all that time warring against Raksha, I understood just how important it was to stand up for your friends and eliminate threats to them.
If he wanted to already threaten her, I'd put him in his place now.
I raised my fist and tightened my muscles.
" Bite down. "
* PUNCH *
My balled-up fist shot forward and slammed into his cheek, caving in his face and knocking out three teeth straight onto the hall floor. He was knocked down with an extremely hard thud and stayed there for a moment. I raised my fist again, standing over him—ready to smash him again.
" W-W-Wait! S-Stop! "
And then he started cowering. His words slurring as he gargled blood and fragments of his broken teeth in his mouth.
" I-I-I—I'll have your head for this!! "
After declaring something foolish, he'd scramble up, holding his bloodied maw before running away—almost pitifully.
But I felt no pity for that trash.
" Damn. I ended up doing the very same thing that would get Elise executed. "
Though...this wasn't a completely bad thing. I was much stronger and capable than Elise. And I had connections of my own. In all honesty, he'd have no real way to convince either monarchy to claim my head as retribution.
At least, that's what I thought. Of course, as a result of this situation, the King had to do the one thing I told him not to.
Get in my way.
. . .
" Hero Takumi. You understand what you've done, right? "
" Punch an overconfident scumlord? "
Here I had been, standing in front of the King of Humanity, practically on trial for crushing the face of the bastard Butovich. It seemed as though this was less on behalf of Butovich and more for the King. He wanted to see me prosecuted.
He probably didn't intend to apply too many restrictions or punishments on me if I submitted to him and lowered my aggression towards him. However, I could never be sure what may happen to my connections to the people I need if I do that. Originally, it had just been Elise, Gwen, and Captain Tusk that I needed to meet. However, now I had Brina and Mundul on my side, for the moment.
I had to keep it that way.
" Of course not, Hero. You 'punched' an innocent Noble who's done no wrong. "
" Threatening my friend's life counts as doing no wrong? "
" I did no such thing! "
Butovich was here, of course, he was. And he had already started lying. I didn't think he was that shameless. However, his blatant disregard for what I am willing to do to him ticked me off. But...I tried to keep calm.
" Baron Butovich would do no such thing, Hero Takumi. You must've been merely throwing around your power—same as you did when you arrived here! "
" That's right! And you've been hanging around with common filth—allowing it to sully a good name! "
I really did try.
* BURST *
Golden Aura flared and wrapped around the room, just like before. The King, as pompous as he was, still felt the pressure of my strength. The King was the sort of man who looked strong; however, he was nothing more than a figurehead. Compared to the Elf King, who had been extremely powerful and capable, the King of Humanity was worthless.
His narrow, weasley eyes stared down at me, practically shaking. It was fun to see his dangling curls quiver from under his crown as he nearly fell from his throne. And unlike before, the guards in the throneroom didn't raise their weapons or Aura against me.
They knew they couldn't win now.
I was much stronger than before—my power nearly reaching seventy-five percent of its strength. Thanks to training with Elise and the occasional Yulius run-in, I was progressing swiftly.
But, despite my power, one man walked around in front of me. He had similar features to Butovich, sporting the same color of hair and eyes. However, his features were defined in a totally different manner. He was built like a warrior. Not to mention his much sturdier attire, clearly a man who knew his way around the sword that hung off his hip.
" Hero. "
I didn't respond with words and simply looked in his direction, my anger now subdued after witnessing the King's cowering, instead simply flexing my Aura to make a statement.
* TOSS—CATCH *
He threw a sheathed blade in my direction. It was a simple iron longsword, one you'd expect to find on the training grounds there for practice and sparring. I was confused as to why he'd give me this.
" I challenge you to a duel. And if I win, you are to apologize to my father. As well as submit to the King. "
Looking at the sword in my hand now, he must've thought it would be prudent to give me a weapon to defend myself. What chivalry.
This man is the bastard Butovich's son. Slowly, I'd draw the sword from its sheath. And as I held it in my hand, my Aura shifted. It became rougher and wild rather than a steady flow of oppression. It even changed colors. Or more accurately, it lost its color.
" Fine then. I'll crush you first. "
* DASH— *
I couldn't hold myself back any longer. Butovich's son was smart to have drawn his blade quickly upon hearing my words. Because in mere moments, I brought the sword down upon him.
And like that, my first battle began in the King's throne room.
CHAPTER 28 END