"Lord Lucan."
Cassia bowed in his general direction, sword still unsheathed and held by her hand.
"What's the meaning of this?"
"I'll answer."
Justinian intervened.
"She's here to protect me, and now she intends to duel me."
"A duel!?"
Lucan growled.
"You're supposed to be training, not dueling someone like her. The outcome is obvious."
"I've already finished your training; you can ask the other men with me."
Justinian answered confidently, then pointed towards the still struggling soon-to-be night raiders.
"I suggest you train them rather than waste your time arguing with me, Marshal."
Lucan opened his mouth to shout out a comeback, but then shut it quickly. While he may be reckless, he's still a marshal, and he knows that Justinian is correct.
"Smart... I'll give you that."
Lucan rounded up the knights, stopping the encirclement they had on Cassia, and ordered them to help the men on how to ride the horses.
"The knights will deal with that, as for me, I'll watch your duel."
"That isn't necessary, lord Lucan."
Cassia answered, shaking her head.
"No, let him, it's better to let my Marshal see my fighting experience head-on."
"Cocky, that's the spirit, my duke."
Lucan said in reluctant admiration, crossing his arms as he stepped a fair distance between the two fighters.
He may not respect Justinian for now, but he loves to see Justinian prove him wrong in a duel; after all, might makes right is his favorite saying.
"A halberd and a sword... seems one-sided, is it not?"
"You underestimate me, lord Lucan."
Cassia answered, already preparing a fighting stance, eyes locked onto Justinian's body.
"And it seems you underestimate me as well."
Justinian answered, also ready to fight, halberd pointed towards her direction, stance and posture exactly like that of his knights, but more refined, somehow... perfect.
Lucan raised a brow at Justinian's form.
'When did he learn how to hold a halberd like that...? I thought the late duke only taught him how to use a sword...'
"Care to do the honors?"
Justinian looked at Lucan, having him have the honor of starting the duel; he was, after all, kind of acting like the judge.
Lucan didn't answer, only raising his hand, an answer in and of itself.
"Fight!"
He quickly sliced his arm through the air downward, signalling the start of the duel.
Cassia took the first move, already attempting to close the distance and take down Justinian. A sword may be tinier than the halberd, but once she gets close, the bigger halberd will turn into his opponent's disadvantage.
Justinian already knew what she had planned, so he made sure she didn't even have a chance to get close.
"Back, woman!"
FWOOSH.
He swung wide, causing Cassia to step back, unable to close the distance.
"Too wide! You leave yourself open, fool!"
Lucan shouted, disappointed at Justinian's maneuver.
Cassia knew that as well, attempting to bait another wide swing, but instead, she was met with a powerful thrust.
CLANG.
Cassia parried the blow at the last second, her gambeson being nicked in the process due to being caught off guard.
"Impressive."
She breathed out, respect in her tone.
'Appear weak when you are strong and strong when you are weak!'
Sun Tzu's quotes filled Justinian's head; that was the intention of his first swing, to have her be caught off guard.
But even with that successful blow, Justinian wanted it to have ended right then and there.
"I can say the same thing to you... parrying at the last second."
Justinian smiled, moving slowly to the side, increasing the distance between her and him, relying on his weapon advantage.
'Already used my ace... now it's up to pure skill...'
Cassia charged in once more, this time, not underestimating Justinian.
CLANG.
She blocked the first thrust, redirecting the halberd sideways, sliding by its haft.
'Fuck...'
Justinian cursed, but quickly adapted and switched grip to use the halberd as a short staff.
THUD.
Sword met wood as Justinian swung with the butt of the halberd towards her chest, forcing her to block the attack.
'Now!'
Justinian tilted slightly, making sure the haft was pointing directly at her chest.
Using her block as his weapon.
FWOOSH.
Justinian thrusted once more, this time with the dull butt of the haft, as Cassia was still unable to defend, preoccupied with the previous attack.
THUD.
Cassia grunted at the blow, jumping backwards to reset her position.
"I never... knew a duke would know how to handle a halberd."
"That makes two."
Lucan at the sidelines replied, laughing.
"That's the same techniques I teach, never expected you to learn them."
Lucan's mind began to turn. How could the duke possibly have learned the knight's signature halberd techniques?
'Did he secretly learn while he was still young...?'
He stroked his beard. It was a theory, but there was no other explanation. The young Justinian was still an outstanding child after all; if he learned it at that age, it would make sense.
'It seems like the blood of Thirell really does run through his veins.'
[Army Swordsmanship - Increased]
His trait strengthened his ability based on his subordinates, and while that also meant Lucan, his loyalty was questionable, but now he had garnered some sense of respect from him.
The skills Justinian also inherited from him had increased.
"I'll be going at full strength now!"
"Full strength!?"
Cassia yelled out in surprise. Was he not taking the fight seriously?
FWOOSH.
Another thrust that Cassia easily dodged, but that wasn't the end of it.
FWOOSH.
Another powerful thrust, fast, deadly.
SLICE.
Then this time, a powerful cleave, one that Cassia had to face head-on as it threatened her head.
CLANG.
Justinian switched the roles; now she's on the defensive.
'She's wearing a full steel plate, and compared to my simple tunic, it means that her moving around like that should have wasted some energy already.'
'Time to end this!'
Justinian used the halberd's blade to his advantage, hooking Cassia's blade and pulling with all his might; speed might be her strong point.
But in terms of pure strength? Justinian had it.
"HMPH!"
He managed to dislodge the sword from Cassia's hand, and now that she was unarmed.
Time to end the duel.
SWOOSH.
"I win!"
Justinian yelled out, quickly moving, and before Cassia even realized it.
The Halberd's tip was now pointed inches away from her throat.
"Surprised?"
'I am as well!'
Justinian screamed in glee inside his mind. He never expected to win, let alone use a halberd that well; it's a dream come true after watching so many medieval movies from back then.