Inside the outpost barracks, Kazuki sat at a wooden table, his eyes scanning the room. Female knights in leather and steel armor moved about, some sharpening their weapons, others engaged in casual banter. A few of them glanced at him, their eyes lingering with curiosity and suspicion.
"Here," Elara said, dropping a stack of papers in front of him. "Fill these out."
Kazuki blinked. "What are they?"
"Registration forms," Elara said, crossing her arms. "You need to be officially recognized as my subordinate. Otherwise, the guards will treat you as a rogue male and arrest you on sight."
Kazuki picked up the quill, staring at the form. "Name... Kazuki Harada. Age... 20. Status... Subordinate."
His grip tightened on the quill. Status: Subordinate. The word gnawed at him, a bitter reminder of his current position.
"Done," he said, sliding the form back to Elara.
"Good," she said, taking it. "Now, we wait for approval."
Kazuki leaned back, his eyes wandering to a nearby group of knights. They were sparring in an open area, their swords clashing with loud, ringing echoes.
[Skill Copy - Active]
Kazuki's vision shifted, targeting the fighters. A translucent window appeared before him.
[Target: Tara Veil - Knight of Estoria.]
[Skills Available to Copy: Dagger Mastery - Beginner Rank, Enhanced Agility - Intermediate Rank]
Kazuki's eyes widened. 'Enhanced Agility... That could be useful.'
"What are you staring at?" Elara said, following his gaze.
"Nothing," Kazuki said quickly. "Just... watching them train."
Elara sighed. "Don't get any ideas."
Before Kazuki could respond, Tara returned, holding a stamped document. "All set. The registration is complete."
"That was fast," Kazuki said.
Tara grinned. "I pulled some strings. Don't get used to it, boy."
Kazuki forced a smile. "Thanks."
"Now," Elara said, folding her arms. "Time to show me what you can really do."
Kazuki blinked. "What do you mean?"
Elara's eyes gleamed with a predatory light. "You're officially under my command now. And that means I need to test your skills."
Kazuki's stomach churned. "A test?"
"A duel," Elara said, drawing her sword. "Right here. Right now."
Kazuki's heart pounded. The sound of steel being unsheathed echoed through the barracks, drawing the attention of every knight in the room.
"Well?" Elara said, her gaze piercing. "Show me what you're made of, Kazuki Harada."
Kazuki stood in the center of the training area, his heart pounding. Around him, female knights gathered, forming a loose circle. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, whispers and chuckles passing between them.
"Elara's really going to duel a man?"
"Does he even know how to hold a sword?"
Kazuki swallowed, his gaze fixed on Elara as she paced in front of him, her silver hair catching the afternoon light. She twirled her sword effortlessly, the blade slicing through the air with a deadly whoosh.
"Ready?" she asked, her golden eyes narrowing.
Kazuki gripped the wooden practice sword in his hands. It felt lighter than the real one he had held before, but the weight of what was about to happen pressed down on him.
"Ready," he said, forcing his legs to stop shaking.
Elara smirked. "Good."
Without warning, she lunged forward, her sword slicing down at his shoulder. Kazuki barely managed to sidestep, the tip of her blade grazing his shirt.
"Too slow," Elara said, spinning around and bringing her sword down again.
Kazuki raised his own weapon, catching her strike with a loud clang. The impact jarred his arms, and he nearly lost his grip.
'Damn... she's fast!' Kazuki thought, gritting his teeth.
[Skill Copy - Active.]
[Analyzing Target's Combat Style...]
Elara swung again, this time aiming for his ribs. Kazuki ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow.
[Skill Acquired: Blade Mastery - Beginner Rank.]
Kazuki's mind flooded with the knowledge he had copied earlier—the basics of swordplay, how to block, how to counter. His muscles moved on instinct, bringing his sword up just in time to deflect Elara's next strike.
"Huh," Elara said, eyebrows raised. "Not bad."
Kazuki smirked. "There's more where that came from."
He stepped forward, launching a counterattack. Elara parried, but Kazuki kept pressing forward, his strikes more precise, his movements more fluid.
"You've improved," Elara said, her expression serious now. "But... it's not enough!"
Elara's foot shot out, sweeping Kazuki's legs from under him. He crashed to the ground, the wooden sword slipping from his hand. Before he could react, Elara's blade was at his throat.
The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter.
"Guess the boy had it coming."
"Did he really think he could beat Elara?"
Kazuki clenched his fists, staring up at Elara. The weight of her sword pressed against his skin, and her eyes glowed with intensity.
"You've got potential," she said, lowering her weapon. "But you're still a long way from being a real fighter."
Kazuki sat up, rubbing his sore back. "I'll get stronger."
Elara's gaze softened for a moment, then she turned away. "See that you do."
Kazuki watched her go, his jaw clenched. 'I need to get stronger... and to do that, I need more skills to copy.'
But as the crowd dispersed, one pair of eyes remained fixed on Kazuki—a woman leaning against the barracks wall, her arms crossed and a smirk playing on her lips.
"Not bad for a man," she said softly. "But let's see how long you can keep up."