Good luck? Why the hell did she wish me good luck? Jack wondered as he saw the girl departing.
He gazed back at the Training Ground. The commander was standing still at the center of the training ground, his hand was holding a long wooden rod. He released an intimidating aura even without doing anything.
Jack gulped. Don’t tell me this level 60 special elite commander is intending to spar with me? He thought. He walked into the training ground with a nervous feeling.
Commander Quintus turned around once he heard Jack’s footsteps.
“Ah, there you are,” he said, setting the tip of the rod he was holding on the ground. “The report said that you managed to survive a special elite monster ten levels above you. That was impressive. How about you show me what you can do so I can experience for myself?”
“Um, Sir… You do realize you are forty levels above me,” Jack replied weakly. “You are not serious about asking me to spar with you, right?”
The commander made a hearty laugh. “No need to be concerned. I won’t attack. I will just stay still and see how good you are. Tell you what. If you managed to land a touch on my body, I will let you use this training ground freely during your stay.”
Huh? What’s so special about being on this training ground? He had been standing inside for a while now but he didn’t notice any difference.
“Agree to him,” he heard Peniel’s voice.
‘what?’
“Just agree to him. Be serious! Use all your might in order to touch his body with an attack,” she stressed.
‘Fine.’ He declared in his mind as he brandished his longsword and magic staff.
“Sword and magic,” Commander Quintus mumbled. “You are indeed different from the other outworlders.”
“Begin?” Jack asked.
“Whenever you are ready,” the commander replied with a confident smile.
Jack activated his Life Burning Art from the get-go. Blood red aura enveloped his body, elevating all his stats to another level. He immediately sent Sword of Light as an opening move, hoping to catch the commander off guard. Yet the commander only waved his hand, the rod he was holding crashed with the crescent light and it broke apart into particles of light.
Though he was hoping to catch a lucky break with that sudden move, he was not delusional enough to think it would be that easy. While the commander’s rod touched with his Sword of Light, he had already activated Energy Bolts. He ran sideways as the six magic bolts flew towards Commander Quintus from all directions. Jack added a Mana Bullet from the side as he continued to circle around the commander.
The commander’s hand became a blur as his rod twirled around him, smashing every each of the magic bolts sent by Jack. Even the Mana Bullet that came from his flank was squashed without him even turning to look.
By that time, Jack had circled around to the commander’s back. He used Power Strike right at the commander’s open back.
The blade of his sword hit something hard, which was the rod that the commander had brought to his back at the last moment before Jack’s sword connected. Jack’s Power Strike didn’t move the commander even a little.
Damn! He cursed in his mind.
The rod which was still in touch with his sword swiped to the side, and he felt like he was swept by a typhoon. His body was lifted and he flew for several meters before landing back on the ground.
“I thought you are not going to attack?” Jack protested.
“You called that an attack? I was simply moving your sword away. You didn’t receive any damage now, do you?”
Jack didn’t quarrel further, he started forming a mana rune on his magic staff. The rune forming continue after the first rune was done. Soon three runes were formed in a circle creating a spell formation. The spell took effect and a clone of him appeared by his side.
“A copy? What use is that if I already know which of you is the real one?” Commander Quintus mocked.
Jack didn’t answer. He and his clone separated and sped forward from two sides. Both he and his clones had the red aura from Life Burning Art. Normally both bodies would be indistinguishable, but since commander Quintus had seen the spell formed, he had known from the start which one was the fake.
He saw the commander hit a small stone on the ground and threw it towards his clone. The stone passed through the clone as if nothing was there. The commander was trying to determine if this clone spell had the ability to affect the material world. Since it didn’t, the commander could completely ignore his clone and focused on his real body.
Jack shot standard magic attacks from his staff as he approached, which the commander easily nullified with a twirl of his rod. When he got into melee range, he utilized his rapid martial art swings to hit the commander. Since the deal was only a touch, he could just focus on speed. He even used his magic staff as if it was a second sword and swung them in conjunction with his main sword. Rapidly striking from every angle.
However, despite the effort, none of his attacks could reach the commander’s body. The rod on the commander’s hand moved with superhuman speed and continued to deflect each one of his swings.
A rune spell started to form as Jack continued to rain down attacks at the commander. The Mana Detonation spell took effect and a ring of energy radiated outward. Yet even this spell broke apart when the ring of light touched the commander’s rod. The energy shockwave failed to touch the commander, and his position didn’t shift at all.
Jack’s clone came to the commander’s side and made a swing. Despite the commander knowing the clone to be immaterial, he still twirled his rod to meet the clone’s sword swing. The rod and the sword passed through each other without any impact.
He was still cautious, Jack thought in his mind. Jack went on to send unceasing attacks at the commander. His clone did the same.
At first, the commander still paid attention to the clone’s attack. Even when he was entertaining attacks from four sides, two from Jack’s left and right hands, and the other two from the clone’s left and right hands, he was still having an easy time. But little by little, he started to ignore the clone’s moves. Some swings from the clone were allowed through and went past the commander’s body.
Jack activated the Dragon’s Eye skill and scrutinized the commander’s movements in slow motion detail, while he himself continued his barrage. During a single moment when the clone’s attack was ignored, Jack activated the switch effect. His original body disappeared as he took the position of his clone.
Commander Quintus was startled by this sudden turn of events, but his years of experience had helped him to keep calm in all situations. Knowing that something was wrong, he bent his body, just as Jack’s sword was about to hit. The sword went past and missed his body.
That was a good one, the commander thought. Too bad it was still not enough.
But then he felt something on his leg. He looked down and saw Jack’s staff was touching his knee. Both of them stopped and looked at each other for some time.
Jack was the first to move. He deactivated his Life Burning Art and fell down sitting on the ground. He took a large gasp of air.
“Damn! That was intense,” he uttered. It was lucky that the condition required was just a touch. It’s a good thing as well that the commander was arrogant enough to keep standing in the same place. The commander never mentioned that he was required to stay at one place when the deal was made. If he had run away when he realized something was wrong, Jack wouldn’t have managed to make that touch.
Commander Quintus was staring at Jack with a mixed feeling. He did intend to loosen his defense and let the boy touch him once he had seen this adventurer’s full effort. But he didn’t expect him to be able to make it using his own power.
Perhaps they had indeed picked up a valuable asset for their kingdom. He was puzzled at first by Gruff’s recommendation and the Royal Advisor’s act in inviting this adventurer into their faction, but now he could probably see his reason. The boy was not exactly the brightest, but his decision-making and calmness during a critical situation were remarkable.
“All right, you are free to use this training ground for as long as you like during your stay,” the commander exclaimed. “Use it well. Lindsey will come to call you when dinner is ready.” He then walked away, leaving Jack who was still sitting on the ground, confused as to what that spar just now was all about.
