Chương 112: Filling the Gaps

Just thinking about it made Zelier's blood surge with excitement. Manlin and Marven were both Upper-Tier Mages... And there was also Mentor Rhena, whom he had never met before. What kind of presence would they display in battle? What kind of magic would they wield? At the very least, they should be capable of Tier 4 spells. Perhaps they might even unleash Tier 5 or Tier 6 magic. Opportunities to witness Upper-Tier Mages in combat were incredibly rare.

Zelier also remembered the requirements for becoming a Mid-Tier Mage. One had to master a Tier 4 spell with a Multi-layer Spell Matrix. He wondered if he would be lucky enough to witness one during this monster hunt... There were still some days before the monster hunt officially began. Zelier silently calculated his next steps. He needed to make preparations while he still had time... Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. Right. This was indeed his biggest weakness at the moment.... Green Wood Inn.

Zelier stood outside an old wooden door and knocked. No response. He knocked harder.

"Bang, bang, bang." After a while, faint rustling sounds came from inside the room. The door creaked open.

"Who is it... this early in the morning..." Grey rubbed his sleepy eyes. His golden hair was a complete mess, sticking out like a bird's nest. When he saw who was standing outside, he finally became a little more awake.

"Oh... it's you, Zelier."

"Big brother, it's almost noon. You're still not awake?" Zelier stared at him in surprise. But he quickly understood why. A strong smell of alcohol drifted out from Grey's body. Looking through the crack in the door, Zelier could even see several empty bottles scattered across the floor beside the bed.

"We haven't had any missions lately." Grey yawned widely and spoke without a hint of shame.

"Rare chance to relax, so I let myself go a little." He welcomed Zelier inside, then casually gathered the dirty clothes piled on a chair and tossed them onto the corner of the bed, clearing enough space for Zelier to sit.

"The monster hunt arrangements are settled." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Zelier said.

"The Adventurer Association should officially notify you guys soon."

"Really? That's great!" Hearing the news, Grey instantly lost all traces of sleepiness. His face lit up.

"You're awesome! Drinks are on me tonight! Let's head to the Drunken Boar and celebrate properly!"

"No need for that..." Zelier waved his hand.

"But I actually do have a favor to ask you."

"What is it?" Grey looked confused.

"I want to learn swordsmanship." Zelier answered seriously.

"... Huh?" Blackstone Town. Sword Training Ground. This was a training facility specifically opened to adventurers in the town. The usage fee was not cheap. Three silver coins per day. It was even more expensive than staying at the Nightflower Inn. Most ordinary adventurers couldn't afford such a cost. They could only practice inside their rooms or train outside the town. However, for a better training environment, Zelier paid without hesitation and chose this place.

The training ground he rented was an open courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls. It was quite spacious, with both length and width approaching ten meters. The ground was covered with a thick layer of soft sand to cushion falls. Several large weapon racks stood around the courtyard, filled with all kinds of training weapons. Wooden swords, axes, spears, and even blunt iron weapons without edges. There were even wooden training dummies. Grey wore a fitted outfit designed for mobility as he stretched his neck.

He glanced sideways at Zelier, who had also changed into light training clothes, still unable to understand.

"Zelier, why did you suddenly decide to learn swordsmanship?"

"I want to make up for my weaknesses as much as possible." Zelier answered while warming up.

"Ha... that does make sense." Grey recalled the strength Zelier had shown during their arm-wrestling match and smiled.

"Your physical strength is ridiculously high. Not learning some swordsmanship would indeed be a waste."

"But I should warn you beforehand. Strength is only strength. When it comes to swordsmanship, you're still far from my level."

"We'll know after trying." Zelier's competitive spirit was awakened. He walked over to the weapon rack, selected a standard wooden sword of moderate weight, and pulled it free. Grey casually grabbed another wooden sword and stepped into the center of the arena.

"Come on. Let me see how much talent you actually have with a blade." Zelier gripped the sword with both hands. Following the posture of swordsmen he had seen before, he pointed the blade forward, keeping the weapon firmly aligned with the centerline. He slowed his breathing. His eyes became focused. Meanwhile, Grey looked completely relaxed. He held the wooden sword loosely in one hand, while his other hand rested casually on his waist. The two slowly circled each other.

The sand beneath their feet gave off faint scraping sounds. As the distance between them continued to shrink, Zelier suddenly felt an invisible pressure. The Grey who usually joked around and acted carefree... The moment he held a sword, he seemed like an entirely different person. His expression wasn't fierce. In fact, there was even a faint smile on his face. But the aura surrounding him was sharp and dangerous. So this is what it feels like to stand against a former companion...

Only when they became enemies did one truly understand how reliable their allies were. Zelier thought silently. He stopped hesitating. Zelier launched the first attack! He stepped forward explosively, bringing his wooden sword down with brute force and knocking Grey's weapon away from the centerline. Then he followed up immediately with another step and a heavy vertical strike! However, just as Zelier's wooden sword was about to land, Grey shifted his body slightly to the side.

He reversed his grip and raised his sword before him. With perfect stability, he blocked Zelier's strike. Then he immediately followed with a diagonal counter slash. Zelier was forced to abandon his attack and switch to defense at the last moment. But Grey's movements flowed seamlessly. The slash transformed into a thrust. In an instant, he pierced through Zelier's defenses.

"Bang..." The tip of the wooden sword struck directly against Zelier's chest. If this had been a real battle, that strike would have already killed him. First round. Grey's victory.

"Not bad..." Zelier stepped back two paces and rubbed his slightly numb chest.

"Again?" Grey casually lowered his wooden sword.

"Continue." The two once again assumed their positions. Both started from the middle stance, sword tips facing each other. This time, Zelier did not rush forward. He analyzed his own attack patterns internally, along with the possible ways Grey could counter them. If I use another vertical strike, he'll definitely block horizontally again, then immediately follow with a slash toward my abdomen... Then... What if I start with a thrust? No. A thrust has even more openings.

With his speed, he could definitely counter before I recover. But would he respond differently? For example... Would he simply dodge sideways? Or maybe start with a horizontal slash and forcibly break through my centerline defense...

"Lost your courage?" Grey watched Zelier overthinking everything and smiled provocatively.

"If I take the initiative, you'll have even fewer chances."