Me and Brynhilde are now facing each other and in the middle of us was Liz who is going to be our judge of our duel. Brynhilde was now doing a light exercise which is still smiling while waiting for our duel to start and me who just found a good idea how to fight her in an even ground so I need to get out of here.

“Liz.”

“Yes?”

“Can I go to the restroom?”

“Sure, just come back quickly so we can start, alright?”

“Thanks.”

After I got Liz confirmation I quickly run out the testing ground.

Brynhilde who was doing a light exercise watched me leave the testing ground immediately panicked and looked at Liz.

“Hey! Where is he going?!”

“You should calm down for a bit, he’s just going to restroom.”

“I thought he was going to run away, that’s a relief.”

Brynhilde resumed her light exercise while smiling after hearing the reason I ran away.

After a minute of running I stopped and started to look my surrounding if there are people passing and when I confirmed that there are no people around I quickly took out the holy sword Excalibur inside my inventory and started to calm myself.

“Let’s start…”

I looked at the holy sword Excalibur and started to concentrate in changing its appearance. I started to modify the holy sword ignoring other process and proceed on changing its outside appearance and the sword slowly change on what I imagined.

After a few minutes passed the holy sword had already changed its appearance, its golden blade had changed into an ordinary blade that exactly the same as the sword that currently hanging on my waist. I took out the sword which is hanging on my waist and put it in my inventory and put the holy sword Excalibur on my waist.

“Alright…”

I took a deep breath to calm myself for a few minutes and started to walk back in the testing room.

------------------------

“Alright, the two of you are you ready.”

““Yes””

“Begin!”

When Liz shouted to start the duel, Brynhilde suddenly from where she was standing and appeared on my back that made me surprised who now about to swing her sword.

“Damn it!”

When the sword I hastily swing Excalibur to deflect the sword that is currently swinging towards me towards my neck, when the two swords clashed, I was pushed back a few meters away and immediately focused my stares towards her.

I almost died there if it’s not for this sword I would be in a brink of death right now but just how fast is this woman.

I look at the Brynhilde who was staring me with admiration I think, but to me he looks like a demon who is out to get me and just thinking about it scares me.

“Alright, I will get a little serious alright so do your best, alright!”

When she said that she suddenly disappears out of my sights and in a few seconds, I felt a sudden pain in my side of the body as I flew another few meters away from where I’m standing and I manage to land on my feet.

I touched the side of my body that was hurting like hell, which took out five hundred of my HP and also her speed is much faster than before that I didn’t even have the chance to move.

I started to ready myself again and stare Brynhilde again while trying to predict on where she will strike. Brynhilde dashed towards me with a blinding speed, I immediately swing Excalibur to my right side trying on leaving it to my luck since I don’t even know where she will strike.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

After I swung Excalibur I was able to deflect my sword which was coming to my right side which made me surprise since I never thought that it would she was going there and a notification window suddenly appeared.

[By trying to predict your opponents move and succeed you learned the skill [Prediction].]

After reading the notification I was about to burst with happiness but the thing I felt was pain in my stomach since I got kicked on that part, which made fly a few meters away again, leaving me lying on the ground and smiled because of the new skill that I learned.

I slowly stand up suppressing the pain that Brynhilde inflicted which leaves only 903 of HP out of me and I also learned a valuable skill so I should now give up now since I still don’t want my life to end.

“Ohhh! You manage to react with my speed only rank SS adventurer or monsters are able to react to that. I am starting to like you more and more.”

“I’m glad that you to hear that but…”

Brynhilde looks like she didn’t understand about what I just said to her only tilting her head while looking at me who now putting Excalibur back to my waist as I looked at Liz, who looks like she understand on what I just said to Brynhilde and now waiting for my word.

I slowly raised both of my hands in the air and sigh.

“Liz, I give up.”

“Since Ren is giving up the winner of the duel is Brynhilde.”

‘’Ehhh!”

Brynhilde was surprised about the sudden decision since she looks like she doesn’t want to stop the since she is starting to enjoy that duel she can’t accept the outcome.

“Hey Ren! Your joking right I was just starting enjoy our fight why are you giving up?!”

“You should know that I can’t even fight equally with you so why would I continue fighting you and most of all my body hurts like hell so I give up.”

“B-But!”

“See you.”

I started to walk away from Brynhilde who still can’t accept that I surrender who started to pout while staring at me intently who was looking at me walking away from her.

“Are you alright?”

Mael asked me in a worried face while checking if I had any serious injury that made me smiled how concerned she is.

“You don’t have worry about I’m okay.”

“Is that so…”

“But Ren, who would have thought that you can endure her monstrous strength.”

“Shut up Igil, my body really hurts that I don’t want to fight her ever again.”

“Haha! I can’t argue with that, but you should you should be prepared since she took a liking to you she won’t give up so easily with just words you know.”

“I will ask Liz later to find me a quest that involves in a far-away place so I can escape from her and I needed to train anyway.”

“Haha! Then I wish you luck that you would become stronger!”

“Thanks…”

While me and Igil were talking, Mael tapped my shoulder that I looked at her.

“Hey Ren, can I also go with you?”

“Sure, let’s meet at the guild alright and don’t forget to buy everything needed since we are going to take a quest that involves a long journey.”